Pick of the Litter

It had only been a matter of time before she rid herself of him. Each successive failure led to his Mistresses discontent, less caring and less sweet as she had been when first the two had met. Back when everything had been so sweet and carefree, in the days which now seemed like no more than a distant dream. Back when she had purchased him from this very same pet shop, Nihonhani Neko Shop.

He remembered it well, only five years ago with a bittersweet sigh, perhaps too well for the contrast between his Mistress of then and his Mistress of now, though as of that morning she had relinquished all ownership of him.

The dark brown haired woman, whom he had recognized at the time as belonging to the daughter of the Japanese Literature Department's Head of Mitsuhashi University, Takatsuki Riskao had been the one to purchase him as her pet. At the time he had been but a mere Assistant Professor, to a Professor whose retirement was not so very far away.

Unfortunately however his family had been farmers, though because one of his parents, his father to be precise had had a neko mother, he himself had inherited the trait.

Which had meant being placed up for adoption as a pet. He had, however, been given some reprieve as the law only required that neko's who had come of age be sold unless their parents decided otherwise before they reached the age of majority.

Not even his salary as a Professor was enough to place him within the income bracket that would allow him his complete freedom.

He had not been purchased save once before Risako, the woman whom five years ago had managed to capture his had at the time purchased him, but as the years had worn on she had seemed to lose interest in him more and more and so he had not been given the care and love as a pet he had been brought up to expect from a kind and caring owner, a Master or Mistress.

Luckily, as her pet, he'd been able to retain his job at Mitsuhashi University, though it was hallow, for he always felt a deep and abiding loneliness which he constantly tried to quell.

Reading and grading papers had been his only escape from the reality he'd come to find himself wrapped up in, unable to escape. That and picking on his subordinate who had joined the faculty but a year ago, when he himself had been handed the job of Professor of Japanese Literature as the previous had by then retired.

Now as he was lead into one of the rooms, behind one-way glass mirrors, the customers could see in, but he could not see out, he wondered what would become of him. No doubt he was too old for anyone to take interest in him at all, not when there were various kittens for sale in the other rooms. Even if he could not see them, he knew they were there, could hear them in either room beside his own.

He was not as spry or as playful as he might once have been, he was certainly no adorable youth still in the last stages of being a kitten.

The dark haired neko bowed his head as he sat down on a chair found within the room where he was, to wait until someone came to claim him as their own. This would be the third time, he thought to himself, but perhaps as Risako had said the night before last, he would be better off at the pound. He felt certain he'd wind up there anyway, after all, he was - useless. It had to be his fault, as his now ex-Mistress has pointed out to him, that they could not reproduce.

It seemed as though the only reason she had purchased him, was to beget kittens if she were able, seeing as she herself had not been born a neko. Though her little brother had, taking more after their mother than Risako herself. Which meant she had never really cared for him at all, though she had made him believe so in the first year of their Owner and Pet relationship.

On the other side of the one-way viewing glass stood a young, slender sandy haired man. Large gray eyes were gazing intently through the window at the forlorn neko within the confines of the holding and display room.

His own tail, like that of a golden-brown Somali swayed behind him, his ears perking as he thought to himself, 'Now Miyagi can be mine, instead of Risako. I can give him all the love that she denied him and much more besides.'

He cared not the reasons behind his sisters abandonment of her pet. In truth however, she had abandoned him years ago, though making a rare effort a few times out of the year to give him the affection that all those raised to one day be pets expected of their owners.

Risako however had often neglected her own pet and though the young man, only having that day turned twelve when she'd brought Miyagi home, had been unable to do anything. Miyagi belonged to his sister and not him, their parents somewhat blind to the truth behind the relationship between their daughter and their young friend, Miyagi Yo.

Yet all the years of watching the pair, silently watching Miyagi from afar, though they all lived within the same small mansion, had finally presented him this opportunity. It was however bittersweet, for Miyagi should have been given all the love and care he deserved from his previous owner, Riskao, whose reasons for ridding herself of Miyagi were selfish at best.

He noticed not the others whom had come through the automatic sliding glass doors, his attention riveted to the male neko looking as though he'd given up all hope.

Luckily for the group of four whom passed by to begin searching at the other end of the shop had not dared stop and stare at Miyagi, for the sandy haired youth was not about to let any other think they could claim him.

Vaguely he heard a feminine voice, soft with a touch of authority, "Come along Eri my love, you too Akihiko nii-chan and Hiroki."

He heard no one speak a verbal response, but he was not interested enough to turn around and see whether or not they had listened to the young woman.

Turning he looked around for the shop keeper and waving his hand to catch the mans attention he was delighted as he came over to him.

Still he did not smile as he was greeted by the man who'd he'd passed earlier as he'd entered the shop. The idiot had thought he had come to place himself up for adoption.

It was true he'd recently reached the age of majority, sixteen, but he was one of the lucky few, due to both his parents careers and their parents careers before them who need not be sold off as a pet.

Perhaps however, had it not been for the very neko he'd come there that day to purchase he may well have offered himself up for adoption though he need never do so.

Which was the very reason his parents always insisted he show his identification card that showed that he was not pet material, he'd not been raised to one day be someones pet for his family could well afford to keep him.

His brows were furrowed slightly, least the man once more ask him if he'd changed his mind about wanting to be adopted despite his papers. "I wish to purchase a pet."

The shop keeper looked taken aback, blinking, "Takatsuki-kun, Do you think you'd actually be able to afford a pet?"

The gray eyed youth frowned, "I do believe I will be able to do so."

The shop keeper looked skeptical, but asked, "And which of the kittens, though you yourself are still a kitten, are you interested in?"

He turned around to gaze back through window and pointed at Miyagi whose eyes had closed and appeared to be running his hand through one side of his dark hair.

"I wish to purchase him, Miyagi Yo, the Bombay Neko, age thirty-three. He previously belonged to Takatsuki Risako."

"Why would you want someone so much older than yourself Takatsuki-kun?"

"Because I love him."

"Why did you not ask your sister to relinquish him to you?"

Pursing his lips, he responded to the shop keepers question, "Because had I asked, she would have said no, maybe even done something stupid and hurtful and Miyagi has suffered enough. I am old enough now to purchase a pet, so would you please get me the paperwork to sign so that I may take him home? I'll even pay the same fee as one would for a kitten."

"That, wont be necessary Takatsuki-kun, but that does let me know that you're serious about him, rather than wanting to take him just because he's the cheapest. As you know, older nekos do tend to have a reduced price, plus he's..."

Before the shopkeeper could continue, gray eyes turned cold as they glared, "That was never proven and I'd appreciate you not bringing it up. Even if it were proven true, I still want Miyagi."

Once the shopkeeper had nodded and gone of to collect the papers for Shinobu to sign he went about the shop to purchase a few items. A midnight blue collar with a matching leash. Although the leash had light purple diamonds running down its center as its design.

While waiting for the papers he also made a tag from the machine. He chose a heart shaped tag, which read "Miyagi Yo, pet of Takatsuki Shinobu. If lost please return to Mitsuhashi University, Japanese Literature Department."

He did not however think that he'd be presenting these to Miyagi today as they were placed in a brown paper bag along with various other items he'd found throughout the shelves of the store.

He didn't bat an eye when the shopkeeper arched a brow and gave him a questioning look whenever he rang up one of the items that the young non-pet neko had decided to purchase. As they were being rung up he finished signing the papers and took the large paper bag in his arms.

"Your total is fifty-five thousand five-hundred twenty-nine yen," which had they been American would have been the equivalent of six-hundred seventy-seven dollars and twenty-three cents.

From his pocket, the gray eyed young neko took out five ten-thousand yen bills, one five-thousand yen bill, one five-hundred yen bill, two ten yen bills and three one yen bills to pay the keeper of the pet shop in full with cash. That left him with just four thousand seventy-seven yen for the rest of the month, well perhaps not considering he still had a check coming his way from the part-time job he'd begun a couple of weeks ago during school break.

Miyagi blinked when the shopkeeper came in so soon after he'd been dropped off by Risako's parents. They had brought him to the pet-shop rather than take him and dump him off at the pound as Risako had told them to do before leaving the house that morning to do who knew what. His midnight blue eyes widened in shock as he heard the shopkeepers words.

"Miyagi-san, you've been purchased, the papers were signed and you're going to go with your new owner now."

Usually a potential buyer at least sat down and talked with the neko they were interested in before buying them. He wondered if it were because he were older and thus cheaper, or even someone who was an impulse buyer.

His heart continued to sink further, even though for a moment he'd felt somewhat excited that there was actually someone who wanted a neko as old as him. Yet, had they been told, told that he was unable to impregnate them? His dark ears drooped down against his head, his tail lifeless as it limply fell behind him.

He was led from the room, down the hall of pets that was the entrance and exit of the little holding rooms, to the front desk, his body slouched, for surely there had been some mistake. Who would play such a joke on him, after he had been so carelessly tossed aside he wondered quietly, hollowly to himself.

Yet he heard an all too familiar voice speak his name, "Miyagi!"

The older dark haired neko lifted his gaze from the ground, to stare down into the gray depths that weren't quite as dark a color as the woman whom had been his Mistress, his owner, up until a few very short hours ago.

"Shinobu-chin? What are you doing here?"

Shinobu, although he did not smile said in a quiet firm voice, "Purchasing a pet. I am sixteen now after all."

"Oh? And have you found one? Where is she?"

The sixteen year frowned, "He is standing right in front of me."

"He? I didn't know you were interested in..." as what Shinobu had just said seemed to finally resonate completely inside Miyagi's head, the older mans eyes shot wide open, "E~h!?" he questioningly exclaimed as though he couldn't quite believe it.

"Y-you're the one whose..."

The shopkeeper, employed by the owners of the store nodded, "He's the one," he held up a copy of the papers, "Signed, sealed and stamped with approval. You now belong to Takatsuki Shinobu." He handed the copy to Shinobu who folded it neatly and placed it in his wallet for safe keeping.

Having conducted business with them, the employee of Nihonhani Neko Shop returned to the halls of where other customers were deciding upon whether or not they wished to take home with them a kitten that was available for selection that day or not.

When Shinobu and Miyagi were alone, Miyagi frowned at Shinobu. "I can't give you kittens."

"You don't know that for certain, but even if you cannot, that is not the reason I decided to adopt you as my pet."

"Why did you? I'm useless. Why didn't you purchase a kitten closer to your own age?"

Each successive question looked as though it were causing Shinobu displeasure, but Miyagi was sure the young rich neko could have chosen another better than he.

Although what the young neko said next had him standing there stunned, for a moment unable to move, "Because I love you, Miyagi."

He wasn't sure whether or not to believe him, but he legally now belonged to Shinobu.

He frowned at him once the moment of shock had ebbed away, "I wont bottom either," most neko's, if not all were bisexual in nature, so Miyagi wasn't about to argue that they were both male, the humans themselves could do that enough themselves.

Shinobu, still holding a brown paper bag in one arm, wrapped his other around it before it slipped and fell from his single handed grip.

He gazed up into the dark depths of Miyagi's gorgeous eyes, arching a brow, "Am I not your Master?" with that he turned to walk out of the pet shop.

Miyagi had been unable to think of a retort, for it was true, Shinobu was now his master and as such he could not disobey him, found himself easily following after.

"Shinobu-chin, my car is here, if you'd rather not walk," plus with how young Shinobu still was and the way people always cast their eye at him, he didn't feel it was safe for him to be walking out anywhere alone.

It was up to him to keep the him safe, not just because he was his Master, but too because he was the son of his boss.

He did wonder if Shinobu would allow him to keep his position at the University or if he'd be a strictly in-door neko.

Shinobu turned toward the light lavender car which was so light it was almost white and got inside the passenger side door that Miyagi had held open for him.

He mumbled, "Thank you," his ears tinged red as he placed the bag down on the floor between his feet. Before he could do it himself, Miyagi had him strapped into his seat and had shut the door.

Miyagi once buckled up in the drivers seat, closed his door, but had not turned the ignition on.

"This isn't all some joke is it? Your sister didn't put you up to it did she?"

Gray eyes turned to glare at him, "No, I told you, I love you. I have for almost as long as you've been with my sister."

"How can anyone love when they're so very young? Are you sure it isn't just a residual infatuation that will disappear when you grow bored of me and then once again I'll find myself at the pet-shop, probably even the pound?"

"Listen old man," frowned the young neko at the older one, "my emotions are very real, you'll soon understand that what I feel for you is no mere infatuation and never has been. Us being together, its destiny!"

Miyagi gazed at him intently, frowning, "You've got to be joking. There's no such thing as destiny."

"There is too!" Growled the sandy haired youth, but then paled when he saw a trio across the street through Miyagi's window.

He began to tremble and gaze up at the older male, desperation written in his eyes, "Can we just hurry up and get out of here?"

Blinking, he asked, "Why?"

Shinobu really didn't feel like telling him, however he pointed across the street shakingly, "Those three, they've been following me a lot lately. One of them even tried to jump me. I don't know if they were trying to steal something, or...or..." he could finish the thought.

Miyagi's brows raised and he turned into traffic to head back toward home.

"You can't go anywhere by yourself anymore Shinobu. If you need to go anywhere, I'll take you there, or you wait for me, but don't ever go off by yourself. Furthermore, don't take the shortcuts through the alleyways like I've heard you've done," now, for some reason he felt overly protective of Shinobu, even though he was not the owner he was giving orders.

He was only thinking of his Masters safety.

Shinobu gazed at him, "Why should I have to?"

"So I know you're safe. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you Shinobu-chin. Not even before, but especially not now that you're my Master."

From the corner of his eye Miyagi could see Shinobu blushing all the way to the top of his ears, which caused him to smile, it had been so long since he'd even smiled other than when picking on his subordinate at work.

Shinobu whispered as he bent his head, dirty-blonde tresses blocking his eyes from view, "Okay... and Miyagi..."

"Yes Shinobu-chin?"

"You can keep your job at Mitsuhashi."

"Do you really mean that?" He'd wondered if he'd be told to quit, unable to teach the subject he enjoyed most.

"I want you to be happy, so yes. You love your job. I realized that awhile ago."

At a stop light their eyes met each others and both of them felt as though they now had even the slightest bit of a deeper connection before Miyagi's attention returned to the road when the light turned green.

'Perhaps,' thought Miyagi, 'he might really love me, but... can I love him?' Only time would tell, but he felt within that it was a high possibility.

Still, he feared allowing the walls he'd built around his heart during his time as Risako's pet to crumble could lead once more to possible heart ache, as he turned the car into the parking-lot of the Takatsuki's small mansion.