nine lives.

full of feeling.

After practice was over, I moved along the sides of the gym, nudging balls back towards the court with my head, softly, but hard enough to get them to roll, and the coach laughed about me being another player. Kenma crouched down beside me, a towel around his neck and a waterbottle in hand, and he reached out to pet me and I nudged against his hand, as I always did. His affections and feelings were never invalid to me, he was the most important person I had ever had in my life.

He smiled, just between the two of us and this boy was slowly starting to make me go crazy. I had come to terms with what had happened, so why was I suddenly thinking about if I weren't a cat anymore? Maybe we still would have met, would he laugh and smile around me too? Maybe, just a little bit, would I still hear his morning and lazy thoughts, could I still help him through the grey? And all I could do was lean into him when he pet me softly, so gently, and I tried not to think about the giant what if that rang out.

He carried me back, and I didn't mind, I was exhausted and tired and he fed me and gave me water before everyone curled into their futons and I didn't hesitate to insert myself into the blankets, even before Kenma was there. Lev was loud, and annoying, but not unbearable, I found him quite nice, gentle even, and a huge dork. Yaku was harsh on him, but I could see the reason why, his eyes got all fond and he smiled sometimes after he scolded the underclassman, and I tried not to notice. Inuoka loved me, and Shibayama even commented on how cute my collar was, and for some reason unknown to me, Fugunaga just nodded in passing but I felt like, maybe he knew. I buried myself under the blankets feeling Kenma slide in next to me, and I moved slowly, the lights turning out and he laid on his side and I leaned half my body against his, he was warm and his heartbeat was loud.

It didn't take me long.
Hands and dirty feet haunted my dreams.

•—•

The weekend was nice, spending time with the team and lazy afternoons in the grass outside, the breeze was leaving us and thick rain clouds were looming. I was more than happy to be home, instantly going for Kenma's bed, and forcing myself under the blankets as he dropped his bag on the ground and stared. "Sometimes, I think you might actually be human." It was late, his mother wasn't back yet, and his words made me still. "Your eyes are too human to be a cat." He mummered, taking out the dirty clothes and separating them out, pulling out his uniform so his mother could wash it for Monday.

I got up slowly, feet nimble and my mind was set and I swallowed as I jumped. He heard the sound, turning quickly. "Oi! Youre going to fall." I had never done anything bad, anything to upset Kenma but he kept asking me questions and I was ready to finally answer them. I knocked the board game from the shelf and jumped down in enough time to have the pieces scatter and fly around me. He froze, and I blinked up at him, he was shocked, yes, but if he knew me half like I thought he did, I wanted him to know this was important. He sighed and closed his eyes, and I knew my defiance would scare him, telling him the truth, would scare him but I really needed someone to talk to too. He bent down, going to pick up the peices and I made a loud sound, getting him to stop, hands freezing. He stared at me, gold eyes blinking and dark and I nudged a peice forward with my paw, slow and unsure, eyes downcast. He froze, staring at me blankly and I gathered the courage, pushing another into line and walking around, flipping pieces over and picking them up in my mouth, leaving teeth marks and as I finished the word, I sat back. He sunk to the floor, jaw open at the word that I had spelt, and he swallowed hard.

Human.

"Are...are you talking to me?" He whispered, and I walked over, licking his hand as I always did, curling my tail around his leg, and he was shaking softly. "Tell me." it was the way he said it, he was curious, he genuinely wanted to know and if I could, I would give this boy everything I had and more, he deserves someone to stay by his side, and if I was a cat, then I could. I hadn't had a voice for a long time, and if he could confide in me, then why shouldn't I do the same for him?
So I told him, I moved back and this time I had trouble finding the right letters, it had been so long after all, and he was patient, he was always so patient and I was sure I was shaking. Twelve year girl.
It said, and he stared blankly, getting up to sit crossed legged in front of the scattered pieces, quickly turning them all over so we could see the letters. "You're a twelve year old girl?" He asked, this time helping flip the peices over so I could see them all and I rushed to answer.
Was.