A/N: Hi! Sooo this is my first posted fanfic. I never worked up the courage to post one of my stories here until now, and if you read it and like it, please let me know. I would be delighted to hear your thoughts on the story. This is dedicated to Ollie dearest and Sweetie-Mai, thank you for encouraging me to do this.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or the characters, except Oliver the kitten, who I really wish was real.
Note to self: never, ever, let Yasu take care of a living being again.
Mai Taniyama sighed heavily, adjusting the strap of her canvas bag. She couldn't help but growl as she taped a missing cat flier to a pole.
And to think I just got Oliver a tag and collar...
She leaves Yasu with her new flatmate for no less than three hours, and she comes home to find herself petless. Apparently, one of her neighbors came to the door, and the sneaky kitty slipped out without him noticing.
Normally, Mai wasn't protective to the point of calling a babysitter when she would only be gone for a few hours, but Oliver had been abandoned and when she brought him home, he quickly became attached. It just didn't sit right with her to leave him in the flat alone, especially when he was so underfed, so she called up the only person she knew wouldn't be working: Yasu.
Boy, what a mistake that was….
Oliver had been missing for a week and her break was the only time she could put up fliers and look, but even then, she didn't have much luck in finding him. As if that wasn't enough, she still had three papers due by the end of the week. Running a hand over her face, Mai looked down at the picture of Oliver the day she brought him home.
He was looking over a baby blue blanket and staring at the camera and Mai couldn't look away from Oliver's trademark triangle of white fur.
"Mai, sweetie," Ayako, her boss, called as Mai put up the last flier. "Break's over! Back to work!" Mai sighed once again and trudged back to the café, fretting over the conditions Oliver might be subjected to at the moment.
I really hope someone finds him and gives him back…
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Oliver Davis-no, Kazuya Shibuya, he reminded himself, was not a morning person. If you wished to live a long, happy life, you would do well to refrain from waking him at what he considered an ungodly hour (noon).
The tiny black kitten purring on his face didn't seem to care about such rules as it dug its claws into his scalp. Why Noll allowed himself to see to such a nuisance was a mystery in itself, but for the past week he took care of the pesky, malnourished creature.
Noll moved the fuzzy motorboat off his face and, quite literally, rolled out of his bed, sending his comforter with him. The damn cat, not at all bothered by this new development, hopped off the bed and climbed his way to the top of the warm chrysalis Noll encased himself in. If someone was to walk into his room-which both his "guardian" Lin and his brother, Gene were well aware would result in their demise-they would be greeted with a surly teenager, curled up on the ground and wrapped in a fluffy cocoon with a black kitten perched on his head.
Nothing short of adorable, and Noll was extremely glad neither Madoka nor his mother were here to gush over his predicament.
Moving the cat back onto the bed, Noll groggily bee-lined for the bathroom. A few minutes later, and Noll was out of the bathroom, dressed, and quietly sipping on his morning tea. Just as he was about to take another sip, a random piece of paper was shoved in his face.
"Read it," commanded Gene.
Noll, blinked then snatched the flier from his twin's bossy grasp. Glaring, Noll took one look at the paper in his hand and felt his stomach drop. The flier said in bright, bold letters: 'MISSING: Oliver, a black kitten with a white triangle on his third eye. He is very tiny and skinny and has a blue ribbon with a bell attached to it. If found, please head to Gaia's Garden café and ask for Mai.'
Noll looked down at the flier, and up to his twin. "Gene…." Gene grabbed the flier and pointed at the kitten. "Noll, he has a home. Don't you think he should go back to it?"
No. For all we know, his owner could have been neglecting him.
Noll. You don't know that. You should at least meet the girl. You have to find out if that's his owner.
Fine. . I'll do it now
And with that, Noll pushed away from the chair and gathered his coat. Heading to the door, he took one look at the kitten who simultaneously made his life a living hell and made him-dare he say it-quite happy and realized that he might never see the evil ball of fur again. And as he closed the door behind him, he realized that that thought saddened him.
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"Mai? Once you're done with table, can you be a dear and wipe down the bar?" Ayako's voice reverberated throughout the café, briefly disturbing the tranquil atmosphere.
Blowing an irritating strand of hair from her face in frustration, Mai nodded then concentrated on making sure the beverages on her tray did not spill. Successfully serving the drinks, Mai mentally patted herself on the back, and pranced back to the bar in triumph.
Masako, another waitress, bumped Mai with her hip, and motioned to the extremely handsome young man waiting at a booth in the corner. "I call dibs," she joked then sashayed over to the mysterious man in black.
Mai sighed for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day and turned back to her task. A few minutes later, Masako tapped her on the shoulder. Clearly annoyed, she jabbed a well-manicured digit over at the man in black. "Pretty boy said he had some business that concerns you. Something about a flier." It took Mai only a second to process the information before she speed-walked over to the man. As Mai neared the mystery customer, she noticed an empty cup that the store regularly uses for tea. Maybe I could give him some tea for free for helping me…
"Um. You called for me?" Mai asked, shuffling uncertainly. The man didn't answer her. He simply handed her a neatly folded piece of paper. Mai blinked then unfolded the paper, revealing one of her fliers. She gasped and spun around to question the man, but he fixed her with such a cold glare, no words would come out.
"So, you're the owner of the missing kitten?" he deadpanned.
Okaaay…I guess he'll be the one asking questions…
"Um, yes. I just rec-"
"How did you lose him?" he growled, cutting her off. Mai shuffled her feet, kicking a stray napkin. "Um…can I sit down first?" she replied weakly. Not receiving a reply, Mai sighed and sat across from the volatile...Teenager? Apparently he was a teenager. A very handsome teenager, might she add.
Mai cleared her throat and proceeded to tell him how she found the kitten abandoned one day and took him home with her. She told him how she was worried about Oliver and didn't think it was right to leave him all alone, so she called up her friend Yasu, since he wasn't working.
"So you left him with a friend?" the mysterious teen glared. Mai chuckled sheepishly and rubbed her neck in embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. But I got a call from him three hours later saying that Oliver ran away…He's been missing for a week." The boy looked down. "Well he's clearly an idiot and so are you for thinking he could take care of…Oliver."
Spluttering, and red as a tomato, Mai tried really hard to refrain from punching the living daylights out of his smug, narcissistic face. Narcissistic Naru-chan! She huffed, clearly livid at his blunt insult. "Well, excuse me Naru. It was on short notice, he was the only one available at the time, and I kinda need to keep my jo-"
She paused as he visibly tensed and his dark blue eyes pierced her with a wide and slightly panicked stare. "Where did you hear that name? And 'Oliver'. How did you come up with such a name?" Mai blinked then laughed. "Sorry, did I say that out loud? Well, I guess you get called that a lot, Narcissistic Naru-chan! And about the name Oliver, the whole predicament reminded me of Oliver and Co." She noticed that as she said this, he relaxed, but just barely.
Looking down at his cup, Mai realized that she was still on the clock. "Um," he looked up as she rose, taking his tea cup with her. "I'll go refill this…What were you drinking?" He stared up at her before blinking. "Earl Gray." She smiled at him then skipped to the kitchen.
A few minutes later, and Mai returned with two cups of tea. She passed one over to 'Naru', who gingerly brought it to his face for closer inspection. "I didn't poison it, if that's what you're wondering," she deadpanned. He gave her a questioning glance then took a tiny sip. Mai could see his eyes widen, if not but a fraction, but they widened nonetheless. "That was actually…quite good." Mai figured that was the closest to a compliment she would get from him.
"So, I came here to tell you that I have been in possession of Oliver for the past week and had to evaluate his owner and see if he was subjected to neglect before I decide to give him back." He narrowed his eyes. Even though he was judging her and practically accusing her of neglect and abuse of their cat, Mai couldn't help but briefly admire how professional he sounded. Like a lawyer. A teen-aged, British lawyer. Or Sherlock. Ooooh, definitely Sherlock material…
Naru set his cup down, pulling Mai out of her thoughts. "The thing is… when I found Oliver, he was in a box in an alley, skinny and shivering. I've tried feeding him… but it was hard when he would only take human scraps from the floor. But other than that, he was fine." She giggled. "He used to wake me up by sitting on my face…"
"Yeah," Naru murmured. "He does that a lot…"
Mai looked from the strange young man to her cup and thought. It was a while before either spoke.
"You can keep him."
Naru's head shot up from his drink and stared at the girl in front of him. "What?'
Mai wiped her eyes before looking up to meet Naru's surprised stare. "Well, you obviously care about him, and seem like a very responsible and trustworthy person (Noll tried really hard not to flinch at that)." She leaned forward in her seat and fixed Noll with a passionate glare. "So, I will let you keep him, but only if you let me visit." She flashed him a blinding smile.
He stared at her for a few minutes before a sliver of a smile appeared on his face.
"I think that can be arranged."
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A/N: Thank you for reading! Please review, I would really like constructive criticism, like I really, really want to know what you thought. Please be gentle , though *smiles sweetly and puts hands behind back*