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Hanabi had always known she was special. From the moment she was carried through the grand gates of her new kingdom- also known as Phuwin’s house…she had been treated with the reverence she deserved. Phuwin and his parents had welcomed her with open arms, showering her with gifts fit for a queen: a luxurious bed she never used, the finest cat food that she occasionally deemed acceptable, and a collection of toys meant to entertain her, though she found far more joy in knocking Phuwin’s belongings off shelves just to watch his reaction.
She was no ordinary feline; she was royalty. And as such, she carried herself with grace, dignity, and just the right amount of dramatic flair. Every stretch was executed with the elegance of a ballerina. Every slow blink was a declaration of her superiority. Every flick of her tail sent an unspoken message: You live to serve me.
Phuwin, her most loyal subject, was the epitome of devotion. He cradled her like a delicate piece of art, whispered sweet nothings into her ears, and most importantly, understood that his bed was her bed. He was warm, soft, and provided the perfect sleeping surface, and so she tolerated his presence in her kingdom. In return, she blessed him with purrs, occasional cuddles, and the rare privilege of being her pillow. Life was good. Predictable. Exactly as she liked it.
And then came him.
Pond.
The disruption to her perfect world. The invader. The audacious man who had the nerve…the sheer audacity to not only take up space in her home but also steal her Phuwin’s attention. At first, Hanabi had been merciful. She observed him from afar, perched on her throne (the highest shelf in Phuwin’s room), scrutinizing his every move. He was loud, far too energetic, and worst of all, he touched Phuwin constantly.
At first, it was just innocent things…patting his head, nudging his shoulder, laughing too close to his face. But then one night, Hanabi bore witness to a crime so egregious, so unforgivable, that she nearly fell off her perch in sheer horror.
Pond stole her spot on the bed.
And Phuwin let him.
Hanabi’s world was crumbling. Where once she sprawled freely, basking in Phuwin’s warmth, now there was him, his arms wrapped around her human, his long limbs taking up precious space that rightfully belonged to her. It was unacceptable.
But Hanabi was no ordinary cat. She was a tactician. A ruler who knew that revenge was a dish best-served cold. And so, she plotted.
Her strategy began with the subtlety of a seasoned war general. She inserted herself between them whenever possible, slinking into Phuwin’s lap when Pond sat too close, curling up on his chest just as Pond leaned in for a kiss, and dramatically flopping onto his pillow with an air of finality, daring the intruder to try and move her.
Yet, despite her best efforts, Phuwin remained oblivious to her suffering, and Pond…infuriating, shameless Pond had the gall to laugh at her. Oh, how she despised that smug grin, that infuriating way he scratched behind her ears as if he belonged here.
And then, one fateful night, Hanabi bore witness to the greatest betrayal of all.
She had been resting in her usual spot, perched on top of Phuwin’s bookshelf, tail curled around her paws, basking in the cool night air when she heard it. A noise. A strange, breathy sound from below. Her ears twitched. Curiosity piqued, she peeked over the edge of the shelf, expecting to see her human simply tossing and turning in his sleep.
Instead, what she saw scarred her soul forever.
Phuwin was beneath Pond, flushed and panting, his fingers digging into broad shoulders as his legs wrapped around the intruder’s waist. Their bodies moved together in a way that made no sense to her refined feline mind, but she could tell- oh, she could tell that whatever was happening was forbidden.
Her tail bristled. She…Hanabi, the princess of this household, a grown, sophisticated cat had never been allowed such activities. She had been denied a mate, had suffered through years of Phuwin gently pushing away her flirtations with other cats outside the window, and yet here he was writhing under this man like some common alley stray.
Betrayal.
Utter betrayal.
She watched, horrified, as Pond’s lips moved against Phuwin’s skin, trailing lower, lower her delicate sensibilities could take no more. With a huff of sheer indignation, she turned away, nose in the air, ears flicking in irritation.
How dare they? In her kingdom? On her bed?
The absolute shamelessness.
For a moment, she debated launching herself onto the bed to disrupt this madness…to plant herself firmly between them and remind Phuwin of his true priorities. But no. No, such a reaction would be too small, too petty.
Hanabi was above such things.
Instead, she would enact a more sophisticated plan. A long-term revenge.
Tonight, she would let them be. Let them bask in their sinful indulgence, unaware of the wrath brewing in the shadows. But when morning came, when they awoke all tangled in each other like fools, she would strike.
She would make sure Phuwin suffered the consequences of this treachery.
A perfectly placed hairball in his shoes. A sudden and violent need for attention precisely when he needed to leave for work. The shredding of something important, perhaps a document, or, if she was feeling particularly vengeful, his favourite hoodie.
And as for Pond…
Hanabi’s eyes narrowed as she curled up on her perch, tail flicking with calculated menace.
Pond had made a grave mistake thinking he had won.
This was only the beginning.
Hanabi had been suspiciously content the past few days.
The house had been peaceful. Phuwin had been hers again, no disruptive presence stealing her warmth, no loud, obnoxious laughter echoing through her domain. She had reclaimed her rightful spot in his bed, stretched luxuriously across the mattress with no one to shove her aside. It had been glorious.
And then, just as she was beginning to believe that perhaps- perhaps the intruder had finally taken the hint and left forever…
He returned.
Hanabi had been lounging on the couch, licking a paw with practised elegance when the front door swung open. She barely spared a glance at first, assuming it was just Phuwin returning from wherever he disappeared to during the day. But then she heard his voice.
“Missed me?”
Hanabi’s ears flattened. No. No, absolutely not.
Like a ghost returning to haunt her, Pond waltzed inside as if he owned the place. As if he hadn’t been absent for days, giving her a taste of the peace she so rightly deserved.
Hanabi shot Phuwin a glare. How dare you allow this? But her human, the traitor, wasn’t even looking at her. His entire being had become attuned to Pond, as if the world had melted away, leaving only the two of them in some sappy, nauseating bubble of longing.
It was disgusting.
And then- oh, the horror- it got worse.
Without a word, they started moving.
Pond guided Phuwin blindly through the house, lips never leaving his, hands under the fabric of his clothes like some kind of feral beast. Hanabi’s tail bristled at the indecency.
Right in the living room? Have they no shame?
She trailed behind them, equal parts appalled and morbidly curious, weaving through the furniture as they stumbled toward Phuwin’s bedroom. They were so wrapped up in each other- so tangled in limbs and breathless little noises- that they didn’t even see her.
Until-
THUMP.
A foot nearly crushed her tail.
Hanabi screeched in outrage, back arching, fur puffing up like an overstuffed pillow. Phuwin barely reacted- he giggled, the audacity- before Pond yanked him forward, sending them crashing into his bedroom with reckless abandon.
Hanabi sat in the hallway, frozen in sheer disbelief.
Did he-
Did they-
Did her own human just ignore her near-death experience for that man?
Unacceptable.
But oh, it wasn’t over.
Hanabi, though deeply offended, was still a creature of curiosity. So, she slinked closer, nose twitching, ears perked as she listened to what was unfolding behind the now-closed bedroom door.
What she heard made her regret everything.
Phuwin’s breathy little moans. The sound of fabric rustling, probably being torn off with no regard for the consequences, idiots. Pond’s low, husky murmurs, muttered too softly for her to make out the words, but she knew- she knew it was all nonsense.
Hanabi’s eye twitched.
She had tolerated many things in her life. The occasional missed mealtime. The indignity of being moved from her bed when Phuwin needed to stretch. Even the trauma of their last rendezvous.
But this?
This was an attack.
A personal, direct assault on her pride.
Hanabi sat outside the door, tail flicking, pupils thin as slits, contemplating her next move.
The peace had been broken. Her sanctuary invaded once more.
Pond would pay for this.
Just as the world was settling into blissful silence, Hanabi made her move.
With the grace of a seasoned warrior, she leaped onto the bed, landing with a soft thump right between the two overheated fools who had dared to disturb her night. Neither of them could ignore her now.
Pond groaned. “Seriously?”
Hanabi flicked her tail, settling herself comfortably in her rightful spot. She stretched out just enough to gently press against Phuwin while strategically shoving her paws against Pond’s chest.
Yes. Seriously.
Phuwin, her ever-loyal subject, chuckled sleepily and reached down to scratch behind her ears. As he should.
“She likes you,” he murmured, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
Hanabi purred, not because she liked Pond, but because Phuwin was finally giving her the attention she deserved.
Pond huffed, but surprisingly, he didn’t push her away. Instead, he pulled Phuwin closer, pressing a lingering kiss to his head.
“Fine,” he grumbled. “But next time, she’s not watching.”
Hanabi merely blinked, unimpressed. Next time? Oh, he thinks there will be a next time?
How adorable.
As Phuwin giggled and drifted off, safely wrapped in Pond’s arms, Hanabi remained between them…an immovable force, a silent ruler of the night.
Tomorrow, the battle would continue. But for now…
She would allow this.
For now.