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“You should end it with him, okay?” Ken said or more likely demanded, his finger raised and pointing at the other guy he was talking intently with.
“This, whatever is going on with you two. It will not end well. So you better quit it.” All Ken got was a tongue licking at the finger he was just pointing at.
Kuro was truly testing his patience today, he picked him up with both hands and continued on his tirade, “My situation with Josh is not a permanent thing, it’s not likely to go serious. It’s a hookup that keeps happening but it might end soon. It’s all casual and physical between us. So stop asking for tummy rubs and following him around when he comes here.”
The enthusiasm that Kuro shows towards Josh is offensive, he has known Josh for only a couple of weeks and the feline is already jumping on his lap and purrs to no end asking for tummy rubs. Ken literally raised him on his back and Kuro hisses at him when he’s already the one offering tummy rubs. No way he’s competing with some hot charismatic guy for his own cat’s heart, that is absurd and truly unfair to Ken.
Kuro did not respond to his sentiments, only turned to his side and began licking his paw. Ken shook the creature he loved the most, “Kuro, this is a serious matter!” All he got was a Kuro tilting his head to the side, “I know you could understand what I’m saying. Stop looking at me like I’m crazy.”
This time Kuro meow-ed as if telling Ken he is actually crazy for trying to converse with a cat. Ken let out a sigh of frustration and put Kuro down on the sofa, only for the cat to jump down and hide at his cat tree.
Ken had thought of Josh as someone charming, obviously way too good-looking to only work as an artist manager in show business. That characteristic of him shines through in moments like this one, his hair matted on his forehead with sweat, eyes trying to remain open over the pleasure. His usual bunny smile is not evident on his plumped intoxicating lips that were just uttering pleads and Ken’s name. His pecs and abs are defined with the low light of Ken's bedside lamp. He’s splayed like life was either getting instilled in his being or getting devoured out of him.
“Ken, please,” He breathed. “I’m so close.”
Ken shushed him with his lips, biting at the older’s lower lip, “Since you asked so nicely.” He worked on his thrusts and got Josh to completion and soon followed after him. He almost fell over the bed with exhaustion, he lay next to Josh who had his eyes closed.
In the silence after their orgasm, they finally heard the poor little creature scratching at the bedroom door, meowing loudly, and demanding they give him attention. "Kuro," Ken only groaned under a pillow and Josh laughed at his reaction.
"You should let him in," Josh suggests.
"I haven't put away my laundry, he'll ruin all my clothes." Josh chuckles at his reason before he untangles his limbs from Ken's and rolls out of bed. Ken was still catching his breath so he didn't bother opening his eyes, he was tired from work and their activity but it wasn't enough to put him to sleep.
After a few more moments of lying in silence, Ken wondered why Josh hadn't come back to his room, either for another round or to bid goodbye. Any of it is fine with him. Really. So he got up, put on the first sweatpants he found on the floor, not exactly sure if it was his or Josh's, and went outside.
He found Josh on the couch, in just his boxer shorts, and a black fur ball lying on top of him. Ken headed straight to the kitchen to get something to drink, when turns and walked back to the living area, Josh and Kuro weren’t there anymore. Why does Josh keep on disappearing in his apartment?
This time, Ken heard rustles and laughter coming from his room. Josh was already carrying Ken’s laundry basket in one hand and collecting other clothes from the floor, while Kuro sat still in the middle of the bed.
“You spoil him too much,” Ken complained as he approached Josh to let him drink from the bottle of water he brought.
“How can you not?” Josh put down the hamper and reached to brush over the cat’s face. “He deserves everything.” Josh started talking in a cuter voice, “Yes, you do, baby. The sweetest, best-est boy.” The traitor feline was responding by pushing himself to Josh’s way, getting into his arms which made Josh laugh as he picked up Kuro.
“Here,” Ken extends his arm to hand the bottle to Josh, “you’re probably thirsty.”
"Thanks." He tried to reach for it but Kuro immediately pulled back his arm, as if not letting Josh stop from his ministrations at him.
Josh quickly snorted at the reaction and Ken sighed in disbelief with his cat. God, his cat is so whipped.
"Can you—" Josh was just about to ask, but Ken was already on it, uncapping the bottle and moving it to Josh's lips to let him take a few sips.
“What are you doing in here?” Ken asked after he also took a few gulps from the water bottle that Josh had just drank from.
“He was crying outside.” Josh answered, “He likes being next to someone.” He stopped petting Kuro when he saw him already asleep. Ken smiles as he looks at Josh who’s standing and resembles someone holding an actual baby in his arms.
“Thought you already left.” Ken sat down on the bed, arms crossed.
“Do you want me to..?” Josh questioned but Ken was quick to tell him otherwise.
“I mean I thought you just-” The rest of what he was about to say got lost in Josh’s mouth. He leaned down and pulled Ken for a languid but unkempt kiss. As if he wasn’t attached to those same muscles just moments ago. He felt something between them moving, something pushing away, and mewling. That was their signal to stop.
Kuro meowed in between them. The hands in Ken’s hair unstrained, pulling away slowly, “Sorry,” Josh said in a tiny voice.
“You just looked really good, with the new haircut.” The older’s ears were red, “Sorry, Kuro-chan.” He whispered another apology before biting his lower lip.
And if Ken felt flustered, maybe the low light in the room could hide the warmth in his cheeks and his chest.
“Does your cat hate everyone except you?” Stell asked as his eyes followed the track of the black fur baby that rules Ken’s apartment.
“I don’t think so?” Ken was not sure what to say.
Stell was at his place with his cat, Naya, for a playdate, and the man was hissed at by Kuro more times than Ken could count.
Ken could not really give Stell a definite answer on that because there might be someone else that Kuro apparently loves, maybe even more than Ken. But that’s something he cannot mention to Stell.
Messing around or dating a co-worker is not really against the company policy, but he and Stell are on the same team for Dance and Choreography. And it’s this same man who introduced him to one Josh Cullen who was his best friend ever since high school. Ken doesn’t know if Stell knows about him and Josh, so he would not rather find out.
“I mean, he also hates me,” Ken admits, it’s the truth anyway. “Sometimes.”
“But no cat would hate this.” Stell rubs at Naya’s face before noisily opening the packet of catnip which was a very effective way of making Kuro look at him and strutting to his spot on the floor.
That had elicited a thought for Ken to ponder. Josh had managed to win over his cat without anything. No toys, no catnips, just pure charm. The thought gave Ken a certain warmth in his chest, which had been getting more frequent than he would like to admit. It’s not the hot sensual burning kind, but something easy and comforting.
Ken was introduced by Stell to Josh on his first day as a choreographer in the entertainment company they work in. Josh works as a manager and handler of artists in the company, but they only got close, really really close, when Ken worked on the choreography of one soloist that Josh handles. On days that they’re swamped with work, it is no easy feat to find someone who’ll be down for purely physical arrangements within a 250-meter radius at weird hours. Sparks didn’t really fly, it was just very convenient. Ken found the manager attractive and they both consented, it was the perfect casual arrangement. So, they jumped at the opportunity. Kind of like how his black Persian cat, Kuro, behaves around Josh, jumping at every available surface for pleasure and attention.
Days passed, and the good news for Ken, the constant warmth in his chest, was not a medical condition he had to be concerned with. But the bad news is that he’s into Josh and feels more.
His first thought? He can’t- but he already does, so he shouldn’t. This was supposed to be a convenient physical thing. The second thought is that this was partly Kuro’s fault. He actually at first laughed at the precarious situation he found himself on.
Kuro-chan falls for a cute nice guy and what is he supposed to do? Just follow along?
Honestly, Josh is such a charming guy, he does understand how he and his cat are bewitched. But then again, Josh didn’t sign up for this, for the warm feelings that Ken finds to be easy and comforting. He was here for the warm feelings, the more sensual type of warmth, it is beyond what he consented for, right?
“What did I tell you from the start?” He had Kuro cradled in his arms, his finger rubbing at the jaw of his favorite creature. “I told you to not get too close, and that this wouldn’t end well.”
“And you, Kuro-chan,” He held the cat with both hands, “You did not listen to me. And now we’re both in this hot mess.” He shook Kuro but he only got a “meow” as a response.
Ken did everything in his power to undo what he and Kuro put out in the world, their feelings. He went on a 2-week ban on anything Josh Cullen. No messages were returned, no calls were answered, and work schedules went sporadic. It may or may not have involved locking himself for longer periods in the practice room and taking on the more grueling dance routines for artists and groups that don’t involve Josh.
At first, everything was working well, all according to plan, in no time, they (Kuro, he, and the other person involved) would be living like this whole shenanigan never happened. Or at least he thought that way until he came home to a puddle of cat puke in the living room. He tried to give Kuro some food, but Kuro-chan wouldn’t even come near his bowl.
He took a day off work yesterday because he was supposed to bring Kuro to their routine checkup with the vet but he won’t get into his carrier and struggles when he’s inside.
It had only been hours since he began monitoring Kuro and the poor guy had vomited again. At this point, he needs to bring Kuro to the vet, by hook or by crook. But with the free day he took yesterday, he can’t skip work today. He had already asked his friends if they were available to take Kuro to the vet and look after him but none of them were free. However, there is one, who is probably finished with work for the day and available, and Ken just did everything in his power to avoid him in the last 2 weeks.
Ken: Hey Josh
Ken: Are you free?
Ken: It’s Kuro.
No reply. Okay, maybe he deserves this silence, the golden rule is considered golden after all.
Ken: You’re probably busy, sorry for troubling you.
Ken had given up his last shot at luring Kuro to the carrier, he’ll just carry the poor guy all the way to the vet. He still has to call Stell and give them a heads-up that he’d be coming in late for work. He’s not really sure how long they’ll take at the vet. His thoughts of worries took a pause when the phone in his hand rang with Josh’s name on the caller's information.
“What happened to Kuro?” Josh sounded just as worried as him over the line.
“He vomited twice today, he doesn’t want to eat, and we missed check-up yesterday because he won’t get in the carrier.” Ken cleared his throat before proceeding, “I’m gonna take him to the vet but I have work in 20.”
“I’ll be there in 5.” Josh only said and hang-up the phone.
Ken had Kuro’s things ready, his medical booklets, and all the medical records they might ask for. He had written down the type of discharge and what he had eaten in the last 48 hours. Josh did actually arrive in just 5 minutes and Kuro still weakly walked up to welcome him at the doorway.
All the effort put into the 2-week ban on anything Josh Cullen is out of the window and has gone into thin air. “Poor baby,” Josh was cuddling the little guy in his arms, fitting perfectly in the pits of his elbow. There goes the warmth in Ken’s chest again.
“Are these Kuro’s?” Josh pointed at the bag he prepared in a rush.
“Yeah, his papers are inside, and that other one is his carrier.” He concurred, “His vet is 30 minutes away but he can be jittery on the car ride. He should be familiar with the vet though, he’s a regular there.”
“Okay, okay.” Josh was holding Kuro who seemed like would never leave his arms. He took a quick glance at the clock in the living room, “You need to go, Ken. You’d be late.”
“I actually have something to tell you, Josh.”
“This can wait, Ken. Don’t worry about it, okay?” Josh assured him with a smile one last time and sent him off.
Ken tried to get in contact with Josh on times that he could sneak his phone into the practice room and during water breaks. He eventually got off work earlier than expected and directly went home an hour past midnight. Josh had already taken Kuro back to Ken’s place and even stayed with him. God, Ken has to hustle thinking about how to compensate Josh for this.
He came home to Josh sleeping on the couch, with Kuro who had inserted himself in the crook of Josh’s neck. What did Josh feed his cat that got him so charmed? And why is Ken also charmed so very badly?
Kuro felt him come in and woke up, stirring up Josh in the process. Kuro welcomed Ken and began rubbing himself around Ken’s calves and shin. He put down his bag and picked up his favorite black fluff ball.
“You feeling better now, Kuro-chan?” His fore-knuckle was stroking at Kuro’s jaw and face.
“You’re back already?” Josh sat up and stretched his limbs as he yawned.
“Yeah..” Ken said softly, “How is he? What did they find out?”
“They did a full test on him, I made them check everything. He was just nauseous, from something he probably ate or he’s been just overeating.” Josh explained and rubbed at his eyes before he ran his hands through his hair.
Ken only nodded along to what Josh said before he finally spoke again, “Thank you, for looking after Kuro.”
“Sure, yeah.” Josh didn’t say anything else and fixed himself, getting rid of his sleepiness. He began picking up his belongings from the center table and getting them into the gym bag he always carries around. Ken put Kuro back down on the couch.
“Josh..” Ken trailed off, in an attempt to stop Josh in his tracks, “Can I talk to you?”
“Can you? Cause I think you’ve already been-”
“I’m sorry.”
“Avoiding me.”
“For that…” Ken awkwardly added.
Josh took a deep breath and faced Ken, “Did I do something wrong?” He seemed annoyed or mad, or maybe annoyed and mad.
“What?”
“I don’t know, overstepped some line? Offended you or disrespected you?” Seems like the air in Ken’s lungs was knocked out of him with the straightforwardness that Josh exhibits. “You seemed very persistent in avoiding me, even adjusting your work schedule. I just want the real reason from you.”
“Because I feel like I was the one overstepping,” Ken finally admits, maybe he can’t undo things and he can’t take back what is already out there. He’ll just learn how to live with this hot mess that’s unfolding before him.
“I know we were just fooling around, it’s all fun and casual, but then it felt like something more. Because you were so nice to Kuro, and I think he might actually love you more than me.” Ken’s voice feels like it’s going to break, but thankfully it doesn’t. One less embarrassment he won’t have to add to his mental list of mistakes to live by. But he still hadn’t said everything to Josh so he wouldn’t be very confident.
“You’re the most kind and smart and awesome person I’ve met. You make the world seem like a better place when you laugh or smile or with just your existence. I like seeing you and thinking of you, I always want to kiss you or hold your hands. I just want you next to me. I get a hot feeling when I’m with you or when I think about you, like a warm feeling in my heart, and it’s really nice. And Kuro was like in love with you, and I might be too. Because you’re just so charmin-”
Josh’s lips stopped him from blabbering on and on about what else he felt for Josh.
“Dumbass,” Josh said, still holding at his nape and at the neckline of his hoodie, “You could’ve just said you love me and wanted to date me.”
Oh.
Josh pulled him for another kiss and Ken could feel him smiling at their kiss.
“I do love you.” This time, it was Ken who pulled him back to kiss him, but it was interrupted by something or someone trying to get in between them, “Just had to realize that the competition was a tough one.”
Josh had a hearty laugh at that before he picked up the other contender who was trying to reach them by standing on his two hind feet.
“I feel so special, everyone in this house is fighting for my attention,” Josh gloats as he pulls Kuro close and gives Ken a quick peck on his now pouting lips.