Chapter Text
Disclaimer: These chapters are all RP which have been converted and elaborated into fics, this fic subscribes to the headcanons that Equius made Nepeta's tail, as well as that he gave her her coat.
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The feline troll held her breath as she slowly crept up behind her prey, a troll with long black hair and a broken horn. She grinned in anticipation, being careful not to make a sound as she inched closer and closer until he was within reach—he was too preoccupied with the metal he was working with to sense the immenent threat of her ferocious claws. The grin widened as she tensed to pounce. And as she left the ground, two words left her mouth:
“Hi, Equius!!”
Equius sat at his desk, his room dark save the light of his moniter, he'd been working on one of the many robotic apendages that lay strewn about his quarters. It had been light when he'd started, but in his concentration, the troll had been hunched over his work for a good few hours, not leaving to even turn the lights on.
He straightened his back and quickly set down any delicate pieces as he felt Nepeta pounce onto him; it was standard procedure whenever his moirail would interrupt his work in such a fashion.
Nepeta giggled at the little game she played with herself as she clung to his back. Her arms were clasped tightly around his collarbone so she couldn't be shaken easily, but wasn't choking her moirail. Her legs also clasped around his waist, another protective measure showing she wasn't going anywhere. “How are you?” The girl's grin never faltered.
Though his mind still spun with diagrams of circuits and hyrdrolics, he almost always had time for Nepeta. After a moment he rose from he desk and tried greet her properly, even if she was hanging off of him. "I am going quite well..thank you for asking. And yourself?"
“I'm doing pretty good!” she stated, purring lightly as she eyed what he had been working on. “Just been bored today.” Nepeta giggled again as she poked his cheek. “How about yourself? just been building?”
“Affirmative.'' He replied with a sheepish smile; while he was proud of what he had made, he was firmly aware of the growl coming from his stomach but hoped his feline friend hadn't heard, Nepeta had often told him off in the past for staring at his circuits for too long and ignoring his body's needs.
Nepeta knew him too well—he probably hadn't moved all day from this seat, and the growl she heard only proved her point. “You should have some fun!” The feline-like troll poked his cheek again, resting her chin on his shoulder and grinning at him.
"Hmm..Fun? I have plenty of fun.." Equius muttered as he took the towel from his neck and moped his brow with the end. He moved freely about his respiteblock with Nepeta still attached to him as though she weighed nothing at all.
A mock pout settled on her face. “Yeah, but not with me!” Her eyes widened innocently as she met his gaze. “Don't you like to spend time with me?” Despite Nepeta's sad expression, her tone was lightly teasing, and she fought to keep the grin from her features.
"Why...yes of course." He sounded slightly shocked she would even suggest such a thing. "You above all should know how I divide my time.'' There is even a little indignance in his tone. Other than robots and training, the blueblood spent most of his time with the cat like troll.
A somewhat childish giggle pushed past her lips at his seriousness. “I'm glad you like to spend time with me.” Nepeta pat his face lightly, in between his eyes and down his nose. “I like to spend time with you too!” A cheeky smile lit her face.
Equius continued to let her hang from his shoulders as he went to get a new towel from his clean pile, ''So...what did you have in mind?"
“Anything!” Nepeta thought for a moment and suggested, “We could wrestle?!” Before he could deny the idea, she added, “I got stronger!!”
He smiled, of course he would have to control his strength but she was certainly agile enough to wriggle out of his grasp if necessary. They both knew he'd restrain himself to the utmost degree whenever she was concerned.
Nepeta knew exactly what he is thinking, and added with a little pout, “You know, you don't have to restrain yourself—I bet I'm strong enough to handle you full furce!!” She grinned as she added in the little cat pun and waited for his answer.
Equius pursed his lips at that, the expression looked a little ridiculous on him but he isn't bothered about false illustions of masculinity. "Nepeta, you know I can not allow that." He folded his arms resolutely over his chest.
She knew this was coming, but tried to remain chill and optimistic about the wrestling idea. “Why? I don't think you'll hurt me.” She had faith in her moirail—and even he did slip up and manage to injure her, she would forgive him. It was her idea all along.
"Well then..prepare yourself." Rather than argue about it, Equius quickly lowered himself into a crouch, this was mostly to get Nepeta to jump off his shoulders so they could 'wrestle' safely.
Nepeta was certainly surprised that he gave in so quickly, but wouldn't waste this opportunity. She giggled, climbing off of his back and moving quickly to stand in front of him. The feline took up a defensive position, a wide, determined grin on her face. “Ready when you are!!”
"I'm ready," he rumbled with a toothy smile, "Show me how STRONG you are." He makes a bit of a show of lumbering towards her.
Nepeta giggled and put her fists up like she was going to punch him. “You're about to get one heck of a show!!” She pounced at him, fists forgotten as she threw her weight at him, trying to get him to fall—she knew she could throw as many punches at him as she wanted, but it wouldn't do much good against Equius.
The Sagittarius kept his arms by his sides, but held out in a typically STRONG manner. Letting her throw her weight against his chest, he let himself fall back, gravity taking him down more than anything else.
Nepeta sat on top of him as he fell, straddling his waist as she tried to manhandle his arms into a pin so she could claim victory. Though she knew he wouldn't give up, she liked to pretend she was winning.
Made several exaggerated grunting noises as he slowly raised his arms to have them by the sides of his head. "Why... It seems like you've bested me, perhaps you're STRONGER than I thought." He grinned at her from his position on the floor.
Nepeta stuck her tongue out and tightened her grip a little. “Pfft, I know you aren't actually trying!” Her voice was taunting, but not insultingly so. “Come on, equius! fight back!” Her grin showed she was just playing around with him.
"You know that would not be wise." He warned as he lay there, hair a dark halo around his head.
Nepeta put on the most pleading face she could muster. "Come on, it's just a game, Equius.. pleeeeaasseeee play with me?"
''Fiddlesticks Nepeta, you know the extent of my STRENGTH.'' or he should have said, destructive capabilities. Either way the blue tail which whipped about energertically against Equius's legs was clear reminder on why he lived everyday with the utmost control and caution.
"I'm not worried at all," she said with a warm smile. It quickly turned playful again. "Come on, please play with me? You don't have to try and kill me or anything--I'd appreciate that, in fact~ But just humor me, roughhouse a little! I'm not a wriggler anymore, I know what I'm doing. Really, I'll be fine."
Equius thought it pretty lucky his Lusus was out of the hive, he would certainly not appreciate the havoc that was about to be wreaked. "Hm..I suppose a little roughhousing couldn't hurt.'' He hoped to grub as he stood up, sending Nepeta rolling off him.
Nepeta grinned, giggling as she fell off. "Yeah! Now the fun begins!!" She quickly stood up, facing him in the same defensive position. "Your turn, E~ Come at me!!"
Equius knew he wasn't exactly built for speed but he wasn't slow either, ''Brace yourself, little meowbeast..'' He charged towards her at less than his best, making to try and grab and throw her in a STRONG TOSS.
Nepeta let him grab her, but clung to him, swinging up behind him with her agility and clinging around his neck, using his momentum and the added mass of her--which wasn't that much but still--to try and push him forward and fall again. That tended to be her favorite strategy in these kind of games. To down her opponent first.
Equius did stumble forward slightly, his trainers squeaking as he spun around, trying to dislodge her without blindly grabbing behind him. Normally he would go to throw his oppenent right over his head, but grabbing Nepeta by the arms was not the best idea so he steered clear of it.
Nepeta only clung to him tighter, jumping off a few moments later and landing expertly on her feet a few feet away. "Again!" she giggled, seeming unphased. "You aren't as tough as I thought~" She jeered teasingly him, but meant it in good spirit.
Equius let himself fall on his butt, there was no strength in that and therefore risked no one injury. He chortled softly as his glasses fell askew on his face.
Nepeta grinned and giggled at his stumble. "Smooth, E. Your agility just astounds me," she teased lightly. "Give up?"
He smiled unashamedly at her, missing and cracked teeth were not something he hid around his moirail. ''I suppose im just not as STRONG as yourself.'' He moves up to lean against the side of his recoperacoon, quite surprised they hadn't destroyed much at all, sure there were a few screws and arrow pieces he'd stomped flat, but otherwise it was all quite satisfactory. "I surrender"
"You have to let me pin you~" Nepeta giggled. "And then I win!" She didn't hesitate, pouncing on him and clinging to his back, waiting him to either fall or fight back, whichever he was in the mood for.
Equius had more or less cornered himself against his recooperacoon and devised a plan. He got the flats of his palms under Nepeta and begun to work her off him and edging her towards the openning where the slime glistened invitingly within. ''Or maybe, you're going to take one of those catnaps you so enjoy..'' While his voice was low, it was also mischievous.
"W-what! Hey, don't you dare!!!" Nepeta couldn't keep a smile from her voice as she struggled, clinging onto him tightly. "I swear, Equius, if you put me in there, I'll.. I'll beat you up! You're gonna be so dead! Like waaaay dead! There will be no such thing as surrender!!" She squealed as they got nearer, tightening her grip on him and trying not to let him get a hold on her to pry her off.
Equius isn't even actually holding onto her, just dangling her precariously from his hands, it was her grip that, if failing to keep herself attached to him, would send her into the warm gooey embrace of the sopor below.
He couldn't help but let out a deep laugh not unlike that of a super villian revealing his evil plans in a corny movie. ''Oh no...'' He's struggling to keep the seriousness in his voice, ''I think you might be...slipping.''
"Noooooo! Equius don't you dare!!" Nepeta tried to be serious as she clung to him tightly, flailing as she cling to his hands. "If I go in, you are totally coming with me!! Don't you dare let go, Equius Zahhak!!" She used his full name as if in a stern way, but the nervous grin on her face showed the mixture of playfulness and not wanting to go into the sopor. "I swear, you will pay!! Pay pay pay for the rest of your days!!! Nooo!" Nepeta continued to cling to him, giggling and holding on for dear life.
Equius finally made to grab her by the cuffs of her massive jacket; one he'd bought for her when their moirallegiance was still fresh. It was touching how she wore it despite it not fitting her at all. He still joked with her to this day that if she drank enough milk she'd grow into it. He pulled her easily away from the mouth of the recooperacoon and set her on it instead. ''Enough...horse play for today?''
"Yeahyeahyeahyeah!!" Nepeta clung to him tightly, her arms around his neck as if she would fall off the Earth if she let go. "But I still win, okay? I've got you pinned to the air, or something.." She grinned meekly.
He nodded, slowly getting down on one knee; this gave Nepeta ample time to climb out of the way or off him. He let his hair obscure his face as he bowed his head, ''Of course, you were a worthy adversary.'' He looked up at her; smile bright, and glasses STILL askew and hanging off one ear, ''I surrender." He speaks with an air of finality.
Nepeta climbed off of him and grins, papping his nose with a gloved hand. "Brave warrior, your honor will be rewarded with me sparing your life. You may instead be my meowrail furever." She giggled playfully, offering her fingers in a "v" shape, a half diamond for Equius to complete.
Equius stood, gallantly rising from his position like a newly anointed knight of the realm. "Meowrails forever.'' He smiled, the warm feeling inside his chest made him thank the MotherGrub that Nepeta Leijon had come to fill one of his quardrants.
He extended his hand, completing the diamond symbol between them, and, despite his latest robot still lying in pieces around them, it had certainly been a fulfilling day.
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