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Since becoming the junior assistant to the Tojo Clan's chairman, everyday had become impossible to appropriately predict; despite all of the months of experience Mine had collected thus far, he still found himself unable to properly prepare for every situation he was made to encounter on a day-to-day basis.
Or rather, fur every situation: having been summoned to the chairman’s personal quarters that morning, Mine was right in assuming Daigo would be sitting in his chair waiting for him. What he failed to assume would also be waiting for him was a small cat in his lap. Hooded, golden eyes lazily peered up at Mine as he entered the room, its dark-brown tabby fur nearly disappearing against Daigo’s black suit as Daigo hardly seemed to acknowledge it aside from the occasional stroke of its fur.
While Mine was trained to listen to every word from his chairman- Daigo casually beginning to relay that day’s plans to him- he couldn’t refrain from gawking at the small animal, incidentally eliciting a comment from Daigo once he noticed his odd silence.
“Mine, is something the matter?” The hand that had been stroking the cat stilled on the nape of its neck, causing it to turn its head curiously back at Daigo.
“If you mean if something’s wrong, then no I suppose not,” Mine began, brows furrowing as he prepared to address the cat in the room. “I’m just… surprised about our guest today.”
While Daigo’s head tilted at the term, the guest in question’s one, non-folded ear twitched at Mine’s voice, the low sound evidently new to its ears. But a smile quickly found its way to his face once he realized Mine meant his new companion, lifting up and balancing the cat upright on his thigh before giving its nose a delicate poke with his finger. Letting the cat lay back against his shoulder, he began to scratch under its chin, causing it to lean its head back with a content purr.
“Ah, I guess you haven’t met Yoshi-chan yet-”
“‘Yoshi-chan?’” Mine tried not to interrupt Daigo on most occasions, but the name of the animal had him questioning if his hearing had started to decay at such a young age: surely Daigo didn’t actually name it that…
Yet Daigo hadn’t been aware of the oddness of it all apparently, focus clearly glued to Yoshi-chan. “It’s a cute name, isn’t it? When I brought him in, I didn’t really have any intentions on keeping him. I just wanted to give him some shelter from the rain last night. But I got tired of just calling him ‘the cat’ so Majima-san suggested I call him ‘Yoshi-chan’ for the time being…”
At the mention of Majima’s charity, Mine could feel his eye twitch and his fists ball at his sides. Of course Majima would suggest Daigo name the thing after him… Mine couldn’t tell if it was a direct jab at himself, Majima comparing him to a helpless street cat that needed protection, or rather he knew Daigo was going to shower it with affection and would have to cruelly use Mine’s name to do so. Either option made his face burn- it was only a matter of whether it was out of anger, embarrassment, or both. Before he could come to a solid answer, Mine’s internal dialogue was cut off by Daigo’s returning commentary on the cat.
“...I haven’t been able to think of anything else so far, but I might keep it at this point. I’m just so used to calling him ‘Yoshi-chan’ now.” Letting the cat relax onto in his lap again, Daigo went back to casually petting it, its short fur seeming to rise as it arched its back into every stroke. “Plus, I think it suits him: what do you think?”
It suits him, Mine mentally scoffed at the idea as he stared down the cat, its sharp eyes similarly glaring back at him. Out of the corner of his eye he could see its tail twitch, the subtle movement graduating to a more forceful thump against Daigo’s arm the more he stared. Was the cat already aware that Mine wasn’t exactly keen on seeing it? After all, he wasn’t a particularly big fan of animals- if a fan at all, especially when they take his name. Even if he didn't much care for them, he was still well aware animals had a knack for reading people, and it wasn't as though he was making any effort to hide his indifference.
Whatever the reason for the cat’s behavior, it was ready to make its disdain for Mine known in his eyes as it curled into Daigo’s chest, flexing its paw against his breast pocket in a sort of hug. In conjunction with the reclusive action, Mine was sure to catch the brisk brandish of its claws before they retracted, the paw going back to regularly massaging the spot as it got comfortable.
Being agitated by a cat should have been beyond Mine, yet he felt his jaw clench all the same as Daigo began to coddle it. “It’s alright, Yoshi-chan. Mine’s a good friend of mine, you don’t have to be scared!”
For some reason, Mine felt as though that was precisely the reason the thing decided to cuddle closer. Could it have been possible that a cat was going to start competing with him for Daigo’s affection? Mine felt his eyebrows pinch at the thought; it was a ridiculous assertion, and even if it were true surely Daigo wouldn’t prioritize a cat over one of his closest friends.
—
“Yoshi-chan~!”
Mine froze at Daigo’s sing-song call, nearly dropping the stack of papers in his hand as he could hear Daigo’s dress shoes jogging down the hall towards him. He hardly had any time to process what was happening before the two just barely crashed into each other, instead Daigo abruptly stopping in his tracks as he rounded the corner to be face-to-face with Mine. While Mine’s heart suddenly felt light as a feather, Daigo was none the wiser as he jerked back, palm pressed flat against his chest to catch his breath.
“Mine- God, you startled me…”
“I startled you…” Mine parroted, voice trailing as he attempted to put his head on straight. The proclamation was almost laughable seeing as how Daigo was just running around singing Mine’s given name like it was nothing- as if the playful affection of his tone hadn't sent Mine to heaven for a moment despite knowing he was addressing the cat opposed to him. “What’s the problem, anyways?”
Recovering from the close collision, Daigo straightened up while occasionally glancing around the hallway. “I can't find Yoshi-chan. I thought I could leave him alone while I went to the restroom really quick, but when I came back he was gone.” He scratched the back of his neck, turning around to face the direction he came from. "I guess I should've shut the door behind me, but I was hoping he would stay put... I guess he got a little lonely in there." A dry chuckle left him- a meek attempt to hide his concern for sure.
Mine should’ve felt bad for the small snort that escaped him, but instead of an apology he quickly covered the sound with a cough. “Cats are predominantly independent, Sixth Chairman. If it wants to wander, it’s going to wander. You’ll just have to wait for it to come back.” If it does, anyway, silently hoped Mine, wishing it would rather run back to the streets and resume its life there.
Even if the possibility of the cat being gone delighted Mine to an extent, seeing the mild dismay shadow Daigo’s face quickly took that reprieve away. “I know, but I just don’t want him to get hurt or lost...”
“You collected it from the street, correct? It should have no issues surviving on its own. Please don’t let this cat distract you from your responsibilities.” Mine’s personal bitterness aside, he was sincere in his words; whether he liked the cat or not, Mine would have reminded Daigo of his role as the Tojo Clan’s chairman regardless. It was paramount he focused on his obligations- not something as menial as an animal having a bit of a stroll.
Daigo peered over Mine’s shoulder for one last attempt at finding the cat before giving up with a sigh. “I suppose you’re right…”
A quaint idea popped in Mine’s head at Daigo's submission, a smile making its way onto his face. With the cat gone, Daigo was surely going to get lonely- and Mine couldn’t risk Daigo’s bellyaching to get in the way of running the Tojo astutely. He knew him well enough to know Daigo had a tendency to overextend his concern over something… “If it’ll help, I could accompany you back to your office. I’d be more than happy to spare some time for you if it’ll help you concentrate.”
Soon enough, a swell of pride replaced the remaining, simmering guilt in Mine’s chest as Daigo looked back at him, a warm smile in reply to the notion. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience- I’m sure you’re busy.”
“Whether you need me for a few hours or a few weeks, I'm always prepared to give up that time to you.”
Daigo typically spoke quietly. For whatever reason Mine wasn't sure, and his laughs were no exception to this habit. Even so, Mine felt privileged to have been able to hear such a sound anyways: its quietness might as well have added to the intimacy and honor of being a witness to it anyhow.
While Daigo opened his mouth to say something- most likely to accept Mine's self-invite- his eyes fixed on something behind Mine, notably shifting to peer behind him. Prompted to turn around, Mine caught sight of the bane of his evening rounding the staircase, the cat deciding now was the perfect time to return to the picture. For a brief moment, Mine had pleasantly forgotten the thing existed, but as Daigo brushed passed him to scoop up the fur ball he was cruelly reminded.
“Yoshi-chan!” Daigo beamed, lifting the cat up high before bringing it to his face, pressing his forehead against its much-tinier one. “I was wondering where you went, you had me worried.” He held the cat back to look at it before planting a kiss to the tip of its nose, eliciting a delighted meow from the thing.
Even from where Mine stood he could hear the foul thing purr as it began to nuzzle Daigo back, Daigo not hesitating to envelop the feline in a hug. He momentarily bounced with the cat, whispering all of his momentary woes to it all the while Mine was left to grip the papers in his hands, incidentally crumpling the corners. No matter how many times he reminded himself it was just a cat and most people were naturally inclined to baby small animals, Mine couldn't fully quell the growing pit of jealousy in his stomach. At least Daigo seemed courteous enough to finally remember Mine’s existence, turning around with a relieved look on his face after a beat of nothing but baby talk.
“Looks like he came around- I guess he wanted to be a part of the party,” Daigo joked, the cat’s piercing gaze once more reminding Mine that it knew it had Daigo wrapped around its tail. It was bordering on mocking him at this point; Mine was sure if cats were able to smile, it would be giving Mine a wicked smirk, successfully and effortlessly reclaiming all of Daigo's adulation.
“I see. I’m… sure that’s what it wanted to do.”
Daigo was already walking past him back in the direction of his office, nodding down the hall. “Well, let's get going then. This will be a great opportunity for you two to spend some time together as well.” The situation bordered comedic as Daigo seemed totally oblivious to the clear disdain between his company, yet Mine somehow didn't have the heart to reveal the truth to him. No now perhaps- not when Daigo's mood had been lifted significantly and he was more likely to be able to focus on work now.
Normally, Mine would have been right by Daigo’s side, yet with the sudden presence of the cat he felt more inclined to trail behind the two; he wouldn’t be replaced by an animal of any kind, but he definitely didn’t want to be close to it if he could help it. Daigo seemed hopeful that Mine and his new pet would become friends of sorts, but by the way the thing was leering over Daigo's shoulder at him, Mine was positive it shared the sentiment the two would be far from allies.
—
The tattered stack of papers sat on Daigo’s coffee table as Mine blankly stared at it, chin balancing on top of his folded hands. Mine did plan to review the documents in front of him, yet he could only feel the cat’s impish gaze trained on him from beside Daigo as he managed his own work at his desk. Although Mine attempted to ignore the cat at any cost, he still caught himself looking up to make eye contact with the thing every so often, malice bubbling in his chest every time he'd look into those aurulent eyes. At the very least, Daigo seemed too engrossed in his own work to notice the two’s muted battle- until Mine’s most recent look-up, anyway.
Daigo moved to stroke his thumb alongside the cat’s cheek- the action causing the cat to lean into the gesture with a mocking purr- when he caught Mine’s sharp gaze. Confused, he looked between the two before removing his hand- and stopping the cat’s purring- to hold his hands together, laying them atop his desk. “Mine…” Daigo started, words dancing on the tip of his tongue. “...would you like me to get us some coffee?”
Mine’s eyes flickered to Daigo, eyebrows furrowing as they quietly asked him to elaborate.
“I’ve probably left you a bit busier than usual this week: I understand if you’re somewhat absentminded.” Daigo began to rise from his seat, the motion inviting both Mine’s and the cat's full attention. “A little bit of coffee is sure to wake us both up a bit.”
“Sixth Chairman, there’s no need for you to do that,” Mine argued, though he wasn’t sure his recent activity accurately conveyed the sentiment. Sure, Mine was distracted. But not because he was overworked: it was due to the lump of fur disgracing the chairman’s desk staring daggers at him that pulled him from his work.
Regardless, Mine already accepted Daigo was going to ignore him the moment he spoke up: his generosity was both a blessing and a curse in this situation. As Daigo was preparing to leave the room, he placed a finger under the cat’s chin and tilted its head upward, planting a quick kiss to its forehead before giving the spot an affectionate rub.
“I shouldn’t be long, but please make sure Yoshi-chan doesn’t get loose again.” Once Daigo grabbed the door handle, he opened the door before turning back to look at the room’s remaining occupants with an cheeky smile. “Play nice now you two.”
The shutting of the door was the last sound before the pair was submerged in silence, though the cat’s tail thumping against the desk was quick to break the new quiet. With Daigo gone, Mine was free to openly express his disdain for the cat, standing from his spot on the couch and stalking towards it. When he did, the thing only looked up at him, apathy evident on its small face.
Mine peered down at it, the light fixture overhead shadowing his face and hiding his mild grimace. “I can’t understand why Daigo-san would take in something so abysmal. If you’re not distracting him and causing him to lose focus on his duties, then you’re surely just going to make a mess here.”
To assume the cat could remotely understand a single word he was saying, Mine would have to be losing his mind. But to his annoyance, the cat just yawned and stretched itself out on Daigo’s desk, laying on its side as if to reaffirm its spot, essentially telling him it didn't care what Mine thought. The action incidentally irked him, his eyes narrowing as he knelt down to be leveled with the cat. “You’re fortunate Daigo-san’s willing to take pity on you. If it were up to me, I would have already thrown you back out onto the street: an alley cat has no business within Tojo Clan headquarters.”
The cat looked lazily at him, though its tail thwacked against the wood to communicate its indignation. It gradually raised its paw away from itself, carefully pressing it against Mine’s lips. Be quiet.
At the cool, somewhat-damp touch of its paw pads Mine recoiled, falling backwards onto the floor as he scrambled to sit up right. Wiping the back of his hand against his lips, Mine could only feel his patience wearing thin. “Don’t ever put your filthy paws on me again, do you understand!?”
And maybe it did understand- the thumping of its tail relaxing into pleased swaying at Mine’s disgust certainly conveyed so. To be played with by a cat of all things was a humiliating endeavor he never imagined he'd have to endure, but having it touch him- on the mouth nonetheless- almost made him want to vomit.
Having to get up off the floor was making it difficult for Mine to retain any dignity he had left, the rest of it going to having developed a sort of rivalry with an animal. He was almost tempted to throw it out the window to the right of him, but he knew that would only make Daigo worry where it went once he came back and saw the cat gone- not to mention Mine would have to explain exactly how the cat got out when Daigo left the room with a closed door and window this time.
This was all getting ridiculous. Mine shot the cat one more scowl before sitting back in his original seat. He wasn’t going to let a cat have such a vice grip on him, not when there was an unattended stack of papers waiting for him, having already suffered the consequences of letting such a thing happen beforehand. Mine attempted to block out the cat from his mind and properly focus: he was ready to prove to Daigo he really didn’t need any coffee after all…
…or those were his intentions. But the cat had apparently devised a better plan as it sat up on the desk, not sparing a moment less as it swiftly leapt from Daigo’s desk right onto Mine’s papers in front of him. Mine didn’t have a second to process what was happening as the cat began to get comfortable, tucking its paws underneath itself and ultimately turning into a fluffy loaf on top of his work. As it began to purr, clearly pleased with itself, Mine could only stare with raised eyebrows. Try as he could to carefully pull the pile by the corners from under the thing, the cat would only roll back into place- and more frighteningly, closer to falling off the table onto Mine’s lap. It didn't take long for Mine to come to one, upsetting conclusion: no matter how he sliced it, he was trapped and unable to retrieve his papers- a double failure in that he was forced to acknowledge the cat again.
He sat for but a moment to decide on how he should approach this new problem- if there was any approach at all- when he heard a knock at the door, seconds only before Daigo reentered the room without another warning, two cans of coffee in his hands. Although Mine felt mortified at being caught anywhere near the cat, Daigo’s face seemed to brighten as soon as he saw the display, quick to move around the couch and sit next to Mine. He hastily putting the coffees on the table as he marveled at the cat's new spot in the room and Mine's seeming-peace with it.
Even with his chin resting on his palm, his fingers covering a portion of his face, Mine could clearly see Daigo’s exuberance, especially when he turned to face him with a smile far-too precious than what was appropriate for the situation. “And here I was thinking you two didn’t like each other. If you wanted to spend some time with him, you could’ve just said so!”
Mine nearly choked on his spit at the assumption he wanted any time alone with Daigo’s cat, hoping his new attempt to pull his papers from underneath it would signal such. “I can assure you that’s not what I want. I was only trying to do my work when it decided to disrupt me.”
Leaning against Mine to get a better look, he bordered on sighing against him, clearly enamored by the sight. “You don’t have to be modest. Yoshi-chan’s so sweet- I can’t blame you for getting distracted now that I know he was the reason. He probably just wanted to get to know you, there's no need to be so harsh on him.”
“You think this thing’s sweet?” Mine was hardly one to hold back his thoughts, especially not at such an absurd declaration such as that. Beforehand, maybe he was willing to hold his tongue- but by now, the cat had proven itself to be more of a nuisance for him than what was worth sparing Daigo's feelings for.
Against his shoulder, Daigo looked up at him, tender eyes almost dissipating Mine’s scorn. "You don't think so? All he wants to do is cuddle with me…” As Daigo turned to look at the cat who was now preoccupied with brushing its paw over its folded ear, he unconsciously found himself cuddling closer to Mine. “It can be a little bothersome when I’m trying to do something, but I can’t be too mad. He just wants a bit of attention: I can’t imagine he got much of that on the street.”
Daigo’s warmth pressing so casually against him be damned, Mine wasn’t capable of listening to his coddling any more. He shouldn't have to remind him either that nothing was automatically deserving of love just for its predicament, it was something to be earned. And a squalid cat had no chances of doing anything to adequately earn such a right, especially not from Daigo. “If it’s so bothersome, then why not keep it at home? That way you can do your work here, and once you get home you can spend time with… that.”
His cold words seemed to have pushed Daigo away- an unfortunate sacrifice, but Mine knew he was right. Daigo sat up to study his face better, the occasional sound of the cat’s rough tongue licking its paw occupying the silence. Some force compelled Mine to avoid eye contact, yet he could certainly feel Daigo’s eyes boring into his face. He expected a lecture of some kind, and at this point was fully prepared to argue against the logistics of keeping a pet in the office when it was so bothersome.
But after a bit of internal debate, Daigo spoke, Mine not needing to look over to tell he was grinning. “Like I said: I don’t mind. I really do think it's cute…”
“...But if you mind-” The sudden mention of Mine caused his eyes to widen, carefully turning to face Daigo as he continued. “Then I can consider keeping him at my place.”
Mine frowned, attempting to hide the fact that it very much did bother him when the cat was around. “Don’t be absurd. I merely have the Tojo Clan’s best interests at heart- and if its chairman can’t function because a cat’s constantly jeopardizing his attention, then I won’t hesitate to advise removing it from the premises.”
Daigo leaned over to claim his cat once more, cradling it in his arms as though it were a small baby and seemingly ignoring Mine's advise. He began to idly play with its paws, gently massaging his thumb against its paw pad. Lifting the paw to his lips, he offered it a small kiss all the while staring at Mine through the corner of his eye- Mine himself attempting to maintain a straight face. Mine's jealousy wasn't that obvious, was it? Daigo respected him enough to not assume he'd be envious over a cat, didn't he...
Somehow it seemed both the cat and Daigo were judging him, only Daigo’s smirk was more obvious as he continued to play with the cat. “So you don’t mind him being here then? At all?”
Mine could only offer a forced “Of course not.” Honesty evaded him in some effort to stick it to the feline; he didn't typically believe in petty behavior, but seeing as how he couldn't cause any form of harm to this animal without repercussion this would have to settle as his retaliation.
As Daigo studied his expression he mindlessly bounced the cat in his arm before rising with a content hum, soon making his way back to his desk. “Well if you ever are bothered by Yoshi-chan, please let me know. It’s as important that you're just as comfortable as I am.”
Although Daigo’s words were considerate, the sly grin still plastered on his face let Mine know Daigo already knew he wouldn’t actually tell him. Mine was trapped in a hell of his own: Daigo was more than willing to keep the cat away from him but at the cost of his own foolish pride to actually speak up and tell him to do so. Even when Daigo's kindness streak was never ending to Mine, the occasional times where he could behave cruelly stung more painfully than any other betrayal he could imagine- perhaps it was due to how seemingly childish Daigo's cruelties came that made them sting; they were innocent and non-consequential in nature yet still bothered Mine just enough for them to be troublesome.
Mine tried not to grumble to himself as he finally retrieved his stack of papers and brushed off the few strands of cat hair left behind, but Daigo’s faint chuckling let him know he was doing a poor job at keeping his grievances to himself. If it wasn't clear Mine had a grudge against the thing before, it certainly was crystal clear now- and for that, Mine could only feel his cheeks burn at the absurdity of it all.
—
Even if Mine finished tending to the papers he brought with him, he couldn’t bring himself to get up off of Daigo’s couch and occupy himself with other duties outside of the room. He wasn’t sure if it was due to the cushion being comfortable- it wasn’t, it was rather hard- or if it was some form of defiance against the cat: Mine would have to be dragged away from Daigo’s vicinity if it meant the cat would spend any more time with him than Mine would, he decided some time ago.
Regardless, with his work done he could only relax against the couch bored, gazed fixed on Daigo playing with the fiend as he waggled his pen in front of it. Occasionally, the cat would playfully swipe at the object, eliciting a wondrous chuckle from Daigo: if there was anything to gain from this cat hanging around, it was that Mine got to see Daigo relax and smile more. He merely wished he was capable of being the sole source of that joy instead of some animal Daigo picked up off the road one night.
Placing the pen down, Daigo picked up the cat and cradled it, scratching the fluff of its neck as he alternated between giving it quick pecks against its cheek. “Aw, you’re so handsome. Who’s a good baby- is it you? I think it’s you…”
Daigo’s babying seemed never ending- a serial torture on Mine's ears throughout the whole evening- and similarly neither was Mine’s agitation. What was he even doing? He had no reason to hang around Daigo’s office anymore, yet a side glance at the cat being peppered with kisses gave Mine more than enough spiteful reasons to stick around.
“...Are you a good boy, Yoshi-chan? Have you been good lately? You haven’t been causing trouble, have you? You wouldn't do anything bad though, right? Not an angel like you- no you wouldn't!” Mine was starting to feel his ears grow hot the longer Daigo went on, a brutal reminder of Majima's earlier influence finally bearing fruit. It was bad enough Mine had to sit through this, but it was near villainous how such sweetness was being paraded in front of him with his own name all the while he wasn't to be a beneficiary from it in the slightest. Clearing his throat, he finally decided Daigo had spent enough time taking a break from his duties.
“Daigo-san- Sixth Chairman, how is your work coming along?” Daigo seemed to have forgotten Mine was even in the room as he turned to him as though he were caught doing something unbecoming, the cat still held up to his face as it pawed needily at Daigo to resume.
“My… oh!” A smile broke free from his addled expression. “Yeah, I’m done for the day. I’ll probably just have to get these sent off, but I can take care of that on my way out.”
Mine let out a quiet tch as he turned away from the duo, body rigid as he scowled off ahead to the window outside. Compared to this afternoon, night had taken over the once-blue sky, absolute darkness becoming its replacement. While Mine considered the conversation over, prepared to be bombarded with hearing Daigo pamper the cat again, Daigo was still inclined to converse.
“How about you? Did you get everything you needed finished done with? I didn’t keep you hostage here, did I,” Daigo quipped, steadily placing the cat back on his desk with a few affectionate pats on its bum.
“You don’t have to worry about me, Sixth Chairman. I finished my work some time ago.” That seemed to be an immediate invitation for Daigo to get up from his seat and walk around the couch, plopping down on the cushion next to Mine as he shut his eyes and found his head lolling against the back of the seat.
“So we can just relax for the night then?” Mine was caught off guard just how confidently Daigo moved to be by him. If the display earlier wasn't anything to go off of, he was sure Daigo was just going to take his cat and leave for the night. Yet how ready he was to take a spot by his side softened Mine's ire a bit.
The inclusion of we never failed to make Mine smile either, his taut posture easing up as he, too, relaxed against the couch. “We can.”
Well, maybe Daigo could- the cat was sure of that as it leapt off of Daigo’s desk and sauntered its way to the couch. It was swift to leap up into his lap, quickly making itself comfortable as it kneaded its paws against Daigo’s thighs. The quickness of it all roused a laugh from Daigo, shaking his head as he went back to petting it. “It must be nice being a cat. You just get pampered and taken care of all day.”
Mine’s good mood was dampened, sneering at the cat's return. “Seems like the opposite of ‘nice,’ in my opinion.”
Even if Mine was sour, it did little to ruin Daigo’s cheeriness- if anything, it added to it, his lazy grin stretching. “What, you don’t like being doted on?”
“If I could recall a time where I was being ‘doted on,’ you would be the first to know.” Mine took a moment to try and remember such a time for his own sake, but trying to remember only reminded him of his childhood- something he would rather not reminisce on presently. “But no, I suppose I can't say I do.”
"Could've fooled me," Daigo poked, his continuous petting of the cat gradually lulling it to sleep. "If I didn't know any better, I would say you were jealous about this little guy." Before Mine could get another word in about how he absolutely wasn't, Daigo was already laughing at his passion to prove himself more respectable than that. "But I know better: you wouldn't be so hung up over something like that. Right?" His smile was one of Mine's favorite, personal features, yet now it was bittersweet to look at.
Mine felt himself pout at Daigo before turning away to look at the corner of the room. "Right." Not right. He was truly starting to feel embarrassed over his attitude that day now that Daigo was making it apparent he was aware of it all, never mind mocking him about it. He didn't regret how he felt, he only wished Daigo could empathize with his devotion and passion. A cat being a threat to having that taken from him did appear silly to most, but to Mine it was a very likely possibility he didn't want to entertain for too long.
Instead of Daigo leaving him to simmer in his feelings, next thing Mine knew Daigo was leaning into him, his breath tickling the shell of his ear. “Well, how about as soon as I drop Yoshi-chan off at home I treat you to a little TLC tonight. I can make it up to you then. Plus…” He glanced down at his lap, the cat’s low purring bordering on snoring. “I think he’s had enough attention for today.”
Mine spared a look to the cat, its drowsiness more than evident as its paws stopped flexing and its tail began to slack off the edge of Daigo’s knees. Was it wrong to call his smile victorious? An exaggeration, perhaps- but nevertheless he felt accomplished to have ultimately won Daigo for the night. “That would be a severe understatement, Daigo-san. Should I hope to get the same kind of treatment later as compensation?”
"Compensation?" Daigo laughed at the word, fully believing Mine was only being hyperbolic to amuse him instead of truly wanting to be pampered similarly. “So you were jealous then. What, do you want a kiss too? Maybe take a nap in my lap while we're at it?”
Mine couldn’t hold back the chuckle bubbling in his throat, lightly shaking his head at Daigo’s lighthearted teasing. His initial chagrin began fade the more the topic was joked about, if not that it was hard for Mine to stay cross with Daigo for very long even if he wanted to. “I’d just prefer a drink, actually- unless you insist otherwise of course. Then I wouldn't object.”
The two began to get up from the couch, chortling amongst themselves as Daigo carried the cat against his shoulder. Amongst all the movement and noise, the cat began to mewl, burying its face into Daigo’s neck while the two made their way downstairs. Though its crying was muffled against his neck, Daigo still shushed and soothed it. Mine on the other hand smirking at the small bundle, one of its amber eyes partially open to glower back at him.
Having to sit through a day’s worth of feline fever was well worth seeing the cat emulate even an ounce of his own suffering. If not that, then at least his agony was going to be rewarded with a pleasant night out with Daigo- once the beast in his arms was properly put to bed back home.