House Cat [temporarily complete]

c.h.a.p.t.e.r n.i.n.e.t.e.e.n


Isiel ventured out on of the room to watch until Eiji was taken away and the doors closed then returned to his room, beginning to methodically strip the bloodied linen away and find a basket in which to hold it for cleaning. The dullness of the task helped to calm his ragged nerves a fraction, but he still felt shaken by the whole experience and the idea that if he hadn\'t been present...or had conducted himself differently then Eiji\'s life wouldn\'t be hanging in the balance.

\"It\'s not your fault,\" Kiba said calmly from his seat in the window, his feet up against the sill and his tail curling and uncurling on the floor. \"I was watching and listening from the roof of the building across the street. He instructed me not to interfere unless you were seriously injured or he was killed. That meeting has been arranged for over a week-- that means they had time and did plan it all out. The way they moved in unison only strengthens my conviction about it. It would have happened whether you were there or not.\"

Isiel folded the sheet he was holding and dropped it into the basket before perching upon the edge of the now bare mattress and considering Kiba\'s words. Eventually he glanced over at the wolf, still feeling partially responsible, but knowing it was his duty not to fall apart while the mansion was under his protection, \"So they used my presence as an excuse to begin a fight....\"

\"Not exactly,\" Kiba said slowly, carefully. \"Eight days ago I called Master and told him you were ready. Seven days ago he called the meeting. Naturally they discussed the things you heard, things the remaining police in this city that aren\'t under their thumb would love to hear, but that wasn\'t the real reason for the meeting. Call it your \'coming out\' ceremony-- Eiji\'s announcement of his successor.\"

Kiba hummed thoughtfully. \"Though I do suppose they used you as an excuse, they didn\'t want to kill Eiji because he was putting a neko in his place. They really just wanted to kill him so that they could divide up the authority he has. But if they do that, then all of Eiji\'s work will crumble and everything he\'s been striving so hard for all his life will have been for nothing. None of those men and most of his other business partners are in it for the best end result like Eiji is; none of them even know. They all think they\'re just participating in shady dealings and lining their pockets.\" Kiba sighed and shook his head. \"It\'s no use, no use… I\'ve told that to Eiji several times in our lives. He\'ll never succeed with his plan before his life ends. He can\'t bring tranquility and peace to this city in under eighty years, which is about seventy-nine more years than I expect him to live. Just maybe, if you, and your successor do things right, then just maybe his dream will come true. But not in his lifetime.\"

The wolf slid out of the window and into the room, running a hand through his thick mane and shaking his head. \"Listen to me ramble on like an old man. Useless. Anyhow, I didn\'t start talking for no reason. Go look under the bed.\"

Isiel found himself even more relieved that the men who\'d attacked them were dead. Even though he\'d doubted Eiji\'s plans in the past he knew that anything Oriel believed in with such unquestioning loyalty couldn\'t be bad and that assured him more than enough to understand that even when Eiji passed away he would try his best to continue the work his Master had begun. When Kiba entered the room properly he couldn\'t help but suppress a little jump, having been rendered nervous and more than a little scared by his first brush with Eiji\'s associates and the havoc that ensued. He did however cover it up by slipping off the bed and leaning forward to peer beneath it curiously.

The wolf laughed a little under his breath at Isiel\'s nervousness, reaching out and flicking at the end of the boy\'s bristled tail. \"You going to let that go down any time soon? It\'s been stiff as a broom since you first arrived.\"

He watched as the boy reached out and grabbed at the box under the bed.

\"Eiji brought that home for you. I suppose he wasn\'t expecting things to go quite this badly, else he would have given it to you beforehand.\" Isiel drew out a large cardboard box with a rather noticeable weight to it, simple and unwrapped, a plain cardboard lid the only thing standing between Isiel and his present.

Isiel\'s tail relaxed slowly and he gave Kiba a sour little glance that held no substance to it before eyeing the box. He knew it wouldn\'t be anything dangerous, but the caution instilled in him by his training meant that he didn\'t rush in instantly to tear the top off the box and instead lifted it gently and leant over it, taking a peek inside with a newfound inquisitiveness that echoed his kitten days.

Within the box resting in a bed of tissue sat a large, thick book three times as wide and twice as tall as most of Isiel\'s text books. The cover was old and made of thick red leather with sturdy gold binding and corners, and a heavy gold lock on the side to prevent others from opening it.

Wrapped loosely around the book was a sturdy string of braided black leather, worn with age and care so that it was velvety soft to the touch. Six milky jade beads hung at the bottom of the necklace, and hanging between the third and fourth beads was a golden key with engraved patterns on it that matched the lock.

\"Well I\'ll be damned,\" Kiba muttered, peering into the box with eyebrows arched. \"I didn\'t think I\'d see the day he\'d part with that thing. He used to carry it around everywhere with him as a kid, and kept that key tied to his wrist even in his sleep and when he showered. Even I never got to look and see what he scribbled in there.\"

Isiel lifted the exquisite book from the box carefully and rested it upon his knees, just running his fingertips over the soft leather cover until they brushed over the necklace and then hesitantly unwound it from around the book. For a few minutes he just sat there, looking rather dazed especially considering what memories Kiba had of this prized possession which had now been gifted to him from Eiji. He hadn\'t thought of him as sentimental or romantic, yet the truth about his name and now this were enough to make him blink back tears of guilt for misjudging him so completely and he hugged the book to his chest, closing his eyes. \"......master.....\"

Kiba held up a finger. \"No,\" he corrected quietly after giving the boy a few moments of silence. \"You don\'t address him like that any more. You\'ve been named heir; you call him Eiji now.\"

He went back to the window and took a seat, watching Isiel out of the corner of his eye. The wolf sighed softly, resting his hands on his stomach and slouching in the window frame, putting his bare feet up again. \"I\'ll never understand that man,\" Kiba murmured, letting his eyes slide shut.

Isiel mumbled to himself as he unlocked the book, treating it as if it were a priceless artifact which in some sense it was at least to him. This was also the first time he\'d truly been grateful for Kiba\'s quietness, although he was constantly present the neko felt he could read whatever Eiji had given him without having to put on a pretense of being alright. Slowly he curled up on his front as he set the lock aside and opened the book, still uttering Eiji\'s name softly and trying to get used to the feel of it upon his tongue.

Dorian held his tail at his mouth with both hands and bit into it to keep from screaming \'WHAT IS IT!\' into the vent at the top of his lungs.

A toy? An ornament? A dried flower, for god\'s sakes?! He curled his toes tighter underneath him and didn\'t care that his own claws were poking at his ass. The full-grown had been on pins and needles the moment Master had left, waiting for the right moment to go and see Isiel and not being able to find it yet.

Isiel glanced up rather suddenly, feeling another presence even if he couldn\'t quite decide whether he was just imagining it or not. With a faint sigh he returned to studying the book, turning each page slowly and with the utmost degree of care as he toyed absently with the necklace in his other hand.

\"What is it?\" Kiba asked calmly, a tad curious himself. \"A diary?\"

Dorian bit down hard on his tail.

Isiel shook his head, still concentrating mostly upon the pictures drawn from Eiji\'s imagination and the pleasurable connection he felt to the man just by seeing them as if he\'d uncovered another fragment of his life to make up for all their formality and distance, \"....mostly illustrations....\" He uttered with a fond, saddened smile as he turned another page, feeling closer to tears than ever and yet denying himself the luxury.

\"Eiji can draw?\" Kiba muttered, opening his eyes and glancing over at the book. He didn\'t question that Isiel was telling him the truth... it was just a hard and incredible fact to accept.

The man didn\'t seem to have a creative bone in his body unless it came to battle strategy or diplomacy with a handgun. He was plainly shocked. Mildly Kiba smiled, wishing Eiji was there so he could poke fun at the man. No wonder he\'d hidden himself away and snarled at Kiba whenever he came close and that book was open. He didn\'t want anybody to know that he had that side to him, that was obvious now.

\"His father gave him that on the day Master was presented as the next heir to the Futamaka mansion. Seems like you two just triggered a tradition.\"

As Isiel reached a blank page he closed the book reluctantly and locked it once more, lying down completely so he could just rest his hand upon the cover and look up at Kiba as he put the key around his neck. Although his eyes were shining he didn\'t seem so close to breaking down and just smiled once more, \".....I want him to come home so I can say thank you...\"

\"Soon enough,\" Kiba said quietly. \"For now, you should enjoy your time as Master of the house.\"

He yawned and stretched, flexing the muscles down his body then relaxing them, slumping in the window once more. \"Dorian, how long are you going to sit there like some stupid kitten?\"

The black full-grown\'s ears flattened on his head in annoyance and he let his tail drop from his mouth, standing. He headed towards the doors to the Master Bedroom and peered in silently, unsure if he should come in or not.

Isiel was mildly pleased to note that his suspicions were not just a manifestation of paranoia and sat up, placing the book very carefully upon the mattress above his head as he leant against the side of the bed, looking tired and still bloodied from the earlier chaos. As Dorian peeked round the doorframe he beckoned him in without a word.

Entering slowly, Dorian walked across the floor with tail and ears down, and took a seat beside Isiel. He looked at the boy for quite some time.

Isiel seemed... different. Somehow. He couldn\'t quite place it. But, his thoughts were distracted as he saw the blood all over the boy and followed the trail with his eyes up to the missing \'c\' shape of ear gone from the boy, his eyes going wide. \"You were shot at!\" he whispered in horror. Dorian shouldn\'t have been surprised-- in fact, he\'d known that the boy would come home sometimes wounded just like Master Eiji, but he hadn\'t made the thought real in his mind until now.

\"Can I... tend to it... Master?\" he asked softly, the last word barely audible and obviously shy and new on Dorian\'s tongue when used to address his best friend.


Isiel appreciated the respect with which Dorian addressed him, acknowledging that while Eiji was at the hospital he was in effective command over the house and its inhabitants - even though he didn\'t like the distance such formality could create between them and offered him a weary smile, hoping to assuage his concerns, \"It\'s just a scratch, but if you want to then alright....I\'d rather you do it than one of the others.\" He added warmly.

Nodding, he leaned forward and placed a hand atop Isiel\'s head to hold him still, his other wrapping sneakily around the boy\'s waist in a hug as his tongue slid along the boy\'s bloody hair gently, cleaning it and wetting it until it was blonde once more, then licking up along the edge of the boy\'s ear, becoming tender and slow with his movements the closer he got to the wound. When Dorian\'s tongue touched the actual tear in Isiel\'s ear, his arm squeezed tightly around his Master\'s waist, and he lapped with extreme gentleness, until there was only the wound itself left to prove that any injury had been inflicted.

Isiel laid his hands lightly upon Dorian\'s shoulder, appreciating his closeness even if it was for such a practical reason. Despite their earlier troubles he could see the full-grown was concerned for his well-being even though his interest probably also extended to the book Eiji had given him and despite himself he kept a close tab on the key strung around his neck. When Dorian\'s tongue brushed over the raw wound he gripped his shoulder a little tighter, exhaling shakily, but did not cry out or shed any tears, even managing to whisper a gentle thank you to his friend.

When he was finished, Dorian smiled a little and licked the boy\'s cheek once. \"I\'m glad you\'re safe,\" he mumbled, wrapping his tail around Isiel\'s waist and settling against the boy--

--just as the phone rang.

Kiba looked over at Isiel expectantly as it rang for a second time on Eiji\'s night stand.

Isiel spared Dorian the slightest of apologetic glances and sprung to his feet with a speed and energy he didn\'t realize he still possessed, being so worn out. Picking up the handset he answered it in a suitably formal tone just in case it was anyone aside from the hospital.


\"You were given the book?\" a familiar, monotone voice asked in a quieter tenor than usual.

Isiel blinked in surprise and nodded even though he knew it was a worthless gesture, \"I was....thank you...\"

\"You opened it?\"

\"....was that alright?\" He asked softly, nibbling upon his lower lip as a surge of anxiety washed over him.

\"It\'s your book now,\" Eiji said quietly, pausing to cough for a moment and holding the phone away while he did it. When he brought it back to his ear he murmured, \"Do with it as you will. And, Isiel...\"

There was a long pause over the end of the line.

Isiel waited a few seconds and then whispered, \".....yes...?\"

\"I...\" Eiji cleared his throat. There was another long pause. \"Take care of the house.\"

The phone was hung up.

Isiel listened to the dial tone ringing in his ear and whispered Eiji\'s name uselessly to it, unable to bring himself to lower the handset for a few minutes after the line went dead. Eventually he set it down, but remained with his back turned to the others.

Kiba\'s ears flicked as he glanced over at Isiel, having heard the entire conversation.

It was strange, hearing Eiji like that.

The man sounded almost like he did when he was first courting Oriel all those years ago. Iiiiiiiiinteresting.

Isiel took a deep breath, taking Eiji\'s advice to heart and promising himself that despite his tangled up emotions and almost desperate wish to see Eiji immediately his duty was to their home and maintaining its safe environment for all who lived there. A little shakily he returned to sit beside Dorian, at least allowing himself some time to calm down - he was practically useless to them if he were to end up collapsing or something equally as pathetic.

\"You look like somebody just took away your favorite toy,\" Dorian murmured curiously. \"Who was it?\"

\"It was none of your business,\" Kiba commented before Isiel could reply. \"If the phone call was not for you, it\'s between Isiel and I and anybody else necessary. Learn your place quickly, Dorian; if Eiji hears you treating Isiel like a fellow servant, you\'ll be demoted and kept away from him, I can guarantee it.\" Especially with all of these glaring signals Eiji has been giving off.

Isiel leant back against the side of the bed once more and closed his eyes. Kiba\'s advice to Dorian didn\'t come as much of a surprise, but he couldn\'t help murmuring softly, \"It\'s alright....\"

Grunting, Dorian flared his nostrils and looked away.

He could see things were going to change, just from being in this room for a few minutes. Permission to clean Isiel... reminders not to be too friendly with him... that-- that look that Isiel just couldn\'t make leave his face.

Dorian had a rather good idea who it was that had called. ...And he found himself not liking it.

With a sudden, broad smile, Dorian stood. \"I forgot I didn\'t do my chores yet. See you in a while!\" He leaned down to kiss Isiel, then glanced over at Kiba, and didn\'t. Drawing away, he turned and smiled again, waving and leaving the room.


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e.n.d c.h.a.p.t.e.r n.i.n.e.t.e.e.n