Last weekend I had to take my cat to the emergency vet, and spent a pretty penny to try and figure out what was going on… only to not get any answers and go home over 1k more broke. So uh… I just didn't have it in me to write (anything) at that time.
Note: In Iruma's perspective, Opera will be referred to as them/it, though they might also be he/she at any given time, depending on Iruma's mood/perception. But… 98 percent of the time should be they/them/it.

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After Iruma missed his middle school graduation due to being on a fishing boat for an unexpected extra two days, his parents appeared and declared they would not be enrolling him into high school. It'd be better for him to help them out by becoming a freeter, than wasting time on an education he wouldn't be using anyways.

It was a relief in one way for him, to simply go along with their supposed wisdom as his authority figures. He couldn't enroll himself, and not having to worry about papers and homework was a plus.

But a different part of him, the horrible, selfish, and slowly embittered part of himself, desperately wanted to go to school.

Honestly, Iruma did want to experience high school, the supposed 'golden days' of youth… where instead, he was going straight into the world of adults and working.

It didn't matter that in the past he'd traveled with his parents- no matter what he did, all he did was work.

Work for food. For clothes. For shelter. For every. Little. Thing.

He never blamed those who hired him- in the end, most of his paychecks went to his parents.

(Most of them thought it was to save up for a good school. Iruma swallowed a scoff each time and smiled, as his stomach rolled at his greed and clenched at his lack of lunch.)

Iruma was exhausted as he came 'home' as usual to his tent, started to boil his water and gather grass, when he noticed a red colored cat observing him.

Iruma puzzled at the poor thing, and couldn't help but wonder what sort of horrible people could take an innocent animal like that and pour colorant all over it?

He dampened a piece of fabric and cautiously approached them. They seemed unbothered by his approach, before he settled in front of them and began to gently wipe at their fur.

They hadn't appreciated his help, and hopped back into the forest to escape his reach. He slumped with a sigh, before standing himself up and returning to his meal.

…It was a surprise when the red-gold eyed cat returned, their fur magically a purplish-black, before they brushed against him and settled heavily against his leg.

He slowly smiled to himself as his heart warmed at the thought of having a companion- no matter how brief.

…He hoped they'd stay the night… or at least, be there in the morning.

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Iruma awoke to a warm body pressed against his front. He flushed lightly with joy as he consciously basked in their presence and heat for a long moment, greedily soaking in their touch, before taking a deep breath and exhaling lightly as he pushed himself carefully out of bed. The cat opened an eye, before waking up to look at him curiously with a soft questioning trill.

Iruma gave them a reassuring smile as he ran his hand over their head, petting them gently. "Sorry little guy, I gotta get up for work." He grabbed some things to quickly wash up with as he shot out of his tent, rushing to the nearby park bathroom, and swiftly going through his morning routine. Body (kind of mostly) washed, teeth brushed, and finally his hair was swiftly cleaned and combed out, before he ran back to his tent.

He scrambled for breakfast, grabbing some weeds to boil, as well as eat raw as he waited-

Iruma glanced down at his feline companion that had kept itself within a few feet of him the entire morning, and wondered if he should feed it.

They settled onto their backside with an air of dignity, and tilted their head at him.

Iruma smiled at the cat uneasily, unsure of how to even communicate his thoughts, before his parents' voices rang out through the woods, "Oh, Iruma-chaaan~!? We're here to collect your latest paycheck~!"

Iruma gasped, snatched the cat much to its surprise, and set them inside of his tent before closing it and standing stiffly at the entrance, "Mom, dad!"

His parents finally popped out, and Iruma begrudgingly handed them the thick bills he'd struggled to earn.

His mother hummed over the amount before nodding with a bright white smile. She was "nice" enough to leave him a 1000 yen bill, patted him stingily on the head, and his parents abandoned him as usual while they giggled and celebrated his latest earnings for their sake.

Iruma plopped down on the ground as their footsteps faded away, curled up into his knees after he pulled them back into himself, and pushed down the desire to cry.

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If one had asked Opera after their first day in what was most likely the Human Realm, if they thought eating a human was irresistible, they would have said that they'd partaken of far more appetizing cuisine made by their own hand.

Yet, when some bumbling fools were approaching their recently chosen 'ward's territory, they had been mildly offended that he would push them into his tent and trap them inside.

But then they heard their voices, and their fur stood on end.

It wasn't until their scent hit them, that they felt themselves salivate-

Not from hunger or the need to eat them, oh no. Their scents were so oversaturated with Vices, that it made their stomach roll.

Perhaps they were an odd one- surely, some lower ranked demons may find those humans to be the highest of caliber to feast upon-

But they could smell their slovenliness. Their selfish greed to use and abuse for the sake of their own gain. Their Hearts were pure violet black, and filled to the brim with Desire.

Opera crawled on their belly toward where the child laid his head and buried their face into its aged lumpiness. His scent was still filled with a youngling's innocence. Children were greedy, but this child had been forced to surrender everything. They basked in his quiet desires he shoved downdowndown and wondered how he could ever endure having everything stolen from him by the ones who should be protecting and providing for him.

It was when he finally opened the tent to check on them, as they swallowed back the last of their disgust, that they made a rather foolish decision.

If they ever made it back home, they would take this boy with them.

The boy gave them a few gentle pets, before running off to his next destination.

They followed.

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Not a huge update, but I've decided to take it easy when writing this story. Moreso because I just don't have energy, and I'm dealing with severe depression.
The POV will switch between Opera and Iruma, though I may default to Opera more often.
I hope you enjoyed it, please leave a review!