Cat's Paw
A Bleach/XXXholic Crossover
By aishuu
Note: Thanks to sache for being a great beta on this, and sophiap for egging me on. This is the second story in the "Butterfly's Web" universe, to be co-written with Sophia Prester, but is also a standalone fic. The first story is "Je Chante Pour Passer Le Temps," which is not required reading. "Je chante" is located under the Bleach section.

It was inexperience, Watanuki would later recognize, that led him to make the mistake. However, only in his second week of employment at Ichihara Yuuko's shop, he hadn't been exposed to enough of the strangeness that came with his new position to be cautious.

The last week had been disconcerting, but filled with hope. Working at the shop was at turns interesting and infuriating, not to mention always weird. But he now had the promise that someday, his problem with his pursuers would be solved, so he worked full-heartedly, no matter how annoying Yuuko's requests were.

For such a slender woman, she could eat.. And the shop was absolutely filthy, with years of accumulated junk that hadn't ever been introduced to the concept of a dust rag. It was a wonder the health department hadn't condemned it. Just when he'd thought he'd made definite inroads toward organizing the mess, Yuuko would throw open another door and reveal an entirely new wing. He doubted he'd seen even a third of it.

He was mulling on the possibilities of what task Yuuko would set him as he arrived after school, knowing his imagination wasn't up to the probable reality. Just as he was about to open the door to the shop, he glanced at his feet and noticed a black cat sitting less than a foot away, waiting.

Watanuki, who had more than a layman's knowledge of superstitions, looked at it with unease. Black cats were supposed to be bad luck; but weren't witches also supposed to use them as familiars? Hadn't the former belief sprung from that? Thoughtfully, he looked into the cat's yellow eyes before deciding that he was being overly paranoid. Sometimes a cat was just a cat.

"What are you doing here, kitty?" Watanuki murmured, bending down to stroke the black head. He was a sucker for cute animals, though he'd die before admitting it.

The cat moved more quickly than his eye could follow, batting his hand aside before he even saw it. The cat didn't unsheathe its claws, sparing Watanuki's skin from scratches, but the swat was hard enough to be felt. "What do you think you're doing, boy?" the cat demanded in a gravelly voice.

Watanuki shrieked like a girl and went reeling backwards, his arms wheeling in panic as he tried to keep his balance. The cat watched patiently as he skittered about five feet away, his hand in his pocket, prepared to throw salt if it became necessary. He didn't think it would banish whatever-it-was, but if he targeted its eyes, he might just have a chance to run away.

"What are you?" he demanded, trying not to shake too much. He was used to spirits and all kinds of creepy-crawly things that sometimes turned his stomach, but a talking cat was a new one.

"I'm a cat," the creature replied condescendingly, like Watanuki was not-particularly-bright. It waved its tail with emphasis. "Are you going to open the door?"

"I... I..." he stammered, trying to decide if letting the cat inside would get him in trouble with Yuuko. He hadn't been able to predict any of her reactions, and letting a talking cat in might be pushing it.

"The only people who can get into the shop are the ones the Dimension Witch wants to deal with," the cat said, rolling its - his - eyes. "Since I'm here, it's obvious that I'm welcome."

Taking the cat at his word was chancy, but at the moment, Watanuki was willing to let someone else make the decision. If he was wrong, Yuuko would be equipped to deal with the situation. He didn't think there was anything that could daunt Ichihara Yuuko.

His hand was still shaking as he pulled the handle open, and Watanuki could have sworn the cat muttered something derogatory under his breath. He wasn't about to pick a fight, so he ignored it, stepping back to admit the unusual company.

The cat preceded him, moving like he owned the place. Watanuki trailed behind, clutching his schoolbag in front of his body protectively.

The cat stood back as it waited for Watanuki to open the next door, and he wondered where Moro and Maru had gotten to. Usually they met him as soon as he arrived, chirping cheerfully as they told him about what their mistress was up to, or if there was something waiting for him to do.

"Well?" the cat said, its tail flickering back and forth in irritation. "Are you going to open it, or do I need to scratch my way in?"

Watanuki shuddered at the idea of replacing the screen. Yuuko would make him do it, claiming that it was his fault. He lifted a hand to open it, and then stepped through.

The air was still heavy with the sweet scent of incense that Yuuko burned, and it caused Watanuki's eyes to water. He blinked rapidly as he tried to accustom himself again.

The witch didn't look like she'd moved since he'd left, barring her change in clothing. She was reclined across her usual seat, with manga scattered around her feet. Today, Yuuko was dressed in a colorful kimono and had her hair stacked on top of her head, a leg hanging off the end of the futon.

On her head, she held a warm water bottle, a sign that she'd been drinking the day before. He wondered why she kept it up, since she seemed prone to hangovers, but decided it was because she delighted in moaning about it. She had a tendency toward melodrama he found trying.

"Yuuko-san, you have a, um, guest?" Watanuki said uncertainly. He hoped she wasn't in a bad mood.

"Oh?" Yuuko lifted her head with a glimmer of interest, sliding the bottle aside as she tried to peek around Watanuki. "Step out of the way so I can see them," she ordered crossly, and Watanuki realized that he was blocking the cat. He hastily complied with her demand, thankfully not tripping over his own feet this time.

"Hello," the cat said, stepping closer to Yuuko's cushiony throne.

"Yoruichi-san!" Yuuko crowed, her hangover forgotten as she came to her feet and scuttled over. "It's been too long!" She sounded delighted, which made Watanuki uneasy.

"Only a couple of years," the cat replied in a blasé voice. "Not long to such as us."

"No, I suppose not," the witch said, plopping herself down so she was sitting next to the cat. She didn't make a move to pat it, but her smile was warm and full of genuine friendship. "Watanuki, go get us a bottle of sake and some cups, would you?" Yuuko asked, practically sparkling as she directed her request.

Watanuki thought it was weird for a cat to be drinking, but considering the cat could talk, he wasn't about to raise any objections. Common sense and Yuuko didn't fit together very well.

"Yes, ma'am," he agreed, taking the chance to make a hasty escape.

The kitchen was starting to become a familiar refuge to him, and he knew that the sake was kept in the cupboard under the sink. He told himself to take deep breaths, since it was just a cat, and no reason to get all riled up over.

He set his schoolbag down on the counter before opening the cupboard. Like most of the house, the inside was different than the outside. He couldn't figure it out, but the space inside was greater than the total space the cupboard occupied. He practically had to crawl in to reach the nearest bottle. He would have to restock soon, since Yuuko went through alcohol at astonishing rates.

The cups were easier to find, located in the drying rack where he'd left them after doing the dishes before. Setting them on a tray, he mentally braced himself before leaving.

When he returned, the cat was sitting on one of the cushions appropriated from the pile Yuuko spent the day lounging on, while Yuuko had returned to the divan. He moved to set down the tray between them, planning a hasty escape, but the cat's words stopped him.

"This your new help, Yuuko?" the cat asked, giving Watanuki a once over. The yellow eyes were bright and intelligent, and Watanuki felt like a bug on a specimen slide.

"Yes," she said. "He cooks, he cleans, and I bet he can make Julien fries if he tried," Yuuko replied, offering that smile that made Watanuki know something was about to happen. "Watanuki, this is Yoruichi, an old acquaintance of mine," Yuuko said. "Yoruichi, this is Watanuki Kimihiro."

He felt ridiculous bowing to a cat, but common sense warned him that ignoring courtesy would only cause problems. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he said, lying through his teeth.

"Of course it is," Yoruichi replied with a flick of his whiskers. "So how long has the boy been working for you?" The cat's eyes didn't leave Watanuki.

"Almost two weeks of culinary delight!" Yuuko replied, clutching her hands together in front of her bosom. "You really must taste his cooking, it's divine – I can have him make something with fish."

"Maybe some other time. Unfortunately, I have other errands to attend to today," Yoruichi replied. "I really don't even have time for a drink."

Yuuko looked at the bottle of sake that Watanuki had fetched, pouting. "More for me then," she replied. Ignoring the sake cups, she opened the bottle and drank directly from it. "You don't know what you're missing."

"I'll hold you to a rain check," Yoruichi replied with wry amusement. "Or Kisuke will, knowing him."

"Knowing him," Yuuko echoed, and Watanuki almost delighted in the pinched expression she sported. "I don't see why you put up with him."

"He's good at scratching behind my ears," Yoruichi replied, and Watanuki had the impression the cat was laughing. He was still staring at Watanuki, and waited several moments before speaking again. "I'd like to use him," Yoruichi said, turning to look at Yuuko. "I'm sure you can spare him for a couple of hours."

"And what will you pay with?" Yuuko asked, raising an eyebrow inquiringly.

"He'll have my company," the cat replied, as though it was obvious.

Yuuko tilted her head sideways. "The willing company of a cat? Quite a rare commodity," she said, tossing her head back and laughing. "Don't you agree, Watanuki?"

Watanuki did not agree, but he knew his opinion didn't matter. "Whatever you say, Yuuko-san," he muttered instead, resenting how out of control his life had gotten since meeting the witch. The cat creeped him out, and he wanted nothing to do with it. His life was already weird enough.

"Have him back by his bedtime, would you, Yoruichi-san?" Yuuko requested. "He has a test tomorrow he's going to need to be fully rested for."

Never mind the fact that Watanuki hadn't mentioned that to her. The way she knew about his life was positively creepy. He wondered if he was going to be able to get the cramming in he planned, since Yuuko said "by bedtime," and she never misspoke.

"Good, it's settled. Boy, come along," the cat ordered, rising to its paws and waving its tail slightly.

"Yuuko?" Watanuki asked, not sure if he was looking for reassurance (a concept which Yuuko didn't seem to believe in anyways) or an excuse to opt out.

"Do what Yoruichi says. You might learn something," Yuuko said, offering that mysterious smile. "Of course, I want you to make me tempera tomorrow to make up for it."

Tempera wasn't a horrible dish to make, Watanuki thought, but gave her an obligatory sulking look. Their relationship was starting to be defined by her requests and his grumbling. No need to disrupt it.

"Let me go get my bag," he said, returning to retrieve the bag which he'd just gotten rid of. Stomping back to the room, he waited as Yoruichi went to the door. It was only polite to let his "employer" go first.

He opened both of the doors again, and the cat preceded him without saying a word. Entering the yard, he paused, waiting for directions.

"We're going to the market," Yoruichi said shortly. "I have some shopping I want to do."

"Shopping?" he echoed numbly. Such a mundane activity hadn't crossed his mind; he'd been thinking of weird quests and spirits. Shopping was distressingly normal.

"I don't have hands," Yoruichi replied. "While paws are superior when it comes to scratching, they leave a lot to be desired when it comes to shopping."

"Shopping?" Watanuki echoed again.

"You didn't think we were going bowling, did you?" Yoruichi asked in a voice laden with sarcasm.

"Well, no, I mean I hadn't really thought on what you wanted with me," Watanuki stammered.

"You're an idiot, then," the cat replied, turning its head back to look at Watanuki.

Watanuki growled low in his throat, thinking that cat-skin mittens might make an attractive gift for Yuuko. He hated being called stupid, especially by creatures that didn't even know him.

"No retort?" it asked when Watanuki managed to keep from saying anything aloud. "There may be hope for you yet."

"Why bother? If you're anything like Yuuko's other clients, you're going to do what you want," Watanuki snapped before he thought better of it.

"I assure you, I am quite different than most of Yuuko's clientèle," the cat huffed. "Besides, we're really more... working colleagues. I act as an agent for a shop which Yuuko has interests in."

"Interests?"

"Yuuko is a savvy businesswoman," Yoruichi replied. "Now that I've reassured you that I'm not going to eat your soul or anything, can we get going? I want to finish before my fur starts to turn gray."

Watanuki jerked guiltily as he realized that they were still standing in Yuuko's yard. "Fine," he grumbled, slinging his bag back over his shoulder and brushing his hands down his shirt to wipe away imaginary dust.

Yoruichi moved on silent paws, his head intently looking forward as he set out on purpose. He moved quickly, but his stride was still smaller than a human's would have been. Watanuki found himself taking mincing steps to keep from stepping on the cat.

"This is really weird," he muttered.

"What is?" Yoruichi asked.

Watanuki had about ten answers to that, but a panicked thought occurred to him. "Don't talk!" he hissed in a barely audible whisper. "Do you want other people to hear you?"

"Most people wouldn't be able to understand me," Yoruichi said. "To them, it'd sound like hissing or meowing, depending on their personality and how well they like cats. You, though, have enough spirit power for me to speak to you. I'm actually talking directly into your mind, but you interpret it as spoken language since that's the way your mind is set up for communication."

"Spirit power?" he echoed. "You mean my sight?"

"What has Yuuko been teaching you?" Yoruichi asked rhetorically. "Listen, boy, you're practically brimming with spirit power. I haven't seen anyone with so much useless energy since I left my homeland. You're radiating so much untamed power that you might as well be wearing a sign saying 'good eats.'"

Watanuki squawked at that. There had been more than once that the creatures that stalked him had tried to munch on his soul, so any mention of how appealing he was to them made him uneasy. "I didn't ask for it!" he protested. "I was born this way!"

"So? That's still no excuse for not doing anything with it. It can either be a handicap or a resource, depending on how you look at it. Thank God it's not my responsibility to try to straighten you out – I wouldn't know where to start," the cat answered with a roll of his eyes.

"No one's asking you to," Watanuki retorted, his pride stung.

"Not all responsibilities are acquired by request," the cat replied. The cat stopped, looking around as it stood on the corner. "Take... oh, that soul over there," he said, indicating with a twitch of his whiskers.

Watanuki squinted, then realized that the person standing there was dead. Sometimes it was difficult for him to tell between the living and the dead since he saw both so clearly.

"Yes?" he asked uneasily. He made a habit of avoiding the departed since they were bait for the things that chased after him.

"We're just going to walk by," Yoruichi said. "It's not our business, right?"

"Um, yes?" he replied, getting the feeling that the cat was going to have him do something – possibly perilous – to aid the soul.

"Right," Yoruichi replied. "It's not our business. There's other people who will take care of it."

"If everyone thinks like that, isn't that a problem?" Watanuki asked. The soul was that of a middle-aged salary man, and he sat at a bus stop, checking the clock carefully. Watanuki wondered if the man knew he was dead.

"Usually there's people who are in charge of various necessary tasks. For example, a shinigami should be along soon to give it a proper soul burial, and they'll do a better job of it than either of us could."

"Shinigami?" The concept made Watanuki shuddered.

"You've probably seen them running around. Black clothes, carrying swords? Walk through objects and fight monsters?"

Watanuki had seen a couple of those. He'd run away from them, too. "They're kind of scary."

"Of course they're scary," the cat replied, "but they fill a needed function. Most everything has a purpose, although it may not be something you like." Yoruichi tensed, and Watanuki blinked as a door opened on the street – a door standing in the middle of nothing. Other people ignored it, so it was safe to assume that it was only visible to a select few.

"Ah, there's the shinigami now," Yoruichi said. It didn't miss Watanuki's notice that the cat managed to inch behind him.

To his surprise, the shinigami didn't seem threatening. A tiny woman dressed in a black hakama moved to stand in front of the spirit. He watched as she spoke to the spirit, which seemed upset at her appearance. She made several placating moves, but the man was having none of it – he still didn't seem to understand he was dead.

Finally she had enough, and pulled her sword. Watanuki opened his mouth to shout a warning – stupid as it may have been – but Yoruichi snapped, "Just watch!"

The girl – she looked about his age – flipped her sword over and firmly pressed the hilt of the sword into the spirit's forehead. The blissful expression on the man's face allayed Watanuki's fear that something bad was happening. The man shimmered, and a black and purple butterfly fluttered away. The shinigami sheathed her sword, and seconds later vanished back through the door, which disappeared as soon as she shut it.

They were quiet for several minutes before Yoruichi spoke again. "Knowing when and when not to act is important, boy," the cat said.

"What did she do?"

"It's a soul burial. It's for those who might not be able to find their way to the Soul Society without help. A lot of spirits can, but those with attachments to this world that aren't severed need to be purified so they can leave."

"Why can't they stay?" He remembered his friend, whose bone he still kept, and wished he was still there.

"Souls that don't move on appropriately turn into Hollows, souls which have lost their human hearts. They're nasty at best," Yoruichi replied. He started down the street again, and Watanuki had no choice but to follow.

Watanuki had spent so much of his life running from the things he saw that he never considered if any of them might not be all that bad. In his head, he'd lumped the whole lot of them together.

The idea that everything he saw might not be all bad (or all with intentions of eating him) hadn't crossed his mind. He looked at the cat, wondering

Finally Yoruichi turned a corner, and stopped abruptly in front of a building that was familiar to Watanuki. "Here we are!" the cat announced, practically shimmering with delight.

Watanuki checked their destination twice, trying to convince himself where he was. "We're at a grocery store," Watanuki said flatly. He had thought the cat had meant to do some more unusual shopping, but this shop was the one where he usually shopped for his own dinner.

"A cat's got to eat," Yoruichi said, turning his head to look at Watanuki. "And I hope you brought your wallet."

Watanuki mentally reconfigured his budget with a mental grumble at Yuuko. Maybe not everything wanted to eat him, Watanuki concluded, but that didn't mean they all didn't want something from him.