Archive of Our Own ^beta

It all starts when Shinobu asks him to cat-sit Kanae’s one-year-old kitten.

“You want me to do what?” Akaza had asked when she proposed it to him, trying to figure out if he somehow heard her entirely wrong.

“It’ll just be for two weeks!” Shinobu replies. “When Kanae asked me, I told her it was fine, because I figured most cats are pretty solitary and keep to themselves. But this one…” Her lips twist into a displeased expression. “This one is so clingy. It climbs onto me as soon as I sit down, and when I try to sleep, it stands in front of the bedroom and keeps on making noise until I come out and let it in.” She shakes her head. “I can’t focus at all! But I recall in one of Rengoku-san’s reports, he once talked about you taking a liking to a stray cat, so I figured that perhaps that still remains true!”

Akaza recalls that incident quite clearly. He had not taken it well when Kyojuro insisted he was cute. Then he frowns. “Kyojuro even reported that?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a report,” Shinobu replies, waving her hand. “You know, if you read his letters, you could tell very clearly when the report stopped being a report and he just wanted to talk about you!”

“What else did he say about me?”

“You can ask him that yourself,” Shinobu tells him dryly. “I have better things to do than recount Rengoku-san waxing poetic about you. Now, do you think you can take the cat or not?”

“I’ll check with Kyojuro,” Akaza replies, even though he’s already pretty certain what Kyojuro’s response is going to be. Kyojuro has always loved animals, but he once told Akaza they never got to raise anything because his father didn’t like them.

Sure enough, when he pitches the proposal to Kyojuro, Kyojuro lights up with a delighted smile, eyes brightening with anticipation. “Of course!” he exclaims. “How exciting! Tell Kocho that it’s more than fine!”

(Akaza then asks him about the reports he used to write and just how much extraneous details he had included about Akaza, and Kyojuro had laughed and changed the subject to dinner.)

Shinobu drops by the next day in the afternoon with the cat carrier and a cardboard box filled with food, a litter box, a scratching pole, and a few other materials. She looks a little too happy to be rid of the kitten as she hands the cat carrier over to Akaza.

“Sota is very sweet,” she tells Akaza. “I’m sure you and Rengoku-san will like him very much!”

Akaza raises an eyebrow at her. “But you don’t like him.”

“I don’t not like him,” Shinobu corrects. “It’s just not… preferable, that’s all. It really makes focusing difficult when he’s climbing all over me while I’m studying for exams! And besides, he keeps on eyeing my goldfish. I was a little bit concerned it was only a matter of time before he decided to go fishing!”

In the next fifteen minutes, they set up everything for Sota’s temporary home in the living room. Then, at long last, they open the hatched door of the cat carrier to let him out.

Sota is quite a pretty cat: a ragdoll with meticulously combed fur, light blue eyes, and a sweet temperament just like Shinobu had said. He steps slowly out of the carrier, peering around at them with curious eyes, before slowly stalking up to Shinobu and entwining his body around her legs.

Shinobu bends down and rubs his ears, although she doesn’t look like she’s particularly enjoying the task. “Friendly,” she tells Akaza, gesturing at the cat. “See? Almost too friendly, if you ask me! Now, Sota, why don’t you take a look around?”

The kitten lets out a rather plaintive meow and continues circling around Shinobu’s legs. She stands up. “Alright, I’m heading out,” she says. “Text me if you have any questions, and I can ask Nee-san for you!”

“He’s asking you to stay,” Akaza says to her. “Doesn’t that make you feel just a little bit guilty, Shinobu?”

Shinobu casts another glance at the cat, looks back up to Akaza, and shrugs. “He’ll latch onto you in no time, if he’s this happy to be with me after I spent the last three days trying to avoid him,” she replies. She ducks down to give Sota’s fluffy body one last smooth stroke. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Akaza!”

“How heartless,” Akaza tells her wryly, and she only flashes him a sweet smile before disappearing out of the front door.

Soon, she’s out the door and he and Sota are the only ones in the apartment.

Akaza bends down in front of the cat. He doesn’t look wary or try to hide as some shyer ones often do, but he doesn’t make any affectionate moves towards him like he did with Shinobu. Some time adjusting to his new surroundings will probably change that, Akaza figures. For now, the best he can do is make the cat feel safe here. Besides, cats had liked him when he was a demon, so he sees no reason for them not to like him now.

“Hi, Sota,” he breathes. Sota peers inquisitively at him with its wide blue eyes. Akaza offers his upturned palm towards the cat to smell, and, slowly, Sota leans forward to sniff him. He makes a small meow, pulls back briefly, then butts the top of his head against Akaza’s hand.

Delighted, Akaza runs his hand down Sota’s soft fur. His entire body rumbles in a purr.

Shinobu was right that this is a very sweet and affectionate cat. When he stands up to make his way to the couch, Sota is right at his heels, tail lifted high behind him. He follows Akaza onto the couch, curls up near him underneath a patch of afternoon sunlight, and falls asleep.

Kyojuro is supposed to get home in another two hours, so Akaza opens his book to read. At some point, he drifts off, fatigue still lingering from the sixteen hour night shift.

He awakens to the click of the front door. Blearily, Akaza blinks, his mind trying to catch up with just how much time has passed when he only thought he’d closed his eyes. The sunlight spilling over him has been replaced by the dimmed afterglow of dusk, while Sota has migrated from beside him to sleeping up on his lap.

There’s the sound of shuffling. Akaza can catch Kyojuro’s silhouette at the doorway, the hallway light making his hair turn gold.

“Kyojuro?” he calls.

“Hello!” Kyojuro replies. The switch flickers on before light properly floods over the living room, making Akaza squint. “Did Kocho—!” His eyes widen when he spots Sota. “The cat is here!”

All the commotion has woken Sota as well. He rises languidly from his curled-up position on Akaza’s lap and blinks open his blue eyes. For a couple of moments, he and Kyojuro seem to be appraising each other. Then, he leaps off Akaza’s lap and slowly walks towards Kyojuro, who has shed his jacket, scarf, and bag on the floor in favour of squatting down and offering his hand to the cat.

Akaza watches as Sota sniffs Kyojuro’s hand before nuzzling his head into his palm. Kyojuro’s entire face lights up. “I think he likes me!”

“Shinobu said he’s a very affectionate cat,” Akaza replies. “His name is Sota.”

“Sota,” Kyojuro repeats, sitting down on the floor next to the cat. “Ah, it’s so nice to meet you, Sota! I hope you’ll have fun here!”

Akaza watches them for a while, feeling warm. He can feel the thrum of Kyojuro’s emotions through the soulthread’s pulse, and he looks so sweet like this, a smile pulling at his lips, excitement behind his eyes. As much as Kyojuro looks charmed by Sota, the cat looks equally smitten with Kyojuro, because he’s rolled onto his back, purring as Kyojuro rubs his stomach.

Maybe they should get a cat after this, Akaza thinks, if it makes Kyojuro so happy. He goes around them to pick up Kyojuro’s scarf, jacket, and bag to hang it up properly. When he returns, Kyojuro is still sprawled on the floor, playing with Sota, who has taken an interest in batting at Kyojuro’s long hair.

“We have to leave for dinner in half an hour,” Akaza tells him. “Shinobu said Sota gets fed at six in the morning and evening. We can give him some food before we leave.”

Kyojuro turns to look up at Akaza. “We can just stay in for dinner today!” he exclaims.

Akaza gapes at him. “You don’t want to go out for dinner, Kyojuro?”

“What’s that supposed to mean!”

“Just that you’re always looking forward to Friday dinners.”

“Ah, well…” Kyojuro scratches Sota’s chin contemplatively. “Let’s go out tomorrow! We can get takeout for today!”

“Alright, Kyojuro,” he accedes, because Kyojuro really does look unfairly endearing playing with Sota and his cheerfulness is always contagious, and Akaza has trouble ever arguing with him. Kyojuro lets out a breathless laugh as Sota rubs his head against Kyojuro’s cheek. “What do you want to eat?”

At one in the morning, Akaza is awoken by very plaintive meowing outside their bedroom door.

Blearily, he blinks open his eyes. Kyojuro is still sleeping soundly next to him, apparently undisturbed by the ruckus outside.

Right. Shinobu had said that Sota, despite possessing a very comfortable and luxurious bed of his own, liked to sleep in other people’s beds. It had apparently been her final straw before she had passed Sota off to them to cat-sit.

(“You shouldn’t let him in,” she had instructed Akaza. “Nee-san told me that he’ll probably get tired of it at some point, so you might just have to brave it out!”)

Akaza closes his eyes again, curls closer to the comfortably warm flush of Kyojuro’s body, and tries to go back to sleep.

Unfortunately, it is to no avail. Sota has an incredibly loud meow, one that travels too well through their closed bedroom door. Even Kyojuro, who is a far deeper sleeper than Akaza is, stirs and awakens.

“What’s happening?” he croaks, the mattress dipping beneath him as he turns. “Is that—is that the cat?”

As if having heard Kyojuro’s acknowledgement, Sota gives a particularly loud meow.

“Yeah,” Akaza whispers back. “Shinobu told us we should just ignore him until he gets tired of it and goes back to sleep in his own bed.”

There is a moment of hesitation from Kyojuro, making Akaza wonder if he’s fallen back asleep. At last, Kyojuro says, “Would that be too mean!”

“They’re called boundaries, Kyojuro,” Akaza teases. “You’re too nice. You need to set them.”

“Very bold of you to talk about,” Kyojuro shoots back, but already, he’s sliding one of his hands under Akaza’s shirt, settling against his waist as he’s tugged closer. “From what I recall, you have been horrible with boundaries since the very first day we met. Always crossing into mine.”

“It was just with you,” Akaza replies. He can feel the faint tickle of Kyojuro’s soft hair against his throat, from where Kyojuro has tucked his body against Akaza’s. “Anyway, I’m sure Sota will stop soon.”

Soon does not come. They make a valiant attempt to go back to sleep, but the meowing on the other side of the door refuses to cease. It must have been another fifteen minutes when Kyojuro says, “What if we just let Sota inside?”

“That’ll just encourage him to do this every night, then.”

“It wouldn’t be too bad!” Kyojuro replies. “The bed is certainly big enough to fit another cat!”

Akaza considers it. Kyojuro is right—their bed is king-sized, which is too big for the two of them, and even successfully captures all of Kyojuro’s tossing and turning. It isn’t as if Sota will take up much room. And they only have the cat for two weeks.

Besides, whatever heartstrings that Sota’s sorrowful meowing had been aimed to tug at definitely seems to have worked on Kyojuro. He’s going to be talking all about it come morning if they don’t let Sota in, so Akaza relents. “Fine, Kyojuro,” he says. “Just so he stops meowing.”

“Okay!” Kyojuro says, sounding far too excited for this. The mattress shifts as Kyojuro gets up, his footsteps padding to the door before it swings open.

Sota lets out one last little meow before he’s streaking inside in a silvery shadow. With an agile hop, he jumps onto the bed and curls up at the base of it.

Well. All places to choose considered, that isn’t bad.

“Satisfied now, Kyojuro?” Akaza asks as Kyojuro climbs back into bed. He shivers, moving closer. “I’m going to tell Shinobu you were too softhearted to follow her instructions.”

“It’s not about me, it’s about Sota,” Kyojuro replies sleepily. He yawns. “And because I wanted you to get a good night’s sleep, and obviously that’s not going to happen if Sota keeps on making noise outside.”

“I almost believed you there, you liar,” Akaza laughs. “Goodnight, Kyojuro.”

He wakes up the next morning with Kyojuro on the other end of the bed, and Sota, who had initially kept a respectable distance at the end of the bed, having traitorously migrated so he’s curled right in the tangle of Kyojuro’s arms.

Akaza gapes at the sight in front of him for a few moments, not sure if he should be shocked, amused, or betrayed. It’s still quite early for a Saturday, a few minutes until eight, so he could go right back to bed and catch up on more sleep.

Then he decides that he’ll go cook Kyojuro something nice for breakfast. It isn’t as though Sota can one-up him there.

Akaza blinks out of his thoughts, a little miffed. He’s not jealous of—a cat. A cat who is very cute and sweet and looks adorable curled up asleep in Kyojuro’s arms. He has nothing to prove.

He pulls the blankets back over his shoulders. Maybe he can sleep for another hour more.

It takes four days, exactly, for Akaza to come to terms with the fact that he is jealous of a cat.

He likes Sota, he really does. And Sota seems to like him well enough, even if he did very obviously prefer Kyojuro whenever Kyojuro was around. So for the first few days, Akaza put his irrational thoughts on the backseat. He even snapped a few pictures of Kyojuro playing with Sota, then a few of Sota alone to send to Shinobu as proof that Kanae’s cat was alive and breathing.

Saturday was fine. They went out for the dinner they missed on Friday, decided that they would not let Sota in at night, then were awoken by plaintive wailing outside the bedroom door. “Fine, Kyojuro,” Akaza had said before Kyojuro had even spoken up, “just because I want you to get a good night’s sleep.” This time, when he awakens, both Sota and Kyojuro are gone—Akaza finds them in the living room as Kyojuro pours out cat food into the bowl.

Sunday, Akaza comes home at five in the morning from a night shift, stumbles into their bedroom, and finds Kyojuro and Sota fast asleep in their bed, the cat tucked snugly against Kyojuro’s chest. He’s so taken aback that he forgets how exhausted he is.

Monday, Kyojuro comes home as Akaza is preparing dinner. He spots Akaza, face lighting up in a smile. “You’re already home! I thought I was going to be earlier than you!”

“I finished quicker than I expected,” Akaza replies, taking Kyojuro’s coat from him to hang it up. He turns around to kiss him, only to hear a meow as Sota stalks primly up to Kyojuro and winds himself around his legs, beginning to purr.

“Hello, Sota!” Kyojuro exclaims, bending down. “I hope you weren’t lonely at home!”

Akaza bites down his remark. Not jealous, he tells himself, and certainly not of a cat. Who is not Kyojuro’s soulmate and can’t cook his favourite dishes for him. At least Kyojuro kisses him after he pets Sota, even though it definitely does not make Akaza feel like he’s been moved to second place.

Tuesday is his day off. Sota always cuddles up to him if it’s just the two of them, so they spend a good part of the afternoon on the couch between reading and napping. Akaza also quite likes Sota when Kyojuro isn’t around, although he supposes that just makes him second place to both of them.

And then at the click of the lock, Sota is scrambling off his lap and running towards the door to greet Kyojuro like Akaza never existed. From the living room, he hears Kyojuro’s excited exclamation. That is the final straw. Akaza’s valiant attempt at convincing himself he is not jealous crumbles into smithereens.

He pretends to be asleep on the couch while listening very carefully to the rather long conversation Kyojuro has with the cat at the doorway. The worst part is that Sota meows back to everything Kyojuro says, like he’s actually responding. Kyojuro inquires about Sota’s day, about whether or not he’s eaten yet, and then finally, finally: “Where’s Akaza?”

A questioning meow. The hallway light flickers on as footsteps travel over the wooden floors. Akaza keeps his eyes shut, hoping he’s making for a convincing enough nap.

The footsteps stop right in front of him. “Akaza!” Kyojuro says. “I can tell you’re not asleep!”

Akaza cracks open an eye. Kyojuro is bent down at the foot of the couch, his face a couple inches away from Akaza’s. “No, you can’t.”

“Yes, I can! Through the soul thread! And you’re pretty obvious!”

Defeated, Akaza pushes himself up. Kyojuro follows his movements to also sit down on the couch. Sota, ever attached at Kyojuro’s hip now (this must be the new reality Akaza needs to contend with), also hops onto the couch next to them and settles against Kyojuro’s leg. He lets out a content purr.

“Is something wrong!” Kyojuro asks.

Akaza glances at Sota, who stares back at him with big, blue, soulful eyes. The cat who had spent the entire afternoon cuddling with him on the couch, and who is, quite frankly, very sweet and well-behaved while Akaza is being irrational and selfish. He can share Kyojuro. With a cat. He can share Kyojuro with a cat.

“No,” Akaza says, trying his very best to make sure it’s not a lie. He’s fine. He can be not-jealous. “I was just a little tired. I woke up when you came back, Kyojuro.”

He receives a skeptical look back, but Kyojuro doesn’t push it. “Well!” he says cheerfully. “I’ve been thinking about making dinner with you all day! Ah, did I remember to take out the salmon from the freezer last night…”

Any previous upset dissolves at those words. It’s an inconsequential thing, but the fact that Kyojuro had been thinking about him all day pulls a smile to his lips that he can’t quite bite down. Akaza is not second place to a cat. The cat is second place to him. Kyojuro was not thinking about Sota all day. Still smiling, Akaza takes Kyojuro’s wrist to tug him up and pull him towards the kitchen. “I took it out this morning,” he reassures Kyojuro. “We can even give Sota a little. Shinobu said he liked salmon, right?”

“Ah, yes, as long as we make a piece for him without too many spices!” Kyojuro says. “Let’s do that! I’m sure he’ll be happy!”

Cooking and eating dinner comes and goes without any mishaps. Sota even abandons his ever-present haunt at Kyojuro’s side after he finishes eating the salmon piece of salmon they specially cooked for him. Instead, he lounges in a satiated puddle of white fur on the couch after he eats, lazily cleaning himself.

By the time Akaza finishes his shower and heads to bed, Sota has once again situated himself smack in the middle of their bed, a barrier of fur between him and Kyojuro, who is currently petting him with full concentration.

Any hint of jealousy he had fought so hard to tuck away comes roaring back like a dam broken. That is Akaza’s spot. That should be him invading Kyojuro’s personal space. Not Sota, who isn’t even asking to be let in in the middle of the night anymore—he’s just worked himself into their bedtime routine without any shame at all.

“Akaza,” Kyojuro calls. “What are you doing standing there! Let me dry your hair!”

It is impossible to be upset with him about anything. Swallowing, Akaza shuffles over, sits himself down on his side of the bed, and lets Kyojuro towel his hair dry.

Sota meows, watching with his wide, innocent blue eyes.

Akaza bites his tongue and looks away.

“You need to take your cat,” Akaza tells Shinobu, by way of greeting.

Shinobu, who had been hanging her coat up, stops to look at him. “Sorry?” she asks, looking genuinely confused. “What do you mean, I need to take the cat? It’s not mine, remember!”

“Okay, you need to take Kanae’s cat, then,” Akaza says.

“Still doesn’t answer my question!” She tilts her head. “Is Sota misbehaving? If he is, I have half the mind to think that you and Rengoku-san are doing something wrong, because everyone who has ever met him can vouch that his only fault is being a little clingy, and even then, I can hardly see that being an issue!”

There is a pregnant pause. Akaza is still turning the gears of his brain for something logical to say that would make him sound a little less pathetic, but unfortunately, Shinobu puts pieces together faster than he can work out his excuse.

“Oh, he is,” she says, sounding rather delighted. “Is Sota stealing Rengoku-san from you, Akaza?”

Akaza hopes his face isn’t as red as it feels. “That’s not why.”

“He is a very cute cat,” Shinobu continues, unrelenting. “I see why Rengoku-san would take a liking to him!”

“You’re missing the point.”

“I’d be happy to tell Nee-san to let you two cat-sit him for an additional week because Rengoku-san and Sota have grown so attached to each other!”

“I’m going to fire you.”

“Then I’ll report you to the hospital board for faking your license!” Shinobu shoots back. “And while we’re at it, for being nineteen years old!”

“They can’t prove that,” Akaza replies, then narrows his eyes. “Anyway, I’m not jealous.”

“I didn’t say you were,” Shinobu says. She looks far too amused now. “Just admit it, Akaza, you are jealous of a cat!”

“He sleeps in our bed every night.”

“I did tell you not to let him in!”

“Yes, well, he just blinks his big blue eyes at Kyojuro, and then Kyojuro does whatever he wants,” Akaza complains, giving in. He might as well just admit the truth to Shinobu. “And then every time Kyojuro is spending time with me, Sota comes right up like he has his own personal agenda to take his attention away.”

Shinobu looks like she’s trying to hold back a laugh. At last, she shakes her head. “I can’t imagine what that’s like,” she says, all fake-sober. “And I can’t think of anybody else in the house who would blink their big blue eyes at Rengoku-san to get what they want.”

It takes Akaza a couple of seconds to realize she’s talking about him. Offended, he folds his arms. “I don’t do that.”

“Right,” Shinobu says. “Never. Not even once.”

She wins the staring contest. Akaza pointedly turns on his computer so he can pretend he has something better to do than wallow in yet another defeat.

Ever-gracious, Shinobu comes to sit across from his desk. “You know,” she says, “you just need to stand up for yourself.”

“Stand up for myself. Against a cat.”

“Well, for one, you can stop letting Sota into your bedroom!” Shinobu points out. “Put your foot down! Or is Upper Moon Three a pushover?”

“I haven’t been Upper Moon Three for over a century, Shinobu,” Akaza protests, but he decides that what she says perhaps has a little merit. Maybe he does just need to be a little more firm, since Kyojuro is clearly too softhearted and Sota is taking advantage of that.

He gets home in the afternoon before Kyojuro does. Sota runs up to greet him, twines himself between Akaza’s legs a few times, and then rolls onto his stomach when Akaza bends down to pet him.

“Hi, Sota,” Akaza says. He puts his shoes away then sits criss-crossed in front of the cat. As if somehow sensing that they’ve moved onto a serious topic, Sota pulls himself elegantly back into a sitting position, neatly tucking his paws in front of him as he peers up at Akaza with inquisitive blue eyes.

“Okay,” Akaza says. “Kyojuro is going to come home soon, right?”

Sota tilts his head, still waiting.

“I know you like Kyojuro,” Akaza continues. “Everybody does. But I think you’re spending a little too much time with him.”

A questioning meow. Akaza elaborates, “You need to find other things to do, too.”

Another meow. Just as Akaza opens his mouth to say more, it hits him entirely just how he must be losing his mind. Here he is, four o’clock in the afternoon, and he’s sitting in their foyer having a one-sided conversation with a cat (who will be gone in a week’s time) about how he’s hogging Rengoku Kyojuro’s affections.

“Just a little less time around him,” Akaza bargains, pushing himself to his feet. “Okay, Sota? I’ll even give you a treat.”

In response, Sota rubs his cheek against Akaza’s leg, which he decides to take as an affirmation. Sota receives his treat with bright eyes, then retreats to the couch, curls up, and seems to take a nap.

Well. Maybe that was a helpful intervention, and by some inexplicable miracle, the message has gotten through to Sota, and the remaining week will see them faring better. Maybe.

It turns out to not be a helpful intervention. The door creaks open, and Sota, who had previously been sleeping so incredibly soundly on the cushions, comes racing over to greet Kyojuro at the front door while Akaza prepares for dinner in the kitchen.

“Hello, Sota!” Kyojuro laughs, bending down to pet the cat. “You look happy today!”

Akaza chops his carrots faster.

Kyojuro laughs again, a little breathless, saying something to Sota that isn’t discernible above the sound of the knife knocking against the wooden chopping board. A couple of seconds later, footsteps are coming up behind him, a hand sliding over Akaza’s waist before Kyojuro peers over his shoulder. A brief kiss is pressed against Akaza’s cheek. “And good afternoon to you too! What are you making?”

“I was just going to make soy-glazed carrots for a side dish,” Akaza replies. “I have most of the things prepared, Kyojuro, I don’t need help tonight.”

Kyojuro blinks at him. “Are you sure!”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just—” He eyes Sota in his periphery. The cat has followed Kyojuro right into the kitchen.

On second thought, if Kyojuro doesn’t help him in the kitchen, then he’ll probably just be somewhere cuddling with Sota.

“Actually, there’s spinach in the fridge that I was going to make salad with,” Akaza says. “Can you help me get it?”

All things considered, Akaza thinks he keeps a rather solid lid over his irrational jealousy for the best part of the evening. He does a decent job pretending that Sota isn’t sprawled over Kyojuro’s lap as he sits at the desk marking papers, and even tolerates it when Sota settles right in between them on the couch as the television flashes in the background. Contrary to Shinobu’s advice, Akaza even decides to let it go when Kyojuro keeps their bedroom door open for Sota to join them at night, deciding that he can very well survive just another week of sharing Kyojuro with a housecat.

Then, as Kyojuro is crawling into bed with his checkered pajamas, he says, “Maybe we should get our own cat after this!”

“No,” Akaza blurts, his mouth moving faster than his brain can process any implications.

Kyojuro blinks, looking surprised. “No?” he asks, sounding genuinely confused.

Akaza tries to backpedal. “I don’t know if it would be a good idea, Kyojuro,” he says. “I mean—this is just for two weeks, but it’ll be different long term, and…I don’t know, not all cats are as well-behaved as Sota.” Or as clingy, he almost adds.

Unfortunately, for all of his bright-eyed cheer and unrelenting optimism, Kyojuro is perceptive if not anything else, especially when it comes down to Akaza and his inability to ever tell a semi-believable lie. Amber eyes roam over his face for a couple of moments before Kyojuro asks, “Is something wrong, Akaza?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Akaza replies, far too quickly and definitely unconvincingly.

“Are you mad at me!”

Any resistance crumples at those words. Akaza turns to look properly at Kyojuro, who is peering at him with a concerned gaze. “I’m not mad at you, Kyojuro,” he says. “Of course I’m not mad at you. I just—”

Sota, sitting between them, licks his paw and brushes it primly over his face. Akaza swallows. This is even harder to get out than he expected.

“You just what?” Kyojuro prompts.

“It’s stupid, Kyojuro.”

“I won’t know unless you tell me!”

“It’s just…” Akaza drags his gaze away from Kyojuro to stare at Sota, since that seems a little less embarrassing. “Sota—Sota really likes you, that’s all. He’s always around you.”

“Are you jealous of me because you think Sota likes me more?”

Somehow, that seems to be the less humiliating option. Akaza gnaws on his bottom lip. “You’re so close, Kyojuro.”

A pause. “Oh. Are you…jealous of Sota?”

Akaza is dead certain he’s gone red, so he can’t even aim for any level of nonchalance before. He knows it’s silly and irrational and he also knows that obviously, Kyojuro isn’t going to choose a fucking cat over him, but at the same time…

“I’m not jealous,” Akaza elaborates, pathetically. “I just thought that you two were… spending a lot of time together.” He glances at Sota, who has stopped cleaning his paws to stare at Akaza with big blue eyes. “And I don’t dislike Sota at all, before you say anything about that. He’s cute. I like him. I swear.”

There is a moment of silence before Kyojuro bursts out laughing, fond and amused all at once, and Akaza thinks he’s turned even redder. Maybe he’s gone purple by now. He shoves Kyojuro’s shoulder and glares at him. “Don’t expect me to ever tell you anything again, Kyojuro,” he accuses.

“What! No!” Kyojuro manages, but he’s still laughing. “Don’t look at me like that! I promise I’m not laughing at you.”

“You’re not even a convincing liar.”

“No, really!” Kyojuro reaches between them to catch Akaza’s cheeks between his palms. A moment later, his face is being lifted up so Kyojuro can stare right at him, eyes crinkled, lips still curved with mirth. “You’re just also really cute, that’s all! Especially when you’re pouting!”

Now properly embarrassed, Akaza grabs Kyojuro’s wrists so he can pull his hands away. “I’m not pouting, you’re squeezing my face. And now you’re just trying to win back my good graces after you spent the past week ignoring me for Sota, Kyojuro.”

“You’re exaggerating!” Kyojuro shoots back, wriggling his wrists free from Akaza’s grasp. He’s tugged into a hug immediately after, and Akaza lets his body go lax in Kyojuro’s familiar grasp. He can see Sota still sitting beside them, staring up at Akaza like he’s contemplating joining in and cuddling up to Kyojuro as well.

Wait your turn, Akaza mouths at Sota.

“You’re always going to be my favourite, Akaza,” Kyojuro tells him, a little muffled into Akaza’s shoulder. Akaza can hear the hint of a smile in his voice. “Do you remember when you got upset because I told you I had eaten dinner with Kanroji and Uzui? And you told me that there was no reason for you to be jealous, because at the end of the day, you were the one I was always coming back to.”

Oh. The memory comes creeping back now. “You still remember, Kyojuro?”

“Of course! And we went to look at the flowers after!”

“And there was nothing but sprouts, because you mistimed when they bloomed.” And then the weight of Kyojuro’s words hit him, half a minute too late. You’re always going to be my favourite, Akaza. He feels tender all over, warm enough to melt sugar into syrup. He buries his face into Kyojuro’s neck, stray strands of hair tickling his skin. “I can’t be your favourite demon anymore, though.”

“That’s no matter!” Kyojuro replies. “A favourite’s a favourite, anyway.”

A laugh pulls itself out of Akaza’s throat. He shifts the hug, pushing Kyojuro down onto the bed so he can sprawl over his body and grin down at him. “You can’t take it back now, Kyojuro.”

“I’m a little offended you’d think I would do such a thing!” Kyojuro replies. “I would never—”

Akaza cuts him off by kissing him. Kyojuro relaxes into it immediately, one hand sliding from Akaza’s shoulders to tangle into the hair at the base of his neck. Akaza moves down, kissing over Kyojuro’s jaw, the line of his throat. He smells faintly of the soap Akaza uses and the citrus hints of his shampoo. The fingers in his hair tightens when Akaza bites down lightly against Kyojuro’s collarbone, the syllables of his name tumbling out between a slightly shaky laugh, fingertips digging into his skin, and then—

Sota lets out a questioning meow. Akaza jerks back from Kyojuro so fast he thinks he gives himself whiplash. The cat is peering at both of them, looking vaguely curious. Akaza feels like he just got caught with his hand inside a cookie jar. For a few paralyzed seconds, all he does is stare at Sota, getting an inexplicable urge to apologize.

Kyojuro jerks him out of his trance. He gives Akaza a push to his feet, an arm wrapping around his waist to tug him away from the bed. “Let’s go shower,” Kyojuro murmurs into his skin.

Still feeling rather frazzled, Akaza rips his gaze away from Sota to look at Kyojuro. “You already did this morning, Kyojuro.”

A brief kiss is pressed against the underside of his jaw before Akaza is being led away with more force than before. “Not with you, no!” Kyojuro replies. Another kiss against his lips, this one chaste enough that it has Akaza chasing more, and whatever protest he might have come up with about late nights and early mornings is buried behind oblivion.

When Kyojuro gets home in the afternoon, Akaza has already spent the past three hours in the kitchen, and the air is aromatic with the earthy-sweet undertones of sweet potato.

Sota has accompanied him throughout the baking process, affectionate as always. He twines himself around Akaza’s legs, jumps onto the counter to inspect, and while he shows no interest in the sweet potato mochis, he seems to have taken a liking to the creme brulee sauce as Akaza whisks it together. He has to move Sota away as he sets it on the stove to simmer, fearful that he’ll get burned and curiosity will in fact kill the cat.

“What are you making!” Kyojuro exclaims as he takes off his shoes, slides into slippers, and shuffles into the kitchen. Akaza had timed everything quite perfectly; the sweet potatoes, mixed with the creme, have cooled down sufficiently in the fridge for the past two hours, so all he needs to do is torch it. He’d finished the mochi just fifteen minutes ago, dusting them with kinako and letting them rest on the chopping board.

“The sweet potatoes were on sale,” Akaza replies. “And it’s been so cold the past few days that I thought I might as well get it. Apparently roasted sweet potato is best on days when it’s cold.”

“Of course!” Kyojuro says. “I’m pretty sure I told you that!”

“No, last year you told me we should eat them all year around, except they weren’t in season during spring, Kyojuro.”

“I might’ve said that too!” Sota, at that point, leaps off the counter to greet Kyojuro. Kyojuro bends down to scratch his chin. “Hello!”

“He’s been watching me bake all afternoon,” Akaza says. He takes the sweet potatoes out of the fridge, then goes to search for the torch.

“You two seem to be getting along pretty well!”

“What do you mean, Kyojuro, we’ve been getting along from the very beginning.”

“Mm,” Kyojuro replies, sounding unconvinced. Akaza starts to torch the sweet potatoes, the smell of sugar burning sinking into the air.. He feels the brush of soft hair over his nape as Kyojuro leans over his shoulder to peer at it. “And are you sure your good mood has nothing to do with the talk we had last night about you being my favourite?”

Akaza sets the blowtorch down to spin around and look at Kyojuro properly. His eyes are bright, cheeks still a little bit flushed from being in the cold—he must have walked home from school instead of taking the bus. Reaching up, he loosens Kyojuro’s tie so he can tug his collar aside, pulling low enough to trace over the faint bruising of a bite over his collarbone. “You call that a talk?”

“It seems like we are referring to two separate events!”

Akaza’s laugh spills out through his lips as he leans up to kiss Kyojuro. “I always knew I was your favourite, Kyojuro.”

“Yes, I’m sure you just need a couple reminders here and there, especially when there’s a cat around!” Kyojuro pulls away to peer at the sweet potato creme brulees, attention obviously captured elsewhere. “Can we eat it now!”

“What if I told you they’re supposed to be dessert?”

“They seem better when fresh! Let’s eat now!”

Akaza gives up on teasing Kyojuro, having long since learned that there is no standing between Kyojuro and his favourite foods. They chat about the day, while Sota settles on Kyojuro’s lap. At some point, Kyojuro pulls a box of chocolate from his bag and hands it to Akaza. It’s his favourite type—the store that sells it is a twenty-five minute detour from Kyojuro’s typically twenty minute walk home.

(“An apology,” Kyojuro says, eyes crinkling. “Just in case you start getting jealous of Sota again!”

“I’m not going to be,” Akaza shoots back, but he’s grinning so hard he can barely get the words out.)

The rest of the evening passes quietly but contently. Akaza isn’t very hungry after eating half a sweet potato, so he prods at his dinner until Kyojuro takes it from him to finish up. After he delivers a portion up to Maruyama, they begin settling down to get ready for bed. Since a couple of weeks ago, the apartment has begun to feel a little cold, especially at night, and Akaza has been looking forward to curling up with Kyojuro underneath the duvet for quite some time now.

Kyojuro must have seen him shivering, because a couple of minutes later, he hauled their space heater out from the closet and plugged it in. “Maybe we need to get the heating looked at!” he tells Akaza as he climbs into bed. “It shouldn’t be getting this cold when the temperature drops!”

“Maybe,” Akaza agrees. He can feel the warmth of the space heater radiating. “I’ll submit a maintenance request tomorrow.”

Sota, like he’s been doing for the past couple of weeks, pads silently into their bedroom. Instead of jumping into bed and cuddling up to Kyojuro like he’s been doing, he stops in front of their space heater and gives it a curious sniff.

“We’ll be warmer tonight with that!” Kyojuro reassures Sota.

Sota circles the heater once, twice, smells it again, then settles down in a heap of white fur in front of it.

There is a moment of silence before Kyojuro calls, “Sota?”

No movement. The curled-up position Sota had settled in at the front of the space heater seems to be long-term.

“Do you think he’s confused?” Kyojuro asks, sounding rather confused himself.

Akaza blinks at Sota’s form. He had sought Kyojuro out every time Kyojuro was home over Akaza, but… now that he thinks of it, Kyojuro does run incredibly warm. His skin is always a hearth’s burn to the touch, although he clearly—well, he still doesn’t win a competition against a space heater.

The realization hits him and Akaza almost says it aloud, except one look at Kyojuro’s crestfallen expression and it seems too cruel to point out. Thankfully, Kyojuro says it for him. “Do you think Sota only liked me that much because he thought I was warm?” Kyojuro asks.

“I’m sure he still likes you,” Akaza reassures. He wraps an arm around Kyojuro’s shoulder to pull him down, then reaches over to flick off the lamp. Darkness cascades over the room. He tugs Kyojuro closer. For the first time in the past week, he gets Kyojuro all to himself instead of having to worry about accidentally suffocating a cat between them. “What can I say, Kyojuro? I’d choose you over a space heater anyday. You’re my favourite too.”

“It really seems like you’re enjoying this development even though you’re pretending to sound sympathetic right now!”

“No,” Akaza says in his most serious voice he can muster. “I’m heartbroken for you, Kyojuro. Really.”

“You are a horrible liar!”

Akaza laughs. Despite his words, Kyojuro’s hands are sliding absentmindedly under his shirt to settle against his waist. He really does run hot, Akaza thinks sleepily, and this is a thousand times better than any space heater. Sota really is missing out, but Akaza isn’t going to complain.

“You’re warm,” Akaza tells Kyojuro, nuzzling his cheek into the crook of Kyojuro’s neck.

A pause. The laugh this time is softer, fonder. “I guess you’re like a cat too,” Kyojuro says. “Goodnight, Akaza!”

Sleep is beckoning too deep for him to process any feigned offence at that declaration. Akaza only says it back before he drifts off, curled comfortably in Kyojuro’s arms.

“So, where is he?” Shinobu asks when she comes by to pick up Sota. “Still hogging Rengoku-san from you?”

“Actually!” Kyojuro chimes from the living room. “He’s found a new favourite! He’s next to the space heater!”

“He…” Shinobu looks genuinely confused for a couple of moments. “Is this something I should be concerned about? And goodness me, Akaza, your apartment sure is cold!”

“I’m sure it’s nothing of concern,” Akaza tells her glibly. “He’ll probably come over once we turn off the space heater. I’ll go get him.”

They pack up everything with relative ease. Sota is soon back in his cat carrier. Despite the betrayal a couple nights ago, Kyojuro is still as fond as ever of Sota, because he kneels in front of the carrier talking to Sota and promising something about visiting soon. Akaza and Shinobu trade a few more words before she’s off, cat carrier in hand.

“Can I assume you’d be alright with cat-sitting the next time Kanae wants to entrust him to me?” she asks them before she departs.

“Yes!” Kyojuro exclaims. “Maybe send Sota over in the summer!”

Akaza bumps Kyojuro’s hip with his own. “I don’t think Sota would want to be around you in the summer because then he’d be even hotter, Kyojuro. Especially with all that fur. You know, we could just put away the space heater.”

“I want him to like me organically!”

Shinobu watches the exchange with a mystified expression before nodding. “Okay!” she says. “I’ll let Nee-san know. I’ll see you next week, Akaza!”

“Bye, Sota!” Kyojuro chimes. “Bye, Kocho!”

Shinobu meets Akaza’s gaze before the door shuts. She raises an eyebrow and mouths, It worked out?

I stood up for myself, Akaza mouths back.

Shinobu rolls her eyes at him. Sota, as if sensing a farewell, lets out one last meow before the door closes behind them.