Nocturnal Creatures

8

Makoto couldn't stop smiling for the rest of the day.  As soon as he walked in his front door, his little siblings ran up to him again.  Ran happily flicked her tail, asking, "Onii-chan!  Why are you so happy?"

Makoto just smiled bigger, "I have a date Friday with the person I like."

"Really?"  Both his siblings stared side-eyed up at him.  They started bouncing all around him, "What are they like?  Onii-chan, is she pretty?"

"What's this about a date?"  Makoto looked up to see his mom standing in the doorway to the kitchen.  She came over to Makoto and pulled his siblings away.  She smiled up at him, "You're dating someone and you didn't tell me?"

"Well it sort of just happened," Makoto giggled, "like just today."

"Did it now?" His mom smiled, "Come to the kitchen, you have to tell me all about it."  Makoto set his backpack down and followed her to the kitchen.  His little siblings scampered off and he went to the dishes on the stove to help with dinner.  His mom looked at him, "So who are they?"

"He's the hottest guy in school, kind of quiet but really smart.  He's the guy I've liked for a while," Makoto could feel himself blushing.  "I didn't think he really knew me but he found me at lunch and asked me out."  Makoto couldn't stop smiling, just thinking about Sousuke made him so happy.

He felt his mom's tail lightly rest on his shoulder.  He looked at her, she was smiling at him.  "I'm glad that you're happy.  He sounds dreamy."

Makoto laughed, "Oh he is!"

She just smiled again, "You know I was worried about you, you seemed too nervous to go out, even with friends.  I know being a neko is hard sometimes but I'm glad you're getting out."

"Actually," Makoto took a deep breath, "He knows..."  His mom's eyes widened and her ears were pricked.  Makoto smiled guiltily, "H-he sort of kissed me earlier and he pushed my hat off.  I couldn't really hide or explain it but he knew what I was.  And he said..." Makoto paused, blushing at the memory of what Sousuke had said.  "He said they were cute."

His mom's face relaxed into a smile again.  She breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good to hear."  She laughed, saying, "It's not good to start a relationship with secrets anyways."

Makoto giggled, "I'm hopeful."  He kept smiling to himself, remembering the feel of Sousuke's lips on his and the taste of Sousuke's tongue.