Well, here's the start of another, rather short, fic. It's only two chapters, but hey. Basically, Rei goes all cattified, and Kai has to sort it out.
Oh, and before I begin, thank you Ellen, for your brilliant review for Affair...I also was to say the least confused by that other reviewer...and rather at a loss about what they meant half the time... Anyway, thank you for giving me a big laugh at their expense ( if anyone doesn't understand that, you can go and check out the reviews for my story 'Affair' if you want, and then you'll get it)!
"Tyson! Look, there's a pool!" Max bounced excitedly as they walked into the lobby of their hotel, then ran off with Tyson, yelling about slides and water polo. Kenny followed them, leaving Rei and Kai to check in. As they did so, they could hear the sounds of Tyson and Max enjoying themselves in the water. Rei shook his head.
"Sometimes I wonder if those two have ever been sane..." Kai nodded, looking at Rei closely. The neko-jin was leaning against the counter heavily, and his eyes were half closed. As Kai was about to comment on it, Rei gave a jaw-cracking yawn, covering his mouth with his hand, and then slumped over onto the service bell, making it ping loudly.
Kai shook him tentatively, but Rei just grumbled and tried to roll over. However, as he was lying on a service desk and not a bed he ended up rolling off into mid air. Kai caught him before he hit the floor, accepted the tickets, and left the porters with instructions to bring all their luggage up.
"Rei?" Another gentle shake did nothing to wake Rei up, so Kai hefted Rei over his shoulder, strolling towards the lift. Rei shifted in his arms, mewling, and Kai sighed. The neko-jin was moving so much it was hard to carry him. "Mnmmn. Mow!" Rei's hand clawed out, impacting with Kai's backside. "Mowowow! Reeeer!" Rei whined, wriggling. Kai resettled him, then decided to go for carrying him bridal-style.
However, that seemed to make Rei go even weirder. He stretched up, nuzzling into Kai's neck and licking him, purring loudly. Kai sighed, reaching in his pocket awkwardly for the key to their room. Rei butted him and pawed at him, fingers curled into a paw of sorts.
Kai managed to get the door open and carried Rei inside, laying the neko-jin on the nearest bed. He looked around the room. Simple, fresh, all neutral colours, fluffy bedsheets and-
"Meow?" Kai looked down and saw that Rei was awake. The only thing was that...Rei's eyes...had become... "Mow?" Cattish.
"Rei?"
Rei purred and rolled over onto his front, stretching himself into an arc before crawling over to the edge of the bed and rubbing his head against Kai's hand...almost as if he was asking to be stroked. Kai just stared at him. Offended by this lack of attention, Rei bit into Kai's hand gently.
"What are you doing, Rei? If this is your idea of a joke, it isn't funny-"
"Mowl!" Rei made an impatient noise and pawed his way up Kai's arm, leaning into his neck and licking his ear, lapping at the skin lovingly. Kai jumped away, shocked, and Rei pitched forwards, landing on the floor nose first with a howl of pain. Kai helped him up, and Rei yowled even more, leaping into Kai's arms and winding his legs firmly around the Russian's waist.
Kai grabbed the bedpost to stay upright, then slowly peeled Rei away, setting him back down on the bed. The neko-jin's nose was bleeding, and there were tears in his eyes. "M-M-Mow!" He whimpered, looking up at Kai with wide, pleading eyes. Kai turned to the bathroom, sighing.
"Come on, I'll clean your nose." Rei jumped down from the bed and crawled into the bathroom after him, sitting back on his knees. He stretched his face up, letting Kai clean his nose gently. "So why are you acting like a cat?"
"Mow?"
"You're not acting this, are you?" Rei cocked his head to one side, puzzled. "Come on, go to sleep or something, maybe you'll feel better when-" Rei looked from side to side, then prowled out into the main room, just in time for the door to slam open and Tyson and Max to run in. Rei yowled loudly, hissing, and Tyson laughed. "The pool's great!"
"Tyson-!"
"Rei, what're you doing on the-WAAGH!" Rei suddenly launched himself up, like a streak of white lightning, tackling Tyson to the floor. In the confusion, Max did a lot of yelling, Rei did a lot of hissing, and Tyson just kept screaming, even after Kai ran over and dragged Rei away, pinning him to the floor. "REI! STOP IT!" At the sound of Kai's voice, Rei stopped struggling, and fell quiet.
"Mow...?" Tyson struggled up, shaken.
"Rei? What the-?"
"He's gone all...catty."
Rei struggled, whining, and Kai let him up. "It's only Tyson, you moron." Rei looked up, sniffed, then stalked off, hopping up onto the bed and curling himself up into a little oval and falling asleep. Kai shrugged, looking at the other two. "I think there's something wrong with him. Where's Kenny?"
"Being chatted up by some girl in the bar!"
Kai sighed again. "Right, well, you two go and make sure he doesn't get drunk and make an idiot of himself, and I'll see what I can do for Rei..." Tyson and Max left, and Kai sat down next to Rei, stroking his hair. Rei snorted, squinching up his nose, purring contentedly. Kai laid down beside him and laid an arm over his waist, only to hear a ringing noise coming from somewhere. It took him a few seconds to realise that it was Rei's cell phone. He dug it out of Rei's pocket, and answered it. "Hello?"
"Uh...hello? Rei?"
"Um...no. It's Kai. Actually...Lee...maybe you could help. He's gone a little...strange."
"Uh? What d'you mean?"
"Well, he's..." Kai looked down at Rei, sighing. "He's started acting like a cat..."
"Well he would, wouldn't he?" Lee said angrily.
"Excuse me?"
"Neko-jin only ever do that when they're exhausted!"
"What?"
"Are you totally stupid? Neko-jin, meaning part-cat, and what sleeps more, a cat or a human?"
"He's-?"
"Yeah, so whatever you've been making him do, stop it! Bah! I'm only sorry we're not getting there till next week! I swear, you do anything to him while I'm not there and I'll kill you!"
"Lee, calm down. I'm not intending to hurt him. I wasn't aware anyone had. Anyway, I'd better go. Bye." Kai rang off before Lee could say another word. "Why didn't you say anything, you idiot?" He asked Rei. He stroked the neko-jin's arm, then pulled him onto his lap, hugging him tightly. Rei purred louder and opened his eyes, blinking sleepily. "Wrr..."
"Shh, you need to sleep. Go to sleep, now, Rei...I'll get you a drink or something out of the mini-bar...actually..." He reached out a hand, picking up the service phone and dialling.
"Room service, what can we do for you?"
"Yes, my name is Kai Hiwatari, in room 114, I would like you to bring me two pints of your freshest full-fat milk, a bowl, a cup, a box of belgian chocolates, a grilled chicken breast and a packet of chocolate chip cookies."
"Yes sir, we'll be up in a short while."
"Thank you." Kai put the phone down, smiling. "It's not like I can't afford to treat you nicely..." Rei shifted, snuggling up to him. "Now that I think about it...you wash our clothes, cook our food...you do so much for us, Rei, and we don't give you anything back...no wonder you're exhausted..." He laid back with Rei leaning on top of him. "The worst thing is, I really like you. Much more than I like Tyson, or Max, or Kenny. You're more mature...you're definitely more attractive, and-"
"Room service for Mr. Hiwatari!" Came the shout, accompanied by a sharp knock. Kai moved Rei slowly off him and went to answer the door. A smiling young man handed him a silver tray with all of the things he'd asked for on it. Kai nodded. "Add the charge to my bill." He reached his hand into his pocket and brought out a crisp twenty pound note. He held it out, then held up a finger for the boy to wait. Suddenly another twenty joined the first, and Kai handed them over, smiling.
He took the tray into the room and laid it on the bedside table, gently shaking Rei awake. "Rei, do you want something to eat or drink?"
"Mow?" Kai opened the box of chocolates and held one tantalisingly in front of Rei's nose.
"I know you like chocolate, Rei. And you still have a human...ish body, even if you're a cat inside your head...come on, chocolate..." Rei looked at him in confusion before wolfing the chocolate down and licking his lips. Kai held another one out, and Rei gulped it down as well, sitting up and purring his appreciation.
Kai tore off a sliver of the chicken and watched Rei's eyes light up. The neko-jin gave a cry of delight and begged, eyes pleading. Kai let him eat the chicken, then offered him a cookie. Rei took it between his teeth and then rolled over onto his back, holding the cookie between his 'paws' and nibbling it delicately. When he'd finished eating it, he sat up again, licking his lips to rid them of crumbs. Kai smiled and ruffled his hair, hugging him gently. "Do you want a drink, Rei?"
"Wrr?"
"A drink...do you want some milk?" Kai held up the first bottle, and Rei squeaked, butting it with his nose then backing away. "Stupid, you hurt your nose again, didn't you?" Rei wailed, pawing at the offending article as it started to drip blood down onto the bedsheets. Kai sighed. "Come on, back into the bathroom with you." Rei followed him, grumbling and whining, and let Kai clean his nose again, after it had stopped bleeding.
"Rei, come here..." Rei crawled over, climbed onto Kai's lap, and promptly fell asleep. Kai sighed. His head was crammed up against the sink and it wasn't exactly comfortable...
"Moww?" Kai blinked, snuffling.
"Wh-? Mnsnfrr..."
"Mowow!"
"Uh!" Kai jumped awake, and found Rei nuzzling him, meowing for attention. "What...what's the matter?" Rei yowled, and Kai sniffed. There was a strange smell...oh. "Cats don't use toilets, do they?" He coaxed Rei off him and stood up, sighing. There was a puddle on the floor and Rei was whining, a dark stain covering his crotch. Kai considered what to do, then sighed again.
"Come here, Rei." With a certain amount of embarrassment, Kai peeled Rei's wet clothes away and turned the shower on, guiding Rei inside and leaving him there. Rei screeched and tried to tear himself back through the glass cover, and Kai slapped his forehead, exasperated. He stripped off down to his boxers and got in as well, pulling Rei under the shower head and holding him there, much to the neko-jin's evident disgust. He squealed and whined, not letting Kai wash him properly, wriggling and pawing at the Russian annoyingly.
"Rei, stop it! Stop moving, or you'll never get out!" Kai snapped. Rei cowered, crying fearfully. Kai pulled him closer and hugged him tightly, arms crossed around Rei's back, whispering soothingly in his ear. "Don't get upset, I just need to clean you, Rei. Shh, don't wail like that, I'm not trying to kill you. Tch, you're like a silly little kitten, aren't you?" Rei eventually calmed down enough for Kai to be able to clean him and wash his hair, then dived out of the shower as soon as Kai opened the door. He capered out of the bathroom, obviously in a playful mood, and after he'd gotten dressed Kai followed, by turns cursing Rei and trying to dry him.
After a while, Kai managed to pin Rei to the floor and dry him roughly, making the neko-jin whine again. His pleas fell on deaf ears; Kai was far to absorbed in getting the mischievous little cat dry. When he had, he let Rei go, and Rei promptly pinned him to the floor, evidently in revenge. "Mowow!"
"Rei, get off me."
"Mowww?" Rei looked puzzled, then licked Kai's cheek, settling himself better on top of Kai and licking him all over his face, still absolutely stark naked. While Rei was absorbed in that, Kai shot up, dislodging Rei and grabbing their luggage, which the porters had obviously brought up while he'd been asleep. He dragged out a pair of boxers and tackled Rei, pushing him to the bed and yanking the boxers onto him, regardless of his cried protests.
Rei bounced up and frowned, yawning, before rolling back over and falling asleep.
"Rei?"
"Wrrr..."
"Rei, why are you asleep at this time of the afternoon? Are you ill?"
"Wrr-rr..." Rei snuggled himself further into the blanket, purring, ignoring the hand that shook his shoulder.
"Rei, are you awake? Are you feeling okay?"
"Wrr?" Rei opened his eyes, puzzled and blinking, and sat up, licking his 'paw' and dragging it over his eyes. Mr. Dickenson was hovering over him, looking concerned.
"Rei? Are you okay?"
"Mow?" Rei stretched up, licking Mr. Dickenson's nose and then hopping down off the bed, rubbing himself against Mr. Dickenson's leg and rolling over onto his feet. "Rei, what on earth are you doing?"
"Mowow?" Rei rolled over and crawled away, offended. Mr. Dickenson stared at him in shock and turned, only to find Kai walking into the room. The Russian looked at Mr. Dickenson's strange expression, and looked at Rei, who was sitting with his nose in the air, and sighed. "He's gone all cat-like. Lee said it's because he's been overworking, and his cat side's taken over to let him rest more."
"Really?" Mr. Dickenson looked surprised. "Then I'll go and call young Lee now, and see if there's anything I can do!"
With that, he bumbled out, leaving Rei and Kai alone together. Rei stretched and meowed loudly, stomach rumbling. Kai laughed softly and tickled his neck, holding out a tray of sushi. Rei sniffed, squeaked, and gobbled the sushi up, leaving not even the tiniest of crumbs left. He leapt at Kai and nuzzled at him, purring as he pushed him down onto the bed and sat on top of him, curling up and falling asleep.
Mr. Dickenson came back a few minutes later and looked quite shocked. He had never seen Kai being remotely affectionate before, and it was strange to see him lying there with Rei curled up on top of him. Kai had closed his eyes, and he looked...peaceful. "Kai my boy, are you awake?"
"Yes."
"I contacted Lee. He's flying over today. He said to just 'go with it and let him do what he wants'."
"He is. Doing what he wants, I mean. I ordered him some stuff off the room service people, and he liked that, I think. He likes cookies."
"Well, can you look after him until Lee and the other White Tigers get here?"
"Yes."
"Right, right...I'll get down to the airport to meet them, then..." And with that, Mr. Dickenson left again.
Next Chapter: Rei eats a disgusting snack, Rei gets angry, and Lee does a spot of translating...
R&R please, although flames will, as always, be used to keep me warm and roast marshmallows on!