Playing as Cat and Mouse [Closed]

(Takes place on Sunday, third week of the Fourth Month)

Liseran was fortunate that the repairs to the house had been swift. It was as if it had never been trashed in the first place. She had planted new flowers in the garden and Raven was once again parked nicely in the side garage. Inside the house, Liseran had finished setting up a dinner for three: her, Rory and Cheshire.

"It's the least I can do for him," Liseran explained to Rory as she placed the pasta on a large platter. "I mean earlier must've been stressful for him..."

She recalled the events that happened earlier that day at the cafe, her face turning extremely red.

Rory was sitting in one of the corner chairs, playing with the split ends of her wolf's tail.

"Well, I think he probably enjoyed it," Rory smiled ruefully. Liseran's eyes widened and she almost dropped the platter.

"Wh-what do you mean!?" Liseran said, her mouth wrinkled up in embarrassment.

Rory smiled wryly.

"Oh come on, you two aren't the most...forward couple," she giggled. "It must've been nice for you two to try something new."

Liseran felt her face flush bright red and she suddenly shrieked clutching her head and shaking it.

"Rory, don't say such things!" she yelped. "That's...that's inappropriate!"

Rory laughed and stood up quirking an eyebrow. "But what do you call those things in that bag you brought home?"

Liseran looked at Rory as if her heart had stopped. She whirled around and began silently (for once) typing in her diary.

"Th-that's none of your business," Liseran murmured. It was only then that the doorbell rang and Liseran yelped again in panic, juggling her diary in her hand almost dropping it. "Gah! He's here!"

"I'll get it!" Rory said in a sing-song manner. She marched over to the door with a perky smile. "Well, if it isn't the Cat here to visit his Alice!"

"Well if it isn't the puppy in the dog house," Cheshire quipped. "One of these days I'm going to pay you back for that."

Though Cheshire had cleaned himself of the makeup and took off the cat's paw gloves, he still wore the vest and dress shirt underneath his usual coat. He had a guilty look on his face despite his miffed tone. Taking in a deep breath he said, "In any case, is Liseran here?"

Rory grinned widely.

"I have no idea what you're talking about payback," she smiled. "Yeah, Lise is right inside--"

Rory's ears twitched and her nose began to wrinkle. Her eyes narrowed.

"Wait a minute..." Rory said stopping him from entering. She leaned closer to him and sniffed his neck. Her eyes widened and she stepped back a little scared. "Did...did someone else kiss you??"

When Rory leaned closer to his neck he got nervous and worried, slightly traumatized from the earlier events of that day at work. The moment the word "kiss" left her lips, Cheshire reached out and grabbed firmly on her shoulders, a look of panic, fear, desperation, and guilt all over his usual poker face.

"Don't tell Liseran no matter what," Cheshire said with a hushed tone through gritted teeth, "A customer got drunk and things got out of control. If I could go back in time I would punch myself for not stopping it from happening in time. If you keep quiet I'll treat you to whatever the heck you want to eat."

Rory's first look was sheer concern, but at his last words, there was a snide grin on his face.

"Oh? Well I'm sure you didn't mean it and your job does kind of seem...forceful, doesn't it?" she said. She turned around, her fingers laced behind her back. She tilted her head back towards him smiling with evil delight. "Make it an entire ham and I'll let this slide."

She didn't wait for an answer, knowing he'd do it, and stepped to the side of the door. At the same time, Liseran came out of the kitchen holding up buttered fish. Seeing Cheshire she blushed a bit and darted her eyes.

"H-hi," she said when she could face him again. "I'm glad you could make it. Please, go ahead and sit down."

She set the food in front of him and Rory. There was a roast turkey and salisbury steak upon Rory's request. There was pesto and carbonara. Liseran had gone through the effort of also preparing different kinds of seafood dishes without knowing their names. There were scallops and shrimps and even crabs. As Liseran sat down next to them, she scratched her head sheepishly.

"My godmothers are out on vacation, so this is all I could conjure up alone," she said. And then, smiling at Cheshire. "So, anyone else order that special tea while I was gone?"

Rory almost choked on her drink as she said this and waited for an answer.

"Nope. No one else ordered the tea from me," Cheshire replied. He technically wasn't lying. Cheshire ate a piece of shrimp and took his time savoring the flavor. He swallowed and said, "It tastes wonderful Liseran. I would be a happy man to be able to eat your food everyday."

Cheshire gave Liseran a small smile before turning back to his food. It seems for one reason or another, the faunus was making an effort to flatter Liseran tonight.

Rory couldn't help but giving Cheshire knowing glances. She knew for a fact Cheshire wasn't someone who'd cheat, but he also wasn't someone who liked little things that slipped be something to worry Liseran about.

"Cheshire's right," Rory said with a bright smile. "Your ham's divine!"

Liseran looked down on the table, hardly having touched any of her food. Something was bothering her, too, Rory realized. I think what they need is alone time.

Liseran smiled at the comments.

"I'm glad you both like it," Liseran said, and then turning her attention to Cheshire. "Y-you know, I actually wouldn't mind cooking for you everyday. If...it tastes alright and all. I doubt you get good lunch...I could pack something for you and your teammates, if you'd like. You and Sam both like seafood, right? Being cats and all..."

"I actually do not know Sam's preference in food," Cheshire said. Though he kept his usual poker face, his ears started drooping in a mild show of guilt. "I do believe she may have some personal matters to deal with so i won't be seeing her for... a while."

Cheshire gave Liseran his best host smile, perfected carefully through hours of grueling practice.

"Besides, I'm afraid that if I let her eat your cooking she'll end up falling in love with you as much as I have."

Liseran had been eating a piece of ham when Cheshire said the last statement and it surprised her so much that it caused her to choke on her food. She covered her mouth with a napkin for a while as she hacked away before stopping a few seconds later, her fast bright red. Rory and Cheshire looked at her in confusion and she let out a nervous, sheepish laugh.

"W-whoops,"she said a little more nervous than even by her standards of bashfulness. She turned to Cheshire with her eyes closed and her mouth pouting, looking like an upset puppy.

"Don't do that. You caught me off guard," she said. "If you pulled off that host smile of yours all the time I'd literally die from how cute it--"

She realized what she was saying and her face was glowing like a red christmas bulb. She stuffed her mouth with a roll and stared hard at the table surface. From Rory's side, she let out a small giggle and motioned a nudge towards Cheshire.

"Looks like she's a diehard fan," Rory winked, making Liseran flinch only further. "Ooh, Lise, speaking of which, I forwarded Chesh the pics I got of you two earlier."

Liseran stared at Rory as if she had just told Liseran she hid a dead body. Rory ignored her.

"Care showing Lise, Chesh?" she grinned slyly. "My poor Scroll's still in the room and I'm sure she wants to see them now."

"You're going to be the death of me..." Liseran whispered to Rory weakly.

"Sorry to say but my scroll is charging," Cheshire replied, his eyes narrowed, though his face was starting to develop a reddish tint and he glanced to the side. He cleared his throat nervously. "Is it getting hot in here? These clothes are quite humid. I wish I had the time to change properly."

Cheshire got up and turned his back on the two girls as he slipped his coat off in his nervousness, his ears folded against the sides of his head. As pulled his coat off, the strange sound of jingling was heard, though the faunus was unable to hear it with his ears folded over. As Cheshire slipped his coat off completely, the fake striped cat's tail was revealed, still strapped to his belt to his ignorance, the red ribbon tied in a bow and bells jingling from the end. Cheshire hung his coat over the chair and sat back down, the tail swaying slightly as he moved and sat down. The collar of his coat was in the way before, but now that it was gone, the leather collar and cat's bell around his neck was shown prominently.

"What wrong?" he asked as he looked at the two girls.

Rory and Liseran started off by just blinking at him. Liseran's head sank as she clutched her skirt.

"S-so cute..." she was muttering to herself. "When did Cheshire become so adorable...no wait, more adorable?"

Rory on her side was bursting into laughter all over again. The tail and the collar reminded her too much of how Cheshire had been forced to act in the cafe. She motioned for him to touch his neck as she looked at him.

"Oh, nothing at all, nya~" she said mockingly.

Cheshire stared at Liseran and Rory curiously for a while. When he saw Rory point at her neck he wasn't completely sure what she was on about. Without really thinking about it his finger went to his neck and touched something round that made a jingling sound...

Cheshire shot up from his chair so fast he almost rocketed into the ceiling. He spun around, his back turned to Liseran and Rory, only to have his fake tail sway around, the bell chiming. Though Cheshire could hear it, he thought it was just the bell on his collar and proceeded to pull it off harshly, stuffing it into his pocket hastily. He turned his head to face Liseran and Rory, his face slightly pouting, his cat ears drooping in the embarrassment as the red on his cheeks was showing. Cheshire still did not realize the tail was swaying behind him.

"Th- That was a mistake," he mumbled before turning around, his tail swinging through the air then swaying back and forth behind him like a pendulum, the tiny bell ringing. Cheshire sat back down, resting both on his hands on the edge of the chair, his eyes cast down in embarrassment, looking like a house cat sitting down.

Rory continued to giggle as Cheshire realized his blunder, but stopped when Liseran gave her a warning look.

Poor thing's had more than enough embarrassment today, I'm sure, she thought to herself.

"It's fine," Liseran reassured Cheshire. "I'm sure it just slipped your mind or something."

|Nya~"

"Rory!" Liseran said. Rory tried to get her food down and had to chase it down with a shot of water. Rory continued to laugh.

"I'm sorry, it's just too hilarious," Rory said. "Cheshire being the moody broody depressed guy as he is and he has to act all charming and go nyan. I can't wait to tell Aeden about this!"

Liseran looked at Rory and then sighed. "Rory, don't be mean," Liseran said.

The dinner continued with Rory snickering here and there and Liseran trying to give Cheshire reassuring looks. By the time the main course was done, Rory's ears pricked to the sound of her ringtone.

"'Scuse me," she said. She rushed to answer the phone and then came back smiling. "Looks like I've gotta go now. Laura and I have a shift tonight."

She got her things and hugged Liseran. "Thanks for the awesome dinner, coz! You two behave even if you're all alone here, got it!?"

Liseran's face flushed again, but she returned the hug. Before Rory left she whispered into Cheshire's ear. "You might want to wash that neck of yours just in case things get crazy in here."

She sped off after that and rushed out the door. Nervously, Liseran took the plates and turned to Cheshire.

"I have a bunch of dessert ready, if you want some. Anything you want in particular?"

"N-No, anything will be fine," Cheshire said, still a little embarrassed about the earlier incident. He nervously tried to fix his glasses, his eyes glancing off constantly.

"Alright," she smiled as she was about to walk into the kitchen. She stopped midway realizing she had forgotten the plan and pondered on it.

Am I really gonna try pulling off something like that? she thought. Then she recalled everything in the cafe and how miffed and upset things must've made Cheshire. She twiddled her thumbs. Well...maybe it'll get a laugh out of him...

She turned to Cheshire.

"Hold on a sec, there's something I have to do before I fetch dessert."

She moved into the hallway and into her room, taking out the shopping bag with the things she had bought when Rory left her before coming back for dinner. She pulled out a new set of clothes among other things and changed. She looked in the mirror, absolutely flustered, but she just turned away and went to fetch the dessert using a pathway where Cheshire wouldn't see her. Picking up some nicely baked raspberry mini-pies, she put them on a tray and entered the kitchen, her face blushing.

When Cheshire saw her, she was in a lolita dress with long sleeves and a frilly skirt. She wore a headband on her head with two violet velvet mouse ears attached to it, her purple hair flowing down behind her below her shoulders and curling at the edges. A black ribbon choker adorned her neck and she wasn't wearing her glasses.

Her cheeks were blushing but she looked calm even if inside she was shaking in every single part of her body. She put down the tray and began fiddling with her fingers the way mice did when they were about to eat. She then looked at Cheshire with feigned surprise.

"Oh my!" she said putting her hands to her cheeks. "A cat's found me! Whatever shall I do?"

She scooted her chair closer to him and lifted up a piece of pie with a fork, pretending to be frightened, though she was really feeling that, too.

"Please eat this pie instead of me, chuu~

Cheshire was pondering to himself while waiting for Liseran to come back, his hand idly twirling the fork between his fingers while he rested his head on his clenched fist.

Maybe I should have brought a gift besides leftovers from the cafe Cheshire thought in his mind. Or would that be too formal? Ah blast, I really don't understand this dating stuff. Sometimes I'm happy to be alive and sometimes I just want to drop dead and take everyone down with me. Those guys in those romance animes I watch make it seem so easy and natural to fall in love and....

Cheshire put down the fork and placed his finger on his chin in thought.

They say couples are supposed to keep no secrets. Should I tell her I'm a closet otaku with a lolita complex? Agh, now I'm just being stupid. Some things are best left in the dark. Ah heck, it's not like anything concerning that will really come up. It's not like Liseran is going to cosplay as a-

Around then, Cheshire's ears twitched at the sound of Liseran opening and closing the kitchen door and walking back to the table. Cheshire straightened up and turned to face Liseran right when she sits down and-

A LOLI!!!!?????

Cheshire's mouth was wide opened, his usually narrow eyes now bulging in his shock. Dry air blew out of his gaping mouth in a mute scream as Cheshire's jumbled mind went on a complete frenzy, unable to register what his own eyes were seeing.

Does she know? What does she know?? The cafe??? My complex??? WHICH IS WORSE??!! Is she jealous? Is she angry?? Is she murderous??? Is she trying to kill me with a moe heart attack???? WHY IS SHE DRESSED LIKE A LOLI???????!!!!!!!!!!!

After a moment of silent panic, Cheshire forced himself to straighten up and close his mouth. He stared at Liseran, his eye twitching, the corners of his mouth shaking as if unable to decide whether to smile or not. As Liseran spoke, Cheshire felt something strange. He was losing all feeling, his body going numb. His heart was beating so fast he could feel it pushing through his chest. Everything else in the room was blurry to Cheshire, his eyes solely focused on Liseran.

Okay... I'm pretty sure I'm having a heart attack...

Cheshire took a deep breath to calm himself, though he still failed at that, he stared at Liseran intently before looking down at the piece of pie. The corners of his mouth continued to twitch before he managed to actually speak.

"Y-you," Cheshire stammered, "You.... look a lot tastier then the pie... but I'll take it for now... nyaaa~"

Opening his mouth he closed it over the fork offered to him and let the utensil slip through his lips as he chewed on the pie, his eyes still staring nervously at Liseran in her mouse loli outfit.

Yep... I'm definitely dying of a heart attack..."

Liseran was too nervous beyond means to notice Cheshire's own panic, but she forced herself to focus on the task at hand. She felt her heart racing and the blood rushing up to her cheeks and her brain.

Too embarrassing, too embarrassing...must...stay calm...

She put her free hand on her cheek again, little comical tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Eep!" she made a small mouse squeak. "Please don't eat me, Mister Cat. I'm sure you'll prefer the pie, chuu~"

She leaned closer to him until her face was just inches from him. She pulled up the fork to his face and pushed down his chin to make his mouth open the way he did with her and the Drink Me tea. She slipped the fork into his mouth and closed his lips on it, sliding it out slowly.

"Chuu~, how is that, Neko-san?" she said putting on a rather accurate accent at the end. She drew herself closer until her knees were resting on his lap. She saw that he was still wearing the cat tail and she took it up with her other hand.

"Oh, no, is there nothing I can do to stop you from eating me?" she said innocently. "You're a cruel cat for leading me on like that. Now I'll nibble on your tail, chuu~"

She took the tail and bit it with the tip of her teeth.

"Can't you be a good little kitty and play with me nicely, chuu~?"

Yep.... she's trying to kill me Cheshire silently concluded in his mind. Wait, is that the tail? Why am I still wearing the tail?? Dammit!

"F-Fine," Cheshire stammered nervously, "What do you... w-want to play... nya~?"

Liseran let out a low, pleased hum. With the tail still in her mouth, she trailed her finger up Cheshire's chest slowly like a man leisurely walking up a hill.

"Well, chuu~" Liseran said in a sultry manner as she eased closer, pressing herself against him. "I could scurry around and you could chase me, but I'm scared you'll try to eat me. We could also play hide and seek, I'm very good at that, being a mouse and all. Hmm~hmm~hmm."

Her finger lifted Cheshire's chin and she looked at him in an unusually seductive manner.

"Or we could just sit her as I cuddle next to you and while we nibble on more pie."

With that she took one small tart-sized pie and put it in her mouth, placing the next end towards Cheshire, waiting for him to eat the other side as she nibbled on hers.

Chuu~"

Cheshire looked at the pastry warily. He gulped, swallowing a mouth full of air. He leaned down and put his mouth down on the pie, his eyes shut tight. As Liseran nibbled on her end, Cheshire chewed through his, making his way through the desert at the same pace as her. Eventually their lips will meet in the middle. He knew that it won't be anything new. They've kissed before obviously. Yet the more Cheshire thought about it, the more it made him nervous. Something about this setting just made this simple action unbearably nerve wrecking.

Cheshire could only keep his eyes shut as he chewed through the tart, waiting for the moment where their lips will meet intimately.

Liseran nibbled her part of the pie gingerly. Though her face suggested she was composed and forward about everything, her mind felt like exploding.

Why am I doing this? Why am I wearing this? What stupid idea came into my head for me to even think about any of this? it was the Practical-Sensible part of her saying this, the part that wanted Liseran to jolt forward, clutch her hair and then run towards her room and shut it lock in embarrassment.

Chesh deserves it, her other part was saying.

Deserves what? Someone dressed in ridiculous frills forcing a pie and creators-know-what's-next down his throat?

Before Liseran's other half could speak, she was to one last bite before Cheshire's lips met hers. She knew what was going to follow was a kiss, but just as she took her last bite, her finger came onto Cheshire's lips instead.

"You shouldn't take in more than you can chew," Liseran said playfully.

You're insane. You're completely insa-- Liseran squashed the voice before it could finish. Liseran took a napkin from the table and then gently wiped Cheshire's lips. She smiled at him, though her usual warm, innocent side was what showed them. She looked at Cheshire for a bit, suddenly feeling a rush of affection flood over her as he looked at her adorably flustered.

Screw it, she thought.

She wrapped her arms around his head and pressed him closely into a deep passionate kiss without any sudden plans to let go.

Cheshire couldn't deny he felt a little disappointed when Liseran broke away. When she pulled him into a kiss out of nowhere he was shocked at first but soon his passion outweigh his confusion and his arms wrapped tightly around Liseran in a firm embrace, pressing his body against hers and putting force into the kiss. His hand was placed on the back of her head while the other held the small of her back.

Cheshire seemed a lot more aggressive now then before, kissing Liseran with much more passion then usual. It was as if a beast that was caged in until now was suddenly let loose in its fury against the oli mouse dressed girl before him.

The moment Cheshire began kissing her in return, Liseran felt all her nervousness leave her. It was true that her heart was racing, that her cheeks were extremely flushed and that all her senses seemed to heighten with each turn she and Cheshire made kissing the way they were, but it wasn't because she was scared anymore.

The way Liseran loved Cheshire, she had felt many things. Happiness, embarrassment, worry, and hope. But the very moment they shared at that made seemed to stir something else. A passion Liseran couldn't seem to define. And it increased the more they kissed, the more Cheshire pressed Liseran's body against him, sharing warmth, the more they were just there.

They stayed there on Cheshire's chair kissing what seemed like forever for Liseran but had probably been nothing but a few moments. She let go for the slightest second, the palms of her hand trailing down from Cheshire's shoulders to his chest. She looked at him warmly.

"And here I thought you were going to play nice," she said before standing and lifting Cheshire up with her only to kiss again, one hand pulling Cheshire closer to her by the head while the other kept her from fully leaning on the table until she could hold her balance and embrace him completely.

What am I feeling? she thought to herself.

She felt out of control but at the same time she didn't want things to end...and she definitely didn't want things to stay just there.

Cheshire held onto Liseran tightly, kissing her tenderly and deeply. His hand caressed her back while the held the back of her head and stroked her hair. Cheshire could smell her hair. Sweet and light like raspberries. Mixed with smaller, subtle smells. This was Liseran's scent. Cheshire may not have the nose of a dog, but he knew Liseran's smell better then anyone. It was the scent he cherished beyond all else. Cheshire held her tighter, kissed her deeper, leaned more and more bending Liseran's back.

After there long, intimate exchange, they broke away for a moment to breath, breaths panting, though they still held each other.

"I love you," Cheshire said before drawing her into another kiss.

Liseran smiled sweetly as Cheshire said this, her arms still clinging tightly to him and their warm bodies still pressed closely against one another. Though it had only been for a second, she glanced at him, one of her hands brushing away the hair from his face and seeing his sharp topaz eyes. As always, they held a certain fierceness to them, but she also knew them for more than that. She knew them for the words they spoke that Cheshire never ever needed to say. There were times with Cheshire when Liseran thought she could gaze into those eyes forever, just listening to what to what they said, what Cheshire felt.

"And I love you," she murmured just as Cheshire drew her back.

Liseran no longer simply embraced him. One of her hands came to her head, taking off the mouse headband, somewhere in Liseran's heart telling her that if they were going to share this moment, she was going to do it as herself.

Each kiss brought her closer to Cheshire and her hands found their way to his vest, trying to undo it as she stepped backward without letting go, trying to inch away from the kitchen and to her room.

There'll be no boundaries tonight...