Chapter Text
Kojiro slowly got out of bed, scratching at his chest as he wandered to the kitchen for some water. He let out a massive yawn, if it weren't for the fact his throat felt like sandpaper, he would've stayed in bed. He was exhausted after working all day and then going to the gym. It was late, that's all he knew as he traversed the pitch dark hallways. There wasn't a need for a light, seeing as this usually happened at night anyways.
He shuffled into the kitchen, opening the fridge and grabbing one of his water jugs. He drank so much water in a single day that it was much more convenient to keep gallon jugs in the fridge. Easier that way, he reasoned. He took the cap off, setting it on the countertop. Putting the lid to his mouth, Kojiro drank until that sandpapery-cotton mouth feeling went away.
A crackly meow caused him to look out of the corner of his eye. A big, fluffy cat was sitting on the floor, blinking slowly at him. The light of the fridge was apparently too much for his eyes.
"Maru why'd you get out of bed dude?" Kojiro finished drinking, getting a meow in response. He put the jug away, shutting the fridge. He could just barely see in the darkness, but he managed to find Maru. Lifting the cat up, Kojiro carried him back to bed. "I think I need to put you on a diet, Maru, you're getting too heavy." Kojiro found his way to the bedroom, setting the cat down on the bed before laying down heavily. Kojiro had found Maru at a shelter one day after returning from his trip to Italy, expecting to leave with a dog, not a three year old Maine Coon. The girls volunteering in the shelter had made up his mind for him, really, seeing as they took him down the wrong hallway. Maru had been in a room with older cats, and Kojiro sat down on the floor. He didn't make a move towards any of them, figuring none of the cats would be interested in him.
He'd been wrong.
Almost as soon as he sat down, a fluffy cat, with a white plum around his chest, grey near his ears and black anywhere else, with lazy hazel eyes wandered over to him. He'd laid down, exposing his belly, waiting for Kojiro to pet him. Nervously he did, and the cat just closed his eyes. The girls looked excited, explaining how this cat, at the time named Benjiro, was usually not friendly. "He's a little round, isn't he?" Kojiro squeezed as much of the cats belly as he could, not even getting threatened with nails to stop, the fat cat just started purring. "Yeah, I think this dude is coming home with me." He'd renamed him Maru, for how round he was.
He'd acclimated quickly, becoming Kojiro's no-so-little buddy. He even managed to get the cat comfortable with riding on his motorcycle and skateboard. He'd bought a specific backpack, even some goggles, that allowed Maru to ride with him. They went out frequently, getting lots of pictures taken as they rode around. He never thought he'd be a cat guy, but here he was. A man with a fat cat that he fucking adored, even when he decided to lay on Kojiro's chest in the middle of the night and suffocate him. Even when he took the smelliest dumps and tried to cuddle. For the most part, Maru was a great cat.
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Kojiro frequently would open the window, allowing Maru to sit and watch the world (the backyard the entire complex shared). Kojiro had made sure to get a collar and a tag with his name, address, and phone number on it, just on the off chance Maru wandered a little too far when he jumped out the window. Kojiro was fortunate enough to be on the ground floor, so he wasn't worried about Maru hurting himself on the jump down. The only time Kojiro became worried, was when one day, Maru was followed inside by a grimy looking white cat. He could tell the cat was well loved by someone, just that she'd gotten dirty. She was very sweet, purring as soon as Kojiro picked her up.
"Let's see what your name is sweetie, I'm sure your mom is missing you." She had a pristine pink collar, with a tiny bell, and two tags hanging from it. One was a large pink 'C', the other a name tag: Carla Cat-Sakurayashiki, alongside it was a number to call, and her address. Kojiro figured it would be safe to take little miss Carla home directly, according to the address it was only a few minutes walk away, a couple buildings over. Kojiro did the responsible thing, he opened a can of cat food (the expensive stuff, because Maru was a picky eater), setting some in a bowl for Carla and the rest he left in the can for Maru.
The dainty looking cat ate quickly, like she was starving. He didn't want to give her more, on the off chance her owner would feed her again. Instead, he did his best to wash her up some, cleaning her feet and face until she looked almost completely white again. For sure her owner would give her a bath, but Kojiro felt better at how she looked now. He grabbed the backpack he used to carry Maru around, loading him up and putting the bag on. Carla, he carried in his arms, while she purred and purred.
Finding the building wasn't hard, the buzzing in part was the trickiest piece.
"Who are you here to see?"
"Sakurayashiki."
"We'll let them now."
He waited, and eventually the door opened. He stood in the waiting area, a few people went through first, looking confused at this man and his cats. One lady got excited at seeing Carla, but said she wasn't the owner, just a neighbor. The person he was expecting was a beautiful, thankful lady who would be overjoyed at the return of her cat. Instead, a man with his pink hair yanked into a messy bun, with an oversized yellow sweater on, and sweatpants came over looking rather nervous. He saw Carla, immediately extracting her from Kojiro's arms, he looked ready to cry.
"Oh my little lady! Thank you!" He snuggled her up to his face almost immediately, giving her nose some kisses then seemed to sober up and remember someone was standing there. "Sorry, I'm Kaoru, thank you for returning her. I've been worried sick."
"She was a bit messy, I cleaned her up as much as she'd let me."
"I'll give her a proper bath then. Thank you for bringing her home." Maru let out a deep meow at seeing Carla taken away. Kaoru tilted his head, confused looking. "What are all the neighborhood cats escaping now?"
"Nah, that's my cat Maru. He's an adventure cat." Kojiro twisted a bit, showing off Maru in his backpack. "He led Carla to my house. I think he likes her." Kaoru was still cradling Carla like she was a baby, a nervous smile on his face about Maru.
"Well," Kaoru looked awkwardly around, "I have to get back to work. But thank you again for returning her."
"Oh! Yeah, yeah, you're welcome. It was nice to meet you," He nodded, wanting to keep talking to Kaoru more, but it was clear he wasn't wanted here right now, "have a good night."
"You too." Kojiro left, hearing Kaoru start cooing and fussing over his cat as he walked out.
When he returned home, Maru seemed to immediately dash over to the window. Kojiro closed it before Maru could jump out.
"Dude, you don't need to go anywhere tonight." He told the cat, who howled at the window. Kojiro pet Maru, shutting the curtains and blinds. “No more adventures for tonight big man, next time you go out, find a hot chick's cat.”
Kojiro prepared dinner for himself, knowing he’d have some work to do after dinner anyways. He was a photographer for a living, mostly freelance, he did the occasional wedding too. Just depended where the money was at. His favorite was landscapes, and his favorite ones he took was when he visited Italy. His most recent job had been taking professional pictures for some weird ass politician. He’d made the entire thing awkward, insisting his secretary be included in them, and Kojiro was not looking forward to editing these pictures tonight.
*******
Carla was curled up on her bed, freshly washed and blow dried by Kaoru. He had been so focused while painting that he’d not even noticed she was gone until he stopped. It’d been hours, and he had walked around his building asking people before some random stranger, who seemed more attached to his cat than Kaoru was, returned her. Kaoru made sure to shut the windows and doors, not wanting an escape artist cat. Carla was too precious for that. A tiny princess, who shouldn’t be going out and getting filthy, much less going into a strangers home.
“Carla Cat,” Kaoru looked over from his work chair, unable to focus, too concerned that every time he looked away now Carla was going to be gone. She was still in her bed, looking like a fluffy white bread loaf, “please don’t disappear like that on me again. I know you like to explore but I forbid it, you had me worried sick.” Carla just stared back at him with brilliant blue eyes. Kaoru patted his lap, asking her to come to him. Without hesitation, she got up, sitting by his feet for him to pick her up. Kaoru was more affectionate with his cat than he had been with his ex-boyfriend, if you asked the ex-boyfriend. He snuggled Carla close to his face, cradling her, giving her a kiss on her little head. Carla sounded like an engine, purring loudly. Due to her bath, she smelt like, well, cat shampoo didn't exactly have the best fragrance but it was better than how she smelt like dish soap when she was returned. Her fur was fluffier than normal too, not that Kaoru was complaining at having a fluffy and clean cat.
“My little princess,” He cooed, “my gorgeous laaaady.” He rubbed her favorite spot behind her ear, and the purring got louder. Carla was a sweetheart, and Kaoru knew he was lucky to have such a great cat. Though, she was supposed to be an indoor cat, he'd never bring her on adventures. Safer for her inside where she stayed clean, and didn't mess with weird cats. After getting his fill, he gently set her down. "Alright Carla, let’s go to bed.”
Kaoru shuffled out of the studio, going to his bedroom. Carla ran ahead of him, going to her spot on the bed. Unlike the studio, which was rather tidy and airy, his bedroom was cluttered and messy. Shelves held books and trinkets, his bed was unmade, laundry piled up that needed to be done desperately. But instead he stripped off his current clothes and chucked them into the growing pile before wandering into the bathroom.
Since his breakup, it was easy to say he’d been rather depressed. The only rooms he managed to keep nice were the bathroom and the studio, but that was a work space. Easy to detach it from the rest of the places he frequented in his apartment. He set his glasses down, washing his face, doing his routine, brushed his teeth then went and crawled into bed, robotic, and the same as it'd been for the last few weeks. Carla was already settled in her favorite spot, the pillow above Kaoru’s head. Once he was situated, she licked his forehead, giving him kisses until he finally gave in and pet her.
He liked quiet, but hated the silence, putting on a show to fall asleep. Usually, it was something plain like a cooking show he'd already seen, some nights soft music, anything to fill the void left by the break up. That noise was a requirement by now. After Ainosuke left, for his secretary, Kaoru had become a recluse. Most of their shared friends, despite originally being Kaoru’s, chose Ainosuke. A rising star politician is more fun to be around than an artist apparently. Leaving Kaoru alone and depressed. Some days it felt like Carla was his only friend, and she was a fucking cat.
Kaoru watched his show for a few minutes before rolling over and shutting his eyes. Eventually, sleepiness took over, and he drifted off. Dreaming about vivid colors and designs, green in particular seemed to be a common theme.