Chapter Text
The kitten makes a disgruntled mewl and yawns, its little tongue sticking out between tiny needle-sharp teeth. Shiro dies a little because nothing can possibly be any cuter than this. Apart from the teeth. Shiro's hand bears the proof: two rows of red dots, some of them tinged with a drop of blood where the ferocious little thing broke through skin.
"You're horrible," Shiro tells the tired little bundle of ginger fur. "I was gonna pick you, but right now I don't regret that I won't." He rubs his hand. He proceeds to stroke the black kitten that has already fallen victim to a nap attack. Black is resting peacefully in Shiro's lap where his smaller and considerably more feisty sister recently has slept too. The black kitten purrs in its sleep, and Shiro's heart melts. Again. He wonders for a moment if he should ask for them both, but decides that it might be too much. It is his first time as a cat owner after all. Or as an obedient servant, owned by said cat.
He looks up at Matt for help.
"Oh, no," Matt says firmly. "I am not deciding for you. If I had more time, I'd have gotten one myself; I'm having a hard time coming to terms with that. These little fellas are made of 100% adorable, and I'm dealing with the pain of not taking one with me. I refuse to help you pick one. You need to suffer too." He pets the cat that has taken up residence in his arms. It is a tabby whose kitten-blue eyes have already changed into a vivid green. The last two of the litter are braving the climb to their sister, making Matt hiss when a claw pierces his t-shirt.
"Matt, please?" Shiro begs, knowing that he's getting nowhere with that. Matt simply shakes his head. "Okay, okay."
The two kittens Shiro likes are as different from one another as can be. One is calm and trusting, the other a bundle of hisses, and made of considerably less adorableness than what Matt believes them to be. But Shiro likes how spirited the red kitten is, just as his stress and blood pressure immediately are appeased by the sleeping black kitty. No matter what, he's going to regret he took one and not the other. Two are too much, so there is only one solution: he has to choose with his head and not his heart. If he doesn't let his brain in control to rein in the urge, he'll take both.
He sighs. He's happy and sad at the same time. "The black one. I want to provide the best home for my cat, and I think my little red friend is in need of a home with more cat experience than I have. Which is easy enough to find, I guess, seeing that I have none."
"True," Matt says. "But it's not rocket science. Just… well, I guess it is. It's a tiny life."
Shiro picks up the little red kitten a last time. It hisses like a steam engine. "You'll be happier with someone else, Kitty Rose," Shiro tells her, carefully smoothing her fur. She makes a reluctant purr and rubs her tiny face against Shiro's hand. "No, don't do that now. It's unfair."
He really wants both, but he can't.
He looks down at his missing arm, at the state-of-the-art prosthetic. Wishful thinking never worked well for him, or he'd have two hands now—not one and a robotic thing.
"The black one," he says. "I know I won't regret it."
Determined he puts the sleepy kittens back with their mom, stroking Red one last time, sadness lingering as he knows it will for some time. He is truly happy, though, that next time he sees the black kitten, it'll be to take him home. He brushes cat hair off his pants—he can just as well get used to it—and gets up, slipping out the door to the small room, Matt in tow.
"I don't wanna," Matt whines. "Put me back in. They are so fluffy!"
Shiro chuckles. Matt is a softie, no matter how tough he can be. "You can come over and play with Black any time. Or you could get your life in order and get a cat too."
"Nah, I'll be sensible. It wouldn't be fair. Too busy."
It's the right thing to do, Shiro agrees. He decided to share his home with a kitten only after careful consideration. And most noticeably, after an interrogation by the shelter folks that makes his time in a prisoner camp look like a chat with his best friend. He's so ready.
As he has already been approved as a new cat-dad it is merely a question of a signature before he has made an official addition to his non-existing family.
"Congratulations," the lady at the front desk says as she takes his card. Shiro makes a nice donation on top of the cost of the kitten. "You were lucky to get first pick," she says. "There has been some inquiries about them. When do you want to come back for Black? Oh, and are you keeping the name? In case you don't want to go with Black, we should make sure the paperwork is up to date with any changes."
"Mmm," Shiro lets out, pondering for a moment, feeling both pleased and oddly guilty that he was allowed to choose between all the kittens. As for names, he could go with Black, sure, but— "Shōyu. It means soy sauce in Japanese. It's not quite black, but…"
"It's cute," says the lady, and writes it down with a smile. "Suits him."
Shiro has to assist with the spelling. It takes but a minute before everything is in order. "If I come by the day after tomorrow? Would that be okay?" He already bought a number of items in the shelter's small shop, but he needs to pick up some cat furniture, some of which need to be put on the walls before his house is ready. The fence too, so that Shōyu can enjoy the relative and safe freedom of Shiro's garden.
Shiro collects the frankly impressive stash of cat-related stuff and heads out to his car, Matt following, a box of wet food cans under one arm, and a pink stuffed mouse dangling from the stick he stuck under the other.
The parking lot is almost empty, the area inadequately lit by a tired lamppost. It's dark, but Shiro feels light, happy. He is already looking forward to coming home, being greeted by a fluff-ball who needs his attention. Caught up in thoughts, he only registers the other guy before he almost walks into him, hitting him in the face with the soft smile he's been wearing all evening. "I'm sorry!" Shiro apologizes.
The guy looks up at him, murmuring a grumpy apology, leaving an expression of mussed black hair and of a red retro leather jacket clashing with wide lavender eyes. Shiro frowns, watches as the guy walk away, shakes his head and walks on. Pretty, is all he can think of.
"Shiro, ooof, a little help here?" Matt is fighting cat toy and cans, and Shiro hurries to unlock the trunk so Matt can dump the cat stuff in it. They place the stuff and get into the car.
Shiro is silent as they drive back to his house. He can't wait to get Shōyu home. But the thought of his kitten are accompanied by another thought, another image, that of the gorgeous, but grumpy guy he just saw.
***
Shiro sits in the car outside Hunk's office at Alfor Avionics & Aeronautics. He is eager to get on with things before rush hour. Hunk is on his way down. Sweet man that he is, he has promised to help Shiro drag home all the cat furniture and help put it up before Shōyu arrives. Shiro leans back in the car seat, eyes closed, a smile tugging at his lips. He's been feeling so content since he decided that he wanted a kitten in his life. Thinking back on yesterday, he still feels a pang of regret, leaving the red kitten. He would feel the same, he knows he would, had he picked Red instead of Shōyu. Again he wonders whether he should call the shelter and ask for them both. He could do it, take care of two kittens. It's so tempting.
Shiro is pulled back from his daydream by Hunk. "Hey, man," he says as he slides into the car next to Shiro. He looks like a ray of sunshine. "I think Antok likes me."
"Good to know," Shiro says with a chuckle. "Some way to start a conversation." Shiro starts the car and turns it onto the road, his mood taking another step up. Hunk looks like he just won the lottery. "He's the guy with the Marmora Corp, right? You talked about him a few times. I met him once at the Garrison, I think."
"Yeah. He's the head of their engineering department. Had a lot of one-on-one meetings with him, and, erm. Yeah." Hunk smiles brightly. "Finally a guy who's bigger than me. Which is not to say that that is the reason I— I mean, I do like the way he looks, and I like him, and maybe it's a like-like, but— and I, maybe—" Hunk blushes. "Sorry. Talk way too much. You're getting a kitten. So much more important."
"Hey," Shiro says softly. "You're important too."
Hunk is. And if he wants to talk about Antok, that's what they do. They have time enough for both kittens and huge, nerdy guys. As long as they are both in a happy space, the topic as such is not relevant. "Did he ask you out?"
"I'm not sure. He talked about dinner and going to watch a movie after, but you know, it could just be because he knows I like to cook, and perhaps he'd just… I dunno—" Hunk babbles, blushing vividly.
"Hunk. Hunk! He asked you on a date. Come on? Dinner and a movie? You're good looking and you're great company. You have similar interests. Of course he asked you on a date. You said yes, right?" Shiro wants to reach out and give Hunk a hug. It's usually the other way around—Hunk's hugs are famous. But Hunk might like the comfort of a nice hug. Driving makes it impossible, so Shiro squeezes Hunk's arm instead.
"Yeah," Hunk says, his voice small. "Though I didn't want to assume—"
"Now you're just not making sense. He isn't inviting you to dinner and a movie because he wants to cement your friendship. Not that he doesn't want to be friends. Just… You're hot and he likes you."
Hunk blushes even more, pulling at his sleeve as he looks down. "Okay, so. I— When are you picking up your kitten? Matt said something about tomorrow?"
Shiro recognizes a deflection when he sees it. It's fine. Hunk is Hunk. "Yeah, Matt's coming over later to help us with the shelves. I'd like to have everything ready for Shōyu so that I don't have to move things around when he arrives. He's so little. I don't wanna scare him."
"I get that. Better make sure you have everything so you don't have to… I mean, you can, but you're going to be a stay-at-home dad for a week."
"I am." Shiro's smile hurts, in a good way. "I can't wait to get him home. Shōyu… he's so cute, you have no idea."
"Kittens," Hunk says and nods. "I know. I want one. Not sure I should."
Shiro laughs. "Think about it? For me, Shōyu… I knew right away, so… which is a lie, because there was a second kitten that was just as adorable. I still consider—"
"Changing your mind? Really?"
Shiro turns the car down the quiet road where he found a great pet shop that specialize in cats. He parks in a free spot, between a junker and a red vintage bike.
"Yeah, but not the way you think," Shiro finally replies. "I want both of them. The other kitten is really special, lots of attitude, temperamental too. I just have to remember that this kitty is my first pet, and Shōyu is exactly what I imagined. He is… enough. He's so calm and sweet, better for a first time pet owner. But at the same time he's… you can see how huge and wonderful he's going to be when he's grown up, a bit like… a lion, the way they just lie there, so much relaxed power and confidence… he has all that, on top of being kitten-cute, and I love it. I can't forget the small red one, though. I picked Shōyu, but I… I want to go back and ask if I can have Red too."
"It is like that sometimes," Hunk says, squeezing Shiro's shoulder in support and comfort. "It's not easy, making the right choice. You'd miss Shōyu just as much if you hadn't picked him, right? So maybe it's the right thing to do? Going back, I mean. Maybe the two are meant to be together?"
Shiro looks at Hunk, then down, wondering if there really is something like destiny. He flexes his fingers. Maybe there is. Maybe he was destined to have his hand ruined so that others could benefit from the development in tech that Alfor Avionics' robotic department made to help him. He is able to fly again. Other disabled soldiers use the AAA prosthetics now. That's a different kind of destiny, one that Shiro would not wish upon anyone. With the kittens… picking a cat is such a small thing, yet still life-changing.
If destiny exists, it's made up of two small fur-balls purring—or in Red's case biting—their way into Shiro's heart, so perhaps destiny is just as fake as his hand. Kittens sound like something fate would scoff at.
"I don't know," he finally says. "I just know I'll always think of the kitten I didn't take."
Hunk nods, and Shiro makes a sigh, shoulders slumping. He can't decide. Of course he took half a decision already with Shōyu.
"Let's get out. I bought too much yesterday; now I wanna buy some more," Shiro says, letting his thoughts and doubts slide into the background. He pats Hunk on the knee, then turns to push open the door when the motorbike behind them comes to life with a roar and passes them just in time for him not to slam the door into the driver. There's a flash of red and white, and Shiro can't breathe for a moment, stunned while the shock settles, the fast and sudden roar of the machine scaring the shit out of him, a whiff of the chill winter's wind adding to the discomfort of almost being run down.
"You okay?" Hunk inquires, voice gentle. "You're pale."
"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine." Shiro laughs, not feeling it. "There went another of my nine lives. Can't be many left by now."
"Assuming you are a cat. You sure you wanna go in?"
Shiro's replies by actually getting out of the car, this time without risking his life, or anyone else's. He stares down the street, the bike too far away for him to see the plate. He should be angry at the person who rode it, but he knows he could have been just as reckless. Bikes are treacherous things, but the speed is alluring.
***
"Hand me the hammer." Matt extends his hand as far as he can reach, trying to keep the cat tree upright. "This is a frigging test!" he growls, glaring at the contraption he's in the middle of putting together. "Some assembly required, my ass. This calls for a degree in engineering." He lets out a triumphant, "Hah!" and points at Hunk.
"Oh no," Hunk says. "Do not even think it. I battled the stupid thing already, not going there again. Not touching it."
"Are you saying you want to deprive a poor orphaned kitten a little joy? Is that it?" Matt's grin is cruel.
Shiro leans back against the wall, taking a drink of his beer. "Shōyu is not orphaned," he says, ruining Matt's feeble attempt at guilt-tripping Hunk. Not that it'd work; they have known one another for too long. "You give up too easily, Matt. But if you are saying you can't do it…"
"Urgh, why don't I have some real friends," Matt sighs. "Yeah, yeah. It's the last thing, and we're done, cattifying your home."
Hunk puts the screwdriver done, carefully closing the lid on his toolbox. He flops down on the couch. "Man, that kitty is going to have the best life ever."
Shiro tilts his head, looking at the cat highway, some of it too high and difficult for his tiny cat for now. But there is enough of it, safe, to entertain a tiny kitten. There are shelves, spots to hide and trees to scratch. A shelf right over the heat vent, in case the Arizona winter decides to show its teeth and throw some cold weather at them, which is likely; it's damned freezing. There's a box with toys, tunnels to play in, and most important of all: cardboard boxes. Which means that all of the above is entirely worthless until said cardboard boxes are ruined and done for. Shiro knows that much about cats. With everything almost in order and ready, it's a proper home now, ready for a proper family, even if one is a human, the other a kitten. There is room for another cat, Shiro decides. A boyfriend one day, except now he has to be even more critical: either the guy likes cats, or Shiro stays single.
Matt curses, glaring at the cat tree. "Please!" he begs. "Or we'll have casualties. Where did you get this? IKEA?"
Hunk groans and gets up. "Here." He grabs the cat tree and whacks it on the side. "There. You just need… finesse."
"Right." Matt laughs and adds the finishing touches before putting the thing where it belongs, providing a safe climb up to the shelves in the corner. "Your cat's gonna have the best view in the state."
That's true. They have fenced the garden, and even with the discrete net between the house and the open land, the view is stunning. The desert is beautiful. It always is in the evening before the sun goes down. Tonight the moon hangs open-mouthed and pale on the darkening sky, stars lighting up as the sun sinks under the horizon.
"I still consider taking the other kitten," Shiro says. "You can never have enough love."
"Awww," Hunk says. "You made me want to go look at the kittens too. I love kittens, but it's— I mean, they are so tiny and they have pointy ends. To be honest, I like them when they grow up and get more bigger and calm and cuddly."
Matt lets out something that decidedly sounds like the bastard child between a cough and Antok.
"Hey!" Hunk laughs. "I really want a kitten. They grow into cats; it's inevitable."
"Don't tease him." Shiro gives Matt A Look. "As I said—"
"You can never have enough love," Matt finishes. "Or enough sleep. And on that note, I'm heading home. Dad and I have a test early tomorrow; some additions to your black bird."
"Black lion," Shiro retorts. "You are aware that my nose art is a lion, right? I guess you failed biology. Lions generally don't have wings."
"Except yours."
"Except mine. One of its kind and you know it. Go away before I throw you out." Shiro puts down his beer and gives Matt a one-armed hug. "Thanks, Matt. Couldn't have finished this without you and Hunk."
Hunk says goodbye half an hour later, leaving Shiro with a house that has been turned into a cat haven.