A/N: Dedicated to Blue's complete inability to leave me alone even for a second, and Coco's refined acceptance of her brother's possessive behavior. If he hadn't kept trying to steal kisses during my last two rounds of catsitting, I probably wouldn't have written this.

Birthday Bash 2019 Prompt 6

(Free Choice)

16. Catsitting

Baron got down on his haunches, nestling himself into a pouncing position as he got ready for his favorite time of the day. His large orange ears twitched almost in time with the ticking clock on the far wall from him. All he needed was a single sound outside of a passing car or a barking dog, and he would know that she was coming back to him.

"You do remember that we're fixed, of course?" Louise asked while turning her head enough to lick her shoulders and as much of her back as she could reach.

"They can't fix my heart," Baron retorted stubbornly, giving himself a long body stretch so that he would be ready for the magical moment.

After what felt like an eternity for him, but the clock insisted was only fifteen minutes, there was a familiar rhythm of human feet approaching the front door, and a jingling of housekeys was heard.

Immediately forgetting about his plan to pounce, Baron walked close enough to the door to make sure that his precious human wouldn't get away from him. "Welcome home, Haru!" he called as his heart began to soar.

"Coming, Baron," she laughed, opening the door and eliminating the barrier between them.

"Oh, how I've missed you," the orange tabby informed her as he rubbed his body against the legs of her pants. He noted with unsuppressed glee that his hair was still on them from yesterday.

His white-furred sister hopped onto a small table close to the door as the human closed it behind her. "Hello, Haru," she greeted with just as much warmth, though with a lot more dignity, earning an affectionate rub from head to tail.

"Now that's just not fair!" Baron demanded, intentionally walking next to and between Haru's legs as she walked past the living room and into the bathroom beyond the kitchen.

"Baron, I'm going to step on you again if you don't ease up a little," his dear human laughed, doing her best not to kick the tabby as she finally made it to their litterboxes.

"I have mentioned how much I've missed you, Haru?" Baron pleaded, continuing to rub his body against her legs even as she shoveled undesirable things out of the litterboxes and into a waiting trash can.

"Baron, I love you, but you really need to let me do this. Cuddle time's coming, you just need to be patient."

But the orange tabby refused to relent, intentionally rubbing his face against her hand around the little shovel to try convincing her that a clean litterbox was optional. "I don't want to be patient. I want your attention. I want your scratches. I want you."

"I hope you know you look ridiculous, brother," Louise called from the doorway of the bathroom with barely concealed amusement. "Even if Haru could understand us, it's not like you could really court her."

"Stop shattering my dreams," he sharply told his sister without breaking stride in his attempts for Haru's attention.

The human girl finally stood up, bending backward to make her spine pop back into place. "All right. Now it's cuddle time," she smirked at the feline around her ankles before making a deliberate step out of the bathroom.

Although Baron wasn't thrilled with her routine when she came to call, he was ecstatic that his favorite part of the visit was finally here.

Putting more distance between them than he had allowed before, he raced through the small kitchen and waited expectantly next to the large couch. Louise wasn't far behind him, but she managed to keep her peace about how happy she was as well.

"Silly kitties," Haru cooed lovingly as she sat on the ground in front of the couch and offered one hand per cat.

Baron was soon putty under her experienced touch. "Mmh, right there," he growled, walking away just enough to make her fingers go where he needed them to. "You make heaven a place on earth, Haru."

Louise had chosen to hop onto the couch and walk slightly behind Haru's head to make the other arm strain in order to touch her. "On that much, we can agree. It's such a shame Shizuku and Seigi don't usually invite her over more often when they're home." Once the human's hand was at just the right angle, Louise twisted her head enough to start licking that bare wrist.

Baron couldn't resist a deep purr as Haru kept finding itches he didn't know he had until she started relieving them. He placed a cream-colored paw on one leg to put his face closer to hers.

Egg on toast again. Some water, and a bath last night. He liked the shampoo she used this time but couldn't exactly name the scent.

"No kisses, Baron," she laughed, pulling her face away when he got too close. "We've talked about this, remember?"

He pouted but obediently got off her leg to start rubbing himself down one side until reaching her feet. That's when he started nuzzling her shoes with wild abandon.

"What is it with you and my feet, you silly goose?!" Haru laughed as his fur tickled her bare ankle.

"More of your scent is concentrated there," Baron answered, already knowing that the explanation was falling on deaf ears.

It was Haru's only flaw, as far as he was concerned. If Haru could speak Cat, their conversations would surely become such that she could never make herself leave him.

The bird was jumping again. His eyes became alert as he stared at the small black bird that was slowly passing in front of him.

His predatory instincts were too much to ignore. He pounced, just catching the bird before it got away to start slowly moving across the emerald green carpet once more, silently taunting the tabby. He jumped again, but the bird got away to start flying over his head.

Baron rolled onto his back, batting at the small black bird and trying to bite it to prove his prowess to Haru. If he could just catch that bird, she'd be so pleased with him!

It took a few more minutes before he remembered that there was a string attached to the bird, and a long stick attached to the string. He looked over at Haru for approval but noted sourly that his sister was draped over Haru's lap like a smug queen. One of the girl's perfect hands was gently caressing his sister's back over and over, and the other was handling the long stick to make the black bird jump around for him.

Baron couldn't help feeling sheepish, but at least Haru was smiling. She was so pretty when she smiled!

Abandoning his fight with the toy, he drew close enough to make her drop the stick in favor of petting him again.

This was the life. He didn't care too much for the world outside his home, but there were times when he envied it.

That world got a lot more time with his Haru than he did. He couldn't help wondering if she ever sat and watched the clock for when she could come see him.

He knew she loved him back. He knew it in his very soul. A sigh escaped between his purrs that they had been born different species. Haru would have made a stunning feline. She called him a handsome tom all the time, so surely he could have made an equally handsome human. Then he could follow her to the outside world without Seigi or Shizuku grabbing him before he even got all the way out the front door.

All too soon, cuddle time was over, the water and food bowls were refilled, and she was locking the door behind her again with a warm farewell.

Baron could barely force himself to eat the kibble before Louise got everything. "Is it tomorrow yet?" he asked miserably.

Louise smirked at him between mouthfuls. "I bet you wish those Cat Kingdom tales were real."

Baron looked up at the door Haru had disappeared through, his whole heart in his sad green eyes. "Just the ones about turning into a human would be lovely."