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 Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:08 am
He’d spent the night in the hollow behind a dryer at the SpinSuds24 Laundromat, but old habits were hard to break even as a cat, and at 5 am he found himself awake and wanting to get outside. For a run? Did cats need fitness training? He guessed they did? He wasn’t sure how he’d afford the calories, since meals weren’t an absolute certainty right at the moment. He didn’t exactly know how to hunt the squirrels in the park, however tasty they were looking, as he passed.
He decided to check back on his weight cart, in case Colin had found it over these last couple of days. Maybe there would be a note, or maybe his companion would check by it on occasion? At first, he’d been too horrified, confused and embarrassed to even try to find Colin. Now that it had been a while, and the distinct felinity was not seeming to go away as it had come, what choice did he have? Maybe Colin would know something, or one of the other Sushi’s he could find would. It couldn’t be normal to just….be a cat instead of a youth.
There was his cart, up ahead, still bonked into the tree and absent his messenger bag (which remained stashed in his ‘lair’ at the Laundromat.
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:21 am
Colin had been in an absolutely tizzy (as his mother and sister would have said) ever since Bjorn hadn't come home from his run. As a matter of fact, he'd gone out looking for him several times but to no avail...even so, the blond wasn't about to give up on the burly Swede! Every morning that he jogged, he tried going their usual routes, tried going longer and further just in case....maybe if he were lucky he'd find him!
It was one of those mornings where he carried his cell with him, wearing a dark blue windbreaker set. He paused a few times to try calling his friend but as usual it didn't work. Colin sighed and pushed his hair back; he was worried sick. Where had Bjorn gone off to? Did one of those nasty Negaversers have him? The thought pushed him past feeling mildly ill to nearly doubled over, fighting the urge to retch.
Thankfully few were up this early (when they'd gone out together, very few other citizens of Destiny City had been out and about at five...that's why they liked jogging then so much!) and no one noticed him nearly getting sick. Once he was feeling a bit more in control, Colin continued his search-and-run.
It had been just luck that he chose that particular route before and Colin certainly felt lucky when he'd spied something that looked very much like Bjorn's weight cart. That the strongman-to-be hadn't been with it...well, he'd tried to think positive as much as possible. There were all sort of reasons it might have gotten left behind, right?
At any rate, he had left a note, just a day before: "I'll come by every morning and night until I find you. - C" A short message, but he didn't want to leave some mushy "omg I miss you like burning, where are you baw baw bawww" message out where any jackass with eyes could read it!
And so hopefully kitty-Bjorn would see the note, read it and be there when the dancer came jogging around the bend toward the cart to check and see if - oh god let it be today! - his roommate would be there, smiling and with a hundred stories about how and why he'd gone missing briefly.
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:42 am
There was something new! Wedged between two of the stacked weight disks, where wind could get no purchase to carry it off, was a folded note. Björn got up on his hind legs, looking squirrel-ish, and got the corner in his tiny front teeth. It took a few pulls, and purchasing his forepaws on the weights for leverage, but his got it! He tumbled over with success, flipped up on his feet again and pounced the note before it could get away.
Reading it was bitter and sweet blow. Colin was looking for him! It was short though, and made him start purring for comfort or pleasure, or some other emotion he hadn’t come to full grips with. It was a loud purr, the sort that was engine-like and made it through doors until the human would let you in to sleep in bed. He crouched on the note and started rubbing his cheek on it, trying to get the Colin scent closer.
Every morning and night? He wondered what time. He finally pulled himself up, picking up the note and hopped up on top of the stack of weights. The metal was really frigid, in the cold hours before dawn in the grips of early winter, but he was willing to bear it. He set the note down under his forepaws and curled on it, the fold of it blown up in the breeze over his nose as he curled down. A paper filter for faint familiar scent from finger oil that never would have registered to a human nose.
“I will wait. Even if I have missed him this morning already, I will wait today, even through the night.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:58 am
Poor kitty! Had Colin any idea of Bjorn's predicament, he might have written him a novel, just to keep his spirits up! Unfortunately, he had no idea that the Swede - and other lost souls! - was stuck running around as a cat (Mauvian or otherwise).
The cold bit at his lungs and he strained his eyes to see if there was anything different about that weight cart today...say, a very tall young man that would have gotten glomped onto in a most unceremonious manner had he been there....but no. Colin could see nothing. His heart dropped into his stomach again, but still the blond soldiered on to the cart (that he couldn't move if he tried for fifty years, how the hell did Bjorn do it!?), eyes seeking out a new note, a lock of hair...a severed head (anything!).
What he saw, the closer he came, was stranger perhaps than even a severed head: there was a golden-colored cat on top of the weights...it seemed to have gotten it's paws on Colin's note! The blond's first instinct was to shoo it away from said note, but...there was something about that cat that reminded him of Derp...and so he didn't go shooing it, instead he slowed his jog and approached the cart at a slow walk, waiting to see what this cat would do...was it like Derp? Was it a normal cat? Only one sure-fire way to find out!
"So um...can you talk or are you a normal cat and am I going to feel like the biggest idiot on the block for saying all this?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:49 am
Björn had squeezed his eyes shut against the chill, but perked his ears when he heard the distinct sound of athletic shoes on the gravel and packed-earth hike path. The feet slowed and he opened his eyes, perking his head – a police officer maybe? No!
“Colin!” He sprung up to all fours, and paw-danced awkwardly a moment as he estimated hopping down, and made it to the other boy’s feet in a bound. Then it was figure eights between Colin’s knees, rearing a little on the inside to rub cheek and shoulder down the distinctly human calves.
“You are not cat too! I am a cat, I do not know. I am a cat.”
“Your note, I got it today morning. Only minutes before. I am sorry! I did not wish you to worry. “
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:08 am
Ohsweetgayjesus. Björn had been missing because Björn was a cat. THIS cat. It was crazy and weird to have his boyfriend doing figure eights around his legs...but just then, Colin couldn't quite make himself care: Björn was okay. Kind of. He was alive and that was the biggest part!
Slowly, carefully Colin sank down onto his knees and drew the Björn-kitty into his arms. "I just...found it the other day and-- But you're okay. You're alive!" He squeezed the tawny kitty as tightly as he dared so as not to hurt him, a couple very unmanly tears ending up in Björn's fur before he managed to shove them aside.
"Are you okay? I mean, you're a cat but otherwise?" Without thinking about it, Colin was smoothing the plush fur along kitty!Björn's back. "God, no wonder you couldn't answer my calls!" With another gentle squeeze, Colin set his "new pet" down so he could unzip the windbreaker. "Come on, I'm going to get you home."
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:00 am
His back paws flailed a little when he was lifted, finally supported by Colin’s arm. He felt really, really small. It was the most foreign feeling in the world, being wholly encapsulated in someone’s arms, impossible long since he was just entering junior high. It made him purr more, distressed, but still glad of it. Björn bonked his cheek against Colin’s, rubbing hard to mix their scents, then started cleaning the other boy’s cheek. It wasn’t exactly kissing, it wasn’t really romantic, but it was the best he could manage with sandpaper for a tongue and weird instincts fighting with his more human ideals of comfort.
“No pets in the dormitory though! I don’t want you to get trouble. “He was a little sad to be put down. What was Colin planning? He wouldn’t fit into a jacket, would he? He’d hardly fit into his bag. “My bag. I slept at the SpinSuds24. It would be better for you to have it. I couldn’t just leave it out with the cart.”
“Colin, “he stayed glued to the boy’s left calf, “I missed you.”
“Has there been any news? I have met some other cats. “
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:26 am
Being licked by a cat - even one that was really your boyfriend - was a novel sensation for Colin; he hadn't been near a feline that had deigned to "clean" him in years; the Swede!kitty's tongue was rough, but he appreciated the affection that was meant by the actions.
"I don't care! You are coming home with me, dammit. You're not a pet Bjorn, you're just...a cat right now. It will wear off or something, I'm sure. Besides, it's not like you're going to go marking every thing or clawing up all the walls." Yes, he would try to stuff his boyfriend-c**-cat into his jacket, where it was warm...even if it meant that the jacket didn't shut all the way.
Hearing where Bjorn had been sleeping caused him to pause momentarily, "Okay, let's get your bag first...then we'll head home." But he didn't get up, he just leaned over so he could put his forehead to Bjorn's now-starred and furred forehead, sighing. "I missed you too."
News? Nope, no news that he'd been made aware of, but then again...Derpraline was likely the one that would have told him, since she awakened him...and it wasn't like the kitten could uh...pass along much information. "Nothing on my end, but I'll contact Castor...he might know somethi-wait, there are others like you?"
Didn't they need help too? Sheeesh....what a predicament!
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:15 pm
“There are. At least, I’m pretty sure they are like me. Unless I can understand any cat now. Maybe they weren’t just people-talking cats, and were real cats. I don’t know. It’s confusing, “ The last was an admission in shame. This was enchantment far beyond his initial capabilities of connect-the-dots. It wasn’t like an algebra problem or diagramming sentences, where it could be looked up in a book for an example of a correct answer.
“Castor? Oh, the Sushi you mentioned going to train with finally. The one like you? “ That was a little heartening. “That is a good idea. Maybe they will know something. Can I come when you ask? Maybe seeing me will provide something? It seems a lot like a witch’s curse. ”
He’s so tall like this. I wonder if I could possibly feel more useless. I’m now neither hero nor human. Well, courage is being afraid and saddling up anyway, isn’t it? We looked for and found each other, and that says a lot. It will be fine. We’ll make this work. Colin and his friends are heros, one of them will be a great lord or lady and be able to figure this out. I don’t know what I could offer in return, except thanks. Something. But first I must be not a cat.
“Did you want to keep jogging? You’re looking cold.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 12:53 pm
Colin fished out the deep blue communicator he'd been given and sent a text message out to Castor while he was thinking about it; he would wait just a moment and then snap it shut and shove the phone back into his zippered pocket. "I...can only imagine." It must have been scary, disorienting and all around crazy for the Swede...going from strongman to...big kitty - it would have freaked anyone out, let alone Bjorn.
"Mmhmm...I've sent him a text, all we can do is wait for him to get back to us, but I'm sure you can come with. He's pretty chill." When he wasn't siccing a ******** youma onto you, that is. Of course, they had no way of knowing that Castor himself was currently affected by the Mauvian Mishap!
Colin gathered his boyfriend-cat up into his arms again, enjoying the warm furry softness more than he should have. "I want to get your bag and then get us back to the dorm. I can sneak you in and get you something to eat. Have you had anything to eat?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 1:22 pm
"Here and there, but nothing yet today. I guess it is still early. No protein shake and bar for breakfast before a run, though." Truthfully it had been irregular from his otherwise scheduled life enough that he was almost always ravenous, and his legs and paws felt like standing on stilts.
Björn shifted his weight around, doing his damnedest to use no claws, to distribute and balance, and become 'easy' to carry. At least he was a heat source?
Divorced from the idea of being a cat, it was a little exciting to think of seeing another person like Colin. Actually talk to them, even....and he would know their name- Castor. If it all went through. Maybe Castor would be secretive, and not want to be around long if he was there, like the valkyrie girl.
"I was staying behind the dryers against the back wall. There's a half a foot gap for lint ducts behind them, its pretty warm and it smells like clean laundry. I stuffed my bag and some clothes from the lost and found basket there. Its on the right. I ....hope you don't mind?" It wasn't a bad smell, and he rather liked it, even as a person. But Colin was pretty clean, and he didn't know if dryer lint or the creepy places behind machinery in public places where boojums of imagination dwelt were squicky.
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 1:29 pm
"I haven't eaten yet either, we'll get something as soon as we get home, okay?" Unless Bjorn-kitty wanted him to pick up a few cans of Fancy Feast before sneaking him into the dorms?
As for collecting his boyfriend's bag and clothing from behind the dryers at the laundromat, well, Colin didn't mind so much at all. After all, he'd quite enjoyed the scent of fresh laundry...no problems there!
"Nope, it's fine with me. And at least it was warm for you, I hope." God, the thought that Bjorn had been turned into a cat...left alone...with no place to go and no food in this cold - it just made him feel awful. The blond supported his heavy-kitty companion and kept him half-inside his windbreaker as he walked quickly to where the stashed items were hiding. Once gathered they could get back to the dorm...it was a saving grace that Colin (and Bjorn) liked to run early - most of the boys wouldn't be awake. They had a much better chance of sneaking back in without "kitty" being seen now than they would have later.
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:50 pm
The Laundromat was a little loud, but really not much worse than the dorms at Hillworth could manage on any given night. If the machines were running, it actually turned out to be a pleasant white noise, not unlike a vacuum, or the fans in a PC. It wasn’t any different, Colin carrying him in. There was some NASCAR-fan contractor dozing with his ball cap over his face, waiting on three tumbling washers full of odds and ends.
The nest of sock singles, an old camp t-shirt, and a fake college sweater from a mega-mart box store was unperturbed. Björn wiggled and hopped down, fitting himself back into the cozy space to pull out the strap to his bag (which was hidden at the bottom of the nest.) It only took a good pull, and it was free again. “It isn’t too heavy I hope. “
“So …did you have a plan for getting in? Just..in your jacket? I only half fit in my bag.”
Would throwing the sweater over his other half work? He left it up to Colin, this time deciding to bound alongside with great, quadrupedal strides. Even if he was suddenly calf level, it felt more normal to converse side by side in the early hours, brisk air in their lungs. “At least I fit mattresses more this way, ja?”
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:45 pm
Coming from a family run by a single mother, Colin was quite well versed in Landromat-Fu; he didn't judge the NASCAR fan snoozing off and on while awaiting his clothes - he had been there. His mother folding clothing or working on some of her night-school homework while Colin and Miriam played, dozed or worked on homework of their own.
He peered over to see the nest that his boyfriend had made for himself whilst stuck as a kitty - at least it was cushy...so Björn hadn't been entirely uncomfortable staying there.
"Um...not really. But it's so early...I'm pretty sure that no one will see us..." Colin pushed his hair back and looked around, his brain clicking through all of the scenarios that might happen as they tried to sneak back into the dorms without Björn being seen in his current form. His eyes lit upon a busted up hamper - it was empty and it had been left behind by someone that had obviously gotten pissed off when the handle on one side had broken.
Ping~
A light bulb went off in his head: that was perfect! "I know! We'll use that broken hamper...I'll put your bag in the bottom, you can tuck into it partway and then I'll cover you with the rest of your uh...nest." Colin spoke in low tones lest their napping "friend" wake from his doze to see a very pretty boy talking to/at a kitty. "I think that'll work...especially since it's early."
Colin grabbed Björn's bag and moved to get the hamper; it only took a few minutes to get the kitty!Björn situated properly, but with the size of his furry friend, one side really needed a little more coverage. "Hmm...oh, we'll just use my shirt!" With his windbreaker zipped it wouldn't matter if he wasn't wearing the undershirt at all; with a pleased grin on his face, Colin shrugged out of the windbreaker and reached over his head to pull his under shirt off. He quickly pulled the dark outer garment back on, zipping it to his collarbone before arranging the logo tee to hide more of his boyfriend/cat.
"I think it'll work. You ready to go home?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:13 pm
He circled around, mussing some of Colin’s work in order to get his front half INTO Colin’s abandoned shirt. It was a nicely worn garment, and from jogging smelt more pungently of his roommate. It took some doing to sit perfectly still, reaching out awareness of all his limbs, specifically his tail, to STOP MOVING. Normally it was whisking anxiously behind himself, or perked straight up in the air. He had to be lying down. Looking like laundry.
“ I think so, “ came muffled from under some loaf-shaped clothes. “It will be hard not to purr. I haven’t gotten the hang of how to start or stop doing that yet.”
And he was desperately happy to see Colin again. To have a chance at being …home..again. The room they shared was home. "Will you be okay carrying so far? I'm not a thin cat yet."
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