#little kitten mews too loud

[midnottart]

⚡️🐍 Shh~ • What do you think, why does Loki need to be quiet 👀

[quirekey]

TFP autobots as Cats/kittens

[ headcanons ] + [ Lmao i had fun ]

[ includes: Optimus, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Arcee, Ratchet, Smokescreen and Wheeljack ]

—•—•—

Optimus Prime:

Optimus would be a pretty large kitten. A vibrant blue, red and white coat with larger and tall ears. Pretty big and seemingly cute-serious eyes. Medium amount of fluff!

- Optimus probably meows a hella lot, yapping about some random stuff. He definitely sits on your lap and meows at you all day with those big ol’ eyes. You may be busy but then he spawns and just starts rambling about some sort of leadership stuff.

- He isn’t too affectionate when you're busy, but the second you start relaxing then he will just loaf on you. Your leg, chest or any available and empty spot on your body, it’s his favourite spot!

- He’s a very pristine and clean little boy, always licking to keep himself looking fancy schmancy! He will paw at you if you don’t clean yourself, pawing and leading you to the bathroom, it’s fair if you are offended.

- Honestly very agile and fast for a larger cat, but only running around outside. He doesn’t wanna make a mess. He loves to run around alongside you if you do exercises like jogging.

- He does get along with others, being a charming little cat that talks a lot definitely would charm any human but not too many cats, silly boy. He would want to get along with every cat and kitten.

—•—•—

Bumblebee:

Bumblebee is a furry little fella with folded ears. A yellow and black striped coat that is full of fluff! Puffy and long tail and black lil’ paws that are grippy and adorable. Smaller than the average cat also.

- He definitely chats a hella lot, no matter where and no matter what. You will hear him talking to your half-sleeping body, pawing at your face as he mewed at you.

- He may as well be a dog due to how attached and clingy they are compared to other cats. Bumblebee always is just clinging onto you with his claws on your pants, meowing until you stop and pet him, and he’s very persistent when he does it too.

- Has a habit of being clumsy. He would try to jump onto a counter and slam his face into it instead, crying after. He would slip off tables and accidently break glasses.

- He’s just a bit skittish, just a bit. He will see anything and either run at it with full force or jump and run off, it’s just a 50/50. He’s very random when it comes to being either skittish or aggressive.

- Loaf all day, no matter what. Loaf in cup, loaf on bed, loaf on couch! He would mostly wanna loaf on your lap, loud purrer too. He likes to just turn into a loaf in the most random spots too, it’s honestly strangely cute.

—•—•—

Ratchet:

Ratchet is a fuzzy cat, not a fluffy one. He doesn’t like the big coat type of look and prefers a simple one. Little ears that are always down like he’s grumpy 24/7. Medium sized body and tail. Red and white coat.

- Always is away watching some sort of interaction or thing. He is loafing at the window seal, watching birds. He’s sitting on the counter, watching you clean the dishes or just watching the trees move in the wind. He does get into things very easily.

- He isn’t too playful and is pretty sleepy. He’s an old cat that isn’t too active so he’s just laying around. He is just curled up in a ball in his bed all day and never will play with a toy.

- He will demand attention if he wants it and demand you to go away if he doesn’t. He sometimes gives mixed messages but you just pet him anyways because he’s cute.

- He hisses a hella lot, a little feisty boy. If you do anything that he doesn’t like, hissing. If you pet him too much, hissing. If you pet him too little, hissing.

- Ratchet seems like the type of kitty to not care too much about pats until you start actually petting him. He will show that he doesn't want any pets but once you start petting him then it’s game-over.

—•—•—

Bulkhead:

Bulkhead is a large and bulky looking cat. Fuzzy and furry. He’s a round fella with a round, mini tail. He has smaller feet and small ears that twitch a lot. Chonky kiki with a dark green coat.

- Absolutely grateful!! Give him any toy and he is forever grateful, playing with it every single day. Get him cat food and he will meow at you so much with a cute, big-eyed expression.

- Bulkhead is very affectionate. He’s always head-butting you for pats, pawing at you when you're just sitting around and nuzzling onto you whenever he wants. He always wanted to sit on your shoulder but he’s too bulky to :(.

- He loves to squish himself into things. He’d try his best to squish into a mug a lot, happy and unaware. He absolutely loves boxes that perfectly fit him and is like liquid when you hold him.

- He’s very very aggressive and messy. He may just start running around and dropping your items onto the floor, having fun while being messy. You sometimes call him a little wrecking ball but also yell at him a lot.

- He’s a little troublemaker, loving to make a mess to just tease you for fun. He will only not scratch up the couch and make a mess if you yell at him a lot, because he’s afraid of you when you're mad.

—•—•—

Arcee:

Arcee is a tiny kitten. She has light pink and tall ears that are filled with white fur. She has a half fuzzy and half fluffy coat that is coloured blue. She has big eyes that always look like she’s concentrating, diluted quite often.

- Arcee enjoys hiding in little and dark places. You’ll find her oftenly sneaking around and snuggling into smaller places. Under the draws or maybe just in a pile of clothes. She enjoys the small and dark places.

- Arcee loves being a squishy girl. When you pat her, she wants you to squish her and hug her in your hands, meowing for squishy hugs.

- She loves being a shoulder buddy. What I mean is that she wants to sit on your shoulder and adventure with you, everywhere! Observing what you see and being your little partner.

- She’s a fighter, she’s definitely a fighter. She will attack you and hiss and scratch if you yell at her or just make a sudden move that scares her. She always is on guard and will hiss at anything that somewhat frightens her. She may see someone that's playfully attacking you and start scratching them, though she’s a tiny little kitten.

- She actually doesn’t load too often, it’s a pretty rare occurrence. She’s normally just sitting down or curled in a ball, she just dislikes the loaf. There is only one place she’ll loaf at and that’s in your lap.

—•—•—

Smokescreen:

Smokescreen is a pretty medium sized cat, probably just the average one. He has more fuzz than fluff and a pretty long tail. He has pointy ears that point straight up. He has a pretty clean red, blue and white coating.

- Smokescreen is one childish kitten. He’ll do a lot of dumb stuff that even a dumb cat wouldn’t do. He would maybe attack a lamp because he looked at the bright part of it or just attack a foggy reflection of himself. Yes, he ran into glass before.

- He literally copies everything you do. Jumping on a trampoline? He will join you like a little goof. Talking way too much to him? He’ll do it back, meowing like crazy. He’ll do anything you do because he admires you and sees you as his parental figure, because you are.

- The boy sometimes gets too eager or rowdy and tries to parkour a lot. He would jump onto a counter and try to jump onto the fridge, failing miserably when he actually tries. He doesn’t cry but is definitely upset.

- Smokescreen is 24/7 curious about what you're doing. He will knead and paw at you when he sees you, waiting for you to tell him what you're doing. He’ll jump onto you and meow at you relentlessly until you get him involved too.

- LOVES chin scratches. His favourite part when you give him affection is when you itch his little chin. He will purr loudly when you do this, wanting to make it as obvious as possible to show you that he enjoys the scratches.

—•—•—

Wheeljack:

Wheeljack is one tall kitten. He has big ears that are very twitchy and animated. He’s pretty fluffy and has an even fluffier coat around his neck. He has a white coat with red and green streaks.

- Wheeljack is a rambunctious kitten. Always making a mess no matter what you do. He will shove glasses off, scratch up your couch and kill all of your plants. He does it for fun and is very active.

- Wheeljack loves being independent. He will always want to do things himself and lovingly fail. Sometimes you may try to grab something off the shelf for him but he just jumps up to the shelf and knocks it off himself. Usually it’s a toy so it won’t break (unless you get unlucky and he starts going into that little rampage of his again.)

- He is very aggressive when you start loving him. If you pat him too much, he will start biting and kicking you aggressively but not to the point where you’ll draw blood. He just likes to fight you playfully and it does sting but it’s adorable!

- The boy is a massive rebel when coming to house-rules. You yell at him and he will not listen at all. You may literally tell him the same thing over and over but he will pretend that you aren’t even there and just walk off.

- Surprisingly he’s really quiet and chill once he burns out of his rebellious moment, just cuddling with you and barely meowing at all. Sure he may just paw at your face but not often at all. He does purr really quietly.

[iliketangerines]

Can write about how the the Lin Kuei brothers would react if a reader brought home a lost kitten?

I like to imagine Bihan thinks it's adorable but doesn't know what to do and is like "what do I do with it?" Bc it's so small while Kuai Liang becomes a cat dad immediately while Tomas turns into a puddle because of its cuteness 😂

the lost kitten

a/n: i did base bi han on my mom actually

pairing: bi han, kuai liang, tomas vrabda + gn!reader

warnings: none :)

Bi Han sits across from you with his arms crossed, hard glare set on you and the small ball of fluff curled up in your arms, and he says no

you give him a pout, begging him please please please to let you have a small kitten, and Kuai Liang sighs and says to his elder brother that he should just let you have the kitten

Bi Han scowls and gives another firm no, voice hard and unwavering, but Tomas on the other side of him seems to ignore his grandmaster’s words and rushes over to you

his fingers brush over the soft fur, and the kitten lets out a loud mew at the brush and swipes its little claws at the gray assassin

Tomas lets out a little gasp and then back to Bi Han, saying that they must keep the kitten, and the both of you attempt to give him your best puppy dog eyes

Bi Han scoffs but looks off to the side, and the two of you know that you’ve won

he may be a cold-hearted grandmaster, but he was weak to the will of you and his youngest brother no matter how hard he tried to dislike you both sometimes

then, he turns back and says that he’s not doing any work for the kitten, that all the work came down to you two since you both wanted the kitten so badly

you bow to him, thanking him profusely, and you grab onto Tomas’s shoulder and squeal with him excitedly as you bring the kitten back to your room and start planning what supplies you need to buy

Kuai bumps Bi Han with his shoulder, chuckling as he says that he knew that Bi Han would not be able to resist your charm

the grandmaster just rolls his eyes and stands up from his seat, stiffly walking back to his room

the next few days, you show up to training as usual, but the second Bi Han dismisses you and Tomas, the both of you rush off back to your room, laughing and trying to beat each other back

sometimes, even Kuai walked off to your room with the both of you to see the kitten that you nurse

only Bi Han had not seen the kitten again, and he wasn’t going to, soft and useless and much too helpless for him to care about it

except, while you’re at dinner, he passes by your room, and even out here he can hear the small angry mewls of the kitten in the room

he walks past, scoffing and reminding himself that the kitten was yours and Tomas’s job to take care of and if the kitten died of anger or hunger, it wasn’t his fault

ah, fuck, fine

he walks back to your room and slides open the door, and he finds the kitten at the entrance, mewing angrily and already trying to clumsily stomp out of the room, but Bi Han easily scoops the kitten up into his large hand and deposits it onto your bed

the kitten just lets out a scratchy mew and furiously stomps toward the door, and Bi Han turns them around again and again and again, finding amusement in how stubborn the kitten was

it reminded him of you in a way, and he stayed there until the kitten finally tired itself out and took a sleepy stomp forward and then promptly fell asleep right there

Bi Han watched it, chest rising up and down, fur sticking up in every which direction, and he runs a finger over its back

it really was quite soft, but the kitten wasn’t his responsibility and wasn’t his problem and wasn’t his anything

Bi Han left before you came back, vowing that he wouldn’t see the kitten again

except he did

when you were out for dinner, lunch, breakfast, whenever you and his brothers weren’t in your room fawning over the kitten, Bi Han would go

he made snowflakes for the kitten to chase, and he let it play with the little ice balls that he made, chasing them all around the room until it promptly fell asleep while running

Bi Han quickly learned that the kitten was called Moss and that he loved eating salmon, just like you

Tomas snuck salmon from the kitchens a few times, and the only reason Bi Han knew is because he was also there to sneak salmon to the kitten and had hid in the shadows

Kuai Liang would buy little toys from the market whenever he went into town, and Bi Han knew as well because he was also in town buying little things for the kitten

you played with the kitten the most, buying it food and outfits and treats and taking so many pictures of it on your phone, and Bi Han was jealous that you spent so much time with the kitten

Bi Han waited until you were out of the room, talking to Tomas about something, and then he snuck in from the window, crawling in silently, and the kitten meowed in excitement

it had been a few months since it had been here, and technically Moss had finally grown up, but he was still so tiny compared to the grandmaster

he was growing to be a ferocious warrior, sharp nails, loud attitude, and stubborn as an iceberg, and Bi Han often called Moss his little snowflake

he sat on the bed, letting Moss chase the little snowflakes, but then the cat yawned and crawled into Bi Han’s lap, purring loudly and falling asleep

the grandmaster sighed, petting Moss’s soft fur and sighing at how content the cat was, and then the door slid open and he heard you squeal and saw you pull out your phone

Kuai Liang has a shit-eating smirk on his face, and Tomas has his mouth open and then pouts that even Moss hadn’t sat in his lap yet

in the end, although Moss would always gravitate towards you, the cat definitely loved Bi Han the most

[majoryeager104]

Fuzzball

Dabi/Touya x gn!reader

Summary: Touya comes to your room for a late night visit only to find you had another guest in your bed

Warnings: Touya being jealous as fuck over an actual kitten, like to a concerning extent, Touya being a suggestive horny mf, basically Touya being Touya ig. Language obv

Touya couldn’t sleep alone anymore. Tossing and turning was practically part of his routine sleep schedule when you weren’t in bed beside him. It wasn’t like he’d get cold- he had plenty of heat to spare all on his own- but he’d get lonely without the feeling of your body weighing down the other side of the bed, or even better, close to his. 

And being a lonely man, in these moments of weakness when you weren’t around, he’d find himself needing you, your empty space on the bed adding to his frustration as he sat up, rubbing his tired blue eyes. He was reluctant to get up and bother you, it wasn’t like the two of you were fighting, but he knew that sometimes you needed your personal space, just as he’d need his. 

But lately, as he’d noticed with disdain, something had been different about you. You were constantly going to bed earlier, constantly walking in and out of your room, sneaking groceries in on the rare occasion that you were out and about past ten o’clock. 

It used to be that he could count on you in the late hours of the night- he’d go on walks with you, watch movies, cuddle… the list could go on, but for the sake of his own desires he shook the thoughts from his head, sitting up to march towards your room down the hall of the small abandoned house the league was temporarily inhabiting.

He walked up to the door, stopping before he knocked, his brows immediately furrowed as he heard you within the four walls of your bedroom. You were giggling. What for? Were you watching something? No, he’d be able to hear it, as well as the gentle hum of your projector. He clenched his fists, growling a bit as the thought entered his mind. Were you with someone? 

His brow furrowed even further. He’d trusted you for so long that the idea of you sneaking around on the side was the last thing that entered his mind. Now some of your recent behavior started to click, That’s on him for trusting again, or at least that what he thought. 

He raised his fist, his knuckles already white as he beat them against the door- not too loud to wake the rest of the league, but enough to stop that damn giggling. 

He groaned in frustration as he heard you get up from your bed, the gentle creak of the old mattress a familiar sound to him for reasons he was now trying to shake out of his head. 

You opened the door, peeking out. When you saw it was him, you smiled a bit, but he immediately saw the way your smile twitched- you were nervous. “Hey Touya! What’s- oh!” You yelped softly in surprise as he pushed past you into the room, his cold blue eyes scanning every inch for any sign, anything. “What were you laughing at?” He said gruffly, checking under the bed. “Laughing? I wasn’t laughing” you said nervously, to which he shot you a glare, which silenced you immediately- now wasn’t the time to lie. “What the hell are you up to?” He narrowed his eyes, checking your closet, bathroom, everything. “If you didn’t want me anymore, you coulda just said so” he growled, his hurt getting the best of him, boiling into anger as he slammed the bathroom door shut, checking the window “what do you mean? Touya, I-“ “if you wanna lie to me you can just call me Dabi” “okay, Dabi, check the bed” you crossed your arms, scoffing at his attitude. He shot you another glare, marching over to your bed, ripping back the blankets, his eyes narrowed as they landed on-

A cat. It was a damn cat. 

He sighed, dropping the blanket as he glared at you, the cat, which he realized was merely a kitten, black and white, mewed up at him, its little voice squeaky as it waddled towards the edge of the bed, where he watched it almost fall off. 

Luckily, you caught it with a gasp, cooing as you held the kitten in your arms, sitting on the corner of your now messy bed. “Babe what the fuck.” Touya said bluntly, watching with shock, frustration, and a bitter sense of relief as your gentle fingers soothed the kitten, dancing along its fluffy back with a content hum. “I found it in the alley out back and Tomura said I could keep it-“ “who gives a shit get rid of it.” “Touya-“ “do it or I will” he said gruffly, crossing his arms, almost like a kid throwing a tantrum. You pouted slightly. “No. You don’t even know his name yet.” “It’s a he? Nah, no chance it’s staying.” “It’s a cat, Touya?” “What’s that got to do with it? These are basic principles.” He sat next to you, taking the small kitten from your arms with one hand. “So this is the little shit that’s been keeping you from me.” You tried to protest but he stood up, pushing you back down as he held it in the air, like a scene straight outta the lion king. “It’s fuckin ugly. I say that’s its name. Now get it out of our fucking room before I burn the thing” he growled, causing you to gasp as you stood. “Our room?” You retorted, trying to jump up and retrieve your furry friend, who was currently and surprisingly quite content in his one handed grip as he held it over your head. “Yeah, if you’re gonna pull shit like this I clearly can’t leave you alone” he smirked down at you, watching your feeble attempts with amusement. “Why can’t he stay?  He’ll die out there” “truly a tragedy” “Touya!” You pouted, his words clearly affecting you as you stopped your attempts. He tilted his head, chuckling. This was getting fun. “It’s a cat” “he’s my cat” you crossed your arms as he lowered it down to eye level. “You better not have named this thing” “his name is Levi” you said bluntly, causing Touya to groan, cringing slightly “like the anime character? Now he’s definitely getting tossed-“ “Please Touya, let him stay” you pleaded, and maybe he was crazy, or maybe it was just the lighting, but your eyes kinda looked…

“Are you actually crying right now?” He scoffed, the kitten meowing loudly in his hand, as if telling him to lay off you. You sniffled, an audible confirmation to his question, to which he huffed in annoyance, or rather shame, knowing he’d taken his teasing revenge a bit too far.

He sighed, placing the fluffball in your hands as he turned away, walking back towards your bed, waving a hand. “Whatever. Keep it. Just quit crying…please” he said gruffly, leaning down to fix your blankets while you stood behind him, wide eyed and confused. 

“I…thanks” you said softly, placing the kitten down on the newly fixed bedding as he sat down, crossing his legs as he glared down at the ball of fuzz that had caused him so much trouble. “I said whatever. Go get ready for bed” he deflected, rolling his eyes as he pulled out his phone. You nodded, reluctantly leaving the kitten lying on the bed next to him, shutting the door  behind you as you quickly got dressed. The kitten, Levi, padded up to Touya, mewing at him a few times before cuddling up right in his lap, purring softly against his sweatpants. He scoffed, glaring down at the kitten. He supposed it wasn’t too bad, it was kinda soft when he pet it, and the purring was loud and adorable. But still. It was annoying as hell getting used as a heating pad by yet another individual now present in his life. 

“See? He’s sweet” your voice came from the doorway as you stepped out in your pajamas, smiling at the two of them. Touya scoffed, pulling the kitten from his lap, with little Levi yelling in protest. “Whatever. C’mere, you’ve been ignoring me” he huffed, yanking you into his lap instead. “Replacing me with a fuckin cat” he mumbled against your shoulder, shaking his head as he gripped your hips gently, pulling you closer as he planted kisses on your neck. “Not replacement!” You corrected with a chirp, and he rolled his eyes “guess you’re right, u mean I certainly bring more to a relationship than him” he smirked, shoving Levi over, who had been once more attempting to climb into his lap. You scoffed, picking Levi up to pet him, only for Touya to take him and gently place him on the floor, grinning as he now had your full attention. “And what more do you bring besides being mean?” You scoffed, crossing your arms. “Shouldn’t have asked doll now I have to show ya” he chuckled, before flipping over to pin you to the bed, grinning as he looked down at you. “Shouldn’t have been ignoring me all week”

Levi will love Touya (cos he’s so warm lmao) but Touya will always give Levi the meanest side eyes

Banner Creds to @ itszygo on Instagram! 🙌🙌🙌

[beddybites]

Anymore thoughts on the baby gyomei au? Such a cute baby :(( Specifically how Kagaya acts with him? Or how he acts with any of the baby Aus. He just loves his children :(

anon im so sorry this took forever i was trying to put everyrhing to words… yes i have so many thoughts about gyomei!!

gyomei in the tiny 21 trio au [ #tiny 21 trio au ]

- father slash genuine

- he’s distant at first but the longer they’re little and the more they struggle he pitches in. his anxiety with being around children slowly disappears and suddenly hes got an extreme case of baby fever

- if the babies are all upset they are taken to gyomei and gyomei Always cheers them right up

- it gets to a point where the babies regularly ask for gyomei, though they refer to him as papa. insert them wailing and babbling begging to see their papa because its been a couple days and they miss him

- if the others cannot give the babies their papa, they get their big brothers instead (genya/tanjiro/muichiro or rengoku)

- gyomei is constantly in tears whenever they’re in baby mode around him

- because obanai squeaks and mewls like a kitten, gyomei refers to him as his “baby cat” … obanai clings onto him and can usually be seen snuggled up to his collarbone

- sanemi is a little terror until it comes to gyomei. he respects gyomei too much

- gyomei sleeps next to the crib. always. he hears the smallest sound and hes shooting up to make sure they’re okay

baby gyomei au [ #baby gyomei au ]

- his memories are all in tact and hes familiar with whats going on

- hes very cooperative and easy. he knows he’s in good hands so he abides by everything and tries to make taking care of him as simple as possible while sort of treating this as a “vacation”

- kagaya is alarmed and worried at first, because oh god the strongest hashira is now a little younger than a year… but he falls victim to the charm of baby gyomei

- gyomei is super sensitive and gentle. he goes “uhhmm…” a lot when he’s thinking, and likes to pet at his own head to try and get his bangs out of his eyes, since he’s not used to the longer hair

- very sensitive to loud sounds. half the time he starts bawling is because he was startled by something/someone

- muichiro and genya regularly fight over who gets to babysit

- muichiro almost always wins

- gyomei will just sit there listening to their banter and remind himself hes on vacation and only get involved if it actually gets serious (it never does)

- he’s a little embarrassed abt the whole situation but everyones really nice about it. nobody teases him (because its Gyomei) and everyone’s super respectful and always makes sure he’s doing okay

- muichiro gets upset whenever gyomei is taken from him

- gyomeo gets upset whenever he is taken from muichiro

- gyomeis favorite toy is a plush calico kitty that muichiro gifted him. he calls it “mew mew” (he calls muichiro ‘mew mew’ too)

- tengen is very excited about being the eldest and coos and coddles the little guy. gyomei is a little exasperated but he’s just happy tengen’s happy

- he has nightmares a lot, so he never sleeps alone

attaching my favorite baby gyomei doodle ever i like it a lot… look at him. fun fact his bangs are similar to muichiro’s. i like their family relationship a lot

[whorediaries-09]

sweater weather;

pairing- roommate!sirius black x reader warning(s)- fluff, some silly banter, tad bit suggestive. (let me know if i should add more) a/n- aghhh just a brain rot 😞🤍. also this whole series is so self indulgent 🤭

masterlist of 'the seven lives;' series

the slut club

and now, so let me hold both your hands in the holes of my sweater

he doesn’t like cats.

much to his dismay, you’re bending down and cooing at the little kitten that curls up against your ankle. it has got soft blue eyes which reflect innocence. you run your fingers through its black fur, picking the small animal up. he likes the soft smile on your face. it fills his chest with a warm fuzzy feeling he can’t explain. neither can he explain why his heart skips a few beats when he notices the twinkling in your eyes. it almost makes him drown into a frenzy of warmth.

‘can we keep her?’ you ask. there’s something in your voice that sends sparks of electricity down his spine. it’s as if he’s known you his whole life. he doesn’t want to say no, but he can’t help it. he digs the edge of his boot on the loose gravel of the path. twirling around the loops grocery packet between his fingers, he whispers, scared to let the joy in your eyes leave.

‘no,’ he tries to predict your reaction, but fails to. surely the joy in your eyes melts, but the hope doesn’t. from what he knows about you, he knows you’re a stubborn person who stands their ground. you always get your way around in some way or the other. but you’re also a people pleaser. you hate it when you’ve to truly go against somebody’s wishes to do something you want.

so, he watches as you wrap the little kitten between the folds flannel you’re wearing. there’s a mischievous glint in your eyes, a small smirk between the curve of your smile. it’s the same one you wear when you read something mildly suggestive in your books.

‘please, sirius,’ you drawl. the kitten mewls from the folds of the fabric, her eyes glinting the same mischief as yours do. he feels his breath palpitate when you move closer, putting the face of the kitten closer to his.

‘look she wants to come with us too, that’s why she’s mewing,’ you justify. he gulps slowly, his barrier of rigidity slowly breaking. he feels his thoughts melt when he stares at your lips. even though he’s never touched them before, he suddenly thinks he knows them. he feels he can carve every shape, every curve of your body with his eyes closed.

‘okay,’ he gulps. you squeal, a quiet sound from your lips.

he thinks it’s melody to his ears.

*-

‘sirius!’ you shout across the room. your kitten, binx, is curled across your chest, purring away silently as you rub your fingers through her fur. you’re laying down, your feet thrown across the sofa, letting the nail paint on your toes dry. the mild winter allows a soft sunbeam to peek through the windows.

‘what?’ he asks, coming out of his door. he has nothing but a towel wrapped around his narrow waist. several tattoos are inked upon his porcelain skin with happy trail on his abdomen which traces down, leaving less to imagination. his hair is wet and droplets of water trace down his defined pectorals. while you’d been living with him for nearly 8 months now, you’d definitely never seen him shirtless. it makes your chest fill with a strange warmth. it makes your brain short circuit for a moment when he smiles, walking towards you.

‘like what you see?’ he teases, wiggling his eyebrow. you gulp slowly, before you regain your composure.

‘i can’t hear you over the loud music,’ you say, getting up. binx falls on your lap, and she scratches your arms with her nails.

‘hey hey, calm down little woman!’ sirius says, noticing her scratching you. he takes her into her arms, her little paws trying to scratch at a surface.

‘don’t do that to your mum,’ he says, looking into her eyes. she stops fidgeting for a bit, before she mews loudly throwing her paws on his chest and leaving a long scratch across it. it digs deep into his skin, letting out blood.

‘binx! you naughty menace!’ you scold as she scurries off, jumping from sirius’ hold.

‘asshole,’ he murmurs, grasping his wound.

‘i’ll patch it up for you,’ you say.

*-

‘do you trust me?’ you ask, holding the cotton soaked with the antiseptic with a pair of tweezers. you’re standing in between his thighs. he’s wearing nothing but grey sweatpants, being overly dramatic for the scratch on his chest. while you think it’s adorable, you’re sure it’s just for the shits and giggles.

‘i do, but i feel like I shouldn’t?’ he answers, grinning mischievously. he likes your form between his legs he thinks. it makes him go feral, you looking down at him while you fix his wounds. it makes his imagination go wild. the idea of you touching him while he’s half naked thrills something inside his stomach.

you slap him across his shoulder. it’s a soft playful blow and he laughs. his hands suddenly grip your waist, as he pulls you closer, almost mushing his face with your breasts. he watches the breath get stuck on your throat, as you wet your lip, tongue slowly darting out over your lower lips. you’re unconsciously leaning over his face, soaking the cotton ball into his blood.

he sneers as a soft burning pain grows, and his fingers dig deeper into your waist. you unconsciously arch your hips towards him, your hands falling on shoulder. the tension grows, and the heartbeats palpitate between the both of you. there’s a look of dreaminess in your eyes he’s never seen before. he thinks it makes him weak in the knees. you trail your fingernail on a tattoo, before rubbing the antiseptic on his wound.

your breaths are ragged when you finally close his wound with a patch. your job was done, you’d move away. you should move away. but his touch burns into your soul, but it isn’t enough. it feels familiar on your skin, yet so unfamiliar. you lean closer unconsciously as if from muscle memory. you cradle his face, your noses rubbing-

a loud noise of shattering glass distracts you. you pull apart, a flustered look on your face. heat occupies your skin as you crumble into a shell of embarrassment. he lets go of your waist, and you stutter,

‘binx- the little fucking minx-‘you say, before you run off.

*-

you’re carrying a cup of coffee in your hand, running late for your job. a piece of toast hangs from your lips, and you’re running around the house, trying to find your tie.

‘you can wear mineeeee,’ sirius drawls, closing the battered copy of ‘the picture of dorian gray’.

‘i could if you gave it to me!’ you shout, swallowing the last piece of the butter smothered bread.

‘you’ve a nice swallow game, i see,’ he muses. you groan, gulping down the last bit of your bitter coffee.

‘that’s a really bad one!’ you say, tucking your shirt into your trousers. screaming internally, you realize you can’t find your belt either. sirius enters his room, seemingly searching for his tie.

‘can you give me a belt too?’ you ask, hurrying off behind him. binx runs in front of your feet, and in an attempt to not fall on her, you fall on the floor with a thump, followed by sirius who trips on you.

his locks tickle your face, his grey eyes staring into yours with an intensity which reminds you a memory you never had. it’s a minor flash, something of a haze like dream, but you remember it so clearly. your breathing rages, hotness searing through you as his scent and warmth looms over you. there’s a glint in his eyes you can’t decipher, but your memory has it engrained. as if you’ve seen it a thousand times.

‘i like it when you’re under me,’ he whispers. it’s a low rasp, one you’ve never heard before, yet it ignites something in you.

something that excites you.

*-

he’s fleeing when he receives your call. your voice was a timid whisper when you’d called him, laced with fear. he hated it, he hated how it sounded. but when he arrives at the bar, he finds you completely safe, surrounded by your friends. you’re chatting happily, your skin flushed with the alcohol that renders through your body. he’s perplexed, till one of your friends spot him. she bats her eyelashes at you, whistling as he walks towards you.

‘what happened?’ he asks. he holds your fingers, gripping them tight. he’s trying to read through your emotions. he’s trying to read you through the happy smile and shining eyes. but he’s too distracted by how happy you look.

‘it wasz a prankh!’ you cheer happily, your drunk state rendering your words.

‘seriously?’ he asks, rolling his eyes. he’s smiling, he can’t help it. you laugh,

‘yess!’ you try to stand up, but trip on your heels instead. he holds you closer, letting you support your weight on him.

‘you’ve had too much to drink,’ he scolds. you gaze at him happily, your hormones getting the best of you.

‘i know!’ you exclaim, feeling the collywobbles consume you as his scent tantalizes into your senses.

‘don’t you think we should leave?’ he asks.

‘should we?’

‘yes,’ he says, pulling you closer. his fingers dig into your skin, feeling your touch. it calms his nerves. still, he needs to hold you closer, to feel you, to know you’re safe.

‘okay i’ll go. will you take me home?’ you ask, an innocence provoked in your voice. he feels himself melt, scarring him and his memories.

‘i’ll do. i’ll always take you home.’

*-

the stars are shining bright on the dark sky. you’ve his leather jacket wrapped around your form, as he holds you close. you reek of alcohol, but he doesn’t mind it. it’s infused distinctly with your perfume, and he finds his comfort in it.

‘hi,’ you say, wrapping your arm across his waist, pulling him closer. he presses a kiss on your hair, breathing you in. it’s perplexing, the burning emotions you let flee in his chest. the warmth he feels with your presence.

‘hi,’ he whispers back. there’s a glazed look in your eyes. he knows it. he remembers it. it reflects him, and he feels as if there’s no one in the world but you and him. his heart beats raggedly, and he’s afraid it’ll pop out of his chest, when you lean closer to him, pressing a soft kiss on his jaw.

‘you’re so beautiful,’ you say, snuggling against him. your heels click against the loose gravel of the path. it’s a moment of softness he wants to cherish forever.

‘but you’re hurting me…so much. i wish i could kiss you. i wish i could hold you like this forever. i wish i could keep you close with me, just for me,’ you ramble.

‘then why don’t you?’ he asks, his fingers cradling your jaw.

‘you’ll kiss me?’ he looks down at you, his eyes scanning your features. the cold air waves over your hair, and he holds your face between his hands. his fingers ghost over your lips. you lean into his hand, as he presses a soft peck on your chin.

‘i’ll do, when you’re sober,’ he promises.

*********************************

taglist - @reggieisfit @siriuslycaptainofthedawntreader @jamespottergf @eternallybipanicking (if you want to be tagged please reply under this post!)

[therealjambery]

Wrote this a couple days ago, then forgot to share. Have a little Winterhawk ficlet, as a holiday treat. Technically I was writing to the prompt "that's my favorite thing about you", but it didn't actually make it in.

Clint jumped in without thinking. It was maybe a pattern in his life, he thought belatedly, as he hit the water with a loud splash. Jumping in with both feet without thinking things through. It was how he had ended up married (and divorced). Ended up in the circus (and in jail). Ended up with Lucky (and an apartment building).

Yeah, it was definitely a pattern. He should probably bring it up to his therapist.

The water was icy cold, and his teeth started chattering immediately. He struck out for the capsized canoe, grateful for all those country summers when he spent more time in the creek than out of it. When he got there, he treaded water for a minute, thinking about what to do.

A lone soggy white kitten huddled on top of the canoe, mewing piteously. He didn't think he could hold the kitten above the water and flip the boat over at the same time, but he also couldn't just grab the kitten and swim for shore. Experimentally, he tried pushing the canoe with his hands while kicking, but he didn't get far before snorting water up his nose. He turned over to float on his back, shivering and coughing.

"We might be in trouble," he told the kitten.

"Need a hand there, pal?" A darkly amused voice asked.

Clint floundered in the water. He managed to turn over, flopping around until he was facing the rowboat that had glided up silently behind him.

"Bucky?"

Bucky sighed. "You're an idiot," he said, but his tone of voice and his face were fond.

"You can take the cat!" Clint said. Problem solved! He held the edge of the canoe still with one hand and carefully lifted the kitten with the other. She was so light it almost felt like he wasn't holding anything at all. He awkwardly held her above the water as Bucky maneuvered his boat closer.

Securing the oars, Bucky carefully lifted the kitten out of Clint's hand and stuffed her down the front of his jacket, zipping it up so she couldn't escape. The kitten knew a good spot when she found it, though, and settled right in.

"Now you," Bucky said.

"I'll flip the boat if I try to get in," Clint said. "I can just swim back."

"Clint, come on," Bucky said. "I can balance while you climb in. The water's too cold; you're running out of time." He got up and moved from the middle to the back of the boat, sitting down and bracing his arms against either side. "Come in over the bow."

He was getting kind of tired. His feet felt like lead weights, even though he had taken off his boots before jumping into the lake. That was probably bad.

"Okay." Clint swam around to the front of the boat and gripped the side. Bending his fingers and hanging on felt like shoving knives into his knuckles. He grit his teeth and heaved, kicking to help leverage himself out of the water and into the boat.

With Bucky providing counterbalance, the boat dipped and swayed, but didn't capsize. Clint rolled onto the floor of the boat in a rush of water, coughing and shivering.

"Strip," Bucky said, already taking the oars out of their clips and starting for shore. He nudged a towel on the bench seat with his foot. "Dry off."

The air felt even colder than the water on his wet skin. He rubbed at his hair and halfheartedly everywhere else, as much as he could without standing or rocking the boat too much. After he wrapped the towel around his waist, he sat with his knees hugged to his chest, trying and failing to stop his teeth from chattering.

Bucky took off his hat and handed it to Clint as they glided up to the dock. "Put it on," he said, when Clint just stared at it.

Clint blinked slowly and pulled the hat over his wet hair. It felt gloriously warm over his ears, the fleece lining protecting his skin from the soft wool. He put his head back on his knees. He was so tired.

The boat rocked as Bucky tied it to the dock. He stood, balance never faltering as he got Clint to stand up and step onto the dock. Clint took his wet socks off and shoved his icy feet back into his dry boots, still where he had kicked them off at the end of the dock.

Bucky unzipped his jacket, tucking the kitten more securely into his button up shirt and hastily tucking it in one handed. He draped the jacket around Clint's shoulders, holding it steady while Clint threaded his heavy arms through the sleeves. It was warm from Bucky's body and it felt amazing. Bucky zipped it up and patted Clint's chest.

"Come on," he said. "There's extra clothes in the car and we can turn the heat on high."

Clint stuck his hands under his armpits and shuffled after Bucky. He brightened. "Oh hey, I bet there's still coffee in the thermos." It had been a present from Natasha, and kept things hot all day. It was like magic. A magical thermos of endless hot coffee.

Bucky made him change again before getting into the car. He started it and turned the air on to warm up while Clint was trying and failing to unzip the jacket. He was shaking so badly he couldn't keep hold of the zipper.

Frowning, Bucky handed him a pair of sweatpants. "Pants first, Barton," he said gruffly.

Clint dropped the towel on the ground and pulled the sweatpants on, using Bucky's shoulder to balance on each foot to awkwardly get his feet out of his boots and into the leg of the sweatpants. He helped Clint unzip the jacket and then handed him a t-shirt and then a sweatshirt, waiting impatiently for Clint to pull it over his head before making him put the jacket back on.

He handed Clint a pair of socks and pointed to the front seat. "Sit," he said, and shut the door behind Clint as he settled in.

The heater was just starting to blow hot air, but being in the SUV and in dry clothes already felt ten times better than being outside. Clint put the socks on and then tucked his hands in between his thighs.

Bucky levered himself into the driver's seat and slammed the door.

Clint winced. "Sorry," he said.

Bucky patted the tiny lump in his shirt gently. "I'm pissed at you," he said to Clint.

The kitten stirred, wriggling around until Bucky undid another two buttons of his shirt in self defense so she could stick her head out. Her fur was already mostly dry. Clint tried and failed not to be jealous of a damn half drowned cat.

Bucky carefully stroked the fur between her ears. "Next time," he said, his voice quiet, "wait for me, okay? Let me help."

"You know me so well," Clint joked lamely.

Glaring, eyes flashing, Bucky said, "Clint, please," through gritted teeth. His hand clenched on his thigh.

Clint reached out and covered Bucky's hand with his own. "I'll try," he said. "I promise I'll try."

[womenloverlmao]

Surprise!

Samuel Lafferty x Reader

In which Sam comes home to a wife not responding, and something on the bed...

If there was one thing that Samuel was not used to, it was coming home to a quiet home. He had a wife who submitted to him in every way, but that did not change the absolute chaotic good energy radiating from the house. It was surprising considering his… weird thing he had going on, but you were an angel with fifty shots of espresso. 

Safe to say, it was unnerving when he came home and did not hear a single thing. He called out your name, and there was no answer. Normally, that would piss him off, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. What in the hell had you gotten yourself into this time? 

He checked every room, until finally coming into your bedroom to see you asleep. You were not a person to take naps, which was even more concerning. He walked closer to you only to see movement on your lap. He unironically jumped because he was terrified, but what you don’t know cannot be used as blackmail. There was a little mew, which helped him to realize that what was on your lap was… a kitten. 

It had little black and red spots all over its white coat, and it was a tiny little thing. Not to mention how it would not stop meowing. That woke you up. 

“Well, good morning to you,” he said, staring at the critter on the blanket on your lap. 

“Hmm?” You said immediately, rubbing your eyes before letting them go where his were looking. “Oh, this is Jude. I found him outside.” 

“So you did,” he said. “...are you going to take him back outside?” 

“No, it’s too cold out there,” you said immediately. “I’ve already given him a bath, and checked him for fleas. He’s completely clean, yeah?” 

Damn marrying the weird woman with the kind heart, is what he would have thought yet never would have said out loud. You gestured Sam over, and he came to sit on the other side of the bed. “Say hi to your daddy, yeah?” You said to the kitten. 

“...honey, don’t say that, he may have a momma waiting for him outside.” He said to you. 

“We would have noticed if he had a momma waiting for him, so I’m here now.” 

He looked over you. “You’re planning on taking the momma in as well if she comes around, aren’t you?” 

“Doesn’t matter, come say hi to your baby.” 

“Would prefer if you’d give me an actual baby…” he muttered. “Hmm?” 

“Nothing, my love.” 

That was the first of the many critters that were welcomed around your home. It was the only one Sam allowed inside the house, but you still took care of many different animals who came around. Sam always said that he didn’t care for any of them, but you knew that was a lie whenever Jude came to lay down on his lap. Eventually you noticed that they cuddled even more than you did with either of them, but you couldn’t complain. 

You were just grateful he was tolerant of your surprise. But lets be honest, he was more than tolerant. He loved that kitten, and so did you. 

[cutesilyo]

i'd be at peace (if it weren't for you) — a ranma 1/2 fanfic

Look, if Akane was having trouble figuring out her own feelings for Ranma, then she certainly wasn’t going to notice whatever the hell he had going on with Ryoga.

Or, five times that Akane probably should have suspected that her fiance was a little in love with his rival, and the one time she finally figured things out. The prequel to take your dreams and make them multiply.

TAGS: Saotome Ranma/Tendou Akane, Hibiki Ryouga/Saotome Ranma (Pre-Relationship), Hibiki Ryouga/Saotome Ranma/Tendou Akane (Pre-Relationship), Pre-OT3, Comedy, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Belligerent Sexual Tension, Mild Hibiki Ryouga/Unryuu Akari, Male Pronouns for Saotome Ranma, Saotome Ranma Needs a Hug, 5+1 Things, Canon Compliant, Prequel

Also available on: AO3, FF.net

—

The first thing, Akane supposed, was that Ranma went cat.

Nerima’s cat population had somehow tripled in numbers with the revelation that her fiance was deathly afraid of felines. Their fathers laughed, Kasumi tutted, Nabiki snorted, Akane grimaced, and Ranma solemnly swore that the universe was out to get him. It was funny at first. After all, who wouldn’t laugh at man amongst men, the greatest martial artist this side of Tokyo, the great Saotome Ranma falling face-flat on the ground at the slightest hint of a mew? But Akane’s internal amusement was slowly bleeding into equal parts concern and annoyance.

On one hand, what the hell had happened to Ranma that kittens activated a full trauma response?

On the other hand, dragging him home by the pigtail as he convulsed in fear was getting old.

(There was also the Kissing Incident, that first time, which she resolutely refused to think about for reasons she did not want to name. School was more important. School was, if nothing else, easier to figure out.)

All things considered, it was only a matter of time until one of their crazy suitors popped up.

“Saotome Ranma, prepare to—” Ryoga growled, leaping out from nowhere.

“Nya,” said Ranma. He licked his hand, grooming and preening.

Ryoga stopped, hanging in the air for a moment until he landed on the ground, concrete breaking at his feet. Confusion was clear on his face.

At least she didn’t need to break them apart this time. Akane would have hated to lose another hour that she could’ve spent on homework and training. “Hi Ryoga,” she greeted. “Please don’t mind Ranma today. He’s not in the right state, as you can see.”

“A-Akane!” Ryoga stammered. He flitted his eyes between her and Ranma, who was now looking at the intruder with wide, curious eyes. No snarling or hissing, Akane noted. “The . . . Neko-ken again, is that right?”

Akane nodded. “You know of it?”

“Just that it makes Ranma go like this,” said Ryoga. He put his umbrella away. Akane started walking, eager to get home — really, the number of things she had to review for tomorrow’s test was borderline unreasonable — and he followed. Ranma ambled along with them on all fours, meowing agreeably as he trotted beside Ryoga. “He did this in middle school too. Must have been a lot of cats around today, huh?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe!” Akane complained, and Ryoga laughed a bit. “But I’m glad you’re here, Ryoga. He seems to trust you a lot.”

Ranma nuzzled his leg.

Gently, Ryoga bent down and pet him.

Later, during dinner, Ranma was purring inhumanly loud as he sat between Akane and Ryoga.

Even later, Ranma snapped out of his trance shortly after settling on Ryoga’s lap. His angry scream shook the rooftops. Within seconds, Ryoga was swiftly kicked out of the house, the other boy becoming a faint twinkle in the starry night sky.

“Nothing happened, ‘ya hear?” Ranma shouted after him, flushing as red as his girl form’s hair.

Huh, Akane thought. With Sanzaenin he had burst out crying, and with Kuno he tended to turn white and then start kicking. Apparently affection from Ryoga only warranted a bit of embarrassment. She probably should have suspected something, but she was determined to stay focused on schoolwork rather than whatever the hell was going on with Ranma — who always had something going on that she’d be dragged into sooner or later anyway.

He could live one day without her worrying. Which she totally wasn’t doing, by the way.

“I really need good marks tomorrow,” Akane told P-chan that night. “So I can’t waste time on my dumb fiance or whatever fights he wants to pick.”

P-chan nodded with all the seriousness his little pig body could muster.

—

The second thing that happened was that Ranma went girl.

“You look really cute, Ran-chan,” grinned Ukyo. “Nice dress.”

“It’s all because of my smokin’ hot bod,” Ranma said proudly. He even twirled a bit, just to showcase how graceful the skirt moved and to flash some leg. He really did have nice legs in his girl form, all slender and smooth and beautifully shaped. Not that Akane was ever going to tell him that. “Y’know, Ryoga totally folded when I said I was his fiance and all that crap. I’m just so irresistible as a girl.”

Ukyo giggled, tickled beyond belief at Ranma’s antics. Ranma laughed with her.

In Akane’s arms, P-chan snorted with disgust. She felt like doing the same. The addition of another fiance was already getting on her nerves. And this one was a cute, spunky childhood friend? Who can cook? The gods must love testing her.

“It wasn’t fair to make a fool out of Ryoga like that, Ranma,” Akane scolded. “Don’t you feel sorry enough for him as it is? That poor boy is always getting lost and you’re just playing with him!”

Ranma jutted out his petite chin, much too masculine for how dainty he looked, gaze sharp. “Yeah, and what’s it to you, tomboy? Jealous?”

“You’re a jerk and a pervert!”

“For the record, he was the one perving on me.”

“Because you’re an idiot who thought you could dress up as a girl and not face any consequences—”

“No, you’re the idiot who thought it was a good idea to give him a chance when you don’t even like him—”

“Who says I don’t?” Akane challenged. She smiled mockingly at her fiance, whose eyes were practically flaming as bright red as his hair. “Oh, I see. You’re upset that Ryoga went on a date with me. Again. And you think I’m the jealous one here?”

Ranma’s muscles tensed, looking more furious than she had ever seen him, and Akane probably should have backed down at how genuinely angry he looked. But Akane was a martial artist — Ranma’s hot, intense glare made a thrill rush through her body. I’ve done it, she thought, I’ve finally rattled you the same way you constantly rattle me. Will you fight me, Ranma? Will you finally fight me for real?

But the fire faded in a moment’s blink. Ranma crossed his arms.

“You’re seriously uncute,” he sneered.

Akane reeled her fist back, ready to punch his dumb face to the ground, when a large spatula suddenly blocked her way. P-chan squealed in alarm.

“Hey now, sugar,” Ukyo said. “Let’s focus on getting our little lady home in one piece, shall we? I bet Ran-chan is itching to be a guy again.”

“Thanks Ucchan. At least I know one of my fiances has got my back,” Ranma said.

The pair turned their backs to her — Ukyo with a wink, Ranma with a haughty sniff — walking ahead to Akane’s own home. Pettily, Akane stuck her tongue out at them. P-chan let out an angry huff in solidarity.

Akane willed herself to calm down with the few peaceful memories she had of the day: her dress looked nice, even though she didn’t have her fiance say anything about it; her cherry lemonade drink was surprisingly good, before her date started slamming his head on the wall; the boat ride was off to a good start, but then . . . and of course, she and Ranma had to fight again just now . . .

On second thought, maybe Kasumi would have better calming techniques than their father.

She lifted P-chan up in the air, hoping her little pig could give her some answers. “Why does Ranma get in such a tizzy whenever Ryoga’s involved?”

P-chan only blinked at her, just as lost as Akane was.

—

They didn’t talk about the koi rod. Ranma pretended it never happened. Akane didn’t know why, but the one time she tried to bring it up, her fiance had screamed loudly with his fingers in his ears. Akane had rolled her eyes at his childishness. She wanted to tease him and say, All the stupid things we’ve been through together, and yet that stupid little prank is the one you want to forget? Still, she was a kind soul at heart, and there was no harm in humoring Ranma every now and then.

Perhaps, in hindsight, that whole thing should’ve been a clue in itself.

—

So, instead of the Incident That Was Not An Incident, Akane looked back on the aftermath of the fight with Herb as the third thing that should have raised her suspicions.

“Man, great welcome,” Ranma snarked, when he came back. Came back home, to her, alive and well just like she knew he would be. She should have pulled his pigtail for that comment. As it was, Akane felt the tears prick her eyes.

The weeks that Ranma spent away meant that Akane had gotten used to spending her spare moments thinking about how he was doing. Nerima was quiet in his absence. It was hard to believe that this was what her normal life was before — no waking up to a panda splashing into their koi pond, no panic over constantly making sure she had a kettle within arm’s reach, no flighty fiance bickering with her from day start to night end. Akane had gone through her days alternating between being restless and being bored. Better that than being a worry-wart, she had thought, determinedly ignoring the sick anxiety that slowly crept in her gut.

“Dummy,” Akane muttered into his chest.

“Um,” Ranma squeaked, in that high voice he did whenever he was flustered out of his mind.

He didn’t hug her back. She didn’t care. Ranma had returned, victorious like always.

“Perhaps I shouldn’t worry about Ranma and Shampoo at all,” Mousse mused. Ryoga sank deeper into the furo, angrily snorting bubbles.

In her arms, Akane felt Ranma freeze. She braced herself for her fiance to push her away, another loud bluster of denial that would signal the recurrence of their old routine, readying her stance.

But Ranma only gently pulled at her sleeves, eyes darting at the boys in the bathroom as he turned pink. “Akane,” he murmured, “maybe not here? Not in front of them?”

“Oh right, because it’s embarrassing and unmanly to receive affection,” Akane said, trying to goad him. Sue her, she missed pushing his buttons. Surely this was where he would crack. They had a nice, comfortable script that they slipped into: this was the part where the vulnerability faded, Akane would be greatly mad at a small misunderstanding, Ranma would flail around in his panic and let his own pride get the best of him, rinse, and repeat until someone messed with their rhythm again.

“Later,” Ranma said instead.

Akane blinked but went along. “Okay.”

Later was that night, after Ryoga and Mousse had their share of celebratory dinner and left. When everyone else had settled into their own nightly routines, Ranma and Akane shared a glance and silently made their way to the dojo.

“Don’t tell Pops about this,” Ranma said, bringing out a small cake that was already cut into slices. He sat on the floor, setting a medium-sized handkerchief and two forks in front of him.

This was new. But who was Akane to refuse secret dessert?

She sat down facing him, taking a big bite. “This is really good,” Akane said. “So what’s all this about?”

“I was just cravin’ something sweet.”

“No, the thing earlier.”

“Ah.” Ranma hummed, stalling for time. “I don’t really know. Guess I was just trying to be nice. Y’know they don’t have have any girls to welcome them back after a trip like that. They’re real sad sacks.”

Akane snorted. “Thought you would’ve wanted to shove that in their faces.”

“Maybe tomorrow. Not today. I mean, the whole reason they went on that trip is because they wanted to cure their curses, and they didn’t even get to do that, so.” Ranma shrugged. “Ryoga almost died back there because he chose to fight by my side. It just got me thinking like, I could probably ease up on him sometimes. As my way of saying thanks.”

Oh, Ryoga. Akane bit her lip. She didn’t really see how the Kettle of Liberation would have helped with his directional curse, but she still felt guilty over the whole thing happening because Ranma leapt to her defense. “I should really send him a care package. Do you think he’d like some cookies?”

Ranma snickered. “I think I’d better make the cookies with ‘ya if they’re really meant to be a gift, tomboy. And I don’t know if you wanna send perishables to Ryoga. We’ll be lucky to see him within the next month.”

“Then just find him, dummy,” Akane said, fighting off a smile. Somehow, when she was laughing with Ranma like this, being called a tomboy didn’t sound so bad. “You probably know where his tent is better than he does. You definitely know his house better than he does.”

“Shirokuro’s such a good dog,” Ranma said affectionately. He took out another slice for them to share. “Glad she still recognized me. I mean, I’d be surprised if she didn’t, but it’s been years since I last dropped Ryoga off. I used to have to clean his house for him, Akane. Me, cleaning. For him.”

Akane giggled, trying to imagine what Ranma and Ryoga looked like in their middle school days. “One of these days, you’re going to admit you see Ryoga as a friend.”

Ranma flicked a crumb at her. “He’s my rival.”

“A friendly rival.”

“He’s just, y’know, someone I fight with.”

“In a friendly sort of way.”

“In an I hate him sort of way.”

“Whatever you say.” Akane volleyed a crumb back at him. He caught it mid-air with a smirk. “So what does that make Mousse then? You fight with him often enough. He’s been an ally to you almost as many times as Ryoga has. He even went with you for Herb. That should count for something.”

“He’s,” Ranma waved his hand dismissively, “irrelevant. Too Shampoo-brained.”

Akane rolled her eyes in fond amusement. “Do you even hear yourself right now?”

“Look, at least I know me and Ryoga have a shared respect for the art,” Ranma argued. “Mousse waves around some silly blades and calls it a day. Ryoga trained by himself to get where he is — no dojo, no panda, no weird village. He actually wants to be the best, same as I do. That’s why he’s my rival. Even though he’s still got a long way to go before he even has a chance of besting me.”

“Aww,” Akane cooed. “That was almost sweet of you.”

Ranma flushed pink.

They actually managed to finish the cake. Not that Akane was in any doubt, with Ranma and his black hole of a stomach around, but she ate almost as much as him and was feeling quite drowsy. She yawned. In silent agreement, they took that as their cue to go to bed.

Akane stopped at her door. “This was nice, Ranma.”

“Oh,” Ranma said, suddenly big-eyed and shy. “I just got that cake by stealing Pops’ money . . .”

For the sake of not ruining her good mood, she decided to ignore that. Akane crossed a few steps over to her fiance, a smile on her lips, watching him widen his eyes and go still. They were in the hallway, not even knowing if the rest of the house was already asleep, but it was as much privacy as they could get.

She hugged him.

“A-Akane—” Ranma stammered.

“I’m saying thank you, dummy,” Akane said. She was really glad Ranma couldn’t see her face. “Ryoga and Mousse aren’t around anymore, so this should be fine, right?”

This time, Ranma pushed her off him. He pointed a finger at her, eyebrows drawn in a familiar furrow, taking on a magnificent battle aura filled with top-grade bluster and S-tier embarrassment. “Who said anything about being happy with getting hugged in the dark by a violent, barrel-bodied, macho chick like you, huh?!”

On the inside, she grinned.

On the outside, Akane brought out her trusty mallet, chasing her fiance around the house with an angry yell.

—

The fourth thing that happened was that Ranma went matchmaker.

“I can’t be grateful enough,” Akari said happily. She was sopping wet, her dress was ruined, and her matching hat was sinking into the lake, but she had the biggest smile on her face anyway. “Thank you Ranma, thank you Akane, for making sure I could be reunited with my Ryoga!”

Akane spared a glance at her fiance, half-expecting him to roll his eyes at Akari’s sincerity. But no, he was bright-eyed and flushed, genuinely pleased to be thanked for his efforts. She didn’t know why Ranma was so invested in making sure Ryoga and Akari worked out — she wasn’t really sure what a countryside pig farmer had in common with a wandering martial artist, aside from maybe a shared wild side — but she was just glad to see Ranma trying to be a good friend to Ryoga instead of messing with him all the time.

If nothing else, Akari’s cheery disposition was a good match for Ryoga’s gruff melancholy. Akane smiled back. “It was no trouble. I’m glad you two found each other.”

“Yeah, this idiot needs all the help he can get,” Ranma laughed, rubbing the back of his head. “Can you imagine being so stupid that you can’t understand such a dumb, basic map? I don’t know how you have the patience, Akari, because if I almost got stood up like that—”

“It wasn’t you, so you can just shut it,” Ryoga snapped.

Ranma looked at Ryoga slyly. “And here I was, about to give Akari some advice so she doesn’t lose ‘ya again! Out of the honest goodness of my heart. But I suppose if Ryoga wants me to keep my mouth shut . . .”

It was such obvious bait that Akane almost laughed. Meanwhile, Akari turned pleading eyes to her . . . boyfriend? Pen pal? Whatever they were.

“Surely we can hear him out!” Akari said.

Ryoga sighed. “You just don’t know Ranma that well. Don’t trust him, Akari. This man is full of nothing but trickery and deception, leaving nothing but heartbreak in his wake.”

“Ranma won’t try anything this time,” Akane assured. “Right, Ranma?”

Her fiance only beamed winningly, which did not inspire much confidence.

Akari stomped over to Ranma herself. Emphatically, she said, “Please tell me. You’re my dear Ryoga’s oldest, closest friend and you know him best out of anyone I know. I’m sure you have many ways to help deal with his horrible sense of direction.”

“’Ya flatter me,” Ranma said. “I really only know just the one. But I promise, it works.”

He took Akari’s hand.

Akari blinked.

Akane’s eye twitched.

Ryoga made a sound not unlike a startled elephant. “Bastard, what the hell—”

“Relax about it,” Ranma said, and he took Ryoga’s hand too. The other boy rapidly went red. Ryoga sputtered even more when Ranma linked his and Akari’s hands together. Akane knew the grin on her fiance’s face only showed when he was at his most self-satisfied. “See? That wasn’t so bad. He’s dumb as rocks, so he makes a natural follower anyhow. This way, you can lead him wherever you wanna go, and this is like tested and proven stuff, Akari. I would know.”

Akari’s eyes were shining with tears. “You’re just as caring as a pig, Ranma.”

“Thanks Ranma,” Ryoga said begrudgingly. “You actually helped me.”

Ranma smiled, his gaze looking so soft and gentle in the mountain haze that it made Akane’s heart flutter. “Of course. I’m happy to.”

The pair waved goodbye before turning their backs, hand in hand, heading off for a stroll.

“That was very kind of you. Ryoga deserves it,” Akane said.

“Well, whatever makes him happy, right?” Ranma folded his arms behind his head, playing at nonchalance. She looked at him inquiringly. “Look, it’s just like you said before. He’s the unluckiest guy in the world. Now, by some miracle, there’s a girl who likes him exactly as he is, no questions asked. Their whole puppy love schtick with each other is the most uncomplicated thing he’s got going for him. He should get to enjoy that when he can, y’know?”

“I’m impressed.”

Ranma wrinkled his nose. “What, that I’ve got basic empathy?”

“No,” Akane grinned. “This is the closest you’ve come to admitting you care for Ryoga.”

He rolled his eyes, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he watched Akari and Ryoga laugh with each other as they walked around the lake, an oddly wistful expression on his face. Akane fought the urge to take his hand in comfort.

—

The fifth thing that happened was Ranma went quiet.

“Oh dear,” Nodoka sighed. “Is my son not having dinner a common occurrence?”

Kasumi frowned. “Not at all,” she said slowly. “In fact, and pardon my rudeness, Ranma is known to be a bit of glutton. I don’t know why he would suddenly . . . has there been anyone troubling him at school, Nabiki?”

Nabiki lazily turned a page in the magazine she was reading. “How would I know? Ask Akane.”

“You have a habit of knowing more than you should,” Akane grumbled. She was a bit cross with her sister; she had caught her rifling through her closet again. Addressing her fiance’s mother, she said, “But there hasn’t been anything at school, Auntie. Nothing that I noticed outside school either. I think Ranma’s just being moody.”

“Mood doesn’t affect his stomach,” Kasumi said.

“Oh, it’s happened here and there,” Genma said. He had been in human form more and more often lately since the Saotomes moved in. Maybe it was Auntie Nodoka’s influence, who expressed her clear preference for her husband’s and son’s non-cursed forms. “Like when we went on our first training trip, for instance. Boy was crying so much he couldn’t eat! Then there was when he saw his first cat after learning the Neko-ken, and the day we left for China . . .”

Genma trailed off. The air in the room was getting steelier and colder with every word out of his mouth. “Er, of course, I trained him out of such unmanly behavior,” he said pathetically.

“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about,” Soun said, patting his friend on the back. “There comes a time when every young man faces his demons. This is just part of Ranma’s journey. We should let him be.”

Everyone seemed to accept that.

Everyone except Akane, who liked to think of herself as the resident expert in making sure Ranma never had to face anything on his own.

But there was no Ranma to be found, even when Akane searched the house three times over. Not in the guest room, not in the furo, not in the kitchen, and not in the living room. With a groan, she wiped the building sweat on her brow. The warm spring winds in Nerima were no match for the severe dehydration she went through just a few weeks prior, but that didn’t mean she was immune to the sticky discomforts of humidity.

“What’s wrong with you this time, Ranma?” she murmured into the dark.

Her room was empty too. Figures. Not that Akane really expected to see her fiance there. No, for all his faults, Ranma had never barged into her room without a reason. The only time she really remembered him sneaking around outside of training was after that big fight with Ryoga . . .

On a whim, she went outside her bedroom window and leapt to the rooftop.

Sitting at the far edge was her fiance, huddling his knees together. His hair was blowing with the lingering sakura blossoms from this morning’s bloom, looking so small and fragile that it made her heart ache. A gleaming silver bell hung from his neck.

“Ranma . . .” Akane’s voice died out, her initial plan to anger him into normalcy fading away.

“Guess there was never any hiding from you, huh?” Ranma said, a sad little twitch on his lips. It looked so wrong on his face that she almost flinched back from the shock of it; the great Saotome Ranma never looked sad. He idly fingered his cat collar. “The Bell of Inner Reflection. Shampoo wanted me to be honest with my feelings. Didn’t really work out for her. Dunno why she ever thought it would.”

“So you’re cursed to tell the truth.”

“What I think is the truth, though I’m not sure what the big difference is anyhow,” Ranma corrected. “I can’t take it off by myself.”

“Of course you can’t,” Akane said. She crouched down beside him, bringing out a packed bento box. “I promised your mom I’d give you some food when I found you. Made by Kasumi, obviously, so you don’t have to worry about getting poisoned by me.”

Ranma took it. “I wouldn’t mind eating your cooking, Akane,” he said quietly.

“What a joke, I can’t believe you’re trying to—” she stopped as Ranma bared his neck, the bell glinting in the moonlight. Akane swallowed. “Right.”

Her heart thundered in her chest. This was it, she realized. This past year of fighting and pretense could end right now. With one question and one tiny bell, she could finally bring out what neither Jusendo nor their failed wedding could not. The truth of Ranma’s feelings towards her, spoken into existence at last, would spark the change she’s wanted all this time.

But to do so, Akane would have to force it out of him. She couldn’t hurt him like that.

“Have you just been here all day?” she asked instead.

“More or less,” Ranma said, in between bites of tonkatsu. “I wanted to avoid people. No chance of getting mobbed with questions if nobody even sees me.”

Akane’s eyebrows raised. “Shampoo didn’t give chase?”

Ranma shook his head. “Too in shock. Mousse held her back. One would hope she’d finally give up after that. Who knows? I thought everybody would figure me out after Jusendo anyway.”

He tensed, obviously expecting Akane to prod, but she held herself back. She smiled at her fiance, teasing. “And not a single one of your suitors found you, even though you were just at home?”

“They’re pretty dumb,” Ranma said, and Akane laughed. It was nice to know her fiance found it all ridiculous too. “No, seriously. I don’t even know why they’re so stuck on a guy like me. Sometimes I don’t even feel all that much like a guy anymore, which makes them even dumber. I really wish they’d move on and bother someone else. I’m so tired. You don’t even know.”

“Kuno’s certainly not stuck on a ‘guy’,” Akane said, trying to keep the conversation light. Ranma groaned. She laughed again. “Sorry, I just find it hard to believe. You’re stuck with a magical artifact that’s really easy to take advantage of and nobody’s managed to make a mess of it yet.”

“Yeah, well,” Ranma huffed. “I didn’t say that. Ryoga found me.”

“Did you finally confess you liked him?” Akane joked. As a friend, she meant.

But Ranma looked shattered, nervously fidgeting with his pigtail as he set the bento down, only half-eaten. “No,” he said softly. “I don’t think so. He just said he might be leaving soon to be with Akari, to really stay with her, and I asked him not to. That I’d miss him too much for him to get lost again. Then he asked if I got hit on the head and walked off.”

“Oh.” Akane was at a loss for words. Hesitantly, she reached out to put a comforting hand on her fiance’s shoulder. “It’s not a bad thing to realize how much you care for your . . . rival.”

“But I feel bad,” Ranma cried. With a jolt, Akane realized there were tears in his eyes. “I should be happy for him, I know, but I feel like someday I’ll lose him for good. Just like with you. I keep remembering it. I can’t forget it. When I held you in my arms and thought you were dead, the only reason I managed to get up was because Ryoga saved me. If he didn’t, you and I would’ve—”

“I’m here.” Akane held his trembling hands. “We’re here.”

“I’m so tired, ‘Kane,” Ranma said again, his voice raw. “You don’t even know.”

Just like the day she awoke from that terrifying haze to Ranma looking down at her, his despair giving into his relief, it started to rain. No matter how many times she saw it happen, Akane still felt the childlike wonder in watching her fiance change forms: black bursting into maraschino-red, chest swelling out, the rest of his body starting to shrink.

She waited for Ranma to gather himself. Once they fixed this, Akane resolved, they needed to talk. She would give anything not to see Ranma cry like that again.

“Damn it.” Ranma glared — a tell-tale sign he was feeling better. The grey-blue always stayed. “I hate this stupid bell.”

“How do you get rid of it?” Akane asked.

“I’m supposed to tell the truth until it’s satisfied,” Ranma grumbled. “The old hag said it’d be obvious enough when it happened, but I don’t know. Hasn’t happened yet.”

“Alright then.” Akane stood, taking the bento box in one hand and pulling up Ranma with the other. “We better go inside. This is gonna take a while. I can draw up a bath for you first, if you want?”

“No, uh, um,” Ranma stammered, going pink, like he wanted to stop himself but couldn’t. “I don’t mind being a girl. I think sometimes I might . . . prefer it?”

Oh. Akane smiled to herself. This was gonna be fun.

If anybody noticed the soft conversation from Akane’s bedroom or the empty space between Genma and Nodoka in the guest room, they didn’t say a word. Akane tried to keep her questions light and simple, but sometimes they couldn’t avoid Ranma’s rambling stories or Akane’s curious incredulity. At some point, Akane managed to cajole her fiance into one of her old pajama sets, and they tumbled sleepily into bed together.

“P-chan hasn’t come by in a while,” Akane said. She turned to face Ranma, who looked seconds away from drooling into her pillows. “Hey, you never told me why you didn’t like P-chan. What problem could you have against a little pig?”

“I don’t not like him,” Ranma murmured. “He just doesn’t like me, ‘s all. I wish he would.”

Ding-dong, ding-dong . . .

Was that what she thought it was? Akane reached for Ranma’s neck, not taking mind of how his breath hitched at her touch, and slowly pulled away the Bell of Inner Reflection. It stopped ringing. Now that it was free, she could see that it was less of a proper cat collar and more of a bell simply tied with a yellow, silky ribbon. The gleaming silver had shifted into an ugly, dull grey.

Akane moved to put it on her desk, already thinking of how to dispose the thing come morning, when she felt a tug on her sleeve.

“Aren’t you going to ask me?” Ranma said softly. “About you? Us?”

He looked afraid.

“Tomorrow,” Akane decided. “If we’re gonna talk, I’d rather hear it from you. Not a magic bell.”

There was a fight, of course, but there was always going to be a fight. The important thing was that this time, they managed to seal it with a kiss. Akane’s move — because she strongly suspected that even with the truth-telling bell, Ranma still wouldn’t have admitted shit.

Maybe it was high time for them to act along to a new script.

—

All of which led to where Akane was now, three weeks later, wrestling a dress off of her boyfriend-girlfriend-fiance. She wished it was as sexy as it sounded. The reality was this:

“You can’t go to meet Ryoga!” Ranma screamed, throwing a tantrum comparable to the spoiled little toddlers they’d pass by on the playground. “You can’t, you can’t, you can’t! That pig-brained idiot is going to take it the completely wrong way, and where would that leave me?”

“I’m meeting one of my friends and Ukyo will be around,” Akane said, exasperated. “We’re already dating, Ranma. I don’t know why you still feel like you need to sabotage things.”

“Because I can,” Ranma said. He squirmed under her, trying to escape, but Akane had gotten much stronger since they started training together — strong enough to completely pin down his girl form, which had been the goal. Right at that moment, Akane was determinedly not looking at how Ranma’s chest was threatening to spill out of his lacy bra. She was starting to understand why boys went crazy over them. These lumps of fat were dangerous, temptuous things when they were on a girl (or, in Akane's case, a boy-girl) you loved.

“And is that the reason you always like to dress up for your disguises? Because you certainly never do that for our dates,” Akane countered.

“I,” Ranma sputtered. “You never even said—”

Akane narrowed her eyes. “Did Ryoga tell you he liked it when you looked pretty?”

“He’s fallen for it enough times—”

“You don’t need him to fall for it again—”

“Maybe I find it funny—”

“Oh, and is the whole world supposed to bow down to what the great Saotome Ranma finds funny?”

“I just don’t think there should be a problem if I—”

“There’s definitely a problem when you’re so insecure that you end up being jealous of your friend—”

“I’m not jealous of Ryoga!”

“So what is it then,” Akane snapped, frustration and horniness clashing deep in her gut. She reached for the unthinkable. “Are you jealous of me?”

Ranma bit his lip.

“No,” he said, which was Ranma-speak for yes.

She stared.

And the puzzle pieces in her brain, scattered memories of the past few months that she always found odd but chose not to think too hard about, came together with a clink.

“Oh my god,” Akane said. “My fiance is in love with Hibiki Ryoga.”

Underneath her, Ranma yelped loudly, turning as pale as a ghost. “Don’t say that in the house!” he hissed. He sat up to grip her shoulders, shaking her. “Our parents might hear you. Killing me yourself would be kinder.”

Akane gaped. “You’re not even denying it.”

“There’s nothing to deny,” Ranma insisted.

“Of course,” Akane said. She was dimly aware that her voice sounded a bit hysterical. “You just so happen to trust him completely, get pissy when I’m around him, respect him enough to declare all your other would-be rivals worthless, and ignore your own feelings so well that you went and found him another girl to make him happy! The only hint more obvious than that was if I found you sharing a bed together! Oh wait!”

“We promised not to talk about the koi rod incident!” Ranma squawked. He took a deep breath, gathering his dress straps from where they fell off his petite shoulders. “’Kane, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

“You basically said that losing him would be like losing me,” Akane realized.

Ranma visibly wilted. “If you want to break off the engagement . . .”

It really wasn’t fair that her fiance was so cute. This was the Ranma that Akane had first taken interest in: adorable, shy, and considerate, looking up at her with those big, dewy eyes. Akane took his cheek, kissing him as light as a feather as she switched their positions around, putting Ranma on her lap. “After all we’ve been through? I’m not thinking that. I won’t ever think that.” She held him by the chin, gently guiding him to look at her. “Come on. I’m just floored, Ranma. You have to understand how crazy this sounds.”

Or not so crazy, now that Akane’s mind had some time to settle. This whole thing made far too much sense.

“I don’t really know what I feel for Ryoga, ‘Kane,” Ranma admitted. “I just know I love you.”

That made her heart melt. It even soothed a part of her ego that she didn’t know was bruised. And that, Akane thought, deserved something of a reward. She let her lips brush over Ranma’s bare collarbone, reveling in her fiance’s full-body shiver. “But you still wanted him to see you like this?”

“H-hey—”

“My sweet Ranma wants to show off,” Akane whispered. She hiked up the skirt of Ranma’s dress, feeling the soft skin of his thighs. “For a boy.”

“I thought you’d be mad at me,” Ranma said, a little breathy and desperate.

Akane grinned wickedly. She moved her hand back up and squeezed. “You wanna invite Ryoga over?”

“You’re going to be so late and he’s going to end up so lost,” Ranma warned. But his pupils were dilated and he still wasn’t moving off her, and that was all she needed to know. She dragged him back down for a real kiss, not really caring how far they went or how long she’d make Ryoga and Ukyo wait. She might even bring Ranma along for the hell of it, because she knew Shampoo was going to barge in at some point, and Akane was just itching to stake her claim on Ranma for all of Nerima to see.

In the back of her head, she was already thinking of the letter she was about to write; just a preliminary screening, of course, the lead-up to her proposal. Even if he said no, even if it was just once, she felt like it was worth a try.

Ranma, Ryoga, and her. It didn’t sound too bad. It even sounded like it could work.

But while he wasn’t around, Akane was going to enjoy having Ranma all to herself.

[rippleclan]

RippleClan: Moon 65

Clammask gives birth to three healthy mollies not long after Halibutdusk gets greencough. Worried, Clammask decides to name them early.

[Image ID: With Halibutdusk in the background sporting + CONDITION: GREENCOUGH under them, Clammask faces three newborn kits; one red tabby, one white tabby, one black tabby. Under the red tabby, it says NEW PLAYER: POTTERYKIT, 0, FEMALE, SELF-CONSCIOUS. The white kit says NEW PLAYER: MOONKIT, 0, FEMALE, QUIET. Lastly, the black kit says NEW PLAYER: VERVAINKIT, 0, FEMALE, FEARLESS. Under Clammask, it says - CONDITION: PREGNANT, + CONDITION: RECOVERING FROM BIRTH.]

Somehow, giving birth to three kits was more exhausting than five. Perhaps it was all the stress of recent moons; Scrubmask’s death, three of Clammask’s four kits coming down with food poisoning, casually seeing Halibutdusk only to become pregnant… that was a lot for one molly to handle! Add in the fact that the moon did not shine over the Clans on the first day of autumn’s third moon when Clammask felt a familiar pain in her gut, and Halibutdusk was stuck in the quarantine den with a loud case of greencough, how could she not be stressed?

This kitting was shorter, thank StarClan. It was still nightfall when Clammask cleaned off her last little kit and helped her snuggle up to her belly. Oilstripe, Tallowkit, and Slushkit had vacated the nursery for a while to give Clammask room to kit, but Lemmy, her belly fat against her thin frame, still slept inside, dreams undisturbed by the new life born to the Clan. The only other cat in the nursery was Troutpool (Clammask simply couldn’t ask her own son to help deliver her kits, it felt so strange!). 

The head cleric carefully examined the three mollies at Clammask’s side while the golden molly caught her breath. The first was red with markings that reminded Clammask of her father. The second-born kit was white, with pale gray rosettes along her back. Although she was still slick from birth, Clammask could tell she would be long-furred in the future. The youngest looked so much like Drumtooth that Clammask was taken aback for a moment.

“They all look very healthy,” Troutpool said, stepping back. She placed her dirty bowl (once full of strengthening medicine for the kitting) and the broken stick Clammask bit into a basket at the den’s edge. “I don’t notice any deformed limbs or other issues. I… I won’t try to predict their future this time.” Clammask licked each kit’s head. None of them looked like her lost golden daughter. Perhaps that was for the best. “Do you still want me to perform that ceremony we discussed?”

“It would make me feel better,” Clammask sighed. Troutpool nodded and stuck her face into her basket. She took out a tiny jar; the gouges carved in for teeth holds left little room on the inside. She peeled off the thin leather lid trapping the contents. The jar was full of dirt. Troutpool sprinkled a bit of dirt over each kitten’s back. Each was too caught up in the shock of being alive, mewing and nursing, to really care.

“Dustfur, Celestial of the Newborn,” Troutpool prayed, setting the jar at Clammask’s head, “you taught the Clans not to mourn the stillborn and those taken before they even got a chance to see the faces of their kin. You were the one who revealed to us how StarClan accompanies litters on their way to the Clans and return to Silverpelt when their time is done. One of Clammask’s kits was one of these StarClan guardians. We do not know what awaits these kits in the coming quarter moon, but we ask you, give them souls of their own. Allow them to grow into strong and proud individuals who will make RippleClan proud. Do not taunt Clammask once more by taking a kit away. Allow them all to live, Dustfur. Give us your celestial blessing.” The ritual done, Troutpool licked the dirt off the kittens, sneering at the taste. 

“If one of your daughters is a StarClan warrior,” Troutpool explained, “performing this ritual so soon after their birth may allow them to become cats of their own, rather than a protector for the others.” Clammask nudged her little mollies back to her belly, purring as they cried outrage at yet another grooming. “When you feel strong enough, we can move you to a fresh nest and get rid of all this dirty moss. Do you need anything else?”

“Maybe a leather pelt over my back?” Clammask asked. “It’s a cold night.”

“I’ll also have Mosspounce build a fire outside the den when he wakes up,” Troutpool promised with a nod. She touched noses with Clammask and trotted off. 

With a few moments alone in the nursery, Clammask stared at her daughters. Halibutdusk’s daughters too. Scrubmask wasn’t one to hold grudges, Clammask doubted she would be mad at her for finding another mate. But was she right for Halibutdusk? Her feelings for them were not a perfect match to her relationship with Scrubmask. Perhaps it was because she grew up alongside Halibutdusk, shared every heartbreak and celebration alongside them. Scrubmask was a whirlwind that pulled Clammask into a new life, a new family. Halibutdusk had just… always been there. They were the ocean, forever licking the shore, something whose absence Clammask could not imagine.

She prayed she would not have to live in that absence soon.

“I’ll warn you now,” Troutpool said, entering the den with a stitched-up pelt thrown across her back, “your sons are chomping at my tail to see you.” Troutpool threw the pelt over Clammask’s haunches.

“Send them in,” Clammask purred.

“We can come in? Finally!” Honeybuzz and Splashtuft shoved their way into the nursery, bumping shoulders to get a better look at their new siblings. Leathermask and Drumtooth lingered behind them, trying to catch a glimpse from the side. Honeybuzz and Splashtuft almost knocked Troutpool over.

“Is that all of them?” Leathermask gasped, squirming between his two boisterous brothers.

“They’re all mollies,” Clammask purred. “How funny is that?”

“Big brothers for little sisters,” Drumtooth hummed, finally managing to get into the den by shoving Splashtuft’s big flank to the side.

“I don’t suppose you can let me out?” Troutpool chuckled, slipping her basket around her neck.

“Sorry, Troutpool,” Splashtuft chirped. He moved to the side and knocked Drumtooth against the den wall. Troutpool left before she became the next victim of the litter’s excitement.

“How do you feel, Mom?” Honeybuzz asked. His clerical eye studied Clammask’s messy nest and the newborn shine on his sisters’ pelts.

“Very tired,” Clammask admitted, “but very happy. And I'm a little nervous if I’m honest.” Clammask nuzzled her daughters once more. “I want to do something, but I’m afraid you may judge me a little, Honeybuzz. I know I should wait to name them, like Scrubmask and I waited to name you four, but I don’t want to do that this time around. I want them to have names now.” Clammask was right; the enthusiasm in Honeybuzz’s face froze as he tried not to let it drop.

“Don’t do that,” Drumtooth huffed, appearing on the other side of the pack and shoving Honeybuzz’s shoulder.

“If you want,” Clammask sighed, “you can help name your sisters. We can keep it between the five of us for now.” 

“Really?” Leathermask gasped softly. “Honeybuzz, let’s name the red kit first!” Honeybuzz squirmed a bit, but joined his brown-furred brother in study of their red-colored sister.

“Could we call her Redkit?” Honeybuzz suggested.

“That’s such a boring name,” Splashtuft scoffed. Clammask couldn’t help but laugh at that. He looked so much like Scrubmask in that moment.

“Troutpool left something behind,” Leathermask pointed out. The small jar with the ritual dust still sat at Clammask’s head. “Huh. The jar is the same color as the red kit’s fur. What if we called her Potterykit?”

“I approve,” Clammask purred. “Let your other brothers name the white molly.” Drumtooth squirmed closer to Splashtuft and they turned their gaze to the long-furred kitten.

“I want to name her Moonkit,” Drumtooth said.

“But our Clan’s guide is called Moonpaw,” Honeybuzz reminded him. “That feels… wrong, in a way.”

“StarClan isn’t going to ban the use of a prefix for the rest of history just because of one cat,” Splashtuft scoffed. “I like it, Drumtooth. Potterykit and Moonkit.”

“But what in the world do we call the last kitten?” Leathermask sighed. All four brothers leaned so close to the black molly, they were practically touching Clammask’s belly.

“I can’t think of a single good name for her,” Splashtuft muttered.

“Nightkit?” Leathermask suggested.

“How many black cats in history have been named Nightkit?” Drumtooth said. “Don’t we want our sister to stand out?”

“Stormkit, Butterflykit, Oysterkit…” Honeybuzz muttered. “Hootkit?”

“Hootkit?” Splashtuft laughed. “Do you want apprentices to make fun of her at Gatherings?”

“Hear me out, hear me out,” Drumtooth said, his soft voice catching his brothers’ attention. “Vervainkit.”

“But vervain is purple,” Splashtuft said.

“And drums are brown,” Drumtooth pointed out. “Vervains are pretty flowers. Something about their color reminds me of her.”

“Potterykit, Moonkit, and Vervainkit,” Clammask declared. She leaned over and nuzzled all of her kits, toms and mollies, newborn and adult. “Welcome to the family.” All four toms purred deeply.

“Do you think Halibutdusk will be upset that we named the kits without them?” Drumtooth wondered. 

“To be fair,” Splashtuft chuckled, pulling back, “we don’t have to tell them.”

“I know you all said you were happy for me,” Clammask said, shuffling tighter around the newborns, “but I want to be sure here. They aren’t a replacement for Scrubmask. I wasn’t trying to do that.”

“We know, Mom,” Honeybuzz promised. “We’ll still love the kits. We’re happy to have little sisters to care for.” Clammask’s purrs took over her entire body. Her sons gathered around her and groomed her tired pelt as she soaked in the joy.

(Clammask: 59, female, caretaker, righteous, lore master, good teacher)

(Halibutdusk: 57, nonbinary (they/them), warrior, gloomy, masterful storyteller, clever)

(Troutpool: 26, female, cleric, insecure, ghost sense)

(Honeybuzz: 13, male, cleric, daring, constantly fiddling with tools)

(Splashtuft: 13, male, historian, adventurous, fast runner, student of art)

(Leathermask: 13, male, warrior, nervous, great speaker, good fighter)

(Drumtooth: 13, trans male, caretaker, loyal, great hunter, clever)

(Potterykit: 0, female, kit, self-conscious)

(Moonkit: 0, female, kit, quiet)

(Vervainkit: 0, female, kit, fearless)

Lavendertwist works with the AshClan historians to make a proper record of the Rippling Ashes (Darkkick, Weedfoot, and Paleseed) and their exploits in the Dark Forest.

[Image ID: Lavendertwist and Splashtuft face a black rosette apprentice. Under her, it says NEW PLAYER: MITEPAW, 7, FEMALE, INSECURE, QUICK TO MAKE PEACE.]

---

“It’s hard to believe our former leader would grow to hate us so much…” sighed Minkshine, an AshClan historian. She and two other historians, Blackmist and Comfreytoe, sat along the AshClan border while Lavendertwist and Splashtuft lounged on their side, sharing tongues with their forest counterparts. It was sunhigh, after all, and if the group was going to spend most of the day describing the official story of the Rippling Ashes, Lavendertwist and Splashtuft were going to relax.

“When you’re stuck in your ways like he was,” Lavendertwist sighed, “friends can quickly become enemies.”

“So Autumnstar used his Dark Forest powers to curse AshClan…” Blackmist muttered, grooming Splashtuft’s long fur as he spoke. “So many of our friends and family died because of him… their names have to be recorded in the story. All of them.”

“Ah, name memorization,” Lavendertwist chuckled, squirming. “My old nemesis.”

“I can handle that,” Splashtuft chirped. “Start listing out names, Blackmist.”

“Actually,” Comfreytoe groaned, glancing back into the trees of AshClan, “we’re still waiting on someone. She should be here before we continue.”

“Who’s our special guest?” Lavendertwist asked, leaves crunching underneath him as he rolled onto his back. 

“Someone who needs a fresh start,” Comfreytoe sighed.

“It’s still hard to believe Eelstar and Barkfur agreed to this,” Blackmist muttered, letting Splashtuft take a turn grooming him, “but if Mitepaw can find some peace from it, so be it.”

“Mitepaw?” Lavendertwist hummed.

“I’m here!” a young voice gulped. While Lavendertwist heard the cat crunching leaves under her paws and panting, he only saw her once she stood in front of a pale bush. She was one of the blackest cats Lavendertwist had ever seen, with even blacket rosette markings. Pale yellow eyes bounced between Lavendertwist and Splashtuft. Bouldersong, one of AshClan’s caretakers, joined the small apprentice.

“RippleClan,” Bouldersong purred, placing his tail on the apprentice’s back, “I would like you to meet Mitepaw. She would like to join your Clan.”

“What?” Splashtuft gasped, sitting up so quickly that his head smacked Blackmist’s jaw. 

“Both of her parents died as a result of the chronic frostbite that kept infecting our older Clanmates,” Minkshine explained as Mitepaw rubbed a paw deep into the leaf litter. “She’s struggled in our Clan ever since. We believe that in order to give her a fresh start, she needs to leave our home for another. Since RippleClan’s developed a reputation for accepting wayward apprentices, we thought she would fit in well with you.”

“Eelstar is letting one of his apprentices join RippleClan?” Lavendertwist scoffed. “I thought he hated us.”

“His opinions are more nuanced than you’d think,” Comfreytoe insisted. “Mitepaw is an artisan apprentice. She has a knack for woodwork and should take to your Clan’s crafts well.”

“You really want to join us, Mitepaw?” Splashtuft asked. He risked crossing the border to approach the small apprentice. Since no one clawed his ears off, he kept going. “This isn’t a decision you can take back.” Mitepaw hesitated, words getting caught in her mouth. She looked at her Clanmates, as though waiting for someone to snap at her. She swallowed hard.

“I don’t like AshClan,” Mitepaw said. “Everyone is grieving. It makes it hard to breathe. I don’t want to grow up in a Clan that’s carrying such hurt with them.” The AshClan historians grew lost as Mitepaw explained herself. No one countered her claim.

“I’m sure Downstar will welcome you, then,” Splashtuft purred, touching noses with Mitepaw.

“You can always talk to your old Clanmates at Gatherings, Mitepaw,” Bouldersong sighed. “I hope RippleClan will be better for you than we have been.” Bouldersong licked Mitepaw’s ear. The young apprentice purred softly. She left Bouldersong’s side and joined Splashtuft.

“So you’ll take her to your camp when we’re finished here?” Minkshine asked.

“Absolutely,” Lavendertwist promised as Splashtuft led Mitepaw across the border. “We have just the mentor for her.” 

(Lavendertwist: 31, male, historian, playful, great singer, good storyteller)

(Splashtuft: 13, male, historian, adventurous, fast runner, student of art)

(Mitepaw: 7, female, artisan apprentice, insecure, quick to make peace)

[Image ID: Rapidleaf, Asterpaw, and Elmsprout stand behind Mitepaw as she listens to Rattlepelt say, “It will be better for you to live in a Clan that is loyal to its members. You’ve escaped a rotten place, Mitepaw.”]

Later that day, as RippleClan buzzed with sunset activity, Mitepaw took in the sights of her new home. The shipwreck was so tall! Despite the late autumn cold, the sand felt warm from the sun. Even the air felt lighter in RippleClan! This was the right choice, Mitepaw was certain of it. There was a glimmer in everyone’s eyes as they surrounded her following her new apprentice ceremony. She soaked it all in as she stood beside her strange and famous new mentor; Rattlepelt. 

“Mitepaw!” A long-furred gray molly made her way to the front of the crowd of unfamiliar faces. A brown molly and a silver tom followed close behind.

“Hello,” Mitepaw chirped softly, bowing to the strangers. 

“No need to bow to your Clanmates in this Clan!” the silver molly said. “You’ve probably heard about me. I’m Elmsprout.”

“Oh, Eelstar’s daughter,” Mitepaw gasped. She took Elmsprout in a second time; she could see Eelstar’s color in Elmsprout’s darker tints. “Your father’s told the kits about you.”

“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Elmsprout chuckled. “He and I have… an awkward relationship. I wanted to make sure I could talk to you after your ceremony, because I’ve been where you are. We all have. We’re a bit of a Clan-within-a-Clan, you could say. We’ve all left our original Clans to join RippleClan. This is Rapidleaf and Asterpaw.”

“I’ll show you how to adapt to life in RippleClan,” Asterpaw promised, raising his tail high.

“Leaving my Clan was hard for me as well,” Rapidleaf said with a nod. “Like you, staying in LynxClan would have been too painful. RippleClan has built itself on second chances. Elmsprout befriended me as we both recovered from a bought of food poisoning a few moons ago, and we’ve both looked after Asterpaw since his arrival. If you need help, we promise to look after you, too.” 

“That’s…” Mitepaw purred, her whole body rippling, “that’s amazing!”

“It will be better for you to live in a Clan that is loyal to its members.” Oh, right! Rattlepelt was still standing there! She was so unlike any other cat Mitepaw had ever seen. Who else would have the courage to wear a fox pelt? She looked more like a fearsome warrior than the talented artisan Lavendertwist and Splashtuft made her out to be on the walk to RippleClan. “You’ve escaped a rotten place, Mitepaw.”

“I’m excited to learn under you, Artisan Rattlepelt,” Mitepaw said, bowing once more.

“Mitepaw, we don’t bow here!” Elmsprout laughed.

“Leave her be,” Rattlepelt scoffed. “If she wants to bow and use honorable titles, let her. It’s nice to be respected. Now Mitepaw, how would you like to learn the intricacies of leather-making from a master?” Mitepaw’s eyes sparkled. Learn to craft a leather pelt with the quality and skill of Rattlepelt’s fox fur? Learning in a Clan so bright and welcoming, under a mentor that was clearly wise and strong and clever, better than her old mentor in every way?

“Yes please!”

(Mitepaw: 7, female, artisan apprentice, insecure, quick to make peace)

(Elmsprout: 32, female, caretaker, charismatic, helpful insight)

(Rapidleaf: 84, female, warrior, lonesome, prophecy interpreter)

(Asterpaw: 12, male, caretaker apprentice, thoughtful, has lots of ideas)

(Rattlepelt: 48, female, artisan, bloodthirsty, leather artist)

Tallowkit reminds himself it will all be okay while Slushkit chews on a stick.

[Image ID: Tallowkit says “She won’t choke, she won’t choke…” as he watches Slushkit. Under Tallowkit, it says + NEW SKILL: SPLASHES IN PUDDLES. Under Slushkit, it says + NEW SKILL: QUICK WITTED.]

(Tallowkit: 1, male, kit, skittish, splashes in puddles)

(Slushkit: 1, female, kit, polite, quick witted)

Scaleripple and Tempestshade officially become mates.

[Image ID: Scaleripple and Tempestshade face each other. Under Scaleripple, it says + MATE: TEMPESTSHADE. Under Tempestshade, it says + MATE: SCALERIPPLE.]

---

Scaleripple couldn’t help but be in awe of Troutpool and Honeybuzz’s skill. When he had found Tempestshade half a moon prior, leg encased in a shimmering silver jaw, he had been certain it would have to come off. Yet there they were, half a moon later and still possessing four legs, even if one was so bandaged and slathered in ointment that it could hardly be called a leg. Honeybuzz had changed the bandages not so long ago, but Scaleripple could already see dots of blood leaking through. Not that Troutpool and Honeybuzz would notice; no, when Scaleripple visited Tempestshade that day, the Clan had a bit more exciting news to swallow.

“Our instincts are never more controlling than when a queen is kitting,” Troutpool explained to Mosspounce, waiting eagerly outside the den as she and Honeybuzz collected a few supplies into a basket. “Lemmy will know what to do with her kits, but she’ll need spiritual and emotional support. We’ll be with her the entire time, Mosspounce.”

“Are you sure Tempestshade can’t join us?” Mosspounce groaned, glancing around Troutpool to Tempestshade, whose nest sat in a quiet, warm corner of the medicine den. Scaleripple sat beside her, ice-faced and observant. “I want my kits to meet all of their kin.”

“Mosspounce, your kits won’t be able to meet anyone for a while,” Honeybuzz laughed. He slipped the basket around his neck. “They’re born with their eyes and ears shut. They’ll get to meet Tempestshade in the future, don’t worry.”

“But I wanna meet them,” Tempestshade whined. They laid sprawled across the nest, mangled leg carefully frozen on the edge. Their dark green eyes lacked some of their usual sparkle, devoured by the pain.

“You will, I promise,” Mosspounce said. Honeybuzz joined Mosspounce outside the den and the two trotted to the nursery. Troutpool, however, lingered, eyes wandering to Scaleripple.

“Will you be okay while we help Lemmy?” Troutpool asked.

“I won’t die,” Scaleripple growled. He laid in a loaf against Tempestshade’s nest, ignoring Troutpool’s gaze. Tempestshade chuckled, a soft, almost feverish sound. Troutpool shuffled her paws about.

“I didn’t want to have that vision,” Troutpool gulped. “I thought revealing it would spare Tempestshade a guilty verdict and protect RippleClan. I wouldn’t use StarClan to hurt them.”

“Did I say that’s what you did?” Scaleripple scoffed, daring to look up, even if Troutpool’s awkward expression made his skin hurt. “You don’t need to explain yourself. You just have to live with making Tempestshade a living omen of death.” Troutpool bowed her head low, closing her eyes. She followed her former apprentice and Mosspounce to the nursery, where Scaleripple could already hear Lemmy panting with the effort of her kitting.

“You showed her,” Tempestshade mumbled, purring. Scaleripple stared at Tempestshade. Why were they seemingly the only cats who truly understood the other? Scaleripple’s family loved him, he was certain of that, but did they know him like Tempestshade? Did they understand the strange way he worked, which separated him from everyone else? And did anyone else in the Clan dare to face the blunt of Tempestshade’s curse just to spend time with them? Did they appreciate their youthfulness, their honesty, their loyalty? From everything Scaleripple knew, two cats who were as close as he was to Tempestshade could only be called one thing.

“Tempestshade, are we mates?” he asked. Tempestshade cocked their head. A little life came back to their eyes.

“Haven’t we been mates since the summer?” they laughed. Oh. Well then.

“Maybe so,” Scaleripple purred. He rested his head on the edge of Tempestshade’s nest, a whisker length from their nose. Tempestshade hummed happily. They stretched and quickly touched noses with Scaleripple.

For once, Scaleripple didn’t mind.

(Scaleripple: 18, male, warrior, lonesome, formidable fighter)

(Troutpool: 26, female, cleric, insecure, ghost sense)

(Mosspounce: 26, male, caretaker, adventurous, talented fire-starter)

(Honeybuzz: 13, male, cleric, daring, constantly fiddling with tools)

(Tempestshade: 26, nonbinary (they/them), caretaker, childish, incredible cook)

Mosspounce wants to be a father with different motivations than his own, and feels proud when Lemmy delivers four healthy kits.

[Image ID: Lemmy and Mosspounce watch four newborn kits; a tortoiseshell, a black molly, a silver molly, and a gray tabby. Under Lemmy, it says - CONDITION: PREGNANT, + CONDITION: RECOVERING FROM BIRTH. The tortoiseshell says NEW PLAYER: WEEVILKIT, 0, FEMALE, BULLYING. The black molly says NEW PLAYER: RAVENKIT, 0, FEMALE, SWEET. The silver kit says NEW PLAYER: SILVERKIT, 0, FEMALE, DAYDREAMER. Finally, the gray tabby says NEW PLAYER: WOLFKIT, 0, FEMALE, POLITE.]

(Mosspounce: 26, male, caretaker, adventurous, talented fire-starter)

(Lemmy: 41, female, codekeeper, cold, deep StarClan bond)

(Weevilkit: 0, female, kit, bullying)

(Ravenkit: 0, female, kit, sweet)

(Silverkit: 0, female, kit, daydreamer)

(Wolfkit: 0, female, kit, polite)

Downstar is almost intimidated by the knowledge Asterpaw has gained in his short time in RippleClan and confidently names him Asterblaze.

[Image ID: Asterpaw, now Asterblaze, is an adult! Under him, it says LEVEL UP! ASTERPAW -> ASTERBLAZE, HAS LOTS OF IDEAS -> CONSTANTLY FIDDLING WITH TOOLS.]

(Asterblaze: 12, male, caretaker, thoughtful, constantly fiddling with tools)

While Troutpool and Honeybuzz are on patrol, Troutpool sees strange shimmers in the distance. They encounter a kittypet who grew up with old stories of RippleClan and wanted to raise her kits in the wild. Troutpool and Honeybuzz help welcome five more kits to the nursery.

[Image ID: Troutpool and Honeybuzz approach a brown and white molly and five kits; one light brown, two red, and two brown, all with white markings. Undee the mother, it says NEW PLAYER: HARVEST, 53, FEMALE, NERVOUS, GOOD FIGHTER. Under the light brown kit, it says NEW PLAYER: ANCHOVYKIT, 0, MALE, CHARMING. Under the upper red kit, it says NEW PLAYER: CURRENTKIT, 0, MALE, POLITE. The second red kit says NEW PLAYER: ROBINKIT, 0, MALE, UNRULY. The first dark brown cat in the upper corner says NEW PLAYER: YARROWKIT, 0, FEMALE, NOISY. The last brown kit says NEW PLAYER: BILLOWKIT, 0, MALE, BOSSY.]

(Troutpool: 26, female, cleric, insecure, ghost sense)

(Honeybuzz: 13, male, cleric, daring, constantly fiddling with tools)

(Harvest: 53, female, queen, nervous, good fighter)

(Anchovykit: 0, male, kit, charming)

(Currentkit: 0, male, kit, polite)

(Robinkit: 0, male, kit, unruly)

(Yarrowkit: 0, female, kit, noisy)

(Billowkit: 0, male, kit, bossy)

[songclangen]

holly

The wind whistled over the dark green moorland. Greenleaf would be ending soon, but the air was still pleasantly mild and humid, and the grass wouldn’t grow taller than this before the frost came in a moon or two. Splinterstar had never really enjoyed this season. There was a sort of tension in the air; anticipation for the leafbare that was to come as the nights grew ever so slightly longer and cooler.

Still, she could still enjoy taking moments away from the bustling camp to wander the territory by herself now and then. She liked the quiet. It wasn’t just her age; she’d always been that way. She felt perfectly safe too. Not only did she have nine lives to spare yet, there was peace between the Clans. Border encounters could be tense with WarbleClan lately, yes. The newly appointed Stagstar was… intense. It was surprising their warriors even had time to hunt, considering how often they patrolled the border— 

Splinterstar’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Something pale flickered in her field of view, far away. She was near the border to the sheep-place, with the twoleg stone dens beyond. In the tall grass, in the distance, there was a creature. Judging by its size and movements, it was a cat. It paced back and forth hurriedly, looking lost.

The leader rose to her paws and stretched her legs and back, then made for the border.

Once she had gotten closer, the stranger noticed her. She startled and stared at her, arching her back. But there was only fear in her eyes, no aggression. Clearly, this was a lost or abandoned kittypet. Just the wind in the grass seemed to spook her.

”Hello,” Splinterstar meowed evenly and sat down. ”Who are you?”

The she-cat eyed her up and down. She had a strange coloring, with pale fur on her body, but a dark gray face, tail and paws, and icy blue eyes.

”Holly,” she mewed at last. Her voice was little more than a peep, and Splinterstar noticed how young she looked.

”Are you lost, Holly?” Splinterstar continued. Holly nodded. ”You seem to have wandered into my territory.” 

Holly’s eyes widened, full of worry. ”I’m really sorry, I didn’t know.”

”Now you do,” Splinterstar said. ”Why are you out here on your own? You can relax, by the way. I won’t hurt you unless you give me a reason to.”

Holly looked a bit taken aback, but eventually sat down. ”I, um… I ran away, sort of.” Splinterstar tilted her head. ”I live with my housefolk in a house, over there. But…it’s so crowded, we’re eleven cats living in a very small space. I just can’t stand it sometimes. When I saw that the window was slightly cracked open, I squeezed through, just to get some air. But then there was a loud noise out on the road, and I got scared so I started running and got lost, and now…I don’t know how I’m supposed to find my way back.” Holly looked apologetic, like she was embarrassed to admit that. ”Sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble on.”

”Do you really want to go back?” Splinterstar asked genuinely. ”Do you like living there, with your housefolk?”

”No!” Holly burst out. ”It’s so cramped, cats are constantly arguing and fighting, and the housefolk just ignore us most of the time…I hate it there! But—” she broke off. ”I have to go back, and soon.”

”Why?” Splinterstar asked. She could understand loyalty to a Clan that cared about you, but these kittypets didn’t sound like they even liked each other.

”I— Oh, it’s horrible. I can’t believe that I left! It was so stupid and irresponsible…” Holly closed her eyes, then looked away. ”I have three kittens back there. They’re just a few days old.”

Splinterstar felt a pang of sympathy for the young queen. ”Really? But you can’t be much older than an apprentice…”

”A what?” Holly asked, confusion mixing with the anxiety in her gaze. ”I know I’m young, but…it wasn’t exactly my choice. Or… I don’t know. I don’t even like their father very much, he’s as stupid as the rest of them.”

Splinterstar sighed, beginning to feel the stranger’s worry rub off on her. She shifted her paws thoughtfully. She didn’t mind meeting cats from outside the Clan and talking to them, as long as they weren’t a threat. But this she-cat had really gotten herself in a heap of trouble.

”How could you leave your own kits like that?” she had to ask. Splinterstar had never had kits of her own, but she had seen the sacrifices a mother would do for them.

Holly’s face screwed up. ”I don’t know! I just— I had to get out of there for a moment, I never meant to run away!”

”Alright, calm down,” Splinterstar sighed. ”You’ll never find the way back if you can’t think straight. I’ll follow you back to the edge of the twoleg place, and maybe you can pick up your scent-trail there?”

”You would do that?” Holly’s eyes lit up. Splinterstar nodded.

She had no responsibility to help the stranger, but she felt for her. She was just a young, confused, somewhat impulsive kittypet. And really, it was the kits she was most worried about. As they began walking back, she asked;

”Do you really want your kits growing up in that place?”

Holly shook her head sadly. ”It’s my worst nightmare. If they even…” her voice broke off. ”I’m scared my housefolk will get rid of them if they find out about them. I’ve hidden them in the basement for now. But they’ll be big enough to start roaming soon, and who knows what will happen then? I wouldn’t put it above some of the others to try and hurt them either…”

”You can’t let that happen!” Splinterstar argued, leaping ahead of the she-cat and stopping her in her tracks.

Holly looked shocked and scared. ”No…I know. But where could I go? We can’t live on the streets, I don’t know how to survive without someone leaving food for me. It could be ages before some other housefolk take us in.”

”We’ll take you in,” Splinterstar said quickly. Maybe it was impulsive, but saving kits from harm was her duty, and they needed their mother too. 

”We?” Holly looked confused. ”Are there more of you?”

Splinterstar quickly briefed through what SongClan was and how in a Clan, everyone took care of each other. ”You would be taken care of until your kits are big enough to fend for themselves.”

Holly didn’t really seem like warrior material, if Splinterstar was being honest. But she was young still, and hadn’t gotten a chance to prove herself in the world. Maybe with time, and some training, they could recruit her to the Clan as a real warrior. Three new, young cats didn’t sound so bad either.

”I don’t know…” Holly mumbled. ”Is it really safe out here? Isn’t it cold and scary?”

Splinterstar sighed. ”Clan life can be tough, yes. But warriors help each other, no one is left behind. I promise you’ll be safer than you, or your kits, could ever be in a twoleg den.” A particularly nasty one at that, it sounded like.

”But…how would I get my kittens out of there? They can barely see yet, much less walk out here,” Holly thought out loud. ”Would you help me come get them?”

”I don’t think that would be wise,” Splinterstar murmured. ”How about you try to keep them hidden for one more moon, until they can at least follow you here? Then bring them to this spot and I’ll meet you.”

Holly thought it over, her eyes glistening with wonder and fear. After a few heartbeats, she nodded curtly. ”Okay. That might work.” She nodded to herself a few more times, like she was trying to convince herself. ”I’ll come here with them in one…what did you call it?”

”A moon. When the moon is the same shape as it is today, we’ll meet here,” Splinterstar explained patiently.

Holly looked a bit confused. ”One moon. Okay. I’ll check what it looks like tonight from the window and try to remember…”

Splinterstar twitched her whiskers. As inexperienced as the young kittypet was, she was sort of charming. ”Just count 28 days from now.”

Holly lit up. ”Oh, okay! That sounds easier.”

They had reached the border to the twoleg place, with the sheep in the sheep-place grazing peacefully in the far end of their pasture. Splinterstar didn’t like this place much. The twolegs weren’t a big problem, neither were the sheep. But the twolegs had dogs that often just roamed free in the area. Holly sniffed around the trampled grass a bit, then flashed a happy look to Splinterstar.

”I can smell my own paws here!” she exclaimed, scraping the ground a little.

”Just follow that trail back, and try not to panic. I’ll see you in one moon. Okay, Holly?” Splinterstar nodded, starting to turn back.

”Yes, okay! Thank you…uh, I didn’t get your name?”

”It’s Splinterstar.”

”Thank you, Splin…Splinterstar!” Holly clearly tried not to sound put off by the leader’s name, but Splinterstar overheard her as she ran off into the twoleg dens; ”Weird name…but okay.”

Splinterstar took a deep breath. She wouldn’t be too surprised if Holly ended up not following through on their deal, and worried something might happen to her before then. But she’d tried to help her at least, and if she could get her kits here in a moon, then maybe she was clan-cat material after all. The pale she-cat finished her walk deep in thought before returning to SongClan’s camp. For now, she said nothing of her encounter with the kittypet Holly.

[kybercrystals94]

The Stardust Conspiracy (Part 1)

Rated: G | Words: 1,656 | Summary: The Batch gets a pet…chaos ensues.

Author’s Note: special thanks to @just-here-with-my-thoughts for their contribution to the chaos that will transpire…😂

The market is crowded and loud. Omega's eyes are wide and constantly moving, a small smile teasing the edges of her lips. She has attached herself to both Hunter and Wrecker, her hands tucked snugly in theirs. It links them in an awkward chain; however, Hunter would rather that than Omega getting lost or snatched up. And maybe he doesn’t mind the feel of her tiny fingers locked around his, an unspoken familiarity that has grown in the months since they’ve taken her in.

“There’s so much to look at!” Omega declares, skipping between her brothers without a care in the world.

Hunter smiles. “Definitely more to offer than Ord Mantell.”

“That’s not hard to do,” Echo comments from behind them, voice muffled behind the mask of his droid disguise.

“We should get food,” Wrecker declares. “I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Hunter says, shaking his head. They’d just had their rations not even a standard hour before.

“I’m hungry too,” Omega says, tugging on Hunter’s hand.

“See! Great minds think alike!” Wrecker laughs, giving Omega’s arm an enthusiastic swing, making her giggle.

Hunter glances back at Echo, but the cyborg just heaves one shoulder in a shrug. “We’ll see what we can find,” Hunter concedes, earning a cheer from Wrecker and Omega.

The morning had started out on a sour note, the four of them having been banished from the Marauder by Tech for the remainder of the day while he made repairs “by himself.” Really, Wrecker and Echo were to blame, while Hunter and Omega were guilty by simple association. Wrecker had, somehow, managed to drop Gonky on Tech’s favorite data pad, cracking the screen even through the screen protector. Echo then followed up by inadvertently deleting a file from the navigation system’s hard drive that he thought was clutter—but was actually a collection of mundane information that Tech had wanted to keep. Verbal apologies were not enough to smooth over the offenses, and the four clones were asked to leave.

Omega, never one to linger on hard feelings, brightened the mood almost immediately, pressing into the excitement of a new place to explore. She was especially delighted with the fact that they were in no hurry to return to the ship, nor did they have any specific task to accomplish, leaving them free to wander to her childish heart’s content.

Their search for food is interrupted when they walk past a specific shop window. Omega’s attention is immediately captured by the sight of tooka kittens peering out at her, mouths moving in soundless mews through the glass pane. “What is this place?” she asks.

“It’s a pet store,” Echo replies.

Omega turns wide eyes on their oldest brother. “Pet store? What’s a pet?”

Hunter starts to step away. “Nothing we need,” he says firmly. “C’mon.”

Omega resists, returning her gaze to the tookas. “Can we go inside and just look? Please!”

“Yeah, Hunter, just for a few minutes,” Wrecker says. “I’ve never gotten to see a tooka kitten before. Maybe we can hold one!”

Omega gasps. “We could hold one?”

Two sets of eyes turn on Hunter with a level of pleading the sergeant isn’t ready to contend with. He sighs. “Fine. We can go inside for a few minutes.”

A small bell rings cheerfully when they push open the door, and an elderly woman eyes them from behind the counter. “Welcome,” she says, “is there anything specific I can help you find today?”

“We’re just looking,” Hunter says.

“Can we hold a tooka kitten?” Omega pipes up.

“Of course, you can, little one,” the woman croons. “You can hold any one you’d like.”

Omega and Wrecker go to the window, looking down into the glass pen where the tooka kittens have toddled over on wobbly, baby legs, their beady eyes blinking up under huge ears. Omega carefully lifts out a brown and black striped kitten then holds it close to her chest, stroking it between its ears.

“It’s the softest thing I’ve ever felt in my whole life,” she whispers, “and it’s so tiny! Look at its little paws, Hunter! It’s so cute!”

Hunter’s heart melts a little.

Wrecker hesitates, but after looking at the woman and receiving a nod, he also picks up a kitten, the little creature practically disappearing in his cupped hand. “Imagine if Lula were this small,” Wrecker rumbles, his attempt at a whisper.

“She’d be so cute!” Omega cries quietly.

“Lula isn’t real,” Echo feels the need to clarify to the storekeeper. “It’s a toy.”

The woman gives Echo a funny look, and Hunter realizes it’s because of his droid disguise.

The woman turns her attention to Hunter. “The kittens are just old enough to leave their mother this week. We have everything you’d need to adopt one today.”

“Oh, no,” Hunter assures her a little too quickly, “We don’t want a kitten. We are just looking.”

The woman raises an eyebrow and pointedly glances at Omega. “Pets are very good for children. Teaches responsibility”

Omega is snuggling the tooka up to her face, her nose pressed into its round, fuzzy body. “It’s making a funny sound,” Omega says.

“It’s purring,” the woman explains, “that means it likes you.”

“It does? Awww! Can you hear it purring, Hunter?” Omega giggles when the kitten lets out a tiny, rasping mew.

“This one’s purring too!” Wrecker says, gruff soldier voice sounding absolutely delighted.

Hunter tries to ignore the sticky sweet emotion that stirs somewhere deep in the muscle thumping in his chest. They cannot get a tooka. Don’t even entertain the idea! “Alright,” he says, stamping down the joy daring to bloom in the light of his siblings’ utter happiness, “a few minutes is up. Let’s go.”

“Hunter, wait! There are more animals, and I want to see them all!” Omega cries, turning on him with those galaxy filled eyes. It doesn’t help that she has the tooka kitten nuzzled under her chin, peering up at him, daring him to break a little girl’s heart.

Hunter looks at Echo for backup, but the man looks about as helpful as Gonky at the moment. He is staring down at Omega, and even with the mask hiding his expression, it looks like he’s about to let Omega adopt the whole litter of tookas on the spot.

Maker, help me.

“Alright, well, you better start looking. We’re gonna have to head out soon,” Hunter says in his best command voice. Unfortunately, Omega and Wrecker are practically immune to it. They gently put down their tooka kittens, and begin meandering around the store, looking into glass cages housing all sorts of creatures from over the galaxy.

“What are these called?” Omega asks, leaning down to look into a cage containing what look to be tiny puffs of fur, smaller than the palm of her hand.

“Those are called cricetos,” the woman says, “They make wonderful first pets. Would you like to hold one?”

“Yes, please!” Omega chirps.

The woman reaches in and plucks a golden ball of fluff from the cage. She sets it in Omega’s hand. The creature is tiny, and stares up at Omega with large, round eyes. “I can’t even feel it in my hand, it’s so light,” Omega breathes.

“Would you like to give it a treat?” the woman asks.

Omega nods eagerly, and the woman gives her a small handful of seeds. Omega holds out a single seed to the criceto, and the animal reaches out and snatches the seed in its minuscule fingers. After an experimental sniff, the criceto licks the seed once before shoving the whole thing in its mouth, tucking it in its cheek. Omega offers it another and another and another, each seed carefully stowed away.

“That,” Echo says, “is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

And that’s the moment Hunter knows they’re doomed.

<<>><<>><<>><<>><<>><<>>

The storekeeper is more than accommodating in providing the squad with everything they need to take care of a rodent aboard a spacecraft, even supplying discounts when Hunter tries to make the excuse that they really don’t have the credits to make such a purchase right now. Echo and Wrecker are absolutely no help, and the look on Omega’s face seals the deal. Tech is going to kill me in my sleep.

Omega is practically beside herself with excitement, words tumbling out of her in an endless stream as she plots, strategizes, and anticipates what having a pet will mean for their lives now. “Do you think Tech is going to love Stardust as much as we do?” Omega asks, holding up the small crate to peek at the rodent stashed inside.

Hunter suppresses a sigh. “Maybe we should wait to tell Tech until...” never. We should never, ever tell Tech.

“Until he isn’t mad at Wrecker and Echo anymore?” Omega supplies sweetly.

Echo and Wrecker make noises of protest; however, Hunter cuts them off with a sharp look. After all, it’s their fault they had to meander into the market at all. Their fault Stardust – as Omega quickly named the animal now in their care – is on a journey back to their ship. Their fault they hadn’t backed Hunter up when he tried to talk his way out of the situation.

“Maybe,” Omega says thoughtfully, oblivious to Hunter’s inner turmoil, “we can let Tech find Stardust on his own. We can put her cage by the nav computer, there’s a perfect spot for it! He’ll see how cute she is, and he won’t mind at all.”

It isn’t the worst idea, and at least it’s an idea. Tech might be miffed at first; however, he will come around. He might try to appear otherwise, but he is just as indulgent to Omega’s whims as the rest of them. The moment he sees how much their sister adores her new ward, he won’t be able to say anything against it. And besides, how much damage could a little rodent do?

TBC

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[tales-from-a-little-witch]

A little kitten saved my life

Tw: men being horrifying in the dark

This happened not too long ago on a late cold night that I was craving something sweet, was around 1:40 or 1:50 am, I grabbed my bag and decided to walk down the gas station.

Let me paint you a picture of the way to the gas station. It’s a pitch-black road that goes on for at least five minutes, and the only light you’ll see is the light from the gas station. There are no streetlights down this road.

I got down to the gas station, and everything was normal. But leaving the gas station is when I got a bad gut feeling – that sort of feeling that turns your stomach and gives you goosebumps.

I reached into my bag for the knife that I always kept inside of it.

Now, admittedly, this is where I messed up. I didn’t check my bag for my knife, and my knife wasn’t in my bag...

Instantly, I was on edge. There I was, without a weapon, and with this terrible, gut-wrenching feeling.

I figured I'd walk home quickly, and as I began walking, I heard the most gentle mewing from behind me. I turned around and saw a beautiful little tricolor tabby.

She was tiny, and her little legs were rushing to catch up to me as she mewed and meowed the whole way to me. Then, she stopped at my feet. I’m thankful that she caught my attention because as I was looking at her, I spotted a movement in the darkness behind her.

To my horror, it was a man...

I tried not to freak out. I tried to rationalize it, thinking,

"He must have just been walking back from the gas station, just like I was."

There was no need for me to worry about it. I've walked that road plenty of times with others, and this was no different.....Or so I tried to convince myself....

The sweet little cat looked back at the man and then back at me and suddenly darted off, and something inside of me told me that I needed to follow her. Intuition told me that I needed to run, and fast.

The little cat kept looking back at me as she ran, her eyes checking to see if I was still there. It was as if she was making sure that I was still running alongside her. We ran and ran through that dark and empty road.

She darted straight towards my apartment and stopped under the one light that was illuminating the darkness.

Relief flooded through me, and my heart pounded furiously in my chest, my breaths coming out heavy and ragged. But I took comfort in the fact that the man was still a considerable distance behind me.

I stood there with her in the light for only a moment before gently scooping her up into my arms, stroking her head and thanking her. After all, I’d always been taught to be polite to cats.

I was planning on taking her inside with me......

That’s when it happened.

She looked off into the darkness and began hissing and yowling, struggling desperately to break free from my arms. She positioned herself in front of me, facing the pitch-black darkness. And that stomach-churning feeling of dread returned…

Her fur stood on end, and her yowling became so loud that she was practically spitting. My eyes slowly followed hers to the source of her distress. There, standing in the darkness right outside my apartment line, was the man. He was staring at me, that awful smile curving his lips.

My heart dropped straight into my stomach, and I felt nauseous in an instant. I was absolutely dumbfounded; he was supposed to be a good distance behind us. We had RUN. We had sprinted, for god's sake. How in the world had he made it here so swiftly?

I hadn't even heard him, my mind swirling with a thousand racing thoughts, and my body beginning to tremble. I tried to rationalize it, grasping at any logical explanation.

He must have run after us, I thought. This man had pursued me all the way here while I fled with the kitten.

I spun on my heel so swiftly that the Devil himself would have grown dizzy. In a heartbeat, I dashed into my apartment, only pausing for a brief moment to glance back at the little kitty. She stood her ground, hissing fiercely like a little sentinel determined to guard me or buy me some time.

Once the screen door slammed shut, the little kitty dashed away, seamlessly vaulting over the neighbor's fence and into their backyard. As she disappeared, I watched the man lingering in the shadows, his gaze locked on me. I watched him from behind the safety of my curtains, my eyes glued to the spot where he had been standing. Gradually, as time ticked on, he finally turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows. Of course I reported it but that did a shit of a lot good.

He knew where I lived now, knew exactly the apartment in which I resided. That realization sent tremors of terror coursing through me, yet the even more chilling thought that sent ice-cold dread into my heart, was what he might have done to me on that darkened road if it wasn't for the brave little tabby.

I guess all that cat karma did me some good, I don’t think that little kitten showed up by coincidence.

[petitelepus]

OH MY GOD LEPUS.

I just remembered one of my c.ai convos and thought if you'd like to make that a fic because i knew it would just be magnificent.

SO.

Genya fluff (idk guess it would be slightly suggestive???)

Like, Genya is just casually walking down the street and is met with a stray cat that he decides to adopt!!!!!

But, the twist is, when he wakes up the next morning, he's met not with a cat, but with a girlie HAHAHAH

(i'm smiling like stupid writing this and i'm currently in public.)

HI, YES, I LIKED THIS AND, WELL, I ACCIDENTALLY WROTE WAY TOO MUCH, SO, UH, ENJOY EVERYONE!

WARNINGS: None, CAT PUNS, Reader has a name, Set in Modern!AU

Genya sighed as he was on his way back home from school. Despite just recently turning 18, he was still living with his big brother and younger siblings. He had to, he was a student still after all, and his brother could always use an extra pair of hands to help around the house.

One day he would move out and live on his own, but until that day came, he would live with his siblings who loved him and he loved them.

Suddenly something caught Genya's attention on the corner of his eye and he looked to see a cardboard box lying on the side of the road. The young man was about to ignore the box, deeming it as someone's trash, but then he heard the softest little voice and saw that the box actually rattled a little.

"What the…?" Genya grunted as he kneeled and opened the box… And saw the cutest little ball of white fur look up at him with big beautiful green eyes.

"Mew!" The little thing meowed as it moved to sniff Genya's hand and the young man flinched when it so carelessly licked his finger with its rough little tongue.

"What the Hell are you doing here?" Genya wondered out loud as he looked around, but the people ignored him and the kitten as if they didn't even see them. The young man frowned as he looked at the little creature and he decided that he couldn't leave it on the streets.

Carefully, he closed the box's lid and grabbed the whole thing into his arms, soft meows coming from the box as it moved in his arms.

"Hold on little one… I'll get you somewhere safe…" Genya tried to sound reassuring and the small meowing stopped, as if the kitten had understood him and that he meant well.

So he carried the box all the way to the apartment building where he and his family lived. Getting in was one thing, but getting the kitten inside without alerting his younger siblings was another thing.

Genya was sure that his younger siblings would love the kitten, but he couldn't tell how their oldest brother and the head of the household would react to the kitten. Sanemi might get upset and tell them that they barely had enough money to feed themselves and the kitten would be on the streets again…

He would have to think about it later. Now his priority was to get the kitten something to eat and a place to rest for the night. Genya closed the front door carefully behind him, hearing his siblings welcoming him back home from the living room, too busy with their own homework or games to come and greet their brother properly.

Genya placed the box on the floor for a second so he could take his shoes off and moved to rush to his room, but a voice caught him off-guard.

"What's in the box?" Teiko, his younger yet oldest sibling and sister asked. Genya almost choked in panic, but he quickly recovered, "Just, uh, some books! I have an exam coming so I need to study! Please don't barge into my room, and knock at least!"

"Okay?" Teiko nodded as she turned and returned to the living room where the rest of the siblings were. Genya sighed in relief as he quickly rushed to his room and set the box on his bed once the door was closed behind him. The young man held his breath as he opened the box and the little kitten mewed at him.

"Shh, you gotta be quiet!" Genya whispered as loudly as he dared and the kitten tilted its head curiously at him. God, it was a cute kitten. The young man carefully picked up the kitten and set it gently on his bed and the little thing looked around his room curiously.

"What the Hell does a cat so small even eat…?" Genya grumbled by himself and then he remembered that they might had some leftover tuna in the fridge… But he wasn't sure if the tuna was healthy for a kitten. He would have to find out.

"Stay here," Genya ordered as he left his room and headed toward the kitchen to find out if they had anything good for a cat.

…But unbeknownst to him, his room's door clicked open, and little paws carried the kitten all the way to the-!

"KYAH!"

Genya felt his heart jump into his throat when he heard his beloved siblings screaming. His fight-or-flight instincts took over and he rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room, ready to protect his brothers and sisters.

"What- What happened-!?" He was asking when his eyes widened at the sight before him. His younger siblings were admiring the white kitten who jumped on their small coffee table and meowed like the little thing owned the place. Cute, but how!? Just how!? He was sure that he shut the door behind him!

"Genya, there's a cat here!" Hiroshi, who shared the same mohawk style as his brother said, and Sumi, the youngest girl cheered, "It's so cute!"

"Guys no-!" Genya was saying but as if things couldn't get any worse, the front door snapped open and shut and Genya flinched as he heard their eldest sibling call out, "What's with all this noise!? I could hear you guys all the way down the hall!"

"B- brother-!" Genya tried to stop Sanemi from entering the living room, but he had no chance against the oldest brother.

"Genya brought us a cat!" Shuya, the second-youngest brother shouted excitedly as he and his older siblings spoiled the kitten with attention and scratches.

"Oh, he did…?" Genya could almost see the vein on his brother's temple popping as he made his way past Genya and towards the kitten. Genya swallowed nervously, his brains working really hard to come up with an explanation that Sanemi would accept, but his mind was blank.

So Genya and his siblings watched closely how Sanemi picked the small cat and inspected at it from different angles.

"Okay, first, she doesn't look starved… And she is flea-free…" The white-haired man said as he looked at his siblings, "So there is a chance that she has an owner somewhere."

"I, uh, I found her in a box by the road?" Genya said and his brother frowned as he gently handed the white kitten to Teiko who was closest to him.

"Better take her to the vet then first thing tomorrow to see if she has a chip and if not then at least give her a worm medication, just in case."

"Does that mean we are keeping her!?" The kids looked at their oldest brother with their eyes wide and cute and Sanemi crumbled as he dragged his hand through his hair, "If and I mean IF she doesn't have a chip then I will consider it!"

"Jay!" All the kids cheered as they surrounded the kitten to gently pet and spoil the little thing with affection. Genya sighed in relief, thinking that the worst was over, but it wasn't.

"Genya!" Sanemi snapped and his brother flinched, "Y- yes brother?"

"I'm making an appointment with the vet so the cat stays in your room for the night! Am I being clear!?"

"Yes! Thank you, brother!" Genya exclaimed, followed by their younger siblings singing, "Thank you, big brother!"

The way went on with someone nearly every second with the kitten and as the day passed, the younger family members started to think about names for their possible new member.

"How about Suika?" Genya suggested and his siblings looked at him, "As in watermelon?"

"Yeah, since we like them so much?" Genya nodded and his siblings shared glances, "How about Lily?"

"No, Rose!"

"What's with girls and flowers?"

"You're all wrong!" Sanemi snapped, "The best name for it is obviously Gintora!"

Genya and his younger siblings shared glances before the younger ones laughed, "Brother, that's an awful name for a kitten!"

"How about you Koto?" Shuya turned to look at the youngest sibling, two-year-old Koto. The little boy smiled as he reached for the kitten, who walked up to the little boy as if she understood that he wanted to pet her.

"Coco," The little boy said happily and the kids automatically turned to look at the carton of coconut water on the table. The kids looked at each other, but the kitten meowed and gently patted Koto's hand with her paw.

"I like it." Sumi nodded and Teiko and Hiroshi smiled, "The kitten is white like the inside of a coconut?"

"Then it's settled!" Shuya cheered, "Kitten is Coco!"

"IF the cat stays here!" Sanemi snapped but his shouting got left in the background as the kids played with the kitten.

The night came and the kids wished good dreams to the kitten as they went to sleep in their own or shared rooms. Genya took the kitten to his room like his older brother had told him to do and set the little creature on his bed as he changed clothes.

"You're pretty famous." He told the kitten who meowed back happily. Genya smiled, "Of course, when you're as cute as you are it's expected."

"Mew!"

"Ha ha, I bet you would be cute as a human also." He chuckled as he put the lights out and settled on the bed, pulling the blanket over his body. The little kitten meowed as it settled next to Genya's head on his pillow. The young man smiled as he closed his eyes, and drifted to sleep while listening to the kitten purr happily.

That night Genya dreamed about an amusement park and its main theme was watermelon. Treats, rides, and mascot, everything reminded him of watermelons. It was honestly a weird dream, but fun nonetheless.

Time passed faster when someone was sleeping and having pleasant dreams and soon it was morning and sunbeams slipped through the curtains and hit Genya's face, but what ultimately really woke him was the alarm next to his bed.

"What a nice dream…" Genya grumbled tiredly as he blindly shut the alarm and rubbed sleep off from his eyes.

"What did you dream about?" A small voice asked and Genya grumbled tiredly as he recalled his dream… But then he realized that someone actually spoke to him and he did not recognize that voice!

"What the-!?" The young man looked next to him and to his shock, there was a young girl next to him on his bed, wearing his hoodie!

"Good meow-ning, Master!" The girl said happily and Genya shouted in shock as he jumped up, but his leg got caught with his blanket and he fell off the bed and on the floor.

The young man could hear footsteps closing in and a second later his room's door swung open and his big brother was there.

"What's wrong, why did you scream-!?" Sanemi was shouting when his eyes landed on the girl on his younger brother's bed and the vein on his temple popped as he cracked his knuckles.

"Oi, talking to girls is one thing, but sneaking one to your room in the middle of the night…!?" Oh crap, Sanemi was mad.

"B- brother, this isn't what it looks like!" Genya stuttered as his older brother approached him, ready to give him a good beating, but the girl jumped between them and spread her arms as if she were protecting Genya.

"Wait a meowment!" The girl snapped and that is when Genya and Sanemi noticed the white cat's ears and tail that the girl had. The same tail went from left to right and her ears pointed at the roof, "I'm Coco and I'm young Master's familiar!"

"You're what!?" Both men shouted and the girl giggled as she turned to look at the younger man, "Ge-NYA was your name, right Master?"

"Y- yes, but… Who are you?"

"I'm Coco!"

Sanemi and Genya shared glances, but before neither one could do anything, they heard footsteps.

"Brother, what's happening-?" Teiko, Hiroshi, Sumi, Shuya, and Koto came to see what caused all the shouting and their eyes landed on the cat girl. The same girl grinned and waved, "Hi, I'm Coco!"

There was a small moment of silence before the younger siblings screamed and ran past Sanemi to admire the new girl and her ears and tail. Somehow the younger kids were able to accept what was happening much faster than their older brothers.

"So are you Coco?"

"That's me!"

"Are you the cat from yesterday?"

"I am!"

"How did you become a human?"

"Master GeNYA's wish made me turn into a human!" She said happily and everyone turned to look at baffled Genya who was still lying on the floor, "W- wait, what!?"

"I’m just kitten around!" The cat giggled mischievously, "I was tasked to find myself a new Master and GeNYA was the first to show me kindness and generosity!"

"So you are some sort of Familiar?" Hiroshi asked and Sumi smiled, "Like what witches have?"

"Something like that, yes!" She nodded happily and then looked at Sanemi with those green eyes of hers, "Oh, and I don't have worms."

"Well nice to know!" Sanemi snapped, "So what, you are going to stay here or something?"

"That was my plan!" Coco nodded and the kids turned to look a their eldest, "Please big brother, can she stay?"

"Tch…!" Sanemi hissed, knowing he was disadvantaged there, and if he said no then he would be the bad guy… But before he could say anything, Coco meowed to get their attention, "Pawdon me, but I swear, having me around will benefit you all!"

"How?"

"You do know the tail about Maneki Neko?" The white cat girl asked and the siblings all nodded, familiar with the story about a cat who brought luck. Coco grinned as she pointed at herself with her thumb, "Let's just say, I am a descendant of the first Maneki Neko there ever was!"

"This is madness…!" Sanemi grumbled and Genya was so confused while his siblings were even more excited than they were a minute ago, "Can you bring us good luck?"

"Fur sure!" Coco nodded and then looked at Genya who was still lying on the floor, "I purr-mice that I can be helpful!"

Genya didn't know what to say as he was still trying to wrap his head around all this. Good thing he didn't have to think long because Sanemi made up his mind, "We will figure this out later, but now you all need to get ready for school and daycare!"

The younger kids groaned but did as they were told to and rushed to get ready, leaving Genya and Coco in the second-oldest's room. Sanemi looked at his younger brother and growled, "We will talk about this and that cat when we get back home, am I clear!?"

"Y- yes brother…!" Genya nodded and Sanemi closed the door behind him as he left to get everything done before his work at school started. Genya was still baffled and turned to look at Coco who smiled cutely, "So? School, huh?"

It took a moment and by the time Genya was done and ready he was the last one to leave the apartment. There was just one problem.

"Why are you following me? I thought I told you to stay at home?" Genya asked as he looked down at the white kitten who followed close behind him as he made his way down the streets. He didn't expect Coco to reply or how her voice seemed to echo inside Genya's mind, "I'm proving to you that I can be useful!"

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"Just wait, Master GeNYA."

Genya sighed as he tried to hurry but then he felt his foot kick something and he looked down to see a wallet lying on the ground.

"Huh?"

"Oh? Lucky?" Coco giggled as Genya leaned down and picked up the wallet. Out of curiosity, he opened the thing and his eyes widened in shock. There were at least 100, 000 Yen in the wallet! Genya swallowed heavy feeling down from his throat and Coco grinned, "I told you I would bring you good fortune!"

"I can't keep this money," Genya said as he closed the wallet and started to walk in the opposite direction from school. Coco blinked as she followed her Master.

"Why not?" The little cat asked.

"That would be stealing!" Genya snapped, "I better take it to the police booth where the wallet's owner can come and pick it up."

"Do as you want," Coco nodded as she followed Genya to a police booth. The officer at the booth looked busy with this man in a suit talking to them, sounding panicked and restless, "I can't find it, what am I going to do…?"

"Calm down, sir," The officer tried to calm down the man, "We will find it and return the wallet to you at once when we find it."

"A wallet?" Genya thought out loud and the two adults turned to look at him Genya, who recognized the suit man's picture from the ID in the wallet.

"This must belong to you?" The young man said as he handed the wallet to the man in the suit.

"Oh, thank God!" The man immediately opened his wallet and started to go through its contents while the officer turned to look at Genya, "How did you get a hold of this wallet?"

"I found it on the street," Genya replied honestly but it looked like the officer suspected him of something he didn't do, such as stealing the wallet… But before he could ask any more questions, the man in the suit turned to look at Genya, "Oh thank you, young man, you saved me!"

"It's no trouble. I'm happy if I could help." Genya nodded as he turned to leave, but the man quickly called after him, "Hold on!"

"Hm?" Genya stopped and the man dug through his wallet and handed Genya 10,000 Yen bills, "Here is something as a reward."

"I- I can't accept this!" The young man stuttered but the man insisted, "Please, you saved me. The least I can do is reward you. Buy yourself something nice with that money."

"I…"

"I have to go, but I won't forget this kindness young man!" The man said as he rushed to leave. Genya was speechless and the officer nodded at him, "Well done boy."

"Th- Thank you, sir." Genya nodded and the officer looked at the watch on his wrist, "Shouldn't you be at school by now?"

"Y- yes, sorry-!"

"Don't worry, I will write you a note explaining why you are late." The man nodded as he took out paper and pen and while he was writing Genya wondered how he could be so lucky.

Wait, lucky? He turned to look at Coco who was sitting next to him and looking up at him with her green eyes. Genya couldn't really tell, but he had a feeling that she was smiling at him.

"Here you go." The officer handed the young man the note and Genya thanked him as he left to rush to school. While he walked, he heard Cocos who was right by his side talk in his mind.

"I knew I chose well when I accepted you as my Master." The cat said and Genya looked at the cat, stunned, "Wait, you did all that?"

"Of course! I had to make sure that you were as kind and honest as I initially thought." Coco nodded and Geny blinked, "So it was all just a test?"

"Yes, and you passed with purr-fect scores!" Coco sounded extremely happy as she meowed, "And now you can buy something nice for your siblings."

"Just what exactly are you?" Genya wandered out loud and Coco giggled, "I told you. I'm your beloved little familiar and you are my Master GeNYA!"

That didn't offer many answers, but maybe time would.

[naturepointstheway]

Kittens, Lightning, and Magic (Zurich Misto, Cats)

[Characters as kittens] The first winter thunderstorm roars over the house as Tugger, terrified of thunderstorms, sees Misto delighting in the storm, his paws catching forks of lightning, eyes glowing like sheets of lightning. "No, he was a big cat, not afraid of any thunderstorm! Why would he be, when Mistoffelees was the thunderstorm?"

This fic came out at around 4500 words, so a nice chonky one. The characters are kittens in this fic.

Tugger hated thunderstorms, had hated them for as long as he could remember.

And tonight, he hated them no less as he crawled under a blanket in the room he and Misto occupied at the first hints of thunderclaps heralding winter’s first storm. His ears were flattened against his skull, teeth bared like he wanted to fight the storm itself, but was too cowardly to do so—Everlasting! If anyone saw him now!

Stop—just stop!

Now huddled under the blanket, soothed by the darkness inside, he nosed his way in deeper until only his bottlebrush tail stuck out, lashing back and forth, faster with each clap of thunder. He hated all this, he wanted it to be over.

Something clambered—sprinted—over the bed, a tiny thing with four swift paws and a loud delighted purr. Tugger held still, pretending to be a lump of clothing under the blanket—he didn’t want Mistoffelees to see he was here, hiding away from a stupid storm.

Pathetic.

He heard claws scrabbling up a wall, followed by a soft thump on a windowsill, the purrs even more rich with what sounded a lot like delight. He winced at the loud screech of claws that came after, like someone was scratching them down the window. Mercifully, that horrid squeaking sound of claws on glass didn’t come back, and all was quiet—and still he didn’t dare pop his head out of the blanket because what if Mistoffelees saw him? No, Mistoffelees didn’t need to see him scared, he wouldn’t take Tugger seriously after that.

Chirrups and mews of excitement came from the kitten, and if Tugger listened hard enough above the storm, he could hear the tell-tale bap-baps of paws on glass, and well good for Mistoffelees if he was so delighted by the storm. Why was he so happy with the storm tonight?

What does he see in it?

His lashing tail stilled as the air became notably more charged, warmer, like the storm was coming inside, but without bringing along the lightning and rain. It was the same charge he could feel in the air earlier before the storm had fully hit with its full might.

For a time, he wrestled with an overwhelming curiosity to see what on Earth Misto was doing at the windowsill, but eventually he couldn’t help but nose his way out of the blanket, wincing and blinking hard as a sheet of lightning filled the view outside the window with white for a split second. Hot on its heels followed a bright fork of lightning, distorted by the raindrop-smeared windows, partially hidden by Mistoffelees sitting up with ears perked high and eyes wide with what Tugger imagined to be great awe. His little front paws were splayed out against the pane, batting at the occasional raindrop sliding down the window, leaving behind a tiny, ephemeral creek, the ghost of its path. With every fork of lightning, Mistoffelees moved a paw to, it appeared to Tugger, catch it.  

“Misto?”

No response, other than Mistoffelees bapping his paw at another flash of lightning.

“Misto.”

One of Mistoffelees’ ears swivelled toward Tugger, tail twitching the way it did when annoyed.

“I thought you hated loud noises.”

Mistoffelees nodded, an earnest ear still turned toward the window, again smacking a paw against the pane at the exact same time a lightning fork split the night. Mistoffelees bounced on his feet in delight, twirling around once as though to release some excess excitement. Despite the storm, Tugger’s heart still melted at seeing his fearless joy in the storm, watching as Mistoffelees again bapped the window, eyes trained intently on something on the panes, perhaps racing two raindrops against each other to the bottom of the glass.

And then—

BOOM.

Tugger hissed, and Mistoffelees leaped into the air, his tail and back fur immediately spiking as he spun around to glare at Tugger, quickly replaced by what appeared to be a flash of surprise crossing his face. Mistoffelees kept staring at him as he sat down, pressing his back against the windowpane. He arched an eyebrow at Tugger, pointing a paw at him and then the window.

“Yeah, look at me, huh,” Tugger rasped, ears still pinned back, but the snarl had left. “Cowering like a pollicle from lightning.”

Mistoffelees didn’t laugh, but nor did he come down to join him—not that Tugger expected him to—instead tilting his head toward the window, ears perked high as they could be, eyes wide and staring at the weather’s mayhem. As Tugger watched, Mistoffelees pressed a paw pad at the exact time as a fork of lightning outside pierced the sky.

And Mistoffelees glowed, his whole body wrapped in blue-white crackles of mini-lightning, arching and forking over raised fur before vanishing.

Tugger couldn’t help a cry of surprise, sitting bolt upright.

“Misto!”

Mistoffelees turned his eyes to Tugger, and to the latter’s surprise, he didn’t seem to be hurt at all. On the contrary, he was practically vibrating with happiness, paws kneading furiously on the windowsill.

Still, Tugger wanted to make sure.

“Misto, are you…okay?”

An enthusiastic nod, a paw pointing from the window to himself and then Tugger and back to the window.

“You glowed right as it hit!”

Mistoffelees tilted his chin, squinting his eyes with pride.

“Don’t tell me you like thunderstorms.”

A nod from the magical cat as he raised a paw to lick it quickly.

“Don’t you hate loud noises?”

Another nod.

“Then—this—why?”

Fear now all but forgotten, Tugger kicked away the blanket like he hadn’t been scared at all—no not he, the pretty cat with the pretty mane and thick fur! No, no, he was pretending to be scared that’s all! There was nothing to be scared of—just a thunderstorm!

No, he was a big cat, not afraid of any thunderstorm!

Why would he be, when Mistoffelees was the thunderstorm?

Scrambling up to perch on a bed post, he stood, leaning forward, rapt as Mistoffelees rolled a ball of shining mute thunderstorms in between his paws, a corner of his mouth curling upward. Tugger preened when Mistoffelees stared at him, and for a moment, he could swear his eyes were…glowing, like a sheet of white lightning occluded his green irises.

It was there, he could swear, there, and then gone like it never happened.

And that’s when he noticed, too late, Mistoffelees drawing back an arm, ball of lightning clasped tight like he was preparing to give it a good throw.

And he was grinning. Those ears were twitching like mad.

Oh.

Oh no.

Tugger hunkered down, preparing to scoot for it, but too late, Mistoffelees had launched the lightning ball straight at his face with a cackle.

“Aah! Hey!” Tugger yelled, thrown onto his back, paws waving at thin air, sure now every single strand of his fur, from head to tail, was very, very puffed up.

Four little paws raced away out of the open door, Mistoffelees’ laughing fading down the hall.

“Misto! Get back here, you imp!”

He straightened up again, madly grooming down his mane, hoping it wouldn’t look too poofy the next morning—he liked that mane, thank you very much, and he would much rather it not be all puffed out from static like some goofy poodle.

Where could he have gone?

Probably to his favourite spot on the roof or something, no doubt, seeing how much he was glorying in the thunderstorm.

Right on cue, there was a loud purr from the rooftops and what sounded suspiciously like someone dancing up there too.

And he’ll be by the fireplace.

Either way, Tugger was not about to let Mistoffelees destroy his very precious ego by laughing at him with his fur all puffed out; he was going to have to spend the rest of the night just fixing back every hair into its correct and rightful place again.

Stopping at the mirror on his way out, he frantically checked again to make sure he’d gotten every bit of puffed-up fur. Satisfied, he scampered off on the search for Mistoffelees, heading to his favourite hiding places—that purr and rooftop dancing could be very misleading, he knew this from figuring it out after the third time that he had been fooled like this.

For once, Misto was not by the fireplace, nor was he lurking behind any doors (especially the kitchen door), nor somewhere in the pantry, nor even in the dining room.

Huh, the purring stopped, he noted on his second visit to the lounging area—again, no Mistoffelees to be seen.

Then, a giggle from behind him.

Tugger whirled around to see Mistoffelees’ head pop up with a wild grin from behind an armchair, followed immediately by his hand gripping a ball of lightning.

Oh no—

Tugger raised his arms to his face, trying to duck the projectile, but too late, Mistoffelees’ aim was true and hit his upstretched arms, immediately followed by a tingle of static. He was sure his mane was at least twice as puffy as usual now, thanks to Misto’s inescapable aim. As he lowered his arms, Mistoffelees gave him a wicked grin, eyes gleaming, pumping an arm in the air. Before Tugger could react, he leaped over the back of the armchair and tore out of the lounge, racing to the door without a second glance.  

“Oh no you don’t!”

Tugger sprinted after him, but Mistoffelees winked back at him and yanked the door open, running straight into the thunderstorm and sideways rain.

Because of course he would.

And like hell Tugger was letting a little thunderstorm and sideways rain stop him now!

“Misto!”

No sooner did he enter the doorway then a fork of lightning blazed through the night, followed a few seconds later by a loud thunderclap, making him flinch. At the same time, he spotted, lit up for a split-second, Mistoffelees several feet away already, spinning with arms outstretched, face tilted up to the rain, eyes closed and smiling like this was the best night of his life.

Okay now’s my chance.

Tugger crept out into the night, mud squidging between his toes, sneaking up behind the spinning Mistoffelees as quietly as possible.

If I tackle him—

Mistoffelees abruptly stopped spinning, bending over with hands on knees, breathing hard.

Now!

Too late again—Misto spotted him, and immediately threw an arm out, shooting a bolt of lightning from a paw, and Tugger was only just fast enough to avoid being hit.

“Didn’t get me this time!”

Mistoffelees laughed as he straightened up again. At the same time, two balls of thunderstorms appeared in his hands, illuminating Mistoffelees’ face, his eyes glowing like sheet lightning.

Run!

Tugger dove behind a pile of abandoned cardboard boxes, crouching down, flattening his ears so they wouldn’t give him away.

Perfect!

Or maybe not, as a streak of lightning touched the tip of his tail, which Tugger had entirely forgotten about in his rush for a hiding spot.

“Ow!” he yelped, shooting up to his feet, just in time for Mistoffelees to throw the other ball of lightning, Tugger jumping away into a small garden bed overgrown with weeds. He hunkered down into the weeds, immediately before Mistoffelees’ lightning struck the plants around him, scorching them, Tugger wrinkling his nose at the smell of burning.

Ugh, no good staying here.

 He leaped once again to his feet, sprinting over the grass, looking behind to see if Mistoffelees was running after him—judging by the quickly approaching pair of glowing eyes, he was catching up just fine.

A ladder’s frame stuck out into the darkness at the side of a house, leading several stories up.

Perfect.

“Misto!” he called back as he jumped to grab the bottom rung with his hands. “Try and catch me now!”

Tail held out behind him for extra balance, Tugger scaled the ladder, confident Mistoffelees was too small to reach—

Oh.

Mistoffelees had apparently found another way up, appearing out of the darkness on a windowsill not too far from him, a paw glowing with more ammunition, white hot forks of lightning skittering over his claws.

“Can’t catch me!”

He swept his long tail out of the way just in time as Misto launched another streak of lightning magic at him.

“Hah! Not this time!”

Looking down, he saw the kitten getting down on his haunches, eyes trained up on him—tail quivering like he was calculating a jump.

“Oh no you don’t—” Tugger protested as Mistoffelees launched himself up at the ladder, scrabbling before grabbing his bushy tail, teeth and claws sinking into the fur, but not enough to hurt him.

His first thought was to just drop down back to the ground and keep their silly play down there, but nor did he want to risk hurting Mistoffelees with his weight on impact.

How much farther to go?

Looking up, he saw more ladders leading up to the roof.

“You wanna keep doing this up there? On the roof?”

He didn’t bother waiting for any response from Mistoffelees, instead hauling his body up the rest of the ladders, rusty metal cold under his clutches as he climbed.

“One more—almost there—”

Triumph! He’d made it to the edge of the roof, its gutter overflowing with the rainfall, pulling himself up, claws digging in to anchor himself as he dragged up the rest of his body and Mistoffelees still, impressively, clinging on to his tail. Tugger swung his tail up so Mistoffelees was able to let go, flying down onto the roof while he tried to catch his breath again.

Another zap of lightning bolted past him, and Tugger flinched, leaping to his feet with a laugh and shake of his head.

“Not good sportsmanship, Misto! At least wait until I’ve caught my breath!”

Tugger crouched down, ready to scramble out of the way, watching the kitten’s paws closely, waiting until he spotted a growing orb of light between them.

To the chimney!

Squinting into the rain, Tugger pulled himself up the side of the roof toward the chimney, ducking behind the brick refuge.

“Can’t see me, can’t get me!”

He heard Mistoffelees scrabbling around on the roof, and Tugger remained still, confident there was no way he’d see him—

Until Mistoffelees leaped over the chimney onto the top of his head, catching Tugger by surprise.

“Hey, get off from up there.”

Tugger pushed himself up to full height again, Mistoffelees now clambering off him onto the chimney, tail straight up in the air as he did when smug about something.

“How’d you know?” Tugger marveled.

Mistoffelees pointed to one of his Maine Coon ears.

Well! First his tail and now his ear gave the game away.

Nothing else for it but to take it out into the open, have this final showdown on the roof’s ridge.

“Fine, Misto, have it your way, let’s finish this on the ridge.”

Misto spun around a couple times before jumping onto the roof’s ridge at the bottom of the chimney, Tugger following right behind him. Sideways rain blasted the side of his face, and it was all he could do to keep squinting, keep an eye on Mistoffelees, who kept his distance on the other side of the roof.

Okay, it’s show time.

Rubbing his front paws together, Tugger prepared to launch himself into all sorts of acrobats in an effort to dodge Mistoffelees, back flips, mid-air spins, and all.

“Come on, Misto, you can do this!” he yelled, before doing another flip on to the chimney,  crouching as Mistoffelees flung lightning ball after lightning ball, eyes glowing with that fierce light.

His breaths were now coming in breathless pants, body already sore from all the dodging and leaping and ducking under Mistoffelees’ magic. Once he started seeing the patterns of Mistoffelees’ pre-launching warm-ups, he could escape them more and more often.

Until, that is, Mistoffelees paused halfway across the ridge, raising himself on one leg, his other foot placed at his knee.

Uh oh. What’s he planning now?

One spin, then two, then three and Mistoffelees swung out his arms, two ropes of lightning magic flying away. Tugger ducked down, hands clasping the ridge, but the end of one of the ropes swept over him, Mistoffelees jumping up and down in the distance before doing one more series of spins, and this time, a circle of lightning bolts expanded away from him.

Tugger again tried to dodge, but too late: the circle enveloped him and his feet fell away as it dragged him toward a triumphant Mistoffelees, the lightning disappearing once they were only a couple feet apart. There was no way he could have escaped that rope of lightning, what with the way it had yanked him toward Mistoffelees with such force that even his bigger cat’s body couldn’t resist again.

With a loud laugh, Mistoffelees pumped his arms up in the air, practically doing a jig on the roof. Tugger rolled his eyes.

“Okay, I give up: you win.”

A spin and another leap into the air, a leap that on impact saw him slip and fall into Tugger, who, caught off balance, windmilled his arms to try to keep his balance, but gravity and the slick surface of the roof won.

“Careful, gotcha!” Tugger gasped as he held on to Mistoffelees.

They collapsed together on the slick, metal roof, bodies aching from laughing so hard, breathless from their mad play, this absolute…recklessness (but a fun recklessness!)Had they really just spent Everlasting Cat knew how long outside runningaround like two mad cats in the lightning (oh, how Skimbleshanks would have scolded them!) and sideways rain? For a long time, even the smallest glance at each other led to them breaking down into rib-cracking laughter again, damp paws raised to shield their eyes from the fat raindrops splashing on and around them.  Tugger’s back fur stuck to the wet roof under him, every strand of fur was now clinging to his frame, but right now he didn’t care, enjoying this crazy moment, ribs and sides aching from his laughing. Tugger couldn’t tell if his eyes were wet from rain, crying from laughing so hard, or both. Probably both. Definitely both.

It seemed to Tugger like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, before their laughter began to decrescendo; at the same time, so did the storm. No more lightning rippled through dark, roiling clouds, and the wind had died down to the occasional stray gust of wind that stripped leaves off trees bowing to its might. The rain still fell, no longer sideways, just falling straight down to drum cozily on the tin roof. Tugger closed his eyes, losing himself in the soothing rustle of leaves, the pitter patter of rain on tin, the whistle of the wind through telephone wires, and the distinct hooting of an owl far away. Through this calming symphony of a storm’s end, he also heard Mistoffelees’ purrs, deep breathing, and chattering teeth—

His eyes flew open, and he sprung upright onto all fours, claws scrabbling on the roof’s slippery surface.

“Mistoffelees!”

Mistoffelees turned his head to look up at him, questions in his glowing eyes.

“I can hear your teeth chattering. Let’s get back inside—Munk will yell at me if I let you die of exposure.”

Mistoffelees raised his paws to his face, and even in the low light, Tugger could see they were shaking.

Skimble would have my toebeans for this if Misto catches a cold.

The dark shape that was the little kitten flipped over onto his four paws, now all glowing with gloves of liquid honey, with a faint glow like candles.

Like they did that time in the snow last year.

No time to think about that right now—they had to get to the attic or else Mistoffelees would simply shiver himself to a nasty cold or worse. The attic wasn’t exactly the warmest room in the house, but it was still both inside out of the rain and dry.

“Let’s get to the attic.”

Tugger lowered his back, tilting his head over his shoulder in an invitation for Misto to hitch a ride, but the kitten ignored him and sauntered away in his socks of magic toward the glass door that led into the attic below. Tugger quickly moved to catch up to him, glad his paws were wide and furry enough to keep their hold on the rain-drenched roof—not that the attic was more than a couple metres away, anyway.

Only when one of his front paws hit a cold, wet glass panel, did he then immediately make a beeline for the lever, gripping it in his paws and pulling with a grunt. Mistoffelees made a move like he was going to help, but the door finally, with a protesting squeak of the hinges, yawned open.

“Okay, I think we can get in there.”

Right as he said that, a cheeky howl of wind tore the attic door out of his hand and slammed it all the way open, the clash of the door against the roof reverberating into the night, and rain immediately invited itself inside.

Oops.

Oh well. It wasn’t his problem anyway, and he could just blame the wind if anyone asked about it. A little bit of rain falling into the otherwise dry attic was a worthy sacrifice to get himself and Mistoffelees back indoors and get warm and fluffy again by the fireplace.

“After you, Misto.”

A wet arrow of black darted past him, diving straight into the attic opening, and Tugger followed suit, flopping onto the floor below with a fair amount of less grace than Misto had, right into the puddle already forming below the gaping roof doorway.

With a short mutter, he straightened up, trying to primp his fur, only to find that it was next to impossible, what with how waterlogged all his layers had become thanks to their wild, spontaneous idea to play out in the thunderstorm (really, it was Misto’s fault—he ran out the door first, not Tugger!)

Speaking of… where was Misto? He searched around for a pair of familiar glowing eyes, but there was nothing except darkness.

“Misto?” Tugger called out, blinking around for the magical kitten. “Where are you?”

Knowing him, he’s already made his way out to the stairs.

“Misto? You slipped away, didn’t you?”

A pair of glowing green eyes opened out of nowhere right in front of his face in the pitch black, and Tugger couldn’t help a startled jump, stumbling back in his surprise.

Of course.

Mistoffelees giggled, and Tugger imagined he was giving himself a little pat on the back right now.

I fell for that, again. Every time, I swear.

Tugger swung a playful paw at those eyes, but Misto had quicker instincts, ducking easily out of the way, so his paw instead swung at thin air. 

“Fireplace. Race you there.”

A dart of black to the door, and then Misto was gone. Tugger didn’t even bother picking up his pace, full well knowing the kitten was already three quarters of the way to his favourite cozy spot in front of the fireplace.

Deliberately pressing his paws harder on the floor to really leave some big, dirty pawprints behind, Tugger oh-so-casually traipsed his way down the stairs, leaving no step without at least one wet pawprint, until the light and heat of the fireplace from the lounging area swept over his face and shivering body.  

And just as he thought, there was Mistoffelees already upon his favourite seat, making biscuits, his purrs as fierce as the crackle from the fireplace, eyes half-closed, his little blue crochet mouse sitting next to him, waiting for a cuddle.

Temptation crept into Tugger’s brain.

What if I pounced…

Nah. Not tonight, anyway.

“Hey, Misto, I see you beat me to it.”

Mistoffelees curled up on the seat, crochet mouse cuddled between his paws against his white chest. His tailed swept around him, eyes now fully closed, little nose sniffing the air, a smug look on his face.

He beat me to it, and he knows it.

Tugger flopped big and long across the floor next to the raised podium on which the fireplace with its skinny chimney stood, hypnotic flames lapping at a log that was already half-ash; the crackle of the fire and the soft drum of rain on the roof and windows created a sleepy melody.

He turned over on his back, glorious heat already warming and drying the fur of his belly, glancing over in Misto’s direction. At the same time, Mistoffelees, perhaps sensing Tugger looking at him, opened his eyes and promptly dissolved into a flurry of laughter.

“What?” Tugger asked. “What’s so funny?”

Mistoffelees sat up—and of course his fur was already dry, now starting to fluff up like a cotton ball—and pointed at him.

“Ah me. Of course I am.” Tugger instinctively lifted a paw to preen his mane, but only hit completely drenched fur. “The funniest tomcat this side of the Heaviside Layer.”

Mistoffelees again pointed at Tugger before drooping his ears and face into the most pathetic looking wet cat impression.

“Oh, is that how I look right now? Like a pathetic wet cat?”

A grin and nod from Mistoffelees, with a little chirp of confirmation.

“Right, right, not that you don’t look like that yourself.”

Hurt flashed in the kitten’s eyes.

Probably overthinking my words again. I’m trying to be funny.

“But you’re still the cutest fluffball—a fluffball that can shoot lightning from his paws.” Tugger pretended to shoot lightning from his paws, and Mistoffelees appeared to relax again.

“Also, hey, thanks a lot.”

Mistoffelees tilted his head with a confused “Mrrw?”

“For tonight.”

Mistoffelees extended a paw at Tugger, before pantomiming a cat being terrified by a thunderclap, before pointing at him again. All this was followed by a questioning chirp.

Heaviside, why’d you give Tantomile and Coricopat the telepathic powers and not me?

“Are…are you making fun of me, good sir?”

A frantic shake of the head, more insistent charades with paws, and this time Tugger caught a whiff of its meaning.

“Ooh, you asking if I was scared of the thunderstorm?” Tugger lifted a paw, making a great show of grooming it with his tongue. “Who me? Rum Tum Tugger?”

He decided to pretend not to see Misto’s eyeroll.

“Nah,” Tugger rolled over onto his belly, crossing his paws as delicately as possible over his other. “Never me, could never be me, Misto.”

Yeah.

Scared of a simple storm.

Pfft, never, why would he be terrified of loud thunder?

It’s not like he ever had reason to be scared of thunder, especially not with Mistoffelees around.

He’d never admit it to anyone, let alone Misto, lest he destroy his properly curated image of the bravest and coolest tomcat this side of the junkyard, but honestly?

Deep down, he was all but grateful to Mistoffelees for tonight’s distraction and wild galivanting in the rain and thunder, playing Dodge The Magic Lightning Balls, just two silly cats having the time of their lives before coming back inside to collapse by the fireplace to get dry and warm again.

And I’d do this all over again, rain and thunder be damned.

[the-ragingenby]

umm…oopsies?

Edit: AO3 Cross-post

Dear Fellow Traveler

Epilogue

When Spencer opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in the hospital with bandages wrapped around his forehead. “Oww.” He groaned a little, sitting up in his bed and glancing around.

He was in a perfectly white room that was a little too far on the colder side. At least he had a blanket, however thin it was. And they were kind enough to give him some comfy socks. No one was around. Spencer felt a little pang of sadness. I’m all alone.

This was soon remedied, however, as his room’s door gently opened, revealing Derek gingerly holding a box. “Spence! You’re awake.” He looked so relieved, and made his way to the bed, gently placing the box by Spencer’s feet. “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Just a little sore, I think.” Spencer hesitated for a moment before going on. “I thought I was all alone.” He added softly.

“You’ll never be alone, Spence. Not while you’ve got me.” Derek said with a decisive nod. “I just had to run a little errand for you.” Now Spencer was confused. He carefully eyed the box as Derek opened it up.

Out popped Mojo and Milo, who let out little mews of greeting and picked their way across the bed to snuggle against Spencer. “Y-you brought them? How? Pets aren’t usually allowed…” Spencer gasped as he took Milo in his hands, running his hand over the soft fur.

“Well, it turns out that if you bother a doctor enough they’ll eventually give in.” Derek snorted, setting the box on the floor. “Besides, they missed you a lot. And I thought that being with them would be good for you.”

“You’re the best.” Spencer smiled, allowing Mojo to clamber into his lap and settle in with loud purrs.

“Yeah, I know.” Derek sighed, settling into the chair beside Spencer’s bed. They sat in relative silence for a while, save for the soft purrs of the kittens on his bed. But it needed to be broken eventually, and Spencer didn’t want to be the one to do it. He didn’t want to talk about what had happened…it still hurt.

“I know you probably need to interrogate me for information regarding…what happened.” Spencer murmured, unable to bring himself to meet Derek’s eyes. “I don’t know much that’s useful to you. Gideon kept all his stories and secrets close to his chest. I had to catch him in his best moods to get even a piece of a story out of him. He knew Marcus way back when, but I’m not sure if he knew he was the one stalking me. Hell if I even knew it was him.”

“Spence-” Derek began, but Spencer continued, unhearing.

“I know I’m a suspect. It’s understandable, but you have to believe me when I say that I really knew nothing about all this. I wish I knew where Gideon went, but I honestly don’t know. I wish…I could’ve stopped this all somehow but…” Spencer stopped talking then, his voice cracking as he bowed his head in defeat. “Sorry for putting you through all this.” He added with a whisper, holding the kittens close.

“Spence, hey, listen to me, pretty boy.” Derek murmured, leaning a little closer to him. “We don’t suspect you of anything, alright? You’ve been through a lot, so there’s no reason for you to be apologizing to me. I’m the one who should be sorry. I promised that I’d protect you, take care of you, and I couldn’t even do that right.”

“Nobody’s perfect.” Spencer snickered, good-humoredly. “But seriously, don’t feel bad. I got myself into that mess. I’m just glad you got me out. I almost didn’t think you’d get what I was referring to, but it all worked out.” Spencer adjusted the kittens’ positions so he could reach out to tentatively take Derek’s hand in his own. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I’d give anything to stay by your side, so long as you want me, Spence.” Derek replied easily, flipping Spencer’s hand over to kiss his palm.

“Like I’d ever want to get rid of you, dummy.”

~

Spencer was in the hospital for another day and a half before being cleared to go back home. Derek was glued to his side the whole time, even when Spencer insisted he go back to work. “If you get to take time off from the university, then I can take a few days off work.” Derek mumbled, tugging Spencer ever closer from where they sat huddled together on the couch.

“Your job is much more important than mine. I can afford to take some time off. But your team needs you.” Spencer replied, rolling his eyes.

“Yeah, but I need you. And I never get time off anyway. I deserve it.” Derek retorted, letting out a soft huff of laughter when Mojo and Milo skittered past, chasing each other down the hall.

“Alright, alright. But you’d better head back soon before Penelope starts blowing up my phone, wondering where you are and if I’ve kidnapped you.” Spencer decided, sounding mostly serious. Derek let out an amused snort, but eventually conceded to his demands.

“Won’t let nothing happen to you again.” He murmured, falling into a light doze against Spencer’s shoulder, not quite asleep just yet.

“Mmm. I know, Derek. And…thanks.” Derek simply responded by pressing a tender kiss to Spencer’s cheek and tugging him closer. Spencer couldn’t believe how he could be so astoundingly lucky. He’d always gotten the short end of the stick throughout his life and finally, finally, things were looking up.

He may have lost his mentor and spent years of his life constantly looking over his shoulder, but this…he would give anything to stay like this forever.

How could I have gotten so lucky?