Chapter Text
Jiwoo closed the door as he returned back to his room at the academy. For a second, he opened his mouth to call out to Kayden, announcing that he's home, but then stopped. He put his hand up against the door frame and looked around the room. He'd already lived there for quite a number of weeks, and it had already started to grow on him, but the thought of leaving it and going back home made a sudden gloominess settle in his chest.
Home.
Home would be very different without Kayden. He loved having all the cats there, and he loved when his friends visited him and they ate snacks and goofed around all night long. But having someone there, someone living there with him and not just visiting, someone human, even if he was in cat form, was different. He imagined his whole childhood of crippling loneliness and isolation leering at him from the dark stairway even as the cats occupied the sunny couches. He had no family now, not even his mother to live with, and now Kayden also was gone.
No, Kayden would be back. He said he would. Jiwoo couldn't let this get him down. He needed to focus on training and getting stronger. He needed to be so strong that even those who were out to get Kayden wouldn't be a match for him. He needed to not be a bother, a vulnerability, for Kayden.
The hand that was on the door frame clenched into a fist as he pushed off the door and strode into the room. He dropped his bag on the table and started taking off his jacket. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of orange lying on the bed. It couldn't be...
He let go of his collar and walked past the divider into the bedroom, eyes widening in hopeful suprise.
"...druuhhughh..." the fat orange lump groaned, paws hanging limply above his pudgy stomach as he lay on his back.
"KAYDEN!!!" Jiwoo cried as he jumped on the bed onto his knees and buried his face into his forearms, "I thought you left!!"
"...oughh?..." Kayden started awake. He rolled away onto his side, glancing back at Jiwoo with bleary eyes. "What are you talking about, I spent a lot of energy this time..."
Jiwoo sat back. "But you said you were leaving...!"
"I was trying to trick Han Sung-ik, he's so persistent." He yawned a wide cat yawn. "Anyways, I'll sleep a little more. I'm so sleepy I couldn't even take a nap."
Jiwoo untucked his feet from under him and leaned his back against the wall, wrapping his arms around his knees. He couldn't help the smile tugging at his cheeks. His lips widened and he closed his eyes, letting out a breath. Maybe going home wouldn't be so bad after all. And oh, he missed his sweet cat children. He let out a little chuckle, remembering their silly antics and how they would probably go crazy with mewling and brushing against his legs once he stepped in the door.
He got up off the bed and started gathering his stuff and cleaning up the room. They would be leaving in the morning tomorrow.
***
An hour later, the packing was done and the room was clean. His stomach growled and he thought of going back to the cafeteria, but then he looked back to the sleeping orange lump on the bed. He'd known Kayden for over half a year now, and he'd still not recovered all his strength. It was worrisome. Then again, it did take longer since he was always in his cat form, and the small feline body probably couldn't keep up with the needs of an adult human.
Maybe that was it. Maybe just eating cat food and treats wasn't enough to heal a grown man. When was the last time Kayden ate real human food? Maybe if Kayden started taking his meals in human form, it would speed up his recovery?
"Kayden?" He stepped closer.
... "mmrff."
"How are you feeling?"
"...like trash." Came the muffled reply, muzzle burried into the bedding.
"I'm gonna head over to the cafeteria and bring back some food... Maybe it might help you heal if you ate some real human food? You could turn into a human and eat with me, and then turn back to the cat form right after so you don't use too much energy..."
One of Kaiden's ears perked up. "hm. You know, that might work... What do they have there?"
Jiwoo smiled and started listing the options.
***
Jiwoo came back with two takeout containers full of food. He put them on the table and kicked off his shoes, announcing his arrival. Kayden, who had gone back to sleep, groaned, stretched, and slowly slid off the bed and plodded over to the table. Still in his cat form, he sat down on his haunches a few feet away from the table, and closed his eyes, knitting his brow. Faint blue waves of evergy started to surround him, but the whisps of blue fizzled out after a few moments.
"I'm too tired, I can't summon the energy to transform."
"Would it help if I... I dont know, remember back then, you put your paw on my forehead and gave me some of your energy?" Jiwoo came closer. "What if I did something like that?"
"You probably don't have the force control. ...It's worth a shot though. Come over here."
Jiwoo sat beside him and crossed his legs, looking at him expectantly.
Kayden got up off his haunches and put his front paws on Jiwoo's thigh. He hoisted himself up and into his lap, curling into a ball. "Make a circle with your hands and touch your fingertips together."
Jiwoo did as he was told.
"Ok, now start concentrating on your force control. Feel the flow." Whisps of blue started to surround Jiwoo. "Good. Now focus on circling that energy around, so it passes from one hand to the other through your fingertips." It took him a few moments, but eventually Jiwoo felt the flow start to stabilize into a circular movement and a current of energy spark between his fingertips. Kayden waited another few moments for Jiwoo to get comfortable, then placed a paw at his fingertips, so the current passed through his paw. Jiwoo could feel that the amount of energy in the receiving hand had waned a bit, some of it must have been rerouted into the paw. The cat placed his second paw to complete his own loop, and Jiwoo immediately felt that the resistance of the current grew stronger, he had to focus harder to pump more energy into the circuit to make up for what was lost when it fed into the cat.
"This is almost like jumpstarting a car, heheh."
"shh... focus."
A faint blue aura started to surround both of them, the small round feline form coccooned in the energy of the boy holding him. They sat still for a while, just concentrating on circulating the energy and passing it into the little furry body. Jiwoo started to notice the drain of the energy and felt himself growing slightly tired. He still hadn't fully healed from all his wounds, so he probably had less to begin with, but it was amazing how such a small cat body could absorb so much energy.
"Ok that's probably good enough." Kayden said, opening his eyes. "You can relax now, but keep your fingers touching." Kayden got up out of his lap and sat in front of him, before putting both his front paws back onto Jiwoo's hands again. For a split second, Jiwoo felt the air crackle with energy, and then he felt his fingertips and hands wiggle and twitch like he was being mildly electrocuted. Energy coursed through his arms and down his spine, his bent legs cramped and his feet curled with tension. It wasn't quite painful but it was very intense. A bright shock of blue light illuminated the room and suddenly the silhouette of a larger man squatted in front of him, his hands still on top of Jiwoo's. A lock of long blue-black hair grazed his cheek and he looked up into deep black eyes that were only a few inches away. His breath caught and he suddenly felt unsure of what to do, but he kept staring into the eyes, unable to break the gaze. The blue aura fizzled out and Kayden let go of his hands, straightening up.
"Bibimbap, was it?"
Jiwoo smiled, starting to get up himself. "Yep! ...man, is that how it feels every time you transform? I'm drained."
"Hah, yeah, it takes a ton out of you. I think I'm getting a bit more efficient with it though."
They sat down at the table and broke open their chopsticks. Jiwoo held back and watched as Kayden fumbled with his for a bit and then picked up the jiggly, fried egg from the top of his bowl. He slid it whole into his mouth and closed his eyes, savoring it. "Mmm....Human food..." He reached his chopsticks for the meat and veggies, and Jiwoo's smile widened, seeing the other man chomping down his meal heartily. He picked up his own chopsticks and tucked into his own bowl.
***
"Wow." Kayden leaned back in his chair and patted his belly. "I'm so full. And so..." his face split into a wide, satisfying yawn, "...sleepy. I could just collapse and sleep right here... face down on the table. ...God..." Another yawn tore at his lips and he nearly tipped over his chair from the force of it.
Jiwoo stumbled to catch him but Kayden righted himself just in time. Jiwoo placed his hand on his shoulder to steady him. "Let's just get you to bed, you're probably way too tired to transform now anyway." His other hand went to Kayden's wrist and gave a gentle tug, urging the taller man to stand.
It was weird how different Kayden seemed when he was in his human form. Of course, he was also quite imposing in his portly feline form, but the real Kayden had a presence that filled up the room and a casual aloofness that made one feel unusually aware of their own presence in the same space, even when he was groggy from exhaustion. Well, as a cat, he was also rather aloof as well. And quite comfortable about occupying virtually any space as he pleased.
Really, it was the same Kayden, and ...perhaps Jiwoo was the one who felt different. Was he... nervous? He was so comfortable with the orange cat Kayden, even picking him up and holding him as he carried him around, his hand sometimes straying to rub his head or pat at his fur gently. And, although at the back of his mind he always understood that Kayden wasn't really a cat, the physical illusion affected his interactions with him enough that holding or even petting never felt weird or even remotely awkward. Used as he was to cats, the motions came automatically, and curiously, Kayden seemed to receive them with the same automaticity, and even a little enjoyment. One time he even absentmindedly let out a quiet, but distinctly deep and clear purr under Jiwoo's gentle touches.
But Kayden was no longer a cat, and although Jiwoo normally felt a deep sense of familiarity and comfort with him, as well as a strong fondness for him, it was only his second time seeing him in person. He was much taller than him, and older, and he had broad shoulders, and he was actually very ...attractive.
The thought struck him just as Kayden swung an arum around his shoulders and started to stumble almost drunkenly in the direction of the bed.