Once upon a time, cat lovers met-part 2-
I do not own skip beat! Yoshiki Nakamura does.
Merry holidays.
Warning: Lemon ahead in this chapter. And long chapter.
He stared at his phone that remained awfully silent and repressed a sigh as he thought about the last twenty days. If he could have imagined what would happen. They had been wonderful but also more and more frustrating. It had started without him paying really attention. They would discuss about their cats, joke, and talk left and right. But as they talked longer and more frequently he learned more about fairy cat girl or Kyoko when she finally allowed him to call her that. She was a sweet young woman, she was working a lot, and she was very strong-headed and could be snarky too. She loved cats and fairies.
It really happened all naturally. Ren didn't even notice when he began to tease her or smile or laugh aloud at some of her comments. But the better he knew her, the fonder he was becoming of her. He wanted to know her. He wanted to meet her. He wanted to hear her tingling laugh and see her dazzling-he bet- smile. Getting to know her better became his new obsession to the point Kijima even teased him about making heart eyes at his phone.
He didn't really realize it. Not before it was much too late to not be completely bewitched by her. He should have thought it was foolish and be more careful. He didn't have met her, yet. But then only thought he possessed was somehow keeping in touch with her.
He didn't get when he fell under her spell but he did remember when he started to flirt with her as it was a conscious decision. No way would he let her that angel go now he was curse to be always parched unless she would quench his thirst by her presence.
So he flirted. Not that it was really difficult; she was an easy source of compliments for him. The words and the teasing would just flow out of his mouth without effort with her.
He had thought with such shameless moves, she would have understood his change of intentions but she didn't. That's about the time he realized another of her personality traits, she was very obvious to attention.
So he made it even more blatant, and this time he got a reaction. An hopeful one, he wasn't sure. He tried to analyse her future comments and went back to easy chatting but didn't get much. She was friendly and seemed to like talking with him but it didn't seem to go deeper than that.
And then she had dropped that perch like she wanted him to take it and he did.
This proved to be the wrong move to make because much to his chagrin she just said she didn't believe him and stopped talking to him altogether.
And yes Ren understood; she had never seen him and he might have sound too awkward or insistent. They didn't know each other for that long. And he could have been some kind of net stalker or worse. So he didn't blame her, he really didn't. But it didn't cure this new illness. He still missed her.
It had been a few days and December had just started now. He had gloomily put some meagre Christmas decorations though his spirit wasn't into it anymore and spent time with his cats.
Impatience was growing and he was wondering what he should do. He had already apologized. Several times. If she didn't want to talk to him anymore, he couldn't do much about it. He didn't anything else about her.
He tapped his index finger on the table with frustration. Even if he did, going to her home and work place- as he got it was in the same building- was wrong. Especially with how things concluded. He didn't want to scare her. But giving up was out of question for now. He could only give her time. If she didn't pop back in the next few weeks, maybe in a month he would be able to either try again or check the bakery out to apologize in person.
Then and only then, if she still didn't want anything to do with him at that time; would he let go.
Spreading his lean fingers on the counter, he wondered how he would be able to do such a thing if it was needed. He wanted her. He wasn't one to give up. He was fighting his instincts rushing inside of him to do something, to find her. He kind of knew of his possessive ways but this was something else, he felt like a beast. One that needed a leash at the moment.
He took a quick shower to try to wash off the feelings and decided to work on the today's stunts harder to clean his mind of any inappropriate thoughts.
He reached the set a bit in advance and changed after some looks at what the actor wearing was for the scene. He was barely back when he learned his stunt would be a bit postponed because they needed to install something and the wild animal wasn't there yet.
That puzzled him. He didn't remember any scene with an animal. Not where he participated at least, he would have remembered. Going to the organizers, he was made aware the scene had changed a few weeks ago but that the messy director hadn't taken the time to give order to inform anyone beside the actors. They were about to use a panther, no less.
A trained one mind you, raised with humans. Ren looked at the stage for a second, which was still in a complete mess; that promised to be interesting.
They told him there was about an hour left before the tamer would come with the animal and that in the meanwhile some installation should be done.
Heading to the warming up area where all the stuntmen were, he stretched his limbs little by little.
He had just done the upper of his body when some new people entered the set. He thought it was other actors and ignored at first but then he heard a miaowling sound.
He thought for one second it was Smoke that had escaped but he saw no sign of him and reminded himself he was safely tied up and sleeping at barely two feet from him. Which, a quick glance to the side confirmed easily. He must have imagined it.
He saw some maintenance men in big overalls carrying odd and huge wood panels, some round wood pillars but also thick ropes as they reached the set. Strutting to follow with all the materials she was carrying, a petite woman with long golden hair was jogging behind them.
She huffed and dropped what she carried in the arms on a big table vacate for this, he guessed. She then greeted everyone and went to the work she hired for quickly as she ordered the several tech men around. They followed her directives with keen obedience and not even the whisper of a protest, making Ren smile, amazed, at how such a small woman could command with such an effortless power.
Ren leaned on a wall to observe the procedure lightly, making sure to drink a few small bottles of water as the time for the stunts were getting closer and he would do the heavy warm up soon. He could already see some smaller in scale stunts, being filmed at the other side of the room.
The men lifted the columns of wood to a standing position, each spaced by a few meters from the other, and secured them. Then the four men hoisted the heavy plated panels on top of each pillars and began to fixate them in a horizontal position.
The cute lady was about to give more orders when a new miaowling sound came from her feet again and she apparently gave a break to the men and she picked up something from the ground. He had been pretty sure it was a cat so he wasn't surprised when a furry form secured in a garnet and ears came into view.
What he hadn't expected though was that he would know that cat softly cared for with soft caresses at the moment. It was shiny white, huge and very fluffy. It was also clearly a female Main Coon, and her name was Snow. He was sure of it. His enlarged gaze lifted to the owner of that cat with new interest and realization. This was Kyoko.
Their break ended and he kept his eyes trailed at her as they set up hanging the thick wooden log with ropes as long with other panels they suspended too.
Their job was done faster than he thought and the men ordered to leave while she took care of giving plans and instructions to the set technicians.
That's about this time, Smoke woke up and he quickly began to smell the area, seeming disturbed.
Getting a sneaky idea, Ren grinned and carefully untied his cat before putting him on the ground safely. It was lunch time and there were less people around so he was sure it wouldn't a problem or cause any risk to lose him between human feet.
Naturally, Smoke directed himself easily toward the other cat, and its owner, sniffing the air and the ground regularly.
They reached the pretty ladies in no time and there was an ono time with the moment Kyoko turned toward him, when she saw his cat and her eyes grew like saucers before she finally froze.
He smirk.
If fate was putting her directly in his path, he would seize this gift and opportunity greedily.
"Hi, I think I know you. And I hope you don't mind but Smoke took an interest in Snow. He has good tastes, don't you think?" he told her with an huge grin and blatantly laying it there he had recognized her.
She opened her mouth, blushing and he saw she was ready to protest but felt distracted by those gorgeous amber orbs staring at him with a bit of fear and something else. He managed to arch a brow at her weak tentative to counter the evident truth.
She blushed even more and didn't say a word and Ren couldn't help his thoughts. She was even cuter than he imagined and oh he wished to make her turn that colour in less dressed up situations.
A raw low rumble of a chuckle escaped him and he smirked sinfully at her, his darkened eyes stating clearly what his mouth wouldn't.
She turned so scarlet, even her hands got a light hue, and she adverted her eyes. Still, it was enough. It had been brief but he had seen it. The desire and longing taking home and hold of those incredible eyes. She wasn't indifferent. Maybe it was only that for now but he could work to make it more. The affection she had showed when they talked wasn't a product of his phantasmagoria. It had been there. The certainty of this couldn't be denied.
She jumped at the director when he walked by not so far from them before Ren could utter a word more. Completely ignoring him and disregarding his greeting. He hadn't even noticed when she took back Snow and her stuff.
That was rude…
She walked away after a short word with the director and headed right to the stairs direction leading out. She even started running somehow feeling the predator watching her.
She was fast. But not this time.
His smile turned feral. There would be no escape today. He grabbed Smoke and hopped in his own stride.
…
She started to look for ways to run the minutes realization hit her. She couldn't believe her rotten luck. To meet the man who was the reason of her misery barely four days after ghosting him. She couldn't believe her eyes, couldn't understand how Bubbly Main Coon Worshipper could be him. Even less how he could be single. Never in her wettest fantasies would she have thought the man she had been chatting with could be that handsome. He was so fucking tall. And god, those beautiful green eyes were such a trap-an invitation- to commit any naughty crime she could ever bring herself to think about.
And he had recognized her. She couldn't understand why he had still come to her if he did. But one thing was sure, if she had any chance with him, now that he had seen her, there was none.
This face…those lips…those hips…those eyes…
She was clearly fucked up to be thinking about this at the moment as she run from one of most embarrassing moment of her life. But how, how could she had imagined such a man behind his screen?
Okay, she had known he was well-mannered. Distinguished to be more precise. She had also got he was smart, really smart. And could be funny. And their chatting did gave her more than once this impression of seducing air oozing from his talks, especially in their last days they had talked.
But this, this was criminal she decided as she reached the stairs door. It was putting first quality honey dripping with gold in plain sight and expecting the flies wouldn't come ravaging it. It was luring at the most primal level. Every single inch of that man was enticing and like a deep tempting ebbing away and barely contained sexuality.
His hands were refined and giant but the long strong fingers seemed all too smooth and deft. The lanky legs were muscular and leading to narrow but shatteringly sexy and hard hips. The chest was defined and endless. Then, there were those wide intense but so very mighty shoulders that would be able to inspire about every dreams of her in the future. Her arms would be chains around those ample thrilling limbs of him, her nails claws in his skin. His bottomless eyes were the worse. She felt the evident signs of her turmoil peek through her sweat and accelerate even more her pulse at the naughty thoughts.
I bet his locks are silky too…
She huffed and tried to clear her mind shaking Snow in the process and she jumped steps two by two.
She changed to a walking step once she reached fifth flight and put down Snow to go down the remaining staircases.
She was about halfway down that one when she heard a muffled sound. She raised her eyes just in time to see a big form taking a leap and doing some crazy high summersault in the void space between two staircases. She just had time to recognize it was the damn man she had been running from and with whoosh above her head and a last back flip took at the railing; he landed in front of her. Worse, he had even dared to do that with Smoke in his arms.
You're insane! You could have hurt yourself or your cat… Could have been what she'd said if she wasn't so shocked he was in front of her again and perfectly fine. She eyed his shape with growing worry until she was sure he hadn't any scratch and was finally able to relax and restart her brain.
She felt a surge of fury coiling inside of her and grabbed his collar with both hands without thinking and bringing him closer, she began to yell at him.
"Are you completely fucked up?! Why the hell did you do that?! Why did you even go after me?" she mostly screamed at his face.
"You refused to answer and worse-to believe me- since I sent you that message. I couldn't let you think I was joking or some insane man you find online. I had to make things right. I couldn't let you escape" Ren casually replied.
She couldn't believe ears.
"That's it. You are crazy. You could have been hurt and your cat- but she stopped her phrase when looking at the dark cat she noted he looked good and even blasé about it.
"-Is perfectly fine, thank you", completed Ren, "he is used to this."
"But you could have been hurt" She insisted and felt frustration rising when it only made Ren smile wider though he also looked a bit confused.
Proof was the tilt of his head when he finally answered.
"I'm a stunt-man, Kyoko", he stretched, "It's my job to know how to do this. Though I must say", he added with a fond smile, "I feel content to find out you kind of care."
She frowned at this. She didn't get him. Why wouldn't she?
What was that man playing at?
"Of course I care but I don't see how it matters."
He carefully settled down his cat a few steps above where Kyoko's cat was looking bored and looking a bit annoyed. Then he pulled out his phone and dangled it in front of Kyoko.
"One could doubt it after ignoring me like that", he said with a small sad frown.
"You were mocking me" she argued with anger, still hurt he would have said such a joke.
He shook his said.
"I wasn't."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"Call it whatever you want", she said getting pissed all over again, "mocking, shamelessly teasing, whatever…It's still was a bad joke."
"I wasn't mocking you but yes I was teasing you", he told her without any guilt in his voice, "But it doesn't mean I didn't mean it."
Trying to hide her growing blush as she remembered what he had said, she rolled her eyes at him or rather under him as he was so immense.
"Please…Don't start again" She grumbled.
He placed five of his nimble fingers on the wall at her left shoulder caging her from the way going down then his stare dipped into hers all humorous matters gone.
"I wasn't joking", he said again, "I want more than friendship. And though I teased you, I was serious. I want to become your lover."
Kyoko gaped at him like he had sprouted another head. Not that she wasn't interested, but it just couldn't be. She tried to rationalize and shook her head.
"Should I precise", he started again, "I'm interested by all the aspects, physical and romantic."
She blushed but still fired her next answer.
"You sure seemed to have voiced your preference in the past."
He stretched a patient smile, clearing patronizing her.
"I needed a way to test the waters", he said and when she seemed confused by that he added, "I was trying to know if you could be feeling the same though I think I went too far."
She gasped with outrage making him grin again.
"In all honesty I was intrigued and under your spell far sooner before even thinking about more intimate situations as I didn't even have any reference beside the talks since I only saw how you looked like today" he murmured to her.
"Precisely…We barely know each other, why would you-
"We have been talking to each other all last month and for several hours each day", he countered, "We even confided in each other a few times. I think it's enough to know if you like the personality of someone at least a minimum and see if you'd like to go further. It's the only thing that, in my opinion we still need to check, our compatibility"
Her face turned all shades of hues, she couldn't even feel how warm it was but she couldn't bring herself to answer. Because the only thing she could think about was a big loud 'yes' at the moment and she really needed to think before saying something this time.
"Or…Was I the only that felt a connection?" he asked dead serious and she felt she needed to answer this one but didn't know how to. She did felt a connection and she would be such a big liar to deny she felt attracted to this man. In every ways possible. But could she trust him?
"I'm not going to push you", he said again, "If you only saw it as an amical thing or if you can't bring yourself to see it as more after seeing me. Or both. I will leave and not bother you again" He stated.
Then he placed his second hand to the other side of her head with such an intense look directed at her she felt dizzy and high. Those searing green eyes burned her soul and annihilated the meagre desires of lying and flying that had stuck around.
"But be honest" He demanded with such an absolute but longing voice she felt both her rebellious spirit reigniting and her heart tumbling out then going into a new staccato.
She gulped as she realized he wasn't letting her any way out. He wasn't blinking, wasn't moving and kept her locked in that deep fierce gaze.
She didn't last long and soon dropped her shoulders with a big sigh and a permanent blush glued to the face.
"Why do you have to be this resolute about this?" she grumbled.
"Because I want you" he replied, tit for tat.
"Ugh. Alright. I got. I surrender. Stop it." She asked.
But he didn't bulge.
"You didn't answer." He noted.
"Damn it! Yes, Ren, I felt a connection to you and I'm attracted to you" she shouted to him before dropping her head on his right shoulder. "Have some pity?"
He chuckled and was ready to retreat when he realized he couldn't.
"I would gladly give you some space but I think our cats disagree" he commented, pointing at the ground where a mess of knots between garnets of both Smoke and Snow had been made around their close feet.
"That's a conspiracy." She groused but without removing her head from his shoulder and she listened to his rough laugh echoing in his chest. She enjoyed the heady scent emitted by him, bathing in this musky wood aroma.
"I won't complain."
"I don't have any energy left to do that", she added. "You just drained me with this emotional quarrel."
He apologized and they stayed like that a minute more before he talked again.
"But since we are stuck, might as well test the last doubtful thing, don't you think?"
His suave tone made her finally lift her head to look at his face.
"The last doubtful thing?"
"Our compatibility, remember?" he said with a low smirk.
Her face that had barely settled back to a normal shade though still slightly pink went back to purple.
"You-You are insufferable."
A steel gigantic arm enrolled deliciously around her and felt like he was touching her everywhere at once before his lips strained as he said his next words:
"Tell me you don't want it and I'll step back."
Once again, she grabbed the turtleneck of his cloth.
"To hell with it."
Then she kissed him.
She felt his rich lips tore into a smile and another steel-like arm came and dipped in her hair. To say her expectations were met was an understatement. Her whole being was engulfed into this hard strong and yet so very comfortable, so very exhilarating body Ren's was.
Her own one was short-circuiting at the onslaught of sensations as each inch pressed or caressed by Ren shot electricity in every nerve she had. She held herself at his back, gripping at his waist and blades level with other hand.
Every meld of the lips, every sensuous nibbles and every swirl of his tongue tingle and left her more demanding. Aching and enraptured by the sole motion of those urging lips and of the sensual appendage rubbing on her mouth.
And as if it wasn't enough; the arousing damn man was variating with soft longing touches here and there. Making it a brush rather than an hard press, tip of his tongue only grazing instead of deeply twirling. Briefly caressing her cheek with his palm and fingers, while his other arm turned into a vice-claw; tightening around her waist.
It was drowning her, and making her doubt he was doing it on purpose.
Loud miaowls are what finally made them stop and Ren withdrew his face from an inch but stayed flushed against her front as they had been. It made her intensely aware of several things at once and she heaved puffs of air as she tried to regain her breath.
"Well, that settles it." Said Ren after a minute and she lifted glazed eyes at him noticing how darkened his eyes had become despite his glorious smile.
He smiled at her and purposely pressed himself even more against her.
"We suit each other" he clarified with a new grin.
She groaned, closed her eyes and flushed; all at the same time and heard the deep baritone of his chuckle.
Then without notice, he slowly went down to untangle the garnets of their cats, making sure his fingers would skim her sides, thighs and ankles all the way to the ground. He swept one arm around her calves to secure her and work on tangling out their feet with a low chuckle escaping him at times.
"Why are you laughing?" Kyoko mumbled against her hands. She couldn't believe they had just kissed like that in a staircase.
Ren lifted his head at her, an amused twinkle in the green of his gaze.
"Because I think the cats are on my side and I should thank them on creating this situation. They really helped us here."
She gaped at her companion and her head shouted at the cats hoping to see she-didn't-know-what, just something that would nullify what Ren was suggesting.
But the all too relaxed, nonchalant and even purring cats screamed guilty and she glared at them.
Ren stood back after a few minutes holding one cat in each of his arms.
"I think this is yours", he told her with the same laughing gleam in the eyes and presented her with Snow, awfully quiet for a cat held by a complete stranger.
She took her from him, thanked him and he secured the big dark cat more comfortably in his arms. Smoke protested and tried to reach for Snow and she wondered if they had bonded while they, well, bonded too.
She blushed at her own thoughts and what there were leading to.
"Can I invite to diner?" he asked while his cat climbed up his shoulders before wrapping himself on them and distracting Kyoko a second. It was cute. Though the enormous cat seemed heavy, Ren didn't show any problem with carrying him.
"Kyoko?"
"Sorry", she apologized, "I got distracted by how cute Smoke was."
Her companion smiled at this and nodded.
"You can pet him if he let you but-
"Right", she said and unconsciously pet Snow as she thought about it, "I'll be pretty busy for the two following weeks."
"Then, what is your first free slot?" he inquired.
She rubbed her neck, feeling shy all of sudden and looked back at him. He was so serious, she didn't understand him. How could he be so sure?
His eyes softened as if he knew about her doubts and he took the hand that wasn't holding Snow. And kissed it.
"I know we still have so much to discover about the other", he started, "We can just try this. It's not an engagement, Kyoko."
She nodded.
"If you want out at any moment, I will accept it" he said, "But wouldn't you regret it deeply if we didn't at least try to experience where it can lead us?" He asked. "I know I would."
She looked into his eyes and knew he was right; she would regret it. If she turned tail and gave up, she would resent not seeing it until the end, not being able to feel what it could be.
Pushing away anxiety, she relaxed and smiled more naturally.
"I might have some time on the 12, would that be okay with you?" she uttered out, still feeling intimidated by the all process though.
He nodded nearly too eagerly.
"Am I forbidden to drop by the bakery until then? "he questioned, "I didn't do look it up when I was looking for you before but-
She blinked at this but shook her head.
"No. Of course you aren't forbidden from it. But I don't understand", she said, "If you were looking for me, why didn't you just looked the address of the bakery up and came?"
He pulled a constricted grimace.
"I didn't want to scare you and look like a stalker", he explained, "I realized after our last chat how it could be interpreted and thought I might have genuinely pushed it to the point of making you afraid. If we hadn't met today, I was actually planning to wait a few weeks before trying to contact you again."
She grew eyes at this, she hadn't even thought about this possibility.
She frowned even more.
"But-I mean, as you said we still have a lot to discover but", she grumbled more and more angry he could have think it was the reason, "We still have discussed enough for me to know it wasn't the kind of things you would have done. I knew at least that much."
It was his turn to feel awkward and he was about to reply when she stretched:
"The only reason I shut you out was because I thought you were making fun of me and that I couldn't understand or believe how you could have been genuinely flirting with me" She stated.
He graced her with such tender expression, she felt her brain was going to melt.
"Thank you."
He was about to say something else when he suddenly turned his head up and Kyoko thought she could have make out his name being called from above.
"I'm sorry, I need to go" he said turning back to her.
She nodded.
"Sure."
"The 12th after the bakery closed I suppose?" he confirmed.
She nodded and he grinned at her.
"I'll be going then."
He dropped a lingering peck on her cheek and turned on his heels before climbing back the steps with Smoke looking completely unfazed by the shaking it induced.
"Sure." She said again, far too late in the beat of her reply but heard a low chuckle rumbling from upstairs and guessed he still caught it.
A few more days flew by and she learned he had postponed the appointment for the instalment of the last cat course, which didn't surprise her, though. They were back to talking and she knew much more about his schedule than before. She knew he was busy. The stunt with the panther had gone well though one of his colleagues had gleaned an heavy scratch from the beast for not being careful enough. The arrogant idiot had apparently tried to poke the animal too much.
Their discussions were the same and yet different. They would still joke and share things. But they were even more honest. That and Kyoko actually got it when he was teasing or flirting with her.
But she also felt a bit awkward. Like it had all been a dream or like it wasn't the same person. So without really thinking she would chat less. She didn't try to dissimulate when they were talking but she was just feeling self-conscious so going less on the app beside for the posting.
10 December.
She sighed at the uninterrupted noises made by the drilling machine and grinding machine and she didn't know how many more. The renovations had begun. It had been for barely 5 days and it was already driving her nuts. She sold the last Christmas cookies to a customer that hurried to leave the loud shop and watched the departure of the old lady with envy. She wouldn't be able to keep the bakery open for much longer anyway. And the selling on the online pet shop had been increasing well. But it was annoying the hell out of her.
An enormous loud bang echoed from the other side of the bakery suddenly, in her living area, and was followed by quantity of crashing sounds that even made the ground shake.
She turned suspicious eyes in the direction.
That can't be good…
She rushed out of the bakery through the commuting door and gasped at she found her living room full debris and scraps. The ceiling had fell down in the middle of it and her bed now laid broken on her equally in pieces couch. Bedside lamp, dresser and other furniture had followed the landing of the bed.
She would destroy the engineer that had assured her the foundations of her house place didn't risk a thing but for now only thing mattered.
She hollered the names of her cats, hoping or rather praying they were all safe and sound.
"Snow! Moonlight! Staru! Snow! Moonlight! Staru! Are you there? Pss Pss, pss-pss…Come on, babies, answer to me!"
She did it again and again, calling and calling.
Until finally, a small angry miaowl was heard from above and walking closer in direction of her late-bed, she peeked above toward her former bedroom. There, grabbing and clawing at the half-hanging chandelier and hissing at the moves of said-luster, she saw Moonlight; unharmed at first glance but very pissed off.
She cooed at her and promised her every treat possible for the next two weeks until finally the cat accepted to jump down on one small part of the floor of her bedroom still in place.
Eventually she managed to reassure her enough so that she would come down by the stairs that were miraculously still accessible and Kyoko took her in her arms. She smelt the dusty for once but typical scent of her cat, comforting her. She checked if she had any wound and was relieved when she didn't find any while the Siamese purred and growled altogether, shaking and completely freaked out.
Keeping Moonlight in her arms, she inspected her home in search of her other cats. When she didn't find them downstairs, she resolved herself to climb and very carefully treaded her way up.
The only intact zone appeared to be the stairs so far as her kitchen and guestroom were also murdered. There was only one room left to check and she really prayed they were there because otherwise it meant they were either under the debris-Kyoko shuddered at the very thought- or outside completely frazzled. Walking slowly between the shards of glass sprinkled all around the ground, she was very glad she was wearing thick slippers that would normally prevent her feet to be wounded.
She found the bathroom's door ajar and glided her feet on the tiling softly.
A loud growling sound was heard next second and she smiled, pushing the door to open it completely.
Staru was in the bathtub looking more threatening than ever and ready to attack even her if she came any closer.
She stopped advancing and talked to him, called him several times so that he would recognize her voice.
After a few minutes of this, he finally relaxed and let her come closer and that's when she discovered Snow under he had apparently been protecting fiercely since earlier.
She was able to caress him and inspected with the eyes both of them. Snow seemed tired but okay but Staru was limping and seemed to have one of his front paws twisted. She took Snow in her arms to check further and was weakly bitten by Staru though he looked guilty next instant.
She pet him and praised him.
"You are a really good cat Staru", she cooed, "Thank you for protecting her and don't worry about the bite."
She placed Snow on her other shoulder then carefully bent and making sure to not move neither touch Staru's paw, she took the big cat in her arms. Her three cats with her, she went back on her steps and even slower walked down the stairs then for the first time ever, she purposely brought them in the bakery's kitchen. She poured them cat milk, pet them a lot and called a vet to come. Once she was sure, her pets would be okay, she spent the following hour yelling at the workmen and then at another one at the engineer.
Once she was fully satisfied with her sermon, she pressed the one new number of the person she knew would be able to host her cats. She would sleep at an inn or hotel in the meantime but she was fully aware her cats wouldn't be allowed. Dropping them at Kanae's home was excluded; it was too small and improper for cats. Without even saying how much it would be bothersome for her best friend. And an unknown house cat keeper was something she refused altogether. She wasn't travelling much and the rare occurrences where she did, she always tried to take them with her. A week without was at the most, what she had granted herself in the past as Kanae or a neighbour could come to feed them once a day. But she hadn't been willing to do so often. Plus her cats weren't the type you could let at home for some holidays usually.
He replied as second ring had not even finished striking and after a short discussion on her situation, he quickly agreed.
"I'll be there in 15'" he stated and shut the call.
As promised, he was soon there- ten minutes later rather than the fifteen ones even- and she had barely had the time to pack up some things for her cats when he arrived. He had clearly rushed to her as the entitled worrywart she had already started to understand he was through previous conversations. He checked on her looking mostly frazzled in her opinion as he bombarded her with questions on her wellbeing and the one of her cats. Thinking it was all unnecessary she pushed him to proceed in the proper introduction of her cats so they wouldn't be too confused. And after some grumbles, he consented to it.
Snow that already knew him quickly accepted Ren and it made good impression on Staru apparently because after some wary attitude he quickly warmed up to him too.
Moonlight was the only one hissing at him still. But they locked the cats and them in one of the vacant room of the bakery so there wasn't any risk of escape.
She asked Ren if he could stay with the cats a bit while she would prepare some of her belongings too.
Once done-she had just managed to secure back a few clothes and toiletries as her other stuffs were completely inaccessible or worse damaged- she walked back into the room where Ren and the cats were waiting.
"I'm done" she announced to them as she saw the man playing with Snow cutely, making her roll her back then belly to try to catch one of his long fingers, under the perplexed eye of Staru and distrustful ones of Moonlight.
They brought the transport cages and settled the boxes in Ren's car with her cats grumbling in agony against the profanity committed upon them; locked up as they were.
She thanked him again then and told him she would be on her merry way to find a hotel. That's when things escaped her control. She didn't really remember how he had done it. But he had managed to look fully concerned, properly scandalized at the prospect but also unmoving as he had told her she was crazy if she thought he was going let her do this. He had uttered he knew all well of her concerns toward expenses because she had spoken of it to him in one of their recent chats and that worrying about those after such a nerve-wracking thing shouldn't happen. That he wouldn't let her spend a penny. That she should let him at least help. That considering what the engineer said about the time it would take to repair everything, it was ludicrous to even think about staying in a hotel. That it would uncomfortable very soon, for her job and her cats and of course her. That she might feel fine but she might be under shock. That both for hers and her cats' sake they shouldn't be separated at the moment.
He really had used all kind of quick reasoning and arguments and she hadn't been able to refute any of them, it all seemed wise and faultless. Even now, she still thought it was. Nonetheless that she knew she had been tricked into accepting, that it had been his suave smooth-talking abilities going on.
She hadn't even been able to think about a protest once he was done and had merely nodded in a blur. She did remember he had grabbed her like a thief swiftly lifting her into his arms. Then trussing her to the car seat- like she was some sort of hostage the kidnapper weirdly needed to softly care for- after decreeing she shouldn't walk after this.
But even if she had been able to think about arguing, his genuine worry and her inner desires to be with him and curiosity would have been fast to silent her.
That would resume how she was now finding herself inside the outrageously big and fancy glossy penthouse flat of Ren surrounded by her three filled cat boxes at her feet. A small shoulder-bag that was hers that had landed close by when Ren had put it down a minute ago, and 3 pairs of eyes cautiously looking at her from different area of the living room.
Two were on the cat courses on the wall she was familiar with. The last one-Smoke- was on the backseat of the enormous U-shape couch.
He was also the first one to approach her frozen wondering-how-in-the-hell-she-already-got-there form and sniffed the air before rubbing himself against her legs. Clearly, he had recognized her alright.
Ren came back from wherever he went soon and took back her bag.
"I put a litter box, kibbles and water in my guest room", he informed her, "It will be too small of a room to stay confined in but it should do until they are curious enough to wish to come out and settled back a bit."
She nodded.
"Thanks for all of this, Ren."
He smiled, brushed a wayward strand of her hair behind her ear then shook his head and went in the direction he just came from with her bag this time. Then, he helped her carry the cat boxes to the bedroom and freed the cats in the confine of that room and proceeded to give a run of the flat to her so she would know where things were. He told her he would do some grocery shopping tomorrow as he didn't really have enough food for two people and she gave him an eye as he brushed that matter. She was sure he hadn't much food even just for himself. He ignored the un-fooled glance and asked her to notify him of anything that she usually ate and/or absolutely needed food-wise.
She nodded weakly, too tired and dumbfounded at this new setting to really have a conscious intelligible discussion. Concerned for her state, they shared a brief kiss and he sent her to bed on which she mostly dropped dead on top of it. In an unfamiliar place after her home got destroyed- she felt on edge. She was very grateful to be in a safe place with a man she could trust and surrounded by her cats. And that what permitted for tiredness to take over.
…
The days that followed were both unnerving and exciting. But also strange. Focused on not losing what she could, now that she couldn't keep the bakery open anymore, she had started to make backwards and forwards trips between her house and Ren's flat. Thanks to the lending of Ren flat keys too.
So she could take care of orders; as miraculously the furniture and other to sell products had been kept intact in the garage of her house. At least for the handmade ones. The others were always kept in a stocking rent room so it hadn't been a problem.
Her trips were soon stopped after fifth day when Ren told he would suffer no longer to see her going back and forth and working herself to the bone, and mostly obliged her to bring to his flat her materials and handmade products. He had stated he had several rooms he didn't use anyway and as her host, it was only right for him to lend her some room to accommodate her.
She had lost this new battle too. Though displeased to be bothering him with her situation, she had resolved herself to it after he had assured her for the nth time he would rather have her here than knowing she was struggling and he lending her a hand.
But she still had to acknowledge the utility of it as she finished sending her orders away far faster than otherwise and without counting her staying in had also helped her cats getting used to Ren's ones. They had been rather stressed the first few days but since she had been mostly working from Ren's home recently, her cats had gathered around her and soon Ren's ones had come by, curious. But with the time freed, she had been able to take time on building the cat house.
She was now nearly done and was decided to never order to the provider of this course. No matter how good the playground was if it was an hurdle to build it up, it wasn't worth it. She had known about this supplier of cat courses but it had still been a nightmare. She would just sell up the remaining stock of it at half of the price and be done with it.
Ren had tried to dissuade her to do this but she wouldn't have heard it. She was selling this and he was letting her stay at his home, it was the least she could do.
Currently grumbling on one of the last parts to fixate and paling at the idea to fix the big furniture to the wall at once when it would form one huge piece of material-because it was just created that fucking way- she dropped it. Feeling an headache coming, she pet her cats all around her and marvelled at the big Main Coon curled in her lap and purring. Smoke had warmed up to her fast and was very much enjoying her constant presence in the penthouse.
She hadn't been able to see Ren much as she had been out late sending orders the first few days. And though she had stayed in for the last five days, it was Ren then that had been the busier one so beside the cats, it sometimes had felt cold. Or lonely would she say, if she had been honest with herself. She couldn't deny she wanted to explore further this blooming 'something' between them.
He had been quite measured and restrained in the way he was handling her since she had barged in and she couldn't put her finger on the reason why it was. Was it because he felt awkward having in the privacy of his home? Had he changed his mind about her and their possible connection? She didn't understand. And the fact he hadn't been able to be there didn't help matters in starting a discussion as he was often coming back very tired when she was even still up when he would.
He felt so, so-subdued-, like he was afraid of her. Completely different from what she had experienced with their kiss.
She had started to rationalize her desires and was thinking about finding another temporary solution. She could only bother him so much. She had been there for twelve days now and if he had changed his mind and didn't want to pursue things instead, it was only right to remove him of the obligation to tell her so. As if what she knew of him was anything to go-by, he was clearly a gentleman-in some ways at least- and wouldn't even think about upsetting a woman.
So, Kyoko had been searching and already started to pack back in prevision of an early departure before next weekend. Which meant just about 32 hours away. It was Thursday evening and she had found a cheap inn that allowed cat outside of the centre of the city, near countryside. She would leave in the early hours of Saturday morning.
She sighed, breathing an heavy puff on her lap and tousling the fur of Smoke who lifted soft knowing eyes at her and she wondered if he knew what was bothering her for a second. She pet him longingly, sad she wouldn't see him again soon.
She shouldn't have risen her hopes up. No matter how fond of the man she was and how attracted she was; they still didn't know each other enough. To imagine they could understand each other and rely on what one said after just a month of chatting would have been too good to be truth. She had thought she knew him because they had talked about aspirations and the morals they had faith into and even if it was only titbits she had believed him. But talking of big values and finding them good enough to trust them and matching your acts to those moralities were much separated things.
She shouldn't have assumed talking was the same as genuineness and actions. Never mind how earnest, serious and sincere he had appeared in their endless discussions.
Her eyes felt wet and aching and she rubbed her lid but a tear still escaped in the other mirroring eye and dropped on Smoke's head. The cat purred harder and rubbed himself on her hand, sensing her distress, and she was trying to collect herself when the door clicked opened.
She looked at her phone and was surprised to notice it was only six in the evening and he was already back.
She heard his footstep as he padded his way out of the entrance hall and to the living room and heard his chuckle when he entered the alighted area.
"I see you conquered every resident of this home" he greeted and she replied with her own trembling laugh, not sure if he was only being polite or joking but not able to yet turn around.
"Welcome home" she curtly said, still keeping her eyes trailed at the cats near her.
He was by her side in the following seconds and kneeled by her crossed legs, disturbing most cats from their seating and making them run away indignantly like a flock of birds.
"You have been crying", he noted and she tried to dissimulated her face, feeling already too humiliate to have entertained vain hopes but to be seen upset even more shaming, "Why have you been crying?"
"Just a tired day I guessed" she mumbled and rose from her position, holding Smoke in her arms as some kind of protection from the stirring she felt in Ren's presence.
She saw him inspected her work at the cat course and frowned at it.
"I told you, you don't need to do this" he repeated and she brushed it off and said she would be done soon anyway before starting to step way, heading to the nearest escape she could find.
He followed her.
"Kyoko, what's wrong?" he asked.
It was foolish. How could she tell him any of this? She felt wronged and disappointed and sad. Mostly sad. But it wasn't his fault. Like a foul, she had fell in love. She had no one to blame but her.
"Nothing" she said and continued on her way.
But she was stopped when she bumped into his chest and he asked her again. She shook her head and said she just needed a little alone time.
It seemed she would need to leave tomorrow and couldn't wait any longer. He was getting suspicious, which she couldn't blame him for. But he was all too kind and she didn't want his pity. She had wanted his heart and shamelessly, his body too. But she couldn't have them and she refused to drag him in the mess that was her feelings.
He let her go. Though the worry never left his face as she disappeared in her room. She would leave after a few hours of sleep.
…
She woke up early and dressed soundlessly before making her way into the common area. She dropped her luggage at the door and observed her surrounding full of garlands, baubles and trinkets, and tiny light everywhere in the flat. She didn't remember exactly when he had done that. She thought it was very soon after she came in, when she was still going to the bakery every day. But one day she had come back and it was fully decorate, so much so she had felt in some sort of magical land. She was overjoyed and had gushed about it to Ren one of the few times they had been able to talk during her stay. She had asked him if he always did this for Christmas and the man had told her it was an habit to decorate a lot in his family but that he had also made a special effort knowing she most probably would be there for Christmas. He had wanted to make it look nice for her. She had felt incomparably touched at the gesture and now when she remembered it, she felt herself tearing up again though it was from a bittersweet ache this time.
She glanced at the nearly finished course and felt a sense of unfinished business at not being able to complete it before leaving but she knew it was for the best.
She put on her coat and went in search of her cats that for some mysterious reason were nowhere to be found.
But after looking the penthouse up and down for them, only one room remained to check.
The master bedroom.
She cursed at her cats and padded her way near the door left ajar, hoping to be able to call them without having to enter and gods forbid: enter. She cooed and pssed in whispers at the darkness laying there but failed to attract the attention of her targets.
Instead, Smoke pulled out of the shadows, purring in ask of caresses and when she didn't give them to him instantly, miaowling loudly. She pet him quickly, pushed him swiftly away in direction of the living room though the cat made a curt U-turn and followed her as she resigned herself to penetrate the silent room.
What she found inside the room robbed her of speech. Not only did her cats were settle comfortably all around and on the huge monstrosity that was the bed with the other two cats of the man; but Ren was awake.
He was awake and sitting and petting Snow currently in his lap and he looked the perfect picture of an alert man. Feeling betrayed at her own cats, she glared at them. Though Staru and Moonlight were blissfully sleeping and stayed unaware while Snow only stretched to a more relaxed seating between Ren's crossed-legs.
"Hi Kyoko" he rumbled out, the voice composed and all sugar-sweet.
She grimaced an awkward smile and greeted him back.
"Now care to tell me why you are leaving?" he inquired in that frightening even voice, "Or better yet, why you were crying yesterday?" and his tone changed to such a deep low severity she felt her legs wobbled.
That was it. Admitting the truth was far too embarrassing. She would pick up her cats later, when he wouldn't be there.
She made a swift spin on ball of her feet and grabbed for the door's handle with urgency.
But then, she was caged; locked in the confine of steel arms and despite all the good reasons she had, she felt her body relax at the mere sensation of his warmth around her.
"Tell me" He urged her.
She violently shook her head.
"Tell me" he repeated with sorrow in his voice.
She stayed silent again.
"Kyoko…" he breathed out in her hair, "I can tolerate you do not want to live here anymore or has plans of your own. I can understand if you had reserves with this situation or if my presence bothers you" he murmured in her locks firmly. "But I cannot tolerate to see you sad!" and the rawness of his tone cut into her "Let me help make it better. Let me do something for you."
Her protest died, locked in her throat but a weak hand rose to the handle.
He violently curse as he let go of her and his fist toppled down on the wall next to the door making plater fall from around the impact.
The loudness and edge in the atmosphere made all the cats scattered around, scared, and out of the bedroom. Kyoko eyed their escape with envy and her fingers attempted a brushing toward the handle again.
The door shut with a neat shut.
"Not yet…You will be able to vacate this place forever if you wish to" He grumbled, "But first, please, explain it to me."
She forbid herself to look at him and obstinately stayed to stare at the wall.
"Please…"he repeated without touching her still but closing back the distance again, his front barely a millimetre from grazing her back and making her shook.
She clamped on the words trying to leave her and her tears fell, concealed by the glowing curtain of her hair.
He flushed himself to her making gasp in sudden air before stopping to breathe altogether when he glided his fingers on the length of her right arm until they reached her small hand and encapsulated it in the hugeness of his palm.
A whish of air tickled the top of her ear as he demanded:
"Is this your way of rejecting me?"
She shook and leaned back. Surrendering to this talk as long as it kept her where she was.
"I don't understand Ren…Aren't you the one doing exactly that?"
He laughed a sad throttle in the same ear, sending a chill in her and she step forward to give her distance from his body, clenching her fist on the wall in front of her.
The new freedom didn't last and she felt his presence warming her back not even a few seconds later. He wasn't caging her though, not preventing her to run but stayed so thoroughfully pressed against her it was even worse. He was there so close and she had not pretence to hide her reactions, the depth of her desires. She only wanted one thing and that was to turn around.
He slipped back his palm and pressed it back directly to hers this time before intertwining their fingers.
"I think you might reconsider this…" he trailed off.
Confused and curious despite knowing better, she asked what he meant.
"What did you think I was the one rejecting you?" he opposed.
She relented after another long moment passed without him showing any sign of moving.
"You have been keeping your distances, mostly avoiding me, looking constricted and awkward at my presence for several days now…I don't want to be a bother in your own home or make yourself obliged or worse pitying me" She mumbled, half-hoping he wouldn't catch her words.
He kissed the hollow of her neck on the left and she jumped, not expecting this.
"Didn't you think I could be keeping myself in check, containing myself?" he uttered with an amused edge in the voice though she could tell he was still taking this seriously. Her face wrinkled, trying to get what he could mean by that and she didn't answer.
He breathed out and spelled out the next words slowly.
"How should I feel when a woman I'm attracted to…A woman I bear feelings for…is staying in my home?" he told her and moved his arms to lock tightly just under her breast, lifting her a bit with the hold and she moaned faintly. "You don't facilitate my attempts at staying a gentleman when all I long for is ravaging you, Kyoko."
She blushed at his words.
"I-I'm confused…" she mumbled. She had been so sure he was feeling tired of her presence.
"Should I show you then?" he inquired but despite the question he didn't wait for answer and twisted her around to face him, making her back crashed on the wall.
The crushing of lips that followed was anything but gentle but all of pent-up frustration and lust.
He was moving his tongue as if a storm was taking place inside of her mouth, twirling, ravaging, and wet, and taking everything with it on its way. The scorching lips eating hers like all he ever wanted was to swallow to nip and swallow them all. And yet, teasing by tempting. Pressing so hard she couldn't breathe then pulling a hair away to tempt her by the lack of it, to lead her back to the hot sexy appendages even more eager to taste it once more.
Holding herself to his strong waist when he moved away to delve his emerald eyes in her gaze, she barely caught his inquire whispered but already knew her answer as she met him with her own burning stare.
"Don't stop" Was it and she meticulously brought open his pyjama top. The shirt dropped from his shoulders at once, left hanging by his forearms.
Her coat fell to the ground. The buttons of her shirt flew around, forcefully pulled at. Her bra made its way to the floor too. The suave lips she knew so vigorous fell upon her bust. Teeth grazing and wetness pulling devilishly on her erected nipples. His muscled tongue felt like a volcano was touching her each time it was licking her around. And the wind that was his hot respiration reaching her skin achieved to igniting such twirl of sensations her only focus could be directed of the limbs of the man that were touching her.
His hands stroke her skin, fast, blind, urging but deep and impregnating. One hand dipped in her jeans at her backside, groping a cheek and making her moan before the other one wriggled out her hips and butt from the cloth, just below and to the middle of her thighs.
He grabbed her hips and stopped for a second, rumbling out in a raspy voice a question.
She shook her head at him stating it was her first time but not wanting to elaborate neither to remember him at the moment.
He nodded and surrounding her thighs with his fingers, he grabbed her by the middle of them and lifted her before leading her legs into encircling his waist.
She huffed then moaned at the feeling of the hardness pressed against her intimate swollen lips.
She grabbed out his belt and clumsily pulled at the buckle to bring it out while he drew down the zipper.
He peeled out his large erection from his boxer and rubbed himself against the humidity he felt making them both grunt and tightened their hold on each other. His stare never tore from her.
He griped her hips and pushed at once. Penetrating her to the brink.
"Ahhh~~…Hmmm…" she moaned.
Her walls spasmed at the intrusion and she crossed her arms, gripping at Ren's shoulders and he begun to undulate in slow torturous sinking.
Turning nuts at this, she hit his butt with the heel of her feet.
"Do your hardest!" She demanded.
Ren grinned at her and sensuously rotated his hips before dropping all pretences with a searing kiss and shoving back madly into her.
His hips rammed between her thighs; making her back bump lightly against the wall each time. His swollen cock sank and sank, always deeper, like it wanted to anchor itself inside of her and hook itself. Rubbing, penetrating, and driving against that spot inside.
Their short respirations and groans mingling at the madness explode when pleasure shot through her between her legs and clamped his member, eliciting a releasing groan from him while she let out of short howl as all her body trembled with delight.
They pursued their activities on his bed and he continued wreaking havoc her sensitive body and drove after drove, hammering his iron length inside her again and again. Teasing, tonguing and thrusting going on and on until they were spent.
Eventually, when they were about to drift into oblivion, the three magical words escaped their lips and they grinned at each other; full of happy wonders.
Later that day after she had expressed her surprise to see him still there and not prepping for work, after he had explained he had took the day off to be sure he wouldn't miss her and would be able to talk with her and after they had slept for some hours; she rose from the bed. Brushing some locks away from his face, she smiled and letting him sleep, she went to the living room to feed the cats. Then, dressed in only his t-shirt, she sat on the ground to finally finish the damn cat course. She was still struggling and cursing but unable to be really be frustrated at the time when two strong arms wrapped around her.
"You know, there is no urge" he said with a press of the lips on her head before sitting down to embrace her from behind.
She turned around and smiled at him.
"I thought it was kind of a Christmas present for the cats", she asked before adding, "Christmas is in five days."
He nodded.
"That's true but if you were willing to stay, we would have time to finish it together."
She leaned back and nuzzled her head under his chin.
"I'm not planning to go anywhere unless you get an urge to get rid of me." She admitted with a blush growing at she remembered how much they just did and the state of undress they were still in.
"It's a long-term engagement you are risking, I'm warning you" he whispered, looking a bit too serious for her to brush it off.
"Oh?" she questioned and pushed away to look at him.
He fixated her for a minute, seemingly in the middle of a thought before softly demanding.
"What if I proposed you to move in with me?" he said tilting his head, "And in passing, if you accept I'm most probably will never let you leave."
She arched a brow at him and stared for a full minute before needing to check.
"…You are serious"
He nodded.
"We-
He interrupted her with a pleading smile, knowing precisely what she was going to say.
"Even if we could have known each other for longer, there is no harm in trying."
She caressed his cheek softly.
"…I guess you are right" she started, "And we both like cats and ours get along well. What could go wrong with that settled down…"
He hugged.
"It's a deal."
"It's a deal."
"Let's tell the kitties" he said excitably and she laughed.
"Let's."
PS: Hello everyone. Hope you will like this second part. I gave my best but I apologize if at any moment it felt rushed.
It wasn't easy in a two-part to make those two come together…As you can imagine.
I also apologize if i left any typos, i didn't have much time to check things before posting and tried to prioritize granting you all with the chapter for New Year's eve as a gift rather than making you wait longer.
Enjoy yourselves. Merry Holidays and happy New Year.
Love you everyone. Kisses.
Mimagfan.
AUTHOR OUT.