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Chrome steps into a warmly lit house filled with the small of dinner cooking. Hanging her coat on the rack by the door, she takes a moment to breathe it in. The smell of curried vegetables and pork katsu fills her nose, and her mouth begins watering in anticipation. She toes off her shoes and calls out, “I’m home!”
There’s a clatter of dishes. Then a cheery “Welcome home!” comes from the kitchen, preceding Kyoko’s smiling face as she comes to press a kiss to Chrome’s lips. As she begins pulling away, Chrome grabs her hands and holds her in place for a kiss to each corner of her mouth, then a longer kiss on her lips proper. Kyoko giggles beneath her lips, and they both pull away with sappy smiles.
Kyoko’s smile then turns devious. “I have a present for you, Chrome-chan,” she sing-songs, pulling her hands free of Chrome’s. “Close your eyes and wait here, okay?”
“But I only have the one!” Chrome protests and opens her eye wider. She laughs as Kyoko rolls her eyes and heaves a put-upon sigh. Chrome closes her eye as instructed and listens to Kyoko’s soft footsteps moving deeper into the house. Tilting her head to the side, she attempts to guess exactly where Kyoko is heading. Somewhere, a door opens and closes- their bedroom perhaps?
When she hears Kyoko return, Chrome quips, “It’s a bit early for dessert, isn’t it? We haven’t even had dinner yet.”
Another heavy sigh from Kyoko, and Chrome grins, easily picturing the way Kyoko is surely searching the heavens for guidance with a fond expression painting her face. “Hold out your arms, you goose.”
Chrome scrunches her nose and braces herself for whatever is about to be placed in her hands. She may trust Kyoko with her life, but Ken’s favorite trick has long been ‘surprising’ her with various slimy and disgusting things, which include everything from half-rotten fruit to a freshly amputated finger. It’s moved past him looking for her reactions into a genuine bonding experience for him somewhere along the line, she thinks.
Still, old habits die hard.
“Oh don’t be like that, Chrome-chan! It’s a good surprise! I promise! Here.” With that, Kyoko places a wiggling ball of fur into Chrome’s arms, waiting to release her grip until after Chrome has securely pulled it to her chest. “You can look now!” she says with a clap of her hands.
The first thing Chrome sees is Kyoko’s bold, beautiful grin, so big her eyes scrunch closed and cheeks puff up on her cheekbones. The second thing Chrome sees is the ugliest cat she has ever seen in her life- one glaring amber eye, half an ear gone, nose scarred, and fur the color of the dust hiding in the forgotten corners of the pantry.
It’s the absolute most perfect cat in the world.
“Where did you find it?” Chrome whispers, her entire face lit up in awe. The cat blinks its one eye slowly, yawns, settles into Chrome’s arms, and begins to purr.
“Well, I went to the shelter to look at the kittens like we had been talking about,” Kyoko says with a sheepish grin. “But when I saw Maisy here, I just knew she’d be perfect! I mean,” she gestures from cat to Chrome, “you match!”
Chrome smiles down at Maisy and shifts her to free a hand and pet her. Her coat is like silk beneath her hand, and Maisy presses her head into it demandingly. “Yeah,” Chrome breathes. “I guess we do. Welcome home, Maisy.”