Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hatano is transformed into a cat out of nowhere after being employed at a cat cafe.

It came out of nowhere. Lucky for him that it happened over winter break, but he had no idea how to transform back into a human- and his family didn't seem like they were going to be adopting a random cat off the street any time soon. Plus, he was supposed to be leaving for a week, so his family won't know to look for him.

'At least they won't call the police.' It was a small mercy. Really though, wasn't it strange how everything lined up perfectly? No one will be expecting him, no one knows to look for him, and even his first day of work won't be until after he comes back from his trip.

Being a cat is disorienting. He is lounging on the floor of the cat cafe as he thinks this. He's sensitive. The smells are intense, the sounds are loud, and he can see in extreme detail. Though cats are colorblind, he seems to have been spared at least this much, as he can still see on the usual spectrum.

'I wonder if he will show up...' His tail twitches in excitement, like it were getting ready to pounce. It's embarrassing, and if he weren't a cat at the moment he would definitely be blushing. What are the odds that Ayato's brother will end up at this cat cafe specifically? He could only hope.

The floor is cold, but it strangely doesn't bother Hatano. Instead, it feels like lying on a cold, furry carpet. It's actually nice.

That isn't why he's on the floor, however. It's because he can hardly move in this uncoordinated body of his. The height of the couch that visitors can sit on isn't unreasonable, but as a human who has never jumped that high, it only looks like a wall. Cats are agile, but he isn't a cat! He's human!

As he's moping, wishing to see his childhood crush, his ear flicks around instinctually at the sound of shoes nearing the front door of the cat cafe. Hatano lifts his head.

Ding!

The bell on the glass door chimes.

A beauty mark beneath the right eye, a gaze which is half lidded and soft, and the face which is delicately balanced between symmetry and asymmetry. Purple hair that is neither short nor long, neat or messy. The expression, blank but somehow containing all of the complexities in the world. His pace is relaxed but quick, and his gaze scans the room.

It lands on a calico cat, a cute and soft thing that pads up to him and rubs its face on his pant leg, then its neck, arched back, and leaving with a curl of its tail, as if trying to grab the patron and lead him away. The cat turns around and goes for another, long drag of its body against the man's legs, and Hatano can hear the aggressive purr from his position frozen on the floor.

The 21 year old stoops down and lets the cat pass over his hand, occasionally letting his nails scratch through the soft fur, scraping the rougher skin of the calico, and the loud purr somehow grows louder. The cat meows helplessly.

"Cute..." Hatano watches Ayato's brother press his own palm to his face, suppressing a smile. "Too cute..." He removes it to run a second hand over the cat’s back. His smile is on full display as he begins to talk to the cat.

"Hello there.” It feels strange to hear him talk, Hatano thinks. “I remember you from the last time. Did you like me that much? I'm sorry I had to leave so soon. What a sweetie you are, wow. You smell clean, did you get a bath recently? Aww, so friendly, so sweet." He passes his hand over the cats back again and again.

The cat meows, as if answering back.

"You're too friendly for a street cat. You must've wiggled out of your collar and escaped here for extra food. What a disobedient kitty, running away from home. Naughty kitty. Tsk tsk." Even as he says these things, he continuously pets the cat, and his eyes curve with unrestrained joy.

Hatano trembles. Never, in his life, did he know that his crush could sound like that. It's too much for his heart. The affection is wrapped around every word, and Hatano can hear the way his crush treasures the cat, whom he must've only met once in the past from the sound of it.

The bell rings again and a different customer comes in, with red hair and a snarky expression. The calico brushes past the college students hand without hesitation and starts to meow at the newcomer.

Hatano wants to seethe at the disrespect. Except, well, it's just a cat. Even his crush simply stands up from his crouching position, sits down at a corner table, and orders a 'Catte' from the employee that immediately approaches. It sounds like a combination of 'cat' and 'latte.'

His crush turns his head when the employee leaves, and his eyes somehow immediately lock onto Hatano's. They stare at each other. Hatano's tail flicks.

His heart might beat out of his chest.

The college student slowly blinks, breaks eye contact, and pretends not to notice the long-haired black cat's gaze.

Carefully, Hatano rises from the floor. His body naturally moves on its own when he wants it to, and he lets his cat-muscle memory take over. He approaches his crush's chair and sits on the floor.

His crush doesn't move.

Now, Hatano wants to jump onto his crush's lap. Desperately. But he doesn't know how far he can trust this muscle memory, and is absolutely unwilling to miss and fall onto the floor. His tail flicks. He looks up at his crush and expectation rises in his chest.

The college student looks back to Hatano, still avoiding eye contact, but occasionally meeting his gaze and looking away again. He's also slowly blinking. Hatano slowly blinks back, instinctively. He doesn't know what he communicated, but the college student must understand something because he stands up- slowly, and without making any loud sounds, to which Hatano is grateful for due to his sensitive ears- and gently lowers himself to sit on the floor.

With his crush on the floor, Hatano doesn't hesitate to let his cat-stincts take over and lead him to settle into his lap. His legs are crisscrossed, so Hatano immediately pools his body into the center, like melting.

A hand gently runs over his back and Hatano can't help the spike in alertness, ears pointing up and tail raising into the air. The hand halts.

With effort, Hatano suppresses the impulses to not let a foreign hand touch him. With coaxing, he relaxes back down over his crush’s pants.

After a few moments, his crush begins to stroke his back and over his forehead, and this time Hatano suppresses his cat-stincts, which want to react against his will.

Wow.

Pets are awesome.

Desperately, he wishes he could burn this memory into his mind. Something flutters in his chest, making him grateful that he's a cat right now because his face would be completely red if not for his back fur. His crush. Is petting him. Touching him. He is touching Ayato’s brother…!

He shouldn't be taking advantage of his crush's ignorance.

He knows that.

There isn't anyone who knows this more than him.

It's a fact that's embedded in his heart at this point.

This love, which spills out for any cat that ambles by for attention and poured out unknowingly for Hatano- isn't meant for him. It's meant for the cat that he's become.

The carefully blank gaze of his crush has always been a sore spot for Hatano. Ever since the day he ran up to him and confessed his love after 8 long years of pining, he hasn't gotten that expression out of his head.

It hurts.

But that doesn't mean Hatano has given up.

He's seen the way that his crush has tried to deflect his feelings, or even ruin them entirely. His crush even lied to him, saying he should cut his hair. Too bad for him, Hatano remembers that his crush actually likes his long hair. Knows that his crush wouldn't simply go out of his way to talk to him for something like that.

His crush receives his Catte from the employee, who doesn't say anything about their customer sitting on the floor.

"You know," his crush begins to quietly speak. "I don't think I've seen you in this cafe before. I thought you were a street cat, since you don't have a collar, but your fur is soft. Maybe you're like the calico and you ran away from home after wiggling your collar off.”

The soft voice warms up his heart.

"I like how long your fur is. You aren't shedding either. Not that I think it'd be bad if you were shedding." Pause. His crush sips from the cat-themed mug, and then licks the foam off his top lip. "I have a cat at home. His name is Miiko. He sheds a lot, so I have to brush him every day in the yard." Pat. A hand starts to card through his fur again, his full nails scratching lightly over his skin.

The purr grows louder in Hatano's chest but he feels too content to be especially embarrassed about it.

"You're so calm. What a good kitty. I wonder why you were staring at me earlier. Maybe you were jealous of the calico. She left quickly, though. I guess that's why you took your chance." Closing his eyes, Hatano listens. "Good kitty... good kitty. So cute. Really, you are so sweet. Cute, sweet kitty."

Warmth. He didn't know his crush could be so warm. Even in his dreams, he never could've imagined this scenario. Even besides the whole cat transformation, the tone of his crush, speaking quietly and affectionately to him of all people, is unreal.

The time passes quickly and slowly. Steadily, the day drains away. After two hours, Hatano is jolted awake by the realization that he must be cutting off the circulation to the college students legs. He urges his cat-stincts into action and he gets off of the poor, numb legs of his crush, who doesn't even wince as he starts to stretch them out.

Hatano feels the desire to jump onto his crush's shoulders, which is a reasonable height from the ground, when suddenly his cat-stincts have taken over and he is leaping up, landing smoothly onto those shoulders and lying over them.

"Hck-" his crush sways at the weight, steadying himself with the floor. "Oof, you are one heavy kitty."

Hatano's tail whips him in the face.

The horror at what he'd done disappears when his crush laughs in astonishment, holding his cheek with one hand and his empty cup with the other. "I guess I deserve that, don't I. Kitty vengeance is swift."

Hatano purrs.

Becoming a cat was stressful, but the universe was merciful enough to deliver his crush of 8 years right to him. Even if the college student doesn't know that the black cat is him, he can still appreciate the dripping affection that he can receive from his crush. It's so plentiful, after all.

His crush returns the cup to the table and leaves it, along with the money for his drink, for the employee to collect. When Hatano shows no sign of getting off his shoulders, his crush simply grabs his bag and leaves. Hatano purrs.

He licks his crush's ear without thinking.

His crush makes a sound that sounds suspiciously like a... meow?

Hatano licks that ear again, to the same result, but more strained.

Leaning forward, Hatano can't stop himself from licking his neck, his jaw, ear again, and his temple. His crush tries to get through it by clamping a hand over his mouth but he can't take it, and covers Hatano's mouth with his hand instead.

Lick.

Hatano licks his hand and finds it to be salty. Not very tasty. But he licks it again.
"That's gonna raise a flag..." his crush starts to look around, to Hatano's befuddlement. Flag? "I wonder where-"

"Brother!"

Ayato calls out of nowhere. His crush turns around, but a strange panic begins to show on his face.

"No, is it really a flag?" He mutters incomprehensibly, but it's too late because Ayato points at Hatano.

"Why do you have a cat on your shoulder? Mii-Chan is going to get jealous."

The college student waves his hand, "It's just a friendly kitty from the cat cafe. I think she likes me."

Ayato deadpans. "Did you check?"

"Check?" His crush turns to look at Hatano. A slow realization passes over him. "Are you a boy kitty?"

Hatano meows. His crush's expression cracks.

"In the first place, why would you assume the cat was a girl?" Ayato asks sarcastically. "You should quickly find the owner. I don’t think it belongs to the cafe."

His crush lights up. "Right! The owner!" He reaches for Hatano, who nips at his fingers that go to remove him. "C'mon, be nice, nice kitty~"

Ayato sighs and tries to help.

Hatano is a quick cat though, and his cat-stincts naturally resist their hands, so they both fail. The college student groans.

"Just take him back to the cafe. They might know his owner."

"Right..." his crush makes his expression blank. "Thanks. You should go home. Take a shower, too. Miiko won't like the smell of him. Or her."

Ayato leaves.

His crush grumbles. Hatano lays down on his shoulder, triumphant.

The cat cafe isn't much help, not knowing where Hatano came from or even his name, so his crush sits on a couch and thinks hard about something. Hatano continues to lounge on his crush's shoulders, feeling more and more comfortable in this cat's body.

"E-excuse me," an employee stutters. Hatano looks at him. Short with pink hair and dark brown eyes, combined with the cat cafe employee outfit; he looks cute. Still, Hatano thinks, his crush is cuter. "I-I heard that you were struggling... I h-have experience with lost pets. I us-used to work for an online cat rescue. They upload pictures of the cat and unique features, so someone might find them."

Hatano hisses. They aren't taking pictures of him! No way!

Hatano's tail raises high in the air. He glares at the young employee with pink hair.

Hatano doesn't like the idea on the premise that the owner might take him away from his crush, but even without that, it sounds sketchy, to say the least. Anyone could just say that they knew the cat and take it in without being the actual owner! What kind of service is that?!

"Thank you," Hatano's nails extend, digging into his crushes shirt involuntarily. "But I think I can handle it myself. Cats can often find their way home on their own, too."

Hatano relaxes.

"O-oh... okay, if you think so..."

He lowers his tail, but keeps his eyes on the young man with pink hair.

Something feels... off.

"Oh, and I'll have another Catte, thanks." His crush smiles, but it's strained, even to Hatano.

"R-right. Coming r-right up."

His crush doesn't say anything after the employee leaves. He seems to be thinking about something, but he's no longer voicing it aloud.

Hatano purrs, trying to cheer him up.

This is the most comfortable he's felt next to his crush, and he's also the closest he's ever been.

Would this ever be possible, if he weren't a cat?

It's a depressing thought.

The college student reaches his hand up, so Hatano presses his face into it and purrs louder. He meows, pushing against that hand.

"How are we going to get you home, hm?" His crush ponders out loud. He absentmindedly scratches the side of Hatano's neck.

'Take me home with you!' He wants to say. But he can't. Not just because he's a cat and can't speak, but because if he really did speak, then the illusion would be broken. His crush would know that Hatano deceived him. This would be over.

"Hey kitty... you know, I don't think that employee works here." Hatano tilts his head at his crushes words. What does that mean? "I've never seen him... and his face is..." his crush mutters to himself quietly, even for Hatano's sensitive ears. Which are being scratched in a very distracting way, mind you. Hatano purrs louder involuntarily.

His crush turns his head to look into Hatano's eyes.

"What should I call you? I think we'll be together for a little bit." His crush then mutters under his breath again. "Rather than the cat being a flag... the owner is... hm." He drags his nails over Hatano's back and Hatano shudders, hair raising on the back of his neck. "I can't not get you back home. I'll get rid of the flag one way or another, don't you worry."

Who is worried, Hatano wants to ask. Besides, what is a flag? It doesn't make any sense.

"I think Yasu-chan is cute. Since you are so calm. Or... Kotaro?"

He nips at his crush's ear. He hopes his crush doesn't notice that he can understand him.

"Haha, okay, not that one. Then... what about Ryuji?" Hatano stops. His crush doesn't notice. "Your eyes are like a dragon, and your fur is like scales. It's a cool name, right?"

If he wasn't blushing before, he sure is now.

The air is caught in his lungs, but he manages a meow, relying on his cat-stincts to lick his crush on the cheek. His chest feels just a little like it's going to explode, but he keeps it in.

"You like it? Ryuji-chan. Ryuji, chan. It sounds familiar for some reason."

Pondering, his crush's expression lowers into something neutral.

"... No, where have I heard that-?"

"Yo-your C-C-Catte is here, sir. P-please enjoy..." the pink haired boy arrives and Hatano's crush suddenly opens his eyes wide.

"Oh no… I'm sorry," his crush apologizes. It sounds sincere... but Hatano's ear flicks in suspicion. "I wanted this in a to-go cup. I didn't mention that... you can just pour the drink into a new cup, if you would."

The employee flinches, staring at the cup with pursed lips and visibly sweating, but he doesn't look nervous. He looks... upset? Or excited?

"O-oh, r-right... I will... uhm, d-d-do that for- uhm, you... r-right now... give me a m-moment... p-please..." the employee, stuttering more than usual, turns and leaves. Hatano notes his strange, off-kilter walk, and wonders if his crush also noticed it.

The college student waits patiently for the employee to return, which only takes a few moments because all he had to do was pour the drink into a to-go cup. The blue cat designs on it are cute and match the outside theme, but it doesn't fit well with the pink-haired odd-ball carrying it.

"H-here….”

His crush takes the cup with a smile, sipping on it in front of the employee. "... It's good." The conversation ends on that awkward note.

His crush walks out of the establishment with the cup. Hatano meows in worry, when his crush turns a corner and spits into the grass. No one notices.

"Bleh."

Was it that bad? Hatano sniffs the cup, but his crush pulls it away before he can try to taste it.

"Ah-ah-ah, no coffee for you. Caffeine is bad for cats." Hatano pouts, ears drooping. He got scolded... but, that is good to know. Who knows how long Hatano will be stuck in this cat form. Is it 'bad' enough to kill? Is it like chocolate? Even a non-cat expert like him knows that chocolate is bad for cats and dogs alike.

"I've raised quite the flag, haven't I, Ryuji-chan...". His crush mopes about flags again, so Hatano purrs. He may be getting too comfortable in this cat's body.

He reminds himself that he can't be in a romantic relationship with his crush later if he is a cat.

It's very motivating. Definitely, he must definitely make sure to become a human again.

"You are probably the flag." His crush scratches under Hatano's chin. "But I don't think it's you that it's for... Was someone watching me? Perhaps your owner..." Hatano wants to tilt his head in confusion but he's currently melting into his crush's hand. Oh wow, he didn't know scratches could feel so good.

"In the meantime, that employee is concerning. He seems to be the lover of a powerful person." His crush continues to rattle on about incomprehensible things. How could he know such personal information about someone he'd barely spoken to? "The pink hair goes too well with black. He also acted a little crazy. He must not be the main lover. So he has a one-sided obsession with the boss, who is in a relationship. He wants to garner affection. So you-" his crush rubs Hatano's ear. It feels amazing. "-must look like the boss's dead cat.”

Hatano has no idea what he is talking about.

"It can't be that you belong to the boss, because then the crazy employee should've said that he knows your owner. Since the employee isn't right in the head, it must be the trope where he is trying to find a replacement for the cat that passed away. Since the boss will be terribly depressed, the employee must want to get affection through this method. He will list the cat on the website, report it to the boss, who then rewards the crazy employee for finding the cat. Or at least, that's what the crazy employee thinks will happen."

Hatano purrs. These pets are the best.

"What he doesn't know is that he, the crazy employee, will fall in love with the stranger who the cat has become attached to. He doesn't get to list the cat on the website because he is now obsessed with the stranger, who in this case is me. The boss will also have an encounter with me and the cat who looks like his deceased pet, and wants to steal the cat away but also becomes entranced by the stranger with the cat. With the triangle established between them, the lover of the boss becomes the antagonist."

He should become a novel writer, Hatano compliments, vaguely listening to the college student's rambling. The scratches are too distracting to fully pay attention.

"So to get rid of the flag, the easiest way would be to get rid of you." Hatano’s ears perk up in alertness. What?

"-but I have other options at my disposal. The treatment of a cat under that much plot would obviously be great for a time, but it would eventually lead to a tragic death for you, to further the plot and be a tear-jerking development for the readers." The college student strokes the top of his stiff neck. "I don't like that at all. You didn't do anything wrong, it's the humans that aren't right in the head. I'll divert the plot. We can both be side characters, Ryuji-chan. Just watch and learn."

Hatano is confused. But, if he can get closer to his crush by going through with this, then he's willing to play whatever part that he is given.

The pets are also very nice.

Very, very nice.

Chapter Text

Hatano was in his crush’s room. Hatano. Was in. His. Crush’s. Room. Room. His room. His crush’s! That room? Something may be wrong with him. He was inside! In there! That place!

Ayato’s brother didn't react to Hatano’s odd stiffness. Rather, it was Miiku-chan- who sniffed Hatano earlier and didn't freak out- that was the strange one. Hatano thought it had to do with the fact that he wasn't a cat, or Miiku-chan could somehow tell that he was Hatano. It wasn't expected, but he was extremely grateful for it. Getting into a cat fight with Mii-Chan… well, someone had been a cat their whole life, and the other had been a cat for less than 12 hours.

Hatano was laying on his crush’s bed, freaking out over the whole, Being In His Crush’s Room. For his sanity, he should leave. Right now.

Except Ayato refused to house the stray cat in his own room, and since Hatano was “so clingy,” they assumed he wouldn't freak out over being in a locked house if he stayed with someone he liked. And, well, it's not like Hatano could say anything to the contrary.

He was not a creep.

His crush of 9 years was changing next to him.

Again, just to be clear:

He. Was. Not. A. Creep.

Hatano kept his face firmly pressed against the arch of his leg. Being curled into a ball was more comfortable than he anticipated. The flexibility of his limbs was new and, though it was difficult to use them, he could make just about any position comfortable.

It didn't help the burning in his cat-face.

The movement of fabric shifting around was way, way too much for his imagination.

He wasn't thinking about a pale and soft stomach, or the thighs that flex as he moves to remove his pants, or the collarbones that lead up to his neck, or down towards his chest…

The fur on the back of his neck rises abruptly. Jumping to his feet involuntarily at the imagery, he goes completely stiff, and stares at the wall across the room with a will he didn't know existed in him, until this very moment. He doesn't even notice his nails extending and digging into the blankets under him.

He feels very uncomfortable.

Hatano has had fantasies before, of course- and how could he not? But that's where they stayed until he would eventually make some progress with their relationship. It felt… dangerous, when the person in his dreams was next to him, and completely unaware of it.

Something strokes over his back and he flinches.

“Shh, shh, it's okay.” His crush was casually petting his back.

The image of his crush in nothing but his boxers was still fresh on his mind.

Stiff as a board, he could do nothing but slowly lower himself back to the bed.

The hand on his back continued to stroke, up and down, whispering reassurances and praise. Wha- what plot was this? Why is he here? Is this form some cruel device, used to accelerate his descent into the love he has for someone who doesn't reciprocate in any way?

It's not like he had given up. Especially not when the object of his affections was so, so close, but his intense feelings felt acrid when the man was placed just out of Hatano’s reach. It was like putting noise canceling headphones on and being tied to a chair, forced to watch a world-famous orchestra play live music but being unable to hear it. How could he not salivate and yearn, yet be in equal amounts of anguish and self-depreciation?

It was painful.

Of course it was.

“You are such a pretty breed... Your eyes are so beautiful.”

But it was not something he could turn away from.

Even when he was brought into this house, this room, and placed on this bed, he hadn't run. He hadn't even thought of it.

How could he?

It was precious. So, so precious to him.

So here he lay.

Dying on the inside as the man of his dreams, with an unknown amount of clothing on, strokes his back in a comforting but torturous manner, telling him what sounds like sweet nothings as if they were the most obvious things in the world.

He may never get to experience this again.

No, he was almost certain.

Hatano Ryuuji was not someone without confidence. It could be said that he had an appropriate amount of it after so many confessions and compliments, but only to that extent. They could never supply him with what he really wants to hear. He only wants to hear those things from one person.

But that person was someone that would not easily let himself be loved, much less love Hatano back.

Surely there was a reason behind it.

However, Hatano had no idea how to figure out what it was.

So what is he supposed to do?

The stinging in his chest cools the heat in his cat-face, and he lays down completely and closes his eyes, listening to the comforting words of his crush.

Whatever.

If this is a test of his will, of his love, then so be it. He can handle this much at least.

It doesn't change the fact that he will overcome it.

He’ll find a way to make his crush fall for him. The stinging in his chest is a testament to the fact that he won't ever be satisfied with this much. Hatano wants to hold him, kiss him, run his fingers through his crush’s light purple hair and press a kiss against that cute beauty mark– he wants to be able to love him without restraint. That's impossible unless he’s a human.

Two more years.

Hatano can wait.

He’s already waited this long.

However… he did not expect that when he fell asleep, he would wake up in the middle of the night as a human again.

What is happening?!

By the mercy of some being, he still had the clothes on that he had been wearing before he changed into a cat, but laying on a bed next to his crush was not on any bingo card he’d made, ever. No, he’s never made a bingo card, but really, if he had, this still wouldn't be on any of them even if he’d written a hundred bingo cards!

This is weird. This is weird, right? But no, before he can think about that, he’s gotta do something! What if his crush wakes up and sees him?! His chances might be dashed forever!

Hatano purses his trembling lips, forced to stare at the sleeping face of his crush, unable to move out of sheer nervousness. Forced to look at that delicate face, the cute nose, the beauty mark under his right eye, the mouth which is slightly open and breathing at a steady rate, blowing a warm stream of air at Hatano…

He closes his eyes, the image burned into his retinas.

Hatano explodes.

Well, he wishes he did. Is this what it means to be in heaven and hell at the same time?

Carefully, with the grace of a jaguar moving through the dense forest, he extracts himself from the bed of his crush and, once he succeeds, takes a very long moment to crouch on the floor and contemplate his situation.

Breathe in, breathe out. This is no normal day, but that's fine, it wasn't normal from the first moment he woke up as a cat. What can he do about it? Maybe there's a way to trigger his human appearance. If he can become a human at will, then surely he can go back to being a cat at will too, right?

Even though he thinks about it, he can't think about anything that he did before falling asleep that could've caused it. Besides, well, being very determined to continue pursuing his crush.

… that train of thought may have more merit than he wants to admit. But, really, would it be such a cliche?

He wants to keep thinking, but his crush shuffles a little in bed and his hackles go up like they did when he was a cat- which is incredibly humiliating. The cat-stincts have infected him. He really can't stay a cat for so long again, it isn't good for his mental health.

Hatano makes the decision to quietly, as quietly as he can, leave his crushes room. He leaves the door ever so slightly cracked open. That way, Ayato and his brother can make the assumption that the door was simply left ajar, and the cat escaped into the night.

It isn't like he has any reason to stay here now that he’s a human, right? He has his wallet on him, he can get a room at a hotel, or just return home and say that he changed his mind about the trip.

Being a cat was more fun than he expected, purely because he got to spend so much time next to his crush, but it's also an intrusion. Which is very rude. Hatano is 18 now, too. He can be held responsible at the full extent of the law.

… definitely, he should leave.

He passes into the living room, heart pounding.

“... Hatano-kun?” A voice comes from behind him.

Stiff, Hatano turns to look at Ayato’s brother, excuses coming to his mind but all sounding way too suspicious to be reasonable.

Oh, if only he could be a cat right now.

Ayato, holding a mug of steaming water, looks at him with his classic blank face. He rubs his eyes. Looks again.

“Oh, it's the cat ni-san brought home. How’d you get out of his room?”

Hatano, suddenly much shorter, finds his little cat-legs collapsing from the adrenaline rush. To Ayato, he just lays down suddenly.

“Let's get you back to your room.” Putting his cup of water down, Ayato picks up the melted pool of Hatano and delivers it to his brother's room. “Oh, ni-san left the door open. No wonder you got out, huh?”

Ayato places Hatano on the bed, pets him an appropriate amount, and closes the door on the way out.

…

Hatano lays down. This is too messed up.

Thanks to his rapidly beating heart, he doesn't fall asleep for a long time. What in the world is he going to do…?