Chapter Text
Dazai woke up from a nap. His paws stretched out lazily before him as a yawn escaped him. His back arched as he stretched wide and rolled over to look at the ceiling, laying on his back. The crinkling of the newspaper made his ears perk up and reminded him of where he was.
He was still in the same place and the same box.
He could hear the other cats in their cells as well. The chattering usually becomes loud at noon. It felt like a typical day, and Dazai was ready to curl back into himself when his ears perked again. A man entered the room with a carrier and made his way to a newly emptied box.
'Oh?’
Not that he genuinely cares. He often keeps to himself anyway, but he turns his head to sneak a glance out of sheer curiosity. It’s been a while since someone new entered into their facility.
On an average day, the kittens and cats that came in were ‘LOST.’ On the same day, they were returned home ‘FOUND.’ Dazai wondered if this new roommate was another one of them — not one to last long.
The silver-haired man opens the carrier in his hand, lifts it to the cell door, and waits patiently. Dazai focuses his gaze but only manages to catch a glimpse of orange fur and pink-toe beans shuffling out of the carrier and entering the cell with a tiny hop. He could not glimpse at their face due to the carrier being in the way, but judging from a distance, he assumed the new cellmate was a kitten just by his stature.
'Like me…’ is all Dazai thought.
The silver-haired man closes the cell door and smiles brightly at the unknown feline, wiggling a finger through the bars as he murmurs something to them. He then pulls a small item from his pocket (assuming treats because of the new smell of tuna hitting his black nose), places it into the cell, and then closes it. Just as the man turns to leave, the door opens once more, and a head pokes through.
A young boy with silver hair and glossy heterochromatic eyes comes in. Dazai immediately perks up at the sight of him and struts close to his cell.
“Fukuzawa-sensei! Ranpo-san is looking for you. A new pup came in today, and he doesn’t know where to place him.”
The man nods. “I’ll be right there. While I have you here, can you feed the cats today? It's their scheduled lunch. Their food is in the closet behind you — one scoop of dry and one spoon from the wet cans.”
The youngling nods and grins. “Of course, sir!” Fukuzawa nods and ruffles his hair with a gentle smile as he walks out the door.
Atsushi turns towards the closet when suddenly, “Meow.” He stops and turns to look at Dazai, the slim black kitten with accentuated white and black orbs, pawing through his cell; he rubs his body against the cell to lure the human.
This boy was Dazai’s second favorite caretaker in the center. Something about this human had very cat-like qualities, and they meshed well together. Dazai occasionally caused mischief to see the boy’s reactions. It filled him with pride when Atsushi’s face was torn between panic and laughing fits. Atsushi always becomes flustered at Dazai’s mess. No matter the damage, he always got extra play time from this caretaker. He’s never really been upset with him. Thus, Dazai always made it a point to look as fluffy and soft as possible to get his attention when he showed up. Atsushi occasionally admits out loud that he has a soft spot for this kitten to his co-workers, with a slight blush on his face. He’s a sucker for cats, and he knows it.
“Ah, here you are, Dazai-San. You look extra fluffy today!”
Atsushi could never understand why the other workers gave the kittens of the center people names, including a first and last name. Atsushi would think a kitten as fluffy and adorable as Dazai would be called something cute but odd, like “Count Meowcula” or “Noir” due to his black coat. This kitten was goofy but cunning on four legs. Atsushi always thought ‘Noir’ would be the best name for him. Dazai reminded him of an old black-and-white film starring a lead detective smoking on a pipe while navigating through unsolved cases. He also had bandages wrapped around his torso and paws, which reminded Atsushi of a coat covering his slim body. Besides, there were times when Dazai always had that far-away look in his eyes. Atsushi could never read him then.
Still, Fukuzawa insisted that the animals that entered their center be treated like humans with respect, love, and care. He mentioned that animals who feel emotions deserve to be treated with dignity and kindness in this transitional center until they find a forever home. Thus, Osamu Dazai became the name given by Fukuzawa himself.
Dazai paws through the bars once more with a long ‘meow.’
‘It’s not like I can go anywhere without you,’ Dazai thought. He sprang back with a tiny hop when Atsushi came close to his cell and rolled to his back while theatrically tilting his head with ample irises. He saw Atsushi beaming at his pose, his hands resting on his cheeks with a silly pout on his lip, unaware of the judging eyes watching them from a distance a few cells over.
“You can’t do that, Dazai-San! You know I want to pet you, b-but!” The boy struggled to finish his sentence and glanced around quickly, ensuring no one else was around. He looks at Dazai once more and whispers, “Fine. Just one pet… b-but then I have to focus on my chores!”
'Hehe…’ Dazai’s black irises shine with a hint of mischief when Atsushi opens the cell. His tail taps against the newspaper beneath him playfully with anticipation.
As soon as Atsushi places a hand on Dazai’s belly, Dazai wraps his paws around Atsushi’s hand and nibbles on his fingers while giving his wrist playful kicks. Atsushi laughs and moves his hand left — right — left, wiggling Dazai’s body around, attempting to free his hand before diving again into Dazai’s pink belly. It was a trick all along, and Atsushi fell for it!
“You’re so feisty today. Alright, come on, now… hey, ow! Put those back!”
Dazai pulled out his evade skills and wiggled his way out from beneath him to pounce on top of Atsushi’s hand. He felt like a mighty killer catching his prey. He dug his claws in while he nibbled once more. Not breaking skin, but enough to show that hand who’s the boss!
Atsushi laughs again, using his free hand to grab Dazai by the scruff of his neck. He pulls him out of the cage and into his arms. He gives Dazai a couple of pats on the head while cradling him gently, and Dazai immediately breaks free.
“Meow,” calls out Dazai. He climbs Atsushi’s shirt and shakes his body to fluff again.
“What’s gotten into you today, hm?” Atsushi asks, watching the kitten sit on his shoulder.
Dazai nudges his head against Atsushi’s and gives a “meow” once more while purring gently. ‘More pets, please!’ Instead, Atsushi attempts to peel Dazai from his shoulder. Instinctively, Dazai digs his claws into Atsushi’s shirt. The audacity!
‘No, I’m not ready! I don’t want to go back in!’ Dazai thinks and clings to Atsushi’s shirt for dear life.
“Meow, Meow, merow?” comes another kitten voice. Dazai blinks and stares at Atsushi. They both blink at each other, confused. Dazai arches his back and leans against Atsushi’s head when Atsushi lets him go with a slight squint of his eyes. There is no way.
“What are you doing?” is what the voice had said, and although Dazai knows Atsushi can “meow” like a cat, he only talks in gibberish. It’s never actual cat language. But this phrase was spoken in cat language. Dazai’s eyes glanced around the room immediately, his ears twitching in every direction. Who dares interrupt his fun?
“Up here, dummy,” comes the voice again. Dazai’s ears perk, and he looks up at the newly occupied cell from earlier. To his surprise, two azure irises stare deadpan at him in a loaf position. All Dazai could do was blink at the other kitten with broad eyes because those eyes were the prettiest ones he’d ever seen.
Being perched on Atsushi’s shoulder gave him better height, and now he could see the new cellmate properly. This kitten was a pretty hue of wavy, long orange fur with hints of white undertones and beautiful rag doll eyes — it took a moment for Dazai to speak, almost forgetting he was being spoken to.
“And…you are?” Asks Dazai, attempting to look indifferent while being swallowed by curiosity at the same time. He gave his full attention to the other kitten.
‘They look nice…’ he thinks.
“I’m Chuuya…” he says with his tail tapping at his side, “you look dumb. Leave him alone, goddamn it. I’m hungry.”
“Oh, what if I don’t want to?” Dazai says with a playful glint in his eye and a swishy tail. His fangs appear through his smirk, enhancing his devilish features. Was he trying to impress the other kitten? Dazai had no idea, but his body was moving before his brain for once.
“Then you’re an idiot. Am I going to have to smack some sense into you?” the orange tabby replies with a condescending scowl.
Dazai’s smirk fades, and he glares at the tabby cat instead. He can feel his insides begin to rumble.
Unexpected.
A low, squeaky growl escapes from Dazai’s throat, and Atsushi blinks several times at him to ensure it's Dazai making the noise.
As a kitten, Dazai was taken in early by the adoption facility and kept out of the streets, hoping they could find him a forever home sooner than later. He was the last kitten in a ‘free’ box left to the streets while the rest of his siblings were picked up. He could feel his inner stray cat stir when people steered away from the box because of his glossy black coat and dark eyes. Not only that, but he wanted to jump on people’s faces and land scratching blows because rejection hurts. To hear about the way that he was unwanted made his skin crawl. He could not understand why he was undesirable, but it made him furious. It made him feel things he never thought he would feel after being born.
His family was gone, and he was alone in a box with an instinct he would instead not follow. After all, people would rather not see a demon cat come for them. That is not how you find a forever home. Still, those first few months in the box made Dazai realize early that he can feel skittish by the slightest things… and now, here was this new kitten trashing him without knowing him like the people outside the box. Who cares if he was pretty?
He brought out the stray in Dazai that he fought to push down in just a few words. He was annoyed now.
“Meoooooooooooooooooow,” Dazai growls in a deep rumbling tone this time.
Dazai’s tail whips wildly from side to side, hitting Atsushi’s head, while a smirk returns to his kitten lips. Who the heck does he think he is? Can’t he see that he’s having a good time? He reminds Dazai of a stray dog with no training. It’s time to put him in his place.
Atsushi could see how Dazai tensed on his shoulder when he locked eyes with the other kitten, hair fuzzy and standing with his back arched now. Atsushi couldn’t help but look amused at the sight. Dazai was in no way intimidating, looking as fluffy as he was, and he covered his mouth to stifle a giggle.
“Meow meow meow” was all Atsushi heard from his shoulder, and he turned to face Dazai, who was chattering at Chuuya.
What the heck were they saying?
“You’re just mad because you aren’t me,” says Dazai in a sing-song voice, his kitten lips widening into an innocent grin. He always loved to press buttons. ‘Got ‘em.’
Chuuya’s irises become slits immediately, and he glares. He immediately sits up from his loaf position, a growl leaving his lips.
“I’m what now? Get up here and say that again to my face, you cotton ball!”
“Meow, meow, meow!” Repeats Dazai. He wasn’t sure if he felt brave because he was talking to another kitten his age or because the other kitten was behind his cell, only able to paw through the gaps furiously. But he was ready to rumble.
“You look dumb fawning over him! He’s busy!”
“Says you behind the cage. I’m having a great time here, curls,” says Dazai with a displayed grin, turning his back to Chuuya, further angering the orange kitten. His tail continues to swish around wildly to show his annoyance at the other.
“You’re behaving like a dog. I don’t like you.”
“Oh yeah? Well, I don’t like you either! You're no ray of sunshine.”
Atsushi couldn’t take it anymore. This interaction was too cute. Watching Dazai turn to hiss at Chuuya from a distance after being called an “insufferable furball” made him stifle a laugh. He grabs Dazai by the scruff of his neck and puts him back in his cell while they exchange ‘meows’ from a distance, with little hops between their hollering. The other cats watch with amused faces and occasional eye rolls. Dazai doesn’t realize he’s back in his cell until Atsushi opens his cell door again, but with the cat food in hand.
“Hmph! Mind your own business!” yells back Dazai as he watches Atsushi fill his bowl with kibble and gravy. As soon as the cell closes, Dazai’s face perks up happily over the full bowl with an extra treat snuck in, and he digs in. Making a mess with food falling all over the newspaper, savoring the taste of fish on his whiskers, he leaves Chuuya to talk to no one.
“Oi! I know you can hear me, you mackerel! Just wait until I get my paws on you!” counters Chuuya.
Atsushi reaches Chuuya’s cell and adds food to his bowl. He stops for a moment before putting his hand out to Chuuya. Turning away from Dazai with a confused expression, Chuuya shuffles closer until he can sniff his fingers.
“It’s okay, little guy. Don’t worry. Dazai is not a mean kitty,” he says before reaching forward and giving Chuuya a tiny scratch behind his ears. “Dazai has been here for a while, and I know he likes the attention.”
Chuuya opens his eyes slowly and leans into Atsushi’s touch. He purrs softly against the touch.
‘Dazai, hm? So that’s the insufferable furball’s name.’ He’s known him for three seconds and already knows he will be annoying.
Atsushi places his palms face up, and Chuuya waddles into his hands and loaves perfectly on them. If this kid was a sucker for a kitten like Dazai, then Chuuya could play him like a fiddle too. He knows how to play his part with his doll eyes.
“Meow,” he squeaks softly while purring. He then places his little head against Atsushi’s forearm, pretending to sleep comfortably. Atsushi grins at him, and he pulls him close, wanting to tighten his grasp. “You are both going to be the end of me,” he says, chuckling. “You are too cute. I’ll be back soon. Playtime starts in thirty minutes. Be kind to Dazai-san, yeah? I know he would love to play with you.” Atsushi places Chuuya back into his cell and sneaks some treats in.
Chuuya watches Atsushi leave his cell behind. He watches as the boy finishes his rounds with the food and neatly places the bag into the closet before leaving the cat room. When Atsushi leaves the room, Chuuya returns his gaze to Dazai with a curious expression and stiffens. The black cat is already staring at Chuuya with a devilish smirk, and his tail is playfully swishing behind him. His gaze was unwavering, almost like analyzing Chuuya’s interaction with Atsushi and seeing through him.
“You little minx,” are the final words out of his mouth before strutting out of sight to the back of his cell, leaving Chuuya to process his words with wide eyes and a small “hmph!”. Maybe they were a little alike after all.