The Strawberry Secret

Once more he found himself at the small mansion belonging to the Takatsuki family. That very morning had been the last time he'd been there, still belonging to Risako, though the night before he had known that she was disowning him as her pet. It had not been as though he hadn't seen the signs, but, he'd hoped that things might have returned to the way they had been during the first few months that he'd belonged to her, when she had seemed to actually care for him.

This afternoon however, he belonged to another Takatsuki, Risako's younger brother, Shinobu. He was uncertain of his new Master, wondering if perhaps he would turn out to be so much like his sister, loving and caring at first, but all of a sudden begin to neglect his need as a neko for affection, if nothing more.

He thought along those lines, still wondering how and why Shinobu loved him, as he had claimed, he unbuckled and removed himself from the car and walked around the automobile to open Shinobu's door and help him out of the passenger side door. It appeared the young neko had fallen asleep.

With a small quiet chuckle, Miyagi undid his seat belt and lifted the petite young man into his arms, using his knee to shut the car door and carried him to the entrance of the Takatsuki residence.

Long ago, he had accepted his fate, to be a pet and more than likely never anything more, unable to make all of his own choices without first consulting the person who owned him. There was, therefore, little he could do to remove himself from Shinobu, for the young neko was now his Master and having been brought up, knowing where his place would be, he had to be obedient. Not that it had always been easy in the past, especially feeling as starved of affection as he had and yet he'd never sought the comfort of another, ever loyal to the one whom owned him.

To his first deceased Mistress and to his last Mistress, he need no longer be loyal to either, for he now belonged to neither of them.

In his arms his young Master stirred, lashes fluttering open to reveal sleepy gray irises.

"Mi...yagi..." murmured the sandy haired youth, rubbing his cheek against the older neko's shoulder, "I love you," his eyes closed again.

Even those few small words were able to form a tiny hole in the wall he'd built around his heart in the years that he had been with Risako. Yet still, he thought himself too old for Shinobu and that the little neko would soon grow tired of him, despite whatever reassurances he might try to give him. Perhaps, had he been a handful of years younger, or better yet only a couple years older than Shinobu he may have had the confidence to believe those three little words. Words that not even Risako had spoken to him after their initial six months together, in the beginning.

On rare occasion, when Risako had not been home, though her being anywhere but home was quite frequent, Shinobu would spend time with him. He'd never really understood why, when the kitten seemed to be popular amongst his classmates as they were always calling.

"Shinobu, wake up. I don't have a key to the house anymore."

Once more the sandy eared Somali neko opened his eyes, brows slightly furrowed, then finally he seemed to notice his position in Miyagi's arms, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. "Miyagi, put me down!"

Miyagi did as he was bid, smiling as he noticed that Shinobu was a bit flustered, watching as the smaller neko pulled a set of keys from his pocket.

Shinobu looked thorough the keys –- the few that he had, till he came across the house key. On his key ring there were two, removing one he handed it to Miyagi. "This is your home... still, but your room will be... different," he took Miyagi's hand and dropped the extra house key he'd been carrying into it.

"Thank you, Shinobu-chin," he turned toward the door and unlocked it, holding the door open for Shinobu to walk into and he followed behind him. His eyes were drawn to the subtle sway of Shinobu's hips. He could not help but wonder what would be expected of him, though their conversation back at the pet shop had him feeling the slightest bit of anxiety. In all his years he'd never been with another male, but he'd always thought that if he were to be with one, that he would top rather than bottom.

Had Shinobu been serious, kept running through his head and if he had, did he expect him to be prepared for that so soon after giving him the response of, "Am I not your Master?" Perhaps, he thought as he shut the door behind him and followed Shinobu into his bedroom, he'd soon find out.

Shinobu fell back onto his bed, watching Miyagi as the older neko sat in the chair that was next to the bed. He realized his new pet was still weary of him and any possible intimacy they might share, the wound of being cast aside no doubt still too new and too raw to trust in him. Though he wanted to pull the other onto the bed beside him, even if it were just to be held and hold in return. As long as Miyagi were there, that he was his, he'd remain content -– for the moment.

He'd heard Risako last night as well as the night before last, when she had told Miyagi that she was through with him and he wondered himself if Miyagi was completely aware of the truth behind Risako's absences. That it wasn't really work that took her away from home so often, but one or more of her various suitors, if one could call her fuck buddies suitors. He could have told Miyagi, but did not wish to cause the other any more anguish than he'd already suffered.

Both of the neko's within the youngest males room recalled the words Risako had spoken.

Risako's dark gray eyes had narrowed, her mouth pursing as she practically growled at Miyagi, though she could not sound as catlike as her mother or brother whom themselves were neko's like her pet. She'd held up in her hand, with yet another negative read test, waving it around, "See Miyagi? You're useless! In all the time we've been together, we've not had one positive sign, not one offspring together and I've been to the doctors. And do you know what they said? They said I was fine! It's your fault!" though she'd never shown Miyagi the papers that would show him the results of his fertility test. He'd not even asked for them, for surely Riskao had read them and therefore had had reason to say it was his fault.

Shinobu hadn't seen what was going on, had only heard, but he'd thought Riskao had gone overboard and could have been less cruel to Miyagi. Especially with what she'd said after, though, because of that Miyagi was now under his care, in his custody and Risako would never be able to harm him again. She'd never be able to own him again for she had relinquished all rights and he had signed the papers at Nihonhani Neko Shop, making him Miyagi's legal Master. He would allow no one, least of all his sister to take the man, the neko he loved from him, ever.

Still in both their ears rang the horrible words of Risako the bitch, whom had not always been a bitch, but something had caused the irrefutable change somewhere along the line of her life. "I'm through with you Miyagi. I'm finished, I'm done. I don't need anyone as useless as you as a pet. In the morning I'm having my parents drop you off at the pound. Still, I doubt anyone would want someone whose sterile, especially a neko and too you're quite old to be sold at a pet shop," she'd scoffed before storming out of the house and into her own car, speeding away.

Shinobu noticing the forlorn look in Miyagi's eyes, he placed one hand over his, "Miyagi... did you... love my sister?"

At the question, Miyagi was taken aback, but he was honest as he told him, "Honestly? No, though I cared for her, but there was never a point where I loved her."

"Have... you loved anyone?"

"I have, back in the days of my early youth. She was my first Mistress and she taught me so much. I was sixteen when she bought me and seventeen when she passed on. She knew she was dying, but I didn't care, I wanted to be with her for as long as I was able," he smiled softly, sadly, "but we only had one year and in that time she was so often in the hospital."

"Do you... love her still?"

"I do, I don't think I'll ever stop loving her, she was my first love."

"Then, I want to be your last love, your greatest love."

Miyagi frowned at Shinobu, "Just because you say that, doesn't mean that it'll happen," though he had wondered if he might be able to love Shinobu, he didn't want the other to think he'd give in quite so easy, especially so early on in their Master and Pet relationship. Were Shinobu to turn out like Risako, if he were to love him, to love him more than even his first Mistress, it would tear him apart far more than the death of his first love and certainly a hell of a lot more than being cast aside by Risako.

"Then I'll have to try hard, but Miyagi," he sat up on his knees near the edge of the bed on which he was upon, "I really do love you..." he noticed the time and asked, "uhmn, but you must be hungry since its lunch time. Would you like me to make you something?"

Miyagi shook his head at the mention of Shinobu trying to make something. "No no, I'm the pet," he used that as an excuse, "I'll go make something. You're tired after all, you were asleep in the car, so get some rest while I go cook something."

The sandy haired male frowned, "You just don't want me to be the one cooking."

"Eh, well no, not after your sister told me you nearly burnt down the house a couple of times."

Shinobu scowled.

"Maybe next time, but I have to warn you I don't like cabbage."

Shinobu blinked, "That's all I know how to make."

"Then I'll teach you how to make other dishes, but for now, just relax while I make us something to eat. What would you like?"

"Strawberries...but I can't have them... so anything else would be okay, I guess," he still wasn't pleased that Miyagi wouldn't let him make him something. Though if Miyagi were to teach him how to cook –- did Miyagi even know how to make anything himself he wondered, but if he were to teach him that meant Miyagi would be in close proximity to him in the kitchen during those lessons. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

Miyagi arched a dark brow, "No strawberries...though you love them don't you?"

"I do, b-but they have this peculiar effect on me," Shinobu's face even now looked like the color of a strawberry minus the seeds.

It then dawned on Miyagi the reason why, Risako having once told him and too one of the very reasons that Risako had tried to keep Miyagi and Shinobu away from one another at all times. She hadn't trusted him, though he'd never given her a reason to distrust him. "As I recall your sister telling me, when you were about twelve, you ate an entire bowl of berries and entered your first heat, which doesn't usually come until one is sixteen."

"Yeah..." whispered Shinobu. "I only eat them in small doses and only during summer vacation. I wish I was able to eat them every day though," he sighed softly.

Miyagi nodded and stood up, gently stroking one of Shinobu's neko ears before walking toward the door. However he stopped as his hand was about to turn the knob of the door when he heard a loud muffled whimper behind him, back on the bed where Shinobu remained.

"Shinobu?" He questioned as he turned back around to see the young male laying down, head resting against the pillows, his fingers and socked toes curled into the sheets beneath him. Gray eyes had darkened –- they looked almost black, he was about to ask what was going on, when he noticed a particular scent. It had been so feint earlier he really hadn't noticed it, but he did now.

Shinobu gazed in Miyagi's direction, his face red, flustered with need, the desire to be with the older neko.

"Did you have strawberries today Shinobu?"

He shook his head, "N-no," he whimpered, a small bit of saliva escaping one corner of his mouth and dribbling down his chin, with his tongue he moistened his lips, causing the pink of them to glisten as though he were wearing gloss.

"Were you unaware of your heat cycle?"
"I...I've never been in heat before... not without eating strawberries and those only last a couple of hours, maybe a day or two at most." His body shuddered as he tried to tear the sheets beneath him with his fingernails. He frowned, "I'm going to miss school."

"You might, but isn't it a holiday? You have a week off at least," though it was possible for a heat to last up to two weeks instead of one, "and I'm here Shinobu-chin. However I think we need to eat first, then I'll help relieve you," he heard the younger neko moan, saw him growing even more red at his suggestion.

Shinobu whimpered again, his body arching upward, "So hot..." he complained as he tore the buttons of his school blazer.

Miyagi smirked, "Go ahead and take everything off Shinobu, I'll be back in a few minutes," and with those parting words, he left the room, taking Shinobu's set of keys and locking the door. He wanted no one else to see his Master like that, looking so wanton, so... beautiful and the sounds he made without even being touched already had him growing hard.

He was thankful, as he opened the fridge door, that Shinobu's parents wouldn't be back home until late considering the meeting they had to be to in one of the other prefectures. The only person he need worry about, was Risako. He and Shinobu could explain to them all later he determined as he pulled out deli meat, pickles and mayonnaise. Before closing the door of the fridge, he spotted freshly bought strawberries. Considering Shinobu was already in heat, he should be able to have his favorite treat.

While he prepared sandwiches, potato chips and strawberries for their lunch, Shinobu, back in his room struggled to remove his own clothes.

He was far too warm for his liking, tiny beads of perspiration forming on his pale body even after he'd stripped down to nothing but his boxer shorts, flinging every other article of clothing across the room in agitation. The only clear thought he had was wondering where Miyagi was. His body needed some sort of stimulation before he went mad and tore his room apart.

Just at that moment he heard the key turn in the lock, his eyes locked in tat direction as a tall, dark, handsome older neko stepped in, wheeling a tray of food inside and shutting the door behind him.

"Miyagi," he groaned, shyly crossing his arms over his chest, "took you long enough," he muttered, though he was glad to see him and his body, so eager.

Miyagi arched a brow and wheeled the cart over to Shinobu's bedside, "We're going to eat first Shinobu-chin," his eyes lowered, raking over Shinobu's nearly nude physique, "and then I'll take care of that," he smirked, his midnight blue eyes gazing down at Shinobu's lap.

Red faced, Shinobu huffed, "Miyagi!" which had the older man chuckling as he sat down in the chair he'd previously been in and unveiled the fare he'd brought in with him.

Shinobu's eyes were alight with delight at the sight of his most favorite food in all the world, "Strawberries!" His eyes flew to Miyagi as he whispered, "thank you."

Miyagi did nothing more than nod, smiling at the light in Shinobu's eyes.

"Feed them to me?"

At his Master's request, Miyagi picked up a strawberry and leaned forward toward Shinobu, brushing the tip of the berry slowly over Shinobu's lips, teasing him with the small fruit.

Shinobu's lashes fluttered closed at the feel of the berry against his lips, his mouth parting to reveal his teeth, parting more when Miyagi placed the berry between his parted lips. Slowly his teeth sank into the flesh of the small red fruit, a gush of sweet berry juice filling his mouth as he took a bite. His eyes slowly opened, the small strawberry halfway eaten, licking his lips of any stray juice.

Miyagi, "Don't do that Shinobu, that's my job," he said gruffly, the more he watched Shinobu the more he wanted him. He once more circled the berry, now the juicy exterior was exposed, over Shinobu's lips making them stained red by the juice.

The sweet bit of liquid dribbled down over Shinobu's chin as the young neko finished off the berry with one last bite.

Miyagi set the green stem of the strawberry down on a spot on the tray cart, using one hand to hold Shinobu by the back of his head as his own dark head bent. His tongue swiping up over Shinobu's chin where the thin line of red had run, till their lips met and locked, Miyagi's tongue dipping into Shinobu's mouth.

Never before had he ever tasted anything quite so sweet as Shinobu's strawberry juice covered mouth as his tongue stroked across that of Shinobu's. Their tongues rolled around each others, Miyagi's free hand gently stroking up over Shinobu's arm and shoulder, brushing his fingers down along his spine.

When he pulled back, effectively ending the kiss they shared, save for the string of saliva that connected their mouths, their tongues together he heard Shinobu whimper in what sounded like a pleading tone, "More."

With their lunch, for the moment forgotten, his mouth once more met Shinobu's.