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100fandomhell2023-12-19 10:02 pm
apachefirecat) wrote in 100fandomhell2023-12-19 10:02 pm
Entry tags:
Fandom #59, Eleceed, "One Christmas Night"
Title: One Christmas Night (Yeah, I know the title sucks, sorry! Open to suggestions! :))
Author: Apache Firecat
Rating: G/K
Fandom: Eleceed
Wordcount or Timestamp: 1,568
This wasn't right! His ginger ears folded against his furry skull, Kayden started to snarl in frustration. He popped a paw over his mouth, swished his tail, and slowly forced himself to relax. It still wasn't right! he thought, a soft, irritated growl slipping free from his refrain. He should have been able to return to his human form a long time ago!
It wasn't right that he was still stuck in the body of a cat -- and a fat cat at that! It seemed like no matter how much he trained this body, it simply refused to slim down. Of course, it scarcely helped that the pudgy beast had quite the appetite, another issue that he had trouble controlling. What had happened to him, to his self control, his pride, his abilities? He should not still be a cat! His orange tail lashed the air with his fury.
"Oh, relax," the white cat next to him muttered, turning on his side.
Kayden's back arched. "Just because you like being a cat -- " he hissed, unsheathing his claws.
"I don't like being a cat, but it could be worse. Now go back to sleep before you wake everybody up and I don't get any more shuteye." The smaller cat stubbornly shut his eyes, doing his best to block out Kayden's temper.
Kayden growled, but then glanced at the other cats sleeping all around them. As much as he abhorred admitting Kartein could be right about anything, he did have a point. He did not want to deal with the other mewling, squealing beasts! He pushed himself up, plodded over to his bowl, plopped down, and ate for a while in silence. This constant supply of readily available food did not help his endeavors, but then neither did his emotional eating.
"Bah!" He suddenly spit out a mouthful of kibble as his last thought resonated around his mind. He was becoming weak! He slapped the bowl away from him, stood, and rambled on through the house. The boy was becoming weak again too. They'd not had an active mission or even an adventure over the last several weeks. Instead, he kept bringing friends home and had even erected a ghastly tree in the middle of his apartment. The lad was trying to set down roots, Kayden thought, blinking up at the glistening tree. No good could come from such a powerful Awakened One ever trying to settle down! Their kind was meant to be warriors, not -- not whatever the boy thought he was doing!
Jiwoo was a strange one too! He had been since the beginning, and it couldn't all be blamed on his upbringing, or the fact that he'd spent so many years on his own, believing (so foolishly) that he was unique in his powers and there were no others like him! Kayden had recognized the lad's treatments of the local strays very early on as his desire to connect with another living being, to actually have a -- Kayden sneered -- family, or at least friends of some sort. Such was not meant for warriors!
Christmas certainly wasn't meant for warriors! He scowled up at the tree that towered before him, his sharp claws kneading the floor beneath him. If he had been even half the warrior he had been before taking on this ghastly form, he certainly would not have allowed his Apprentice to waste time on frivolous holidays, friendships, or family! It was far pass time the boy shaped up, far pass time Kayden took control of matters within his own paws -- er, his ears and tail flicked as he caught himself, hands --
But wasn't that exactly the actual problem? The dilemma wasn't just Jiwoo. Kayden could have forced him to become a genuine warrior by now, if he had only been himself, but he was not himself. His head bowed as he sighed deeply, his small, furry shoulder shrugging at the immense weight he felt. He was not himself at all! And he could not seem to maintain his true form for any decent length of time.
He'd given up too much, trying to help this boy already. His tail swished repeatedly in the air behind him. Kayden was used to the cold of Winters, but he'd not really felt the chill this year. Jiwoo, for all his faults, did keep him warm, and fed, even if it was with catfood... Kayden's pointy ears swiveled back and forth as he heard all the snores resonating around him. Everybody else was peaceful. Everybody else was happy, he realized.
But he shouldn't have to be happy in these conditions! These were not conditions befitting him, or any warrior or even Awakened One for that matter! This was not at all what he, or even Kartein, was accustomed to or deserved! Being in a cat's plump, furry, and fat behind all the time was not a fate he could have ever imagined for himself.
Yet here he was. He rocked back and forth on his hind paws, kneading the floor beneath him in great agitation. Gold and silver glimmered and caught at his eyes. His irises dilated, as only a cat's could do, as he rocked back further. Bright colors swayed before him, and his thoughts began to sway with them. The tree suddenly didn't seem quite so big. Instead of bickering or complaining about his circumstances, he realized, he should be working to at least tone this body. He could conquer this tree! If he started climbing it, instead of simply staring at it with disgust, perhaps he could work off some of this poundage... Then he might feel better and actually start gathering the strength he needed to resume his rightful shape.
Before he could change his mind, he darted up the tree. Bells chimed and garland and boughs rustled all around him. The tree swayed beneath his weight, but he gave no pause as he darted up its full length. He'd climbed bigger trees in the past, climbed actual mountains even in his true form! This tree was nothing!
His claws sank into another branch as he snarled with his irritation. It was nothing to defeat, but it could be a good instrument for his frustrations! He climbed further until the tree swayed again, almost buckling underneath his weight. Suddenly, Kayden could see nothing but brightness. The greens, reds, golds, and silvers blurred together without warning. He raised first his left paw and then his right, batting at the bright colors. "MRROW!"
As suddenly as he'd lost his attention, Kayden started to fall. The tree was toppling, and he was caught in its branches. But then lithe arms with a surprising strength wrapped around him and the tree steadied as abruptly as it had began to fall. "What are you doing?" Jiwoo whispered. Kayden stiffened angrily at the mirth he heard in the boy's voice.
But he was safe, and warm. The tree was no longer falling with him. It glimmered tauntingly at him, but he turned his back to it, wiggling in his Apprentice's arms. It was then that he realized that Jiwoo had snapped out of a deep sleep to come, rushing, to his aid. Not, of course, that he'd needed the boy, but still, that meant the ridiculous whelp was learning something from his teachings! He hissed and kneaded Jiwoo's pajama top before he realized what he was doing.
Jiwoo laughed that shy, embarrassed chuckle of his and scratched the back of his head. "Master Kayden?" he whispered.
"Shut up!" Kayden snapped instantly.
"Yes, sir."
They stood there in silence in a room filled with sleeping cats. After a long moment, Jiwoo asked, "Would you like to join me on the bed, sir?"
Kayden stiffened even more. Jiwoo stilled himself, expecting to be struck by lightning claws. But after a moment, to both their surprise, Kayden began to relax. His tail swished. "The bed should be mine anyway, Apprentice."
"But, sir, you are -- "
"Yeah, yeah! I know I'm a cat!" Still, the warmth and comfort of Jiwoo's bed beat the floor or even the couch, especially when surrounded by other cats. "Fine," he said, his orange fur bristling. "But don't think this is going to become a habit!"
"Yes, sir!" Jiwoo obediently answered, still blushing like a dumb schoolgirl.
Kayden allowed Jiwoo to carry him pass the other cats, pass Kartein who opened a single, green eye and grinned, and to his bed. Kartein had just shut his eyes and began to doze back off, the tip of his white tail pressed against his feline nose, when Kayden called to him, "At least I get the bed!"
"Mrew?" Kartein considered for just a moment before forcing himself to stretch and rise. Never once to allow himself to be outdone, especially not by his old nemesis, he padded across the floor and jumped, as gracefully as his scraggly body could manage, onto the bed. He curled up on Jiwoo's other side, shut his eyes, and began to purr.
"Merry Christmas, Mister Kayden, Mister Kartein," Jiwoo whispered, his eyes already closed.
Kartein's purr deepened. The boy, at least to him, wasn't all bad.
"Shut up," Kayden mewed, "both of you." He shut his eyes to block out the sight around him, but even he fell asleep with a tiny smile, hidden by his own, ginger tail, that Christmas Eve night.
The End
Author: Apache Firecat
Rating: G/K
Fandom: Eleceed
Wordcount or Timestamp: 1,568
This wasn't right! His ginger ears folded against his furry skull, Kayden started to snarl in frustration. He popped a paw over his mouth, swished his tail, and slowly forced himself to relax. It still wasn't right! he thought, a soft, irritated growl slipping free from his refrain. He should have been able to return to his human form a long time ago!
It wasn't right that he was still stuck in the body of a cat -- and a fat cat at that! It seemed like no matter how much he trained this body, it simply refused to slim down. Of course, it scarcely helped that the pudgy beast had quite the appetite, another issue that he had trouble controlling. What had happened to him, to his self control, his pride, his abilities? He should not still be a cat! His orange tail lashed the air with his fury.
"Oh, relax," the white cat next to him muttered, turning on his side.
Kayden's back arched. "Just because you like being a cat -- " he hissed, unsheathing his claws.
"I don't like being a cat, but it could be worse. Now go back to sleep before you wake everybody up and I don't get any more shuteye." The smaller cat stubbornly shut his eyes, doing his best to block out Kayden's temper.
Kayden growled, but then glanced at the other cats sleeping all around them. As much as he abhorred admitting Kartein could be right about anything, he did have a point. He did not want to deal with the other mewling, squealing beasts! He pushed himself up, plodded over to his bowl, plopped down, and ate for a while in silence. This constant supply of readily available food did not help his endeavors, but then neither did his emotional eating.
"Bah!" He suddenly spit out a mouthful of kibble as his last thought resonated around his mind. He was becoming weak! He slapped the bowl away from him, stood, and rambled on through the house. The boy was becoming weak again too. They'd not had an active mission or even an adventure over the last several weeks. Instead, he kept bringing friends home and had even erected a ghastly tree in the middle of his apartment. The lad was trying to set down roots, Kayden thought, blinking up at the glistening tree. No good could come from such a powerful Awakened One ever trying to settle down! Their kind was meant to be warriors, not -- not whatever the boy thought he was doing!
Jiwoo was a strange one too! He had been since the beginning, and it couldn't all be blamed on his upbringing, or the fact that he'd spent so many years on his own, believing (so foolishly) that he was unique in his powers and there were no others like him! Kayden had recognized the lad's treatments of the local strays very early on as his desire to connect with another living being, to actually have a -- Kayden sneered -- family, or at least friends of some sort. Such was not meant for warriors!
Christmas certainly wasn't meant for warriors! He scowled up at the tree that towered before him, his sharp claws kneading the floor beneath him. If he had been even half the warrior he had been before taking on this ghastly form, he certainly would not have allowed his Apprentice to waste time on frivolous holidays, friendships, or family! It was far pass time the boy shaped up, far pass time Kayden took control of matters within his own paws -- er, his ears and tail flicked as he caught himself, hands --
But wasn't that exactly the actual problem? The dilemma wasn't just Jiwoo. Kayden could have forced him to become a genuine warrior by now, if he had only been himself, but he was not himself. His head bowed as he sighed deeply, his small, furry shoulder shrugging at the immense weight he felt. He was not himself at all! And he could not seem to maintain his true form for any decent length of time.
He'd given up too much, trying to help this boy already. His tail swished repeatedly in the air behind him. Kayden was used to the cold of Winters, but he'd not really felt the chill this year. Jiwoo, for all his faults, did keep him warm, and fed, even if it was with catfood... Kayden's pointy ears swiveled back and forth as he heard all the snores resonating around him. Everybody else was peaceful. Everybody else was happy, he realized.
But he shouldn't have to be happy in these conditions! These were not conditions befitting him, or any warrior or even Awakened One for that matter! This was not at all what he, or even Kartein, was accustomed to or deserved! Being in a cat's plump, furry, and fat behind all the time was not a fate he could have ever imagined for himself.
Yet here he was. He rocked back and forth on his hind paws, kneading the floor beneath him in great agitation. Gold and silver glimmered and caught at his eyes. His irises dilated, as only a cat's could do, as he rocked back further. Bright colors swayed before him, and his thoughts began to sway with them. The tree suddenly didn't seem quite so big. Instead of bickering or complaining about his circumstances, he realized, he should be working to at least tone this body. He could conquer this tree! If he started climbing it, instead of simply staring at it with disgust, perhaps he could work off some of this poundage... Then he might feel better and actually start gathering the strength he needed to resume his rightful shape.
Before he could change his mind, he darted up the tree. Bells chimed and garland and boughs rustled all around him. The tree swayed beneath his weight, but he gave no pause as he darted up its full length. He'd climbed bigger trees in the past, climbed actual mountains even in his true form! This tree was nothing!
His claws sank into another branch as he snarled with his irritation. It was nothing to defeat, but it could be a good instrument for his frustrations! He climbed further until the tree swayed again, almost buckling underneath his weight. Suddenly, Kayden could see nothing but brightness. The greens, reds, golds, and silvers blurred together without warning. He raised first his left paw and then his right, batting at the bright colors. "MRROW!"
As suddenly as he'd lost his attention, Kayden started to fall. The tree was toppling, and he was caught in its branches. But then lithe arms with a surprising strength wrapped around him and the tree steadied as abruptly as it had began to fall. "What are you doing?" Jiwoo whispered. Kayden stiffened angrily at the mirth he heard in the boy's voice.
But he was safe, and warm. The tree was no longer falling with him. It glimmered tauntingly at him, but he turned his back to it, wiggling in his Apprentice's arms. It was then that he realized that Jiwoo had snapped out of a deep sleep to come, rushing, to his aid. Not, of course, that he'd needed the boy, but still, that meant the ridiculous whelp was learning something from his teachings! He hissed and kneaded Jiwoo's pajama top before he realized what he was doing.
Jiwoo laughed that shy, embarrassed chuckle of his and scratched the back of his head. "Master Kayden?" he whispered.
"Shut up!" Kayden snapped instantly.
"Yes, sir."
They stood there in silence in a room filled with sleeping cats. After a long moment, Jiwoo asked, "Would you like to join me on the bed, sir?"
Kayden stiffened even more. Jiwoo stilled himself, expecting to be struck by lightning claws. But after a moment, to both their surprise, Kayden began to relax. His tail swished. "The bed should be mine anyway, Apprentice."
"But, sir, you are -- "
"Yeah, yeah! I know I'm a cat!" Still, the warmth and comfort of Jiwoo's bed beat the floor or even the couch, especially when surrounded by other cats. "Fine," he said, his orange fur bristling. "But don't think this is going to become a habit!"
"Yes, sir!" Jiwoo obediently answered, still blushing like a dumb schoolgirl.
Kayden allowed Jiwoo to carry him pass the other cats, pass Kartein who opened a single, green eye and grinned, and to his bed. Kartein had just shut his eyes and began to doze back off, the tip of his white tail pressed against his feline nose, when Kayden called to him, "At least I get the bed!"
"Mrew?" Kartein considered for just a moment before forcing himself to stretch and rise. Never once to allow himself to be outdone, especially not by his old nemesis, he padded across the floor and jumped, as gracefully as his scraggly body could manage, onto the bed. He curled up on Jiwoo's other side, shut his eyes, and began to purr.
"Merry Christmas, Mister Kayden, Mister Kartein," Jiwoo whispered, his eyes already closed.
Kartein's purr deepened. The boy, at least to him, wasn't all bad.
"Shut up," Kayden mewed, "both of you." He shut his eyes to block out the sight around him, but even he fell asleep with a tiny smile, hidden by his own, ginger tail, that Christmas Eve night.
The End