Chapter Text
He walked through the petshop with an air of embarrassed disinterest. Most of the kittens rubbed themselves against the cage bars, reaching out to him with their dainty little paws. He smiled kindly at them. It was impossible not to. They were such pretty little things. All colors, white Persians with snooty expression, black cats with long sooty lashes, fluffy gingers with sparkling green eyes and everything in between. Beautiful, but none of them particularly appealed to him. Asami Ryuichi sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Why was he even here? He was an elite businessman, a CEO of a major corporation. He didn’t want a pet. Had absolutely no use for one. No time. And he liked his solitude and his space. The poor thing was just going to end up sitting around his penthouse, bored and sad and lonely. This was a mistake.
He didn’t even make it halfway down the aisle before turning heel to go. His personal assistant Kirishima waited patiently for him at the door. The store had closed down for the important man to peruse their wares, it was a shop only for the elites. Most ordinary people were aware of its existence, but the pets it sold were far out of reach except to the most wealthy and powerful among them.
Asami shook his head in chagrin, “I’m done here. Let’s go”
Kirishima bowed low, but he didn’t follow.
“If I may Asami-san, Arbatov will be most displeased if you reject his gift.”
He groaned. Damn the man. Mikhail was, however, an important ally in his European circle and not to be insulted. He turned to go back in with a sigh. He might as well just pick one. It didn't matter what kind. One of his assistants could always care for it.
He moved up and down the long aisle studying them. Lithe bodies rubbed against the bars, the gorgeous creatures made a mix of purring and whimpering sounds as he walked by. Anyone of them would do, but he was going to be spending quite a lot of time with whichever he picked and none of them sparked anything in him. How could he possibly choose? He reached the end of the aisle and looked back, noticing that one of the cages seemed empty, causing him to overlook it. He looked closer. It wasn’t empty, the occupant was simply huddled in the back corner, as far from the bars as possible.
Hmm.
He walked up to the cage and looked in curiously. The kitten didn’t look at him, but he knew that it was aware of his presence by the way that long tail curled protectively around his beautiful body.
The shop owner walked up to him and cleared his throat, bowing respectfully. “Excuse me sir, but you don’t want that one.”
He turned to appraise the other man. “What is he?” The kitten seemed very different than the others, his fur seemed to shine almost like silver in the dark. It was a warm grey, with a hint of pink. He had never seen anything like it. His limbs longer and more graceful than the others, from the little he could see.
“Him? Well he’s a breed known as the Abyssinian, and of those, he’s one of the very rarest, a lilac colored legend. Extremely beautiful with unique large eyes. That’s why we purchased him, you see. Only the finest pets sold here. Abyssinians are generally known for their extreme intelligence and extroverted, playful, and willful personalities. This one unfortunately, only has the willful, stubborn part. All the bad, none of the good his breed is usually known for. He’s extremely foul tempered and difficult. He actually scratched one of the buyers only just yesterday. You really wouldn’t want him. We have a new Persian with an unusually sweet disposition and stunning blue eyes, let me show him to you….”
The kitten peeked over his delicate little shoulder at the shop owner as the short squat little man tried to lead him away from the Abyssinian’s cage. Those lovely greenish hazel eyes seemed to roll at the shop owner’s words and he laid his head down as if in boredom and relief that the men were moving on.
Asami held up his hand, removing his sleeve from the shop owner’s tenacious grip, “No. No that won’t be necessary. I want that one.”
The kitten's entire body jerked in startle. Large hazel eyes widened in alarm staring out at him from the dark cage, long sooty lashes winging from the sides, giving him an exotic look. Asami was already entranced by the spirit he saw in those eyes.
The shopkeeper shook his head fervently, “Sir, I assure you, that would be a mistake. Really, we have many other kittens to choose from, pretty and sweet. Biddable and obedient.”
The man was starting to irritate him now. “I’m not interested. I want him.”
“Sir, please….”
“I have made my decision. Do not make me repeat myself.” The authority in Asami's voice rang loud in the shop, every eye fixed on the tall broad shouldered man in the three piece suit. Even Kirishima flinched. He knew that tone well. It was not one that would be disobeyed, if you knew what was good for you.
“Y-Yes sir, right away, sir. I’ll have him collared and brought out to you.”
The owner snapped his fingers at his assistants and moments later the back of the Abyssinian’s cage opened, two pairs of hands reaching into grab him. The little Neko boy grabbed onto the bars and kicked his teeny pink feet. He wasn’t going to make it easy. Asami grinned wide at the assistant's muttered cursing. They finally got him, dragging him scratching and hissing from his cage. One of the assistants cried out. The kitten had scratched him good. He was a wildcat, a little hellion. Asami’s smile grew wider.
The shop owner bit his lip where he stood next to the powerful businessman. “We have a thirty day return policy, should you change your mind… and you may wish to have him declawed before you take him home.”
“That won’t be necessary”
He was transfixed as the boy was led out to him, digging his feet in and tugging on the collar around his long elegant neck, pulling back on the leash. It was laughable really, to leash a creature like that. He smirked as he watched the boy fight the two assistants for every inch. The Neko was fucking gorgeous. Long graceful limbs, a trim tiny little waist, and the biggest eyes Asami had ever seen. He was beautiful, absolutely the most beautiful little kitten he had ever seen. And he was HIS. “What’s his name?” He pulled his eyes away for a second to glance down at the owner.
“Takaba Akihito. But you can change it if you wish.”
“No. No, he’s perfect just the way he is.”
The boy overheard what he said, amidst his struggles and startled at the words, pausing for a second, confusion settling in over his delicate features. It was just enough time for the assistants to knock him forward, off balance, but he landed gracefully, at Asami’s feet, big green eyes looking up. Filled with anger and stubborn will, fear and frustration.... and just the tiniest, tiniest pinch of hope.
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