Theme:Â Fluff
Note: shorter than shinobu bc i had no ideas
Tags:Â @kirby1423
-requested !
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Something frustrating about Gyomei’s estate was that there were always cats. Whenever Sanemi came over to train with him, there were fifty cats here, fifty cats there. Roaming on the roof, in the bathhouse, in the training site, lounging on rocks, sleeping on the food. It was irritating but Sanemi honestly didn’t have the heart to make them leave because of the way Gyomei so tenderly cared for them, petting them with utmost affection and whispering nonsensical words of prayer. He wasn’t about to scare them off when the strongest Demon Slayer was down on his knees, cradling them and acting like some teenage girl with her pet. But Sanemi drew the line at picking up any of the cats or having any unnecessary interactions with them. He was not up for that.
One day, as he waited for Gyomei to return, he found himself looking around. Usually, he stuck to the training sites of Gyomei’s place, but being unattended as he was got his curiosity simmering. He knew already about the abundance of cats but he didn’t really know the full extent of it and wondered where they would even be residing—they couldn’t possibly all fit in his house, right?…
As he walked around, he found there was this huge barn near the back end of the house. It looked as if Gyomei must’ve made it himself at some point with parts of the wood jutting out precariously. Cats were entering and leaving through various holes in the barn, but somehow never the doorway. Sanemi peeked inside, almost falling over with his own surprise as he saw what appeared to be hundreds—or even a thousand?? would it even be a stretch?—of cats just sleeping throughout the barn house on piles of dead leaves and makeshift beds, sprawled lazily across the floor or clinging onto the cealing. Despite the amount of cats, it looked clean and Sanemi wondered how Gyomei ever found the time to put so much effort into this. Certainly he wouldn’t. Not even with dogs. He doubted he would get this many dogs, anyway. Unless all of these cats were stray ones? It seemed impossible at the quantity of them and Sanemi started to step back. But then, having finally noticed the intrusion, about a dozen cats started towards Sanemi. He frowned, turning, but even more cats were behind him. He had nowhere to propell himself from so unless he found a way to weave through the tightly packed parade of cats, he would simply be driven into the barn house.
The next processions happened so quickly—fast enough for him to question how capable cats must be and how the fuck they caught him off guard, was he tired?—that Sanemi only registered two things. 1, the cats were somehow herding him inside. 2, they were now on top of him.
He found himself on his back, little tidbits of hay that had been scattered about poking him. And then there was fur. So much fur—on cats, mind you. They were covering him from head to toe, surrounding him like a pack of lions surrounding their prey. He honestly didn’t know what he had done to them.
As he struggled to sit back up, muttering profanities at the damned furballs, he saw Gyomei entering the barn—thank god. He waved an arm, trying to call his attention—then remembered he couldn’t see and stuck to shouting.
Gyomei hurried over, the cats parted way for him as if he were some God. He bent down—though he was still quite tall even then—and ushered the cats to the side, helping Sanemi up.
“You shouldn’t shout, Shinazugawa. You’ll scare the cats,” Gyomei fretted, patting Sanemi with unrestrained strength.
Sanemi winced, brushing off the dirt and hay that stuck to his clothing. “They literally attacked me. I think they’re fine,” he deadpanned, rolling his eyes.
Gyomei still looked at him disapprovingly (how did he manage that?) and bent back down to pat some of the hundreds of cats, whispering to them that they would be alright.
Sanemi decided then that, as much as he admired Gyomei, he would no longer go to his house for training. These devilish little imps were crawling everywhere and no doubt would remember him. This was why he preferred dogs.
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« Word count: 713 »
i actually like cats better
dogs are terrifying smh
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