Author's Note- What time is it? It's sinning time! That means, time for more fics! I like cats. Cats are cool. So I wrote about cats. I am proud of what I have done.

"I have not done the dusting in a while," Kiku inwardly admitted to himself. He picked up an oddly lumped figurine and wiped underneath it, a flurry of dust particles flinging themselves at his eyes. The man flinched and sneezed. "All right, it has been a long while."

Kiku denied that the real reason he has not kept up on his household duties was that he has been...distracted for a couple of weeks now. A visitor has been frequenting his cozy cottage, inevitably pulling his attention with his presence. Surely attending to guests was more dire than dusting strange wooden figurines on a bookcase.

There was a soft rapping at the rear entrance and Kiku immediately abandoned his rag on the shelf to hustle to the door. A timid smile reached his lips as he surveyed the familiar silhouette of his guest and peeled open the door.

Kiku performed a slight bow. "Good afternoon, Heracles-san."

The man at the door copied the gesture and asked, "May I come in?"

"O-of course!" Kiku moved out of the way. "I apologize for the mess."

"Don't worry about it," Heracles settled at a low-lying table and unbuttoned his jacket. "I brought a guest with me. I hope you do not mind."

"Have you?" Kiku said, surprised. He hurried to the table and swiped any crumbs off of the cloth. A head of bright ginger fur peeked from his companion's jacket, looking around the room with wide green eyes. "What is this?"

Heracles ran a hand over the cat's back reassuringly, and the feline seemed to lessen under the touch. "I was on my way to your place, when I spotted this little guy, all alone and hungry..."

Kiku knew what was coming next. He sighed quietly, looking anywhere but at his friend's pleading eyes.

"I think having him around will be really nice," Kiku watched as a fluffy dog skittered toward its owner and yapped for attention.

"Really nice," Kiku echoed, scratching behind Pochi's ears. He tried his best to look stern. "I hope you plan on taking responsibility for it as well! I do not want to step in anything foul in the morning!"

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

The ginger tom had settled nicely in the quaint house, earning the name Rusty from his bright fiery fur. Pochi let out a growl, wiggling his behind to entice the cat in a playful spar. Kiku watched with a warm cup of tea by his kotatsu, brightened by the sight. He closed his eyes, relaxing with the heating element underneath the table, and tipped his cup back.

Hot tea nearly spilled as Kiku jumped, startled from the loud knocking on the door. He let out a shaky sigh, carefully setting the cup on the table and unwillingly crawled out from the futon. His mood elevated at the sight of Heracles standing before him again.

"Hello, again, Heracles-san. What brings you-"

A noisy caterwaul escaped the man's coat, and the cloth wreathed against his chest. Heracles reached a hand down his jacket and murmured reassurance to the panicked body. He unzipped his coat slightly, revealing a mass of thick, gray fur.

Kiku's mouth popped open as he met the yellow eyes of another feline. "I..." He struggled for words. Heracles knelt down, urging the cat out of his jacket. The feline landed on the floor, looking around the house. Its back fur bristled as Rusty padded up to it and sniffed curiously. They both raised their tails in greeting.

Heracles simply said, "Rusty needed a friend."

~.~

~BOING~

~.~

"I know I said a few cats were fine, but this is getting to be rather ridiculous!" Kiku exclaimed, brushing away various colors of cat hair from his kimono sleeve. He scowled at Heracles across the table from him, who reached up and stroked the white cat laying over his shoulders. The man smiled, looking proud at all the cats clamoring around, as if drawn to him by a supernatural force.

"Heracles-san," Kiku tried again, lifting a cat from the pile of fur on his lap. "Cats are lovely creatures, but I feel as if I am drowning in them now."

"They are lovely," Heracles agreed, holding up a cat, who meowed affectionately at the attention.

"Heracles-san..."

"Cute," Heracles sang, cradling the cat to his chest like an infant, all the while the others cavorted about and vocalized they wanted in, too.

Kiku's shoulders slouched, and with growing despair, he watched his small residence grow more and more cluttered with the harem of cats. Though he would not outwardly admit it, watching his companion smile and hum happily, he somehow enjoyed the company.

A.N.- Heracles, despite not living there, keeps dropping cats off at Kiku's place. What a mood.

I also love the Firestar/Graystripe bromance. They would die for each other, damn it!