Chapter 7

Satisfaction Brought Him Back

—Part two of an English proverb

A yawning Shindo made his way to the kitchen and rested his chin on Akira's shoulder. Akira jumped at the unexpected touch and glared at his rival who was now glaring right back at him. Shindo was rubbing his chin.

"Ow!" He moaned. "What was that for?"

"I could be asking you the same thing." Akira muttered pointedly. "You startled me. I didn't know you were up and…" Akira trailed off. The truth was even if he had known his rival was up and about; he wouldn't have expected the other to do something like that. It was rather disconcerting at times the way Shindo acted towards him since he'd moved here; the little touches here and there. Holding his hand, brushing against his shoulder as they walked back home, flicking his hair back during games at home only…Shindo had even bit him once! He supposed he may have deserved that one a little bit. But then again no. Who in their right minds would go and bite people simply because they were being kept quiet!

So much had changed and yet so little had between the two of them.

Shindo pouted still fingering his chin. "I'm ti-ired." He whined. "I just wanted to rest still." He sighed.

"The couch is there." Akira pointed to it vaguely, determined to keep his eyes away from Shindo's sleepy ones. Karu meowed at the moving hand, coming to bat at it. "And you behave. You already had your breakfast." Akira managed to escape getting scratched and saved the breakfast from burning. He placed the steaming food onto the table, surprised to find that Shindo was already sitting in his usual place, still pouting. "I thought you'd be on the couch, resting."

"My chin's sore." Shindo grumbled. "Your shoulder is bony." Akira didn't know how to respond to that comment and didn't bother to spare it anymore thought. Instead he filled the other boy's plate before filling his own. Shindo thanked him softly and caught Karu in mid jump. "Not on the table Karu. You know better." Kira made his way in, large blue eyes blinking at the scene before giving a small meow. Karu responded to it, wiggling out of Shindo's loose hold. Akira gave a small smile as he watched sister and brother sniff at each other's face. Kira looked away first, coming to sit primly underneath Shindo's chair. Karu blinked at his departure before deciding that pawing at her brother's tail could keep her occupied while the humans ate.

"I can cook you know." Shindo started, swallowing the last of his meal. "You definitely cook better. But I can still manage to make a decent meal." Akira took the news and managed not to shake his head. Waya's face the one other time Shindo had brought his culinary skills up had been sufficient warning by his book.

"I never doubted it." He pointed out carefully. "You survived while living on your own which should speak for itself." 'Or to Shindo's iron stomach and questionable taste buds.' He sipped his tea. Shindo watched him for a bit, chewing on his bottom lip.

"I just feel bad."

"Don't. I enjoy cooking and I'm usually up before you." Not usually. Always. "In any case, we already split up the other chores when you first moved in." Shindo nodded cautiously and then gave him a suspicious look.

"Did Waya tell you stories about my cooking? Cause it really wasn't my fault he got food poisoning that one time." Akira should have waited until the conversation was over before trying to finish his tea. He choked on the hot liquid in surprise. "Ack!" Shindo yelped as he jumped from his chair to avoid being spat upon. Kira and Karu shot out from where they'd been and ran to hide in the other room. "You ok?" He asked amidst the coughing. Akira would have glared at him if he'd been able to but at the moment was more concerned with breathing. The other started to hit him in the back. Confound the man! Had he never been taught that doing such actions did nothing!

"Stop that!" He managed to hiss out between coughing and gasping air into his aching lungs. He tried to move away from his rival. "I mean," He coughed again and banged his knee on the top of the table, making his eyes water. "Shindo, I mean it!" He snapped finally.

"Jeez! Ok! Ok! Now I definitely know you're not dying on me…" Shindo moved away and scratched the back of his head. "You sure you're ok?"

"Fine." Akira managed to gasp while shooing him away with one hand. "Just need water."

"I'll get it for you."

It was just another regular morning in their apartment even with Shindo's bizarre behavior.

……

"Shindo?" Akira's voice was slightly rough and it was sore from this morning's previous episode. "What are you wearing?" He asked his roommate carefully. It was their one day off before another hectic week and both had agreed to just spend a day relaxing. Not necessarily in each other's company but Akira was loath to go outside. He much preferred the privacy of his home and it seemed, so did Shindo.

"Uhm." He watched as his rival assessed himself with a puzzled expression. "They're called sweatpants Touya." The other snorted before looking up. "Its something one wears to do exercise, sleep, or just relax. And I plan to do all three today." Akira bit his lip to refrain from sighing.

"So I gathered." He finally muttered dryly. "If I may offer a suggestion," He paused as he caught Shindo rolling his eyes at him. No doubt at the way he phrased things. It seemed to irk the other when he was polite which puzzled Akira. How could being polite irritate someone? It just didn't make any sense to him.

"You may, you may." Akira glared at him.

"I wouldn't wear those."

"Oh? Why?" Again Shindo looked down at himself. "What's wrong with them? I've had these for years. My mom even approves of them. Heck, she probably bought them for me." Akira was ready to just give up and wait for the inevitable to happen. His rival was being dense.

"Of course they're appropriate, Shindo." He gritted the words out. "If we didn't have two cats, I wouldn't even comment on them." The grey green eyes that were looking at him still reflected a deep confusion.

"Touya? Are you sure you're ok?" He started slowly. "I mean. I know we have two cats. I'm not seeing the connection to the sweatpants. Did I hit you too hard this morning?" His rival took a step towards him and Akira backed away hastily.

"I give up." Akira muttered. If living with Karu for two weeks straight had taught the other man nothing about cats and their affinity with anything resembling string, well… it was his own damn fault if anything happened. He felt his eyebrow twitch at the mention of the choking incident. "And yes you did but that's beside the point. It was my back you hit and not my head." He added just a tad scathingly. "I'll be in my room reading if you need anything."

Hikaru watched as Touya made his way back into his room, more than a little confused. He shook his head before shrugging the incident from his thoughts. He'd figured out that he wasn't the only one with slightly eccentric habits. Touya came with a whole set of his own. Some were cute, some were just plain weird, and others just got on his nerves. He gave a little sigh.

Today was not shaping up the way he had hoped it would. His chin was still sore and he was even more certain than ever that Touya was deliberately keeping him from the kitchen. He'd have to have a few words with Waya about that. How was it his fault Waya had eaten cheese from his fridge that had passed its expiration date twice over? So, he'd forgotten to clean his fridge out. It didn't say anything about his cooking abilities! The second sigh he let loose was louder and just a tad sad.

Why did Touya have to go in his room to read? What was the point of the living room if he was always in his bedroom? He frowned a bit and then resolutely turned his back on where his rival had disappeared off to. He was going to enjoy his day off damn it and he would not mope around.

What to do though? The young man crossed his arms across his chest as took a look around the room while he pondered the question. He'd just bought some mangas that he'd been dying to read ages ago. Hikaru nodded to himself at the mental reminder and went to go find them in his room. It was a good idea and the best way to relax.

A couple seconds later cradling the mangas in his arms, Hikaru found the kittens at his feet. "Hey guys. What have you two been up to?" A smirk caused his lips to curve up. Touya really was weird. What did the kittens have to do with his sweatpants anyway? The answer became all too clear in the next second. Karu's butt was wiggling, her green eyes glinting with concentration. Kira was right by her side, mimicking the movements. And both of them were staring right at him! "Woah! Wait!" He took a step back and dropped his mangas in instinctual self preservation. "What the hell! OUCH! KARU-KIRA! STOP! TOUYA! HELP!" Hikaru screamed as claws went flying towards him. Karu, who was very practiced at climbing a moving human body was still attached to his leg. Kira however was now crouching low on the ground, trying desperately to avoid being stepped on. "Get off!"

"Karu." Touya's calm voice called out from behind him. "Shindo. Stop moving." Strong hands pinned him where he was, still trying to shake the kitten off of himself. Easier said than done when you didn't have needle like claws piercing into you, Hikaru thought sourly. The hands moved away as he stilled to come down and pluck the kitten off. Hikaru winced as some skin came off along with the little furry beast.

"Is this what you were trying to tell me?" Hikaru yelled not caring that Touya's face was just a couple feet away from his. That had hurt like hell. Still did. He went to massage his inner thigh and thanked God that Karu and Kira hadn't managed to scratch another part of him. At the mere thought of what could have been hurt, he shuddered. Too close of a call.

"Yes Shindo."

"Why the hell didn't you explain yourself more clearly?" He snapped. "And your cat is clearly psychotic!"

"So is my rival who bought me this cat as a gift." Touya replied dryly, placing Karu on his shoulder. "And I tried. You wouldn't listen." The kitten hid her face in his rival's neck.

"How am I psychotic?" Hikaru moaned. "And she didn't come with a warning sign! Your explanation was so vague…it would have been more helpful to say nothing at all! You, you…"

"You're stuttering." Was he actually amused by all of this?

"I think I have a right to stutter! Your damn cat nearly castrated me!" Touya just glanced at Kira who had cautiously picked himself up. He was innocently licking his front paw.

"Only mine?" Touya asked after a minute or two of silence. Hikaru grimaced knowing fully well that his rival had heard him yell at both kittens. Damn. "Hmm…" He paused, looking at Karu with a thoughtful look. "Maybe she has a complex, being the only girl in the apartment. She might have wanted the company."

"What the hell are you getting at?" Hikaru groaned with a sinking realization that he was just digging himself in a deeper hole and that he would be getting no sympathy whatsoever.

"The reason to why Karu only was trying to ah—castrate you."

"Are you trying to tell me that she was trying to turn me into a girl? You know Touya, I swear to god, I despise the day we found out that Karu was a girl. You always use it against me! It's not fair." Touya bit his lip and looked to the side. "What is it now?" And yes, yes he was whining. He almost felt like it was his right by this point. Hikaru abruptly straightened, leaving his aching leg alone as he watched Touya suddenly shudder silently. Karu, startled by the change as well, hopped off and landed primly onto her four little paws. She joined her brother in an impromptu wash.

Was he—a hand rose to cover that usually serious mouth—laughing? He was laughing! Bastard. "Don—don't laugh! It's not funny!" His words had little impact, judging by the fact that he could now hear the laughter. Hikaru frowned, not seeing how he could leave with his dignity intact unless—"Don't… Touya!" He continued to whine while edging towards the couch. "It's not funny! It really hurt!" He didn't even have to continue the only half fake whine as Touya had covered his face with both hands now. He grabbed a pillow and then pounced on his rival. "You want to laugh? Laugh this off!" He threatened as the pillow landed squarely on top of Touya's head. Teeth clicked together and Touya growled.

"Shindo!"

"Hehe…"

"Just you wait," The taller of the two ground out, hands coming up to protect himself from further attack. Hikaru was getting ready to launch another attack when the kittens decided to join what they obviously thought was play. And their target was of course, the drawstrings on his sweatpants. He yelped jumping onto the couch to get away from them. As fast as he could, he moved the blasted strings into his pants where they couldn't act as a swinging temptation. But it was his undoing. He'd dropped his pillow and left himself wide open for retaliation. And Touya Akira retaliated. It would have been a crime in rivalry history if he hadn't.

It was that afternoon that allowed Hikaru to realize that despite not having many friends growing up, Touya had one heck of an aim and knew exactly how to pillow fight.

They'd have to do this more often, Hikaru thought just a bit out of breath as he collapsed onto the floor. Touya was on the couch, both pillows securely placed under his head. He was flushed gasping for air. Neither had admitted defeat, reluctantly calling truce of some sort as they realized that neither of them were ten anymore and had run out of energy. He heard his rival give a little 'umph' as Karu jumped onto his stomach. It made Hikaru chuckle as he passed a hand over his sweaty forehead. Kira gently placed his wait on his own human and settled on his chest, purrs rumbling in his still small chest.

"Aw, Karu don't—" Touya started, the rest becoming muffled. Hikaru glanced up and his laughter bubbled out of him as he saw Karu holding his rival's face with her little paws, licking him like a dutiful mother. Touya grimaced, moving his face away. "Clean him up while you're at it." He muttered, moving his kitten and depositing her onto Hikaru's unmoving form.

"Hey!" Karu's indignant meow echoed his sentiments exactly. Kira continued to purr, looking satisfied with life all around.

To be continued...

:)