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Cute Couple

By Zatarra L. Vulpe

Adius was sitting in a little café he'd never been to before. There were people talking clacking netbook keys and laughing about better times, but Adius was silent. His legs were drawn together and arms practically hugging his sides. There was a smile on his muzzle, only just. Whenever someone passed he tried to imagine their eyes weren't wandering all over his body. He tried not to think about the smoldering in his intestines.

He glanced at his phone. It was the right place, the right time was five minutes ago. It's not like it would matter if she... he... they didn't show. They wouldn't be worth his time if they didn't anyway. It would be the last time his friends would talk him into something like this. His fang nearly went through his lip.

His hand was on a caramel mocha that tasted more like hot chocolate. He was mid sip when she slipped into the chair opposite to his own. Magenta frock that somehow fit her red-orange fur, studs in her black ears that glittered like genuine diamonds, a small, simple silver chain with a jade broach, a sly smile under the red framed glasses on her muzzle.

"Adius?"

His eyes shot open for a second. Her voice resonated. It was soft, but it sounded to him like the loudest thing in the room.

"I'm sorry, was it something I said?"

"N-no, nope, that's me! Sorry I was just, uh, surprised."

"Oh? Is it this old thing? I'm sorry kitten, I thought the setting would be a little classier."

"No no, not at all, it's... it really works, it's beautiful."

She grinned at him, eyes half-lidded, exposing a few cool shades of eye shadow. She seemed so natural, in place while being out of place. Her voice sent shivers down his spine and he wasn't sure why. After spreading her arms and crossing her legs to get comfortable, one of the baristas walked over and handed her something steaming. Maybe they were friends?

"I didn't keep you waiting too long did I?"

"Oh no, not at all, I was just-"

"Good, I hate to give people the wrong impression, especially someone as simply adorable as you are."

Adius blinked, but then heat rose under the fur on his cheeks and he managed a smile.

"Aww, look at that, you're just pink as a peach, aren't you cute kitty-witty?"

Adius giggled and nodded, as though she'd told a good joke. She was utterly genuine, not even a hint of condescending tone in her voice. It was strange, but for some reason he found it really charming.

"You like sweet things kitty? Huh? Sweet things for a sweet kitty?"

"Uh huh!"

"That's so utterly adorable, I'm surprised you go on blind dates, you must be fighting off the willing and able every day."

"Uh n-no, I'm kind of shy actually."

"Aww, now that won't do, I want to know all about you kitty, but I want you to be comfortable too."

Adius glanced around, no one seemed to notice them.

"You're not nervous with all these people around are you kitty?"

He shook his head.

"Well that's good kitty, you're too cute to hide."

She stood up, crossed the distance between them and placed her black paw in his mane, scratching gently behind his ears. He stared wide eyed for a minute and then he felt his eyes droop a little. They were centered on her jade necklace. His jaw falling open.

"Mmmhmm, that's a good kitty huh? You like that don't you?"

Some small, rational part of Adius' mind was horrified, but again, no one seemed to bat an eye. The parts that weren't rational were nuzzling into her paw. Her eyes were closed as she laughed. It occurred to him that he didn't even know her name. She scratched under his chin with her free paw and his muzzle tipped up toward hers.

"Very good kitty, I like good kitties like you, do you think you want to be my good kitty?"

Adius had 'yes' on his tongue. She grinned down at him even as he pulled away.

"That's okay kitty, I don't need an answer now, we need to get to know each other, don't we?"

"Yeah, definitely!"

"Good kitty, let's go get to know each other."

Adius smiled. It wasn't just that she was nice, she felt... Safe. He couldn't place it. Maybe it was her tone, the way she always had a hand on him, her paw tugging him along into the sunny day outside of the café. She laughed and he laughed along with her, even when there didn't seem to be anything to laugh about. He was certain somewhere he knew what was so funny, but it was always just beyond reach. It was as though memories were floating out of his head as fast as they were occurring. It might have been worrisome, but as soon as that thought occurred she would smile or say something and it would be forgotten.

The shadows were growing longer by the time Adius came out of this state. She had a hand on several bags that he had no recollection of getting. His mouth opened to ask what they were, but his cheeks lit up again. He'd look fairly silly. Instead he offered.

"Did you need any help with that?"

"Aww, that's right huh kitty? What a good kitty."

Her paw ran through his mane, scratching behind his ear again. He felt a little tugging somewhere in his brain, something that recoiled at her lack of comprehension. But her paw molded the rest like mush. Her fingers grasped at his synapses and wove them into the shapes she wanted. He felt a purr rising in his chest.

"Aww, now isn't that better kitty?"

"Uh huh, but what-"

"Yes it is, uh huh! Yes it is! Good kitty!"

Adius felt himself nodding. Yes it is. Good kitty.

She opened the door. He looked up at her. Strange considering she'd been a few inches shorter than he was when they first met. Or had she been? It was hard to focus. He was shaken out of it when she dragged him into the front door. He was untroubled about it. Outside felt a little too much right now, it made him anxious, inside felt like a good idea.

He made it to the end of a long hall, through an open door behind her. The door swung shut and he looked at it for a moment. He tried to open it again, but his hand slipped off of it. It's like his thumb wasn't there. He could see it, his hand clearly went for the handle, but it just slipped off in each attempt. He looked to her. Feelings inside of him didn't reach his brain for some reason. He just felt like he needed to leave. His mouth opened and he cooed at her, a little 'mew!'

"Aww you wanna get out huh? You do? Huh?"

Adius nuzzled into her hand.

"Aww, maybe later huh? Would that be okay? Yeah? Good kitty."

His ears flattened as he rubbed into her paw. To look up at her he had to crane his neck a little further. When did she get so tall? She must have been a foot taller than he was. He felt a little bouncy, maybe a little refreshed, even nervous.

"Okay, how about you stay right here for a minute, okay kitty?"

He nodded, but she didn't give him a second glance, as though she didn't expect a response. She went through the door and shut it behind her. Maybe thirty seconds passed before his tail twitched and he started looking through the room. There were her bags, a couch, a coffee table, and a TV that was on, and an open door into a bathroom. He pads into the room and tries to flick on the light, but his paw bounces against it. He tries to twitch his fingers to flick the light, but he can't seem to. He can bump it up with his fingers, but they don't want to move independently.

The light flicks on and he stares into the mirror. What stares back is practically cherubic: his mane is short, nearly non-existent, eyes bright and open, shining. His features are a little rounded, almost like baby fat. He looks like he's five foot nothing, a small tail bobbing behind him, muscles smoothed out. He wasn't sure when the last time he felt so small was. He felt something in the back of his mind, that somehow this was wrong, but he heard some static from the TV and turned away, the thought gone.

He wandered back into the room and the static gave way to moving shapes and colors; red, purple, blue, green, yellow, slow and mesmerizing. A tone started, not just from the TV, but throughout the room. His eyes blinked a few times and then glazed softly. He could hear words, words that started at a mumble and then rose to a sing song pitch:

Pretty kitty, good kitty, little kitty, good kitty, simple kitty, good kitty, girly kitty, good kitty...

_ _ Adius was staring at the screen, the words washing over his head like a hand, molding at his brain. It repeated just those words, over and over. He could feel it in his head, not just his ears, twitching flattening, picking up little sounds and smelling certain things. His brain felt muddy, his own thoughts coming slower. When his mind caved, it was a flood through a dam. His lips moved:

"Pretty kitty...good kitty... little kitty...simple kitty..."

"Aww, you havin' fun there?"

Adius' eyes opened again. He was tangled in a bag, his paws askew. He scrambled out of the bag and, rather than stopping, just kept running until he was in the bathroom. The vixen giggled, this time in a pink shirt and black shorts.

"Silly kitty, you couldn't wait huh?"

"Mrow!"

"Uh huh! That's right huh? You like what momma got you?"

Adius rolled over onto all fours, rubbing up against her leg.

"Aww, good kitty, hold still okay kitten?"

Adius turned around and sat right next to her on all fours. It took him a few seconds to realize he wasn't in any clothing. She didn't seem to notice. He felt a little icy stab of anxiety until a little plastic clip clicked into place.

"There, a pretty pink collar for a pretty kitty."

It was a little snug, but it jingled, a bell around his neck that made him tingle with each ring. She pet him, rubbing around his neck. Good kitty sounded in his mind with each ring of the bell. He wanted to jump up on her, paws on her lap. He tried to hug but his claws only gripped her shorts, then slid off harmlessly.

"Look-it you, you tryin' to get me? Huh cutie? You tryin' to get me?"

"Rooow!"

"Oh wow! Listen to you! Meow meow meow!"

She giggled. She kneeled and started to rub Adius' head. The small, patchy remains of his mane fell out in a moment. He blinked as he felt something else leaving. He tried to think of it, but it was gone. What was it? He tried to think back, about his house, his job, his.... His... Blank. It was empty space. His 'job' was to be cute, as far as he supposed, right? He felt like there was something more but it kept escaping him. Or... Maybe he'd just imagined it? It was hard to tell. His large eyes kept following her, ears pulling up into sharp little points.

The TV was off, no sounds, no... Something. The word kept escaping him. He trotted along behind her and watched her, comfortable on his paws despite his fingers being curled up, claws kind of sticking to the carpet and making a little 'snap' every time he drew them up.

"Aww, poor thing, are your little claws getting stuck? I might have to clip them a little huh?"

She had his paws in her hands, rubbing his fingers and palms. He squirmed, mewling. It tickled. When her hands came away from his, they dropped and scrunched against the carpet. His fingers were shorter, stubbier, with thick pads. They looked a little like crème colored mittens. They felt natural, he wasn't really able to use them for grip anyway.

She takes a seat on the couch. He springs up next to her, snuggling his head onto her lap. It's smaller. He nuzzles into her hand again. She draws her hand over him and he feels a gentle tightening as he shrinks a little further. She picks him up easily, laying him out on her lap. He's so small, nearly the size of an infant. She strokes along his belly, gently scratching and smiling down at him.

"Mmmhmm, good kitty, I think we can wait on those claws huh?"

The words sounded nice, he wasn't really sure why they were. They were pleasant noises. They made him happy. He could find meaning in them, but he really had to focus.

Of course it was hard when she was teasing his feet. They stretched gently into her touch, the bones and joints rearranging, stretching, heel receding, he would ever be on his tiptoes. Thankfully he had nice, soft pads. They felt good, he splayed them and kind of 'kneaded' into her own hands. She giggled at him as she tickled him gently.

"Aww, you're so ticklish, aren't you kitty?"

"Mrow!"

"Yeah, yeah you are, yes you are! Good kitty."

She gathers him into her arms and holds him upside down, stroking along his chest as it shifts, his limbs flopping a little in a fun way, padding at her dress and kneading the air. He felt light, a little springy, his tail waggling. It was a common housecat's, curling and flopping against her muzzle and her arms. She smiled and drew her fingers over it, feeling it curl and twist between her fingers and slipping out.

"Look what momma got for you!"

She grabbed a little fake mouse, white with pink ears, dangling it over him. He sniffs and something in the scent of it sets him wild. It smelled good enough that he needed it. She tossed the mouse and he took off after it as fast as he could. He pounced on it and started nibbling on it, finding something grassy that tasted heavenly.

"Mmmhmm, you like that? You like the catnip huh?"

"Row!"

"Oh yeah, huh? You're a good kitty huh? Good girl."

The kitten didn't really understand what mistress had said, but she didn't worry about it too much. She felt soft and bouncy, a little tired. She was so small, after all.

"Aww, gonna sleep? You have been through a lot."

The feline turned toward the vixen and nuzzled against her legs. She picked up the cat again.

"You had to get sooo small to get so cute huh? Didn't 'cha?"

The little kitten nuzzled her in agreement. The kitten stretched, her little body barely spanning a cushion.

"Mmmhmm, pretty kitty, good kitty."

The kitten felt nice, the words seemed to strike a chord within her, even if she didn't know quite what they were.

"Little kitty, good kitty, simple kitty, good kitty."

She felt something, the meaning for words disappearing entirely. She could remember something, something from before, for a fleeting instant it was against her mind. Standing on twos instead of fours, thick fur bristling around her head, it was there and then diminishing. Soon she couldn't even express the concepts in her own thoughts. Her mind was truly becoming that of a housecat: her thoughts were less structured, her vocabulary diminishing, her sense of self lost in the immediacy of being a cat. There was a mild tension for only a second, a realization inside of a dimming intellect.

"Girly kitty."

And then it was gone.

"Good kitty!"

The little cat looked up and mewled at her.

"There we go, good kitten! All better now huh?"

The kitten meowed again.

"Hmm... You'll be... Crème, sounds good huh?"

The little feline purred with each stroke to her back.

"I'll take that as a yes, huh?"

The vixen picked her up for a moment, gathering the little kitten in her arms. The cat kept looking around and meowing, climbing up onto mistress' shoulder and flopping over, a purr right in the vixen's ears.

"Ooooh, that's a good kitty. We're gonna be best friends, I know we will, yes we will kitty."

Nathan was sitting back in his chair. His dark muzzle was down in his coffee. He was sitting by a window, his ear twitching slightly at some of the café sounds of dishes meeting silverware and overly loud laughter. The German Shepard adjusted his jacket and tried to lean back in his chair, look a little cool or casual, running a hand through his short head-fur.

He checked his watch. Five minutes late. No big deal, she did say she was meeting with a friend before she showed up. Something about her voice was reassuring. He just drank a little latte and hoped not to get the jitters from the caffeine.

Nathan didn't know why, but his mind was drawn to Adius all the sudden. The name was there anyway, but he found it hard to think of the person...

"Nathan?"

He blinked and looked up. "Oh hey! Looks like you found your friend."

"Of course, she took a little convincing but I told her all about it and she was excited to meet you."

"Well that's good, and what's your name little lady?"

"Crème, I think she wants to be your friend, you think that's okay?"

Nathan looked down at the cat for a moment, the pink collar, the little jingling bell. She meowed at him. "Aww, now how could I refuse an invitation like that?"

The vixen laughed, gently stroking the kitten's back. "Good doggy."