Work Text:
For the past fifteen minutes Machi had felt herself being watched as she wove through back alleyways to get to her apartment. The presence watching her did not seem malicious or even curious; it just was and there had been no attempt to hide or obfuscate itself. Which would have normally just irritated or amused Machi were it not for the fact that she still hadn’t located where or who her stalker was. And she was nearly home now.
Sighing to herself she randomly took a left down a street she hadn’t planned on going down and started seriously trying to lose her tail, whoever it might be. Ducking down random offshoots and zigzagging all over the place, Machi kept an eye out for any followers but didn’t see anyone. After several more minutes of this and still no idea who might be following her, Machi was fed up and tension thrummed throughout her whole body. Halting in the middle of a deserted alleyway she called out, “Okay, enough. Show yourself,” hoping that maybe if she just confronted her stalker she could get this over with and go on with her day.
To her great frustration, no one appeared. Just as she was about to growl and storm off down another set of alleyways a black bundle of fur slunk out of the shadows and slowly approached her. Wary, but not about to startle the poor thing further, she stood absolutely still, waiting to see what it would do next. Ever so slowly the creature neared her and when it was close enough looked up at her and mewed plaintively.
Machi felt her heart melt at the kitten’s cuteness but she knew she could not keep the cat. She couldn’t afford to have a pet with the life she lived nor did she really want a pet either. Yes, it was cute, but it had no business following her around. So she told it so. “Look, cat. I am the wrong person to be traipsing after looking for a free handout. You’d do better on one of the main streets where a young couple or a kid can take you home.”
The kitten looked nonplussed at her words and started to rub itself up against her legs affectionately before looking up at her and mewing again.
Groaning Machi pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t have food, kitty. I don’t have any more time to waste on you either, not after all the detours you’ve made me take. Go find someone else to bother.” Saying such she turned on her heel and started to head towards her apartment again, a stab of guilt shooting through her that she desperately shoved down.
Behind her the kitten trailed after her, slinking from shadow to shadow, at times only visible by it’s glowing green eyes, for by this time night had fallen. Knowing it would do no good to let the cat follow her to her apartment, Machi picked up her pace, occasionally scaling walls and leaving the kitten on the other side. Somehow though, the little black furball always managed to keep up or find her several streets down.
Eventually Machi gave up on trying to lose her little stalker the easy way and instead started using tactics that she would use in combat. She flitted from roof to roof, used nen to conceal her presence, even spun out a few of her threads to trap the little one (gently of course and in a fairly-easy-to-escape-from-once-you-knew-how-it-worked way—she didn’t condone animal cruelty after all) but still her little shadow hung on, always finding her when she was down on the ground again.
By the time Machi reached her apartment she had tried just about everything she could think of to dissuade the cat from following her barring physical harm, which she would never do. Sighing, she opened her door and the kitten slid right in, appearing from some shadow behind her when it hadn’t been there two seconds ago.
Looking very pleased with itself it stretched and jumped up onto her couch, quickly curling into a little ball, like it had always belonged there. Giving in to the inevitable, Machi shook her head and closed the door behind her. Sitting down next to the kitten she gently and ever so slowly held out her hand. The kitten sniffed it then placed it’s head under her hand with a nudge.
A small laugh left Machi’s lips and she acquiesced to the kitten’s demand for pets. “What should I call you little one?” she murmured. “Shadow, perhaps?” she mused, for the cat had faded in and out of them constantly on their way back. The kitten balefully looked up at her. “No? Then…” a thought struck her and she chuckled. “How about Phantom?” she asked and this time the kitten purred loudly, its whole body vibrating with the sound. “Really?” she asked, eyes full of mirth. “I suppose it does make sense though, given how you appeared and disappeared out of nowhere. And how you kept up with me.”
The cat’s eyes twinkled as if to say I know, aren’t I so clever? Then it promptly fell asleep, one paw on Machi’s leg as if to reassure itself that its chosen human wasn’t going anywhere soon, not if it had any say in the matter.
Smiling softly to herself Machi thought back on her afternoon and how Phantom had always managed to find her. Maybe it was meant to be, she thought. I wasn’t looking for a pet, but maybe I was meant to have this one. My little Phantom. Looking fondly down at her newly acquired cat she felt herself gradually grow increasingly tired and closed her eyes. With the warmth of Phantom’s body against her’s and the aura of calm and peace wafting throughout the room, Machi soon found herself lulled to sleep. And for the first time in years, she knew true rest.