Chapter Text
Was it fate? Izumi thought as she stood outside the pet store. She tilted her head closer to the glass to stare at the cute cats cuddling inside. She tried to get a hold of her impulses but to no avail. She found herself slowly walking into the centre. Suddenly she stood a foot away from the litter of kittens running around each other inside the pen. She smiled fondly before trying to escape only to be stopped.
“Do you want to adopt one?” Izumi opened her mouth and then closed it. She stood for several awkward seconds before nodding reluctantly.
“No need to be nervous. We have a lovely selection of quite kittens if that’s more your speed.” Nerves wasn’t exactly the problem. She had kittens before in fact she grew up around them. Her father always took care of every single one of them. Even after a long day of directing the next hit film. However, after his disappearance the cats slowly left or were sold of one by one much to Izumi’s dismay and annoyance. Most went to her dad’s old friend including the first four that her dad had brought home one day, much to her mother’s dismay. But now Izumi stood looking at the adorable creatures and she couldn’t help herself.
“Is there any that have peeked your interests?” The attendant asked gesturing towards the pen. Most little ones had run towards Izumi, looking wistfully at her with puppy eyes. Izumi looked down as a flash of pink caught her eye. In the corner stood a small pinkish cat.
“Who’s that one?” Izumi pointed at the pinkish figure.
“He’s a shy fellow but extremely kind- “A loud meow could be heard before one of the cats tried to launch itself to Izumi his black and blonde fur moving with him.
“That’s strange this little one doesn’t get attached at all.” To prove a point the woman tried to shoo away the cat clambering towards Izumi only to be hissed at. At this point a blonde cat with brown streaks tried to swat away the black one making the scene only to be hissed at as well.
“That ones like his father he always looks after him and the pink one.” Izumi stared at the three before she saw another blonde cat arching his back next to him sat a darker cat who was constantly meowing at the other. The shop keeper followed her eyes and smiled softly.
“That blonde one arching his back is a little lazier. The one meowing next to him is a rare breed we had specially imported from Asia.” Izumi nodded looking at the other cats yet again and the question left her mouth.
“So how many am I allowed to buy?”
“Well we don’t really have the limit but if you want to splurge, I suppose it can’t be a massive problem.” The shop keeper giggled.
Izumi turned back to the pen about to announce a number until she saw a little green cat emerge from the shadows and sit looking at the chaotic scene unfolding.
“Who’s that?”
“He’s our newer additions. One of the shelter branches found him as healthy so they brought him over. Nothing much is known about him.” Izumi stared at the kitten once more before heaving a sigh.
“Could I have six kittens please?”
Two weeks later and Izumi had taken six little kittens into her humble abode. Since she lived alone it wasn’t a massive problem. And money wasn’t the issue since her dad had been a grand director and had a bank account kept aside for separate from her other account (her dad had joked saying it’s for more kittens if she ever wanted some). The only problem was her mum but since they didn’t live together it wasn’t a big deal.
She realised the kittens into a separate room she had specially readied for them. It was a massive room filled to the brim with toys, sleeping baskets, a window for sunlight, litter boxes and on the door, there was a little cat flap to go in and out from. It was also connected to the garden which had a cat flap on its door too. Izumi beamed as she took out the collars, she had specially made for them.
“Come here.” She picked up the little pink one earning a soft mewl as she placed the collar around his neck.
“Hello my little Sakuya.” Sakuya’s eyes lit up as he purred softly. Nuzzling Izumi’s hand as she put him down. Next she picked up the black one with blonde streaks who immediately purred at the attention.
“Alright you little troublemaker.” The little kitty practically vibrated with joy as he stood perfectly still for the collar. “There we go my little Masumi.” She brought the kitty up to her nose and touched their tips together making the little kitten purr further. As soon as she put it down however, he started purring and whining at her leg lightly scratching her pants. Soon the papa cat came to scold him.
“Ah there you are.” Izumi picked up the papa much to Masumi’s dismay and quickly put the collar around him.
“Don’t look so confused Tsuzuru.” She scratched him lightly behind the ear. Tsuzuru (as confused as he was) nuzzled her hand happily. After putting him down she searched for the other blonde hair kitten. She found him on the windowsill basking in the sun.
“There you are lazy cat.” She smiled cheekily as he glared her way. She put the collar over him. “Don’t be mean Itaru.” The cat turned away from its owner and continued to rest. She didn’t even have to look for the next one as Tsuzuru was already chiding the loud kitten.
“Come here Citron.” She picked up the exotic cat as it purred at her. She smoothly put him down before looking blankly around his room.
“Where’s the last one.” She stared at the cats to no avail. She sighed figuring he went out of the cat flap and left. So, after she filled all the cat bowls, she went out looking through her house and garden.
After 3 hours she gave up lying on the floor of the cat room as the other cats curled up beside her. Suddenly there was a paw on her face.
“Ow! Hey!” She turned to see Itaru staring at her lazily. He nuzzled and then ran off. To a corner waiting for her. She got up and crawled towards him.
“What is it Itaru?” He nudged the cluster of boxes as if to get rid of them. Izumi obeyed soon to discover a green tail trying to exit the stack.
“Oh no you don’t.” She picked the little fellow up whilst it squirmed and mewled in annoyance. “You little nuisance you’ll be named Chikage.” He meowed in defiance before springing away and seemingly arguing with Itaru, who smirked and sat there lazily flinging back meows.
Izumi beamed proudly as she beamed at the kittens all playing around (well except Masumi who was trying to scale Izumi's pant leg). If her father was here she was sure he'd be proud of her kitten craze too. Her smile formed into a sadder one as she looked to the kittens. This is how her father's craze had started and she was just feeding into that.