Author's Note: It's Halloween season! Happy haunting, witches! (Also, I'm adopting a cat, so that was partially the inspiration for this story.)
"Ah, home sweet home," you sighed as you breezed through the doorway. You placed your broom in the cupboard and hung your cloak on its hook before making your way into the kitchen.
"Did you really have to hex that kid?" Levi grumbled as he padded along behind you. "I mean, how old was he? Nine?"
You giggled, looking down at him over your shoulder. "Don't tell me you've suddenly decided that you care about humans."
"Tch. Of course I haven't," he muttered. "But I would rather not get chased out of town again. And I really don't want a repeat of that time when I had to save you from being burned at the stake."
You giggled again. "You're never going to let that go, are you?" you asked, smiling at him fondly.
You had found Levi a little late in life – or rather, he had found you. You had felt sad when you were the only witch to come of age at thirteen without a familiar, but Levi was definitely worth the wait. You loved his snarky attitude, and the two of you just...clicked. Not to mention, he was the cutest little black cat.
"Besides," you continued, resuming your walk to the kitchen, "that twerp killed his neighbor's kittens. I couldn't just let that go."
Levi stiffened. "In that case, you should have given him the plague."
You scoffed. "Now that really would have gotten us chased out of town."
You stood in front of the stove and started throwing ingredients into a pot. Meanwhile, Levi curled his tail around your legs, rubbing up against you affectionately. Every now and then, you reached down to scratch underneath his chin. Even though he tried to feign indifference, you knew how much he loved it.
Abruptly, he shifted into his human form, leaning his chin on your shoulder as he peered curiously into the pot. His hands came to rest on your arms. "Why do your potions always smell so good?" he muttered.
"This isn't a potion," you chuckled. "It's dinner."
"Oh."
You smiled, reaching up to scratch behind his furry ears, which still remained even though he was in human form. His canines and tail remained too, but other than that, he possessed a perfectly sculpted male body. Thankfully, his transformations magically came with a set of all-black clothes. It would have been a pain to carry some around everywhere you went.
Levi's eyelids fluttered closed, your touch bringing him to a contented state. You could hear him purring next to your ear, and it warmed your heart to know that he was happy.
Instinctively, he started nuzzling into your cheek, forgetting that he was in human form.
"L-Levi," you giggled. Goddess, he was adorable.
When you spoke, Levi suddenly realized what he was doing. He jumped back about five feet, his eyes going wide. "I-I'm s-sorry...I..." he stuttered, averting his gaze. His ears turned sideways, which told you that he was nervous.
"It's okay," you murmured reassuringly, feeling slightly confused. "You're a cat. It's normal."
Levi had been acting strange for a few weeks now. One minute, he would be more affectionate with you than usual, but immediately afterward, he would run off and hide. You had chalked it up to the bipolar personality of cats, but it was honestly starting to worry you a little.
Your brow furrowed as you took in the redness that spread across his pale cheeks. "Hey, are you alright?" you asked worriedly.
"I-I'm not feeling well," he mumbled before shifting into cat form and running off.
Normally, you would respect Levi's space if he wanted to be alone. However, you were too concerned not to follow him. What if something really was wrong? What if he was sick? You couldn't just ignore that.
Levi had curled up under your bed, hiding in the darkness.
"Levi?" you cooed, getting on your hands and knees so you could see him. "What's the matter?"
"I told you, I'm not feeling well," he grumbled.
"Are you sick?" you asked gently. "I could make you something that would help. Just tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing you need to worry about," he mumbled, turning away from you.
You sighed, still feeling concerned but not wanting to be pushy with him. Cats never responded well to that. "Okay," you murmured. "I'll be in the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything."
You returned to the task of cooking dinner, but your mind was still focused on Levi. He was such a huge part of your life, your heart, your soul. If anything bad happened to him, you wouldn't be able to take it. It would be worse than losing your magic.
You set dinner on the table, but Levi still wouldn't come out. You sat there for several minutes, waiting for him, until you finally gave up. With a sigh, you cut up some fish and put it in a bowl next to the bed, hoping that he would eat it.
After eating your own dinner, you bathed and crawled into bed. To the best of your knowledge, Levi was still hiding underneath you. At least he had eaten the food you left for him.
"Levi?" you whispered into the darkness. "Are you okay?"
It took him a moment to answer. But finally, he grumbled, "Yeah, brat. I'm okay."
You loosed a breath in relief. "Then will you please come up here with me?"
Ever since the two of you met, Levi had slept in your bed with you, and you were so used to having him nearby that you couldn't relax without him. Besides, you wouldn't believe that he was okay until you saw it for yourself.
The room filled with silence for a few seconds, until you felt Levi jump onto the bed and pad over to you. He curled up on top of the blankets, close enough for you to reach out and pet him gently.
He felt fine. He even started purring as your fingers brushed through his soft fur.
Content that he was next to you, you let yourself drift off to sleep. Your hand still rested on his back.
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You didn't know what time it was when you awoke, though the darkness outside told you that it was the middle of the night. At some point, you had rolled over to your other side, while Levi had shifted into human form. His chest was now pressed against your back, and he had thrown an arm around your waist. However, that wasn't what woke you up.
His lips were on the nape of your neck, parted to allow his sharpened canines to graze your skin. Those canines were nipping at you gently, causing shivers to run down your spine and heat to pool in your core.
You knew you shouldn't react this way. He was your familiar. But you couldn't help it. It just felt so...oh...
Forcing yourself to keep a cool head, you carefully pulled away and turned to look at him. He was still sound asleep, and his brow had furrowed at the absence of your body against his. He made a small sound low in his throat, subconsciously wanting you back.
You didn't understand – why would he bite you in his sleep? You thought back on everything you had ever read about cat behavior, trying to come up with the answer. A few seconds later, you recalled that male cats tended to bite a female's neck as a pacifying gesture, reminiscent of when mother cats carried their kittens in their mouths. Only, when the males did it, it was...
Oh, goddess.
Suddenly, his strange behavior over the past few weeks made perfect sense. The unusual amount of affection. His face turning red. His nervousness and attempts to hide.
Levi liked you – or at the very least, he was attracted to you.
"Levi?" you whispered hesitantly.
His face scrunched up adorably as he entered consciousness. He blinked blearily until his eyes focused on you. "(F/n)?" he mumbled.
"Um, Levi..." you stammered, feeling your cheeks warm as you tried to get the words out. "You were...um, biting my neck in your sleep."
Instantly, Levi's eyes went wide. His ears turned sideways, communicating his anxiety. "Oh, goddess...I-I'm s-sorry," he stuttered hastily. "I d-didn't m-mean...I'm sorry."
He seemed like he was about to run away again, so you reached out and grabbed his arm. "Don't go," you murmured. "Please. Let's talk about this."
Levi stared back at you apologetically, his cheeks tinged a dark pink. "I sh-shouldn't. I-I'm your f-familiar. I..."
"Shh. It's okay," you cooed, releasing his wrist and instead running your fingers through his hair, trying to calm him. "You are my familiar – which is why you can tell me anything, Levi. I won't get mad. I won't judge you."
He averted his eyes, and you saw his sharp canines peek out to bite his lower lip. After a moment, he tilted his head and leaned into your touch, still clearly upset and craving the comfort you offered.
"I think I'm in love with you," he stated quietly.
You paused for the briefest second in surprise before resuming your soothing strokes through his hair. You gazed at him, at this creature who had been by your side through the best and worst times of life. And you felt your heart swell.
With a sigh, you leaned forward and pressed your lips to his in a gentle, chaste kiss.
Your actions were shocking enough that his eyes snapped to yours. "W-w-what...?" he stuttered, the blush on his cheeks becoming even darker.
"I'm in love with you, too," you murmured.
Levi gaped at you in utter disbelief. However, your bond was such that you could each sense when the other was lying, and he could feel that you were telling the truth. Every. Single. Word.
"B-but...I thought this wasn't s-supposed to h-happen...with witches and f-familiars..." he mumbled.
"It doesn't happen often," you explained. "But that doesn't mean that it can't happen, or that it shouldn't happen." You pressed another kiss to his lips before whispering, "This isn't wrong, Levi. You're the only one who could ever make me feel this way. And you're the only one I want by my side forever."
Levi's ears perked up. He continued to stare at you, his grey-blue eyes searching yours while he processed your words. But once he did, his expression softened. "I want to stay with you forever, too," he breathed.
Your heart fluttered. Your eyes flicked to his lips, then back up – asking a silent question.
Levi smiled faintly as he leaned in, molding his lips to yours. He was still a little shy, but your words had calmed him enough that he no longer felt anxious. In fact, he felt rather happy, and you could feel him purring against your skin.
The kiss was slow and soft, conveying all the love you had for one another. It felt so right – just like being with Levi had always felt right. You were meant for each other, in more ways than one.
When you pulled apart for air, some of the embarrassment crept back into Levi's expression, and he averted his eyes. "I...I really am sorry for biting you," he mumbled quietly. "If we were both cats, I would normally just pounce on you, but..." He swallowed, then looked up to meet your gaze. "I would like to take things s-slow with you...like a h-human...i-if that's o-okay."
You grinned, feeling your heart melt. "Of course, that's okay," you murmured. "There's no rush. We have all the time in the world."
He loosed a breath, relaxing a little as gratitude shone in his eyes.
Sensing a wonderful opportunity to make mischief, you leaned in and purred, "Although, I wouldn't mind if you wanted to bite me again."
Levi stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. He started stammering something unintelligible, unable to form a complete sentence as heat flooded his face.
You chuckled, then gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Don't worry, love. I was only teasing," you assured him, wicked glee shining in your eyes.
"Oh," he breathed, his gaze falling.
You went back to petting his hair, silently apologizing for your little prank, until he mumbled, "I-if you really w-wanted me to..."
You froze, completely thrown off by the offer. Now, it was your turn to be shy as you recalled how his sleepy bites had made you feel earlier. Butterflies swirled inside your stomach at the mere memory of it. "Only if you're comfortable," you whispered breathlessly.
Levi glanced up at you timidly, nodding once.
Slowly, he crawled on top of you, and you rolled onto your back for him. You tilted your head, offering him access to your sensitive skin. You shivered as his lips paused just a hairsbreadth above your throat, his warm breath lightly caressing you.
When you didn't tell him to stop, he pressed a soft kiss to your neck. Then his teeth came out to play.
You sighed as he gently nipped his way down your throat. On instinct, you brought one hand to his head, weaving your fingers through his hair, holding him close. Your other hand slid down to stroke his tail.
Levi released a low growl in response to your actions, letting his tongue dart out to taste your delicate skin. The new sensation created even more butterflies in your stomach, causing you to sigh again. And when he found your sweet spot, his name escaped your lips.
"Levi."
Realizing that it was a sensitive area, Levi nipped a little harder, earning a breathy moan from you. He pulled back to look at your face, with wide, innocent eyes. "Does it feel good?" he asked, earnestly wanting to please you.
"Mhm," you hummed, feeling your heart pound forcefully inside your chest. You weren't sure if it was the right thing to say, but his caring nature made you want to add, "Thank you."
His expression softened in relief, and he returned his attention to your throat.
After licking and nipping lovingly for another minute, he asked shyly, "(F/n)? Would you mind...b-biting me? I...I don't know how it f-feels..."
You smiled reassuringly, stroking your fingers across his cheek. "It would be my pleasure," you murmured, wanting to make him feel as good as you did.
You delicately pushed him onto his back and crawled on top, giving him a chance to get comfortable before you began. He looked incredibly nervous, but beneath that, he was longing for the new sensation he was about to feel.
You leaned down, starting with soft kisses to help him relax. When you thought he was ready, you lightly grazed your teeth across his skin before giving him a gentle bite.
His breath hitched. "Oh," he gasped, realizing how good it felt.
"Do you want me to keep going?" you asked.
He swallowed, trying to calm his nerves before nodding.
Several quiet sighs escaped him as you continued your ministrations, and his noises made the butterflies in your stomach go crazy. You felt just as good as you had when you were the one being bitten, only it was a different type of good. You loved knowing that you could please him.
On top of that, you marveled at how vocal he was, compared to his normal demeanor. Levi wasn't usually very expressive, but his previously untouched neck was so sensitive that he couldn't help himself. Besides, you were the only one who would hear, and he didn't mind that too much, especially considering how wonderful you were making him feel.
When you were finished, you pulled back, drinking in his flushed cheeks and stunning expression. "Sorry," you murmured with an apologetic smirk. "I guess I didn't really take things slow – with the biting, and all."
"It's fine," he breathed, reaching up to brush your hair out of your face. "Technically, I had already bitten you before you agreed to that, so I can't complain."
Your smirk turned into a soft smile. "Hey, if you're ever not comfortable with anything, just tell me, okay? Even if it's something we've done before. I won't get mad."
Levi nodded, smiling gratefully back at you.
You snuggled up next to him and pulled the blankets over you both. He nuzzled into your chest, purring contentedly as you rubbed behind his ears. His tail curled itself around your hips, silently claiming you as his.
"Goodnight, kitty kitty," you purred.
"Tch," he grumbled. "Goodnight, witch."
You giggled, burying your face in his soft hair before allowing sleep to take you once more.