A/N – Hello! I wanted to write something in the nekotalia realm of things, and somehow a pregnant China-cat amused me very much. I figured that she wouldn't know that she was pregnant and went on living life as if she wasn't pregnant. And England-cat would be just as clueless to China-cat's predicament. I know that England-cat and China-cat don't interact much in canon, but I kinda tweaked this fic to my liking – I mean, if Arthur and Yao spent so much time together, so must their cats, right? ;)

Patches = England-cat
Hei = China-cat

Hello! My name is Hei. I live with my owner, Yao, in a house in Shanghai. Sometimes, we go over to Beijing for official purposes. My owner says he prefers Shanghai to Beijing – he says that there is more life in Shanghai and that he can interact with people more in Shanghai. I don't know what that means.

Occasionally, we will go to London in England. Because that's where Arthur lives. Arthur and Yao are very close. I sometimes see them holding hands, and licking one another on the cheek and mouth*. But most of the time, Arthur comes to Shanghai to visit Yao. Because Yao doesn't really like travelling.

((* Hei is mistaking kissing for licking.))

Arthur also has a cat that he brings along whenever he comes to visit Yao. To keep me company, I guess. His name is Patches. I like Patches very much. He is very kind to me. He always shares his food with me and plays with me. But he can be rather grouchy at times. I know to mind my own business and avoid him when he gets grumpy.

I was feeling very affectionate that day. So, while Arthur and Yao were watching television in Yao's living room, I cozied up to Arthur. Maybe he could rub my belly. I like it when he does that. Arthur wrapped his fingers around my stomach and moved to put me on his lap. He pressed a little too hard on my stomach, and I hissed in discomfort. Arthur then paused to look at Yao.

"Yao?"

"Hm?" It looked like my owner was at the verge of falling asleep.

"Hei is a boy, isn't he?"

"You're asking me if he's male, aru?"

"Yes."

"I think so. Why?"

"Feel this." Arthur passed me to Yao and gestured to my stomach. "Just press on his stomach and feel his nipples," Arthur told Yao.

When Yao put pressure on my belly, I felt a sharp pain. So I mewled and clawed at Yao's hand.

"Sorry, Hei," Yao apologised. He then looked at Arthur with wide eyes. "I guess we're due for a visit to the vet, aru."

At hearing that dreaded word, my heart sank. I didn't want to go to the vet! He would poke me with needles (which hurt very much) and make me eat strange-tasting stuff. So I quickly leapt off Yao's lap and went in search of Patches.

Patches was napping in Yao's backyard. It looked like he was listening to the birds chirp outside, and got bored. I made my way towards Patches and nuzzled into the back of his neck.

Patches stirred and glanced towards me. He gave me a big yawn and an annoyed look for disturbing his nap.

Patches had a similar aversion towards vets, so I figured he could understand why I woke him up. I explained to him that Yao wanted to take me to a vet, and he cast me a sympathetic look.

I bowed my head in despair. Patches leaned forward and licked my head repeatedly. I then slumped down on the ground. Patches followed suit, with his chin resting on my back.

Moments later, we were fast asleep.

The next day, there was no mention from my master about going to the vet.

Nor was there any the following day.

Happily, I assumed that he had forgotten about it.

The next day, in the afternoon, Yao bundled me into his car and told me that we were going for a ride. I leapt happily into his arms – I loved rides. I loved the way my feet didn't have to move and yet I was moving. I felt exhilarated at that.

However, my master parked his car in front of a building I recognised. If cats' jaws could drop, mine would be wide open now. It was the dreaded veterinarian.

As Yao lifted me from my place in the front seat, I made a terrified mewl and clung onto his body.

"There, there – it's okay, aru," Yao cooed. "No jabs or medication today, okay?"

That did not comfort me at all. I buried my face into Yao's shoulder as he made his way into the building.

As soon as Yao entered the vet's clinic, we were ushered into an examination room. Yao placed me on the examination table and gave me a stern look, indicating that I should behave myself and be still. I dare not disobey my master. He may be nice, but he can be rather strict too.

I flattened my ears and lowered myself onto the examination table.

Yao noticed that I was shaking; his stern expression dissolved and he scooted closer to me and started stroking my back.

Moments later, the vet entered the room. I was too engrossed in looking at the scary-looking contraptions in the room that I didn't pay any attention to what Yao was saying to the vet.

The vet's laughter interrupted me from my thoughts. I turned to look at him strangely. What was so funny about this situation?

Then, I looked at my master. He was smiling serenely as well. I growled softly. How could he look so happy?! I guess I will never understand human beings.

The vet pushed and pressed around in my stomach area, eliciting an angry growl from me. But one look from Yao made me shut up and look away.

The vet then moved to bring a large machine towards me. On the other hand, Yao prompted me to lie on my back. I did as Yao wanted me to.

The vet then clipped some hair off my abdomen. He placed some sort of liquid onto a cylindrical object attached to the machine.

When the vet placed the wet part of the object onto my stomach, I shivered slightly at the coolness of the liquid. I looked at Yao, who was staring at the screen on the machine while stroking my head.

"Oh!" the vet exclaimed excitedly. "There are five of them!"

Five of what?

Yao was looking at the screen in wonderment. "How far along is he, aru? I mean, she…"

"Hm…" the vet looked thoughtfully at the screen. "I would say three weeks."

"So I should expect them in another six weeks?"

"More or less."

I wondered what they were talking about. But Yao looked happy, so I shouldn't worry.

After the visit to the vet, Arthur and Yao treated me differently. It was as if I was more… delicate. But in all honesty, I didn't feel any different. In fact, I felt kinda fatter and heavier. I guess that would make me somewhat stronger? I felt like I could beat Patches in a wrestle!

Yao even fed me special food that Patches couldn't eat. I know this because when Patches poked his head into my bowl of food, Arthur pulled him away and told him to let me eat in peace. But I didn't mind Patches' company! I didn't mind sharing my food with him! But the food I was given tasted slightly different. I wasn't sure if Patches would like it. I didn't mind the taste, though – it was a nice change from my usual food. Then again, Patches was getting fish, which I somehow wasn't allowed to eat anymore, so he shouldn't be complaining!

I have also been getting bouts of sickness during the early weeks after the visit to the vet. But they only happen in the morning. So I usually avoid having breakfast. Even when Yao gives me a generous amount of food in my bowl, I refuse to eat. I just don't have the appetite for it. I felt sad that I couldn't eat my food because I really wanted to, but I just couldn't.

Patches has noticed my nausea in the morning. Well, he is around when Arthur spends the night. So he has to spend the night too. Not that I'm complaining. I like Patches. He usually offers me some of his fish when we have lunch to make up for skipping breakfast, but Yao takes the fish away and gives it back to Patches! That's not fair! Why can't I have fish too?

I am also not allowed to wrestle with Patches anymore. I wonder why? Whenever Patches or I initiate a friendly fight, either Yao or Arthur will break it by pulling one of us off the other. But that doesn't stop us. And apparently, it doesn't stop them either.

Recently, the vomiting has stopped, so I'm happy. But I seem to be getting fatter. And heavier. And I don't seem to want to go anywhere. I don't seem to want to move, for that matter. I'm getting very lazy. I wonder if Yao has noticed this? Because if he has, he would not stand for it – with him and his taichi and kungfu and all that. But I think he hasn't, because he hasn't said or done anything.

Oh, look – Patches is approaching!

Patches gave me a look asking me what's wrong.

I told him I'm just lamenting on Yao's strange behaviour. I didn't understand why suddenly I was not allowed to do things that I usually did!

Patches licked my face.

Then we both lied down on the floor on our stomachs, just enjoying each other's presence.

Yao gave me something new today! Well, he gave me a bigger home. I now have a big box that I can sleep in. Patches can even fit in there! Well, he could fit snugly in my old home, but it was rather squishy when he slept with me. But now, he could sleep in it and we'd still have space to roll about!

I seem to be eating a lot more. Is that why I'm getting so fat? Is it to make up for my skipping breakfast a few weeks before?

Oh my god. Something's wrong with me. I'm so fat, I can barely reach my back to lick myself.

When Patches is around, he helps me lick my back. But he isn't always around. Come to think of it, he hasn't been here all week. It makes me feel kinda lonely.

I can feel something moving about in my stomach, but I can't place as to what it could be. I hope it's not worms. I don't want to go to the vet again.

I'm spending most of my time curled up and sleeping in my new home. Yao has given me some scrap paper that I can tear and play with. He sees how frustrated I am getting, so I am venting my annoyance out on the paper. After tearing the paper, it feels soft, and I like lying on it.

One day, out of anger, I ripped my favourite rubber mouse apart. I don't know what came over me. Yao was surprised because I don't normally destroy my toys. But he gave me another mouse. I am extra careful with this one now.

I am sleepy. I am going to sleep now.

I now understand why I have been feeling so strange and growing so fat. And why I couldn't eat fish like Patches could.

Apparently, there were kittens growing inside me. Five of them. I wish I knew how they came to be. I mean, how did they start growing inside me?

Well, they're out now. There are two black ones and three that are white with brown patches. They kinda look like Patches and I. They're so tiny and fluffy and cute. And they're mine! Yay!

When Arthur saw the kittens, he shot Patches a thumbs-up sign. "Patches, you naughty boy, you!" he said as he picked Patches up and cradled him in his arms. "You're a daddy now!"

Poor Patches didn't understand what was going on. Well, neither did I. But I was going with the flow of things. When Patches first approached the kittens, which were suckling on my nipples, he was very wary of them. It was as if he were afraid that the kittens would attack him.

But after my encouraging him to get nearer to the kittens, Patches gave one of them a tentative sniff. The kitten he sniffed let out a tiny sneeze. It sounded so cute! Then, Patches licked it lovingly.

I can tell Patches is as fond of the kittens as I am.

Well, the good news is that it was because of these kittens I was so fat and couldn't reach to lick my back. Now that they're out, I can go back to eating fish and wrestling with Patches. Score!