[Fic] Chartreuse
Characters: Matsu, Makidai, Shokichi, Takahiro, Ryota, Hiroomi, Hayato, Tetsuya, Nesmith, Hiro
Rating: G
A/N: Because I'm a terribad author and didn't plan properly, the next proper chapter is still in the works. In the meantime, here's another side story from my Azure verse, thanks to a prompt from aoi_nahani.
====================
“Oi, Maki-san, what’s in that packet?”
“Oh this? It’s a sample from one of my suppliers. Nothing much, really. It isn’t something that people here would want to buy.”
“Why don’t you give it to that boy? He has a garden.”
“And have more of them seek refuge in his compound? I appreciate the extra income, but if all of it comes from one person, even I would feel bad.”
“True. Tetsuya isn’t the sharing sort either.”
“How is Takahiro doing, by the way? Has the boy brought him back for a follow-up?”
“Oh he’s healing up just fine. As expected of him, of course,” Matsu chuckled, sipping from his cup of hot tea, “He’ll be fine in about a month or so.”
“Perhaps we should give him a reward of sorts.” Makidai’s long fingers toyed with the paper packet, “The timing is just about right too.”
“I second that.” Matsu’s eyes glinted mischievously.
“After you knock off?”
“After I knock off.”
====================
It seemed like a regular spring day, warm rays of sunlight streaming through Shokichi’s open window.
Feeling something amiss, he opened his eyes blearily.
Takanyan was nowhere to be seen.
“Oh no no no Mother will KILL me.”
Fully awake, Shokichi scrambled out of bed, hurriedly throwing on a sweatshirt. In the midst of untangling his legs from his trousers’, he caught sight of a familiar grey shape in his garden.
Finally succeeding in getting dressed, Shokichi hurried downstairs to the garden, throwing open the front door.
“There you are. What are you doing out here?” Shokichi approached a purring Takanyan. The sight of the chewing cat sent new waves of panic to his brain.
“Takanyan! What are you eating?!”
====================
As relaxed as Takanyan was, the cat had put up a good struggle when Shokichi removed it from that patch of weeds. The boy was now sitting cross legged on the living room floor, watching the maine coon pace across the doorway, occasionally letting out a short yowl or two, coupled with plaintive looks thrown in his direction. Seemingly giving up on the door, Takanyan attempted to jump onto the window ledge.
“No wait wait! Your leg!” Shokichi hurriedly rushed to scoop up the silver tabby, holding the squirming cat firmly in his arms, “It’s still injured…” his voice trailed off when he glanced out of the window.
For there were three cats lounging at the same patch of grass where Takanyan was found, a fourth squeezing in through the gaps in the front gate.
“What the-” Keeping his hold on Takanyan, Shokichi opened the front door once again and stepped outside.
A mackerel tabby was rubbing its face enthusiastically on the patch of grass. A white Norwegian forest cat was sprawled on its side purring contentedly, its cobalt blue collar standing out from its surroundings. A blue pointed ragdoll with a neon yellow collar was rolling around on its back, tail flicking from side to side. The newcomer, an orange tomcat, simply walked straight up to the same patch, settling down to sniff a stalk of the strange plant before taking a bite from it.
A furious hiss and a few twists of its body later, Takanyan freed himself from Shokichi’s hold and raced towards the four interlopers, waking them up from their dazed stupors and effectively chasing them away.
Seeing the silver tabby settle back into the freed spot, this time rolling around amidst the grass, Shokichi decided to let it be.
After all, not all five cats could be wrong about the same plant, could they?
====================
Shokichi was settling down onto his front porch with a book, when he noticed a familiar figure hovering just outside his fence.
“Oh hello Nesmith. What brings you here?”
The dark-skinned man seemed startled, head jerking towards Shokichi’s direction.
“Oh hi,” his colleague seemed to fumble for words, “Erm, you… You live here?”
“Yes?”
“Oh,” another awkward silence ensued, “Was just passing by. See you tomorrow. By the way, your garden smells really good.”
“... Thanks?”
Watched Nesmith’s retreating back, Shokichi felt mildly confused.
The man had looked rather… vacant.
====================
The trio’s laughter trailed off when their leader slipped into their booth at the local family restaurant.
“... Hiro-san?”
“Are you feeling alright?”
“You look rather… peaky.”
The stocky man smoothed a hand over his pulled-back hair, fixing the three with a stern look.
“Whose idea was it to plant catnip in my employee’s lawn?
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group, Makidai and Matsu trying, and failing, to hide awkwardly amused smiles. Usa was left to alternate a baffled look between all three of his companions.
“Catnip? What?”
“Hiro-san-” Makidai hedged.
“Did you by any chance… Get affected too?” Matsu could not stop the grin from spreading across his face.
Hiro’s unamused expression was the final straw for the latter, Makidai soon joining in with howls of laughter.
====================
Being the most inconspicuous of the four, Matsu had ended up being delegated the task of removing the offending plant from that particular garden.
Whatever that was left of it, anyway.
Rating: G
A/N: Because I'm a terribad author and didn't plan properly, the next proper chapter is still in the works. In the meantime, here's another side story from my Azure verse, thanks to a prompt from aoi_nahani.
====================
“Oi, Maki-san, what’s in that packet?”
“Oh this? It’s a sample from one of my suppliers. Nothing much, really. It isn’t something that people here would want to buy.”
“Why don’t you give it to that boy? He has a garden.”
“And have more of them seek refuge in his compound? I appreciate the extra income, but if all of it comes from one person, even I would feel bad.”
“True. Tetsuya isn’t the sharing sort either.”
“How is Takahiro doing, by the way? Has the boy brought him back for a follow-up?”
“Oh he’s healing up just fine. As expected of him, of course,” Matsu chuckled, sipping from his cup of hot tea, “He’ll be fine in about a month or so.”
“Perhaps we should give him a reward of sorts.” Makidai’s long fingers toyed with the paper packet, “The timing is just about right too.”
“I second that.” Matsu’s eyes glinted mischievously.
“After you knock off?”
“After I knock off.”
====================
It seemed like a regular spring day, warm rays of sunlight streaming through Shokichi’s open window.
Feeling something amiss, he opened his eyes blearily.
Takanyan was nowhere to be seen.
“Oh no no no Mother will KILL me.”
Fully awake, Shokichi scrambled out of bed, hurriedly throwing on a sweatshirt. In the midst of untangling his legs from his trousers’, he caught sight of a familiar grey shape in his garden.
Finally succeeding in getting dressed, Shokichi hurried downstairs to the garden, throwing open the front door.
“There you are. What are you doing out here?” Shokichi approached a purring Takanyan. The sight of the chewing cat sent new waves of panic to his brain.
“Takanyan! What are you eating?!”
====================
As relaxed as Takanyan was, the cat had put up a good struggle when Shokichi removed it from that patch of weeds. The boy was now sitting cross legged on the living room floor, watching the maine coon pace across the doorway, occasionally letting out a short yowl or two, coupled with plaintive looks thrown in his direction. Seemingly giving up on the door, Takanyan attempted to jump onto the window ledge.
“No wait wait! Your leg!” Shokichi hurriedly rushed to scoop up the silver tabby, holding the squirming cat firmly in his arms, “It’s still injured…” his voice trailed off when he glanced out of the window.
For there were three cats lounging at the same patch of grass where Takanyan was found, a fourth squeezing in through the gaps in the front gate.
“What the-” Keeping his hold on Takanyan, Shokichi opened the front door once again and stepped outside.
A mackerel tabby was rubbing its face enthusiastically on the patch of grass. A white Norwegian forest cat was sprawled on its side purring contentedly, its cobalt blue collar standing out from its surroundings. A blue pointed ragdoll with a neon yellow collar was rolling around on its back, tail flicking from side to side. The newcomer, an orange tomcat, simply walked straight up to the same patch, settling down to sniff a stalk of the strange plant before taking a bite from it.
A furious hiss and a few twists of its body later, Takanyan freed himself from Shokichi’s hold and raced towards the four interlopers, waking them up from their dazed stupors and effectively chasing them away.
Seeing the silver tabby settle back into the freed spot, this time rolling around amidst the grass, Shokichi decided to let it be.
After all, not all five cats could be wrong about the same plant, could they?
====================
Shokichi was settling down onto his front porch with a book, when he noticed a familiar figure hovering just outside his fence.
“Oh hello Nesmith. What brings you here?”
The dark-skinned man seemed startled, head jerking towards Shokichi’s direction.
“Oh hi,” his colleague seemed to fumble for words, “Erm, you… You live here?”
“Yes?”
“Oh,” another awkward silence ensued, “Was just passing by. See you tomorrow. By the way, your garden smells really good.”
“... Thanks?”
Watched Nesmith’s retreating back, Shokichi felt mildly confused.
The man had looked rather… vacant.
====================
The trio’s laughter trailed off when their leader slipped into their booth at the local family restaurant.
“... Hiro-san?”
“Are you feeling alright?”
“You look rather… peaky.”
The stocky man smoothed a hand over his pulled-back hair, fixing the three with a stern look.
“Whose idea was it to plant catnip in my employee’s lawn?
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group, Makidai and Matsu trying, and failing, to hide awkwardly amused smiles. Usa was left to alternate a baffled look between all three of his companions.
“Catnip? What?”
“Hiro-san-” Makidai hedged.
“Did you by any chance… Get affected too?” Matsu could not stop the grin from spreading across his face.
Hiro’s unamused expression was the final straw for the latter, Makidai soon joining in with howls of laughter.
====================
Being the most inconspicuous of the four, Matsu had ended up being delegated the task of removing the offending plant from that particular garden.
Whatever that was left of it, anyway.