Kuga has been free of the whitecoats for a year and a half. After wandering, she lands in NYC and manages to get a job at Ju's Dragonhouse (a seedy, but clean, bar) as a waitress. She doesn't take much an interest in most of the patrons, but that changes when she has to get an order for a certain regular. [Blood'n'Claws verse] OCxOC [short story, not a one shot] tw: language
Words: 4,110
Background: Kuga has been free from the whitecoats for about a year and a half. She ended up in New York and has been going from job to job. She has a small, cheap apartment, and hasn't heard anything from her parents in years.
This takes place a few months before the previous two oneshots, "Nightmares of Memories" and "Nightmares of the Worst Kind", but is in the same verse, which has been dubbed Blood'n'Claws by most everyone who ships Kuga and Koji.
This was a roleplay thread a friend and I did on Tumblr a while back. Koji belongs to said friend, but has given me permission to use him. This only shows Kuga's point of view, so, unfortunately, you're only really getting half of the story. If I knew how to write omniscent correctly, I would, so you can get Koji's half, but alas I don't.
Please refer to my profile for more information on this verse.
I apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes, or anything that isn't very clear. This is the first thing I've written in a long while, since those oneshots were actually written months before I put them up. ^.^''
Please read and review!
Ju's Dragonhouse
Kuga had somehow managed to land a job as a waitress—or server girl, which ever you want to call it—at Ju's Dragonhouse, a bar in New York. She didn't particularly enjoy working there, and the uniform was small, and very revealing, but it paid the bills. The late hours only meant she got to sleep in later than she normally would. No one paid any mind to her claws or fangs—though that was probably because most of the patrons were too busy staring at her ass to really take note—which was definitely a nice bonus.
Though, she had to admit, the best part about working in a bar like Ju's was the eye candy. It was just a given that some of the servers would often go home with the more visually appealing patrons; Nina and Layla were the most promiscuous. As for Kuga, she enjoyed looking, but didn't feel the need to jump on the band wagon and fuck every sexy man that walked through the doors. That's not to say she wasn't sexually active. She was just more selective about her partners.
She was doing her rounds, making sure no one needed refills or some food. Not everyone sat at the bar, after all. Layla and Maria were working that shift tonight. As she made her way between the tables, she noticed one of the regulars walking in. She knew him by appearance, never having served him before. He was one of the more popular bed-mates among the ladies. The guy played coy like a second skin, and he practically oozed 'sex god'. Dark hair, and eyes so dark they often looked black, with the body of a model... It was easy to see why the ladies favored him to most of the other regulars.
"Oh-ho! Looks like little Kat gets the hottie tonight!" one of the servers crowed as the man took a seat in Kuga's designated serving area. She rolled her eyes and slipped between the tables to take his order. The small uniform made her feel like she was on display when his dark eyes took her in, and she barely resisted the urge to tug on the skirt so it covered more of her legs. He gave a small grin, though she couldn't decide if it was for her or just a product of his thoughts.
The feral took a steadying breath before she got to his table, pushing her insecurities and the like to the back of her mind. His scent reached her as she got closer, and it was very appealing; the musky scent of man, mixed with a slightly sweet scent, and a sort of...clean scent. Untainted* clean, not soap and water and alcohol clean. It caught her beast's attention; Cougar rose up, seeking the source of the scent. Kuga had to take a short moment to push the animal back.
"I'm Kuga and I'll be serving you for the evening. What would you like?" she asked, voice surprisingly steady. She flicked a strand of hair over her shoulder as she waited. His reply was quick in coming.
"I think I'd like a Mongolian Motherfucker, yeah, a few of those, to start off with. Then my usual White Russian." After a heartbeat, he added, "Please, Kuga." His voice was smooth, very nice to her sensitive ears.
"Of course. I'll have those right out." She gave him a small smile before turning and walking to the bar with her usual cat-like grace. Layla was there, eagerly waiting for Kuga. It reminded the feral of a dog waiting for a treat.
"Well?"
"He wants two Mongolian Mofo's and a White Russian," she reported. Layla gave her an exasperated look.
"Not that, Kat. What'd he say?"
"Layla. He just ordered his drinks. Would you just get them so he isn't waiting?" Kuga sighed.
"Fine, fine..." The barmaid quickly got the three drinks together and put them on a platter, along with a few of the other patrons' refills. Kuga took the drinks and wove back through the tables, dropping off a drink or two at various other tables. The entire trip there and back, she was distinctly aware of the weight of the man's gaze on her back.
Once she arrived back at the table, she set the drinks in front of him, saying, "Here are you're drinks, sir. If you want anything else, just let me know." Kuga smiled and turned to head back and get some more patrons' orders.
"Wait!" he said sharply. She froze before turning, an eyebrow raised in amusement. He continued, speaking in a gentler tone. "I mean, wait, Kuga. Come sit with me, have a drink."
'He's used to taking control, I see...' she thought. "I'm sure the boss won't mind if I go on break a little early," Kuga responded as she slid into the chair across from him, gold eyes watching him intently. "Since you invited me to sit with you, do you have a name?"
"Everybody calls me Koji," he replied lightly, keeping eye contact with her. "If you get in trouble, just send your boss my way. I'll handle it."
She grinned, no doubt in her mind that he'd be able to get her out of trouble with her boss. But Kuga couldn't quite get a read on him; he didn't show his emotions on his face or body posture. Apparently he was used to hiding things without showing he was hiding anything. That wasn't something she was used to dealing with.
"So, Koji. Any particular reason you asked for me to stay? I'm sure one of the other girls would love to be sitting where I am." The feline threw a pointed look at the bar where Layla was glaring at her.
He smiled. "Sometimes, I just like meeting new people. And we're all adults here...though some are lacking in the maturity department." Koji subtly glanced at a few of the more promiscuous women before looking away, shaking his head.
She snickered. "Glad I'm not the only one who thinks so."
"How are you liking the work though?"
Kuga shrugged. "Work is work. Pays the bills. But there are times I enjoy it. Particularly when a customer get rude and I get to kick their ass out on the street." That was actually her favorite part; the others would just tell her when one of the tables was getting rowdy or being rude and Kuga would drag their asses out.
Koji smirked. "Finally, somebody who keeps it real. Everyone always says some bullshit about how they 'love it here' and 'it's fun', as if I'm grading them on a test or something."
She rolled her eyes. 'The only work I would 'love' and 'have fun' would be one where I can hunt.' "It can be fun, watching the drunks. But isn't that what life is? One big-ass test?"
"Very philosophical. But I consider life to be my personal playground, I do what I want, having fun as much as possible, work is the last thing on my mind til all's said and done." He shrugged.
"Some people prefer it that way," Kuga agreed. "I wanna make an honest living before I start 'playing', even if I could easily do as you do and make life my playground." She started to reach for one of the Mongolian Motherfuckers before looking at Koji. "May I?"
He nodded agreeably. "Please, help yourself. I invited you after all." He smiled lightly. "You're pretty responsible then. Did your parents raise you that way or is it something you just instinctively learned?"
She nodded and grabbed the drink, taking a sip. "It was partly my parents. Mostly just wanting to prove to them… Prove that someone like me can be a responsible citizen." Her reply was slow, as she tried to figure out how to word it without giving too much away.
He was quiet for a moment, probably taking that in. "But you don't have to prove anything to them. The fact that they would even require such a thing, intentional or otherwise, is not a good sign."
Kuga shrugged, taking another sip of the drink. She wasn't sure she liked this direction in the conversation. "It gives me a reason to keep doing what I've been doing instead of…" 'instead of letting the beast have free reign…' "It doesn't matter."
There was a slightly awkward silence after her statement. She doubted that he actually talked to most of the girls who served him.
"So... How long have you been in New York? Furthermore, how did you come across Ju's in the first place?" Koji asked.
Kuga looked up at him, a slight smile on her face. She was grateful to get the conversation away from her parents. "I've been in New York for a few months now. One of the people who took me 'under their wing' brought me here a while back for her friend's birthday. I found out they were hiring, and decided to apply. How about you?"
"I've been here a few years and one of my best buddies decided that I was too serious upon my first arrival, so he brought me here to relax." His response was rather vague.
"So not a native, but familiar with the area." The feline could tell he was hiding something, but he wasn't exactly lying. "You don't seem all too serious," she commented, running the side of a claw around the rim of the glass in an attempt to keep her hands busy. "But, even the most uptight people relax in a familiar environment once they've been there often enough."
He seemed to enjoy that, if the upward quirk of his lip was anything to judge. "It depends on my feelings at the moment... My serious expression is often called 'too intense', so I try to appear as relaxed as possible." Koji cocked his head to the side. "If you could, what would you want most: money, prestige or power?"
She stared at him for a long moment, turning that over in her head. Once more, he was hiding something. There was a certain…coolness to someone's scent when they hid something, a certain tone, similar to cold rocks. It was different for everyone, but she learned to figure out the general scent quickly. Instead of pressing the fact, she decided to answer his question. "Prestige. Both money and power can easily be obtained with prestige. Besides, money's value is constantly changing, and I can get through life without it."
He smiled at her answer, decidedly pleased. "And if you were given prestige, what then?" At that moment, a rather large group entered the bar and were heading towards the VIP room, a pointed glance thrown in his direction.
Kuga shrugged. "I'd do what I felt like doing. I don't exactly have a rule book I follow." She watched the group, raising an eyebrow at the glance that was thrown at Koji. "I'm guessing you have to go? I should get back to work, anyway…" She didn't make a move to get up, though, deciding to linger a while longer.
"Not necessarily," he replied peaceably in answer to her question. "Do you have a cell phone? I'll be frank and say I'd like to call you later since asking you to come home with me might be too forward."
She gave a soft laugh, pulling a small pencil out of her pocket and grabbing a napkin, writing her number on it. "That's my cell number, but…I'm not opposed to going home." She gave him a coy look, gold eyes slightly darker. "That is, if your friends don't mind."
Cougar certainly liked that idea. The beast wanted him, though Kuga wasn't sure if it was just an 'I want to jump him' want or 'I want him as a mate' want.
Koji pocketed her number, a pleased, amused smirk curling his lips. "They wouldn't mind, but I tend to get bored after the first time with a bed mate. Let's keep the game interesting for as long as possible, hmm?"
Kuga grinned, fangs flashing for a short moment. "Don't forget to call me." She looked at Layla, who was staring at her, pointing to the clock. "Guess I should go before she decides to drag me away…"
"Definitely won't forget." Koji promised. "I have to go too before they decide to come back out here and start all sorts of embarrassing shit." He stood up, almost reluctantly.
Kuga stood as well. "I'll be waiting." She glared when she noticed Layla storming over. "I'm comin', dammit!" Turning back to Koji, she gave a sheepish smile. "I'll see you later, Koji."
Koji's shoulders were shaking with the restraint it took not to laugh. "See ya, 'round, Kuga." He shook his head and retreated to the VIP room.
Kuga walked over to Layla, glaring. "Don't start. You'd've done the same thing."
Without another word, the feline went to get orders from one table, occasionally glancing at the door Koji went in. She wanted to find out what he was hiding, and Cougar didn't want anyone touching him. A low growl started in her throat at the thought, though she tried to force it back; some of the patrons were giving her odd looks.
She'd headed back to the bar for the third time since Koji had gone into the room. "Two Bloody Mary's and a Daniel's," she relayed to Layla, who got the drinks and put them on the platter. Before she could walk off, someone grabbed her elbow.
"Hon, the man over there…" Maria, Kuga's 'mentor', pointed to a slobby-looking middle aged man who just sat down, "Watch out for him. He's one of those violent ones…" The feline nodded, eyeing the man as she went to deliver the drinks.
Koji left the VIP room while she was handing the drinks to the respective patrons. She could smell the moment he left the room. He lingered off to the side, away from the crowded tables and booths.
Kuga gave just the slightest nod toward him. She sighed softly. 'Better face the music now before someone decides to make a scene.' With that thought, she headed to the middle-aged man.
"Can I get you anything, sir?" she asked politely. The man had watched her approach, a sleazy smile on his face.
"Yeah, a scotch and a piece of that fine li'l ass of yours," he purred. Kuga rolled her eyes and turned to get his drink.
"I'll be back with your drink, but that's all you're getting," she responded, disgusted. She could smell the anger on him, but ignored it and went to the bar, telling Layla, "Scotch." The barmaid poured the drink and handed it over.
Kuga quickly walked back with the scotch, hoping to get away from the man and avoid confrontation. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to happen. As soon as she put the drink down, his hand was around her wrist. Kuga froze, pupils contracting to thin slits and her gold irises darkening slowly.
"If you value your life, let go of me and enjoy your drink," she said calmly, though a soft growl laced her words.
"Baby, we could have so much fun together. Why don't you take the rest of the night off?" the man coaxed, ignoring her words. He tugged her closer.
She glanced back at the bar, where Maria and Layla were watching her. Maria's blue eyes seemed to be saying 'I told you so' while Layla looked like she was looking for something to take to the boss. Kuga's gaze flitted around the bar and stopped on Koji for a moment—who was actually looking tense and mildly irritated—before turning back to the man on her arm.
"If you don't leave me alone, I will haul your ass outside and beat you like the piece of shit you are," she hissed, expression murderous. She yanked her wrist out of his grip and turned around flexing her hands. She was so angry, she was ready to kill something.
'I need out before someone gets hurt…' Kuga looked around again, muscles tense. She could hear Koji's smooth voice, but was more worried about if she could get out of the bar without getting yelled at by someone. Or killing anyone.
With her thoughts spinning as they were, she was startled when an empty glass suddenly beamed the sleezebag in the head, knocking him out of the seat, unconscious. She jumped, spinning around quickly. Kuga was too on edge. It wasn't safe for others.
Koji was standing right there, looking at her calmly. "Hey, this place is boring. Go somewhere with me?"
She blinked and stared at him for a long moment before she nodded. "Yes, that sounds good." There was still a hint of a growl in her voice, but at least she wasn't flipping out. "Let me tell Maria I'm leaving, first."
Kuga quickly walked to the bar. "I have to go. Tell the boss I'll work what I missed later," she said, voice tight. She was leaving before anyone could protest. Reaching Koji, she nodded. "Let's go."
Koji led her out of the bar and to his car, which was parked in the front, some punks leaning on it. After a shrill whistle and an overly sweet smile that promised pain, they scattered quickly. "No destination in mind, just driving," he warned as he opened the door for her.
Kuga gave him a slightly crazed smile and got in the car. "That works for me," she replied. 'I just needed out of there.' "At least that creep can't try anything." She glared out the window as he got in the driver's seat. "He's lucky I didn't slit his throat."
"I could tell although you don't seem to advocate violence." Koji grinned in amusement as he took off.
"I try to control myself; once more going back to the 'prove I'm a good citizen' thing," she admitted, shrugging. "I try not to hurt others. Sometimes it's more of a struggle than I'd like to admit." Kuga flexed her claws, breathing slowly. His scent filled her nose, effectively distracting her from thoughts of the many ways she could kill the asshat.
"You don't have to go to such lengths to prove people wrong, you keep restraining yourself so much and you'll lose control when least expected." Koji said with his voice leaden in experience.
Kuga looked at him, expression solemn. "If I don't restrain myself, people tend to get hurt. There isn't really any safe middle ground for me." A wry smile twisted her lips.
"Then hurt the people that deserve it, hell, you can hurt me though I require a kiss on my booboos afterward."
Kuga couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter. "I don't think I'm gonna be inclined to hurt you anytime soon. Unless you do something to piss me off. Unfortunately, that seems almost too easy to do." She grinned.
"Easily irritated and annoyed, I can work with that." He nodded to himself. "I'm selfish, any kind of way for you to be comfortable, I wish you'd take advantage of."
She raised an eyebrow. "Like how?" Almost as an afterthought, she added, "Selfishness doesn't really bother me. I can be kinda possessive myself."
"Throwing idiots like Fat Albert back there your way, maybe a gang member, woman beater, that type of thing." He stated casually, before giving her a look out of the corner of his eye. "Possessive, eh? Does that mean you want me to be yours?" He blinked innocently, fluttering his lashes playfully.
"You know any?" Kuga cocked her head, eyes shining as she grinned, winking. "You'll just have to find out."
"For you, I'm pretty sure I can scour the city 'til I find one," he said suavely. "Ooh, you shouldn't have said that, now I'm curious."
"Really, now?" That was not something she'd expected to hear from anyone. No one had ever really even given her the time of day, not since she was 17. It was a surprise to hear that Koji would do something like that for her, and it showed in her eyes. "And, I'll let you know when I know myself."
He smiled. "One thing you'll eventually learn about me if we hang out is that when I say something, unless I'm clearly teasing, I mean it." His smile widened. "That's fine with me, I'm just glad I'm not the only one who's…testing the waters, I believe the expression is."
Kuga gave him a shy smile. "I'm just… not used to it. It's not something I hear often." She chuckled. "Yeah." The feline stretched, feeling her muscles relaxing. The anger from earlier seemed to have completely disappeared.
"You should be used to it though," he muttered underneath his breath. Koji drove outside the city to a meadow, a place one could actually see the stars and the sky…
Kuga raised an eyebrow, her sharp ears picking up his muttered words, but didn't comment. Instead she looked out the window, smiling softly. She loved the night sky. Koji parked on a hill and got out of the car. The view showed the city lights of New York lit up on display like a thousand little mini suns.
Kuga followed him, the rest of the tension leaving her muscles. The warm summer night was alive with the sounds of insects and nocturnal creatures. She looked at the scene before them in awe. It really was beautiful. It was always different seeing something in person, after seeing pictures.
"Any time you need to just relax…" He shrugged and smiled. "Mu casa, su casa or whatever." His voice was soft.
She smiled. "I'll remember that. But… 'mu casa, su casa'?" Kuga gave him an amused, though slightly confused look. "'My house, your house?'" Her voice was just as soft.
Koji laughed at himself. "I suck at Spanish or whatever that language that stupid saying is in. I mean, what's mine is yours. Little things like this, I'm more than willing to share. It's not costing me anything."
She grinned, blushing slightly. "Mi casa es su casa," she said. "You need to add the 'es'; 'My house is your house.'" The feral looked at the ground, toeing the grass. "Thanks…" He was different. Not like other people. He was willing to share with her, spend time with her. She wasn't used to such kindness, and wasn't really sure how to respond.
He nodded, and it was quiet for a bit. Then he cleared his throat. "I had a proposition for you, actually."
She looked up, curious. "What sort of proposition?" Her eyes watched Koji, her head tilted like a curious cat.
"Ju's Dragonhouse is a waste of your talents. You could be moving onto bigger, better things," he began calmly.
'That's what everyone says...'
"But that would require you to be either prepared for violence or violent enough…"
That caught her attention. 'Sounds like something Cougar would love,' she thought. "How violent are we talking?" she asked, an eyebrow raised. "'Cause it sounds like fun." A feral grin curled her lips, her fangs and eyes glinting in the moonlight.
Koji grinned back, just a hint of darkness shining in his eyes. "The type of violent where you shoot people in the back and kick them off buildings, put them in a trunk and set it on fire, an occasional bank robbery. Hell, you're smart. You could work at the bank, let one of my associates know the set up and we're in and out with no problems. That kind of thing is what I do 24/7, 7 days a week."
Somehow, it didn't really surprise her that he was a killer. It actually seemed to fit, despite the sweetness he'd shown moments ago, the coy 'come hither' look she'd seen him use on many of the girls at Ju's.
Kuga's grin grew. Yes, that would be a lot of fun. But what about 'trying to prove'… 'Forget that shit. He's right, I'll end up in the loony bin if I keep worrying and holding back. Besides, I could get out of the shit-hole that is my apartment.' "Dunno how good I am with a gun… But that's 'cause I use my claws. I learn quickly enough, though."
Koji nodded calmly. "I have to talk to my Boss but I'm sure he'll say yes."
"I look forward to it." Kuga sat on the ground, watching the city lights with a smile. "Would be a nice change of pace."
Koji watched for a moment before joining her, enjoying the view with her.
*When I said 'Untainted clean scent', I mean his scent is untainted. Koji himself is as dirty as a shoe that the dog shat on and then dragged through mud, as you see towards the end. (Sorry, Koji, but you know it's true.) But I love him anyway.
I hope you liked it. There will be more, I promise. This is only a part of the thread. I've split it into 3 parts, though it may end up being more since it was a really long thread...
