My muses refused to leave me alone or allow me to work on ANB, Thalassa's Story or Life's Journey. Because of them, I've written four stories that had nothing to do with my current projects. Still being abused by them and their demands that I work on other stuff instead of what I want to.
I don't own Genma or Raidou and as of yet, I have no idea which universe this story will fall under. Haya, as always is mine. She wasn't even suppose to be in this story. She's worming her way into all of my Naruto fics. So I guess this is going to fall within A New Beginning/Life's Journey/Snapshots' universe.
This was started about a month ago and I forgot all about it. Not the story I was going to work on but I hate leaving unfinished stories laying around.
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"You brought home a kitten." Raidou makes it clear he is making a statement as he places the plates down on the table, staring at his lover loaded down with a tiny animal and several bags.
"Haya gave her to me."
"A kitten."
Senbon twitching, Genma frowns at Raidou placing the kitten and her assorted supplies on the floor of their kitchen. "Last I knew, you weren't allergic."
"That's not the point."
"Haya was being nice by giving me her. You know how much the Tamanazi cats go for, especially now that they're harder to buy, with so many dying after the Kyuubi's attack." He points that out, watching his husband curiously. "What's your problem with having a cat?"
The tiny scrap of a living creature chooses that moment to pounce on Raidou's foot and begins to claw her way up his pants' leg, chirping the whole way.
A large hand comes down and pries her free to lift her up to face level. Raidou stares at the small ball of cream and orange colored fur that immediately curls up and starts to purr happily, nuzzling into his palm. "We're not set up to have a pet, love."
Grinning, Genma scoops several items up in his arms. "Iruka can stop by to check on her while we're away on missions. He already offered."
"Genma!"
Heads out onto the back porch, he puts the litter box and bag of litter down. "Raidou, what's your problem? I thought you liked cats." Glances over his shoulder as he fixes up the litter box, pouring the bag of litter he picked up on the way home. "Is this because I didn't ask?" Frowns at him, the needle dropping with the movement.
"Yes. No. Genma, you drive me crazy."
A blank expression crosses his face as he regards the scarred man thoughtfully. "That's nothing new, Rai. I've been driving you insane since we met in the Academy." Sitting down, he begins to sort through the rest of the things he purchased, placing the dry and wet foods to the side to focus on the rest. "It's not the kitten that's bothering you, love, so spill."
Gazing at the brunette sitting, he sighs. "I just don't want to share."
Reaching up, he removed the needle from his mouth, sliding it into a hostler on his thigh and rolls to his feet smoothly. "Raidou." Grips his shoulders in a firm grip, the younger man fixes a stare on his husband's face. "We share each other with the entire village, love." Voice oddly gentle.
"That's different. Out there, that's our job. Responsiblity. Not in here, in our home." Hands drop from his shoulders and he finds himself catch up in Genma's unrelenting gaze, knowing that his best friend has a way of digging straight to the core of things.
"Raidou, talk to me. What's this about?"
Staring down at the beloved face of his best friend and lover, Raidou sighs, knowing he can't not tell the other man. "I'm scared of cats."
"Since when? You had a cat when in the Academy."
"From the moment I got these." His hand lifts and makes a sweeping motion to the scars crossing his face. "The enemy had a cat summon. Twice the size of Haya's largest. It pinned me while he used a fire jutsu. I couldn't move out of the way, even after it leapt away to avoid the flames. There was a poison on its' claws." Bitterness clear as he recalls the sensation of his skin burning and his eyes open when he feels warmth envelopes him. Closing his eyes, he rests his forehead on Genma's shoulder, arms coming up to wrap around him.
"Raidou, you should have told me this." Genma's voice mumurs into his hair as he feels a kiss press against the side of his head and he tightens his grip on the lithe body. Those days having scared him more then anything else, none of the medics certain whether or not Raidou would even pull through.
"Right, I'm going to tell people I have a cat phobia." The anger and shame clear in the taller man's voice.
"There's worse phobias out there. Your's isn't crippling. You're around Haya's cats all the time and I've never notice you freezing up or reacting badly to their presence." Pulling back when the kitten protests being trapped between their bodies and takes her from Raidou's grip, holding her loosely in his palms. "You didn't react to the kitten, either, love. Beyond telling me that we weren't set up to have a pet." Pointing that out, Gemna places the animal down and looks back at his lover. "Are you using this as an excuse not to keep her?" Level brown eyes stay planted on Raidou's features.
Taken back by the words, Raidou shifts his gaze from Genma to the tiny ball of fluff winding itself around and around Genma's legs. "I never thought of it that way. When..I first was released from the hospital, I couldn't get anywhere near a feline. Even Haya's. You know that scar running along Kaori's side? I did that. It was during a mission, my first once I was recovered enough to take them. I didn't know that she had summoned several of her cats, but I should have. They're useful as long-ranged scouts. Kaori popped up to report and ended up with a kunai in his side for his troubles. Haya managed to subdue me before I killed him."
Genma stares at him mutely.
"I don't want to hurt another animal, Genma." His eyes stray back to the kitten, watching her roll around with one of her new toys tangled around her tiny body.
Brain working furiously, Genma looks from Raidou to the feline racing around their kitchen. "You aren't freaking out. I've seen you interact with Haya's summons. Suma appeared out of nowhere several times and you never react more then jumping."
"You mean like now?" A new voice breaks in, causing both men to jump and spin towards the source. Green eyes lazily regard the two men, a bag sitting in front of Suma. "Raidou, you're being an idiot. That incident happened over ten years ago. An excuse is an excuse. If you don't want the kitten, I will relay the message to Haya and she'll come get her. Don't use something that happened close to fifteen years ago as a reason to tell Genma no."
"Suma." Genma's voice holds a warning as he approaches her, picking up the bag and looking inside.
Snorting, the bobcat stretches and ignores the domesticated creature climbing all over her back. "I will not mince my words for him, Genma, not when he's acting in such a way. I will take the kitten back with me and Haya can come get her belongings later." Rising to her feet, she flips the baby cat off with ease and watches the two men.
"No, I'll do it, Suma." Genma shakes his head, waving off her offer. "Why are you here?"
"Iruka-sensei asked me to bring that. It is her documents, pedigree, health records, things you would need to prove she had her shots and that you are her owner. However, I'll take it back." Voice flat, the summon shoots Raidou a dark look and turns her attention to the animal leaping at her tail. "You, stop." One of her paws come to tap the baby on the head. Her eyes follow the kitten and stray back to Genma once the marbled ball of fur takes off.
Flipping through the papers, Genma places them back into the bag before setting it in front of Suma. "Tell Iruka I'll be by within an hour with the kitten."
Nodding, she picks the bag up in her mouth and turns, heading for the door.
"Wait."
Pausing, Suma looks over her shoulder at Raidou just as Genma frowns. "Raidou?"
"We'll keep her."
"Are you sure?" Itching for one of his senbon, he plucks it from his thigh hostler and sticks it back in his mouth. "Last chance, love."
"I'm sure." He turns to look at Genma, curiously. "But what brought this on so suddenly? You never showed any interest in having a pet before."
Suma sniggers at the uncomfortable expression that appears on the jounin's face. "Oh he wanted to surprise you." A growled, 'Suma' is ignored as she leaps onto the counter, dropping the bag before vanishing through the window.
"What was she talking about?"
The senbon shifts uneasily as he scoops the kitten up, cradling her to his chest. "She was your anniversary gift. Your real one. The other stuff I gave you was just a way to make you believe that's what I got you. I knew how much you liked cats, or did." Shoots him a look as he strokes the soft fur. "So happy anniversary?"
He looks from the kitten being held against his husband's chest to his face and shakes his head in amusement. "I don't need presents, Genma. I already have everything I want." A smile spreads across his face.
"Are you telling me that I spent money I didn't have to?" Pretends to act angry, mischief lurking in his expression.
"Come here." Reaching out, Raidou tugs him closer, kissing him fiercely before pulling back. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you."
"Love me." For once, he's serious as he murmurs that, eyes unstraying from his lover's face.
Tangles a hand in the uncovered hair, he rests their foreheads together; his other sliding down to pet the purring furball curled in Genma's arms.
"I think I can handle that."