Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Takemichi awoke from another failed attempt at saving his friends. Nothing new, maybe disappointing, but he’s done this more times than he can count.

However… something didn’t feel right, he couldn’t put his finger on it but something's definitely up.

He opened his eyes and looked around the room. It looks the same as it did last time he went to the past, but it seems way too big.

He shifts and looks down to see… ARE THOSE PAWS-.

He shot up to his feet- paws? And immediately collapsed, not used to the entire four legs thing.

After a while of trial and error he learned the basics of being a… he didn’t know exactly what he is yet but he’s a small fluffy animal so-.

As he was brainstorming what creature he could be he heard a buzz from his nightstand and shifted to look at his phone. There was a message from chifuyu. He unlocked the phone with his small paws, surprised they actually worked on the screen, and read it.

“Oh no- '' His partner was coming over, and not only him but apparently others as well.

He panicked and jumped from his bed quickly padding into the bathroom and jumping onto the counter to look in the mirror. Once he looked into the reflective object he let out a small gasp.

“I’m so adorable now-“ A black and yellow cat stared back at him, small blue eyes sparkled as he stared at the sight in the mirror. The pale yellow and black fur shifted as he remembered his predicament and quickly shifted off of the bathroom counter to go look around the house for anything that could help, checking the lock on his door on the way.

After a while of searching and having no luck there was a knock at his door. A feeling of dread hit him like a truck. They had already arrived and he was still a cat. He quickly ran to his room and grabbed his phone before shifting to hide under the bed with it.

He, after a few times of typing incorrect letters because he has paws instead of fingers now, texted chifuyu back giving an excuse that he isn’t home right now and apologizing for not texting sooner. After a few minutes the aggressive banging on the door stopped and he got a text back ‘oh? But we heard noise inside?’ He panicked again, struggling to come up with an excuse. ‘Uh- could be my cat ig?’ He typed in a hurry already hearing the banging beginning again. ‘Partner you have a cat and you never told me????!!’ He sighed with relief at that before he realized something and typed down another message. ‘Yeah got it recently it kept following me around anyways you can go in if you brought your key and play with it or something’ He muttered a few praises to his past self for getting his friend a key before he heard the sound of the door opening and multiple people entering.

He quickly hid the phone upside down and behind some stuff under the bed before padding out of the room. He turned a corner to enter the living room and was met with three delinquents.

Baji bolted in his direction as soon as he saw him kneeling down and petting him surprisingly gently for how aggressive he is normally. Chifuyu followed quickly, picking him up gently and cooing at him as kazutora shifted over to scratch at his chin. He suddenly let out a loud string of purrs, surprising both himself and the other three at how loud it was (also he just purred- that’s so embarrassing).

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The sudden sound of motorcycles startled him letting out a small hiss and leaping from his partner's arms he fled under his couch, letting out small growls and crouching ready to run. Baji clearly fuming stomped out to the front door followed by the duel haired boy, Chifuyu trying to coax him out still.

Baji stumbled back grumbling as he was followed by Mikey and Draken. Mikey mutters something about them being here before him before looking around in confusion. “Where’s Takemitchi?” Chifuyu raised a brow at him and turned from his spot in front of the couch he was hiding under. “You didn't text him before coming? He said he’s out of the house right now.” Now it was Mikey’s turn to raise a brow at chifuyu. “Then how and why are you here?” Baji let out a triumphant chuckle at that “Chifuyu here has a key and we got permission to hang out with his cat, which you two’s loud bikes scared under the damn couch.

The black haired delinquent shifted to kneel next to chifuyu coaxing Takemichi out from under the couch. “Baji-San.” Chifuyu said panickedly as he looked at Mikey who glared back. “Anyways. He has a cat? This is news to me.” Draken piped up looking to where the two were crouching near the couch.

Takemichi, now calmer, slunk out from under the couch before being grabbed by baji and held protectively.

Mikey let out a gasp before suddenly he was right in front of Takemichi who let out a small mew of surprise. Baji took a step back however it was futile as Takemichi was suddenly lifted into the air again by Mikey, who held him under the arms and looked at him with sparkles in his obsidian eyes.

“Hey!-“ Baji began to yell before remembering how skittish the cat got last time there was a loud noise. “Don’t do that you’ll hurt em’ ” He grumbled to the short blond holding Takemichi.

Suddenly Takemichi was being held by Draken who held him like a baby. Takemichi shifted onto his paws and scooted onto his shoulder in an attempt to not get grabbed anymore as his head spun from all of the sudden movement.

Draken let out a low chuckle as he looked at the others who stared in jealousy before speaking. “So do any of you know the cat's name?” Suddenly the room went silent and apparently his walls, floor and ceiling were a lot more interesting than the conversation. Even Takemichi was struck with the realization that he, as a cat, did not have a name.

He sat on Drakens shoulder for a few minutes contemplating what to do before remembering his appearance and shifted slightly to jump down onto the couch. He then padded over to kazutora and jumped onto his shoulder tapping at the tattoo on his neck gently.

Chifuyu raised a brow at this looking between the tattoo of a Tiger and the cat. “Can he understand or something?” Takemichi let out a satisfied meow settling on the duel haired boys shoulder now just to relax.

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After a few hours of the group of toman delinquents playing with the cat they began to leave, making sure that cat stayed in the house.

After the last of the boys left Takemichi slumped down onto his bed,exhausted from days events. “Let’s hope whatever this is ware’s off by tomorrow, or even better I wake up and realize it’s a stupid dream” Takemichi huffed as he began to doze off.

The next morning the boy woke with a start, the sound of loud knocking echoing through the house. Panicking Takemichi slithered under the bed to check if someone texted him only to realize the device was dead, and he had no thumbs to help him plug it in- plus if one of the people now pretty much forcing the door open saw it but not his human body they would be concerned.

Heaving a sigh the, now cat, boy snuck from under the bed to go see who had forced their way into the house via his front door.

To his surprise it wasn’t Mikey, or even one of the other toman executives. In his living room sat izana and kakuchou looking around, seemingly for his human self.

Letting out a loud meow with an almost scolding tone to it, Takemichi batted the door closed and turned to see the two boys looking at him with puzzled expressions.

Heaving an internal sigh for what felt like the hundredth time in just two days he padded over to kakucho’s leg and head butted it with a small chirp. Izana looked between the cat and his confused servant before reaching a hand out to the pale yellow and black cat.

Takemichi shifted over and rubbed against his hand before jumping up beside him on the couch. Izana pulled out his phone probably to ask where he was, to which Takemichi internally cringed.

Kakuchou shuffled around the house searching, again, probably for him. Suddenly Takemichi was lifted up and sat on the white haired delinquents lap, a hand running though his fur soothingly.

A purr rumbled from takemichis throat, at this point used to making the sounds a cat makes instead of talking. He heard Kakucho enter the room once more and, cracking an eye open after closing it due to izanas petting, saw him shake his head.

Izana let out a huff and turned back to his phone typing something. After a few minutes of Takemichi being petted and scratched by the two delinquents the sounds of people and motorcycles sounded outside.

Takemichi jumped slightly at the sudden and loud banging on his door, the two boys on either side of his gave him reassuring pats and kakuchou stood to open the door for the sudden visitors.

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As soon as the door was opened in came takemichis ex, whom he had broken up with on good terms, and her girlfriend.

Hina and Emma shot around the house and then came back to the living room, clearly distressed.

Others began entering quickly after some also checked around the house, which confused Takemichi slightly though he guessed they were looking for him.

The first to enter after the couple were the former black dragon executives, Shinichirou leading them into the house hurriedly.

Quickly after toman arrived, followed by a few whom Takemichi was too preoccupied to identify. As soon as Mikey entered he snatched Takemichi off of izanas lap, holding him protectively away from his older brother. He was then snatched from the gang leader's hands by Hina who attempted to calm him down from the continuous surprises.

Takemichi, now a cat, panicked slightly and wriggled in an attempt to get away without hurting the girl. As she attempted to place him down he was grabbed by Baji and placed on the black haired boy's shoulder. However he was, yet again, snatched by wakasa. Who quickly hid in a corner with him before anyone could realize he had taken the cat.

He sat completely still, the older holding and petting him as he watched the chaos that is the gangs.

Slowly calming down from being grabbed and yanked from person to person he overheared the conversation in front of him. “Where do you think he went?” “No idea but nothing here seems to be gone other than his phone and obviously him…” “even the cats still here so he couldn’t have moved or anything” “he texted me yesterday but that was the last contact with him from me…” along with many other statements and questions echoed through the room as he calmed down and relaxed into wakasas hold.

However tensing when he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly stood and shuffled away from the crowded room running for his bedroom as soon as he was free from the threat of being stepped on.

He hid under the bed desperately trying to see if maybe his phone just turned off and it wasn’t dead. As he fiddles with the buttons he accidentally pushes too hard with his paws causing the device to fling out from under the bed, just as someone entered the room.

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Takemichi quickly shifts into a far corner in an attempt to hide from the person who entered the room. There’s a suffocating silence as the person reaches down to grab the phone and look it over. A few others got curious at the odd silence from the person who was just talking moments before and wandered over to see what happened only to fall into the tense silence as well.

Takemichi panicked under the bed, shaking hard and breath ragged as he shifted further into a ball. The boy, turned cat, was on the verge of tears before the silence was broken, and suddenly there was too much noise. Between the yelling and loud running around in an attempt to see if he was in fact still here, Takemichi failed to notice the person reaching to grab him out from under the bed.

The cat let out a loud hiss and writhed in the person's claws digging into their arms and hands in an attempt to escape. The person,however, was patient and calmed him down slowly. Takemichi realized it was Koko and relaxed slightly, however his breathing was still ragged, which concerned the boy holding him.

As he began to calm down enough to recognize his surroundings, he realized the person who found his phone was none other than Mikey.

A fresh bout of panic crashed over him. He quickly curled into a tight ball in Kokos hold. With a sigh the boy placed him on his bed and turned to join the growing group of people in the other places around the house.

Many of the delinquents were calling upon their subordinates to create search parties for the ‘missing’ Takemichi. Little did they know he was there the whole time.

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After what felt like hours of hiding under the blankets and pillows of his bed to avoid the noise and panic around his house, the multitude of gang executives began to calm down, or atleast get quieter with their panic.

Takemichi slowly emerged from his comfortable hideout to see what was going on outside. As he quietly slunk out from under the blankets he looked round finding no one in his room. Deciding to leave the room and go to the living room after the protests of his stomach, he realized he hadn't eaten since turning into a cat.

As he exited the room he saw that most of the executives were still in the living room, save for a few who went to help in the search. It seemed they were having a meeting of sorts to gain at least an idea of where Takemichi could be. At this thought the black and yellow cat internally cringed.
As he snuck into the living room he accidentally bumped against someone's leg. As he fell back onto his tail he yelped slightly and jumped up only to be grabbed, supposedly by the person that he bumped into. He looked up at the person holding him, he saw a black mask, he craned his neck to look at the rest of his features to confirm his suspicions. He was greeted by the teal eyes of Sanzu looking down at him, the boy holding him let out a small huff and patted his head before looking back to the meeting. Takemichi let out a little purr and culled up in the delinquents arms, twisting his ears to listen to the meeting.

“How in the hell did Chifuyu get a text if the phone was here then?” “Perhaps he returned home and left the phone?” “But he would have told us if he was leaving for a long period of time…”

Takemichi cringed internally again at the words he heard, knowing he was, in fact, still here just, for unknown reasons, a cat. He shifted in Sanzus grasp climbing up onto his shoulder to look at the gang leaders as they talked. Sanzu patted his head again scratching behind his ears momentarily before focusing on the meeting again.

After the impromptu meeting the leaders stood turning to leave before noticing the cat on Sanzus shoulder, this earned the two raised brows. Mikey, sneaky as ever, snatched Takemichi off of his shoulder and held him like a baby. This earned the short blond many sighs from most of the people in the room.

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After a few days of the gang executives sleeping in Takemichi's living room, (they refused to leave unless they were searching for Takemichi) and Takemichi himself still being a cat after about a week, he got fed up and decided he would at least try to tell them.

Keyword: try. Every Time he tried to tell them by pointing with his paw to a picture and then him, or one of the many other methods, they misunderstood.

By now Takemichi was very frustrated, almost to the point of tears, and the gangs were not doing much better since they couldn't find Takemichi.

And since Takemichi couldn't talk due to being a cat, he would have to come up with even more ideas to tell the gangs, or he could give up and just live like a cat but he couldn't stand how depressed the others looked so that was out of the question at the moment.

Takemichi finally got an idea and ran to his room, one of the many people who had been searching had plugged his phone in so he just snatched it off the charger and bolted under the bed.

He began to type, once again to Chifuyu since his contact was still open on the phone. ‘Partner’ before sending it. He quickly heard a large commotion in the living room and multiple people running for the room.

When they arrived they noticed that the phone was nowhere to be seen and began searching. Takemichi quickly crawled out from under the bed with the phone in his grasp.

He let out a loud frustrated chirp and dropped the phone before typing ‘cat’ to Chifuyu. Who had his contact open and was at the doorway.

Suddenly the bleached blond looked up and locked eyes with him. Takemichi patted at the phone a few times with a huff and pushed it towards the boy.

Chifuyu let out a confused noise and grabbed Baji's, who was next to him, arm before pointing to Takemichi and showing the message he received.

Takemichi let out another huff noise, still frustrated and began to type again as they watched in disbelief.

Chifuyu looked down to see the message ‘its me’ and saw a deadpan look on the cat's face, who let out a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh.

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The first thing Takemichi saw was Baji, who was now looking over Chifuyu’s shoulder, turning bright red and leaning against the wall for support. The second was Chifiyu dropping his phone and shakily walking over to him and falling to his knees to hold the small fluffy body of Takemichi to his chest in a hug.

The rest of the group jumped at this and frantically looked around, Baji pointed shakily to the phone as he stumbled over to join Chifuyu in hugging Takemichi.

Takemichi purred happily and nuzzled into the affection as he heard the sounds of surprise from the group looking at the phone and the messages before they turned and either joined the hug or ran out to inform the rest of the searching or sleeping group.

After a long and emotional reunion (could it be called a reunion if he was there all along? Eh he'll think about that later.), Takmeichi was given his phone back so he could answer some of the groups questions about the entire situation.

“When did it even happen? And why didn't you tell us when it did?” He hears Shinichiro question calmly, or well as calmly as one who just found out someone they were close to got turned into a cat can be.

He began typing with some difficulty, once again because of the paws. Eventually an automated voice rang out in the silence that had settled onto the group.

“The same day Chifuyu and Baji found out I had a cat, it was only a little bit before they had arrived, actually. And i didn't tell you because i didn't think it would last this long, i was planning on coming up with some excuse like i gave the cat away and before had gone on some sort of family trip and that's why i wasn't here. Or something of the sort.”

There was a bit of laughter before Koko spoke up suddenly. “That explains the panicked cat after we found the phone.” The ravenet sounded amused as he showed the large amount of healing or healed cat scratches covering his arms and hands.

Takemichi winced and started typing again, the automated voice sounding quickly after. “Yeah.. sorry about that at the moment i wasn't aware of my surroundings.” Koko just waved off the apology with another amused huff and patted his head gently before letting someone else ask another question.

Takemichi let out a yawn and stood from where he sat on the windowsill, most of the delinquents asleep on the seats and floor of the living room. He padded over to where Shinichiro slept on a couch flopping onto the older man's chest with a small huff, him being one of the only few awake at the moment and the closest.

He heard an amused chuckle and felt the other begin scratching behind his ears and petting him slowly, also clearly about to fall asleep as Takemichi began to purr quietly and doze off.

The next morning Takemichi awoke to hushed bickering and yawned quietly lifting his head sleepily from where it had been buried in the eldest sano child's arm. And hearing the annoyed but hushed words being exchanged quiet and stop as they noticed he awoke.

Takemichi lazily flicked an ear and looked around, curling slightly into the warmth of Shinichirou's chest once again.

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“No fairrrrr… how come he gets all the cuddles?” Takemichi hears Mikey complain from the background as he happily lazes with the older sano sibling. A few others including, surprisingly Izana and Senju, agree as he yawns and stretches.

He gives an amused huff, the older man chuckling at his siblings and the others' antics before he gently holds the fluffy body of Takemichi and sits up.

Takemichi gives a small trill and shifts out of his grasp to go wander over to Kakucho and sit with him for a bit. The scarred boy gives a soft smile and moves his arms so that he can flop onto his legs until he wakes up more.

Takemichi distantly hears a gasp of betrayal from Izana and a whine from an impatient Mikey as he sits contently with his childhood friend and blinks the sleep from his eyes.

As Izana came closer to either steal (or pet) the cat, or complain that his servant is getting all the attention Takemichi sits up, now more awake and reaches up to Izana to bop him on the nose playfully.

This earns a stunned stop from the white haired boy as he stares at Takemichi and lifts a hand up to his nose.

He gives a chirp that sounds a lot like a laugh and jumps down from Kakucho to go attempt to find some snacks in the kitchen.

As he makes his way into the kitchen he hears Mikey’s hysterical laughter and a few others chuckling at Izana, he smiles internally at this and quickly arrives at the kitchen.

As he entered he spotted Mitsuya, who seemed to be gathering ingredients to make some food for the large group of delinquents. He gave a happy trill and pranced over to rub against his leg in greeting.

Mitsuya gave a chuckle and leaned down to pat his head gently before continuing his work. Takemichi shifted to sit on one of the chairs and watch him from there, carefully not to get in the way.

After he finished cooking Mitsuya plated the food and pushed it over to Takemichi, they had already confirmed that he could eat what normal people eat and isn’t restricted to the diet of a cat luckily.

The others smelled the food and began drifting in to grab their own plates hungrily before either grabbing a seat near Takemichi or shifting out to the living room.

Takemichi ate his food quickly and made his way to the living room once again.

He saw Senju sitting with Hina and Emma made his way over to the three with a chirp, jumping up to sit beside the Brahaman leader and listen to their conversation as Senju gently scratched at his chin.

Yazuha arrived at some point and joined them, running a hand down Takemichis back as she conversed with the other three.

Eventually Senju shifted Takemichi onto her lap and Yazuha scooted closer as the four girls seemingly created a cat brush and other items for his fur from thin air and began grooming him gently.

After his little makeover he wandered away to go see what was going on outside of the house, slipping out through the almost always open, during the day, door.

As he padded out he noticed a few people sitting on lawn chairs, that had probably been brought during the search at some point, and either talking or just sleeping in the warm sun.

He spots the Haitani brothers sitting a bit further away from most of the others and talking about stuff leisurely as they bask in the sun and makes his way over to them.

He gives a little chirp and jumps up onto the arm of the hair that Ran is sitting on and gets grabbed and placed on his chest. He purrs and lies down as they continue their earlier conversation with the older brother gently petting him.

He eventually registers the sun setting before falling asleep to the rhythmic breathing and hushed voices around him.

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Takemichi wakes on his bed, the house is quiet save for some gentle snoring and the sound of shifting bodies in the living room and floor of his room.

He yawns and notices it sounds distinctly less cat-like than before and his head snaps down only to be disappointed by fluffy legs and claw tipped paws.

Hanagaki slowly stands and stretches his lanky feline body before hopping off the bed and landing silently on the floor between Mikey and Chifuyu’s sleeping forms. He quietly creeps to the cracked open door and bats it ajar enough to slip through before wandering towards the rest of the group.

He finds a rare sight there, it seems like everyone was asleep this time. That’s good some have been skipping sleep too often due to his current predicament so they deserve some rest.

He makes his way to the kitchen and hops onto the counter and then the window sill to look outside. The window was open and letting in a cool breeze, the quiet sounds of the city filtering in calmingly and Takemichi sighs as he looks out at the lights not far off.

As much as he likes relaxing like this he hopes whatever it is wears off, he desperately prays it’s not just a dream his brain has let him stay in for far too long after the stress of time leaping.

That would explain the inconsistencies and things he doesn't remember doing or people alive he had not saved…

He had thought of the possibility of this being a dream before, back when it was more a nightmare in his mind, then he had hoped that he would awaken to find himself back in his human body and with everyone safe.

Now? Now he had everyone here and safe, even those he couldn’t save before due to the limits on his time leaping like Baji and Shinichiro. Even if he wasn’t human and couldn’t speak with them this was the best timeline so far and it was just too good to be true.

He had thought about those previously unable to be saved suddenly being here and just as protective of him as those he was actively trying to keep safe or save, but it wasn’t in detail due to being more preoccupied with informing everyone he wasn’t dead or kidnapped and then trying to figure out what was happening and how to become human again.

He just wanted everyone to be alive; he didn't care if that meant he had to be a cat or be dead now so long as they were happy and healthy. Though he would definitely prefer his old body back and to be with them for as long as possible while happy and healthy but beggars can’t be choosers so he will take what he can get.

Takemichi was broken from his depressing spiral of thought as footsteps sluggishly stumbled into the kitchen, followed soon after by a yawn from the person entering.

He looked over with wide eyes and perked ears to see a very tired Mitsuya staring back.

“Mitsuya you're awake already?” He said mostly out of reflex though expecting it to come out as a series of cat noises. However both of them jumped at the horse and scratchy Japanese that filtered from his mouth.

Mitsuya seemed to be snapped awake and Takemichi’s fur stood on end as he sat on the window sill still as a statue.

“I- wha- I can- you-“ He stuttered out looking towards the stunned purple haired teen before him.

“Takemichi, you can talk again?!” The other whisper yelled just loud enough that it wouldn’t wake the others but got the point across to his ,currently feline, friend.

“I- I guess I can now???” He murmured voice breaking and cracking with disuse.

The other quickly padded over on quiet feet, a thing he picked up from having younger siblings, and scooped Takemichi up looking him over with thinly veiled concern.

Takemichi let himself be poked, prodded, and manhandled to the others' content so he would calm down as he tried to figure out what was going on himself.

“I- m-maybe whatever turned you into a cat is fading away?” The other muttered gently as he looked down at the yellow and black cat in his arms.

Takemichi, taking a slow breath, gave a slow nod. “Maybe… I hope so…” He breathed out as his ears shifted backwards a bit in slight apprehension for what exactly that meant.

Chapter Text

Takemichi was practically smothered to death by everyone once they found out, those who went home at some point returning, and Takemichi was sure every inch of space in his house was covered with people.

‘That would be a bitch to clean up later…’ He thought to himself tiredly as he looked at the many teens and even adults crowding his livingroom.

They where all very excited at the fact that Takemichi was able to speak to them now, unfortunately this came with more teasing as well.

“So, tiger huh?” A grinning Kazutora chirped at him.

Takemichis head whipped around, all wide eyes and pinned ears of shock and horror.

The group around them cackled like hyenas at his reaction and the reminder of the, frankly embarrassing, name he had chosen when he first became a cat.

“Hey! In my defense I thought this was like, a one day thing and I could pass it off as cat sitting or something!” He whined at them. He is positive he is blushing through his fur like in some cheesy manga Chifuyu would read.

A hand ruffled his ears and he was hoisted up into said boy's arms. “We know partner, your just easy to tease and it’s fun!” He giggled. GIGGLED. Takemichi was SO going to claw up the sweater he left in his room for that.

He sent the other what he would like to say was a scathing glare but clearly came across as a cute, pouty cat glare and only made the people around him coo and pinch his cheeks.

He was going to be petty and claw the toilet paper up once they looked away just for the embarrassment they have made him endure throughout this…

It was nice though, not having to deal with typing into his phone or playing charades to communicate with them, it was almost like things where back to normal.

Almost. He was still a tiny blond and black cat just with the ability to speak Japanese now.

Takemichi wriggled free from the many arms and hands grabbing and petting to hop to the door, he was met with the girls gathered by the door who jumped slightly when they noticed him.

“Takemichi! How are you? We heard you can talk now!” Chirped one of them, he couldn’t quite pinpoint who with how many people where there and the fact he was suddenly picked up again.

God once he regained his human form he would be so much nicer to cats if this was how it felt being coddled and picked up constantly…

“Yeah I can! And I’m doing good how are you guys?” He replied instead of voicing his annoyances flicking an ear when manicured fingers scratched lightly behind it.

He ended up chattering with them for a while before they allowed him free passage through his own door and into the fresh air, it was stifling in there full of teenage gang members and high school boys and a few adult gang members but they where no better.

Once he, finally, made it outside of his house he noticed that a lot of others where following his example, thank god.

After checking up on him and chatting for a bit many made to leave, having work, gang matters, school, or just personal obligations to deal with outside of himself. It was nice to see them though he’s glad they all stopped by even if they kind of destroyed his house.

Over the next few days things settled down luckily and the excitement that came with his regained voice died down as well. Things where returning back to normal-ish now.

Takemichi was currently dozing off on Mikey’s lap as the other chatters with some of the other gang members about current happenings, a hand running along his back comfortably.

Apparently quite a lot had happened since he had been unceremoniously dumped into the body of a house cat.

Luckily his home was not used for the gang wars though he would have definitely cried if they had done that.

They where talking about some rumors going around about certain gangs forming alliances and such even a few about suddenly broken alliances, Takemichi hopes it doesn’t undo all his hard work…

Chapter Text

It was about a week and a half after Takemichi had regained his ability to speak that he awoke to the sound of someone wrenching his bedroom window open and climbing through with all the grace of a concussed hippo.

He had turned his head and sat up with a yawn, believing it to be one of his friends drunk off their ass or just being stupid when he froze at the sight of wide open golden eyes and a too big for comfort grin looking directly at him.

Shuji Hanma. Kisakis favorite tool, and a son of a bitch that ended up causing a lot of problems before in past timelines.

With a loud curse and the sound of claws scrabbling across the bedframe and mattress, he knows for a fact his bed is probably torn apart but he can get new whatever if he lives through this, he bolts for the slightly ajar door intending to yowl loud enough to wake the neighbors to get one of the few sleeping gangsters in his living room and guest rooms to come help.

Unfortunately he barely makes it half way and a deep inhale before hes snatched up by the freakishly tall boy. Before he can shriek, the other uses his free hand to clamp his muzzle shut. Takamichi attempts to claw at his hand but the other just chuckles about it. As he glared up at the, frankly insane but so are most of the others if hes being honest, gangster the other spoke in a light voice just quiet enough that the people outside wouldn't hear.

“So its true that the famed crybaby hero turned into a kitty huh?”

Takemichi just growled at his tail, puffed up to nearly the same size as him, lashed back and forth where his body dangled from the one handed grip on his scruff. Hes not sure what the guy was trying to accomplish seeing as he still had a tight grip on Takemichis muzzle but if hes gonna talk to himself who's Takemichi to judge him.

The other giggled at his reaction eyes damn near lighting up as he looked at him and suddenly Takemichi was very much judging him in every way possible, fuck all of this, fuck Hanma talking to himself, fuck whatever turned him into a cat, fuck Kisaki for sending Hanma here (because he KNOWS it was that bastard), and fuck him for thinking he wouldnt get attacked since he was a cat thats just asking for a beating damn it!

Takemichi let out a much louder gowl noise, one of the ones you hear when cats start a fight with each other that sound kinda terrifying, and realized he might still have a chance at getting someone with thumbs and an ability to kick ass in here yet.

He heard a loud snort that comes with someone stopping their snoring and made the noise again, unfortunately Hanma seems to have heard it too as he clicked his tongue and shook Takemichi in such a way that had his head spinning even after he stopped. Though it seems Takemichis efforts weren't for naught as it took the time his assailant reached the window to climb back out for Baji to walk head first into the door and open it the rest of the way.

The two stared at each other with wide eyes for a few moments, seemingly frozen, before Baji lunged at them and Hanma threw himself, and by consequence Takemichi, out the window.

There was a loud bang as Baji hit the window sill, no doubt waking the rest of the group, and scrambling over the edge after them with a loud curse and a hiss of Hanmas name. Takemichi was still reeling from the entire situation but his mouth was free so he, seemingly from instinct, let out the loudest most grotesque sounding screech he has ever heard.

Moments later heard the sound of stuff falling and doors slamming open from his house, a few lights being turned on followed before heads poked out windows and the door.

Everything seemed frozen again for all of two seconds before movement and noise took hold of everything, Takemichi was yanked around painfully by the scruff of his neck and everyone was yelling loud enough to make his ears ring so he was quickly incapacitated, but the others where not so they kept the fighting up.

He felt hands grab at his limbs and body and the one with the best grip on him, unfortunately Hanma, seemingly getting hit in the arm if the way it was violently jerking was any indication. Noone managed to free him from the man yet though the painful hold on his neck had loosened a bit he wasn't in a state to struggle, barely able to hear his own thoughts and think in the first place from the sheer amount of sensory input he was being subject to.

After what felt like an eternity of too loud, too touchy, too fast, too strong, too much everything, someone managed to get a hit on Hanma that had his hand go limp and drop Takemichi, who was promptly sent hurtling to the ground, and unable to catch himself due to what he assumes to be a concussion of some kind and probably ear damage.

Just before he hit the floor, hands wound under him and the sound of a harsh grunt all but next to his ear had him blinking his eyes open, he unfortunately couldn't make out who it was beyond blond hair and possibly tan skin though.

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Takemichi wasn't sure when he passed out, but he woke up in a very different place than he last remembered. He also ached everywhere but he expected that much after what he remembered before falling unconscious.

Either way, once he managed to get his paws under him, and steady enough to sit up and look around without leaning too far to the left and dropping again, he did just that. This course of action of course brought about, and made him very aware of, more aches and pains but he could at least figure out where he was and how to get out.

He found himself in what looked like an old abandoned garage. Mostly covered in dust save for a path carved by whoever brought him inside that cut from the door to his spot in the middle of the room. There were a few cobweb and more dust covered objects around, mostly covered by sheets or trash bags and not quite identifiable.

He sneezed hard enough to send him slumping to the floor again as he tried to sniff around, it hurt his ribs quite a lot too so he just lay there dazed for a few moments before carefully getting up again.

He carefully shuffled over to the door, not the garage one but the one he assumed is connected to another building inside and looked the same as one in a house. Unfortunately it was closed and even pawing at the handle didn't open it so he assumed it was locked from the outside as well.

He wandered around in search of something he could use to escape, all the windows where too high to reach and closed, he had no possible way of opening either door (especially the garage door he just a cat right now), and unfortunately it seemed that no other animal had dug or eaten their way in recently either. Damn it all he would have to wait until his captors, who he can only assume is Hanma and Kisaki, to open the door and hope he can move fast enough to make a break for it between their feet.

For now he wriggled his way under a sheet covered chair near the smaller door and rested after getting rid of as much dust as possible for his lungs sake.

He waited for a long while, even managing to get a more restful nap in and wake up, before he heard footsteps and voices approaching. As expected it was a pair and they sounded familiar (even if it had been a very long time since he had seen or heard the two they left a pretty lasting impression).

Takemichi stilled and tensed in a position that should get him to the door the fastest once it opened. He knew for a fact if this failed he would definitely be more hurt than he was now but at this point the reward outweighed the risk in his mind so, so be it if he gets kicked around or something.

The pair stoped before the door and he heard keys (as he thought they had locked it from the outside damn Kisaki and his brain) as well as the conversation lulling, fuck they seemed fully aware he would try to bolt if he was awake… best to hope hes faster than they are even injured as he is…

The door opened and feet quickly stepped through, Takemichi lunged at the same moment thanking his past brushes with death for his ability to ignore the agony tearing at his wounds as he pushed himself forward as fast as he could move his legs.

And he managed to get out! Unfortunately the two had whirled around immediately and given chase and Takemichi knew he couldn't get far, what with his gasping and wheezing already (probably a mix of bruised ribs and breathing in dust for god knows how long), along with the harsh pain through his body, broken and bruised bones, outright bleeding cuts and bruises hidden beneath fur.

He just hoped he found someone who would notice the injuries and keep him away from the two or that he knew already, or a safe hiding place they couldn't get him but he couldn't count on luck so he was whipping his head around in search of one.

And it seemed whatever higher being was up there smiled upon him because about half way up a tree there was a small hollow, and the tree had no good branches the boys could get ahold of so it should be perfect to hide out in for a little bit at least.

Chapter Text

old ref i made when i first started this

art i made today!

the cover art i made for the crossposted version on wattpad

hope u enjoy!

Chapter Text

Takemichi hooked his claws into the bark of the tree and winced at the pull on them as he hauled himself up it. One of his legs was too injured to hold any weight for this, causing the others to hold more of it to compensate and it did not feel great on his already wounded body. 

It took a while, long enough he could hear the yelling of the approaching delinquents far too close for his liking, to get up the tree and into the hollow, but he made it somehow. He ached and some of his scabbed over wounds had opened and there was a good possibility he had worsened the others in his escape as well, but he was out of immediate danger so that was an upgrade. 

Now the question was how to get the attention of his non-hostile acquaintances… and hopeful ones that could do something about Hanma and Kisaki at that…

He had no phone on him for obvious reasons, and he couldn’t exactly start yelling since this was a public space and a house cat shouting for help would be more likely to get him kidnapped again than actually get him assisted. 

He couldn’t really write a letter and get it sent out either, again the only people close enough and who knew his identity where the two who got him here in the first place and he didn’t have a pen or paper.

He will have to rely on luck and the fact that in the past his friends had come to save him in similar situations and hope they did the same again…

He never liked gambling, he had awful luck… and a knowledge that every one of his friends had a point they wouldn’t come to save him at too… 

But he had to rely on that, albeit dim, hope for the time being he supposed.

Curling up in the furthest corner and sighing heavily he watched the entrance of his little hiding spot nervously. He really hoped Hanma didn’t find something to stand on to get here… he also hoped he had the energy to try fighting back if he did…

He was hoping for a lot lately it seemed but there wasn’t much else he could do. Even before becoming a tiny house cat he wasn’t exactly the most capable guy… and now? Practically helpless without someone else there to protect him. 

After a period of time he couldn't confirm the length of, it was all a blur of pain, fear, yelling and exhaustion really, he heard a much more welcome set of voices from the distance and perked up happily. 

He heard the annoyed cursing below, a bit too close for comfort, had they actually managed to climb the damn tree???

He sat up with a groan and shuffled to the entrance slowly. Peeking his head out of the hollow, ears pinned to his skull with anxiety, he saw Hanma atop some sort of box balancing precariously as he tried to reach for the hiding spot to get him out. 

“Fuck..” he muttered, yanking himself back towards the far wall of the tree hollow as the man’s head whipped around and his hand shot forward to try grabbing him. 

Hanma narrowly missed him, so close a call Takemichi felt his hand on his whiskers, and whined unhappily about it reaching blindly into the hole to try grabbing at him. 

Takemichi swatted the hand with his paw, claws catching the skin of his fingers and leaving red scratches as evidence. He yowled loudly in fear, hoping to catch the attention of his friends a bit quicker. 

The hand yanked back with a pained hiss before moving forward again grabbing at his outstretched paw as he swatted again and pulling. 

Takemichi shrieked, unconsciously snapping his teeth closed around the hand on him with a growl, his other paws moving to claw as much of the exposed skin as he could before he was pulled from the tree.

The tall delinquent cursed and shook him about as he hauled him out of the tree and Takemichi felt his already concussed head ring and fog over at the movement. 

Just before the stress and wounds got to him and black fully consumed his field of view, he got the best seat in the house to watch as a fist connected square with the man’s jaw and turned his head at a concerning angle. 

The last thing he heard was a crack and a call of his name as he fell from the man’s hands.