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Chen had been an outdoor cat once, a feral one at that. He’d delighted in finding the perfect sunny bench in a park, loafing up and enjoying the sun rays. But he’d taken easily to domestication, so well that he discovered when he was abandoned that the outside world was now anything but pleasant. Everyone knew that it was a harsh world for an indoor cat forced outside, at the mercy of predators and the cold and wet, scrounging for food and water.
It had been a relief for his life to narrow down to a cage, far away from the harsh outside world.
But a true cat needed a domain to be master of, rather than a cage to be trapped in and that was Chen’s world now.
His final owner had higher standards for their home, standards that Chen could appreciate for all that they seemed more suited for some purebred specimen rather than Chen. But it was Chen who had lucked into them and he was more than ready to defend his precious territory now that he had it.
Mornings began sleepily, wherever he had found his resting place the night before. Sometimes that was in the living room but often it was on top of his owner, using him as a pillow, as all cats were entitled to. Chen often found himself rising first unless his owner had some nasty meeting or trip away from Chen planned. Assuming Chen was up first, he would start by stretching out his back and shoulders then quickly groom himself, making sure his tail, ears and paws were in good shape, his fur in order.
Next came waking up his owner, who could be a bit of a sleepyhead in the morning but who had the important job of feeding Chen and perhaps giving him some lovely pets, with or without his fur on. Chen rewarded him with purs and kneading, even allowing kisses, which he knew some cats viewed as afronts to their dignity but which Chen considered his just reward.
Tail held high, the two made their way to the living room, Chen delighting in rubbing against his owner and generally getting in the way.
“Clingy kitty,” Minseok said. “You’d think I’d been away two weeks, not two days.”
Chen harrumphed and walked away, deliberately on the fronts of his paws, back pointedly to him as he began the very important task of his second groom of the day, in the dawn’s first rays of sun. His owner just chuckled and Chen pretended that it wasn’t at him. Soon his owner turned on his favourite morning music and the sounds of breakfast making began. Chen watched as birds came up to his window in search of their morning breakfast. The feeders that his owner had set up for him were popular, especially after they had filled them with the latest brand of seed mixes which the birds seemed especially fond of.
Oh? Was that? Could it be?
Chen stood very very still as he carefully drew out his notebook, sketchbook and bird guide.
With his underflesh revealed, he flipped gently through the pages which described the different birds of Korea until he found the matching picture. A Taiga Flycatcher, a male with a beautiful orange throat. Chen wrote down the observation in his notebook, glancing over at the large digital clock for the date and time before adding it to his bird list.
Now that he’d caught his prey, he could enjoy it properly, tail flicking from side to side. He started with a few quick sketches, worried that the bird might fly away too soon, doing his best to capture the characteristic head in one, focusing on the swoop of the tail feathers in another and attempting a less static sketch in the third. With those done, he could be more deliberate; he chose his colours, holding them up to the bird on the other side of the glass until he was happy with them and began a more complete study. He was just completing the shading on the beautiful orange throat when his owner coughed.
“Is it safe for me to come forward with the food, Chennie?”
Chen looked over at his owner who had two plates in his hands. The smell of grilled fish was rising from them, a true temptation.
He lay there, torn, until he saw a flash of wings.
His prey had escaped.
Chen sighed.
Well he could finish the study later, using his quick sketches for reference when completing the image. He slid everything back when it belonged and groomed his paws back into their usual form, stretching as he made his way over to the table and checking out his breakfast.
His owner really had gone over the top, possibly to make up for those days away. There was rice in the shape of a fish, not too hot for a kitty cat, the grilled fish and even a collection of banchan, all arranged on a large board that was raised off the ground at a comfortable height for Chen.
There were times when he would choose to eat up at the table but his owner had rightly guessed that this morning was not one of them. He needed to feel like a real cat, not like the person who’d had to make and plate his own food while his boyfriend was away.
His owner had already made everything bite sized so it was easy enough to gulp down one bite at a time.
The fish smelt so good he went for it first, quickly gulping down bite after bite as the savory, oily flavour filled his mouth.
“If you don’t slow down, Chennie Cat, you might find yourself stuck with a lick mat.”
Chen gave him a side eye but his owner just shrugged, smiling.
“I’m just saying, I don’t want to be cleaning puke off the carpet because you got too excited that I grilled some fish for breakfast. And if you did make yourself sick, that might suggest that you aren’t ready for fish for breakfast.”
Meddlesome man.
Chen pointedly waited for a moment, but made it look like he was watching the birds rather than listening to his owner’s orders. Perhaps he’d push over the pile of neatly folded laundry while his owner was out for the day. Then he could cuddle in the freshly cleaned clothes and get his revenge on his owner. Of course his owner would be sure to pay him back for it later but Chen would enjoy that too.
When they both finished their meals they adjourned to the bathroom. First his owner used a warm towel to wet his face and cleanser was massaged into it. The wet towel wiped it away and a dry one was pressed against his face, warm from the towel rack. Chen hummed out an approximation of a purr that made his owner smile with pleasure.
“You look very well looked after these days, Chennie Cat. Now to blow my own horn too much but I’m very pleased. It’s so soft and you even have a healthy glow. Next up, teeth brushing time!”
Chen sat very still as his owner rubbed a finger cot that had a toothbrush on one end around his mouth, cleaning his teeth. It was just like what other kitties had their teeth brushed with. With small, warm hands, Chen’s face was manipulated so that his owner could get every last nook. Even his gums were rubbed gently to ward off the mildly receding gums that the dentist had noted on Chen’s human side last week.
“And spit,” Minseok instructed, supporting Chen’s body as he leaned forward. Chen complied and his owner rubbed under his chin. “Who’s my very good kitty. I’m sure with dedication, we can have a completely clean bill of dental hygiene when we come back in six months. Now just let me brush my own teeth then I’ll join you on the couch. We have time for me to give you a good grooming before I go to work.”
Chen complied, eager for his fur to be brushed by his owner’s gentle hands. Some days his owner needed to leave right after they brushed their teeth but Chen’s favourite mornings involved grooming, especially now that that grooming could involve kisses.
The brush, comb and the silicone pet brush were in the drawer of the side table and Chen pulled them out and set them on the coffee table along with a nail file.
His owner came in, no longer dressed in his pajamas but instead in a navy blue suit over a white shirt and light blue tie.
Chen’s face blushed as the suit highlighted the breadth of his owner’s shoulders and how put together and powerful he could be. And yet that powerful man was taking a brush to his hair as Chen knelt at his feet, making sure not to pull too hard.
“Jongin’s been sending me cat grooming videos lately. Apparently I should start by clipping your nails.”
Chen yowled mournfully. Of course he wouldn’t ever do something like that to hurt his owner. Only if they were playing a game like that in bed and only gently.
“You don’t need to look at me with such pitiful eyes, darling cat. I told him that my Chennie Cat is so well behaved that I don’t need to worry about you scratching me. But I learnt some useful things too. Like that using a comb after a good brushing can help the hair lay smooth.”
Sure enough a metal comb was brought gently through his hair. Just the idea that his owner was working so hard to make him look good made him feel warm and loved.
As soon as the brushing ended he bounded up to the couch, doing his best to snuggle up to his owner without creasing his suit which might end the cuddle prematurely.
“Do you think you’ll go over to see Nive and Jisoo today?” Minseok inquired.
Chen shrugged. He wasn’t sure Jongdae was ready to come out after a couple of days with almost no Chen time. Jisoo had understood when he’d brought it up the previous day.
“Well in that case, I’ll enjoy kitty TV while I’m at work and do my best to come home early. After all, I’ve missed my kitty’s yowls in bed.”
Chen blushed and hid his head under his paws but already he could feel himself becoming excited as only a male tom could.
“See you tonight, Chennie Cat,” Minseok said as he exited the house and Chen looked up, not sure how much time had passed.
And he’d forgotten all about getting his revenge! On the other hand, if his brain was going to be caught on his owner and his delicious body, perhaps he could put it to good use and work on some rather different sorts of sketches...