Pawsitive Reinforcements
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"A-choo!"
Rukia wraps the pink scarf tighter around her neck, sniffling and rubbing at her nose as she ventures out from the comfortable indoor heating of her university building into the freezing cold instead. Classes have just ended and the drop in temperature could not have been more obvious.
The tip of her nose is slightly red from the exposure to the cold and she chides herself for not wearing a thicker coat. With a shudder, she pulls the zip of her winter coat up to the collar. Two smiling bunnies- one on each hand- beam at her as she slips on her thick woolen gloves and she eagerly tugs at the edges of the pastel pink beanie that she has on to cover her cold ears.
She is among the last to leave the building and she cannot help but heave a weary sigh, huffing puffs of white clouds into existence as she turns to glare at the pitch-black sky.
As much as she enjoys having her classes in the late evening, allowing her to cover part-time shifts in the restaurants and cafes nearby, the skies turn dark too quickly during the winter months. Unlike most of her course mates, she lives off campus to save rent money- which unfortunately also translates to house-sharing an apartment with two girls with larger-than-life personalities, and having to walk back home in dimly lit alleyways or the streetlight-less campus footpaths in the miserable cold for twenty minutes.
Alone.
The icy cold numbness creeping onto her fingers reminds her quickly enough that she should spend less time complaining and start walking instead. She huffs, blowing warm air over her gloved hands before quietly tucking them into her coat pockets as she sets out on her journey.
The sooner she starts, the sooner she can get out of the miserable cold and jump into the hot shower at home- that is assuming Rangiku has not already used up all the hot water and that they have actually switched on the heating at home.
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The campus is largely deserted during this time of the day and Rukia lets her mind wander as she walks, only keeping minimal attention to her surroundings. There is not much to see anyway. Fallen leaves, bare trees and bushes do not a good scenery make and merely add to the bleakness that winter paints.
Lost in her thoughts, Rukia nearly jumps out of her skin when she hears a loud yowl coming from the distance. Goosebumps rising, she stills, trying in vain to calm her terse heartbeat. She gulps nervously, hoisting the strap of her book bag higher up her shoulder. Her fight or flight responses kick in and her instincts have her reaching out for a fallen branch on the ground, grabbing it with her two gloved hands and using it as a makeshift weapon.
She determinedly begins walking at a faster pace, eyes darting to glance behind her every now and then while keeping the branch close to her. Her ears must be playing tricks on her, she reasons. She is being paranoid and the barren surroundings are eerie enough that she is starting to hear things.
There is nothing there. She would know of course- she passes by the area twice a day.
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"Meow!"
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Rukia stops dead in her tracks, knotting her eyebrows in confusion as she casts a wary look at her surroundings. The pitiful whimpers are becoming louder and clearer now. There is definitely a cat out there- a stupid, insufferably dumb and useless animal that must be freezing to its death in this weather- miserably cold, trapped under some godforsaken bushes and missing home.
She swears under her breath, begrudgingly fishing out her phone and turning on the Torch function. Her body- her stupid bleeding heart just won't let her walk away from the situation. She is more concerned about the stupid cat than she is of herself. The furball must be so scared and alone. Weather forecast said it was going to snow later tonight as well.
With the faint light from her phone, she ventures off the cobblestone footpaths, wandering closer to the evergreen hedges near the red brick walls. The shrubs are nearly as tall as she is, which granted her less-than spectacular height, may not seem particularly impressive. They dot the edges of the campus compound and are trimmed into neat little rectangular blocks. Rukia reasons that if there was anywhere that a cat would be unlucky enough to get trapped and hidden in, it would be there.
Using the fallen branch, she pokes at the dense shrubbery, crouching low to shine light at its base.
"Found you!"
A pair of sea-green eyes gleam at her, reflecting the light from her phone. A head emerges- pointy ears, fine whiskers and all from underneath the foliage.
Rukia creeps closer towards it, holding the light closer to get a better look. The orange tabby that she finds is a sorry sight with its matted and dirty fur coat. There are streaks of mud on his white chest and paws. Much to her surprise, the cat doesn't hiss or run away at her approach; instead, he just stares at her all wide-eyed and moony, whiskers twitching and sniffing at the air delicately.
"Meow!"
The cat's meow is low-pitched and deep as he blinks, looking up at her; the tip of his feathery tail curled and raised. He head bunts her hand, pushing his head into her palm and arching his back. Despite his less-than flattering look and lack of collar, the cat is friendly and too trusting to the point of being dumb (it's a ginger cat. She can't be blamed for stereotyping!).
Rukia's soft smile quickly turns into a grimace when she sees the state of its hind legs. The left leg is swollen and there is an open wound on it. The blood stains on the surrounding area have long since dried into ugly patches of dark brown, sticking to his orange fur. He limps, almost dragging his back leg as he struggles to rest his weight on the injured leg. She reaches out towards his injured leg and the cat flinches back defensively, ears folded, a mournful yowl coming from the back of his throat.
"Shh! It's ok! I won't hurt you," she murmurs, bending low to his eye level, cooing at it as though he understood human speech. "I want to help you. Promise I won't do that again. You don't want to stay here in the dark all by yourself, do you?"
The cat meows, cautiously allowing her to pet him again as his head dips back out into the open. Rukia carefully strokes at his fur, petting him on his head and scratching him under his chin. It earns her a deep purr and she doubles down on her efforts. Eventually, the cat forgives her and after some more cajoling and scratches, emerges full-bodied.
"Good job! That's a good kitty! C'mere!"
Bright green eyes are looking up at her trustingly, pupils dilated as he watches Rukia unwrap her scarf from her neck. She drapes it over him, cocooning the cat within it. To his credit, the cat only gives the slightest token struggle against his restrains. His attention is consumed almost immediately by the fringe tassels of the scarf. He swipes at them with his paws, licking and sniffing.
Rukia rolls her eyes good-naturedly at his antics. He is not extremely heavy and she lets the weight settle, cradling him against her chest like a human baby, mindful not to touch his injured leg.
"Dumb cat," she chides. The cat's purrs grow even louder, revving like a well-oiled motor engine as she hugs it close, scratching him behind his ears. He rubs his cheeks at her fingers, trilling happily.
Rukia gives a quiet chuckle and quickens her pace walking down the empty footpath. Her mind is whirling with heavy thought as she hugs the purring cat closer in an attempt to share her body heat with it.
This was not how she envisioned spending her evening but she'd be damned if she left him behind. They need to get his leg looked at and the cat is way too friendly to have been just a stray, he must belong to someone.
Rukia is determined to reunite the lost cat with his owner if it's the last thing she'd do, but right now they need a vet.
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"Pawsitive Vets Pet Clinic," Rukia reads out loud, visibly panting as she stands outside the two-storey building, trying hard to catch her breath. She practically ran the whole way there after getting off the bus. The only vet clinic that is still open at this time of the night has a corny name and is about twenty minutes away from campus by bus, running in the opposite direction from her apartment.
Her gaze flits between the cheerfully named clinic and her phone screen as she hugs the still nameless cat close. The clinic was rated as a 5-star service provider on Google with many positive reviews praising the staff for being extremely kind and caring, practically a lifesaver as the only vet clinic that is open 24-7 in the area.
The outside of the building is painted a happy shade of sunshine yellow; its double-glazed windows decorated with stickers of smiling dogs and wide-eyed kittens. The visible 'OPEN' sign hanging from the doors and the bright lights coming from inside are a welcomed sight.
Automatic doors slide open as she approaches the entrance. The heating in the building is a welcome reprieve from the outside temperature. Business is slow and there are no other patients in sight as Rukia wanders into the reception area.
The receptionist at front desk is a young girl with sleek blonde hair tied neatly into a ponytail. The name tag on her green and white uniform reads Yuzu. She greets Rukia with a warm smile.
"Hello, welcome to Pawsitive Vets! Do you have an appointment with us today?"
Rukia shakes her head. "It's an emergency." She pulls the scarf away slightly to show the injured leg and Yuzu gives a sympathetic nod.
"Poor kitty," she says, cooing at the cat who is now surveying his new surroundings with obvious interest, pupils dilated and mouth hanging slightly open. He does not mind Yuzu's touch, meowing softly and leaning into her touch as the young girl pets him on his head. "What happened to him?"
Rukia gives a helpless shrug. "I found him like this under some bushes. He is very friendly though." She demonstrates the fact by scratching the cat under his chin and the loud purring starts almost immediately. "I think he might be someone's pet."
"I see. Well, he doesn't have a collar, but we can have a look later to see if he's been microchipped. Right- let's get him registered then."
The registration process does not take too long and they are called into the examination room soon after.
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"Hello?" Rukia calls out as she steps into the examination room. The cat in her arms wiggles as though sensing her nervousness and she tightens her grip around him, worried that he would jump down from that height and injure himself further.
"Hey! Stop that!"
"Here. Let me."
It's a man's voice- husky and a little gruff but not unpleasant.
There is a pair of hands- outstretched and reaching towards her. They easily take over from her, grabbing hold of the still struggling cat and pulling it towards his arms instead. Rukia stills and gulps. Her skin pricks at the sudden warmth of a newcomer standing so close to her.
She cannot help but notice that he has such large and warm-looking hands. There are some scratches and faint marks at the back of them but the skin on them is sun-kissed and tan. His fingers are long and tapered; the nails trimmed neatly. The cat looks almost tiny by comparison now with those big hands wrapped securely around its furry body.
She tilts her chin up, her dark eyes meeting a pair of warm ambers. He is much taller than expected, so much so that she has to raise her head up to look him in the eye. His features are sharp and defined, obvious in the shape of his jawline and his high cheekbones. The fiery hair colour takes her by surprise but it suits him surprisingly well pulled into a messy man bun close to the back of his head.
He stands tall and lean in blue green scrubs, his stethoscope hanging around his neck. He holds onto the cat tightly as he looks at her. She feels her face warm under his gaze, wondering how long it would be appropriate to hold the stare. Yuzu has mentioned that the vet doctor on duty today is a Dr. Kurosaki, but Rukia wasn't expecting someone so young, nor one so good-looking.
"Ow!"
The man's sharp hiss of pain breaks the spell. Rukia snaps back into reality when she sees the man scowling, looking down at his fingers. She is mortified- both at being caught openly ogling at the vet and by the cat's appalling behaviour.
"Bad kitty!" she admonishes as she attempts to scoop the cat back into her arms. He was fine with her earlier and did not react to Yuzu at all. She feels accountable for the cat's actions, apologizing profusely to the vet. "I'm really sorry, Dr. He's normally quite friendly."
"Nah. It's fine and you don't have to be so formal. Just call me Ichigo," the man replies, calmly depositing the cat onto the examination table. He snaps on a pair of gloves after washing his hands thoroughly at the sink, not the slightest bit concerned. "It didn't break the skin. He didn't really want to bite me. He's just giving me a warning. He doesn't like sharing his mommy."
"Oh. He's not mine," says Rukia quietly, her cheeks colouring. "I found him like this on my way home. I couldn't walk away. Not after I saw his leg."
"Ah—" Ichigo has finished unwrapping the cat from the scarf at this point and frowns deeply when he sees the wounded leg and dried blood. The cat is clearly limping and his left leg is swollen— "that's definitely recent trauma. Could've been from a fall or maybe a car hit him. We'll have to do an x-ray before we decide on what to do next."
The feline has decided that enough warning has been given. His stakes on his human claimed, he easily falls back into his people-loving mode again. He does not even react when Ichigo sticks the thermometer into him from behind, purring loudly when Ichigo begins petting him and scratching him behind his ears. Ichigo smirks when he sees the cat's half-shut eyes and blissed out expression.
"I see what you mean about him being friendly. We should definitely check to see if he's been microchipped."
Rukia makes a sound of agreement, reaching out to pet the cat as well. He seems to prefer a woman's touch more than a man's, deciding easily enough to ignore Ichigo's ear scratches in favour of Rukia's pets instead. "Is he going to be ok?"
"He looks fine for now. Temperature's a bit high but he seems alert. We'll know more after the x-ray. You can go wait in the waiting area. I'll ask Yuzu to come get you when the results come back."
"Ok."
It is hard to turn her back on the meowing as she exits the room. Behind her, the cat makes a motion to follow though he does not get very far with his limping and Ichigo is there to make sure that he does not leap down from the table.
It's ok, she tells herself. It is only for a short while.
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It turns out that waiting is the hardest part.
Rukia stares blankly at the phone screen, her mind wandering back to the cat. Taking an x-ray is taking much longer than expected. She hopes everything is ok with the furball. Like Ichigo said, the cat looked healthy enough but maybe his time on the streets has dealt him more damage than what is visible.
"Miss Kuchiki."
"Y-Yes!"
Rukia jumps to her feet. Yuzu is there at the front desk, smiling softly as she tells her that Dr. Kurosaki is ready to see her in Examination Room 1 now. She does not need to be told twice.
As she pushes the door open, both pairs of eyes turn to look at her.
The cat for one is happy to see her again. Her reappearance is greeted by a series of loud meows and head bunts as he displays his enthusiasm for her. He does not look any different from earlier. Ichigo who is standing behind him stops mid-pet and has a noticeably more subdued expression.
He gives her a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "You're going to need a better name than just 'kitty' I'm afraid. I checked. He's not been microchipped. He could be a stray or someone's lost pet. We have good connections with the local RSPCA and animal shelters, but so far, we've not seen anything for a cat matching his descriptions. Worst case scenario, he may have been abandoned by his previous owners."
"That's terrible!"
Granted he is not the brightest tool in the shed, but no animal deserves to be abandoned by their human owners. Rukia gives the cat another scratch under the chin, before turning her attention back to the vet, noting how Ichigo is still unwilling to look her in the eye.
"So, what about his leg? Is he going to be ok?"
"Well, I'd say he's in much better health than I expected. There are some minor lacerations on his body but they are not deep. No ruptured organs, but there is an infection going on in the leg. He's going to need antibiotics, but he's young and otherwise healthy, so I think he's going to fight off the infection just fine. But—" Ichigo sighs as he turns to the x-ray on the wall, pointing at the break in the bone— "his tibia is fractured. It's not a clean break. We need to put a metal plate in to secure the bones and let them heal properly. He'll need surgery."
Her face pales. "H-How much?"
Ichigo averts his gaze, sounding apologetic. "About two grand."
Rukia inhales sharply, her eyes widening at the sum. She does not have insurance. It is almost three times her monthly wages. Ichigo is talking about payment plans for repayment in the background but she is no longer listening.
She releases a shuddering breath, forcing herself to carry on before she regrets it. "Give me the consent forms and I'll sign them."
"F-For the surgery?"
She nods. She can hear the blood pounding in her ears but one look at the cat and she knows that there is no way she would have been able to just walk away or surrender him to a shelter. He needs her and Rukia has never known herself to be particularly good at saying 'no' to desperate faces.
She lifts her head up, meeting Ichigo's gaze unflinchingly. "His name is Kon. He's mine."
"Ok. I'll go get the forms ready and notify Yuzu so she can get the team ready and they can prep the op room."
Ichigo rushes out of the room, leaving her alone with the recently christened Kon. She frowns at him, booping him on his nose. Kon is unoffended by the gesture, choosing instead to rub his cheeks along Rukia's index finger.
"Oh Kon," she sighs, "you're such a high maintenance furball, you know that! A real pain in the ass, that's what you are! What am I going to do with you?"
There are so many things to resolve, so many things that she would need to throw money at for the next few months. She has to sign up for the repayment plan that Ichigo suggested and none of her short-term plans involved keeping a cat. Rangiku and Orihime might not mind the cat but it doesn't change the fact that there is a no pets clause in her rental contract. She doesn't know if there will be a way around it. Cat chow is obviously going to be another necessary expense, a pet carrier; and cat litter, she belatedly remembers- she'd need those as well.
The ginger cat meows in response at her, blissfully unaware of the budgeting programme currently going on in his human's brain- the age-old human-exclusive plight of needing money to survive.
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"The surgery is successful. Kon's just coming out of anaesthesia," Ichigo tells her as he emerges from the operating room. "We'll keep him overnight for observation. You can go home. Come and get him tomorrow afternoon."
Rukia nods, her hands tucked into the depth of her pockets. It should give her a bit more time to get things organized and settled for Kon at home. The thought that she'd be responsible for another life scares her, but she takes it in stride. She'll be fine. Financially she is less well off than she was earlier during the day, but she will survive.
They will be alright.
Somehow.
Ichigo cuts in unaware of her swirling thoughts, interrupting her, "if it's any consolation, personally I think what you did was very brave. You're a hero in my books."
Rukia blushes, absentmindedly tucking her bang behind her ear. "Thank you, but that's not why I did it."
"I know," he replies, "but it doesn't take away from the act."
"I—"
"C-Can I take you out for dinner later?"
Rukia's eyes widen in surprise. "I can't—"
Ichigo clears his throat, pointedly looking away from her as he cuts her off. "Of course, I understand. No pressure. Um... my shift ends in 10 minutes and- and I just want to thank you- yes to thank you for what you are doing for Kon. I don't think it's safe for you to walk home this late alone either and um—"
"I was going to say I can't do tonight. But I can do tomorrow."
"Oh!"
He forces himself to meet Rukia's eyes. There is a suspicious glow on his cheeks when he sees her smirk. He breaks into a soft smile, rubbing at the back of his neck sheepishly. The boyish smile is surprisingly endearing. If Rukia were a weaker woman, she would have swooned.
"That's great! I'll take the early shift tomorrow," he tells her, "Pick you up at 7. Italian ok for you?"
"Italian's fine. But is the offer to drive me home still on the table?"
Ichigo feels his lips twitching upwards, mirroring Rukia's smile. "I'll see you outside the clinic in 10."
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Author's note:
Sorry for the belated Secret Santa gift, Kleinegirl. I wanted to do something with a cat in it for you and Mini. I hope you like it.
Headcanons: Ichigo and Chad are the co-owners of the pet clinic. Chad picked the name. XD
Also, to all my readers, please be aware of the difference between fiction and real life. Be careful when you are walking back home at night, especially if it's a deserted area/road. Do not go and investigate the strange noises you hear. Do not just hitch a ride from someone you just met. Your kindness and curiosity will get taken advantage of irl, so please be alert.
On a lighter note, I have been informed that there is an actual PAWSitive Veterinary in New York. They are not affiliated in any way, shape or form to me or this fic.