Akihito had just arrived at Takato's house for a guy's night in playing video games with pizza and beer when he received a rather unexpected call. They were just setting up when his phone flashed up with 'Glasses calling'. He had given Asami and his secretary his contact information along with his photography portfolio. Apparently the reason they had wanted to speak with him, other than Asami wanting to get into his pants, was to offer him potential employment. Asami tried to make sure that fellow shifters would have work and opportunities, knowing himself how hard it can be with things like stress shifts and weird tendencies to chase things or the irrepressible itch to scratch. Akihito had declined any opportunity for a permanent contract and just asked to have them put him on their freelancer list in the off chance they needed a stand in, he still preferred his journalistic work over stuffy model shoots. He waved to his friends and answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Takaba-kun, are you free this evening?"

"Uh, sorry, I'm at a friend's place for a guy's night." His friends glanced over, curious.

"Asami-sama has unfortunately stress shifted and is currently stuck in his cat form. He has been rather… Insistent… that he gets to have you look after him so to speak."

"Huh, so even that bastard stress shifts."

"I would ask you to refrain from calling Asami-sama names," Akihito rolled his eyes. "I understand that we are interrupting your evening and am happy to provide compensation. What were your plans for the evening?"

"Oh, we were just going to stay in and play video games, get some beer and order pizza. I mean, I can check with Takato and maybe he can come over too?" He glanced over at his friends who were still watching him curiously. Takato nodded as if to say it would be fine with him if another person joined.

"That is one possibility, however we were hoping you might come to the penthouse. You can bring whatever you need for the games and I'll organise to get pizza and beer delivered, no cost to you of course. Asami-sama's driver can pick you all up and drop you off again. Your friends are also welcome to stay over if you planned on a late night, there is a guest room I can ensure is made up and breakfast can be provided in the morning."

"Hang on, I'll just ask." Akihito turned to his two friends. "So I have a shifter… Friend… Who has stress shifted and his secretary wants me to babysit him at his place." He swore he could hear Kirishima rolling his eyes through the phone. He proceeded to give his friends the run down and they enthusiastically agreed to the free food and beer and Akihito organised with Kirishima for the pick-up.

Akihito sighed when the limo rocked up half an hour later and his friends, who had been bomb barding him with questions about this mysterious shifter that he had only met recently, both gave him raised eye brows. He had managed to avoid answering most of the questions but he knew they weren't about to let him off after this. He knew he had dug himself a wider hole when he blushed upon entering the limo. Asami had been trying to wine and dine him over the last few weeks and while he hadn't quite gotten in his pants, not for the lack of trying mind you, there had been a number of inappropriate things done in the limo that he had been reminded about as soon as they climbed in. He sighed as Takato threw an arm around his shoulder.

"So Aki, do you have something you want to tell us?"

"Yeah, Aki-chan, who is this mysterious, rich shifter?"

Akihito shifted uncomfortably, not quite sure what to call Asami but Takato wasn't going to let him off scot-free.

"You called him a friend but sending a limo and buying us dinner and beer just so you would come over? I doubt someone sending out limo's lacks in people to take care of him when he gets stuck as a cat."

"And what's with the blush Aki?" Kou waggled his eyebrows, "Been doing naughty things in the limo?"

Akihito groaned and sat forward, hiding the increasing blush and Kou snickered.

"Right on the money huh? So we get to meet Aki-chans boyfriend, well, his cat form. I didn't expect this!"

"Guys, he's not my boyfriend."

"Right." It was pretty obvious that they didn't believe him at all. "We'll see about that."

Arriving at the skyscraper that housed Asami's apartment had Kou, who was carrying the box with the console and games, getting rather enthused about what kind of TV they were going to get to play on and Takato was still periodically shooting Akihito sceptical looks. He led them into the penthouse and after removing their shoes they ventured in further. Kirishima was standing next to the dining table and Asami was perched on a chair that he been pulled out. He marvelled once again how big Asami was even in his cat form, sitting on the chair put him at Akihito's height and his fur shone in the artificial light of the penthouse. Those molten gold eyes were immediately riveted on him and Akihito felt his heart miss a beat. Asami opened his mouth and kind of chirped. It was a fair bit deeper than how Akihito sounds like in his cat form but he still recognised the sound as a greeting.

"Ah, Takaba-kun, excellent. You can find a selection of beers in the fridge and pizza has been ordered to arrive at 6:30 along with something for Asami-sama. Please excuse me for being rude and forgoing the introductions but I need to return to work, if you need anything just call." Kirishima gave them a small nod and immediately took his leave.

Akihito awkwardly introduced Asami to his friends before showing them into the lounge. Kou set to enthusiastically setting up the console, exclaiming over the size of the TV and the expensive sound system. Akihito and Takato went in search of the beer with Asami in tow. The both stared for a moment at the selection filling the fridge, everything from the cheap stuff they were planning on getting to expensive, imported beers with labels they couldn't read. Takato turned to Asami sitting behind them.

"Is it really okay for us to have these? I mean some of these must be really expensive…" Asami just nodded and made a low rumbling noise.

"That noise means yes," Akihito hadn't turned around and was still pursuing the selection before pulling out a few different types to try. He glanced back at Asami. "You didn't have to get all these, Glasses should have just asked what we wanted." He got a shrug in response.

It wasn't long before they were set up, beers open and controllers in hand. Kou and Takato took up positions on the couch and Akihito stretched out on the floor between them with his back against the couch. He had just settled in place when Asami stalked forward and he groaned.

"Oh no you don't! You're way too heavy!" Asami ignored him and put his front legs across Akihito's thighs and flopped the rest of his body down onto the floor. He nudged his nose into Akihito's arm, demanding attention. "You're way too big for this." Asami just nudged his arm again and Akihito gave in with a sigh. He wrapped one arm around Asami's neck, rubbing his ears on the way, and moved the other one so that he could hold the controller. Asami settled his head Akihito's forearm and gave a quiet, pleased sounding rumble.

They enjoyed playing on such a huge, clear screen and the sound was so much better than they were used to and coupled with the beer, they were getting really into it. Akihito wasn't able to do his normal enthusiastic victory dance when he won as Asami was refusing to move but otherwise it was shaping up to a perfect night. They had another surprise when the most gourmet pizza they had ever seen showed up.

"Wow, this looks amazing! I don't know if we can eat this much though!"

"I guess they know Aki's appetite!" Takato and Kou laughed while Akihito protested in vain.

"Alright, you're going to have to move now." Akihito ruffed Asami's ears much like he did to him and earned himself a disgruntled snort before he finally shifted.

Happy with his own box of pizza and a top up of some nice looking imported beers, Akihito settled back down in his preferred spot on the floor. He had only just taken a bite of pizza when Asami came back, sat down beside him and carefully placed a large container of perfectly cooked fish in his lap.

"Why are you giving me your dinner?" Asami nudged his hand and then looked at him expectantly. Akihito groaned as he realised what he was after. "Why do I have to feed you?" Asami did that deep chirp like sound at him. "Seriously, you can feed yourself." He glared into Asami's eyes, engaging in a battle of wills. After a few minutes Asami started to growl in the back of his throat in warning and Akihito threw up his hands in defeat. "Fine! Lazy prick. I suppose I have to use my fingers like you did for me?" He chirped again and Akihito sighed. He picked up a section of the fish and held it out to Asami who carefully took it from his fingers. He looked far too smug for Akihito's liking. He watched Takato beat Kou soundly in the fighter they were playing while he fed Asami in between bites of his pizza.

"Urgh, now there's fish all over my fingers." The fish was gone and he placed the container off to the side before Asami leaned forward and licked his fingers. "You know, that doesn't help as much as you think it did." Akihito dead panned. "Seriously, I think you slobbering all over my hand is worse." He sighed and wiped it off on his jeans. He shot Asami another glare while grabbing his controller, daring him to try and sit on him now. Asami huffed in response and lay down next to him, pressed up along his side but didn't get in the way this time.

A little while later, Akihito glanced to the side as Asami shifted and was surprised when he rolled over, belly in the air.

"Oh no. I am not rubbing your belly." Asami growled. "Nope. Don't care." The large black cat shifted so he could look at him with sad eyes. "Are you seriously pouting? Man, you get really needy when you stress shift."

Kou slapped him over the head. "Don't be such a hard ass Aki, you get like that when you stress shift too."

"Hey! No way, I don't get this needy."

"Yeah you do." Both of his friends replied in unison. Akihito pouted.

"Whatever." He stood up and Asami rolled back over. "You can stay here." Golden eyes blinked at him. "I'm just going to the bathroom, I don't need you following me."

He rolled his eyes as he heard Takato commiserating with Asami for him not rubbing the prick's belly. When he returned, Asami was sitting on the couch between Takato and Kou, right behind where Aki was leaning. He gave him a suspicious look before sitting back down. He had just gotten comfortable when he felt two large paws sit one on each shoulder and suddenly there was a tongue rasping up the back of his neck and up into his hair.

"Hey! No! Don't fucking groom me!" He yelped as the tongue did it again. "It's gross, what are you doing?!" He tried to pull away and then the claws came out, holding him trapped in place.

"Help!"

His friends where both cracking up at the display. "Nah, man. It's your own fault, should have just rubbed his belly." Takato was still sniggering as Akihito tried fruitlessly to escape. "It's not like we are going to argue with him, I mean, you don't argue with a panther. Anyway, isn't it an affectionate gesture?"

Akihito's hair was sticking up in all directions by the time Asami had deemed him groomed enough to let him go and slid off the couch. He plonked himself right back on Akihito's lap, nose tucked into his elbow and they decided to watch a movie before they called it a night. Akihito was startled when there was a deep rumbling sound and Asami's whole body started to gently vibrate. It took him several seconds to work out that he was purring. He had been absentmindedly stroking him and hadn't been aware of what he was doing. He had frozen when he heard the sound but tentatively reached out and resumed his petting. Asami actually seemed to snuggle closer and Akihito felt a blush creep up his cheeks. The purring got loud enough that Kou had to turn up the movie so they could still hear it.

It was a little while later, movie done, pizza in the fridge and beer bottles picked up that they went in search of the guest room Kirishima had mentioned to work out sleeping arrangements. The guest room turned out to have a king sized bed so Takato and Kou were happy to share and just when Akihito was going to say he would take a couch he felt a tug at his waist. Looking down he could see Asami had caught one of the belt loops in his jeans between his teeth and was pulling him backwards.

"Woah, hey, what's the deal?" Asami tugged again, nearly toppling the blonde, and continued to try and drag him backwards. He looked where he was trying to lead him to and groaned.

"I am not sleeping with you." A growl of warning met his words. "I'm sleeping on the couch." The growl just ramped up in volume. "Don't be so pushy!" Asami actually snarled at that and it was rather intimidating.

"Looks like you're all set for the night." Akihito turned to stare wide eyed at his friends who were both grinning at him. "I wouldn't argue with that. Anyways, night Aki, Asami-san." They both waved and disappeared into the guest room leaving Akihito to be forcibly dragged into Asami's bedroom and made into a human snuggle pillow for the night.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVF

Akihito tried to will away the blush that was still lingering in his cheeks as he approached the dining room where he could hear his friends. He had woken up to a naked Asami that had shifted back in the night and was determined to thank him for his care with his hands and mouth and Akihito was still feeling a little hot and bothered over the whole thing.

"Morning guys." Both friends returned the greeting and Akihito sat down to tuck into the breakfast that had arrived only a few minutes before.

"How's Asami-san? Has he shifted back yet or is he still stuck?"

"He shifted back in the night, he's just in the shower now."

Kou was sniggering at him and Akihito raised an eyebrow in question. "He was naked when he shifted back right? That's why you're blushing." He tried to protest but just ended up redder than before and now both friends were grinning at him.

"So that means we get to officially meet the boyfriend huh?"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Akihito hissed in response.

"He seemed pretty into you last night. What's the problem? You dislike like him that much?"

"Man, I'm jealous," Kou pouted. "I want a rich sugar daddy."

"Kou!"

"Seriously Aki, if he's not your boyfriend, then don't lead him on."

"Yeah, don't be a dick like that."

"I'm not leading him on, it's just…" He bit his lip, he still hadn't quite admitted to himself what was actually going on between Asami and him.

"Aki-chan's a tsundere, who would have thought."

Akihito gapped at Kou, "Tsun-?!" He didn't have time to finish as a smooth baritone voice interrupted him with a greeting. Asami walked into the room in casual slacks and a shirt that showed off his figure and he hastily re-introduced everyone. He caught his friends looking at him with raised eye brows and disbelief as Asami sat himself down at the table. They chattered away, making small talk before Asami ducked away to answer a call. There was a brief awkward silence before Kou spoke up in a loud whisper.

"Damn Aki, I was pretty sure I didn't swing that way but if you don't want him, I'll take him."

Akihito groaned and let his head fall onto the table with a thud. He was never going to hear the end of this.

AN: Technically Asami shouldn't be able to purr but I don't care. I wanted purring Asami dammit.