Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Cat's in the Cradle (a hybrid story)

Rain feels better when they get off the bus near Sky's apartment. The fresh air helps to settle his tummy and Rain tries to look at everything at once. He barely remembers that he shouldn't jerk his leash when a squirrel in a nearby park catches his attention. Maybe Sky will bring him here later on walkies and Rain can investigate more. For now, he walks with Sky into the apartment.

As they approached the elevator though a new smell catches his attention, and he can't help but strain against the leash just a little. It is a cat smell, a strong but pleasant smell that Rain only wants to get closer to. Rain spots him there by the elevator. A big hybrid with slick black fur and long hair pulled back into a ponytail at the back. Sky can barely keep up as Rain drags him to the elevator. The doors are just opening as they arrive. Rain positions himself to sit next to the other hybrid.

So handsome Rain chirps to the other hybrid. To the humans it only sounds like random cat sounds.

The other hybrid blinks at him slowly and gives him a little smirk. He moves his head burying it in Rain's neck to smell Rain. Rain just closes his eyes and purrs contentedly at this.

"Phayu, no." The human with his leash says, but Phayu just ignores him and continues to sniff Rain's neck. "I'm sorry," the man tells Sky, "Phayu is strong willed, around my apartment he is known as 'big boss'."

Sky's apartment is on the second floor and Rain whines softly as he is pulled away from Phayu. Phayu extends his neck and gives Rain a final head rub that seems to promise 'later' then they are out of the elevator and the delicious smell of the other hybrid is retreating.

Rain explores Sky's small apartment rubbing against as many things as possible to mark this as his territory the same way Sky is his human.

"Hungry?" Sky asks and that is one of Rain's favorite human words. It is usually followed by a yummy treat. Rain approves of this. Sky puts Rain's plate at the table and pats the chair in front of it, Rain bounds up in one smooth leap. He frowns a bit at the silverware, of course Rain knows how to use these things he has been well trained, but he will never understand humans' insistence on them. They are awkward and clumsy. So much easier just to eat directly from the plate. Humans are so weird.

Rain can't complain about the meal though. Salmon, Rain's favorite. The rice with butter is good as well, although Rain tries to sneakily push aside the green stuff. Unlike their ancestors, cat hybrids are complete omnivores but that doesn't mean Rain likes green stuff. Sky insists he eat it though, saying he read that a hybrid needs a well balanced diet. Rain pouts slightly but eats the greens as well.

After a while Sky goes to bed and Rain curls up on the bed Sky has provided him in the living room. He is just beginning to doze when a sound from the balcony makes him jerk his head up. Phayu is outside scratching on the glass door.

Phayu had waited for his human to go out. Silly human looking for a human to be a companion for the night when there was a perfectly good human downstairs. Humans were dumb that way but whatever it wasn't Phayu's business. His business was with a cute little tabby that had called him handsome and who had smelled so delicious Phayu almost couldn't stand to let him go earlier. Good thing Phayu has lived here long enough to pretty much have the run of the entire building. First he goes out the "catio" as Pai calls it (stupid name if you ask Phayu) and leaps down to the ledge of the balcony below startling the Dog hybrid that lives there. A hiss from Phayu has that puppy cowering back with his tail between his legs, good. He continues his downward descent until he reaches the second floor then goes from balcony to balcony until he can smell the scent from earlier strong enough to know he has the correct apartment.

Sky shakes his head at Rain still asleep when he is getting ready to leave for school the next morning. "Lazy boy, haven't you been asleep all night? Are you going to sleep all day as well?"