A/N: Welcome to Chapter 2 of House Cat!

Chapter 2 - Tea and Mornings

It was around three o'clock in the morning when the old woman arrived to her destination. Pulling her suitcase to her side, the woman climbed on the porch step and took out the house key from her purse, given to her by her son so she could just barge in whenever she wants. She carefully unlocked the door, not wanting to wake her grandson up.

Edd was in his room, sleeping. Being the light sleeper he is, the teen woke up at the sound of a door opening. Poor Edd thought a stranger was robbing his house and he immediately but quietly stood from his bed, opened his closet and grabbed a baseball bat inside of it but not before putting his hat on his head. It was a good thing Eddy gave the bat to him, who thought it was dangerous for Edd to stay at his house alone with no protection. He gripped the bat and quietly went out of his room. As he peeked behind a wall, he nearly had a heart attack when he saw the someone is indeed in his house.

Suddenly, the lights opened and Edd saw the intruder, who turns out to be his own grandmother.

The beanie-clad boy smiled as dropped the baseball bat on the floor and hugged his grandma. After the string of heart attacks Edd had, they went to the kitchen. Edd brew a tea of sage and chamomile, gave it to the old woman and sat by the kitchen table, watching her sip the tea. Turns out, the old woman, who has been living in England for quite a while, got to the airport late, making her miss the early flight to United States. She caught the next flight which ended up arriving late that the buses aren't travelling anymore so the old woman took the taxi to Peach Creek. Unfortunately, the taxi driver wanted to go home already that she dropped her around Peach Creek High School and left Edd's grandmother there and made her walk.

"That is some unsatisfactory service that driver gave." Edd stopped to see his grandmother chuckle before sighing, "At least let me know that you're coming, I could have asked Eddy to drive me to the airport to pick you up. It is quite dangerous at this time of the night."

The old woman just smiled and said, "Oh sweetheart, I have patience. At sixty I can still thread a needle or find a button on a parquet floor, and of course, throw a good punch or two."

Edd sighed in defeat. "It is still dangerous."

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself. Look at you; you have bandages on almost your whole body. Are you getting bullied at school, darling?" Edd's grandma asked worriedly.

"Ah oh no. Eddy, Ed and I did a prank so we kind of deserve this." Edd nervously said.

"Who would think that the Science Quiz Bee champion for years at both grade school and middle school is capable of doing a prank?" The old woman laughed before continuing, "Well at least you're enjoying yourself even if your pathetic excuse of parents is always leaving you alone here. So, I took the liberty to come here and visit you, even if I'm only going to be here for a week. The assistant I employed to take care of my bookstore is leaving in a week you see." Edd's grandmother put the cup of tea down and walked over to Edd's side, giving him a tight hug while patting his back. Smiling, Edd leaned onto the warm hug.

They went to sleep after finishing the tea.

It was a sunny Saturday morning in April, the first warm cusp of spring. Almost everyone residing at Peach Creek is either still sleeping or is now hunched over on the toilet, suffering the effects of drinking heavily after a party. Hangovers happen normally the morning after a party that involved drinks such as alcohol. Well, normally, except Peach Creek High's number one star player, oh no.

The sun shone through the window of the jock's room, light perfectly aligned on his face, which made him groan as he started to gain consciousness. Kevin stirred in his bed, grabbing a pillow and putting it on his face to block out the sunlight. He braced himself from the amount of head-splitting pain to shoot through him, but none came. He opened his eyes and sat up on the bed. He was feeling perfectly fine, like he hadn't been downing bottles of booze here and there the night before. After such a night one would expect their head to begin throbbing even just a little bit, yet after minutes of waiting it still didn't come.

He glanced at the clock and saw that it read six o'clock in the morning.

The red-head began to think if the party last night was a dream, but he clearly remembers his friend Mark slouched over the toilet a few minutes after he chugged the bottle of rum, vomiting, which always happen at any school parties held at Peach Creek. He even remember drawing on Mark's face before going home though he couldn't remember how he got home safely. He furrowed his eyebrows to remember more but unfortunately, he had no recollection of what else happened. Maybe Nazz took me home, but I remember her going home earlier than me. This is really weird. Why am I not experiencing hangover? Eh, at least I'm not suffering life my friends.

Kevin grabbed his phone from the pocket of his pants, debating whether to disturb Nazz from her sleep or not. Nah, it's not like she's doing anything this early, she's just sleeping. He shrugged as he dialed Nazz's number and waited for her to pick up. After 5 rings, someone eventually picked up.

"Ugh... Who is it?" An unfamiliar voice was heard, it sounded like a woman, but not Nazz.

"Could you put Nazz on the line? Say it's Kevin." Some shuffling and a little bit of groaning later, Kevin heard Nazz's voice and learnt that the one who answered the phone was Marie. The blue-haired teen was too intoxicated by alcohol to go back to their trailer that Nazz had no choice but to let the other to sleep at her place.

After hearing the whole story, Kevin asked, "Yeah, but why is she with you in your bed?"

A pause was heard before Nazz replied, "My mind is too foggy to remember."

"Okay...? So, you know last night right?"

"We got so wasted and we don't remember how much we drank and now we're experiencing this killer headache. Wow great topic to talk about so early in the morning, Kev." Her reply was oozing with sarcasm.

"That's where you're wrong. I don't have a hangover"

"You're joking. Of course you do."

"No I don't. It was weird. I woke up feeling light like I went to bed early and I have my full energy."

"Like, no nausea happened this morning or any headaches at a- wAIT MARIE DON'T DO THAT HERE. GO TO THE TOILET QUICK PLE- AH! YOU VOMITED ON MY BED!" Kevin heard Marie mutter a sorry before hearing another disgusting belch of something. The red-head held his laughter in as he knew that Nazz will probably kill him if she heard him laughing at her demise so instead he just said a quick goodbye and ended the call.

Nothing to do... might as well take a bath. My clothes smell like booze. Kevin thought and grabbed a towel before taking all of his clothes off, putting it in the dirty clothes bin. He wrapped his towel around his waist and proceeded to the bathroom to take a nice, long, morning shower. Or so he thought...

As soon the red-head entered the bathroom, a sudden wave of nausea swept over him. He ran to the toilet and vomited. A little while after vomiting, he felt his whole body shook in pain, his insides felt like it was melting. His breaths came out as wheezes since he can't breathe properly. He's running out of air and he hugged his body as he fell unconscious to the tiled floor.

Eddward woke up at eight-thirty in the morning. It wasn't like the raven-haired teen to wake up late, but he didn't get much sleep, courtesy by his grandmother arriving at some ungodly hour. The smell of delicious food filled Edd's house. The boy smiled as he remembered that his grandma came, and for once he wasn't alone in the house and someone was making him food, not him making food for himself. Going downstairs, he went to the kitchen where he found the old woman pulling cookies out of the oven and placed it beside two other plates containing french toast and pancakes.

"Salutations, grandma."

"Oh hello, dear. Go on. Eat up. I made these healthy for you so your wounds will heal quickly. Pancakes are made of bananas and eggs and the French toast has all-natural ingredients. These cookies are well, for later and my bribe for waking you up last night."

"Thank you very much! I can't finish them all though. Would you mind me calling my friends so they can have breakfast here?"

"Your tall and short friend?" Edd nodded. "Of course, dear. The more, the merrier!"

Receiving a yes from his beloved grandmother, he picked up his phone and texted Ed and Eddy's numbers.

To: Ed & Eddy

Good morning. I hope I'm not disturbing you.
My grandmother arrived this morning and cooked breakfast
but I can't finish them all.
Would you mind helping me finish it?

Eddward

The beanie-wearing teen waited a few minutes before receiving a reply from his short friend, Eddy.

To: Edd

Sure no probs.
Lanky prbbly saw ur text alrdy so
I'm cming to pick him up.
Be ryt there.

Eddy

Edd cringed as he saw his friend's replies. He took a while to decipher Eddy's 'text talk' and thought that it was ridiculous not to use the right spelling and grammar even while texting. He texted back an okay and waited for them, nibbling on a cookie baked by his grandmother.

Kevin stared at his hands, which isn't his same hands and somehow looked like paws, again. The teen woke up a few minutes after he fell onto the bathroom floor. He looked around the room which seemed bigger than normal and also more detailed. He can see the designs of the tiled wall and the tiled floor. He also saw his towel, no longer on his waist, instead it's on the floor. I don't remember that towel that big, Kevin thought.

When he tried to stand up, he felt lighter that he actually is and the cold floor is colder than ever. That's when he noticed his paws. Maybe it's the only thing that changed. Oh I hope it's the only thing that changed. Quickly touching his face and body with his paws, he checked if his facial and body features also changed.

The jock felt horrified when he felt his nose seem longer, his whole face and body felt like it was filled with hair, he didn't feel his ears on the sides of his face but felt it on the top of his head and it felt pointy, his tongue felt rough on the upper part of the inside of his mouth, and he thought that he saw an orange tail swishing back and forth behind his back from the corner of his eyes. He tried to scream but the only sound that came out of his mouth was a soft mewl. Feeling terrified, he desperately climbed over the sink to the mirror to see himself.

On the mirror, instead of seeing himself, he saw a cat. Kevin looked ridiculous standing on two legs as a cat.

He saw that his face was round and has whiskers and sitting atop his head were a pair of cat ears. His nose is indeed longer and when he opened his mouth, he saw twelve small teeth and four canine teeth, two of which is long and in the front. Next he examined his body. It was large-looking because of the fluffy hair surrounding his whole body, even his tail looked fluffy. The fur is carrot orange in color though the orange color stops on his paws, which was white. He has four legs, two at the front and two at the back. At least he kept the color of his eyes, which were forest green in color.

He looked, no, he was a cat. He was a Persian Cat. Or at least that's what cats with longhair are called.

As he took in his reflection, he heard his mother call out just outside his room for breakfast. He winced at the loud sound. So it seems that not only I have a keen vision, but I also have very sensitive ears. Kevin thought and sighed. He was scared, yes, but he knew well that nothing would happen if he freak out. He ran out of the bathroom on his four legs, thanking his human self that he didn't close the door yet.

The orange cat needed help and he knew it. Should he ran to his mother and show her that the cat was him? No, he can't do that. His mother is allergic to cats and so is his dad. How about Nazz? He could call her. But then he remembered that his can't talk and Nazz would probably hang up if she just hears meows from the phone. Then the nerdy beanie-wearing teen he has a huge crush on crossed his mind. What about Edd? Sure he sometimes misses out the obvious, but he is smart. He could definitely find a way to turn the jock back to normal. He would just have to make the dork realize that the orange cat was him. But how? He can't talk and most probably can't write with his paws.

He gazed around his room again. His eyes focused on his beloved red hat sitting on his table. He could bring that to Edd and show him. He would know. He would realize. He was sure of it. With a plan and a new found determination, the cat clumsily climbed on the table, walking to the hat and bit it with his mouth. He glanced at the door of his room, which is closed. There was no way he could get out that way. He isn't an idiot and he can't open the door with his paws. He looked around to find another exit. He saw the closed window by his bed. He smirked in his head, jumping on the bed and climbing up the window. With all his strength, which by the way not much, he used his head to push the window open. It opened quite easily.

Well that was easy, Kevin thought.

When he was at the window sill, he looked down and gulped. Fuck, he cursed in his head. Of course, his room is on the second floor of the house and it was going to be a long drop if he jumped. With how small he is, he could die, he's a cat. He was about to freak out when the previous statement played on his mind.

Of course, how stupid of him. He's a cat. He read somewhere in the internet before that cat paws support the fall, that's why cats don't hurt themselves even when they jump 5 stories high.

Kevin collected all of his courage and inhaled before jumping, closing his eyes and hoping for the best. Three seconds later, his feet touched the ground and didn't feel any pain. He was so happy that he jumped up and down, almost forgetting the red cap. He smiled and picked it up with his mouth again, walking out of the front yard and across the street to Edd's house. Climbing on the porch step, he dropped the hat beside him and meowed loudly at the closed door.

Edd was in his room, changing his pajamas to comfortable home clothes, and failed to hear the loud meow outside. However it was heard by Edd's grandmother, who just smirked at the stove while preparing English Breakfast tea for Edd, herself, and his upcoming guests.

A/N: Ahhh I'm so satisfied. Anyways, please review! Stay tuned to what will happen next.

Edit 04-09-15: Some stuff happened (school and life) so i'm really sorry but i'm currently on hiatus though i will be back within the first week of may or so with /maybe/ 2 or 3 chapters. Sorry ^^"

Haru-chan~