☼ 004 [video]

[got_it_memorized]

[See Axel. See Axel looking puzzled. See Axel looking puzzled with a very small cat sitting neatly on his shoulder, mesmerized by this strange device in Axel's hands.]

So this happened. [He shrugs the shoulder that is not a cat perch.] I was near the ruins and... Well, she followed me home, you might say. As in she staged a hostile takeover of my hoodie pocket.

[He looks a little uncomfortable. Watch out, Axel, your squishy side might be showing.]

I think she's still too small to take care of herself, you know? So... [Fidget fidget. The little cat blinks at the screen, then turns to look at Axel and impulsively bonks her head against his jaw. Great. Cat, you're not helping that squishy side showing thing at all.] I've never had a cat before.

[Translation: HALP?]

Comments

[limitstorm]

[ after a long day at work and greeting new arrivals, riku heads back to the unit. it always tends to pour around this time; he's at least prepared for the deluge, with two jackets and a new scarf around his neck. maybe it was the sickness that made him take a little more care of himself, or maybe it's just that it's about this time that the heavy rains come in destiny islands--either way, he's got a bag of groceries (ugh, the man he usually could haggle with was giving him a cold shoulder all of a sudden--what a hassle) as he opens the door, tossing back his hood. but as soon as both feet are inside, what he sees is a flash of white and grey streaking across the ground.

stellaluna seems to be leading the assault, but riku's too focused on the kitten, so much so that-- ]

Cat.

[ --is the first thing out of his mouth. ]

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel pokes his head around the corner from the kitchen and then spares a glance to where Dusk and Luna are playing. He's glad at least that they get along; it would be a lot harder to make this work if they didn't.

[He waves a spoon at Riku and then emerges from the kitchen with a bowl of cereal in his hands.]

Yes, excellent, your vocabulary lessons are really paying off.

1/2

[limitstorm]

[ one, two, three, and riku scoops her up.

he turns to the door. ]

2/2

[limitstorm]

[ ... and closes it. ]

So we have a cat now? We need to get it a collar, you know.

[got_it_memorized]

[For half an instant, Axel worried he was going to put the cat outside, but then logic kicked in. Riku would have been hard pressed to abandon anything in need. Axel knew him well enough to know that, at least.

[Dusk seems puzzled by her sudden altitude, and turns to look at Riku with big curious green eyes. She reaches one little arm up to paw at Riku's chin, and Axel snickers, taking a bite of his cereal. He's not sure why he was worried anyone might not be okay with a cat.]

A collar? Is there even a licensing system for animals around here? [He scratches his head and sits down on the arm of the couch, but seems content to let Riku hold the cat as long as he likes.] I don't think letting her outside unsupervised is a good idea, either way.

[limitstorm]

[ the moment her paw connects with his chin, even if her claws aren't out, riku freezes, awkwardly looking at her before scooping her up into his arms. he wasn't a cat person; not by a long shot, but... there were cat dream eaters. echo cat and meow wow (truth be told, riku had no idea if meow wow was a dog or cat dream eater) had been a part of his party, so he knew how to handle a cat... sort of.

he gently scratches the top of her head, idle before he speaks. ]

She, huh?

Well, a license doesn't matter, but if she gets lost, we want to make sure someone can bring her back--so we need a tag for her name and where she lives, so in case she runs off or there's a raid and people're rounding up pets, they know who she belongs to.

[ he lifts his eyes to axel, now. ]

Did you or Sheena bring her?

[got_it_memorized]

Yeah, she. I was never able to have cats when I was a kid, but I at least know how to tell 'em apart. [He scratches his head then.] But that's true, an ID tag prolly ain't a bad idea.

[And then he looks a little sheepish.]

Ah... I did. I was poking around the ruins earlier and she kinda... [Fidget.] Well I couldn't just leave her there. [Angry cereal eating. 8|]

[limitstorm]

[ riku stares at axel for a few brief moments, honestly considering something before he just looks back down and scritches the kitten's little head. ]

She's probably used to going outside, so unless you wanna set up a litterbox, we're gonna need a collar soon so she can do her business. Thought up on what to feed her yet?

[got_it_memorized]

Ah, fair point. Don't think they sell litter at the grocery store, you know? [He rubs his chin.] Guess maybe I'll leave my bedroom window open so she can come and go. I guess if she's made it this long on her own she'll be all right going out to use the bathroom.

She'll be easy to feed, I think; cats eat meat, so. She'll prolly like canned tuna, and if you an' Sheena don't mind setting aside some scraps when you guys cook...

[He feels a little silly, like the fact that he's given serious thought to how to look after this cat is somehow emasculating or something. There's a kneejerk defensiveness that wants to crop up and he keeps having to tamp it back down.]

[limitstorm]

[ riku nods absently, watching as the kitten sniffs at his fingertips and gives them a tentative lick. ]

Collar, litter, food and water... [ he mutters to himself, ticking each off in his head. ] Cats need places to scratch, or she'll tear apart the couch. I guess we could get some rope and twist it around a post...?

[got_it_memorized]

[Apparently a Riku is delicious, because after licking his fingers Dusk grabs at them with her paws and proceeds to nibble in an adorably ferocious manner. Axel snorts a laugh at the sight, then grabs his tablet and pulls up a search engine to see what they can do about cat supplies.]

Can prolly just nab a hunk of wood from the ruins or the forest, and there might be some carpet scraps left in the busted zone upstairs where the spaceship hit. She could go to town on that.

[limitstorm]

[ aw, now that's a weird feeling. he flinches his hand away at first before just letting her nibble at him. ]

That's what I'm saying. I think that's-- [ oh no wait

uhhhhhhhhh ] Axel?

[got_it_memorized]

[Glancing up from his tablet slowly at Riku's odd tone, Axel lifts his eyebrows.]

Y... eah? [He spies Dusk nomming on him and gets to his feet.] Easy, champ, I'm pretty sure she doesn't have cooties or anything. [He takes the cat from Riku and plunks her back down on his shoulder again.] What? You look like you just saw a ghost or somethin'.

[limitstorm]

[ he keeps his eyes on dusk for a brief moment before looking up at axel, and then down at dusk.

he points at her, and decides to be as blunt as he can: ]

Do... you want kittens?

[got_it_memorized]

[He tilts his head curiously, glancing at Dusk and then back at Riku before sort of holding the cat up in demonstration.]

Well I was kinda getting attached to this one.

[limitstorm]

[ no no no aaaa riku places both of his hands on his face, ears turning red. his voice is muffled. ]

Girl cats get pregnant, Axel... do you want more kittens?

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel makes a face, suddenly looking indignant and sort of holding Dusk away as if Riku's words might offend her.]

Well no girl cat of mine is getting pregnant until somebody asks her paw in marriage, thanks.

[He is, of course, kidding, but Riku is so easily flustered he really can't wait to see what happens next.]

[limitstorm]

[ oh my god this is riku actually drawing his face up, bright red, frustrated. ]

I'm saying, you need to get her fixed before some guy cat knocks her up!

1/2

[got_it_memorized]

Well maybe the guy cats in this city should respect a girl cat's--pffff [He can't even finish and just starts laughing.] Riku your face is as red as my hair oh my Light. Relax, kid, before you give yourself an aneurysm.

[got_it_memorized]

I know girl cats get pregnant, I did mostly finish school before losing a vital organ and being inducted into the Darkness Mafia, thanks. But I don't think there's a vet in this city, given the very small number of animal residents, so we might have to think outside the box.

[limitstorm]

[ GROUCHFACE

just. this face. ]

[got_it_memorized]

Don't sulk, it's unbecoming.

[limitstorm]

[ i come home and put food on the table and you tell me not to sulk

i'll sulk if i want damn it ]

You never said her name.

[got_it_memorized]

[Boy I'll tell you not to sulk if I wanna tell you not to sulk, keep that up and your face'll freeze that way. You don't need anymore face-changes k.

[He sits back down on the couch and scratches the cat's head before picking up his tablet again and replying plainly,]

Her name's Dusk.

[He figures he won't have to bother elaborating.]

[limitstorm]

Huh... never pegged you for someone who liked them.

[ a beat; ]

But she's white and grey so I guess it fits.