After High School

Chapter 15

Large Time Skip: 9 Months: Asahi's POV

Today is Katsumi's birthday. She's turning 1.. and we were celebrating it without her dad.. I sat there in my bed, my baby in my arms peacefully asleep while bundled in one of Noya's old shirts. I stared straight ahead at the wall. I spent the past.. I hardly know how long it's been, looking tirelessly for Noya.

I even went to every single Neko auction I could find. I forced myself to sit through them and watch those innocent girls and boys be sold like they were nothing. I talked to trainers and breeders, asking for anyone that matched the description of Noya. I'd give anyone any amount of money to get him back.

It's been forever. I didn't know where he was. I didn't know if he was alive, or if a breeder took him and sold him to someone overseas. And what about our baby. Was he or she dead too... I know it has to have been not too far off of a year since I lost them. Police gave up ages ago. I never did either.

But I was exhausting myself. I worked full time to support myself and Katsumi.. I had to take care of her and make sure she was healthy. I had to go through a move by myself since our previous home was too large and too expensive for me to pay by myself so now I was in a one bedroom apartment.

I often found myself not sleeping, or eating. It was a chore now to even bathe myself. I'd cry at nights which would always wake and scare my baby daughter.. I couldn't take proper care of her if I couldn't even take care of myself... Maybe it was time I gave up too. I couldn't save Noya. But I still have time to save Katsumi. 

Noya's POV

I cried as I was propped up on the bed, my master simply sitting and watching as I tried to go through this childbirth alone. Everything felt fuzzy. My body was almost to weak to handle this.. For the past 9 months, I've been fed minimally. And was only given enough water to keep me from dying. 

You could see my ribs, and most of my body was far too thin. I lacked energy all the time. All of my energy was used during my training. My master always went all out, he used my body as he pleased. And other strangers paid him to use me. Sometimes it'd go on for hours.

And the hours I wasn't being used, I was kept in a dark room. An audio would play over, and over, and over, and over. It played until I believed its words. My master long turned the audio off at nights now, but every time I'd try to sleep, I would hear the audio of my master's voice telling me I'm his pet, and nothing more. And that's what I was. 

It felt like hours passed. My mind and body wanted to give up. But I wouldn't let it, I cried through the pain when finally my baby was born. I laid there panting, my master taking my baby and cleaning it.

"Please... master.. may I see my baby.." I said shakily. 

"Your baby?"

"...Please.." I begged, quickly extending my arms when he said he was going to give me 10 minutes. My arms felt like jello, but I held the baby close. It was a little boy.. A perfect baby boy. I smiled, for the first time I have in months.

"Hi baby..." I mumbled, pulling the precious baby closer to me and kissing his head. I savored every second I got to hold my baby.

"Alright. It has been 10 minutes."

"W-wait.. please, can I at least feed him..?" I asked hopefully. My body barely was producing any milk since I was so malnourished, but it still naturally produced a little bit so my baby could eat. But my master just shook his head and took my baby from me. Without a word, he left.

I was left alone in the dark room. I just lost the only thing keeping me going. What else did I have. I gave up any shred of hope of being saved. All I had was that I wasn't forced to abort my baby. But I lost that too. Some time passed. Maybe an hour. My master walked back in, cleaning me and the bed up since I was incapable of doing it myself.

"What.. what will happen to my- to.. the baby..?"

"He will remain here."

"He will..??"

"Yes. And once he is old enough, I will begin his training." My master said with a smile. If I could, I would cry more. But I had nothing left in me to even do that. I just laid there and let my master work. Once he was done, he readjusted me and pet my ears. Something I took as affection.

"You were a good boy. You did well."

"Thank you.. master." I mumbled out automatically. That earned me another gentle petting before he left me to sleep. I was tired and in pain. But at the same time, I don't really know if I felt it or registered the pain. 

What ever happened to Asahi and Katsumi? Did Asahi come looking for me? Was Katsumi okay..? Did Asahi find someone else. It was clear I was never going home. Did he want to raise Katsumi alone? What if he sold her because he didn't want to take care of a Neko baby alone. Or what if he found another Neko to care for her.

I thought about them every day. And all it did was hurt. All it did was make me feel like I was suffocating. The tightness in my throat and chest were unbearable when I thought of them. I couldn't go on like this. I wasn't going home. I was staying right here until I die, or am sold to someone else. Maybe.. Maybe it was time I gave up too.