Chapter 12: Leash: Nostalgia: Romantica

Sekai ichi "Cat"sukoi

Chapter Twelve: Leash

Kiku came out of the back of the pet shop to find Sato fully engaged with Takano and his new Onodera "assistant" at the checkout counter. The young woman ducked behind the counter and grabbed her coat and purse. "I'm taking my break just a few minutes early, Sato-san!" She darted away before the store owner could protest.

Sato-san frowned as she watched Kiku exit the shop. "That girl," she muttered shaking her head. Sato looked at Takano. "If she wasn't my girlfriend's niece, I would have fired her a long time ago."

Takano nodded at this information, though really he could have cared less. All he could think about at the moment was getting his "new" neko home.

Sato handed Takano the adoption documents to sign.

Ritsu stood quietly by. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Throughout this whole humiliating ordeal his lean brown tail switched with unspoken agitation. His head shot up when he heard his new master's next words.

"Is he chipped?"

"Micro-chipped? Why yes. In fact in your packet here…" Sato handed Takano another sheaf of papers, "you'll find the previous owner's serial number… that will be yours now…"

"Is it GPS?" Takano's amber eyes slid over and fixed on Ritsu.

"Ah yes, that's standard practice for people traveling abroad, and for Onoderas it's always recommended."

Ritsu dropped his eyes back down immediately. He didn't want the humans to know how shocked he was at this information. He had no idea that the Kohinatas had chipped him. This knowledge and the fact this man obviously suspected him of being a flight risk bothered him tremendously.

But Takano wasn't quite through surprising his new pet.

"I'll ring you up now. Do you want to add a collar?" Sato asked.

"Yes," Takano nodded. He pointed to a thin bright pink leather collar on display behind the register that had tiny silver hearts on it. "I'll take that one and the lead next to it."

Ritsu's gaze followed his new master's finger. His dark green eyes widened. "You can't be serious, Takano-san!" he gasped.

Sato too was looking at Takano with shock. "Ummm, Takano-san, with all due respect, I must say that choice is usually for female hybrids."

Takano was nonplussed by either Sato or Ritsu's reaction. "Still, that's the one I want," he said mildly, completely ignoring his Onodera's spasmodically twitching ears.

Sato's eyebrows remained raised, but she'd dealt with many an eccentric pet owner before. Still, she'd never really pegged Takano for that "type." Obsessed maybe, but… Nevertheless, she moved over and took the collar off its peg.

"And the lead next to it," Takano added.

"Of course."

As Ritsu watched the shop keeper set this on the counter next to the collar. He noted with horror that it too was pink and studded with little hearts.

"I don't need a leash, Takano-san," Ritsu said softly.

"Eh?" Takano looked at his Onodera, whose color now almost matched his new accessories.

"I said, I don't need a leash," Ritsu said a little louder. "I'm not going to run away, Takano-san." He normally would not have chanced speaking this way to a human he didn't know well, but he dreaded the idea of being seen in public again leashed, especially in one that looked like that.

Takano's amber eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid I can't believe you, 're going to have to prove to me that you're trustworthy." Takano could tell by the swish in the slender neko's tail that Ritsu was furious with him. He found this rather gratifying

Takano clipped the new license tags on the collar and then stepped over to the seething neko. "Chin up." He said firmly.

Onodera stiffly complied, but his gaze was fierce. His ears flattened completely when he saw the mirth in the eyes behind the glasses his new owner was still wearing.

Takano added insult to injury by fastening the lead on next. He stepped back to admire his handiwork. A small smirk played across his handsome face. "Now you'll fit right in when you start tomorrow at Emerald."

Onodera's fury was replaced for an instant by a flash of perplexity. What in the hell kind of place is this Emerald that a pink hearted collar on a guy would be acceptable?

"Takano-san, I look ridiculous!"

"Ritsu-chan!" Sato scolded, horrified that the neko would talk back to his new owner in such a manner.

Convicted of his outburst, Onodera dropped his head in consternation.

"I'm so sorry, Takano-san," Sato apologized. "As I said before his previous owners were far too lenient. Maybe you'd like to purchase a correction collar too?"

Takano's expression hadn't changed at all despite Ritsu's outburst. He looked at the embarrassed neko standing before him. He saw Ritsu cringe at the mention of the correction collar. While in his opinion Onodera looked far more adorable than ridiculous, Takano did feel a little bit bad about making his neko so uncomfortable.

"I don't think I'll need anything like that, Sato-san. Will I, Onodera?" The editor raised a curious eyebrow.

"N…no… Takano-san… thank you," Ritsu stammered. "I'm... I'm sorry for speaking to you in such a rude manner."

Something in the small catman's apology tweaked Takano's heart. He was about to make a comment to try and assuage Ritsu's damaged pride when Kiku burst into the store.

"Oh, Onodera-chan, soooooo cute!" Kiku squeed. She stepped up and ran the pink leash through her fingers. "You look absolutely precious!"

Sato rolled her eyes at her assistant. Then she looked over as the bell on the shop door rang, admitting a quartet of high school girls. The young ladies stopped by almost every day to coo and aww over the hybrids. It was terribly annoying, particularly as they never bought anything.

With all the drama of the day, Sato wasn't ready for the half hour of dolphonic noises the pack of teen squee-ers usually made.

She'd just finished running Takano's credit card and handed him his receipts. "I wish you luck with your new Onodera, Takano-san. I suppose I won't be seeing you around again for some time."

"Hopefully never," Takano murmured staring at Onodera who was fighting hard against his urge to bat Kiku's hands away.

Sato stepped around the counter. "Kiku-kun, I'm going across the street for a tea, watch the store for a few minutes."

The shop keeper's words caught the young woman's attention, much to Onodera's relief. "Yes, Sato-san." Kiku pouted and dropped Ritsu's leash so that she could take the older woman's place behind the counter.

Sato offered Takano a bow before she hurried out the door, away from the chattering school girls.

Takano looked at Onodera appraisingly.

Somehow, despite the fact he was wearing a full sweat suit, Ritsu found himself feeling like he was standing before the man naked. Even more distressing than this was the fact that this realization stirred him slightly.

"Come on Onodera-chan," Takano said, taking up Ritsu's lead.

"Takano-san, do you really need to do that?" Ritsu asked hesitantly.

"Well there is one way I would forgo the leash," Takano offered after acting as if he'd seriously contemplated the notion for a few moments.

"Yes?" Ritsu's voice was filled with hope.

"You could hold my hand." Takano extended his own big paw to the neko.

The hybrid looked at Takano incredulously. He snorted in indignance."No way!"

"Suit yourself, just remember you had a choice." Takano smirked, giving the neko's leash a light tug to indicate they were going. He seemed completely unfazed that Onodera followed reluctantly a few feet behind him, eyes lowered but with a fierce scowl on his face.

As soon as Takano's back was completely turned, however, Ritsu found his eyes being unconsciously pulled towards his new owner's fine ass.

As if he sensed this Takano glanced back, catching Onodera's eye. The mortified neko looked away quickly. Takano uttered a light laugh at Ritsu's dismay in being caught, before he turned back around again.

Feeling his perpetually pinked cheeks grow hotter, Ritsu knew without a doubt that he hated his new owner.

No sooner had Takano and Ritsu stepped outside than the gaggle of gigglers approached Kiku at the counter.

"Kiku-san," one of the school girls asked breathlessly, "Where's Wa-chan?"

"Ah… Nowaki-chan, was adopted today," Kiku said solemnly.

This brought on a chorus of despairing cries, flutters, and pouts. Seeing the big puppy had been the highlight of the girls' day for a number of weeks now.

"And poor Nowaki-chan…" Kiku dropped her voice conspiratorially and sighed. The girls leaned in close knowing they were about to hear something juicy. "He was adopted by a man," Kiku confided.

"Oh… Poor Wa-chan!" One of the girls exclaimed, clasping her hands to her chest dramatically, her Hello Kitty charm bracelets jangling. However, the more pragmatic of the four, lowered the designer glasses she was wearing, blushed and asked Kiku, "Was Wa-chan's new owner cute?"

Kiku sniffed. "Well, in kind of a bookish was I suppose." Then a sly gleam slipped into her eyes, "but I could tell just by looking at him he was a huge pervert."

"Oh! Poor Wa-chan!" All girls moaned sorrowfully, but inside their budding fangirl chests each one's heart beat just a little bit faster at the thought of the handsome puppy-man having to submit to his new perverted master.

"What about Chi-chan?" A girl, sporting a bunny back pack, asked, trying to alleviate her terrible sorrow (and distract herself from the equally terribly naughty thoughts that were suddenly running rampant through her mind).

"The Yoshino was adopted."

"What about the fuck feral?" Another girl queried, tipping her pigtailed head to the side. Seeing the round eyes of her cohorts at her language, she straightened herself up and said haughtily, "What? It's a proper term." She looked at the shop assistant for support. "Isn't it

Kiku puffed importantly, "why yes it is, and Kisa-chan was adopted too. And you know who by?"

The four girls waited breathlessly for Kiku to confide in them.

"You know the shoujo manager across the street at Marimo?"

"Yukina-san!" All four girl squealed at a frequency known only to bats and dolphins. Their eyes were as big as saucers and filled with lustful cinnamon-seme sparkles.

"Yes, and not only that but Yukina-san and some foreign prince were actually fighting over the Kisa," Kiku revealed.

"Lucky pussy," the girls moaned in unison, suddenly wishing they were Kisa.

"Wahhhhh! What else is there here that's cute to look at right now?" Pigtail pouted.

"Well we have some new kittens coming in in about an hour." Seeing the girls disappointed faces Kiku offered, "There is still the silver-back Usami rabbit."

Hearing his name, Akihiko looked up from his novel. His impassive face regarded the girls coolly but his eyes clearly communicated his disdain.

"Oh he's super cute, but he's not at all friendly," Bunny pack whispered.

"I bet he bites," Hello Kitty shivered, though secretly not completely adverse to the thought of rabbit nibbles.

Akihiko's huge lop ears perked slightly at the girls' comments and he offered them a predatory grin.

Each of the girls unconsciously took a step back.

Satisfied he'd achieved the desired effect with his rare display of facial movement, the huge hybrid hare turned his lavender eyes back to his book.

The enthusiasm of the group had dampened considerably. Kiku fearing that she was going to lose her audience had a suddenly flash of inspiration. "You know…" she tapped a slender finger to her lip thoughtfully, "we still have the Araki in the back."

"Oooohhhh!" Hello Kitty squeed. "You mean the lamby one?" Sato had brought Hisashi out to sit in the window and get some sun a few days ago. The arrival of the school girls and their terrifying adoration of the poor fragile Hisashi had quickly brought a halt to any additional sun patch opportunities for the curly-haired neko.

"Can we see him please, Kiku-san?" Bunny pack pleaded.

"I don't know, Sato said I shouldn't let anyone bother him." Kiku pretended to be torn.

"Oh, please, please, pluuuuhleeese… He's sooooo cute," Pigtails squealed bouncing up and down, bringing a fluff to her pleated school skirt that caused a couple businessmen passing by to suddenly become quite interested in the empty store window.

"We promise we won't be a bother to him," Spectacles responsibly assured.

"Well I suppose I could make an exception… as you are some of my favorite non-customers." Kiku acted terribly put upon to finally relent.

"Uwahhhhh! Kiku-san we love you!" the quartet shrieked with pleasure.

Kiku basked in the girls' adoring looks. "Come on then," she grabbed the keys for the unsuspecting Araki's cage off the counter and headed back to the rear of the shop with her school of squee-ers in tow.

Akihiko watched the group flounce and flutter to the back from where he sat on the floor of his cage. He shook his head thinking about the fate that lay just moments away for poor Hisashi.

Hasn't the wooly neko suffered enough?

Then as a relative quiet descended over the shop, Akihiko realized with Sato gone and Kiku occupied… The silver-back smiled for the second time this afternoon, though this one was far more satisfied than sinister.

Akihiko reached into the band of his shorts and brought out a crumpled soft-pack. He pulled a cigarette out and retrieved the lighter he'd also stashed in the pack and lit up. He closed his eyes in delight as he took his first deep drag. All thoughts of the Araki disappeared from his mind as quickly as the soft grey cloud he exhaled.

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