It was a normal night in the city for Fai as he strolled about the streets. He wandered from alleyways and buildings that he saw in the daytime, but at night he liked a different perspective. Of course when he ventured onto rooftops and such he held the form of a feline, while he could shapeshift into a human at his own discretion. Not that he told anyone about his dual life. He liked both sides of him and the life he lived. Sometimes he gave others trouble as his feline self but he always offered a smile as a human. He'd been careful of humans while in his feline form not wanting to be caged and sold off like some cheap enslaved being. He valued his freer life, but sometimes life throws a wrench in and you make the best of it. Tonight became the start of such a wrench.
Kurogane had finished working at a local shelter where he'd spent the day engaging with the different animals, cats, dogs, rabbits, and the one little ferret they had - feeding, cleaning up after, exercising and otherwise playing with them. He hunched his shoulders some as he headed home. He'd like a pet of his own, as he lived on his own, but on the wages he did make, there was no way he could afford to pay for one and everything else they'd need. He made enough to get by, and what wasn't spent on rent and bills, he put into savings. The pet deposit alone would wipe out a good chunk of his savings. The cost of their immediate move in would take most of the rest.
It was getting late, chilly, when the two first met, a gust of wind howled through the streets, and Kurogane had found some shelter against the sudden gust by ducking into an alleyway. Fai had hopped along the walls and hopped down to keep warmer than if he'd just stayed in the strong breeze. Kurogane blinked as he saw the feline. There was no collar, no sign of abuse - he seemed to spot those first - and the cat was white like snow with black paws, a black ear, and a tipped tail. Kurogane slowly approached the creature, quietly, trying not to scare it off.
Fai hadn't caught the scent of human as Kurogane smelled more like animals than human from spending all that time with them, that it wasn't until movement and a sudden tug on his scruff that he'd noticed a human there. "Myuuu!?" he mewed in surprise, as the human spoke a happy noted "Gotcha" and lifted his small frame off the concrete. He clawed at the pavement, trying to hang on, to escape the human's grip, but his limbs flailed uselessly in the air as the human picked him up and held him in front of him, before suddenly there was support for his back paws and he could look at the human better than when the surprise first came.
Kurogane was a growing young man, not yet fully grown but no kid either. Fai could smell all sorts of scents about him now and he could fathom his captor worked for the shelter in town. Fai tried to climb away but Kurogane seemed to have guessed the move as the support was taken away from his paws and he was just dangling again and he kicked at the air trying to gain some leverage to use. "Easy you; no one's going to hurt you," the human spoke, the voice deep but not unpleasant or harsh.
Fai stopped flailing after a while. What good was it doing him anyway? Kurogane gently rubbed a paw to see how the feline would react to it before he let the paw go, as it wasn't hissing or scratching at him. Then there was a zipper noise before a sense of support. The shelter smell and the human smell mixed more as Fai felt a certain new warmth as the male hid him mostly inside his jacket, using one arm to support his weight and the other to securely hold his scruff. "Myuu?" Fai looked up at Kurogane. Trying to figure what the human planned to do. "Don't worry - I know a lot about taking care of animals. I'll take good care of you."
And like that, Kurogane walked them to his home, keeping the feline warm and out of the elements. Unlocking the door, he brought the cat in with him. Fai fidgeted once inside and the moment his scruff was released, he was squirming free of the jacket, hopping down and…Kurogane shut the door before he could bolt away. He looked up at him. "You're hungry right? Probably thirsty too. Hang on…" Kurogane addressed the cat then went around a small island counter and pulled out two bowls and set one down as he filled the bowl he still had with water and set it on the floor for the cat.
Fai wandered the premises, acquainting himself with the human's home. It was certainly better than a metal cage. The couch and TV in the living area were old models, but taken care of, just like the short bookcase that held up the TV. There was a window, plain drapes blocking anyone from looking in. Fai hopped there to see what kind of view this human had. Grass grew outside and further a parking lot.
Kurogane washed his hands before he opened a can of tuna, gaining Fai's attention as he smelled the food; he darted out from behind the blinds and padded up next to the human. He wasn't a fan of pickled fish but canned tuna? He pressed his front paws on the humans leg in a climbing up fashion, going after the tuna. Had to act like a cat anyway. Kurogane pinched out just a little and brought it close to the nose of the feline. Fai opened his mouth trying to eat it, and Kurogane lowered it enough he could.
Fai padded down on all fours as he ate the bite before he asked for some more, making begging eyes as he stared up at the human standing up on his back paws and stretching upwards, making a mewl.
Kurogane pinched out a little more out and fed the other the fish. Fai ate it up happily. Kurogane smiled a little before going to get some already hard boiled eggs out of the fridge. Taking out a short knife, he removed the shell before he diced up an egg and put it into the bowl, Fai at his heels and trying to see what he was up to, mewled at the human . Kurogane set the knife down and gently stroked Fai's head and Fai leaned into the touch, rubbing into this person. Kurogane chuckled softly. "Wait." He said as though Fai could understand, which he did but that was beside the point. Fai weaved himself through Kurogane's legs, brushing up into him as he did so.
A couple minutes later, Kurogane made himself a sandwich with the tuna and eggs and what was left was in the bowl and he brought it over next to the couch, a furry body at his heels, mewing for attention and food. Kurogane set the bowl down near his feet, letting Fai have what was in it as he ate his own sandwich, watching the feline eat the presented food.
Kurogane eyed the feline over his sandwich with a curiosity about him, wondering if the animal had an owner but got loose. Such a pretty cat, he couldn't see someone just abandoning it to the streets. But people were capable of such, just as many dropped their pet off at a shelter because they could no longer keep them for whatever their reasons were. Allergies, moving and can't keep them, can't afford two mouths and don't want them to starve, lost interest, . The list went on.
Kurogane reached down to pet the animal with his sandwich free hand. Ears twitched but the motion wasn't protested by any acts of hostility. Kurogane's fingers brushed into the fur, as he gently stroked the cat from the top of its head to the tip of its tail, where there was a small kink in the tail where it switched to black. Fai purred quietly at the attention as he ate the tuna and egg mix. Kurogane ate more of his own sandwich as he slowly pet Fai, familiarizing himself with how it felt under his fingers.
Fai finished first, as he tried licking the bowl clean of any remnants of the tuna juices from the bowl before he lifted his head and turned his gaze on Kurogane. Seeing what was left of his sandwich, he hopped into his lap and went after that as well. Kurogane put a hand between them and Fai nuzzled his head against it 'myaa'ing as the hand hardly deterred Fai and he tried to get the sandwich pawing for it.
Kurogane had to quickly finish most of it off, leaving a tiny bite of tuna for the determined feline. He lowered his hand as he gave Fai the last bit of the tuna, Fai happy to eat it up and licked those fingers.
Kurogane gently began to pet Fai, now with both hands instead of just the one and Fai purred at the attention Kurogane was showing. His warm hands that traveled against his body in pleasant ways and how they knew just where to scratch him lightly, Fai started purring louder to let the human know he was doing a good job.
Kurogane was glad he was still wearing jeans as soon it wasn't just purring but the claws as Fai kneaded his lap, really enjoying the attention, and he knew he was doing a good job according to the creature resting in his lap but those claws were sharp. He was pretty used to it by now but they still hurt a bit as they dug at his flesh.
Fai hadn't realized just how good a nice pair of hands could feel on him or how easy it'd be to curl in another's lap and drift off. He hadn't realized he'd even fallen asleep until he stirred as the human wanted to move. But he was so comfy there… he stretched out as he became more alert, and the human slowly stood up. As the lap disappeared, Fai hopped to the side.
"I'll get some cat food for you tomorrow," Kurogane told him as he thought of what else he needed and needed to do. Food was important and he wondered what kind would be better for the other. From his work, he knew it was a boy cat. Flyers maybe - at least one at the shelter, just in case he was another's pet.
He thought about these and other things before a mewl drew him out of his thoughts and he leaned down and gently stroked the cat's head. He thought he shouldn't get too attached just in case but that would be difficult to darn near impossible not to get a little attached. Scratch that, he already liked the fluffy cat.
There were four other rooms of Kurogane's apartment. Bedroom, bathroom, coat closet and storage closet. He didn't count the area where the water heater was as a room. He'd need a place for the other to use the restroom so he'd need litter and a box. Kurogane wondered if it would be better with a lid or without one. There was a lot to consider as he picked up the feline, after all he wanted what was best for it (while still being budget able).
Fai didn't protest as Kurogane picked him up supporting his full weight on his arms. Fai looked around as the human carried him off to the bedroom. Fai squirmed and jumped down onto the bed before making himself comfortable. Kurogane chuckled barely before seating himself down on his bed and started to undress more, taking off his coat first and setting it down before he took off his shirt and next his shoes and socks.
Fai eyed Kurogane as he began to change before looking away, realizing even for a cat, he was staring, turning to gaze at some random speck on the ceiling. He knew the other had a bigger build but did it have to be that toned? And tanned too -so unfair, Fai told himself. As a human, he was quite fair in coloration and lanky in build. Not like this dark skinned dark haired Goliath of a gentle human as he set his clothes down on the bed leaving his top naked..
Kurogane felt like taking a bath but before that he pulled out his phone and found the camera option before opening it. Aiming the lens towards Fai, he took his picture. Fai blinked turning to look at the camera and Kurogane took his picture again getting his eyes this time. Fai mewled at it and tried knocking the phone out of Kurogane's hand. The human found it amusing at first which spurred Fai to take further measures as he used his head and forced his way into Kurogane's lap while trying to make him put the electronic down.
It didn't work well and he resorted to pawing at the arm and hand and … the human thought he was playing. Silly human. He grabbed the hand with all four and tried chewing on the corner of the phone. That did it as Kurogane plucked the phone away from Fai before he snapped another picture of him. Fai looked - Drats now the other hand had it. He let go of the one hand and went after the other, but Kurogane held him back checking to make sure he got decent pictures now that it appeared his new friend thought it was a toy or prey before he tucked it away.
Kurogane gently stroked Fai's head. "I'm going to go wash up now," he told the other, as if he could comprehend his words. He gave animals more credit than most humans.