Work Text:
Kanade is fiddling with the percussion section on her current piece when she feels Mizuki rub against her leg. She smiles, leaning down to stroke their back as they pass before returning to her work. The drums she's picked are a little too harsh for the atmosphere she wants; she needs to find a set where the snare doesn't messily cut through the other instruments like a blunt knife.
It takes a few more minutes of searching and intent listening before she notices the sound Mizuki is currently making. It gives her pause.
Mizuki is a very talkative cat. It seems like they have vocalisations for every occasion; "Play with me!" meows and "I'm hungry!" yowls and "Please pet me, I'm being so cute," chirps.
Kanade doesn't recognise the noise they're currently making.
It's a pitiful little mewl, a miserable-sounding thing. If Kanade didn't know better, she would think Mizuki was hurt. She knows by now this isn't the case; unfortunately, as close as they've grown, Mizuki is still the type of cat to shy away and isolate when injured. As it is, they're doing the opposite, winding anxiously around her heels.
Kanade saves her work, taking her headphones off to bend over in her chair. "Hey there," she murmurs, gently nudging the cat curling around her foot. "What's wrong?"
Mizuki nudges back, mewling again. They peel off and wander away before looking back at her expectantly. Kanade gets the hint, easing herself out of her computer chair and following them.
"Where are you going, huh?"
Mizuki jumps onto Kanade's bed, sniffing about for a moment before rolling around in the rumpled, unmade sheets.
Kanade frowns, trying to decipher the riddle that is cat-speak. "Are you… sleepy? Is that it? You want me to tuck you in?"
Mizuki twists their body back around to meet her eyes and trills cheerfully. Well, that doesn't sound like a no?
Kanade smiles and squats down to pet behind their ears, glad to have understood. Mizuki purrs back at her, nuzzling into the scritches Kanade is giving them.
She'll indulge them then, just a little. She carefully clears the clutter— she should really find a home for that sheet music— and rearranges her bedding into a makeshift blanket nest, just the right size for a cat. It's not perfect, but Mizuki seems to deem it worthy, immediately settling down and curling up into a cosy little ball.
Hm. Should Kanade buy them a proper cat bed? She mulls it over, idly patting Mizuki's head. Sure, they have their cat tree, but it couldn't hurt. They already look so pleased with just this, blinking slowly up at her.
… Another time, maybe. Kanade's loath to leave them to it, but she still has that percussion issue she needs to sort out. She pushes herself back up to a standing position with a grunt of exertion. Oof, when was the last time she stretched…?
Before she can turn back to her computer, Mizuki lifts their head and… mewls.
Kanade falters and stares down at them.
Mizuki peers back, unflinching. Their tail flicks irritably.
Well, consider her perplexed. Was that not it? What else could this little kitty be trying to communicate?
Apparently fed up after a sustained minute of eye contact, Mizuki stands up again to bite Kanade's sleeve, tugging her down towards the bed.
Oh. This was another attempt to get her to sleep earlier.
"Mizuki," Kanade mumbles, sitting on the edge of the mattress, "I'm not that tired. It's not even 1 AM yet."
Mizuki hisses. Kanade grimaces and attempts to change tack. "I know it's getting late, but I really need to finish this one thing. Can you let me finish that first?"
Mizuki traps her hand with their paws and stares up at her, eyes wet.
She's attempting to bargain with a cat right now, it occurs to her.
Kanade sighs. “Okay, Mizuki. Okay. I get it.”
Kanade lays down on the bed next to Mizuki, careful not to disturb their little nest as she pulls the remaining sheets over herself.
She stares up at the ceiling. It feels weird. Her mind is racing still, hands itching with all of the music she needs to create. She isn't used to just… stopping like this, even if she does feel the fatigue creeping up on her. She's used to going and going and going until her body decides it needs rest. Will she even be able to sleep like this? It's not that late. She should really just get back up and—
"Oof," she wheezes as Mizuki plonks themself down on top of her chest. They curl up into a ball, a solid mass that Kanade knows she doesn't have the strength to lift. Well. Never mind, then. Not being given a choice. Looks like she's the cat bed.
… It isn't uncomfortable. Sure, Mizuki is heavy, but they're also warm, and purring steadily.
Her eyes close despite herself. Maybe it's not that bad.
Kanade spends the morning working on her laptop in the living room for a change. She can feel Mizuki watching her from the top of their tower, squinting as if trying to discern the cause for this strange behaviour.
They both perk up at the ringing of the doorbell. By the time Kanade has retrieved her package, Mizuki's up and about, trailing after Kanade with a curious meow.
Kanade sets the box down on the kitchen table. In the few seconds it takes her to rummage through her drawers for a box cutter, Mizuki has leapt onto the table, inspecting the cardboard with their nose. Kanade chuckles at the sight, gently shooing them away so that she can open it. It doesn't deter them much— they stick their head inside almost immediately after the tape is undone, taking in the scent.
The shipped item is a stuffed, fleecy little cat bed, folded neatly to preserve packing space. Kanade removes it, shaking it out to remove any extra fluff or cardboard scraps before presenting it for Mizuki to examine.
Mizuki has not removed their head from the box. They snuffle around for a moment longer before stepping inside, settling into a loaf inside the empty cardboard.
Kanade blinks. "Mizuki, that's not…"
Mizuki meows cheerfully, looking awfully content to stay where they are.
Kanade sighs, giving up on understanding the whims of a silly little cat for the time being. "I'm glad you got something out of this," she smiles ruefully, scratching Mizuki behind the ears.
At least the bed didn't cost too much.