GS Note: **ducks flying flaming pillows **
I just want to thank Jack who hounded me with e-mail to get this done ^_^ Harassment works!
As there were demands (threats, pleas, abuse, etc.,) for more 1+2 and, of course, kittens, I comply with the peer pressure of the public.
Gato
Chapter 1
Rolling over lazily, Wufei cracked an eye open and looked at the curious kitten. She yawned, bored, as the small, chocolate ball of fur batted playfully at her black nose. Wufei glared and gently tried to push the young cat away. The baby only pounced on Wufei excitedly. The Siamese started as she felt small, needle-like teeth close on the fur next to her throat. She jumped up quickly and moved away, the kitten still trying to latch on to her tail.
"Dammit!" she swore. "Duo, get your damn daughter away from me!"
Duo skillfully reached over and pulled the small ball of fur back into the cluster. "Sorry about that Fei, she's a wild one."
"I wonder why," the tan cat snorted and settled back down on the soft cushioning of the kitten box. "I'm going to be so glad when Heero gets back tonight, no more of this Duo-sitting thing."
"He just worried," Duo chuckled as she began to give her unruly daughter a bath. The kitten protested. "He still thinks Relena is out for my blood."
"I don't see why Trowa can't watch you," Wufei wearily kept an eye on the kitten, as she stretched out. "She is just next door."
"She has her own problems to deal with," Duo released the kitten to play with her siblings. "I only have four, Trowa's seven is a bit out of my league."
There was a sleepy snort as the next box over rustled as Trowa leapt effortlessly over the box wall. Duo's little soft haven was beginning to get crowded. Trowa watched the three sleeping kittens and the one feisty one with a tired look. Her huge striped body seemed thinner then usual.
"Keep in your prayers that you never have too," Trowa sighed.
"You sound a bit bitter," Wufei batted the kitten away again. "That's why I'm never going to have children."
"Unless She has something to say about it," Duo smirked. There was a cry from Trowa's box. Then another and another until the stripped Pixiebob sighed and sprung back over. Duo's wily daughter yawned. She turned and wobbly made her way to Wufei before curling up happily in the short hair of the Siamese.
Duo just chuckled as Wufei sputtered indignantly then growled and ignored the baby.
"Do you really think that Relena person is going to come back, or is it just Heero's paranoia?" Wufei tried to distract herself.
Duo paused before answering. "I don't know. The most I dealt with Relena was her tail running away or some lame comeback just before Dekim ordered them away. She might, I did get her good last time we fought. She's probably still sore but that doesn't mean she'll try anything as long as I'm in a house with dogs. She hates dogs."
***
Heero was never more relieved then when the door of his cage was opened. He streaked out without so much as looking at the woman who had carried his cage and darted under the couch.
Noin handed Zechs the cage and Heero heard him pass her something.
"This was the best haul yet," Her voice was enthusiastic despite the lingering weariness. "I really didn't think we'd do as well as we did. Heero hasn't been to a show in almost a year. He's almost four now and I'm really happy about the way those scars healed." There was a change of tone as she walked across the dark room to the trophy case and opened the glass. "Did we ever find out how that happened?"
"No," Zech's deep voice was slightly nasal. He sneezed. "But I'll be just as glad to get out of this wing. I'm sinuses are killing me. I haven't felt this bad since that week in Los Angeles when you couldn't find space for your cats and they had to stay in the hotel with us."
"That was pretty awful wasn't it?" Noin chuckled as she closed the case. Heero glared at her running shoes as she passed his couch again. "Then let's get out of here. Heero never eats after a show, he probably just wants to sleep."
Heero snorted at the remark but was glad when Noin firmly shut the door behind her. Not wasting anymore time, Heero left the safety of the couch and stalked over to the rusty vent on the floor. With ease, he pried it up and landed silently in the metal heating pipe. The dust stirred under his paws as he trotted along the tin tunnel to the next grate.
A simple push with his head and Heero jumped gratefully out of the dirty duct and took a moment to shake the filth off his sleek coat. It had been a tiring week, the show had been too far for Noin to simply shuttle Heero back and forth each morning from London. They had gone to a hotel in St. Helen's for the cat show in Liverpool. Heero had never minded travelling too much before Duo had come along. It was loud, confusing and frightening at points but it was variety to his old life.
Now, the show was dull and boring. He was anxious the whole time to be back home and tried his best to hurry everything along. He had half-hoped he wouldn't do very well but there was always the chance Noin might not think him as valuable anymore. If that happened and she decided to breed him less frequently, there was a chance that Duo might be bred to someone else. There was no way that would happen. But on the down side, showing did make him spend time other then here with Duo and his kittens.
He loped through the dark halls nonchalantly, Noin and Zechs were all ready gone from this wing and Hilde wasn't due back until tomorrow. He spotted the door to the female's wing. He coiled himself and sprung up to land on the door handle. The long gold handle gave easily under his weight and swung open. Taking the time to close it with his paws, he turned to the all ready open door to the kitten's room.
He was a familiar sight in that room lately so none of the mothers protested. With his goal still in mind, he leapt into the last box. His sudden appearance scared Duo and woke up a sleeping Wufei. The kitten curled against Wufei let out a pitiful meow as her pillow stood up. Wufei bristled and hissed sharply at Heero before jumping out of the box and dashing out of the door.
Heero landed onto the cushioned floor of the wooden crate and gently nuzzled the crying kitten. Duo glared at him.
"What a fine time to show up," she growled softly. "In the middle of the night for crying out loud—"
Heero ignored her muttering and curled up beside the kitten again until she settled back to sleep. Duo cursed a bit more as her heartbeat slowed again. Heero looked over and smirked at her glittering eyes.
"Sorry," he didn't sound very sincere as he tried to contain his smile. "We got back late."
"Did everything go well?" Duo was anxious. Her future depended on Heero's success too.
"Yea," he sighed softly. "I did better then She expected. Looks like we're safe. Did Relena show up?"
"No," Duo relaxed a bit. "And I don't expect she will now. It's been too long since Dekim. I bet she got into a another gang or was captured. Better yet, maybe she's dead in a gutter somewhere!"
Heero snorted softly but stretched out on the soft blankets. He yawned. "I'm going to sleep. Long drives are exhausting."
"Yea, I was rudely interrupted from a nice dream too, Mr. Hero," Duo teased before she too yawned. "Make sure you wake up in time to leave before Hilde comes in to check on us."
Heero grunted, his eyes all ready closing. Duo just snorted before she too started to drift off.
Just painting the scene guys ^_^ More to come soon! This is actually the first chance I've had to write all week so no yelling.