Chapter Text
Kawaiidesu Kittykissu
I think cats are adorable, and sometimes I've wondered what it might be like to be a cat-girl and have the abilities of a cat. So I thought I'd try my hand at the magical cat girl genre, albeit with my own twists and ideas. I hope you enjoy! I really struggled with the title, and finally settled on the current one. 'Kawaii desu' is Japanese for 'it is cute', and I thought it flowed nicely with 'kitty kissu', so I merged four words into two and voila.
Trigger warnings – mentions of abuse, emotional trauma, and painful flashbacks. Even though this is meant to be a fun story, there will be some serious moments and parts. The relationship between MMC and FMC is 100 percent consensual and has an HEA.
Genres – modern/urban fantasy, mixed with a bit of historical fiction.
Reviews/feedback is always very much appreciated by the author who worked so hard to bring you this enchanting tale of a man and his cat-girl.
I
o0o0o0o
Minato Yashida smiled to himself as his cat settled against his shoulder, purring quietly. He knew he'd sound crazy to some people if he admitted his deep affection for the cat, but he couldn't deny to himself how beneficial she had been – and still was – to his mental health. He turned his head, nuzzling into her soft, thick black fur, feeling her purr in response. She never expressed criticism or disappointment in him. He could almost swear that when he vented to her, she actually understood his words. But that was crazy... she was just a cat!
"You're such a sweetheart," he sighed as he rubbed her cheek against the top of her head. Even after almost two months of having her, he hadn't been able to settle on a name, because nothing sounded right. He'd gone through the usual names someone might call a cat. Ebony, Midnight, or Onyx, among a few others, because of her black fur. Muffin, Cookie, Kiwi, or other food-based names felt too undignified. He'd even thrown proper human names at her, but she didn't seem to care for them. So he'd resorted to calling her by various terms of endearment. Darling, sweetheart, precious. Not quite right... but better than anything else so far.
He smiled to himself as he felt her nuzzle his cheek, her paw passing against the area between his neck and shoulder as she snuggled more closely.
"Where would I be without you?" he murmured as he rubbed her behind her ear with a couple of fingers, barely paying any attention to what was on TV. He didn't doubt his father and other family members would think he was pathetic for getting so attached to a cat. he was just grateful they hadn't been around to see him when his cat disappeared for three days, leaving him an inconsolable mess. He'd visited the local shelter in case someone turned her in. He'd walked through the neighborhood, calling for her, looking for her, her favorite salmon treats in his hand. He'd checked websites and local listings when he got home, and talked to neighbors. He'd not been able to sleep, and it showed the next day at work, which he'd been able to explain away as a case of the flu.
For three days, his precious cat was missing, and then early the next morning, he heard meowing, and there she was, at the back door. He'd bawled at the sight of her, scooping her up in his arms and nuzzling her, holding her close. She showed no signs of abuse, thankfully. He was never able to figure out how she'd been able to get out, though. He'd never let her outside before, not unless she was with him. He made sure the windows and doors were secure.
He turned his head, seeing the velvety void against his shoulder. After some time, she rose from his shoulder and the couch cushion, arching her back and tail for a couple of moments before slinking off.
He surfed through his options before settling on a Barbie movie. Such movies as this were his guilty pleasure. He found whimsy escape in the optimistic storylines and bright colors, grateful for the fact that he lived alone. His brothers and father derided him for liking this genre when it came to anime and animated films, but it was hard not to like certain shows or movies when they provided such a stark contrast to his life. Even now, no longer living under his father's thumb or dealing with his family's disdain for predilections not considered masculine enough, he still retreated into the world of fantasy now and then. And why shouldn't he? He'd bloody well earned it after the breakdown he'd had last year.
His eyes became half-lidded as he listened to Fairy Barbie and her friends as they tried to save the rainbow magic. Sometimes he fantasized about what it might be like to have magic in his life. His grandmother had told him tales of kami and kitsune, but his parents dismissed them as sentimental nonsense.
"Minato," he heard a soft, feminine voice from behind him. It was barely above a whisper, and he did not register it immediately through the voices coming from the television. He heard his name again, spoken more firmly, and he lifted his head for a moment before stilling. Had someone broken into his house? Someone who knew his name? His fingers twitched around the remote that lay at his side, wondering if he could throw it at the intruder before they could harm him with whatever weapon they might be holding. His pulse quickened as he gripped the remote, swallowing thickly.
"You don't need to be afraid. You've held me, cuddled me, told me often how precious I was to you," that sweet voice continued, and his breath stilled. It couldn't be. His fingers twitched as he slowly turned, twisting his neck around, hyper-aware of his surroundings as the television droned in the background, occasionally accompanied by the distant growl of a car or truck engine. The TV's light flickered through the room, casting a warm, colorful glow to contrast with the muted white of the overhead light.
She stood there at the mouth of the hallway that led to the back of the house, clad in his sweatshirt. Her petite frame was swallowed by the worn but comfortable garment, and her black hair tumbled down her shoulders in loose waves. He studied her for a couple of moments, taking her in. She had her hands folded to her chest, looking almost shy as she looked at him, offering him a gentle smile.
"... Cat?" he choked out.
"Well, yes. Most of the time, anyway," she replied lightly.
He let out a disbelieving laugh. Someone had to be pranking him. One of his brothers or cousins, perhaps? He shook his head as he rose to his feet, still holding the remote. He was a foot taller than her and was confident he could take her down... unless she was a ninja. Haha. No, no, no. He took a deep breath, but before he could speak, she took a step closer. He stiffened, and she stopped.
"It's me, really. Your darling, precious, princess, all the other endearments you whispered to me while stroking my fur and rubbing my belly."
He let out his breath in an incredulous exhale as his mind jumped to surveillance devices, wondering if there were microphones and cameras installed around his house. "... How?"
"A curse. An evil sorcerer cursed me and turned me into a cat. I was able to obtain a limited window of time per month that I can change back to human, though. The full moon weakens the curse so I'm able to become human for three nights around that time."
Three nights. When had she disappeared last? He did a quick count in his mind and realized that it was nearly a month ago to the day she was gone for three days. "So when you disappeared..."
She nodded. "I wasn't sure yet if I could trust you. People have tried to exploit my secret when they found out, so naturally, I have to be careful. I'm sorry for causing you so much distress before."
The panic. The despair at the thought of never seeing his beloved cat again. She could have done that again just now, but chose to remain and share her secret with him. "I... I need to sit down..."
"Of course." She approached him, and he didn't think to fight her off when she guided him to the couch. "I'll make you some tea, just relax, okay?" she asked, her voice filled with concern and kindness. "Take a deep breath, and just remember that I would never hurt you. I know you care about me, now I can return the affection properly." She smiled and squeezed his hand before leaving his side, and he heard her moving around in the kitchen, filling the electric teapot with water and turning it on.
Okay. So... his cat was able to turn human. No, she was a human who'd been turned into a cat, who was able to resume her humanity for a few days per month. Had he remembered that right? He felt light-headed as he tried to process everything, wondering if he was having another breakdown and hallucinating that his cat had turned into a woman.
"Name? Your name?" he finally blurted out as he looked over his shoulder at her. She looked up from the package of biscuits she'd retrieved from the cupboard.
"Hoshi," she replied with a faint but warm smile as she regarded him. He felt his heart flutter at that smile. He'd seen it before – or at least the cat version of it – in the past, when he was petting and cooing at her. And the name? It was perfect.
"Hoshi," he repeated. He took a deep breath. "...So. My cat turned out to be a magical girl. What do I do next?" he asked in all seriousness. Was she the sort that granted wishes? Could she turn into a superhero? Could she perform spells? Were they bound together now that she had revealed her secret to him?
She giggled at that. "I'm not a magical girl. Not like you see on TV. I shift between forms, and I've picked up a few tricks through the years, but I'm not like..." She waved her hands through the air theatrically like a witch attempting to cast a spell, "Abracadabra, poof things out of thin air, all that. I'm pretty ordinary either way."
"I wouldn't call you ordinary," he said with a weak chuckle. He looked at her. She looked no older than twenty. How many years had she been like this? "How long have you been dealing with this... curse?"
She was silent for a moment, blushing and looking down at her hands, which were partially obscured by his sweatshirt.
"You're a lot older than you look," he concluded.
"By a few hundred years."
He let out a small, choked laugh. "And I thought I was old at thirty-three." The things she must have seen and lived through! All the while spending most of the time as a cat! He pondered these questions as she poured them tea, adding chamomile and honey before offering him a cup. It felt almost surreal to accept this from her, taking the cup as she turned to retrieve her own and the biscuits. She sat next to him, and he noticed she was wearing one of his pajama bottoms. Not that he minded, of course. His clothing was oversized on her, but she looked cute nonetheless.
He sipped his tea, basking in the familiar, comforting taste. Hoshi had seen him make this for himself often enough... He stilled as he remembered the other things she'd seen and heard. His cat had been privy to some of his deepest secrets and fears. For nearly two months, he had her. He'd vented to her. Cuddled with her when he had a panic attack. Told her how dear and precious she was to him. She'd been curled up in his lap or at his side when he watched his guilty-pleasure shows and movies. She'd seen him naked or near-naked when he came out of the shower or was changing clothes.
"Are you all right?" he heard her ask as he gulped his tea, trying to orient himself with these realizations.
"You've seen things no one else has. Or things that..."
"You don't need to be embarrassed. Don't worry, I won't blackmail you. As a cat, I hear a lot of things..."
He groaned softly at that, and she giggled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I promise you I'm not going to embarrass you. I'm quite good at keeping secrets. After all, you know mine now, don't you?" She hesitated for a moment before placing her hand on his upper arm. "I've listened to you before, and I'm listening now. I don't doubt this is a shock to you, but please let me assure you, I'm your friend as much as ever."
Friend. He lowered his cup and took a deep breath. He remembered how Hoshi nuzzled him and pawed at him when he was feeling sad or frustrated. The way she would purr loudly when she was in his arms. Or how she would settle in his lap or on his chest when he was watching TV, letting him pet her and rub her belly. As far as cats go, she'd pretty much been the perfect cat, except for a few complaints about food, and he'd adjusted accordingly. She rewarded him with happy headbutts against his legs when he bought her food she liked. And there were moments he could swear she actually understood what was being said, whether it be something on TV, or something he said when he was venting to her, or having a phone conversation.
He'd been worried about anthropomorphizing his cat, wondering if he'd been influenced by too many Disney movies. When he was in therapy, he'd explored his interest in fantasy movies, realizing that one of the reasons he liked such films was the escapism. Magic, talking animals, mutant powers, different worlds. His father had derided him for it, but his therapist said that it was healthy as long as he kept it in moderation and continued his self-assessments.
It was all just fiction and fantasy. A harmless indulgence to escape the stresses of the world. And all of a sudden, magic was real. He had a cat-girl of his own. Own? It was easy enough to call himself her owner when he thought she was just a cat, but now...
He took another gulp of his tea before looking at her again, turning toward her. He had to collect himself; he couldn't make this too weird. He had to... talk to her, man-to-man. Or man-to-cat woman. "So... what brought you here?" he asked.
"I was looking for a safe place to sleep. The previous person I lived with was an old woman; she passed, and none of her children wanted to take me home with them. But none of them seemed like good people from the way they talked about their mother while making the arrangements and cleaning out her apartment, so I ran away before they could try to get rid of me."
His heart welled up with sympathy as he looked at her, studying her features. Her skin had the remnants of a tan, and she had a long nose and pointed chin that was complemented by a set of soft, pert lips. Her most striking feature was her eyes, which he realized caught the light much like a cat's own, the dark brown of her irises flashing a golden-green at the right angle.
Normally, such beings were depicted in paintings and pictures with flowing robes, fluttering sashes, gossamer trailing after them, jewels in their hair. Hoshi looked no less stunning in his worn clothing. Instead of residing in a temple or palace, she'd taken refuge in an old woman's apartment, comforting her in her lonely and final days, and losing her home when the old woman's time inevitably came. Three days out of a moon cycle was not much time to arrange a roof over one's head or a steady means of living... unless there was someone to help them who was aware of their secret. And what a secret it was!
"So, shelter and food in exchange for companionship, is that what this is?" he asked, wanting to be sure he understood the situation. Fairy tales often told of tricksters, and it would not do well for him to be ensnared by one.
"More or less... though naturally, I have to be careful about who I reveal myself to. Most people I've lived with never knew. To them, I was nothing more than a pet, and it suited me most of the time. Less risk. But in some ways, less secure."
He took a deep breath. He could hardly believe his luck. Had the universe decided to show him some kindness after all he'd been through? "Yeah... I can see that. You must have really pissed someone off, huh?" he asked lightly. He blinked when he saw anger flash through her face before she reined herself in, taking a sip of her tea before she spoke.
"He was what you would call an incel. I was the daughter of a farmer. He was the adviser to the lord of the province. He saw me when he was on a tour through the province, accompanying his lord. He wanted me as a concubine, but I rejected him because he put me at ill ease. I sensed darkness around him. I was proven right when he cursed me."
Minato looked away, chastened. "I'm sorry he did that to you," he replied contritely. "But don't worry," he added, looking back at her. "You're safe with me. Regardless of your form."
He saw her shoulders slump in relief. If she were in cat form, he'd scoop her up and pet and cuddle her. But she wasn't a cat anymore. His fingers twitched as he debated whether or not it'd be appropriate to pull her in for a hug. Before he could decide either way, she closed in on him, wrapping her arms around his middle, burying her face against his chest.
He let out a happy sigh before he set his cup down so he could hug her back. Without thinking, he buried his face against the top of her head, recognizing her scent, warm with an almost imperceptible edge of musky sweetness amidst the dusty sunshine of well-groomed cat fur. His hands rested on her back as he basked in the feeling of being hugged.
o0o0o0o
Hoshi sighed to herself as she felt him relax, his arms wrapping around her. There was always a risk to revealing her secret, especially with the advances in technology, but she'd learned long ago that it helped to have an ally that she could rely on. It was hard to obtain, much less hold a job, when her time in human form was only so many days per month. The simple matter of identification papers or cards, easier centuries and even decades ago, confounded her. And with that, she was denied the ability to open bank accounts or have payment methods other than cash. It had been easier to use jewels and gold or silver, pawning or trading them as needed, but like other things, they became outmoded in more and more avenues.
That meant obtaining cash and burying or hiding it for the times she transformed, which had become increasingly impractical as well. Her previous companion, Yumiko, let her use her debit card to grocery shop for the two of them when she was in human form. It was so frustrating sometimes, to learn and adapt to new technology, only to come up against the barrier of being a woman cursed to be stuck in cat form most of the time.
Minato was rubbing her back, much like he did when she was a cat, and she let out a soft purr. He stilled for a moment before resuming his attentions. "You like that?" he asked gently. She nodded eagerly. "It doesn't matter what form I'm in. You can pet and cuddle me."
"Oh, Hoshi." His voice became soft, almost husky. She lifted her head, seeing the desire and fondness in his expression. "A beautiful woman is inviting me to pet and cuddle her. It's almost too much," he admitted, his cheeks taking on a blush she could not help but find adorable.
"Well, I enjoy it when you do it," she admitted. He chuckled softly, placing his fingers over his mouth for a couple of moments as he stared down at her.
"Do you like being petted in general, or is it just me?" he asked in a half-teasing voice.
"I do like being petted... but only by people I like. And you certainly know how to treat a cat."
He laughed softly at that. "I've always liked cats. And when I saw you, somehow I knew you needed a home and someone to care for you."
"Your instincts were right," she acknowledged, remembering the pleading and coaxing as he tried to lure her from her hiding spot the night they met. Settling on a new companion was not an easy decision. Some people liked to hurt animals but could act charming toward them to lure them in. There were the well-meaning folks who trapped stray cats to take them to the shelter or trap-neuter-release. And then there were the assholes who shouldn't own pets at all due to their ignorance.
It was not until she was certain Minato was a safe person that she felt comfortable with revealing her secret. She'd dropped hints before, of staring at him when he was talking to her, or comforting him after she heard him having terse phone calls or panic attacks. He'd welcomed the headbutts and nuzzles when he needed comfort, and if he was venting, he'd made a couple of offhand comments about what a good listener she was.
He reached with one hand to touch her cheek, and she leaned her head against it, feeling its warm strength. "I do need to be taken care of."
"I suppose I'm your knight in shining armor, huh?" he teased. "You might not be a princess, but a cat is even better," he added lightly before his expression became somber. "Have I taken good care of you so far?"
She nodded reassuringly. "I can find no fault in the care you've given me. You've called me sweetheart, precious, all these endearments, but these fit you as well. You should be fostering cats instead of managing the company branch here."
"Fostering cats, huh? Pretty tempting," he admitted. She tilted her head.
'What's your situation, exactly? You've vented to me, and I've heard your conversations on the phone..."
"You really are a good listener, huh?" he asked dryly.
"When you're a cat, sometimes there's not much else to do."
"... Fair enough, I suppose." He released his grip on her and sat back against the cushions, letting out a quiet sigh. "I have six siblings. I'm the fourth child and third son. My father's one of these people who expects high achievement from all of us, so he expected us to get good degrees in university before becoming part of his company. I toed the line all the way through school and university and spent a couple of years overseas. I took the job my father gave me. It seemed that the older I got, the harder it was to deal with it all. I've always been an introvert. I never cared for all the networking, the competition, the after-work gatherings, putting on a performance for the sake of networking... it all got too much, and I ended up having a breakdown last year."
She made a soft sound of sympathy and leaned against his side. He draped an arm across her shoulder, hugging her close.
"My father sent me here to this town way up north to manage the branch. Some would consider it an exile or disgrace." He shrugged. "Dear old dad thought he was punishing me for being weak by assigning me a position that was effectively a demotion. He's one of these people who doesn't have a high regard for mental illness. But being away from him and my brothers turned out to be more freeing than I thought."
Hoshi nodded slowly. She'd heard several heated discussions, but there was only so much she could figure out when she was only hearing one side of these conversations. "I'm sorry that you had to deal with all of that, but at least now you're in a better place."
"It's even better now with you at my side. I was happy enough when I thought you were just a cat, but you've made it even better!" he said with a grin. “I hope I’m not coming across as weird, it’s not every day that your cat turns into a beautiful maiden… that’s the stuff of fairy tales, and I never saw myself as a hero...”
“You were willing to rescue a cat. I think that’s quite heroic.”
He chuckled weakly, looking away shyly for a moment. “It’s nice to know that I wasn’t imagining things when I wondered if you were understanding me or the television.” He blinked and stared at her. “Are you the reason I’ve been getting game shows in my recommendations? And these cooking shows?”
“The Great British Bake Off is a fun show,” she said with a smile. She liked the cooking shows, seeing the various dishes the world had to offer. And she picked up a lot of information from the trivia-based game shows.
“The Great British Bake Off… you know English?” he exclaimed softly. She nodded modestly.
“I picked up some of it after Commodore Perry came to Japan, and a lot more after the Occupation.”
“Commodore Perry. The Occupation.” Minato rubbed his forehead. She offered him a biscuit, picking one from the open package. He stared down at it for a moment before slowly lowering his head and taking it from her fingers with his mouth.
He sat back, taking a bite. She took a biscuit of her own, savoring the taste of shortbread and vanilla as the cookie. When she was stuck in cat form, she had the taste buds of a cat, which made a cat’s diet more palatable, but she still preferred human food. She dipped the biscuit in her tea, letting Minato eat his own as he processed things. The movie reached its climax before wrapping up in a saccharine ending.
“So… as a bona fide magical creature, what did you think of that?” Minato asked as he gestured to the screen. “Accurate representation or no?”
“Not very, no. But fun nonetheless,” she admitted.
“So you’re not judging me for enjoying that?” he asked with mild surprise. She giggled and shook her head.
“You have varied tastes. Although I imagine your enjoyment of science fiction and action films is deemed more… acceptable, socially.”
“For the most part, yes.” He sipped his tea, staring at the screen for a moment before focusing on her. She could sense the mixture of emotions she didn’t doubt he was carrying. Shock. Curiosity. Embarrassment. Relief. Disorientation. “If you exist, are other magical creatures real? Tanuki? Kitsune? Kappa?”
“I’ve never encountered any of them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t exist. So many fairy tales have a grain of truth in them.”
“And the one who cursed you, was he the only one you ever encountered who could use magic?”
“No. There were a couple of others. Many who claim to have magic are charlatans. Fortunetellers, psychics, the like. But magic is indeed real, even if most people are ignorant of it.”
“I am vindicated,” Minato said with a smile, pumping a fist into the air. He finished his biscuit and took several sips of his tea before he set the cup down. “So…” He rubbed his chin with two fingers, a tic she recognized as him thinking carefully about something as he looked at her. He reached out slowly, giving her time to back away if she so chose. His fingers trailed along her shoulder before curling a thick dark lock around his index finger, rubbing it with his thumb.
“Your hair is so soft,” he finally said. He blinked as if he had just realized something. “This is okay? Me touching you like this?”
In response, she slid into his lap. He gave out a soft, startled squeak but quickly collected himself, wrapping his arms around her as she rested her head on his shoulder, purring quietly. He lifted one hand to stroke her head, as if she were still in cat form, and she smiled to herself. She did enjoy being petted and cuddled in cat form, at least with people she felt safe with.
In human form, she was a lot more reticent about being touched.
“The fact that you asked me that shows me that I was right in sharing my secret,” she said as she nuzzled her face against his neck and shoulder, much like she did as a cat. He let out a soft groan before kissing her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin. He’d done this plenty enough times before, but her forehead had been covered in a soft coat of black fur.
“You really are precious. More precious than I could have ever imagined.” He nuzzled her forehead before lifting his head to look down at her with the soft, affectionate expression she had become so familiar with when he would cuddle or pet her. She studied his lean face, the aquiline nose, the thin but elegant lips. Despite his relative youth, she saw the signs of strain in the slight hollowness of his cheeks and the tension he unconsciously bore on his shoulders.
“Never stop being sweet,” she replied with a smile before she reached up to cup the side of his face. “Why don’t you pick a movie, and we can relax for a bit? I’ll make us some more tea.”
o0o0o0o
Minato almost could not believe his luck. A small part of him still wondered if he was dreaming or hallucinating. She was curled up to him, like she often did when they slept together. However, her mass was much larger this time since she was in her human form, and it was almost overwhelming, but in a pleasing way. They’d watched a movie and drank tea and nibbled biscuits, like longtime friends, even though he’d only known the real Hishi for hours. He had to remind himself that she’d been around for a couple of months.
He asked her a few questions to get a better understanding of her situation and how she managed it, and it left him feeling both sympathy and awe. She looked so fragile, but she’d dealt with so much! The things she’d seen, the times she’d lived through, much of it in a form that was considerably more vulnerable than that of a human.
He’d rescued her, and now he would keep her safe. His arm tightened around her middle, and he smiled faintly to himself as he felt her soft, contented purr. Sometimes when he was half asleep and cuddling with his cat, he’d touch her paws and gently rub the paw pads. Without thinking, he reached to do just that, but found a slender human hand instead. He reoriented himself and traced his fingertips along her palm, feeling her curl her fingers in response, like she did when she was in cat form.