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5up blinks tiredly. He’s fully aware his lover’s staying out late meeting Steve somewhere. DK may have told him not to wait for him, but he wanted to. Instead of falling asleep alone, he wanted to sleep with the comfort of DK wrapped around him.
There was only one tiny problem. His boyfriend didn’t know about his.. ability to become a cat and that he needed to shift at least once a month or else his body would just succumb to it unwillingly.
Since dating DK starting Valentine’s Day, he hasn’t shifted since he mostly hung around in his apartment, with either just him or sometimes someone would come over. Did he mention it’s almost halfway through March?
His hands curled and uncurled involuntarily, wanting to be paws but 5up refused it, knowing DK would soon text him that he would be back soon. Unfortunately, since his own body is working against itself, when he next blinks his white paws are very clear to his face. Fuck.
5up sighed and groomed his brown and white fur, smoothing it out. His ears perked up as the roomba that was going around hit something, so he jumped down to go investigate.
His tail swooshed excitedly behind him as his paws treaded the unfamiliar ground of DK’s apartment.
His cat mind saw the vacuum and crept toward it, pouncing at it and landing on top of it ceremoniously.
He curled himself onto it more, making sure he wouldn’t fall. He slid around each room of the apartment. It was fun to glide around the small space, despite nearly falling more than enough to scare him into never doing this again.
When he finally fell off the roomba in a nowhere near as graceful way as he’d gotten on, he fell in front of the door, and just his luck, DK was opening the door. Shit, he hadn’t even heard his phone buzzing.
The lock clicked and the door slid open. His lover stared at the cat. He offered a small meow, with his boyfriend’s eyes widening.
“Wha- huh? How did- 5up? Did you let this cat in?” DK stutters, eyes not leaving the now-cat. His ears perked at the mention of his name. 5up looked up into his eyes which were much higher now that he was small.
He decided to nudge DK to their shared room, him surprisingly complying very well. Despite his confusion at first, he looked from the messy, empty bed to the cat. Very slowly he began to understand. 5up did not use 'very slowly’ lightly. It took DK 10 minutes of a crisis to come to a conclusion. (of course he helped, he isn’t cruel)
“Oh. 5up?” He asked the cat, 5up meowing in agreement and nuzzling his head against his leg. DK laughs and picks him up. He chirps in surprise, though doesn’t resist the manhandling.
“So, how’d you become a cat, baby?” He said through a few giggles. 5up yawned and stretched before settling in his lover’s lap.
He figured he wouldn’t be human before morning, so he could just infiltrate DK’s personal space (not that he ever had any when it came to 5up).
5up began to purr contentedly as his lover’s hands picked him up again and brought him deeper into their bed, then his ears are being rubbed. His purrs pause momentarily. He’s never shapeshifted in front of a human so it’s an odd feeling at first, but he warms up to it.
He doesn’t feel alone, which is the best part. Usually when he was shapeshifted, it was like the world was against him, though, with DK, he feels like he’s safe. Loved. His eyes snap shut as he drifts back off into sleep.
When he wakes up, he can feel his cat ears on his head and his tail, but he also has his human hair and human hands. 5up did not know this was possible at all. DK begins to run a hand through his hair as he’s awake.
“Morning, 5-cat. Or maybe Cat-up?” He says fondly. 5up rolls his eyes.
“Neither of those,” He mumbles sleepily. DK’s hand moves out of his hair to pet his ears. It’s nice, even as a human. 5up’s tail swooshes and then disappears, as well as the cat ears. He sighs and looks up at DK. He doesn’t seem to be judging.
“I uhm. Can shapeshift. Into a cat that is. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner. I was scared.” He finally admitted aloud. His boyfriend nods and smiles.
“It’s alright. I can understand why you’d be. I still love you the exact same. I promise, 5-cat.” DK swears, placing his hand on his heart. It makes 5up giggle and lay his head basically where he put the hand.
“I believe you. I love you too.” He smiles. DK pulls him in for a quick peck and gets up. 5up whines and pulls him back down.
“Sleep more,” He whispered, as if telling a deep secret. His boyfriend laughed. His after shifting cat-like sleep tendency was kicking in.
He wanted to curl up into a ball and forget about everything, except DK who would be petting his ears as he purred and fell asleep. It was such a docile thought for 5up, which caused him to think.
Was he going soft? Not just for anyone, for DK? For one of the most stupid people he knew? He’d quickly learned that the ‘stupid’ thing was for a bit in Among Us, DK actually showing off some interesting intelligence. In this moment, it seemed to be 5up who was disoriented and groggy.
“Did you hear me, kitty?” DK asked. 5up blinked. He had ears on top of his head that pricked up at his voice again. He bets if he tried, his tail would swish through the covers.
“Hm?” He chooses to answer DK instead. He kisses the top of his head, his face turning as soft as his thoughts.
“I said you have the lobby today. I’m there today though.” He brushes his fingers against his furry ears, a small purr making its way from his chest to his mouth, where it tumbles out his lips. DK smiles and cups his face, kissing him for real.
It’s nearly as magical as their first kiss, since he finally has the weight of his secret lifted.
5up is begrudgingly dragged out of bed, but he turns into a cat instead of trying to gain enough strength to walk in this too-large body for how he feels right now.
DK starts up some solos and he curls into his lap exhaustedly. His tail flicks around and wags in between games, when he reaches his hand to pet 5up’s back. His soft purrs don’t catch on the microphone, thankfully. Since DK started at 6am that morning, he ends at 9am so they can have some time before the lobby.
5up leaps off his lap and turns back into a human, promptly dragging the both of them to the couch.
“Cuddle,” He demands sternly. DK can only laugh and oblige, holding 5up tightly. He nearly dozed off when very rudely, DK tells him they need to set up for the lobby. He pouts and whines, but DK does not give in. 5up sighs and stands up to get ready.
“Hey, 5up, guess what?” He drawls, a coy smile making home on DK’s face. 5up blinks at him questioningly. He squeaks as he’s picked up and placed on his boyfriend’s lap.
“On Wednesdays, we wear pink.” DK smirks. It takes him a moment to register the comment before he’s cackling and giggling, causing his lover to join his laughter.
“One character? Please? I don’t wanna set up a stream.” 5up begs. DK finally agrees with him.