[OPEN] he just couldn't stay away

[catmemes]

WHO: Kaijin (catmemes) & OPEN
WHAT: Catch-all for general catventures and TDM prompts
WHERE: All over
WHEN: August-ish
WARNINGS: will add as needed




[ Prompts below, feel free to throw me a random start or poke me through PM or talkincodes for something specific. ]

Comments

[open] crossing your path

[catmemes]

[ Kai still hasn't bothered to find himself somewhere to stay, chosing instead to wander the city aimlessly and just curl up wherever when he feels the urge to sleep. Maybe you've spotted the bundle of black fur curled into random corners or stretched out on ledges. Not like he has to worry about predators.

The only place he absolutely will not go near is the laundromat, and even finding himself in the area will earn some narrowed eyes. If you happen to come across him glaring down his building nemesis, be prepared for the glare to be turned on you instead, as Kai does his best impression of having his hackles raised despite the fact that human shoulders don't really work that way. ]

I am not getting in one of those things.

[ No one suggested it....

...did they? ]

[broca]

[ The idea of disliking a regular laundromat seems absurd to Broca. Sure they might not be the most exciting places in the world, but they serve a purpose, and sometimes that's enough.

The idea of disliking this particular laundromat, however? That makes a lot of sense to him, and when Kai makes that comment as he's passing by, Broca turns to look at the building, his own ears flattening back as his eyes narrow. ]

It's not worth the risk.

[ His shirt and pants were almost devoured forever by a wayward dryer, and someone he knew suffered more permanent clothing based casualties.

That might not be what the catman here is talking about, but that's what Broca's immediately assuming he means. ]

[catmemes]

[ The agreement already has him turning in appreciation, but once he recognizes that the sentiment is coming from Broca, his eyes narrow into something that looks like genuine irritation. It takes a lot for Kai to work up to a visible level of emotion, but this might almost be getting him there. ]

Did someone try to put you in a dryer too?

[ He wouldn't put it past them, frankly. Sure everyone's trying to find answers, but. It's a cruel thing to do to anyone, and Kai can't help feeling a degree of camaraderie with a fellow cat that makes him angrier on Broca's behalf. ]

[broca]

[ The shared camaraderie might be appreciated if the question didn't take Broca aback quite as much as it did. A man Broca's size wouldn't even fit in one of those dryers, much less be easy to shove around enough to get him in one. His lack of portability that comes from not having his own small cat form is balanced out by the fact that people absolutely cannot just do that to him.

But his nose wrinkles in disgust as he realizes that someone tried to do that to Kai. ]

Someone did what?

[ So the short answer is no, no one tried to put him in one, but he does appreciate the aversion to laundromats on a new, previously unconsidered level. ]

[coolerjunpei]

[As Junpei does live above the laundromat, he's out and about nearby fairly often - well, as much as "going to the corner store for more cup noodles" can be considered out and about. He knows he should probably get out more, and so he compromises with himself by telling himself he will... not stare at his shoes and scuttle back to the elevator as quickly as possible.

So, it's time to socialize. He sort of meanders in Kai's direction just to say hey, only to come up short when he gets glared at and, what? Accused of dryer crimes? Or something??]

Uh, what the hell? [that's? kind of funny? sorry, he isn't laughing, he's not-] You mean the dryers? Are you okay?

[catmemes]

Eh? [ He stares an unblinking moment longer before seeming to register Junpei, who is definitely not recommending shoving Kai into a small space.

His shoulders slump into something more relaxed, if not slightly chastened. Probably not fair to be taking out his current irritation on anyone, let alone someone who's been pretty nice to him. ]

Oh. I'm okay.

[ He still flicks a narrow-eyed look in the laundromat's direction, but that's not Junpei's fault. ]

Did you need to go in?

[coolerjunpei]

[Kai, buddy... that doesn't seem okay, but Junpei doesn't exactly know him well enough to tell for certain? He knows Kai is an Oddball, but. Hmm!]

To the laundromat? No, not really. I kind of want to keep my shirts this week.

[It's always a toss-up with these machines, and yet he does keep trying. One day they'll give up or he'll learn, whichever's first.]

Were you... Look, this feels like a weird question, but are you afraid of laundromats or something? Totally non-judgmentally.

[open] the belly is(not) a trap

[catmemes]

[ The thing about ice cream is that it is very easy for large chunks of it to end up on the ground where wandering small animals might decide to have a taste. You definitely didn't see it happen, Kai has his dignity, but it could have. Potentially. Look it was colorful and available, what do you want from him.

And maybe it's the sugar influx or maybe he's just in a particularly good mood, because Kai finds himself gravitating towards people. Any people. People are great. Which might be why you've found yourself with a fluffy black tripping hazard suddenly winding around your ankles or else confronted with a fuzzy road block that has appeared to sit directly in front of you and look up expectantly. ]

You should pet me.

[matermali]

[ It had felt impossible to choose a flavor, and Vanessa has been forced into some upsetting considerations in recent days. Considerations about Sir Malcolm's probable death, of enemies hidden among friends, of all the ghosts in this city that she isn't able to see. Such low spirits have subdued her enough for her to utterly abandon any illusion of a fast. Hypocricy at its finest.

Vanessa carries a small tub with her, because nobody is around to judge her and she could not care less if there is some kind of repercussion for taking too much iced cream. It isn't as if she'd taken one from the front; she'd found an empty tub in the back so that she could include samples of each flavor. She shouldn't have to choose, and she doesn't feel like partaking in public at the moment.

It's already late by the time she begins to step down an alley towards a back room she had already scouted earlier in the day. Before she can reach the door, though, she's greeted by a cat. The shock of it stills her. This is the first animal Vanessa has seen in this city, and she watches in wonder while it begins to wind about her ankles to tangle through her skirts. The bewilderment yet grows when she thinks she hears something, but—

Vanessa has heard voices all her life. Voices of spirits — of demons. She stares down at the feline now with a new sense of caution, yet her senses are so dulled at the moment that she can't feel anything more from him than that of a simple cat. Foolishly curious, as she always is with the worst temptations, Vanessa begins to crouch to hold down her fingertips for it to get her scent. ]

Beautiful. Where did you come from?

[catmemes]

[ The outstretched fingers get an almost perfunctory sniff before Kai immediately rubs his face against them, giving a low, pleased rumble at the contact. Why doesn't he do this more often? Sure, people are a lot, but right now all he wants is to be close and to be appreciated and happily that doesn't seem to be too much to ask.

It's only when he's firmly wedged himself closer into her hands that he twists a little to look back up at her. ]

The train. Same as everyone.

[ There are no other animals in the city, he knows that much. Well, that just means more attention for him, doesn't it? ]

[emyoji]

[ Seimei isn't eating the ice cream. Not at the moment, at least. It's definitely intriguing, but if he gets swept up in the experience, then who's to say he'll be sober enough to record the results of all this! He'd much rather take notes before trying anything himself.

Which absolutely means he hurries over to Kai when he spots him wandering up to people, uncharacteristically friendly. He at least has the grace to wait until the cat is alone again before crossing his path. ]

Kaijin-sama! You look like you've been busy out here. Did you find a good bar?

[catmemes]

[ Kai is already heading in the direction of the new person when he realizes who it is, but doesn't bother to stop before headbutting Seimei's leg impatiently. He of all people should know what to do here. ]

What do bars have to do with anything? Pet me.

[ He almost never tries to take a commanding tone with Seimei, largely because he's fairly sure that the onmyouji would make him regret it even if he got what he wanted, but at the moment the cat brain has taken over, and the cat brain demands cuddles.

When none of them seem instantly forthcoming, he knocks his head into Seimei's shin again. ]

[emyoji]

Ah, you're looking very cute today.

[ Obviously he's gotten into something, but it doesn't seem dangerous as far as Seimei can tell. Nothing more than a bruised ego later, surely. He dips down and runs his hand along the length of the cat's back and then scoops him up, holding the little furry form out in front of him at arm's length to examine him. ]

Sure, I'll pet you. But first you have to tell me what you found.

[unrequite]

[ ...........

This is almost certainly a trap. Despite Midnight's best intentions, cats simply tend to rebuff his peace offerings. Well, that, or they tend to see him as an easy target. (He is a rather easy target, at least when it comes to cats.) ]

My friend, I'd love to, but why solicit a pet from a stranger?

[catmemes]

I deserve them.

[ But true as that may be, too focused on his search for contact means that Kai ignores the brief warning signs that come from someone's hesitation and presses in against his leg anyway. And that's fine, for a moment.

Right before the urge becomes one to bite instead, so Kai goes ahead and does that too. But, you know. Lightly. A warning rather than an attempt at damage, because he still wants pets but his instincts are going slightly haywire. ]

Stop moving. [ Being bitten is probably not going to help there, but you try reasoning with a cat. ]

[unrequite]

You do, dear sir, I — ow —

[ Midnight flinches and does have to do his level best not to lash out in return, but lash out he does not. It's completely absurd. He is a tall, strong person, normally very close to indestructible, yet cats sense his reluctance to harm them no matter what they do, so they cat all over him. There is literally no winning here. ]

If I sit here and pet you, can you please promise not to touch the face? I like being able to see.

[ And because he is also a bit of a wreck, he collapses down, just right there on the curb outside the ice cream parlor, and holds his hand out for the cat to sniff. Look, he knows the rules, all right? It isn't his fault if they never work for him. ]

[keepgodwaiting]

[ Jo should really look where she's going, instead of at her phone. Especially when there are cats around. ]

Shit--!

[ WHY ARE YOU AROUND HER ANKLES. Constantine manages not to kick him, but only barely, and the sight of her staggering to find her balance is extremely inelegant. ]

[catmemes]

[ Large as he is, Kai still has the cat ability to turn into a liquid when he wants, and somehow manages not to get caught up in Jo's stumbling. He does wait for a slightly impatient moment or two until she seems steady before pressing in again.

What, she's warned now. It's her own fault for not paying attention to him, probably. ]

[keepgodwaiting]

Christ!

[ She glowers down at him, confused as much as anything. ]

What are you trying to do, kill people?

[cranekin]

( Tsurumaru isn’t the type to give personal answers. If you asked him what his favorite food was, he would simply say something along the lines of, “Something that goes well with tea.” But it never takes long for one to figure out that Tsurumaru Kuninaga is fond of sweets. Of course he would be drawn to the ice creams. There are flavors here he’s never seen before. He didn’t know food could be some of these colors. One of those ice creams is the color of a rainbow!!!

But before he can really let himself get distracted, he feels something brush up against his leg and when he looks down, he decides this is much better than ice cream, )

Koneko-chan! ( Ah, he kneels down instantly, reaching out with both of his hands to floof Kai’s fluffy face, ) Ah, you’re in a good mood today.

( Come closer so he can really spoil him. )

[catmemes]

[ And Kai immediately shoots forward into Tsurumaru's grip, accepting the attention as what's due to him. Should it feel weird that he really wants people he doesn't know that well to touch him? Probably. Is he going to let it bother him at the moment? Absolutely not. At least Tsurumaru is someone he recognizes.

Instead he winds as close as he possibly can with a low rumble that he won't admit is a purr even under these circumstances. ]

I want attention.

[ It's as close as he can come to actually parsing what's happening right now, nevermind that his cat brain is interpreting the need to be affectionate as the need for people to be affectionate to him. Close enough? ]

[cranekin]

So demanding today!

(Compared to how aloof he'd been before! If Kai lets him, he'll even scoop him up in his arms and carry him... otherwise he'll just keep petting him, floofing him up, giving him scritches, and just generally spoiling one sweet, good, adorable cat.)

My, what's got you in a good mood today?

[justscribing]

Hm? [The existence of a cat at all gets Alhaitham's attention with the distinct lack of animals about the city. So he stops and lets Kaijin slink around his legs.

And then the cat talks, and Alhaitham's brow raises in muted surprise.]

You're not a cat at all, are you? [But he comes down to a crouch to stroke Kaijin's head regardless.] Not a normal one anyway.

[catmemes]

What's normal?

[ It comes out a little grumbly, but it's hard to be genuinely annoyed with hands in his fur exactly the way he wants. He butts up into the hand, a wordless demand for more pressure.

Also it's true, so. ]

Not a cat. Youkai.

[justscribing]

Youkai, huh? [He's familiar, though he's never met one before. That's actually a more expected explanation than 'just a cat', in this case.

He gives Kaijin a few firm strokes down his head and back.]