Cats and Dogs
by: zulka
Pairing: KaixHiromi
Notes: Dedicated to cOOlzanimeaDDict, I hope you enjoy this.

"But mom, can't we bring him home?"

Hiromi sighed. "It's going to be Christmas mom. We can't leave him out in the cold. Please."

She looked at Gou, "Mr. Cat might not be too happy about it. Did you forget about Mr. Cat?"

"Mr. Cat is too cool to care."

Hiromi sighed again; he was so like his father. "Okay fine. But if we see any lost dog signs we'll give him back."

Gou nodded and smiled at his mom. "So we can go now?"

"Yes. Let's go." Grabbing her keys she made her way to the kitchen and then to the garage where Gou waited already, shifting on his feet impatiently.

"It was the gas station by the diner." He reminded her

"Ok." She said as she pulled out of the driveway.

When they got there she parked and he quickly got out of the car. It had been raining earlier and he was worried.

Hiromi followed him at a much slower pace. "Well?"

"He's not here!" he answered upset. She blinked before walking closer and looking around.

"We should have come earlier. What if something happened? Maybe they called the pound!" Hiromi looked at him and she could see his disappointment and worry.

"Here" She said as she opened her bag and took out some food. "We can wait for a bit. I'm sure he's still around here." Taking the food she placed it on a small bowl she had brought and put it on the ground near the trash bin.

Gou smiled and nodded at her and they sat on the ledge by the trash bin.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

Gou looked at her curiously, "Where did you get the food? We don't have a dog."

Hiromi smiled. "Well I grabbed it when I went to the story earlier. I had a feeling we'd end up here."

Gou smiled, "Thanks mom."

She just smiled back and pointed, "Look"

Gou turned and saw the dog, brown and tiny sniffing at the food. Standing up he walked slowly toward him. Hiromi watched him, and smiled. He was so like his father. The dog approached him warily and smelled him, licking his hand tentatively before letting Gou pet him.

Slowly he picked him up and the food and walked back to his mom, "Ready?"

"Yeah." He answered, hugging the dog and placing him inside his jacket, since he was shaking.

The drive back home was quicker than the ride to the gas station.

Once inside the house, Gou put the dog down and followed behind him, as he smelled everything. As he walked by the bookshelf jumped on his head before running out the living room at full speed. "Mr. Cat!" he yelled after the retreating cat, while rubbing his head.

Hiromi laughed. Mr. Cat often hid and jumped out at unsuspecting victims. He liked to do this, especially at night in the hallway; her legs had often fallen prey to his attacks and claws.

Kai had been pounced on while walking from the kitchen to the dining room. Mr. Cat had jumped out of nowhere, crashed with him and then ran away. Kai had spilled his coffee all over himself.

She watched the small dog sniff around. "Make sure he doesn't pee the tree." She told Gou and walked to the kitchen, his 'Okay' following her.

She started making dinner, knowing that Takao and the others would be coming soon. Their Christmas Eve reunion was at their house this year, though she loved having them over, she wished she hadn't gotten the little doll during their game at the last party, since it meant she would have to play hostess this year.

"When did we get a dog?"

Startled she almost dropped the bowl of punch, frowning she looked at Kai.

"Don't do that."

He merely raised an eyebrow.

"Today. He's a stray. Gou found him and knowing the Christmas spirit, unlike his father, decided to bring him home." She put the oven on preheat.

Kai scoffed and ignoring her jibe replied, "You don't like Chihuahuas."

"True. But that poor thing is scared of its own shadow. Who knows how long he's been out there. I'm just worried about Mr. Cat, you know since this is his domain and he owns us."

Kai smirked. He could hear the quotation marks over 'his doman and he owns us.' And said, "Hmm, he might not care. But come here."

Turning Hiromi regarded him strangely since he had whispered the last part, "What?" she whispered back but he was simply motioning her over with his hand. Walking toward him she looked in the direction he was pointing. Peeking by the door, which led to the dining room, was Mr. Cat staring at them, eyes unblinking.

"He creeps me out when he does that." Hiromi whispered to Kai. "Every time I'm in the kitchen I turn around and he's just there staring."

Kai chuckled.

Finding them looking back at him, Mr. Cat ran out and left. A few seconds after they heard a yelp and Gou yelling, "No Mr. Cat! Leave him alone. Dad!"

Hiromi sighed, "That can't be good."

Kai shook his head, "He probably pounced on him."

They saw the cat run through the kitchen and to the dining room. Hiromi and Kai just looked at each other, "He's going to pounce on everyone at the party. We should put him in the garage."

Kai stared at Hiromi for a moment, "Might be a good idea. He's not going to be happy though."

"Tell me about it. Last time he bit and scratched me and Gou. So you put him away and fetch him out, because honey, he's your cat."

Kai scowled at her, "He's the family cat."

Hiromi looked at him briefly before going back to her cooking, "He's a jerk Kai, though I'm not surprised considering you're the owner and you know what they say."

Kai crossed his arms and defended the cat, "He's not that bad. He just has some issues."

At that moment Gou walked in cradling the small dog, with a huge scratch that was slightly bleeding on his cheek and a red nose. "He bit my nose and scratched the dog."

Kai looked at the dog with a scratch on his head. "What did you do?"

Gou scowled at him, "Nothing. He's just mean."

Kai didn't turn to look at Hiromi. He knew she was giving him a pointed I told you look. "Come on, let's go find him and clean your cheek." Kai told his son as he led him out.

But Gou shook his head and ran back to the kitchen, "Oh and Mom, remember not to go overboard with the chili!"

Kai watched his son come back and look at him, "I always need to remind her."

"Tell me about it."

-x-

Notes: So, this was dedicated to cOOlzanimeaDDict, I hope you liked this. So, Mr. Cat is based off my own cat and other cats I know. My cat is not mean, unless provoked but he does like to pounce on us every once in a while, and he likes to pounce on our dog as well who is smaller than him. This wasn't angsty! Hurray! I can see Hiromi teasing Kai a lot, and vice versa, they'd have that kind of playful banter with each other, ya know. Please review! They're appreciated.