YaoiTora_Chan's Notes: I think so far everything thing we've wanted to say has been established. We're even on a good track to updating frequently. Which... oh my god, I can't believe I didn't have a co-author/beta-reader type person before!
Probably because I hadn't discovered wattpad until my best friend since sixth grade told me about later (I believe) or it was probably vice versa. Who knows! Have my memories are put into filing cabinets in my brain.
Anyway, oh and Fanfiction.net where the hellhounds live (critics and haters and the readers that just leave nice comments because they like the story xD) on the internet and don't should nearly as much interest in stories now than they did then. Meaning this story has no attention on FF.net. Oh well.
ArchiveofOurOwn.org, however, is making popularity slowly but surely. ^^ Okay, I'm done taking up your precious reading time.
ENJOY THE CHAPTER!
Chapter Two: Sleepy Ash
Mahiru stared at the red eyed man, confused and shaking with anxiety. Mahiru subtly looked around the room, trying to find something he could use to fight this person. His eyes stopped when he spotted a mop leaning against his dresser, likely left by one of the maids. Gathering all his courage, he sprint over to the mop and grabbed it, but before he could turn around, he sensed a large figure standing directly behind him.
He froze, his hands sweating as he gripped the mop handle tighter. A large, pale hand reached out from behind him and grasped his hand holding the mop, slowly prying his fingers off of it. The second he loosened his grip on the mop, it jumped from his hand and flew around the ceiling. As quickly as it started the mop settled down and lifelessly leaned against the wall on the other side of the room. Mahiru stared at it, completely speechless, but he was quickly brought back by a deep monotonous voice right by his ear.
"Using violence, you're such a pain." the man mumbled softly by his ear, feeling his breath on the back of his neck. Mahiru tensed up, his heart racing out of control and his face flushed. The stranger sensed him tense up and let go of the hand he still held tightly, taking a few steps back.
After a pregnant silence, Mahiru took a deep breath to calm his nerves.
"Who are you?" He demanded, a bit more calmly than before. The man's crimson eyes locked with his own, drawing him in for the second time. "I asked who you are!" Mahiru raised his voice, "Now tell me or else I'll call the guards!"
The red eyed man let out a groan. "This is so troublesome I could die." Then he went on and mumbled. "Can't deal." Mahiru felt a tick mark form on his forehead, finding this man to be extremely annoying and irritating. Before he could retort, a thought struck him. The little kitten he saved had disappeared. Did this guy steal it?
"Where's Kuro? What have you-" Mahiru couldn't finish his question as the room lit up with a bright red light. Mahiru shot his glance down to his feet to see a giant red magic circle. He averted his gaze when he felt something tickle his finger, he looked over to his hand to find a red string tied around his pinkie. His eyes followed the red string, seeing It come to an end tied around the stranger's pinkie. The light suddenly vanished and everything returned to normal.
They stayed silent for a long while until the man broke it, leaning his head to stare at the ceiling, letting out a huge exasperated sigh, "Kill me now..."
Without hesitation, Mahiru rushed up to the man and grabbed his shirt, shaking him violently while yelling, "What in the world was that? What happened? What was that red string? And why did you steal my cat you thief?"
"What's with all the nagging questions? If I was a thief I wouldn't still be here right now, plus I'm not a thief. I'm just a kind hearted shut in."
"A kind hearted... shut in?" Mahiru repeated. "You broke into my castle and you're telling me you're a kind hearted shut in?" Mahiru shook his head. "I don't believe you."
The man looked at him with a bored expression on his face. He wasn't keen on dealing with people, especially ones that nag. Unfortunately, for some reason, he felt himself strangely drawn to this person, who he'd guessed was royalty since he lived in this castle. Sighing, he grumbled. "What a pain." Meeting Mahiru's gaze, the man continued.
"Look, I'm not a thief and I didn't break into your castle. I'm-"
"Mahiru-sama, I heard you were back from Lily-kun. Please let me in. If you don't, it will be a problem." Mahiru eyes darted to the door in confusion. Her words sounded... threatening. Even the stranger in his room didn't like it, Mahiru could see it on his face. Mahiru bit his lip, hesitating. He needed to do something quickly or else-
Poof! A puff of smoke appeared and dissipated within an instant revealing the tiny cat that he had rescued from the village alley. K-Kuro? He thought, in utter perplexity. "Y-You're-You're a-a-"
"Mahiru-sama?"
With a frustrated groan, he picked up Kuro and placed him on his pillow, putting a blanket over him before swiftly walking to the door, opening it. "You can come in now Hanae." A short light purple haired woman who appeared twenty peered into the room as she slowly walked in.
"I was looking for my mop." She mentioned, but glanced around the room slowly, as if surveying it. She quickly regained her composure, walking over to the mop and picking it up. "Thank you for coming back, Mahiru-sama." She bowed politely and quietly left the room.
"She's weird. I'd be careful around her." A lazy, high-pitched voice spoke up after Hanae was out of sight and earshot. Mahiru turned to see the kitten peeking out from underneath the small blanket. He blinked, perplexed, wondering if his hearing was acting up.
"What?"
"I'd be careful around her," The cat spoke, mouth moving, paw pointing at the door Hanae went through. "She's weird." Mahiru looked at the place where Hanae had been standing, wordlessly agreeing with Kuro...? Should he even call him that?
"Who? Hanae? She's perfectly harmless. She's with the Alicein Family, but she helps out around the castle as well." The cat nodded slowly. He didn't trust that Hanae girl, but he honestly didn't know why he was helping this person of royalty when he was so rude.
"Ah whatever, take my advice or don't, I don't care. You're such a pain anyway." The cat suddenly transformed back into a human, his voice suddenly becoming low and monotonous. Mahiru jumped at the sudden change, but his eyes remained glued to the figure standing in front of him. Shoulder length blue hair. Half lidded, bored red eyes with deep bags underneath them. A blue cloak a tad darkerf than his hair with black fur and cat ears around the lining of the hood. On wwwwwwwWthe bottom of the cloak, he had it cut in A each strip of material. Mahiru wondered why he had a cloak made like that when he could just have a simple cloak.
Mahiru swwhook his head, shoving the thought away and straightening himself. "I don't think she's a bad person." He replied. The stranger shrugged.
"What a pain, you're too trusting."
"I don't necessarily trust you. I don't even know you." Mahiru huffed. "One minute you're a cat, the next you're a human..." Just mentioning that made him wonder. "What are you? A shapeshifter? I heard those things were dangerous."
"I'm not a shapeshifter. I'm a..." He hesitated, looking to the side and mumbled, "A mage. What I used just now was transformation magic." Mahiru's eyes widened in disbelief. He's a mage?
"So, you perform magic?" The mage as he referred himself as, changed his form again back into a cat, causing Mahiru to jump once again.
"And I'm a cat. Look at me as I roll around and show off my cuteness." Mahiru snorted. You're not cute.
"Who are you? I mean, what is your name?"
"I'm Sleepy Ash the first mage of sloth. I have five other brothers and a sister." Mahiru stared at him, deep in thought, thinking about his name. Sleepy Ash of Sloth... accurate. It was very true. The guy seemed lazy and bored all the time. Thinking simply, the form of a cat is also accurate too.
"Sleepy Ash?" Mahiru blinked. "But you're a cat. I don't think Sleepy Ash just doesn't ring right," Mahiru grinned. "So I think I'll just call you Kuro." Simple is best after all.
"Kuro? Couldn't you pick a more suitable name? Like Fluffy McCuteness? I am a cat after all." Mahiru felt his eye twitch and grabbed Kuro's ears.
"Last time I checked, cats don't willingly talk." Mahiru replied, pinching Kuro's ears.
"Ow! Come on, those are the cutest part of me and you're hurting them! You're such a pain. Can't deal."
"Alright, enough with the cute act! Explain what happened back there! What was that strange light and the string that was connected to our pinkies? What happened?" Mahiru gave him a stern look like that of a mother.
"Hah, you're such a nag I could die." Kuro sighed, but reluctantly gave in, seeing that Mahiru wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.
"I... Honestly don't know."
"...Huh?" Mahiru stared at him dumbfounded, "How could you not know? That was definitely magic, and you're a mage, so you must know something right?" Mahiru's need for a simple answer grew more desperate by the second.
"I don't know what I don't know. I mean, I've had people take me in before and give me a name, but nothing like this ever happened. I think I might have an idea what it is..."
Mahiru perked up and Kuro had his full attention, nodding his head as he urged him to continue.
"Ah, but explaining is such a pain." He groaned, trying to get out of it.
A tick mark appeared on Mahiru's forehead as he restrained himself from smacking the lazy cat. "Explain or I won't feed you!"
Kuro looked dumbfounded as if he couldn't believe his ears, "So cruel. How could you do such a think to such a cute cat?" Kuro asked as he poofed into his cat form and rolled around on the bed in the cutest way possible.
"Nice try, speak now and make it simple." Mahiru demanded in a seriously unamused tone.
"Ramen."
"Huh?" Mahiru arched his eyebrow at the random statement.
"I'll tell you whatever you want if there is ramen involved." Kuro declared with a stoic face, but Mahiru could tell that he was serious.
"Ah alright, fine, I promise I'll get you some ramen, now please explain."
Kuro nodded in approval. He suddenly shift back into a human, his mood suddenly turning serious, "I think it is a Red String of Fate." He stated simple and to the point.
Mahiru blinked several times and gave him a blank stare, "Sooo, what's that?"
"You said to keep things simple," Kuro sighed before continuing, "It is said that a Red String of Fate only appears when two people are destined to be together for whatever reason."
Kuro glanced at Mahiru who hadn't said a word, he appeared to be confused, but still listening intently. Kuro decided to end the topic quickly before things got to be even more of a pain.
"So for a lack of better words, we are stuck together. We can only be so far apart from one another before the String brings us back together. If we are forced apart, well, that's too troublesome to explain." Kuro finished as he grabbed the plate of food from the dresser and started munching away.
Mahiru stared at him, still trying to process everything Kuro had just told him.
"So simply thinking, it's like a contract of sorts?"
"Yeah, I guess you could call it that. Hey, where's my ramen?"
"Oh right, I'll get it for you tomorrow, I'm exhausted." Kuro protested, but it went unheard. Mahiru yawned as he went over to a chair and grabbed the fluffy pillow resting on it. He set the pillow on the ground next to his bed, fluffing it up a bit.
"There you go, nice and comfy!" Mahiru pat the pillow, before heading to his closet to change into his sleepwear. Kuro looked at the pillow, feeling rather disappointed, but he shoved it aside and turned into a cat, hopping onto the pillow.
Mahiru crawled into bed and turned of the lamp by his nightstand above Kuro. He let himself sink into the soft pillows as sleep slowly took over him.
"Goodnight Kuro."
"...Nya"
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YaoiTora_Chan's Notes: Decided to proofread it like a million times before uploading this, just in case it was in need of it. Chapter 3 will be coming soon! xD We have some good ideas for that chapter.