Have any pets? (If not: would they get any?) Do they ever trade clothes?
It was thunder-storming outside; buckets of rain upended over Tokyo and broke through the humid heat of June. Lightning flashed so bright it lit up the entirety of the apartment through the tiny kitchen window, and streamed in from the open bedroom doors. While it was nice to know their apartment didn't leak anywhere, Sena could do without the trial by fire- well, in this case, trial by rain. The runningback flinched as thunder clapped and boomed so loud he swore he could feel the whole building shake.
"C'mon, Sena, it's not like you're scared of thunder," Monta pointed out where he was lounging across the couch squinting over his phone screen. He cursed under his breath when he failed whatever game level he was on.
Sena laughed edgily and shook his head. "No, it's not that. It's just… so loudandsudden.It's just kinda nerve-wracking, that's all," he explained while lighting a candle and setting it on the coffee table.
He blew out the match and set it on the empty ashtray that the apartment had given for free with the furniture and hadn't been used until now. The candles were from Mamori, though, for this exact sort of situation. He couldn't help but send fervent thanks in her general direction as the slow glow permeated the living room. Their power wasn't out yet, but Sena and Riku both were of the better safe than sorry sort. Unplugging the electronics around the house seemed like the smart thing to do. Riku walked in with his laptop under his arm just as Sena set the candle down.
"Everything unplugged out here?" he asked as he plopped onto the couch. Monta just barely moved his legs in time, not even looking up from his phone. Riku opened his laptop and typed in his password rapidly.
"Yup, I got 'em all," Monta agreed absently.
Sena climbed on the couch next to Riku, grimacing at the loud cracking sound of thunder over their heads. "And I got the candles lit," he announced unnecessarily as he snatched a pillow and curled into the couch. The thick padding under his ear softened the sound of thunder and he glued his eyes to Riku's laptop glowing screen gratefully.
Riku sighed roughly, but clicked open a video file, looking only at the screen. "Sweet. I've got 3 hours of battery power and bootlegged horror films downloaded. You ready?" he taunted with a raised eyebrow first at Sena and quickly towards Monta. Monta grinned and blacked his phone screen.
"Aw right! Max ready," Monta cheered.
"H-Horror?!" Sena exhaled in disbelief.
With a snicker at Sena's wide-eyed stare, Riku clicked open the first one. Desperately wishing Suzuna was here to point out all the bad, cheesy, crappy parts and make Sena laugh, the runningback gulped and sunk into the couch even further. He told himself a thousand times to get up and leave, the smart choice (he heard that mocking in his head in Kotaro's voice actually…). He was already on the edge from the thunder grating on his nerves and he didn't like horror movies. The creepier, get in your head ones even worse than the gory ones, which of course, were the kinds Monta and Riku liked most. But… the eerily normal opening with its crescending music score, along with the thunder and the candles and lightning- it all built up an atmosphere that unwillingly sucked Sena into watching, breath abated and fingers curled into the pillow. When, about an hour into the movie, the bell rang, all three of them jumped sky high. Sena and Monta even let out short, terrified shouts.
The three of them stared at the door with bulging eyes, then glanced towards the kitchen window. It was still pouring outside, and no one had called ahead to warn them they were coming. Slowly, they glanced at each other, mouths hanging open in bewilderment. A moment later, a loud, staccato knock pounded on the door and Sena and Monta squeaked. It seemed to snap Riku out of it, though, making him snort and snap his laptop closed.
"It's the damn door, guys," he admonished them with an almost painful-looking eyeroll.
"Yeah, I-I know that. I was just reacting to Sena," Monta sputtered.
"Hey!" Sena protested. The wide-receiver grinned sheepishly at him, ducking his head.
Another knock, louder and persistent, sounded again and Riku got to his feet. "Okay, then, you brave soldiers can go answer it. I'll go boil some water for coffee. Whoever it is is going to want some after being outside in that," Riku told them, shaking his head and laughing. Monta and Sena glanced at each other with none-too-little chagrin.
"I'll get it," Monta offered, rubbing the side of his nose with his thumb and blushing a little in his embarrassment.
"No, it's okay," Sena disagreed, getting to his feet. "I'm faster than you, just in case it is a bloodthirsty ghost." Monta cracked a laugh in relief.
Sena made his way over to the door- maybe mentally reminding himself that it really wasn't going to be a ghost on the other side and not at allapprehensive. The door opened easily enough (duh) and there was no ghost (of course!), but instead there was a… Shin? Sena blinked dumbly up at Shin, whose hand was raised to knock again, the white plastic bag swinging from his fist. His other arm was wrapped awkwardly around his… bulge-y looking stomach. He was soaking wet and scowling from under limp, dripping bangs.
"S-Seijuuro!?" Sena squawked in surprise. Monta clambered over the couch and craned over the arm to see Shin standing in the doorway. "Why are you- please, come in!" he ushered Shin in, hopping back when Seijuuro shook his head briskly free of some of the excess water.
"Sorry for the trouble," he said politely as he struggled to take off soaking runner-shoes with only his feet.
"Yo, man, what are ya doing out in this?" Monta called over in surprise while Sena took the plastic bag and steadied Shin when his balance almost toppled. For some reason, his arm around his stomach never moved.
"Are you hurt?" Sena asked, aghast.
"I was running near my college, but I found-" just then his hoodie bulged and stretched over his arm.
"IT'S AN ALIEN!" Monta shrieked.
"What? No," Shin retorted, scowling harder. Several high-pitched squeaks and yowls came from inside his hoodie and Sena almost dropped the bag.
"Cats?!" Sena blurted in shock. He quickly snatched the collar of the hoodie and dragged Shin down, forcing him to bend at the waist, so Sena could peer down into the damp interior of his white hoodie. "No, those are kittens! Oh, look at 'em! They're cute!"
"What's going on out here? I heard Shin and… cats?" Riku asked, walking out with a can of instant coffee in his hands. He frowned as Sena babytalked at whatever was squirming inside Shin's shirt. "What the fuck?"
"Oh, they're so small and they're soaking wet! Lemme go get a blanket!" Sena zipped away, bag still in hand and face flushed excitedly.
"He really likes cats," Shin said, blinking in surprise.
Riku groaned while Monta laughed. "I'll get you a towel."
When Monta went to get a towel, Sena flashed past and held up the blanket in his arms like a basket or apron. Shin struggled a bit, then finally just opened the bottom of his hoodie and gently set the kittens on the blanket, grimacing when their tiny, sharp claws scratched at his hands. They squealed and yowled, wet fur standing up like quills and tiny teeth bared in hisses.
"They're adorable!" Sena gushed, eyes shining. "Mama's gonna want so many pictures! I gotta get my phone!" He rushed away, holding the tiny litter to his chest carefully.
"He does realize that's three kittens he's just run off with," Riku stated, dragging a hand through his hair and trying not to grin.
Shin shrugged and yanked both his hoodie and shirt over his head. Riku glared over at him, eyes squinty. "I ran here from Oujou because I knew he'd help them," the linebacker admitted unashamedly. Riku gaped at him.
"You're sneaky! You realize I have to live with Sena and his kittens, right!?" Riku exclaimed incredulously. Shin's mouth twitched.
"You'll survive."
Riku sputtered. Sena darted back in then, phone held in his mouth and Monta right behind him holding an armload of towels.
"I figured we needed enough for Shin and the kittens," Monta explained, cheeks a little red when Riku raised his eyebrows at him.
Shin took a towel gratefully and began to rub down his hair. For the first time, Sena noticed his shirtlessness after Monta relieved him of his phone and jerked back onto his heels. Unconsciously squishing the squirming blanket bundle close to his chest, Sena fish-mouthed for a stupidly long second. With a hard shake of his head, he pulled himself back to together.
"I have… maybe… something you can wear?" Sena offered quizzically past a dry mouth.
"I'm sure I left something here the last time. I'll look," Shin said simply, making Sena squeak and redden even while Monta sneered suggestively at him. "Do you mind if I hang these to dry?" he continued nonchalantly, plucking at his soaking pants.
Shin grunted when Riku stepped up and slapped a hand to bareback. "No problem, man. I'll help you figure it all out," the safety volunteered with an amused huff.
"I'd appreciate it."
Riku led Shin towards the rooms (though Shin surely knew the way himself), waving away Shin's apologies. The remaining two carefully set the kittens on the floor in the living room. Gently, and with too many painful winces, Monta and Sena rubbed the kittens dry. By the time they were done, each one was a fuzzy ball of outrage and both friends had tiny, stinging cuts all over their hands. Sena reached for the orange tabby just as Monta scooped up the howling tuxedo-patterned one, which looked a lot like Pitt. The last kitten was the particularly loud and violent one, with a molted orange and black coat and a staggering, unbalanced prowl over the wrinkles and hills of the blanket on its stubby bowlegs. Sena glanced down at the tabby kneading his wrist, mentally figuring how to hold them both without getting a vein openedby the little tortoiseshell. Monta was too busy making kissy faces at the tux-kitty to notice the dilemma. Suddenly, two large, familiar hands gathered the yowling kitten up. Neck creaking, Sena looked up up up to Shin's face and grinned widely. There was a gentle pat of his hand to the floor next to him and Shin folded himself into place with the kitten cradled to his chest even as it wailed and sunk its claws through cotton. He ignored the swipes at his arms so he could check the kitten over methodically.
Sena took the opportunity to check Shin over, maybe not quite so methodically. Not that he could really help himself when Shin looked so… so so. Were there proper adjectives to describe Shin wearing Sena's biggest tee, a white shirt with I 3 Chicago and a black silhouette of the city skyline with long black sleeves? Sleeves that were straining over biceps more than twice the size of Sena's, and were about two inches too short (where on Sena they fell over his hands) and bared Shin's wrists and forearms. The loose, shiny blue jersey shorts that Sena had to keep tied to stay up were only loose closest to Shin's knees, the rest clung tight like a second, shimmery blue skin, emphasizing the powerful thickness of Shin's thighs.
Is it hot in here? Where'd the air go? Sena thought to himself dazedly. A muscley buff Shin, in clothes too tight and Sena's, was sitting cross-legged in his living room and cuddlingwith a tiny violent kitten. I want to cry. This is either heaven or hell.
Fortunately, his own handful of cat distracted him with a well-placed chomp to his thumb. He barely stifled a shriek and hurried to return his attention to his needy new friend.
"Male, I believe," Shin announced abruptly, before tucking the kitten close to his chest once more and stroking his big, gentle hand over the angrily protesting tortie's back.
Jealousy over a cat was a new feeling… but it was quickly eclipsed by fond amusement when the tortie settled under Shin's hands and began to purr loudly.
"Dude, are you, like, magic?! That demon almost chewed my whole arm offthrough the towels!" Monta exclaimed in both awe and annoyance. Shin scoffed under his breath.
"No, Seijuuro's just got a way with cats. You should see him with Pitt," Sena replied while grinning over at Shin. "So where'd Rikku end up?"
"He was hanging my clothes over the radiator in your room. He told me to… get lost. For some reason, he doesn't trust me not to set a fire drying my own clothes," Shin muttered with a bemused frown. Monta and Sena snickered.
"I thought Sena would be the house mom, but it's max Riku. He's super micromanaging when it comes to house stuff," Monta faux-whispered to Shin with a teeth-baring smirk. "It was totally surprising howmom he gets."
"Really?" Sena said absently as he wiggling his fingers over the tabby's head and smiling dopily. "I wasn't surprised. He's always been the one to take care of me." He couldn't help but outright giggle, like a preschooler, when the kitten wrapped its tiny, fuzzy body around Sena's wrist and began to gnaw on his fingers through purrs so big its whole body was vibrating with them.
He definitely missed the pensive, dark-eyed glance in his direction from Shin.
"Aw man, this little guy is max cute! But why are their tongues so painful," Monta somehow managed to whine while babytalking at the same time.
"The papillae on their tongues make it easier to comb through their fur for grooming and cooling purposes. They also use them to help scrape meat from bones. I doubt something with that biological function was meant to be comfortable on human skin," Shin recited as if on autopilot, his eyes on the tortie that balanced precariously standing on its back legs in his palms while it rubbed itself all over Shin's chest, kneading plaintively.
Behind the group, Riku walked into the living room and stopped dead. He took one look at the tableau before him - Sena and Shin sitting so close their knees were almost overlapping and gushing (so Shin's version of gushing was pretty poker-faced and scowly, it was still gushing) over kittens in flickering candlelight– and immediately backpedaled back out again, shaking his head. Muttering This is my life, Ichosethis to himself. He stooped to grab the plastic bag lying forgotten on the ground and disappeared into the kitchen. All of this gone completely unnoticed by the besotted idiots sitting on the floor playing with kittens.
"We should name them!" Sena declared obliviously to the equally oblivious duo.
"Oh! Oh yeah! I got it! I'mma name this one Bond. James Bond," Monta told them, striking a 'blue steel' expression and butchering an English accent. James Bond yawned in his face.
Laughing, Sena held the orange tabby up to his cheek. It began to groom the soft hairs on his temple and he snuggled his cheek to its soft, heaving side.
"Kakiko."
"You're kinda disgustingly cute sometimes, Sena," Monta pointed out, rubbing his nose and smirking over at his friend. Sena blushed beet-red.
"Persimmons are orange, she's orange. It makes sense," Sena grumbled embarrassedly.
"Oh, Sadaharu."
Both Monta and Sena whipped their heads around and stared at Shin. Who was gazing seriously, unblinkingly, into the tortie's wide yellow eyes.
"Oh, Sadaharu? The baseball legend?" Monta wheezed. Shin nodded once.
"Seijuuro watches all sports," Sena whisper-splained to Monta. The wide receiver just looked at Sena, bewildered and betrayed.
"But naming the demon spawn after Oh-sensei?"
Sena shrugged with a sympathetic little grimace. Monta's head fell back as he groaned.
"I think you dumbasses are forgetting something," Riku interjected as he walked into the living room with two bowls held carefully in his hands. He jerked his chin at Shin. "He stopped to get supplies for them." Shin's eyes widened in surprise. He'd obviously completely forgotten. "I just found 'em. They need to eat and drink some water and then we need to fix up a litter box." He set the bowls in the middle of the blankets. "I also called the nearest vet, which was luckily still open. The kittens have an appointment tomorrow at noon. And their bed is already set up in Sena's room. No, Monta, James Bond can't sleep in the bed with you," he cut him off before Monta could even get the words out of his wrenched-open mouth. "You kick and catch things in your sleep. You'll kill the poor thing," Riku pointed out dryly.
Monta's jaw clicked shut and he pouted tragically.
"Oh wow, Rikku-kun! That was- you're amazing! Thanks!" Sena breathed gratefully.
Rikue crossed his arms over his chest and stared down the hall. His pink cheeks were mostly masked by shadows.
"Yeah, yeah."
"You don't need to do this. I'm sure I could find a shelter or new homes for them, Shin said, looking gutted at the words as he glared down at the kittens already half-immersed in wet cat food and guzzling it down. "Your building may not allow-"
"They do," Sena and Riku interrupted firmly. Riku raised an eyebrow at Sena. "I made sure before we moved in. Just in case," the runningback confessed with a blush and a fidget.
"And I just double-checked my copy of the contract," Riku added in Shin's direction.
Shin glanced between the three roommates, then down at the kittens on the floor. His gaze was almost hopefulwhen he glanced back up.
"You're going to keep them? All of them?"
"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Monta agreed eagerly.
"I am not the fucking Mom, so I won't point out the difficulties and extra expenses three kittens will bring. I also won't force them out, either," Riku scoffed with a pointedly squinty look at Monta and Sena. They both grinned sheepishly, but unrepentant.
"I've missed having a cat, you know that, Seijuuro." Sena smiled fondly and petted Kakiko between her trembling ears. She of course ignored him in favor of what was left of the food. "There's no way I could tell you to take them away now when we could take care of them just fine here."
Shin stared at them all, eyes a little too wide and lips parted. Then, slowly, his lips curved into a real smile, little crinkles at the edges of his eyes forming. Monta gaped, eyes almost bugging, and Riku snorted loudly and left the room. Totally not because he was hiding the red creeping over his face.
"Thank you."
Sena reached over to grasp his boyfriend's hand. "It's no problem."
"Where did you find them?" Monta finally asked curiously.
Shin blinked over at Monta. "In a box. It said free kittens on it. I was concerned about them being outside much longer and there was no one around."
Sena laughed and squeezed his hand around Shin's. "No, you're wrong. You were around."
"Eugh, you guys are gross. Right, James, huh, buddy-boy?" Monta complained to the tuxedo-kitten while stroking it happily.
"I'm 90% positive James Bond is female," Shin said seriously.
"WHAT? Why'd you let me name him James Bond if he is a she!?"
"Because it's a cat. It doesn't know the difference between gendered human names."
Sena threw back his head, arms wrapped around his stomach, to laugh uproariously. Monta continued to steam at Shin, who just looked confounded. Riku eventually came back with hot coffee for everyone and suggestions to cuddle and start up the movie again.
All in all? A pretty good thunderstorm-y day.
A/N: I feel like this could've been even cuter. But I wanted his friends there for once AND really? I just wanted kittens and Shin and Sena in the same room. LOL (ALSO, SHIN IN SENA'S CLOTHES LMFAO there's a link to the shirt but it didn't work le sigh ffnet)
The next couple chapters are pretty smut-heavy (at least, that's the plan), so here's something sweet and lighthearted until then. (Also, the smuttiest parts, again, will not be posted here. But the events around them will be. I'm expecting a hilariously/sexy one soon XDD)