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Melody's phone call to Zach was hurried and panicked, startling the young man out of his quest for a decent degree program to pursue at Destiny City University. He was sitting in his room, cross-legged on the bed with the Destiny City University 2018 Degrees of Study booklet. Each page was filled with information about each and every degree program available at the school, from Accounting to Aerospace Studies. Truthfully, it was overwhelming, skimming through the pages to get an idea of cost, time investment, course load... He may not be able to work normal hours while going to school, but then how could he afford tuition? Earlier last month, he received a cryptic phone call from his elder sister, letting Zach know, don't worry about tuition, just find a course of study and let me know when you're enrolling. That in and of itself was super weird but Christa was known for being weird anyway.

Maybe Zach could get a discount since his sister worked for the school? A friends and family sort of deal? Either way, he still worried about trying to pay for the whole thing in case these cryptic offers fell through and he was left footing a thirty thousand dollar bill.

Melody's phone call jolted him out of the pages of the book, tossing aside his reading glasses in panic. Itsuki squeaked and flew off the bed with the force as well, landing squarely on his plush posterior, nabbing the glasses with his mouth once he found where they landed. Calming his heart rate, Zach answered, thinking it was a dire emergency.

And in truth, it kind of was.

They had exchanged numbers at the behest of their "shared" feline companion (and in truth, Itsuki was the one giving out Zach's number - it wasn't exactly a mutual decision), and Itsuki even programmed a unique ringtone for everyone on Zach's contact list. The fuzzball was more tech-savvy than Zach had realized.

Melody explained that her place of work, the bathhouse, was having a holiday party for staff and some of the wealthy patrons as a sort of thank you, and the blonde didn't know anyone at the party save for her cousin, Monroe. Zach didn't think Monroe was even a male name (only Marilyn Monroe, but that was a surname, and Melody gently corrected him). She was desperate for a companion to help assuage her anxiety, and Zach hadn't any plans for the evening except for surfing through this damned book three times thicker than it should be. He'd narrowed it down to a few possibilities, but Zach explained he'd fill Melody in on the details at the party.

Itsuki butted in, saying he should definitely be invited because 1) he was adorable and 2) it was a real onsen - a Japanese bathhouse, and the lilac point was desperate to see one for himself. As long as Melody agreed and was able to convince her cousin on the whole thing, the fuzzball would be allowed to attend, provided he wore his "stealth harness" in public. It was just about the best thing to sneak a cat into a public place - make the cat look as well-trained as possible.

With the details hashed out (and thank god it wasn't a fancy to-do, or Zach would be screwed) and Itsuki in a harness, the two agreed to meet at the onsen just a little after the party started. Fashionably late, as it were.


WC: 575

"How did you train him?"

"Is he a working animal?"

"Does he wear a harness all the time?"

"Does he do tricks?"

Zach didn't even noticed Melody running a few minutes late, having been swarmed by some of the patrons of the botanical gardens and the bathhouse, Itsuki daintily trotted along on his leash and harness. It was the perfect disguise - while Zach didn't have a working animal vest for the Mau to wear, the harness and his good behavior seemed to work well enough. Itsuki was soaking up the attention like the cat he was, meowing and rubbing on everyone that came within distance. It was a welcome distraction from realizing he knew nobody else at the event.

"Train him? ...Uh, yeah, it's helpful that he's really smart." Zach had rehearsed this talk a few times, but stumbled when people asked him how to train their cats. Maus weren't even exactly like cats, and cats weren't like dogs, so it was a difficult proposition. "He does a couple tricks. If you pinch your fingers, like this," He demonstrated, as if holding food in his hand, holding it above Itsuki's head. "Then he'll---"

On cue (as, well, Maus understood English perfectly), the lilac point sat back on his hind legs and pawed at Zach's fingers.

"Awww~!" came the reaction, and some of the older women pulled out phones to take pictures.

Itsuki didn't consider it beneath himself to do tricks for people and to pretend not to understand their speech. This was a disguise mission, after all, and Itsuki insisted that he be allowed in to see a real-life onsen. It meant a great deal to him since taking more lessons in Japanese both from Rosetta Stone (that Ash showed him how to do one day at Headquarters) and from Shara-san. After months of practice, Itsuki's speech was improving. Never mind the fact that he couldn't write in Japanese, lacking the thumbs to do so. Reading and speaking it was good enough.

The lilac point's ears perked as Melody approached and he turned around to happily greet the blonde. "Nya~!!" Trotting up to her, Itsuki nearly pulled the leash from Zach's fingers.

"Oh, see, that's Mel. He looooves Mel, so... sometimes he gets real excited." he explained, waving to the blonde. "Hey Mel, Itsuki's a real hit here. You hungry? They got some bits 'n bobs inside."

With the crowd starting to move back inside where it was warm, and with Itsuki nestled happily in Melody's arms, the evening was able to formally get started. Zach was happy for the reprieve - being surrounded by lots of complete strangers was weird in and of itself, and knowing they probably made more in a month than he could ever imagine was just that much worse. Melody being there made things much easier, as he could just talk to her instead of worrying about what other people thought.

Itsuki was a welcome distraction as well.

Once he was certain most people were out of earshot (other than the senshi, of course), Itsuki practically vibrated in Melody's arms. "Onsen onsen onsen onsen~" he repeated, keeping his voice soft and low despite his excitement. A real bathhouse! A real authentic bathhouse! It wasn't particularly interesting in the grand scheme of the culture, but Itsuki appreciated whatever he could get. Tiny paws kneaded happily (and gently) on Melody's arm as the lilac point admired the interior of the building. The decor was lovely, fitting for the season!

"Melody-san, do you think they'd let me explore a little? Probably not, unless one of you is with me... hmmmm..."

Itsuki had to hush as someone dressed like waitstaff walked by with a platter full of champagne flutes, filled to the brim with sparkling, golden champagne. Zach was underage, but he wasn't about to let that stop him from downing just one glass. It was a special occasion! Snatching up two from the platter, Zach offered to hold one for Melody since her arms were full of cat. "I didn't really get a chance to check... what time is it, Mel?"

"Zee-chan, you're not old enough to drink that!!"

"Hush, I'ma drink just one. Don't go narcin' on me now."

"What does narcin' mean??"

“Onsen are baths with real, natural hotsprings~” whispered the cat, reciting one of the many lessons he’d been learning about Japan and its culture from his various teachers. ”Sento are public bathhouses that don’t have hotsprings, and they’re usually indoors! People say, gokuraku, gokuraku~ It means, this is a very good feeling for the whole person~”

Zach would have given the furball a noogie if it were appropriate (and if he wasn’t being held.) “...you really were paying attention to that stuff, weren’t you?”

”Hai~!”

Another drink of that champagne, and Zach was colored impressed. “Pretty good bubbly you guys got here. Definitely not the cheap stuff that tastes like… like,” his nose wrinkled and he grimaced, remembering a bottle of cheap champagne a friend of his from Meadowview had swiped from their parents. “armpits and the clearance aisle.” The Calloway boy wasn’t a booze connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination, but he knew what did and did not taste like butt.

Maybe he was loosening up, being in an environment that wasn’t as stuffy as a rich woman’s mansion. Maybe he was somewhat tired. Maybe he just didn’t care as much anymore, but Zach felt more relaxed. Looser. More comfortable.

Enough to make a joke.

“Itsuki, why do you think Mel’s not allowed in the men’s bath?”

The Mau thought for a moment, waiting until one of the guests moved out of earshot to answer. ”It’s because she’s a girl, Zee-chan. Girls can’t go in the men’s bath, and vice-versa. It’s not proper etiquette! Just like when you had to take your shoes off at the door.”

“Naw,” he replied, ducking passed one of the more inebriated guests who was apparently professing his undying love to his date, who seemed quite horrified by it. Maybe this was a bad time to be amorous? “It’s cuz she did some window shopping here and was disappointed, so they told her she can’t go peepin’ or she risks hurting the guys’ feelings. She breaks their hearts.” Zach pointed to the corner of his eye, frowned dramatically and used the tip of his finger to trace the trail of a tear down his cheek.

”Zee-chan, there’s no store here to shop in? Melody-san, are you sure one flute isn’t enough to get drunk?”

“HEY, I was making a joke. My sense of humor isn’t that bad.” Or, maybe it was. It probably was. Either way, the guests around them were mingling and continuing to have a good time as the clock crept ever closer to the appointed hour. They were both rather unlucky in love, as far as Zach could tell, though Melody had quite a few things going for her - she was pretty, talented, she completed a degree program and had a good job. She was a senshi, working hard as a Super to protect the city. She was kind and patient with the furbag in her arms. Mel was great.

Yeah… she’s pretty great. Wait… Zach shook his head. Where’d that come from? With a wheeze, he continued. “How’s about a tour of all the stuff the public’s allowed to see? It’s pretty swank in here, Mel.”

"You totally peeked," he teased, following along dutifully when Melody grabbed his hand. "You totally peeked and got grossed out by droopy prune butts!" Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the atmosphere of the party, but Zach was left feeling as though Melody's hands were soft. Like his and hers fit well together. Which was really weird and random, wtf self??

The crisp air outside was good for his system, especially since Zach felt his cheeks getting hot. That was probably due to being an a** and the alcohol. Itsuki shifted himself in Melody's arms for easier carrying. Even though he was somewhat small by cat standards, carrying around something his weight for a while would wear anyone down.

Melody's explanation about window shopping earned bright eyes and upturned ears from her cat-son, and now that they were outside, he could speak more freely. "Uwah~ Melody-san, you don't have to go window-shopping! You're very talented and kind and wonderful, so it shouldn't be hard at all to find someone that makes your haato go doki doki~" Itsuki obviously held Melody in very high esteem, and the cat wasn't one to lie.

"Mel's gotta find somebody classy, Itsuki." Zach mused, one hand on his hip with the flute of champagne in the other. Steam rose from the small hotspring outdoors, giving the small area a foggy sort of feel. It was warmer here and the fresh air did wonders for his lungs. "Somebody classy and badass. Do you know anybody like that?"

Itsuki tilted his head, ears flipping with the motion. "Zee-chan, you're badass but we can clean you up to be classy!"

"HEY."

"But Melody-san~" he squeaked, fluffing himself up for maximum cuteness (and it was a little bit on the cold side anyway!) "It's true~ You're the best sakura senshi. I KNOW YOU'RE THE ONLY SAKURA SENSHI but if there was another one, you'd still be my favorite~" Kneading gently in her arm, it seemed as though a s**t-eating grin was beginning to form across his feline features. Perhaps he had something planned all along? Or Itsuki was just being a furry butt, which was also quite possible...

What if I don't want someone classy? What if I want someone who's kind of crass and not "up to standard" as some one typically with money might be?

That was Itsuki's queue to make the greatest googly eyes of his furry life.

cat_4laugh

Zach, for all his self-professed coolness, seemed completely oblivious, watching the steam of the water wafting into the chilly air. Most of his champagne was gone, and he was idly wondering if he should stockpile the stuff, because it didn't actually taste like shame and dirty socks. Though, he was underage, so he'd have to find a supplier... The boy didn't remove his hand, finding it warmly resting where it almost... should have been...?

What a weird thought.

"Melody-saaaaan~" came the singsong voice of a cat swaying slowly back and forth in her arms. "Melody-saaaan~ I think I know someone who might fit that description!"

Cue fervent cat-nubbin pointing and gesturing to a young man who was, unfortunately (or fortunately?) completely oblivious.

"ZEE-CHAN THIS IS YOUR MOMENT PAY ATTENTION."

Nearly spitting out the last of his champagne, Zach was glad he wasn't mid-swallow or he might've started choking. Staring at the lilac point with clear confusion on his face, Zach stuttered. "E-excuse me?! What's my moment and why are you yelling!? The people inside'll hear you and then we'll have to explain--"

"Zee-chan do I need to start singing!?"

Zach blinked, eyebrows lifting. "....singing what...?"

Clearing his throat, Itsuki took a breath. "CAAAAAAN YOU FEEEEEL THE LOOOOOOOVE TONIIIIIGHT~"

"But Melody-san, it's not sucking up if it's truUUUUUUEEE--!!!"

And with that, a certain obnoxious lilac point went sailing through the air, puffy as a cloud, bursting through a paper lantern hung from the lovely curved rooftop of the hotspring. Thankfully, he wasn't injured, but it was a hilarious sight for the two humans - one fluffy tail and one leg hung out of the back of the lantern while Itsuki was forced to face away from his "parents". Swinging ineffectually, Itsuki was apparently stuck, unable to get down.

Zach, for his part, was busy laughing his a** off. Melody managed to accomplish something he'd tried desperately not to do - shotput the Mauvian into the nearest box, bin or body of water. Melody, the classy and prim and proper woman she was, threw the cat through a lantern. Tears in the corners of his eyes, Zach's smile was radiant. "Mel, you just... you got some arms on you! Damn girl, remind me not to piss you off..."

But it was something she said earlier that made him second-guess this whole party at the hotspring thing. Maybe it was the alcohol or something, but the boy was starting to wonder if Melody had someone in mind for her future. "Heh, sounds like whoever you've got your eye on's a lucky guy, Mel. Sock 'him in the arm for me, yeah?"

...was that... jealousy? No, no, that's not it. I've gotta be happy for Mel. She deserves the best, workin' so hard all the time.

Itsuki, meanwhile, was pitifully trying to spin himself around to see whatever action might unfold, and was failing miserably. Instead, the cat was swaying back and forth with his efforts, trying to paw at anything to give himself leverage.

The punch wasn't especially hard, but it was hard enough to get the point across. For a few moments, Zach was silent, mouth dry and a faint blush creeping to his cheeks. He'd ruined things with his previous girlfriend and thought he was doomed from then on. Zach was convinced he'd need at least a few more years to try and fix himself, get his life back on track, before even considering romance again...

...and on top of that, Zach didn't make nearly as much money as Melody and her family, effectively (in his mind) taking him out of the running. Melody was talented, kind, patient, easy on the eyes... He liked to think, slowly but surely, he was getting just a little more mature. In the next month or so, he'd be twenty years old and working on a college education. A real man, or the makings of one. But did Melody really want someone so behind the 8 ball?
The Calloway boy didn't even consider himself a contender, until...

Until Melody playfully socked him in the arm.

"...you... really want... me?" was his weak reply, almost speechless from disbelief. "I just... ya know... dunno if I'm good enough for somebody like you, Mel. You're... kinda... way outta my league, eheh..." Nervousness was showing plainly now, with how Zach couldn't seem to raise his eyes from the floor or the hotspring or anything that wasn't Melody's eyes. Shoulders slumped and the usual punkish bravado with which he held himself about crumbled beneath Melody's gentle sakura petals. "...I uh... dunno... what you see in... somebody like me, but... but I guess I'm... tryin'a say... I'm... honored, heh..."

Itsuki, meanwhile, was desperately trying to swing back around to see what was going on. "Hnng.... merrrr.... huuuuhhh--!" Trying, and failing, but at least it was cute.