The Whitebeard Pirates' Playground

Ch. 43 - My future is being a cat lady... cat man?! (Part 4)

Ace really brought something to his life that he didn't have before. A purpose other than just working. Some may call taking care of a cat, a hybrid, work too, but for him it wasn't. It was fulfilling to work with Ace on his speech, on his dexterity, on simply seeing him discovering new things in life. Even when now-

"Ace, if you put on these shoes, I'll give you a treat."

HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

"Please, what about this nice pair of pants-yoi? They're soft and stretchy. No buttons."

MREOW!

Like right now, he was seeing Ace discovering his birthday suit again.... And learning he did really enjoy being in.... his natural state.

That Ace didn't like shoes, he got, he used the nails on his toes to climb on stuff so he needed them. But was it really fun to have your dick swinging about???? He wasn't even forcing Ace to wear boxers or briefs, but just some fluffy pants, was that too much to ask????

"We're going to visit my pops, I can't take you naked. So, just- and gotcha- ah!"

He jumped for the cat with the pants, but with the agility off... a cat, the boy jumped, used his shoulders as a kickoff and landed back behind him while he himself stumbled from the weight.

Looking back a bit flabbergasted he saw Ace proudly sitting and licking his hand.

"Little menace you are."

Mreow

"...still cute-yoi."

If it wasn't winter, he would have taken Ace in his usual outfit. A pair of shorts that were already far too ratted, but Ace liked them, and a tank-top he had somehow been able to switch to, a new one was a look-a-like to the old one. But since it was cold, and Ace was an indoor cat, he didn't want the boy to get a cold. Plus he didn't want his old man to call protective services on him for child neglect if he saw him carrying a kid clothed in nothing in this weather. That wouldn't make a good first impression.

And it really was a first impression today. He was so nervous. He hadn't told his old man about why he had taken more days of leave when he usually never took any. Why he had started working half-time at work and half-time remote from home when before he was sett on coming into the office everyday.

Ace had now already been with him for a few months, they had been having slow progress on the other being able to hold stuff and not dropping it, even if not perfect yet. And for speaking-

MEEOOO!

Yep, that was Ace almost saying 'no' to wearing clothes. The cat had started picking up on sounds. Real words were still a no-go. But it was becoming obvious that he was being understood more when speaking to Ace and sometimes the replies were meows with other sounds mixed in. Which maybe was his own pride speaking, but he wanted to believe it was Ace trying to speak. Like he assumed the meow that turned into a longer O sound at the end, was a no. It could mean nothing but.... He had hope!

"... I guess... I'll then eat all these fishes myself-yoi." Marco spoke and reached with two fingers into the little pocket of the pants he held and pulled out a small dried fish. Seeing Ace's eyes widen at the sight, following him intensely as he brought it to his mouth. He obviously wasn't going to eat it, but he could fool him.

"hmmmm, delicious." He acted to eat it but instead just closed his hand around the fish so it was out of sight.

"Maybe I'll eat another one." He spoke and reached for the pants again, sticking his fingers in and letting the fish he held drop into the pocket, then picking it up and slowly pulling it out.