JUNJOU TERRORIST

XII

SAVANNAH

"I was told off for cooking again" Shinobu heard one of his classmates complain, how the conversation had veered off to that he didn't know. He preferred to eat alone but sometimes the group would form either way on his table.

"oh no, what happened?" another of his classmates answered, strangely Shinobu wanted to know the answer too.

"My owner said they hate how awful it tastes" the classmate answered, what was his name again?, Tomo?… maybe, Shinobu had a hard time remembering names and faces.

"But you have been working on your recipes a lot" yet another classmate responded, and it was true, Tomo, hopefully that was his name, practiced constantly in cooking class, taking so many notes, he indeed tried his best.

"yeah, they should support your improvement!"

"I couldn't help crying when I said I was trying my best and he got angrier" Tomo's ear went almost completely flat, he was a very beautiful mix of a long eared bunny so it was heart breaking to see his puffy ears down and listless.

"Well, even if you try your best bad food is bad food" Jason answer, he was an international student, well known for his harsh comments, so it wasn't as surprising he thought and said such things. Still, Shinobu felt annoyed, it doesn't matter if it was true, Tomo was trying his best… what if…

"is it like that?" Shinobu asked

"And he told me off for cooking the same thing over and over and over again" Tomo continued on, tears already falling, "But he had said before he liked curry!"

"Idiot, that doesn't mean you should cook it non stop, people get tired easily of the same thing" Jason answered again, Shinobu feeling his meal turn to ash on his mouth.

Gochisousama"* he said standing up and gathering his tray, "I'll be taking my leave now, have some classes in 5 minutes" but before he could move Jason turned to him "Hey! Could you ask your owner to let you come to a party? All the lovely ones come when you're around"

Was it shameless or inconsiderate to talk about parties when a classmate was in pain? Shinobu thought but chose to say non of it, "I'm sorry but I already have a partner, so I'm not interested"

"Really? You never said that! How is she? What type of pet is she? In what course is she?" the whole group voiced their question, suddenly forgetting their grief over the juicy news.

"They don't study here, they're older" he answered simply

"Ohhhh! are you talking about an office pet assistant? Tomo asked, his eyes wide with interested

"Something like that" Shinobu answered again, feeling some tension on his body.

"How is she? How many years…?" another one of them, who knows his name asked, and for a brief second Shinobu wondered if he should answer or not, but, what harm could it bring? Seriously "17 years" he said and finally turned towards the cafeteria's exit doors.

"he likes milfs…" he heard in the distant and almost laughed at how truthful yet wrong the statement was.

Some odd hours later, when he had finished classes Shinobu went to the supermarket, flashing happily the collar with Miyagi's contact information at the entrance. He collected all kinds of produce, fruits and vegetables, like onions, carrots and beets but before pulling the classic cabbages he stopped and pondered. His friend's words repeating on his mind.

"… over and over and over again"

Hadn't he FORCED Miyagi to eat the cabbages he cooked not so long ago?, like, less than 4 days ago?

"I thought, that half the fun of going out was seeing how the same dishes improved every day" he looked at the cabbages furrowing his brows, "I wish I could tell what he's thinking. He is always mentioning our age difference, always at the ready to break up with me, are those his actual feelings?

"no… probably not" he said out loud, still holding the heavy vegetable, "I know that I'm thinking about this without talking with him, if he didn't really want me, he wouldn't let me stay in his house" Leaving the cabbage back to it's place he lifted his face and saw a beautiful orange pumpkin. Taking one on his hands he noticed how similar they were, the cabbage and the pumpkin. Maybe…

"what's most important is for him to have good food, as a Pet the only thing that matters is to make sure to improve each day"

But placing the multiple pumpkins on the table, already back at their apartment, and one specially on top of the cutting board Shinobu felt dread dragging him down… "how the hell do you cook pumpkin?" Taking one second decision he tried to cut the vegetable in half but the knife wouldn't go even 1 inch deep.

"What the hell?"

Struggling he tried to cut it, again and again, almost punching the knife on to the thick skinned pumpkin. Irritated he felt like murdering something, maybe even Miyagi, it was all his fault after all. The memory of hating pumpkins resurfaced on his brain, making his murderous intent even stronger. When suddenly the doorbell rang, he threw the diabolic… fruit, it was in fact a fruit, and ran to the door, opening it in one swing while angrily spouting, "Hey Miyagi, why are pumpkins so hard…" but instead of his (not at this moment) beloved it was his own sister.

"Oh, Shinobu, you're back from the pet program?" she asked not noticing, or choosing not to ask about Shinobu's annoyed expression.

"ah yeah… but, what are you doing here? He countered asked

"Came to return some dvd's that I borrowed, it's Io here? I'm coming in" she said and promptly entered the apartment, which in turn needled Shinobu even more. "he's still in contact with her?"

"what's going on with so many pumpkin, were they on sale?" Risako asked passing by the kitchen, Shinobu felt a vein popping but he had no desire to fight, specially since he doubted what his position should be. He had been adopted by the family, so technically she was his sister, but as a human she had more rights than him and he should, as a pet show some deference… so without wanting to, he allowed his sister to cook the pumpkins into soup and a stew that exasperatingly looked a far cry better than his burned meals.

"Eh, so you know how to cook?" he mumbled crossing his arms

"Don't underestimate me, I went to a culinary school" she answered, unaffected by Shinobu's attitude

Again, looking at the stew he inhaled through the roof of his mouth, letting his sensitive senses fill in the meal "it smells and looks good", was he envious? Jealous? Angry?

"pass me the salt" he moved to the spice rack and pulled the salt "Do you know, is Io going out with someone?" she asked while taking the salt from his hand, strangely she didn't look at his eyes.

"Eh, why do you ask me?" Shinobu felt alarms ringing on his head

"It's just that, I have tried to go out with multiple guys since we broke up but, I think maybe he was the best of them all" she measured a teaspoon of salt and added it to the stew. He felt his heart squeeze, his lungs burning as if air had been sucked out of him. Looking at his sister's back he didn't know how to answer, seconds ticket by and he tried to push himself to answer, finally croaking out "so, yo want to go back with him after breaking it up?"

"it's an adult thing" she answered, her shoulders shrugging softly, "sometimes we appreciate things when we lose them"

"what the hell with that" Shinobu barked, his tail puffing out, his ears twisting back

"the thing is" she continued, as if again, not noticing Shinobu's reaction, "he's an adult but he's carrying a heavy burden from the past, from the outside you can clearly see he's been poisoned by painful memories, he needs to wake up and realize that's the reason why he can't move forward"

Shinobu remembered the photograph, the tombstone and Miyagi's clear proclamation of love.

"I think… I think he's no longer carrying that burden"

"How do you know that? Io said something?" she asked, finally turning to see him, for a full minute she searched his eyes, then she smiled, "I see…"

Then his sensitive ears picked up the sound of footsteps, a jingle and a twisting of metal, he moved to watch the door opening, finally his beloved entering the apartment, "What are you doing in my house" he said and for some reason Shinobu felt as if he was asking both of them. But then he walked towards Risako and asked again, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm returning the dvd's you lent me, come tastes this" she said and Miyagi obeyed. "hey you know… oh it's tasty"

"should I add more seasoning?"

"No, that should do it, like always your food is really good" Miyagi praised Risako and Shinobu's ears twisted back again in annoyance. He looks at the scene feeling like an outsider, his already wounded ego hurting by Miyagi's unintentional betrayal.

"I have been eating outside a lot so this is a god sent"

"really? Do you want me to cook for you every day?" This made Shinobu lift his eyes and look at Miyagi, holding his breath for the second it took him to answer. "No, definitely that would be too much"

"I don't mind" Risako said putting the wooden spoon on the sink

"Hey sister!" Shinobu barely contained his screaming, "If you're done cooking you can leave!"and without thinking, following his words with actions Shinobu took his sister's arm and pulled her out of the kitchen "Stop flirting! It's annoying!" It seemed his sister wanted to answer back but he never let her, spouting out immediately "Just so you know Miyagi already is going out with someone and he's completely and utterly in love with them"

"What… really? She asked while he kept pulling her towards the apartment's door, if Shinobu had stopped or at least turn to see her face he would have noticed the tender smile she was giving him.

"yes it's true, leave now! You're bothering"

when the door was closed instead of feeling triumphant or anything good at all Shinobu felt stressed, overwhelmed and ready to jump to the highest corner of the apartment. He had violated so many rules of courtesy and pet behavior. He had insulted and kicked out of a place a human. And he had talked about their relationship without letting Miyagi say anything or consent to anything… Why had this day become so horribly doomed?

"Hey, what were you doing while I was not here? Did you tell hersomething about us?" Miyagi asked walking towards Shinobu, Shinobu instead looked at the floor and stayed were he was, "I get it… Now I understand why I'm so enthralled with you"

"what?"

"No normal pet would fall in love with a human that is 17 years older than you, with an average appearance that doesn't compare with one's own" Shinobu explained, his brows furrowing deeply, "Hey you…" Miyagi spat, he could sense the vein popping already

"so when you become like this, I get intoxicated with you" Shinobu explained, but Miyagi was lost, what was the kitten talking about, "excuse me?"

"That explains it all, I mean, if it has to do with fate or intoxication… what can I do?"

"There you go again, saying things that make no sense" Miyagi sighed

"…. are you still in contact with Risako-neesan?" Shinobu lifted his face, looking Miyagi to his eyes

"eh" surprised by the question Miyagi moved one step backwards

"she loaned some dvd's" Shinobu explained and the old professor sighed yet again, "that was just a thing, also, she has a boyfriend, right?"

"She says they broke up" looking back at the floor, Shinobu felt like crying, or pouting, swinging his tail from time to time, following the worried rhythm of his heart, when suddenly he felt a soft thud on his head.

"what are you worried about? Isn't Miyagi going out with someone he's completely and utterly in love with?" Miyagi said making Shinobu lift his head so quickly he could have broken his neck, "Come on, let's go eat"

damn… I just love him too much

Shinobu without a thought threw himself at the professor, his arms around his torso, hiding his face on his back.

"Hey, Shinobu!" cried Miyagi, he was going to turn and face the young kitten when he heard, first a loud purring coming from said kitten, and then, Shinobu's husky voice, "Miyagi, let's do it"

Sex with Miyagi was sometimes a blur of emotions, his heart was so full it hurt and he could only kiss his beloved deeply on his lips. Wether the professor felt the same heaviness was still up for debate, but still Miyagi caressed Shinobu with passion, following his hand with his mouth, kissing and sucking the sensitive skin. How they reached their bedroom was unknown to both of them, they fell on the mattress leaving their clothes on the floor in the process. Hungry for more contact, to feel skin against skin, biting a very sensitive and perky ear, pulling the base of a tail to earn a purr filled moan from the starving cat.

"Miyagi, can't wait, please" he pleaded and Miyagi felt like answering "me too" but he opted to focus on the preparation at hand. There was a pet friendly lube he kept in his drawer, the water based liquid worked wonders on the feline entrance, so he could easily prepare his beloved for a good "pounding" or at least thats what the ad had said. Miyagi felt too old for such things, still, he could almost forget all those thoughts about age and time, when Shinobu's moans were laced with purrs and he looked at him with such adoration.

"Breath brat" he himself taking a deep breath, when the tightness around his manhood was so great it felt overpowering. "Relax kiddo, relax" he coaxed Shinobu by kissing him deep and long, letting his hand wonder to his ears and massaged them, eventually making Shinobu break the kiss and cry out his climax, the tremors and tightness increasing, making Miyagi follow him in his own bliss.

"Shinobu" he moaned, feeling his whole body tense and relax, barely keeping it from falling and crashing the satisfied feline. "I love you, Miyagi… I love you"

- o -

"is it okay to shower?" Miyagi asked carefully, knowing full well how much Shinobu hated running water.

"I rather use the tub" the kitten grumbled from the bed and Miyagi wondered if he should stop asking and should just prepare the tub every time. "oh right, wait for a bit" then he remembered something, and taking in the relaxed position of the cat he thought it would be okay to ask, "about something else, what's about all those pumpkins?" when a sudden worried thought crossed his mind, "Don't tell me you're changing cabbages for pumpkins?"

"… then it's really annoying?" the kitten answered, eyes downcast and tail listless

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just wondering how do you feel about eating the same thing over and over again"

"I already gave up" the professor answered honestly, moving to the towel cabinet, "I can finally say you're improving so that's enough for me"

"it's dangerous, I want to hug him again, I won't do it thou, it would make me look stupid" Shinobu chose to pout, his heart full again and aching.

"well, I have to admit, I was wondering why you remained with an old guy like me" the professor continued, pulling out towels.

"I already told you"

"yes yes, intoxicated, I know, take a towel please" he said, throwing the towel towards him, Shinobu took it and looked away, "do you think it can be cured?"

"If you have the medicine, yes"

"so if I asked you for the medicine, would you give it to me?" Shinobu's shoulders tensed

"Sorry but I refuse to answer that" Miyagi said walking pass the kitten, but stopping for a moment he turned to his ear, " thank you for falling in love with me" and left towards their bathroom. It took a few seconds for Shinobu to process Miyagi's words, but when he finally registered them he could only turn to his lover and jump him, sending them both falling on the floor.

"I could never get cured of this illness… when someone is so stupidly in love, one says things like that"

"come on, Shinobu!" the professor complained, but Shinobu just hid his face on the professor's back, "it's not like I want to be cured"

Author's note: Hey, it has taken me longer to work on this chapter, I wanted it to be cute and fluffy, in preparation to all the angst but I couldn't get into the mood and the ideas were lame and useless. So I'm glad I finally made something, and, not to toot my own horn but, I think it turned out amazingly well, don't you think? Hope you like the chapter as much as I do. Thank you for reading and if you could review it, I would terribly appreciate it. Bye.