Cat

Silent like a ghost, Tao crept through the front door into the warmth of his home. As quietly as he could manage, he exchanged his shoes for the pink slippers everybody wore inside this house. Then he slipped out of his jacket, which wasn't an easy task because he could only use one hand. His other hand lay on his abdomen, holding a bulge under his shirt in place.

The bump was a little bit bigger than Tao's fist, but for him, it was very precious. There was only one problem he could see Frankenstein wouldn't be too pleased with his newest acquirement. This was the reason why he tried to sneak to his room without being noticed by the house owner.

But his luck ran out. The moment he got into the corridor to sneak into his room, he heard a 'Hyung!' behind his back.

Tao sighed. This was the first time he didn't enjoy being called by Ikhan. He plastered a smile on his face and turned reluctantly towards the kids who were playing some kind of board game with Takeo and M-21. Frankenstein stood at the entrance to the kitchen part, clearly worried about his precious house.

"Do you want to play with us? We just started, so you can join us without problem, Hyung," suggested Ikhan. Tao stood there for a moment, hesitating to step further into the room. But Takeo's raised eyebrows and Frankenstein's reproachful glare told Tao that they noticed that he was hiding something. And now the little batch under his shirt started to move, so he had to use both hands to securely hold it off from falling.

"What is that?"

"An apple?"

"Why would Hyung carry an apple under his shirt? Shinwoo, you're an idiot!"

"Perhaps a …"

"Ouh, it moved!"

With a sight Tao came to the conclusion that it would be no use to pretend the bump under his shirt was nothing. So he reached under the fabric and cautiously felt around for the little thing he had hidden. As his hand came out again, he had a little ball of fur in it.

Tao held the little kitten protectively close to his chest, tenderly stroking the soft fur. The warmth of the living being in his hands made him smile. The kitten had somehow reminded him of Regis with its white coat and the two black spots on its head and that was perhaps one of the reasons why he took the little one home. But the most prominent cause had been that the kitten was lost, alone and abandoned in the cold outside – just like him and the other two enhanced humans were a few months ago.

As Tao saw how Frankenstein eyed the little kitten, he paled slightly. The house owner glared down on the furry little thing as if it was the deadliest threat to mankind. Tao heard him mutter something about 'fur' and 'defend the house'. But a look of [to?] his master made sure that Frankenstein didn't say anything, for now.

Tao had no more time to observe Frankenstein's reaction because the kids almost assaulted him to get a better look at the kitten. Rai, Frankenstein and M-21 stayed where they were, but even Takeo came over to flash a glance at the little thing. If Tao had been the kitten, he would have been afraid as so many hands stretched out to caress it. But instead of shying away, the kitten purred even louder and seemed to enjoy it.

"Rai! Ajussi! You have to pet it too. It has such a soft fur," meant Yuna, while smiling brightly over her shoulder back to both males.

"Good idea. Here, hold it for a while," agreed Tao chirpily and held out the little ball of fur to the other enhanced human. Perhaps holding something living in his arms would ease the always stressed male. M-21 needed to smile more or so Tao thought. But then Takeo was the same in his opinion. Perhaps he should have brought two kittens to brighten up the mood of his comrades.

M-21 didn't seem to think that petting a little kitten would be of any use, but nonetheless he rose with a sigh from the couch, walked over to him and reached for the little cat. As he almost touched the silky fur, Tao noticed that the kitten tensed under his hands and before either M-21 or he could react, it lashed out with a hiss and left four claw marks on M-21's back of his hand.

M-21 didn't say anything or cursed the kitten; his lips only escaped a soft sound of surprise and he glared down on it. That the kitten hurt M-21 was exactly the opposite result Tao wanted to achieve. So far, he was the only one who couldn't touch the little kitten, which purred when any other person caressed it. Sure, Frankenstein and Rai hadn't tried it, but Tao couldn't see the kitten scratching them. But why didn't it like M-21? He hadn't done something to earn the resentment of the little one. Perhaps it has something to do with the way M-21 was enhanced, Tao mused. He had a wolf's heart implanted into his chest; perhaps he smelled like a dog for the kitten?

"It seems that the kitten doesn't like you," stated Regis, as he easily snatched the small cat out of Tao's hands as he still pondered the reason. The kitten started to purr the instant the young noble caressed it behind its ears.

"Perhaps it only likes you because it has got the same fur pattern as you?" asked M-21 demonstratively eyeing Regis' white and black hair.

The residents of this house were used to the bickering of M-21 and Regis, while the kids followed the little argument with a mix of amusement and amazement.

"Cats are elegant and prideful creatures. They know if there is a person with an equal amount of elegance."

"Cats are priggish and vain."

"Better than dogs; always barking and chasing their own tails."

"But dogs have good hearts," said Tao, his accentuation lying on 'hearts'. He didn't like where this argument was heading. In his mind, the other enhanced human always was associated with the werewolf heart in his chest and werewolves leading to wolves and wolves leading to dogs … Somehow he got a picture in front of his eye of Regis and M-21 as cat and dog fighting with each other. It was a fitting image, he thought. But arguing, which pet was better seemed a bit off, so he tried to stop them before they would hurt each other.

"I mean … dogs can be nice too," hurriedly Regis corrected him while M-21 smirked down to the young-looking noble. They always quarrelled but Tao knew that both liked each other. Sometimes it reminded him like how Shinwoo and Ikhan chatted to each other, only M-21 and Regis used more accusations.

"I like both. But this kitten is just adorable!" Now it was Suyi who stole the kitten out of Regis hands to snuggle it. Tao regretted to have brought the little cat into this house; it seemed to face death through cuddling. Poor thing.

"The kitten is cute, but I like dogs more. They are caring, loyal and would protect their family until death," spoke Yuna although she carefully stroked the kitten on Suyi's arm. Tao grinned at the girl as he saw M-21's face soften a bit. She had eased M-21's slightly miserable feeling – because he was the only one who couldn't touch the kitten – without realising it … or perhaps she did know what she said, if you took the warm smile directed at M-21 into account. Even if the werewolf's heart in that man's chest was a secret, she probably wanted to comfort him. Somehow the kids knew more than Tao gave them credit for.

"But what will happen to the little kitten?"

"Will you keep it, Hyung?"

"That hairy thing isn't going to live here. This isn't a home for stray cats,"

Frankenstein cut off the hail of questions the kids had started. Tao flinched and didn't dare to ask if the kitten could stay as he saw the look on Frankenstein's face. The poor kitten would in this house rather end as a lab rat than live in peace.

"Hehe … so I have to search for a nice home for the little one," Tao stated and scratched the back of his head, a little bit embarrassed. This time M-21 wouldn't interfere so the kitten got a home here, like he did back then as Takeo and he wanted to leave this house. And even Takeo avoided his gaze. Tao saw the kids flashing glances at each other until they stared at Suyi.

"You've got a big house."

"You like the kitten …"

"… and the kitten likes you!"

"And you always said that you wanted a pet."

There was a moment of silence as everybody stared at Suyi. Tao kept his fingers crossed. That girl would be a great mistress for the kitten; the way she held the little cat was careful and caring. And so he could visit the kitten sometimes.

"I have to ask my parents, but I think it will be okay."

"Just say that it is a little stray cat with no home!"

"A kitten which was all alone in the streets at night."

"And sure to die without your help. Your parents will never say 'no' then."

Tao felt a bit astonished by the mischief the four kids hid inside them. Suyi's poor parents had no way to escape this one. He chuckled lightly and struck a pose, his hand raised high into the air.

"So let's go out shopping. The kitten needs some things … my treat!"

Thanks again for beta-reading and the many comments to Dark Ice Dragon! I don't know what I would do without your help ... ^^