Sorry for how long it took to release this chapter. Wound up sick and then life hit me with a brick (hey that rhymes!). Anyways! Here it is! And the rest of the fic has been finished, now it's just about posting it. Which might be over the course of a few days just so that I can remember to actually do it.
Anyways, please enjoy!
Shadow looked around the house. Boredom begging to be somehow released.
Red and Green were out of the house, likely for a few days. Vio was cooped up in his room with the door only a crack open and his nose buried deep in a book.
Blue was around. But he was a kind of typhoon of activity. Switching from making food to cleaning things around the house to reading to making food again to exercising. Never giving one thing more than 20 minutes of focus.
Shadow watched him for awhile, and then thought it would be fun to try and keep up with him.
~~~~~~
I started when he moved back to his corner. There was a yoga mat with various instructions on it for how to do different stretches, and various doodads around that seemed to be for muscle??? Maybe??? Blue made his way over, and I followed.
He did a stretch, I did my best to mimic it while still a cat. He lifted one of the doodads, I lifted a book or something else heavy and within reach.
He didn’t really notice at first. Having not paid a single ounce of attention to me for almost the whole day.
He’d reach down and pat my side whenever I walked in front of him, but that was about it.
I didn’t really know what to do while he finished whatever cooking/baking (I don’t really know the difference) project so I just circled for a little while.
He seemed to notice that (and the intense eye contact I made) but didn’t comment on it beyond a grumble of “weird ass cat” and a soft smile.
It was when he went back to cleaning that the problems arose.
Oh mercy be upon the soul who decides to reveal all the dust under the chairs by accidentally becoming a feather duster.
I trotted up to Blue, feeling extremely grumpy because I knew there was no way I was cleaning this up by licking it. No way. I refused before I’ll refuse again!
At least until Blue tried to get me in the bath.
Which, for 1: No. For 2: No . And for 3: NO !!
Are you kidding? Getting me all soaked and soapy and having to air dry like some rat crawling out of a sewer? No thanks. I’m good.
“Come on! I need to get you cleaned up before I can clean up the dust and dirt everywhere else! I will not stand to have you running around when you're all dirty.. And… UGH!!!” I managed to jump out of his hands, running from the room and up into Vio’s room. Where I hid under his bed.
Vio had a lot of weird stuff under there. Lots of books that I’m pretty sure he had room for on the shelves. Boxes of papers and notebooks and notes. Other boxes with other stuff I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to know about.
Okay, hiding under Vio’s bed was scarier than the bath by a long shot.
Vio seemed to agree with me, because he dragged me out from under the bed with a look of pure horror on his face.
“Blue! What are you doing to the cat??” He asked, sounding a little tight, like he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to.
What the fuck does he have under his bed????
Blue at least looked apologetic as he lifted me out of Vio's grasp, He’s trying to give me a bath, that’s what! “rrrrrrowww.” He gave me a pointed look, I gave him a grumpy one back.
“Sorry! I was trying to give him a bath!” Blue apologized, an awkward smile on his face as he started to pet me.
“Maybe find a different way to do that then? Because I really don’t want him in my room.” Vio at this point had gone back to his usual calm, cool demeanour. Which was annoying. Be real damnit!
“Why? What’s in your room that you don’t want him getting into?” Blue asked bluntly, narrowing his eyes.
Vio froze up, and then glanced at his bed, not answering.
Alright, setting that aside in my head as another thing for later.
“Vio-” Blue tried to ask again, looking about as suspicious as I felt.
“It’s nothing, okay? Green had it in his had to teach the little rat how to steal my stuff, I really don’t want him making off with my notes or research!” Vio spat out, like he had to get the excuse out before Blue could say anything.
Blue didn’t look impressed. “The research that keeps you cooped up in here more days than it doesn’t? The research that looks a heck of a lot like messing around with shit you shouldn’t be?” Blue accused, then shook his head. “You know what, have fun with that. Just make sure you’re room is clean, I’m deep cleaning the house today.” He ordered, carrying me out of the room.
“Stupid jerk. I wouldn’t want poor Shadow in there anyways, he would just collect more dust and dirt and bacteria not even known by science in there!” Blue grumbled under his breath, bringing me back into the bathroom.
I was too busy thinking about how I was gonna break in there again to struggle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of Shadow’s day was spent with Blue. Who had stopped being a tornado of doing stuff, and had sat down to read a book.
Shocking turn of events, I know.
At one point he got this frustrated look on his face and set the book down hard beside him. Thankfully on the opposite side of him than Shadow had been snuggled up to.
He folded his arms, staring straight ahead in annoyance.
“Row?” Shadow looked up at him.
Blue glanced down at him. “I don’t need to explain myself to a cat.” He said.
“Mrrrp.” fine, Shadow set his head back down on his pause. Ears perking up as Blue decided he did need to explain himself to a cat.
“The main character is just… ugh??? She just makes me wanna-!” Blue gripped at the air like he could strangle this imaginary character if he believed hard enough.
“In book one, she wasn’t so bad. It was like reading my own thoughts on a page and the only reason I even continued through the book, and she got the cool ass reward for her good deeds with getting to actually have a more feminine- oh uh, she was born male but is a girl -not completely removing her being born male but she still got- and now in the sequel??? It’s like the author forgot everything about her character! He wrote her as being this baddass nuanced woman, and the moment she transitions fully she’s like… half the character she was before and-!” Blue slapped his hands over his forehead and dragged them down.
He nodded, not getting any of what he was saying but still wanting to be supportive.
“I miss the character who gave me my awakening, where did she go?” Blue grumbled.
Shadow paused. Blinking.
Wait what.
“You wouldn’t tell anyone would you? I’m not ready for them to know.” Blue grinned, knowing full well that Shadow couldn’t tell anyone shit.
BLUE’S A GIRL???? Shadow stared dumbly at him… her???
Blue just set, him down and went back to petting him. Seemingly not noticing the poor cat's brain frying.
He shook his head, causing her to flinch.
Blue’s a girl… good for her.