Drabble number 34: Ball of Yarn

Usagi bounded into the arcade, bright and full of energy despite being sopping wet. Her blonde hair was weighted down with water, hanging nearly to her calves, dripping steadily on the tile floor. She clutched her damp windbreaker tightly against herself, shielding something from the rain.

"Hi, Motoki-chan," she chirped, climbing unsteadily onto her usual barstool. "Can I have a milkshake, please?"

"It's raining," Mamoru remarked casually. "Wouldn't you prefer something warm?"

"Like what, coffee?" She made a face. "No, I think a chocolate milkshake will be just fine, Mamoru-baka. Motoki-chan…you wouldn't mind if I…brought a friend into the arcade…would you?"

"No, of course not," Motoki scoffed. "Why do you ask?"

There was a suspicious mewing sound, muffled only slightly by Usagi's windbreaker, and she had the grace to flush. She opened the jacket, gently placing a bewildered, wet kitten on the counter.

"He's my friend," she said quickly. "I'm calling him Taka. Can he stay for a little while? You wouldn't want to put such an adorable, defenseless little kitten out in the rain, would you?" She turned puppy-dog eyes on Motoki, who melted at once.

"Okay, okay. He can stay. Hold on a second and I'll get him some milk." Motoki disappeared, and Mamoru reached across the counter for some napkins. He opened them up, draped them over the shivering kitten, and rubbed its fur briskly. The kitten mewed a startlingly loud protest at the rough treatment.

"Hey! You don't need to be so rough with Taka-chan," Usagi protested as Mamoru scooped up the kitten, cradling it against his chest. It began to purr loudly, kneading the fabric of Mamoru's hideous green jacket.

"Aw, you're just the most precious little kitten ever, aren't you," Mamoru cooed, stroking Taka's still-damp fur. Mamoru gently disentangled the tiny claws from his jacket, and shrugged out of it. Then he carefully wrapped the small kitten in the heavy fabric, bundling it up like a baby in his arms, oblivious to Usagi's astounded stare.

Motoki cleared his throat as he set down a small saucer of warmed milk, jerking Mamoru out of his kitten-induced preoccupation.

"Mamoru, are you all right?" Usagi sounded baffled, and Mamoru could only guess she found his behavior odd.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine." He stole a glance her way, noting her perplexed expression. "What?" He stared back unflinchingly. "I happen to like little kitties." He unwrapped Taka – who was now warm and dry – and set him on the counter. The kitten eagerly lapped at the milk.

"I would never have figured you for a cat person. I didn't think you liked animals at all," Usagi said, openly staring at him. Mamoru flushed guiltily, more than a little embarrassed at having his aloof demeanor shot to hell by one small, fluffy kitten.

"I like animals," he said, "I've just never had one of my own."

"Well, why not?" Usagi was aghast at the thought. "Even I have a cat. Her name's Luna. Hey, I know! Why don't you keep Taka?" Her eyes glowed with pleasure at the thought. Mamoru smiled, stroking the kitten's soft fur.

"I can't," he said. "My apartment doesn't allow pets."

"Move."

He laughed, delighted with her naïveté.

"It's not quite that easy," he sighed. "I'd like to keep him, but I can't. But," he said, "I will take care of him until I can find him a home."

"You will? Oh, thank you!" Her lips touched his cheek for a brief, delicious moment. "My mom would kill me if I brought home another pet," she explained. "She thinks one cat is too much. I didn't know what I was going to do with him."

"Don't worry about it," Mamoru said, fighting a blush at her unanticipated show of affection and gratitude. "Just don't tell my landlord."

"I won't," she promised, grinning. "Hey, Motoki-chan. Didn't Reika-san knit you a sweater a while back?"

Motoki grimaced. "Yeah," he said. "I think it had three arms. She's got her knitting stuff stashed all over the back room. I don't have the heart to tell her to give it up."

"Well," Usagi began, "if she couldn't find her yarn, she might give it up for a while. And, well, poor Taka-chan doesn't have any toys. You wouldn't want poor Taka-chan to be without even such a simple toy as a ball of yarn, would you?"

Motoki looked delighted with the prospect of getting rid of possible future disfigured sweaters. He disappeared briefly, only to return with a bag brimming with brightly colored balls of yarn.

"Take it," he said, thrusting the bag over the counter towards Mamoru.

"Uh, I really only need one," Mamoru said.

"No, no, don't be shy," Motoki insisted. "Take it all. Please, I'm begging you."

"Okay, fine, I'll take it," Mamoru laughed. "But don't expect me to cover for you when Reika-san finds out her yarn's gone." He stood, wrapping Taka in his jacket. "I've got to go to the store to get some essentials for Taka before it closes," he explained as he shrugged into his jacket, and tucked the kitten tightly inside, close to his chest.

"I'll start looking for possible families for Taka-chan tomorrow," he called back to Usagi on his way out the door.

Usagi sighed, slumping over the counter.

"I wanted him to keep Taka-chan," she said softly, drumming her fingertips on the cool surface.

"Why him?" Motoki asked.

"Because," she said mournfully, "then I'd have an excuse to go over and visit."

"Ah." Motoki patted her hair comfortingly. "Poor kid."

-

Mamoru had spared no expense for the kitten, which was eating 'gourmet' canned cat food with gusto on his living room rug. He plopped unceremoniously down beside Taka, watching the kitten tackle the loaf of cat food that was almost half its size.

"What am I going to do with you?" He sighed, reaching out to stroke the kitten, who arched his back to prolong the contact.

"Let's see. I bought you ten cans of food. That's a week and a half if you eat a can a day." He tossed a ball of yarn across the floor, watching Taka pounce on it. The blue yarn unraveled steadily across the floor as Taka rolled it along. "I wish I could keep you. I always wanted a cat." Taka wriggled across the floor, his rear legs tangled in yarn. Mamoru laughed, tugging the yarn away. "I have no idea how I'm going to find a home for you," Mamoru admitted to the kitten. "Maybe I'll have to take out an ad in the paper. Though," he mused, "I suppose if I kept you, Usagi would come and visit you every once in a while."

Taka, tired of his war with the ball of yarn, and completely unaware of his uncertain fate, climbed his way up Mamoru's chest and curled up to sleep.

-

"How's Taka-chan doing?" Usagi asked excitedly as she skipped in the front door of the arcade.

"Just fine," Mamoru said, draining his coffee cup. "He's been getting himself tangled in yarn and making a general shambles of my apartment." But he couldn't help grinning. "Anyway, I have to go." He slid off his barstool.

"So soon?" Usagi sounded hurt.

"Yeah, I have to pack," he said, smiling down at her.

"Pack?" A look of utter confusion crossed her face.

"I'm moving," he said. "So I can keep Taka."

The look on her face, he decided, and the feel of her slender arms around his neck, were worth it.

I know, I know, Mamoru doesn't have a cat.

But I really do think he's a cat person.

And I really wanted him to have his own cat, finally.