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It hadn’t been too long since Kojiro returned home from Turin. Hikaru always wondered what he was up to in Italy, their culture was poles apart from theirs, he could notice Kojiro’s demeanor in certain things changed and looking back at Wakabayashi and Misaki, he asked himself if some behaviors were common around Europe. His boyfriend was already bold for their standards, but he became saucier after spending time with his team in Italy.
There wasn’t only that. This time, Kojiro returned with an unexpected guest. It was a cat—an orange cat to be specific—called Tigro. It meant “tiger” but gendered for males in Italian, quite cliché for an orange cat, already looking somewhat like a small golden tiger, but predictable from Kojiro’s part. Hikaru, though, still had to learn how to pronounce it. For the time being, he would call him simply “Tora”.
«Don’t call him that, you’re confusing him» Hyuga kneeled down to pet the cat’s head, «Aww, look at you! Do you like my home? I’ll have to leave you here when I get back to Turin, I’m sorry…» He looked back at Matsuyama, «And you better treat him well, understood?»
Needless to say, Matsuyama was jealous of Tigro, and Tigro didn’t quite like his presence either. As much as it was endearing seeing his boyfriend being tender with animals, he wasn’t sure if they could become friends any time soon.
«Hmm…» Hikaru rolled his eyes with his arms crossed. «Are you sure this cat understands whatever I’ll have to say? I don’t speak Italian.»
«Animals don’t need to comprehend our languages to understand us» Kojiro got back up with Tigro in his arms, and the cat started purring, nuzzling his head on his chest.
Somehow, Hikaru was sure the cat was smirking in his direction. That little— «But why did you take him here?»
«Because that’s where I live. I know what you’re thinking, maybe he would’ve stayed better in Turin, but… when I’m there I’m not at home as often as I am here. Plus, there isn’t anyone in my apartment to watch him»
Hikaru softly gasped. «Oh, and so you thought I could? We play in the same team, what if both of us have to leave and he’ll be alone?».
«He can stay with my mother» Kojiro arched an eyebrow, walking to the couch to sit with Tigro between his arms, «Relax, why are you getting so worked up over this?»
As Matsuyama was about to answer his question, Hyuga quickly realized. A flash went over his eyes thinking about Matsuyama’s previous “so you thought I could?”, analyzing his tone and his facial expressions. A smirk escaped the fierce tiger’s lips, the way he was petting his cat’s fur made him look like one of the villains anyone would see in a movie.
«Don’t tell me…» he said, his tone growing wittier, «Are you jealous, Hikaru?».
At Hyuga’s assumption, the former captain of Furano felt his face getting warmer up to the tip of his ears. Jealous, him? Of a cat? He wouldn’t let that slide, he couldn’t let Kojiro think that of him. «What—wh…» Hikaru couldn’t help but let out a wheezy, awkward chortle, as if to suggest that the assumption was ridiculous, «But do you even hear yourself? How can I be jealous of a cat?».
Kojiro, like the little shit he was, kept smirking. «I don’t know, you tell me».
The fierce tiger of Japan knew how to tease his partner. And the latter fell for it every time. «Don’t you see how absurd this is?»
«Are you saying that about yourself?»
Hikaru gasped. «Listen, I—I am not jealous of this cat.» he stated firmly, «I can admit sometimes my mind goes… a little too far with fantasy when you talk about your team in Italy, but getting the same feeling for a cat? That goes way too far.»
Kojiro let Tigro jump down from his lap, so he could get up and stand in front of his boyfriend. «Then how about this,» he began, «I’ll have to get back to Turin in a week. If you’re really not jealous of Tigro, could you please take care of him for me while I’m away?».
The request set Hikaru in a strange mix of feelings. Kojiro just got back and had to leave again soon, which saddened him. Additionally, he would’ve had to take care of the cat. And as much as Kojiro’s Italian inflection sounded sexy to his ears, he had to keep them all for himself.
He folded his right hand, waving it as if it’s not a big deal for him. «Pfft, of course I can. It’s nothing but a simple task»
«I thought so» Kojiro’s eyes locked Hikaru’s, as his smile softened. Suddenly, Furano’s former captain felt more convinced about the idea—it was Kojiro asking him after all. Their lips united in a quick kiss, and finally Hikaru could hug him resting his head on the other’s chest. Only to realize a minute later something thin—hairy—got in the middle of his lips. He blew a few times, trying to spit it out, and when he did he held a few orange hairs between his fingers. Deadpan, Hikaru stared up at Kojiro.
«…Oops. Sorry, I should’ve dusted the shirt before hugging you».
***
After Kojiro’s departure, Hikaru headed back home right away, knowing Tigro was waiting for him. Despite his efforts, he still couldn’t trust the cat, especially if left home alone, and he couldn’t certainly ask someone else to watch him for any minor absence of his. He closed the door behind him, and inspected the apartment to see where the cat went off to. Hopefully nowhere either he or Kojiro cared deeply.
«Ti… Tiguro…?» he attempted calling him, «Where are you? Pspspss? It’s me, I’m home…!».
But Tigro didn’t show up, which led Matsuyama to think about the worst from the start. He walked around the house frantically, looking for the cat everywhere. Damn it, it was an orange cat. It wasn’t so hard to find. Unless he was purposefully hiding from him, the little shit. Tigro almost perfectly resembled his owner, so far.
«Oh, c’mon, will you just come out?!»
Matsuyama interrupted his search tiredly, flopping on the couch in the living room. Just when he sat, he found Tigro licking his paws on the lunch table. His eyes thinned, staring at the cat.
«You little asshole.»
Tigro looked up at him, sitting gracefully and letting out a single meow as an answer.
***
«I can’t take it anymore, I think this cat definitely hates me»
Jun was invited over by Hikaru to check his current situation with Tigro. Hikaru had been calling him on the phone updating him on his cohabiting with Kojiro’s cat—because he won’t say that’s also his own—knowing Jun sometimes was paid to catsit other people’s cats to have some income during his studies.
«I’m sure it’s just because Kojiro isn’t here and wants to study you as a person. He doesn’t hate you» Misugi reassured, looking around, «Where is he?»
«Pff, as if I know. Every time I come back home he hides somewhere and appears in the stupidest place ever.» Matsuyama also walked forward to glance around.
Misugi tended an arm on Matsuyama’s chest to stop him, «You have to be careful, you should’ve learned with Hyuga himself that felines don’t like abrupt movements, especially if they’re still learning to trust you. To make him trust you naturally, you also have to learn to know his patterns» he explained softly, «Haven’t you thought that, perhaps, he hides from you because you close the door too fast, or when you walk around home you stomp too loudly for him?»
As much as Hikaru wanted to laugh about his comparison between Kojiro and a real feline, the last questions caused him to grimace. «What the—um. I don’t stomp.»
«For human standards, maybe» Jun chuckled.
That’s when Hikaru peeked at his own and Kojiro’s room, seeing an orange shape right on Kojiro’s place. «…Ah, there he is. He’s sleeping on the bed again.» he said, «And I just washed the sheets.» he added, clenching his teeth.
Jun couldn’t help but giggle again. «You can wash them however many times you want, but he may still smell Hyuga’s scent. He misses him as much as you do»
Hikaru’s expression softened. It sounded… right. And made him realize that the cat felt the same as him. «Ah… do you—think so…?» He wouldn’t admit it in front of Misugi, but sometimes he liked to sleep on that side of the bed, as well. When he did, Tigro would scratch him on the face as if he wanted to stay there in his place.
«Yes» Jun answered, «Let’s just leave him be for now. When he wakes up, I’ll teach you some tricks I learned from my personal experience».
***
Misugi taught Matsuyama how to trust and let Tigro take his own time to trust him back. After a few days of training, Tigro gladly accepted food and water from him and gradually started to lose his habit of hiding somewhere else when Hikaru walked close to his proximity, even purring around him.
«Kojiro will be back soon, he’ll be happy to see our progress» Hikaru thoughtfully said, knowing Tigro heard him. Then, he lied on the bed covering himself with the blanket, making himself comfortable on his pillow. As if on cue, Tigro jumped up on the bed, setting his paws right on Hikaru’s legs. He watched the cat walking closer, until he rested his body against his chest. His purring felt louder than it usually was.
«Oh, hey…» Hikaru spoke softly, his eyes shining from the sight. For the first time after weeks, Tigro actually looked adorable in his eyes. He carefully petted the cat’s head through his back, Tigro’s purrs increased. «I know, I know you miss him too. These weeks were pretty intense, weren’t they? And I still haven’t learned to pronounce your name like he does…» he chuckled sweetly, «Goodnight, Tiguro. Sleep well».
***
When Kojiro finally came back home, Hikaru threw himself into his arms to hug him tightly, pulling him closer to himself to give him a welcome back kiss. Of course, Hikaru wasn’t the only one happy. Tigro welcomed his owner with loud meows, until Kojiro kneeled down to pick him up in his hands to cuddle him.
Kojiro naturally noticed the difference from the first time he introduced Tigro to Hikaru. The two seemed more relaxed around each other, and Hikaru wouldn’t say anything but smile at the scene of them reuniting.
«Hey, is it me or you two are… civil with each other?».
Hikaru chuckled, «Oh, we took a long time but… I can say we’re friends now. Both of us missed you a lot»
Kojiro softly smiled, «I knew you would get along. You just needed time»
Right when the two were about to exchange another kiss, Tigro’s paw reached Hikaru’s chin and he winced, surprised by this action. His eyes thinned towards the cat, «Hey, I just said we’re friends! What’s gotten into you now?»
Kojiro laughed tenderly. «I suppose you won’t stop fighting for me. I’m honored»
Hikaru initially pouted at him, before joining him in the laugh, petting Tigro’s head.