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zaenaris · 1 year

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A familiar face appears out of nowhere one day at D&D, where Inupi and Koko work together after confessing their feelings.

Koko can finally introduce himself.

Some fluff written for Day 2 of Koko’s festival: Cat/Neko on Twitter

💛 Pairing: Koko x Inupi

🐈‍⬛ General Audiences

🐱 Words:3530

Also on AO3

It was almost closing time at D&D.

Seishu was repairing a bike, while Koko was reading an email from a supplier. Hajime was stretching his arms, when he saw out of the corner of his eye a small shadow moving outside the shop’s window. He took off his reading glasses, trying to see better from afar.

“It’s you!”

Inui had apparently recognized their little guest and ran to greet them.

“Oh! Is she..?”

Koko heard about her. There was a young cat that often hung around the shop, apparently she took a liking to Inupi. In turn, Inupi was always glad to see the cat, playing with her and offering some dry cat food he kept for her in the shop, just in case.

When Iupi opened the door, the cat rubbed against his leg to greet him. Her fur was gray, covered by black stripes. From some photos Inupi took and showed him, Koko knew her eyes were green, a shade similar to Seishu’s. The cat stood on her back legs, waiting for Seishu to pick her up in his arms. Koko had never seen a cat being so affectionate. She rubbed her head on Seishu’s cheek, snuggling up to his chest, eyes closed and purring while he scratched her chin.

Koko was still new to seeing Seishu like that, relaxed, happy. On one hand it was weird, on the other absolutely adorable. He had to save that moment.

“Inupi”

When Seishu turned, Koko shot a photo with his mobile phone.

“Is it good?” Inui asked, smiling, now scratching the cat’s head.

“I think I have found my new screensaver”

He closed his flip phone, noticing the cat was now observing him, acknowledging his presence.

“So it’s her?” Koko asked, getting closer to Inupi and the cat.

“Yeah… I’m glad she’s back, it’s been a while since the last time I saw her, I was starting to get worried. Now I can finally introduce you”

Koko always wanted a pet growing up. He often asked his parents for a dog or a cat but they were unshakable about not having animals, between their allergies and the amount of work that pets required.

There was a big, old friendly dog in their neighborhood when Koko and Inui were children and the owner was kind enough to let them play with him when they happened to meet.

They also used to play with stray cats they met around. There was an orange cat that always waited for children outside the elementary school they used to attend. The cat was basically the school mascot and was playful with all the children, but in their innocence, Inui and Koko had decided they were the cat’s favorites since he often played with them and let them pet his thick fur.

After the fire, Koko’s childish wishes, including owning a pet, disappeared to leave space for a whole new set of concerns and worries.

So it was unexpected when one day, Inui started talking to Koko about the cat that often visited D&D. It was something so domestic. In Koko’s mind, associating a cat visiting his boyfriend’s shop was beyond any logic and absolutely reasonable at the same time. Everything was so new.

“Be careful Koko, she’s not always friendly”

“From what I’ve heard, she basically hates everyone but you”

While she immediately liked Inui since the first time she appeared at D&D, she was quite aggressive towards everyone else.

Inui remembered well the first time she appeared. D&D had recently opened, the smell of fresh paint still strong on the shop’s walls. Inui noticed the young cat roaming around and, after staring at each other for a while, the cat decided to get close. They immediately became friends. Noticing Inui playing with the cat, Draken joined him, only to receive a scratch on his hand when he dared to pet her.

Takemichi and Chifuyu met the same fate during one of her later visits. Chifuyu was particularly offended since he always bragged about his part-time job at the pet shop and his supposed special relationship with animals and cats in particular.

Not even Mitsuya, with his quiet and comforting aura, managed to approach the cat. Hakkai, Yuzuha and Hinata tried to get close to her exactly once, trying to give her some treats, but she just hissed at them.

After several attempts, it was clear the cat, for some reason no one could guess, only liked Inui and she became known as “Inupi’s cat”. Inui couldn’t deny he quite enjoyed the special treatment, even if he never considered the cat “his”. She was just a dear friend and he was glad to see her when she decided to pass by to say hello.

Knowing the treatment she reserved for anyone that was not Inui, Koko decided to take a different approach.

“Maybe you can just let her stay here, I have still some work to do and if she decides she wants to greets me, she knows where to find me”

The cat was still staring at Koko. She appeared wary but curious, not particularly hostile to him. Inui decided it was worth trying.

“Okay, why not. Hey Cat” she stopped observing Koko to look at Inui.

“He is Koko. You remember him, right? Be good with him, okay?”

Inui kissed the top of her head, before letting her go. Cute. Koko’s heart was about to explode. He could definitely get used to that side of Inupi.

“You just call her "cat "? Doesn’t she have a name?” he giggled, sitting again at his desk.

“She's not mine, her owner surely has a name for her already. And she’s a cat. How am I supposed to call her?”

“How do you know she’s not a stray? She’s not wearing a collar”

“She usually wears it, not all the time though. I guess her owner just likes to change it every once in a while. And if you look at her fur, it’s clear she’s doesn’t live on a street”

Koko just shrugged. “Yeah, but you could have gave her a nickname”

The cat followed Inui back to work, but it was clear Koko’s presence intrigued her.

Koko was answering an email when Inui went to get something in the other room. He expected the cat to follow Inui, but for some reason, she decided to get closer to Koko. He felt judged by the little creature, but he tried to act nonchalantly while she sat near his desk. She sniffed him, and got a little closer, probably noticing Inui’s smell on Koko.

Koko decided that it was rude pretending not to see her at that point.

“Hello?” he tried.

Her bright green eyes were already scrutinizing him, curious.

“It’s nice to finally meet you. Inupi told me about you”

Very slowly, Koko abandoned his chair, sitting cross-legged on the ground, to be closer to the cat.

“I’ve heard you don’t like people, except Inupi. Relatable, I respect that. Many people don’t care about you, but only about how useful you are. But I have to admit it, recently I started realizing it’s not so bad being around people that do not have ulterior motives. Anyway, Inupi may appear cold on the outside, but he’s very kind and loyal when he finds his people, you know? We are very lucky to belong to that group” He sighted. “Thank you to be her friend while I couldn't ”

The cat got a little closer, while Koko reached her, tentatively. The cat sniffed him again, but this time, she rubbed her fluffy head against his hand. Koko was absolutely astonished.

“Holy shit”

Inupi was back with some cat food and was equally surprised (and incredibly happy) to witness that scene.

“Look Inupi, she didn’t kill me!”

“I need to take a photo, no one will believe it, I’m sure Hanagaki will ask to get released from the hospital, just to see this in person”

“Matsuno will be so mad” Koko giggled while the cat started purring, enjoying some chin scratches.

Inui joined him “You’re so mean, Koko”

“You were thinking the same thing Inupi, I recognize those eyes”

“True. Say “hi” to the camera”

Koko stuck his tongue out, ready for the photoshoot.

***

From that day, the cat’s visits became more frequent.

She found her place in Koko and Inupi’s routine: she started following Inui around the shop (he had to be extra careful that the young cat didn’t accidentally hurt herself or make a mess) and avoided customers resting on Koko’s lap. He usually worked on the pc, to check the accountability and various matters of the shop, or to get information about university courses. It was starting to get cold and, while is was adorable having her around, it was actually good she decided Koko was a good enough chair, because they shared each other's warmth when it was still too hot outside to turn on the heating (but it was cold enough to get annoying if you worked a desk job).

It was almost as if she had decided to move in with them. One day, during launch break, Inui was lying down on the staff room’s couch, the cat snuggled up on his chest, while Koko was easting the second portion of the take away food they ordered.

“Hey Inupi, I know the cat has an owner, but… have you ever thought of adopting her, or another cat? Hypothetically of course”

Inui thought about it for a moment.

“I mean, it’s a responsibility, you have to think of another creature that depends on you. Right now it’s just funny when she visits, but when you own a pet, it’s different, I guess. You need to feed her something decent and not only the treats we give her. Also Matsuno explained that, while it’s nice to see cats around, it’s actually quite dangerous for them. And I mean, I never thought about it but it makes sense, there are cars and bikes around the city, there may be other animals or just bad people and any sort of danger. So you’d have to keep the cat indoors, but you’d have to keep it busy, otherwise it destroys everything. Then there are vaccinations, and I don’t know, maybe you have to register your pet somewhere, bureaucratic stuff. I also doubt she can scamper around the shop, at least where the actual fixing is done. Maybe in the reception area it’s different.”

Inui was pensive answering Koko’s question, petting the cat absently, blissfully unaware of the topic.

“Mmh” answered Koko, chewing. “So you thought about it”, he teased with a smirk.

“Maybe. But, I don’t know, it’s just that, all this, the shop, you and I, I mean…”

“Everything is so new” continued Koko, understanding perfectly what he meant.

“Yeah. It’s not always easy, but we’re both working hard to make everything work and, while it would be nice having a pet, I wouldn’t want the risk of overdoing it. Hypothetically.”

“Hypothetically” confirmed Koko. He smiled looking at the man he loved, to what they were building together.

“You really changed a lot in these two, well, almost three years, Inupi. And I mean it as a compliment”

Inui snorted. “I’m not sure about that, I still see myself as that hot blooded kid with too many ideals and no plan to pursue them at all.”

“Don’t put yourself down. Also, it’s a good thing you are so passionate, otherwise I’d still be involved with gangs and crimes. I don’t even want to think about it. I will never tire of thanking you.” Koko talked about his feelings for Inui with a naturalness that he could have only dreamed of when he was younger.

Inui looked away, blushing a little, his lips curved into a smile .

“Anyway, I have to say that working in retail, talking with customers, gives you both ulcers and self-restraint, sometimes. But there are also people that give you great satisfaction and that’s a part of the job I didn’t really consider when I started. I was just interested in bikes,” Inui concluded, ready to go back to work. He stood up from the couch, gently placing the cat on the ground.

Koko giggled. “My Boss became so good at preventing unnecessary bloodshed” He cupped Inui’s face, kissing him on the lips, while he was still smiling.

“Instead of causing a bloodshed, right? Anyway, you need to become my 50/50 partner as soon as possible, it’s so weird when you call me boss” He rushed to add “Only if you want it of course! I want you to do whatever you like, I don’t want to impose you anything”

“Oh shut up, you love it when I call you boss. Besides, there’s no rush, right now I’m just helping you. I need to learn how I can be useful around here, then, we’ll think about that. And just so you know, you’re the only boss I’ve ever had I’m happy to work with. Besides, I’ve never been happier in my life”

“What a charmerer” Inui kissed him back, before going back to work followed by the cat.

“That’s what I do,” Koko winked.

***

While Koko and Inui were glad to have the cat around, they noticed that in none of the following visits she wore a collar. Her fur looked more unkempt and, to be such a young cat, she wasn’t as playful as she used to be.

There was something weird going on.

One day the cat arrived at the shop at closing time, limping a little.

They both got alarmed and decided to bring her to a vet. They called Chifuyu, to ask him if he knew someone trusted. He gave them the contacts of the clinic that checked on the animals of the pet shop.

“It’s nothing serious, guys” the vet reassured after visiting her “but she’ll have to stay indoors for a while. You guys said she isn’t your cat right?”

“No, she just often passes by the place we work, '' Inui explained.

The vet reflected for a moment.

“May I give you my honest opinion on what happened to this cat?”

“You’re the expert Doc” Koko encouraged him.

“This cat cannot be older than two, she’s very young. But it’s not unusual, as you can guess, that people abandon their pets once they reach adulthood and they're not as cute and small as they used to be. And even if the animals know how to come back home, the owners don’t let them in. There are also people that move to another city and leave their pets alone without bringing them to their new place. It happens, unfortunately. Anyway, given what you said, and the fact she doesn’t have a microchip (which is not mandatory, but I always advise to get it applied), I believe she was abandoned.”

Koko and Inui just nodded, they had reached the same conclusion.

“So, what do you suggest?”

“Well, her conditions are not critical enough for me to keep her here in observation. She was upset when I visited her, it’s normal, but if you say she’s usually not friendly with other people too, I think that, at least for tonight, she should stay with you two, or one of you; she’s clearly comfortable around you guys, but she should get used to, at least, tolerate other people and animals, for everyone’s safety, her own included. She probably got hurt fighting with some other stray animal. If you don't know anyone that can take care of her, our clinic cooperates with various animal shelters, besides the pet shop that suggested you to come here; we’ll try to find a home for her. But in the meanwhile, is it possible for one of you to keep her for tonight?”

Inui and Koko looked at each other. The answer was obvious.

“Sure, no problem”

“Great, I’ll give you some food for her, clean bandages and other things that may be useful”

They thanked the vet and the three of them wakled back to the D&D van.

The cat started purring on Koko’s lap, in the passenger seat, while Inui drove them home. A heavy silence had settled.

“Koko…” “Inupi…”

They started together.

“Sorry, go on” “No, I’m sorry, go on Koko”

Koko caught his breath. “If we bring her home, and she stays with us, and we actually take care of her, I’m not sure I’ll have the strength to let her go” The cat was looking between the two of them, as if she understood they were talking about her.

Inui drew a breath of relief. “Then we’re on the same page. After what she probably went through, I don’t want to leave her alone anymore. So… are we sure?”

“I may have done some research in the meanwhile, both on adopting a cat and if she can stay in the shop with us. I think we’ll manage it. We survived worse, Inupi”

Koko stopped for a moment, before continuing.

“Bad things happen in life, and sometimes you can’t do anything about it. You can just accept it and move on. But other times, just as unexpectedly, good things happen too. I have denied myself happiness for a long time, I don’t want to do it anymore. And I’m sure we’ll be happy, the three of us. The tarots say it too!”

Inui snorted. Those damn cards, how to ruin a sentence that almost made him cry, he thought. He sighted.

“So we have a deal?” Inui said, reaching his hand out to Koko, keeping the other on the steering wheel.

“Deal” confirmed Koko, holding Inui’s hand in his and kissing it.

Then he referred to the cat. “You heard it, babygirl? You’re coming home with us!” She looked very satisfied by the agreement as well.

Koko and Inui spent the rest of the way hand in hand, mentally thanking whoever invented the automatic transmission.

When they arrived home, they let the cat explore their apartment above the shop, following her, amused by her curiosity. It was the first time she saw it.

They found a place for everything the vet gave them.

“You know Koko, I never said it to no one, but I’ve always thought she is a lot like you”

“Really?”

“Yeah, she’s smart, pretty and can’t stand cold weather”

“You can’t really blame us when you’re such a pretty human radiator”

Inui smiled.

“So does it mean I have two cats right now?”

“Don’t say it like this to Taiju, I still have no idea how he came up with those nicknames for us”

“He has to explain what kind of dynamic he saw in us”

“Who knows. Anyway, I subtler than her in hating people, right?”

“Well… yes and no? I mean, not in my wildest dreams I could have ever imagined that you hated Shinichiro-kun, Wakasa and Benkei because you liked me back and you were jealous, but apparently for them, it was as clear as crystal”.

Koko sighed. Yes, that was quite embarrassing, since apparently everyone besides the two of them had already understood what was going on.

Even Mikey, of all people, once assured that Takemichi and Kakucho were out of danger, asked Koko if he went back to Inui. The invincible Mikey looked like an entirely different person after the battle.

“It was so awkward when they joined Kantou Manji. And yet, even if I’ve always been mean to them, it turned out they were trying to help us during the fight, in their own way. I mean, I know they were doing it for you but still…”

“But still they could have found a better way to help Mikey and me. I’m glad that now we’re all cool, but I don’t blame Senju for being passive aggressive with them all the time.”

They looked at the cat, happily eating the food they gave her once she had explored everywhere.

“I guess it’s time to finally choose a name, Inupi, any idea?”

“Actually I have one”

Koko was surprised by the prompt answer.

“It’s been a while that in my mind I call her “Virago”. Do you like it?”

“Is it a foreign word?”

Inui answered with a smug smile.

“It’s Latin and it basically mean “woman warrior”, a tough, heroic lady”.

Koko was astonished.

“Who the hell are you, and where is my boyfriend?! Inupi, I know some demon possessed you, please come back to meeeee”

He jokingly shaked Inui’s shoulders, making him laugh.

“Virago is also the name of a Yamaha bike model, I once read an article about it that explained what the name meant”

“Aaaah, now it makes sense” Koko granted.

Noticing they were being playful, the cat joined them limping a little, but still happy nevertheless. Inui took her in his arms

“She is a warrior indeed. I like it” She turned towards Koko, realizing he was talking about her. She stretched her little paw to Koko, which shook it.

“Virago. Yes, it’s you. Welcome home Vicchan”

Inui laughed.

“Well, she needs a nickname, right?” Koko stuck his tongue out.

“Of course, of course”

#tokyo revengers #kokonoi hajime #inui seishu #inukoko #kokonui #inui x koko #koko x inupi #tokyorev fanfic #zae talks about tr #zaenaris #mabu tl

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