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[ seimei is aware that it’s humiliating to not want to be left alone. he’s an independent sort of person and hates to rely on others, especially soubi, but the fact is that he needs to control something. ]

…

[ without warning, he leaps up onto soubi’s shoulder to test his balance, claws digging into both shirt and skin. ]

[He flinches, not really expecting it and it does hurt. But like most pain, he takes it in stride.]

Are you comfortable?

[He tries to make as much room as possible for Seimei. It feels weird to have a cat on your shoulders and he tries to walk with him.] Can you hold on?

[ as soubi walks, seimei’s claws dig in deeper. they don’t give him much more balance in reality, but they do serve to assure that if seimei were to slip and fall, he could probably take off soubi’s whole arm with him. ]

Mrr.

[ he’s not comfortable, but it’s better than being left. ]

[Cat claws in his shirt, into his skin, isn't comfortable. But it's bearable. Seimei is probably terrified of falling off anyway, Soubi thinks.

All of this is so bizarre, though.

Cordis always brings unwanted attention because of the pheromones. By now, Soubi has learned that he just needs to ignore everybody which he does. Even the people who seem to want to pet Seimei, Soubi acts like he didn't hear them. Seimei would probably kill him if he let somebody pet him if they didn't end up dead themselves. So far, so good but Soubi almost wonders if a grocery store will let him in with a cat on his shoulders but a lot of weird things are allowed here and so he gets in with a cat on his shoulders.

At the grocery store, he's still not entirely sure what to buy for Seimei. Fish but what else? Chicken, he guesses. He's avoided meat while being here, very unsure of where it's coming from, but it's Cordis. Seimei needs to eat.

So fish and chicken it is and so that's most of what he buys. Someone is offering him a free sample for some fish thing and he checks it out before giving it to Seimei before they leave the store.]

That wasn't so bad.

[ except seimei has managed to stress himself out with all the people around. he didn’t think that being in a smaller body would affect him that much, but there’s something extraordinarily frightening about being tiny in a crowd of people going about their day.

he refuses to let soubi see that part of him, but his tail is bristled as it drapes over soubi’s shoulder.

he licks his teeth clean of the treat he’s been given, and huffs. his claws flex in soubi’s shoulder, a displeased response to his commentary—although seimei is the one who chose to come, and soubi has nothing to do with seimei’s feelings, he’ll take it out on his fighter anyway. ]

…

[Isn't that how it always goes? Soubi's tail swishes when he realizes how annoyed Seimei is.]

We're done now, at least. We can go back home.

[And at least the trip back is uneventful and Soubi even gets him a can of tuna fish for all the trouble.

As his own stomach growls loudly. He hasn't eaten and he frowns. Seimei should be fine for now, right?]

[ seimei jumps down from soubi’s shoulders as soon as he’s able, and since he can’t wash his hands—he knows enough about cats to be aware that water will only make it worse—he’s forced to immediately start cleaning his face using his paws. ]

Mrrup.

[ he heard soubi’s stomach growl, but he’s still hungry. between being cordis and being a cat, he probably won’t ever not be hungry. ]

[Seimei is cute.

That thought enters Soubi's head and he immediately stops. This is horrible. He had prepared to make his own breakfast but when he looks, Seimei has already eaten everything.

So Soubi gives him three cans. That should buy him some time to make something.]

[ luckily, there’s a physical barrier to overcome in eating three cans of anything. it takes him enough time to actually consume it that soubi is allowed to prepare his own breakfast in the meantime. following his natural instinct to clean, though, seimei tries to pick up one of the cans in his mouth to carry it to the sink. ]

…

[ he gets as far as the edge of the countertop, from where he would need to jump to the sink, before he realizes this is a stupid endeavor, and he feels stupid for doing it. ]

[Soubi's glad for the break. He didn't know how much longer he could have gone without eating and becoming weak. At that point, he wouldn't have been useful to Seimei at all. When he finishes prepping his meal, he sees the trouble the other is going through. Reaching for the can, he holds his hand out.]

I know you prefer to clean but since you're unable to, please allow me. I'll work hard.

[ seimei puffs up briefly with an annoyed breath. somehow, it’s harder to hide his emotions in this little body, even though cats should technically be incapable of emoting in ways that people are used to. ]

…

[ he reluctantly lets go of the can, and turns his head to point out the others. even if they’re just going to be recycled, they should be cleaned first. ]

Mrah.

[Seimei's annoyed but Soubi doesn't really know what else he could possibly do. After all, he's trying to be thoughtful and look out for him as best he can as his fighter and Seimei being a cat.

But also Soubi can barely sort his trash out properly so that's something to consider.

He takes the cans and doesn't wash them. He just dumps them in the recycling. Oops.]

[ NO ]

Mrrrrr!

[ it’s the most urgent seimei has sounded since he became a cat, and probably more urgent than he’s ever sounded as a human. ]

Meow!

[That is easily the loudest he's heard Seimei and he sounds so upset that Soubi stares.

But he also has no idea what he did wrong.]

What's wrong? Did I put it in the wrong place? [They didn't have to sort here, did they? Nobody did.

But then it seemed possible that maybe he was supposed to and he had been ignoring this.]

[ being both a cat and cordis, if soubi doesn’t clean properly, the smell is going to drive seimei insane. the knowledge alone is bad enough. ]

…

[ seimei makes the leap over to the sink and swats at it with his paw, turning on the water indignantly. ]

Oh, are you thirsty?

[He goes to get the same bowl from earlier to fill it for Seimei.

And still has no idea what Seimei actually wants.]

Meeeeow!

[ seimei doesn’t know how to communicate. he can yell all he wants to, but that doesn’t actually make him any more intelligible than before. he raises a paw at the water bowl, like he’s going to swat that away too, but his human intelligence at least allows him to realize that’s not going to get him what he wants.

his ears flatten. ]

[Soubi is good at orders. His entire existence is meant to follow them. Right now, Seimei cannot give them but Soubi knows Seimei is still trying in his own way.

And Soubi is failing and he does not like this. Probably not as much as Seimei is unhappy with him and that hurts, too. He needs to be more useful.]

If it would make you feel better to spill it then you should. I'll clean it. Or you can scratch me again.

[ it’s such a small thing, but if seimei can’t communicate small things, how in the world is he supposed to explain to soubi anything more than hunger? he realizes this must be the moon, and only temporary at that, but the idea of being stuck like this for a whole cycle is miserable.

he knocks the bowl. it jostles, enough to spill a little, but seimei’s self-control keeps him from throwing it all to the ground. ]

…

[Soubi feels pity for Seimei and that's really not right. Never has he felt pity and he shouldn't feel it for Seimei of all people. He stares at the water bowl and then tries again.]

Can you point to me with your paw what's wrong? You're not thirsty.

[ it’s hard to point. seimei can, but he feels distinctly unbalanced when he tries to direct himself… so it takes him a few moments to calibrate his tiny cat body, and then he points to the remaining cans.

when he puts his paw down, he stumbles a little. mortifying. ]

[Well. He definitely shouldn't make Seimei point again.

It takes Soubi a moment. It's about the cans and he had turned on the water. What did the two have in common...

Oh. He could remember that annoying neighbor of his complaining he didn't wash out his cans and things and they attracted bugs. She complained when he didn't sort properly as well.]

You want me to wash the cans, right? I'm sorry.

[But at least he's getting the cans and taking them out, finally washing them of remaining food.] I'll try to do better for you.

Mrrm.

[ soubi’s got it, so seimei finally makes a satisfied noise and perches on the edge of the sink. he’s going to observe soubi while he washes them—and because he can’t stop himself, he’s subtly purring when the water turns off. ]

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