Archive of Our Own

Late on a warm summer night, Sakura had just finished eating another grilled fish bento, feeling content as he set down his chopsticks. His phone kept pinging with rapid chat notifications from friends, and he finally picked it up, scrolling through the messages. They were talking excitedly about a new flavor at the ice cream parlor in town: honey-lemon-rosemary.

Sakura opened his window, allowing the summer night air to drift through it. His mouth watered at the thought of a parfait, and he daydreamed about the cool, creamy taste as he lay back, on the tatami mats.

Moments later, Sakura heard a soft patter. A three-colored cat suddenly leapt through the window, snatching up his phone and darted out as quickly as it had come. Startled, Sakura jumped up, slipped on his shoes, and leapt from his second-floor apartment window.

He bolted with agile and fierce movement after the calico cat, feeling the cool pavement beneath his feet as he chased it down the quiet intersection. Sakura turned into a narrow alley he’d never noticed before. Rounding another corner, he stumbled upon a quaint, one-story dessert shop, its sign above the door lovely written ‘Dessert Parlor’.

The cat vanished through the shop doorway, and Sakura hurried after it, a gentle bell jingling above him as he entered. The shop was cozy, filled with the sweet scent of baked goods mingling with cold, creamy ice cream. Sakura glanced around, his eyes narrowing as he scanned for the feline culprit among the booths of chatting patrons. Just then, a staff member emerged from behind the counter, holding the very calico cat by the scruff with his phone dangling from its mouth.

“Is this yours, by any chance?” The employee asked, voice warm and a bit apologized.

Relieved and annoyed, Sakura snatched the phone from the calico cat’s mouth, muttering that it was indeed his. But as he looked up, Sakura froze in disbelief. Standing before him was his friend, Suo.

He blinked, taking in Suo's outfit— his usual mandarin-collared shirt and wide black pants. However, with a long, stylish brown apron, Suo looked completely different from his usual self. Caught off guard, Sakura pointed at him and blurted out.

"Why are you here?"

Suo tilted his head, his dark red eye gleaming with a mix of delight and mild surprise.

“Oh, Sakura-kun, fancy seeing you here! I work part-time at this place."

Sakura’s gaze drifted up, his jaw dropping slightly as he noticed something entirely strange: two more pointy, soft ears in the same reddish shade as Suo’s hair peeked out above his head, with snowy white fur inside. They looked like fox ears. A strange mixture of confusion and wonder filled Sakura as he tried to process what he was seeing.

Suo turned his attention back to the cat in his grip, scolded gently. “It’s not nice to take other people’s things, Nekomata-kun.”

The cat’s face drooped, its large, round eyes reflecting genuine remorse. “Sorry! I just smelled the grilled fish on that square thing, thought it was food.” It murmured softly.

Suo circled his thumb and index finger together and snapped them against the forehead of the feline thief, who cried out, 'Meow!' in response.

“Even so, stealing is still wrong.” Suo chided the cat lightly before lifting it to cradle it against his chest.

The cat gave Sakura a contrite look and mumbled. "Sorry... I really thought your little thing was a fish."

Suo looked down at the creature softly and started scratching behind its ears "Tell you what, we're experimenting with a grilled fish-flavored ice cream here. Since we're working on the recipe, why don’t you give it a taste?"

The cat’s eyes gleamed with delight, its long, striped tails flicking eagerly back and forth as it purred. Sakura could only watch in amazement, his brow furrowing as he noticed that the cat actually had two tails. He raised a brow in surprised curiosity, glancing between Suo’s fox ears and the calico cat’s unusual tails. His mouth still hung open as he processed it all.

With a cheerful grin, Suo waved toward an empty booth. “Sorry for the trouble, Sakura-kun. Why don’t you take a seat? make yourself comfortable. I'll come back to take your order shortly, once I get this little one settled.”

Suo carried the delighted two-tailed cat to another booth and set it down, where it immediately curled up, waiting for his grilled fish ice cream with content. Sakura, meanwhile, was too stunned to move, his gaze fixed on Suo as he caught sight of something even stranger— a long, fluffy reddish fox tail, tipped in white, poking out from beneath the trim of Suo’s shirt.

Sakura blinked several times, rubbing his eyes, but the tail and ears didn’t disappear.

A costume… maybe? Is this that ‘cosplay’ stuff people are crazy about these days? Sakura thought, feeling a strange blend of intrigue and wonder. He slowly walked over to the booth Suo had pointed to. Checking his phone, Sakura noticed it was already midnight, though it had only been 8 PM, or at most 9 PM, when he’d finished his bento. How had the time flown by so quickly?

Picking up the dessert menu on the table, Sakura’s mouth watered at the sight of each delicious image. Flipping through to the ice cream section, he settled on a chocolate parfait. Just then, Suo approached with a friendly smile, setting a glass of water in front of him and holding a tablet in hand to take his order.

“Oh, by the way, Sakura-kun.” Suo pointed to an odd-looking purple-and-gray ice cream parfait in a tall glass with very cheerful voice.

“We’ve got a new item on the menu. It’s a raspberry parfait drizzled with Earl Grey tea sauce. I’d highly recommend it— it’s our top seller this week. The Tengu customers over there can’t get enough of it; they’ve been coming by every night!”

Sakura glanced over to where Suo was indicating by his gaze, and his eyes widened. A group of Tengu— a quartet dressed in traditional priestly garb— sat at another booth, excitedly scooping bites of purple-gray ice cream with their sharp, bird-like beaks. Sakura couldn’t help but notice they had no visible wings; maybe they were hiding them away for the time being.

“Well, I... uh... guess I’ll try the one you recommended.” He agreed, still trying to wrap his mind around what was happening.

"Great choice.” Suo nodded, tapping the order into the tablet. "One moment, please!"

Sakura watched as Suo disappeared behind the ice cream counter.

Sakura found himself unable to look away from Suo’s fluffy fox ears peeking out of his hair and his tail bobbing with every step. They were genuinely fascinating and appealing.

Is this… some kind of a fancy-themed dessert shop? Sakura's thought strayed wildly, distracted by all the customers dressed in strange costumes. He glanced around at the shop’s cozy, whimsical decor. In the center of the table sat a small vase holding a single dark red camellia flower, a quiet burst of color that made his mind flicker back to Suo’s hair and eyes. Tonight, his friend looked quite different from his usual self at school— but somehow, this red fox version of him was... well, kind of cute.

Before long, Suo returned, a silver tray balanced gracefully in his hands. Atop it sat a parfait glass layered with soft swirls of purple-gray ice cream and plump raspberries. A delicate dusting of edible gold flakes shimmered in the light, making Sakura's stomach flutter in anticipation. Suo set the glass gently before his customer, smiling warmly, his voice carrying that familiar, comforting tone.

“Go on, give it a try, Sakura-kun.”

Sakura grabbed the spoon, scooping up his first bite of the miraculously colored parfait. As soon as the taste hit his tongue, his eyes widened with delight, mentally exclaiming just how delicious it was. One spoonful turned into three, then five, as he eagerly devoured each bite.

Suo slid into the seat beside him, watching with a soft smile as Sakura practically devoured the parfait. “Pretty good, huh?” His voice amused by Sakura’s enthusiasm.

Sakura's gaze shifted from the sweet treat to his friend's pretty face with fluffy ears. He blinked, a bit surprised and curious. “Have you been working here for a while? I never knew.”

“Yes, it’s just a part-time gig I picked up after school.” With Suo's answer in a relaxed and warm voice, Sakura just nodded.

Then without thinking, Sakura found himself reaching out, his curiosity overpowering him, as his fingers brushed one of Suo’s pointy fox ears atop his head. The ear was soft and almost impossibly warm, and it gave the faintest twitch at his touch, as if responding to him.

“Ah!” Suo let out a soft yelp of surprise, his own hand darting up to his ear, which flicked involuntarily. An unusual slight blush crept up his cheeks, and he turned to Sakura with a smile that was both amused and a little embarrassed.

“Careful with those, Sakura-kun. My ears are pretty sensitive, you know.” He teased, playfully.

Sakura froze with wide eyes, a deep blush spreading across his own face as he stumbled to apologize. “I–I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to… Wait, are they… real?”

Suo’s deep red eye sparkled with an amusing glint. “Yes. One hundred percent real. Want to touch them again to be sure?”

He tilted his head a little, causing his tassel earrings swayed along, his fox tail lightly swishing behind him.

“Uh, n-no… I think I’ll pass.” Sakura stammered, his gaze flickering down in an attempt to recover from the embarrassment. “I didn’t even know you had… well, fox ears.”

Just then, Suo’s fluffy tail brushed against Sakura’s side, making him jump slightly. Sakura couldn’t help but feel his fingers itch with the urge to touch that thick, soft-looking tail.

What once seemed strange now felt oddly normal in Sakura's mind. His gaze drifted as Suo stood up to greet a god of fortune who had just waved him over to settle their bill. As Suo stepped away, two tanuki raccoons in straw hats strolled in, their little paws clasped as they walked side by side and chatted, settling into an empty booth like regular patrons.

Sakura’s gaze still lingered on his friend, mesmerized by how easily he transitioned back into ‘work mode’. With an almost dream-like quality, Sakura continued eating his parfait, savoring each cool, creamy bite as if the surreal world around him could disappear at any moment.

The bell above the door jingled once more, and in walked a tall man with messy black hair, his entire frame covered in tattoos. His steps were deliberate and strong. Quiet murmurs fluttered through the dessert shop as other patrons recognized him.

“That’s Endo.”

Suo’s face still held that trademark polite smile, but there was a sharpness in his dark red eye that didn’t quite match the warmth of his expression. The air around him crackled ever so slightly with irritation.

"Oh, it’s you. Still show up after all the trouble you caused last time, huh? What can I get you today?" His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it, a little too sweet to be sincere.

Endo grinned widely, unbothered by Suo’s tone. "Relax, I’m just here to grab something sweet for Chika. Don’t take it so seriously."

He wandered over to the display case, eyeing the desserts. “I’ll take six cream puffs.” He added casually.

As Suo packed the treat into a box, Endo's gaze wandered around the shop. His face lit up when he spotted the table in the corner where Sakura sat alone. With a delightful gleam in his eye, Endo waved energetically at him.

"Hey, Sakura! Didn’t expect to see you here!"

Sakura exclaimed and gave a reluctant wave, surprised by the encounter.

"H— Hi, Endo.”

Endo, grinning ear to ear, began to march straight toward Sakura, his eyes glowing mischievously. He let his slim, red forked tongue flick out like a snake as he extended his heavily tattooed arm toward Sakura, his fingers curling as if to claim him.

“Think I’ll take this one too.” Endo’s voice playful but laced with something more dangerous.

But before he could get too close, Suo’s hand shot out, grabbing Endo’s muscular arm with surprising strength. His fingers dug into Endo’s flesh, just inches from Sakura’s shoulder. The suddenness of it caused Sakura to jerk back, his heart skipping a beat as he felt the unmistakable tension radiating from Suo. Suo’s gaze now shadowed with an intensity Sakura hadn’t expected. The air around the two rivals seemed to thicken, growing colder, like a storm just waiting to break.

"This customer,” Suo's voice smooth but icy, "is not for sale. Nor is he for tasting." His grip tightened ever so slightly, and for a moment, there was no question that he meant it.

Endo didn’t flinch, glancing back at Suo with a crooked grin as he reluctantly pulled his arm away. "Alright, alright. No need to be so possessive. I was just kidding." But his hand pulled back with hesitation, the atmosphere still charged with something unspoken.

The spoon froze mid-air as Sakura stared wide-eyed at the two of them. One hand still held the parfait spoon, while the other clutched his chest, taking in the tension between Suo and Endo, the room seeming to grow colder by the second.

"Or maybe I should call Takiishi-kun," Suo's voice was smooth and sly. "And tell him that you're getting cozy with my customer.”

Endo raised his hands in mock surrender, smiling broadly. “Fine, fine! No need to bring Chika into this. He only just started calling me by my name, you know? Don’t stir the pot.” He chuckled in a lighter tone, backing down.

Suo send a sugary-sweet smile that only made Sakura’s skin prickle. He handed over the dessert bag to Endo with an exaggerated flourish manner, his lips displayed almost innocent smile that didn’t reach his eye.

Endo sighed in resignation, accepting the bag with a reluctant motion. He shot a grin and tossed a playful wave at Sakura as he stepped back.

"Alright, I’m out of here. See you later, cutie-chan."

With that, Endo made his exit, leaving the dessert parlor in a quieter, more settled atmosphere.

Sakura sighed in relief after the chaos had passed.

Suo disappeared for a moment before returning to sit beside him with another parfait in a silver tray. A bright smile on his face as if nothing had happened.

"Forget about that guy. Just eat more, okay?" Suo resumed his playful antics, his pointy fox ears twitching and fluffy tail swishing idly.

Sakura, unable to resist, took a spoonful of the parfait, savoring its sweetness. As he ate, Suo gently reached out and wiped a crumb from his lips. Suo’s soft laughter filled the air, and Sakura blushed, both embarrassed and pleased.

In the meantime, Suo's tail and ears continued to move, catching Sakura's attention. When Suo's fox tail flicked up, Sakura’s eyes following it. Then the tail lowered, his gaze dropped in the same motion.

Suo chuckled quietly, noticing the way Sakura's eyes lingered on his tail. "Neh, if you want to touch it, go ahead. I don’t mind.”

Sakura swallowed nervously before cautiously reaching out to touch the fluffy tail. The moment his fingers brushed the soft reddish fur, it was more delicate than his expected, and without thinking, he let his fingertips traced the plushness, almost as if he was petting a cotton candy. Suo let out a soft, satisfied hum, watching Sakura seeming to get lost in the sensation.

"Enjoying yourself?" Suo asked playfully.

Sakura’s face turned bright red as he quickly pulled his hand back, flustered. "I just... it's so soft, I couldn’t stop."

Suo laughed softly, his expression softening as he looked at his friend. “You’re adorable. I didn’t think anyone here would be so interested in my ears and tail— they seem normal to me”

With that, Suo raised his fluffy tail and waved it in front of Sakura’s face, teasing him as if it were a toy dangled before a cat. Sakura couldn’t hold back any longer— this time, he grabbed the tail again. The more he stroked it, the softer it felt, and the more pleased he became.

Sakura suddenly pressed the tail to his face, burying his nose in the soft fur. The sweet, comforting scent of it warped around him, and Suo let out a small laugh.

“Wah… Sakura-kun, I don’t mind, but it’s really ticklish."

The two of them enjoyed the playful teasing, laughing together in the lighthearted moment, until a gentle voice interrupted.

“Er, sorry to disturb, but…”

They both turned to see a Tengu customer standing awkwardly nearby, a slight blush on their face.

"I didn’t mean to interrupt your... fun time, but could I settle the bill? We have got somewhere to be."

Sakura and Suo both turned bright red as they realized just how intimate their playful banter had become. Sakura quickly released Suo's tail, while Suo, regaining his composure, walked over with a smile to handle the payment. Sakura, still flustered, scooped a spoonful of melting parfait into his mouth, the coolness helping to calm the warmth rising in his cheeks.

The group of Tengu left, followed by two tanuki raccoons, and then the two-tailed cat. The joyful calico turned to Suo, his eyes bright with delight.

“The grilled fish-flavored ice cream was so delicious! It almost made me glow! You should try making a sweet fish-flavored ice cream sprinkled with salt. It would be amazing!”

Suo promised to pass the suggestion to the shop owner, then bowed and waved as the customers walked out of the shop, disappearing into the dark night. When he returned inside, he found that Sakura had already finished his parfait.

"This one's on me,” Suo said with a grin. “A treat to celebrate your first visit to my shop."

Then he noted that, “Looks like it's time to close up. I'll walk you home, Sakura-kun"

Sakura took one last look around the empty shop and glanced at the time on his phone, wondering why it was still midnight. Before he left, Sakura couldn't resist stealing another glance at Suo's soft, fluffy fox ears and tail. Suo laughed quietly, stepping closer. He brushed his tail gently against the back of Sakura's hand.

"Do you like it, Sakura-kun?" He asked with a cunning smile.

Sakura blushed deeply, his fingers still caressing the soft, white-tipped reddish fur. His voice trembled slightly as he answered. “Yeah.”

Suo moved even closer, pointing to the sharp, delicate fox ears atop his head.

"You can touch them as much as you like, I’m allowing it… just for tonight."

The fluffy ears flicked slightly, almost as if in agreement. Unable to resist, Sakura reached up with both hands, gently rubbing the soft reddish fur, feeling the delicate hairs tickle his fingers and palms as he caressed both ears. The sensation was so pleasant that Sakura couldn't stop.

As his hands continued to touch the soft fur, Suo's tail wrapped around Sakura's waist, pulling him closer until their bodies brushed together. Sakura felt a surge of warmth and comfort, surrounded by the softness.

Suo leaned in, his nose brushed against Sakura's, he whispered.

“Goodnight. I’ll see you at school tomorrow."

Suo’s face was so close to his now, their lips only inches apart. Sakura froze, his body stiffening, breath catching in his throat. He stopped touching the soft fox ears, eyes closing as he braced himself for something he couldn't quite understand.

Then a soft, moist kiss brushed lightly against his cheek, followed by more wet kisses on his lips, and an unexpected 'meow!' echoed.

"Huh? Meow…?"

Sakura's eyes snapped open, and he realized he was lying on the tatami mats, staring up at the ceiling of his room. A cat’s face was close, hovering just above him, and it was licking the crumbs of grilled fish from his lips and cheeks. Sakura jumped, letting out a startled yell. The cat startled too, darted and scampered out through the open window. This calico had only one tail.

Sakura blinked, still in shock. He must have dozed off in his room after finishing his bento. When he glanced at his phone again, it was still midnight. He rubbed his eyes in confusion, getting up to take a shower, but his mind kept drifting back to the dream he had of Suo kissing his cheek and lips. His face flushed again, and he absentmindedly touched his lips.

"Wait, that was the cat from earlier? Did I… dream it?"

As Sakura began to pull off his t-shirt, he noticed a strange purple-gray stain on it. Bringing the fabric to his nose curiously, he sniffed, and a faint scent of raspberry mixed with subtle hints of tea, wafted up to him. It was the same sweet scent from the parfait he had earlier.

A chill ran down his spine.

The next morning, Sakura stormed towards the 1-1 classroom with long, hurried steps, his face tense and determined.

As Sakura slid the door open, a group of his close friends, sitting casually around the desks in front of the chalkboard, waved at him with casual smiles. But Sakura didn’t even register their greetings. He strode straight in, his mind fixated on one thing, and without hesitation, he lunged at Suo Hayato with full force.

The chair Suo was sitting on screeched loudly as it slid back, crashing to the floor with a heavy thud. The room seemed to pause for a moment as both Sakura and Suo collided with the smooth wooden floor, the impact ringing out with a resounding thump. Sakura scrambled on top of his friend, whose face registered shock, his hands diving into the soft, reddish strands of Suo’s hair, his heart pounding feverishly.

“Where are your fox ears?”

Sakura demanded, his voice sharp, a little frantic, as his hands worked through Suo's hair and scalp in desperate search. He felt the reddish strands slipping between his fingers, but the familiar soft, pointed ears the night before were missing.

"Not here," Sakura muttered, his fingers slipping to graze Suo's smooth human ears, but they weren’t what he was looking for. "I’m talking about your fox ears. They were popping up on top of your head last night."

Suo blinked as he took in the situation. After recovering from his shock, he chuckled helplessly at his friend messing with him.

“Sakura-kun, what are you even looking for? I don’t have the fox ears you’re talking about”

Sakura’s eyes narrowed, lips forming a thin line as he retorted slightly, voice heavy with disbelief. “That’s impossible! Last night you made me parfaits at the dessert shop, and where’s your tail? The fluffy red fox tail with the white tip? Where did it go?”

Sakura still held Suo pinned beneath him on the wooden floor as he searched desperately. His hands roamed lower, reaching around the back of his friend's waist, brushing over Suo's hips. Finally, Suo twisted and grabbed Sakura's hands, stopping him in his tracks.

“Wahh... Sakura-kun, go easy on me.” Suo pretended to plead, however, his voice was laced with a bit of strain, a hint of discomfort breaking through.

But Sakura wasn’t deterred, his tone still serious as ever. “Where did you hide it, huh? Your soft tail from last night...”

Suo’s smile was resigned now, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he gave up the pretense. “Ugh, what are you even saying? I don’t have a fox tail, Sakura-kun. Where did you even get that idea from?”

Sakura bared his teeth slightly in frustration. “Well, last night, your tail was all wrapped up around me. So how could you possibly not have one?”

His voice trailed off as he remembered the warm sensation of it wrapped around him, the soft, velvety feel of the fur against his skin.

A sharp series of throat clears suddenly interrupted the moment. Sakura froze, his head snapping to the left, and he found the source of the disturbance. The entire class was staring at them now— eyes wide, expressions ranging from shock to pure disbelief. Nirei stood at the edge, his body stiff as though unsure whether to start scribbling notes. Kiryu seemed to be amazed by the spectacle. Anzai cleared his throat again, still trying to regain control of the room.

“Sorry to interrupt your little moment, but ahem, the bio teacher asked the class captain and vice-captains to come to the teacher's lounge about the class assignment.” Anzai announced, a faint blush tinting his cheeks.

Sakura startled slightly at the sound of Suo’s voice, which was now dangerously close.

“Sorry, Sakura-kun, could you get off me? The teacher’s calling for us.”

Feeling his face flush with embarrassment, Sakura quickly darted away from Suo and stood up, his hands awkwardly brushing at his pants as he mumbled an apology. He hadn’t meant for any of this awkwardness to happen while watching Suo regain his tidy and clean-cut appearance in mere seconds.

Nirei glanced at Sakura with a shocked smile and whispered privately.

“I didn’t know you and Suo-san were out late together last night.”

Sakura whipped around to face Nirei, snapping with a sharp voice. “That’s not true. It’s not what you think.”

“Huh? But just now... about the fox stuff... I didn’t know it was your fetish." Nirei started to argue, trying to make sense of the situation.

Sakura was quick to shoot down the suggestion, his voice firm and unyielding, with his face boiling red. “I said it’s not what you think! Now let’s go see the teacher, alright? Hurry up!”

Sakura stormed out of the classroom, followed by his two vice-captains. He heard Suo's smooth voice whispering from behind him.

“Sorry, Sakura-kun. I’m not the ‘exhibits type’, you know. But if we were alone in our place, I wouldn’t stop you from exploring my fox ears and tail until you were satisfied.”

Sakura’s body stiffened at the teasing, his teeth gritting in frustration. “That's not what you think!”

"Hmmm, but just now, you were searching crazily for my fox ears and tail. You wouldn’t stop, even when I told you they weren’t there.” Suo’s voice was laced with amusement and a hint of humor.

Sakura turned sharply, his face flushing as he snapped once more. "I told you, it’s not what you think!"

But after a few steps, Sakura gave the red-haired friend a long, intense stare. “You really don't have those fluffy fox ears and tail?”

A soft laugh from Suo echoed in the corridor, his dark red eye sparkling. “If you'd like, I could have fluffy fox ears and a tail for you one night. Would you like that on me?”

This earned an irritated huff from Sakura.

After that, strange rumors about the class captain and a certain vice-captain with their 'nighttime fetish’ began circulating at Furin High. Sakura struggled to deny them, while Suo simply smiled, clearly enjoying the situation.

Outside, on a large tree near the school, a calico cat stretched lazily, its single tail swishing gently in the breeze. It watched the trio walk away along the corridor, still arguing. And with a wide yawn, the cat curled up. It drifted off into a contented sleep, dreaming of grilled fish-flavored ice cream again at nighttime, after the warm sun had set.