May Hope Lead You Home

“Never Forget” until the new target is those that they disagree with.

sukuita au where Yuuji thinks he rescued a stray cat but actually brought home a curse with anger issues

Yuuji rarely worries about how lonely he is. Most of the time, he simply doesn’t have the energy for thoughts like that between work and all the extra side jobs he keeps picking up. There’s occasional time for friends, a little bit for games, and honestly, that feels like enough for Yuuji.

But when he walks into a narrow alley after finishing a shift at the bar, something makes him stop. He stares at a pile of empty cardboard boxes for a long moment before finally catching movement and recognizing a stray cat hidden inside.

Nobara’s words immediately pop into his head—that he should get himself some kind of pet before he completely loses it. Before, Yuuji had been pretty skeptical about the whole idea, but now it actually makes him pause and think.

And he decides.

The evening ends with Yuuji somehow managing to catch the stray cat hiding in the boxes. It turns out to be a pretty massive Maine Coon with unusually colored fur that almost shines pink under the light. Carrying it home is practically a miracle considering how many times the damn cat tries to claw its way out of his arms, but Yuuji gets stubborn whenever he sets his mind on something.

He doesn’t expect this to change his life in any major way, but his thoughts immediately shift to finding a blanket the cat can sleep on. Then he heads to the convenience store near his apartment to buy some cat food, and somewhere along the way he catches himself genuinely liking the idea of taking care of someone else for once.

He comes home with a small smile on his face and the hope that the cat will settle in quickly.

But the cat seems violently opposed to the very concept of living in Yuuji’s apartment every second of its existence, only lowering its hostility when Yuuji leaves for work. Well… the food disappears from the bowls, so at least his new pet is eating, and Yuuji’s apartment is definitely better than filthy back alleys. So he decides to give it some time. He even spends part of his savings on a couple cat toys and hopes for the best.

Mochi—the name Yuuji gives the cat—does not appreciate the gifts. The toys are torn to pieces within five minutes, and Yuuji’s hopes follow them straight into the trash.

With a tired frown, Yuuji stares at the huge fluffball sprawled in the corner of the room, smugly thumping its tail against the floor.

At least it doesn’t hiss at him anymore. That counts as a small victory, right?

Yuuji lets out an exhausted sigh, rolls up his sleeves, and moves to the kitchen counter to make himself something resembling dinner. Work has been especially brutal lately because tourist season is starting. On one hand, his tips are getting better. On the other, he kind of wants to cry from the workload.

He cooks quickly, takes a shower, and collapses into bed. He fights the urge to try bonding with his pet again, but remembers Nobara telling him to give the animal time to adjust, so he decides to just sleep instead.

Right on the edge of drifting off, he hears soft rustling somewhere in the apartment, and a sleepy sort of happiness blooms in his chest at the thought that the cat might finally be getting comfortable. Maybe it’s just going to eat or explore a little…

A few long seconds later, something suddenly lands on top of him.

Yuuji never realized animals could be this heavy, especially when all that weight is pressing down on his chest, but honestly, he barely cares. He’s floating in this sleepy, euphoric haze because yeah, the cat finally came to him on its own.

Without opening his eyes, Yuuji automatically lifts a hand and scratches behind the cat’s ear, ignoring the way it jerks its head around. He’s wanted to touch that soft fur for so long that he doesn’t even care if he gets scratched or bitten for it. Another second and sleep is definitely going to drag him under anyway.

Then Yuuji hears a sudden poof.

The weight on top of him shifts from heavy to unbearably heavy, knocking all the air out of his lungs. His eyes snap open, blinking rapidly, but the image in front of him doesn’t change.

The orange cat he expected to see lying on his chest is no longer a cat at all, but a naked man.

A very large naked man.