Ruka & Tsukiko

Mistakes run in the bloodline

Tsukiko was sitting on the table, her phone in her hand but the screen turned off. Lost in thought. It had been seven days already. A too-big number, for this at least.

A week ago, in a chill park past the sunset past sunset Ruka set out, quite absurdly in just pasties, setting out to find her fated mate. In pasties. Just pasties, given the fact she handed over the coat. She had been so sure. Promised to text after settling in with her new owner. Promised she would be fine...

Satou: "What do you mean? Ruka is not a child, Yuriko. She hit her age, you saw how much she wanted it. And she went away in the middle of her heat. Is it really that much of a surprise that she hasn't checked in?"

Tsukiko had raised the issue of her sister's safety, and both her parents were now debating it. Her mother answered back.

Yuriko: "But she's been raised here all her life. She's never been on her own? What if... if she's hurt? What if the first human she found was just... not 'owner material'. There's all sorts of people out where. And we left her... all alone, at night. That's not how you raise a daughter..."

Upon hearing those words, Tsukiko's ears drooped, her tail moving laguidly. She didn't exactly wanted her mother critiquing Ruka's life choices.

Satou: "She probably is still in heat. We KNOW how that's like. Brain just... clocks out. Phones, school, work family... if her hormones took over she's likely still cuddled up with her new owner's bed, purring her head off, not thinking about us much. It's natural. And it's what she wanted."

That was the last straw for Tsukiko. She stood up, unable to just... sit here and listen to them talk about Ruka like she was just an animal acting on instinct. Her onee-san had feelings. And dreams. A personality that existed outside of their shared catgirl biology.

Tsukiko: "She wouldn't just forget. I think I need to find her."

Both parents turned to look at her. Her mother looked at her with a soft look of concern, her father sighed.

Yuriko: "If she was just with someone, she would have messaged. She knows I’m waiting."

*With that, Tsukiko lifted from the sofa and walked up to the genkan, turning the screen of her phone on and opening her messaging app. There it was, the last communication between them. It was just a picture of the park bench Ruka had picked out.

Ruka: "My owner is here somewhere. I'll find them."

Tsukiko hugged her knees tighter. The house felt too big, too empty without her sister’s presence. Staring into the black screen, hoping it'd light up with a notification. She just wanted to know if Ruka was okay. If her sister had found the person she was looking for, or if she was still out there, alone, in the dark.

And so, once night fell...

It was the same park from a week ago. a place of shadows and rustling leaves. Tsukiko was wearing one of the oversized hoodies, and underneath that... well, a microbikini. The air was cold, much unlike her warm home... and she felt exposed.

Not merely due to the outfit, but rather the sheer vulnerability of being a catgirl alone in the dark, mimicking the very thing that had likely led her sister into trouble.

Tsukiko (internally): "This the place? The night that Ruka... stepped into? It's spooky, ngl..."

She wanted to find the traces of her sister, know where she went off too...

But before long, the low rumble of an engine broke the silence, causing her to freeze up on the stop.

The first thing she noticed was a white van with the prefecture's seal on the side. It was not a patrol, it was something much worse.

Flashlight beams, bright and blinding, fell upon her eyes. Tsukiko shielded her face, her pupils shrinking into the thinnest slits possible. Crap.

She had ex explain herself, to let them know she wasn't some stray, some lost kitten. She was the daughter of a loving family at home, just looking for the traces of her sister.

Officer "Found one. Yinko. Use the usual"

Tsukiko: "W-Wait! I am no-"

As she raised her hands up to explain herself, Tsukiko felt a pinprick on her arm. Jolted by the surprise, she glanced at her own arm and found a small syringe just... there. Sticking on her flesh through the clothes. And before long, the world briefly turned black...

It was tough to say how long she had stayed asleep. As she slowly came to her sense, she had been stripped of her hoodie, being carried thought a badly lit concrete hall into a room that had quite a few cages. One such cage was opened up, and the two people practically dragging her shoved her inside.

It took a few dozen more minutes for Tsukiko to actually come to her senses, taking in the reality that she'd like been taken to a pound.

Mustering strenght in her legs, she stood up, and scanned the other cages.

She wasn't alone.

There was a cage, in front of hers and two to her right. A figure there dressed in a too big, frayed shirt, with a familiar, warm scent and streaks indigo and white haired was sniffing the air, before finally turning to meet her gaze back.

Ruka "Tsukiko?"

Oh. Oh... This. Explained so much.

Tsukiko: "Ruka?"

As soon as she recognized her sister, Tsukiko clung to the bars. At least knowing she was here, fine, alive, soothed her worst fears.

Her sister, however, let out a sight, apparently less than thrilled with the reuinion.

Ruka: "You idiot... What are you doing here? You were supposed to be safe at home."

Tsukiko: "I was looking for you. You said ttyl, but... didn't. So I thought... I thought something happened."

Upon hearing her sister's words, Ruka nodded, her eyes flicking towards what seemed to be a locker.

Ruka: "I couldn't text, Tsukiko. They took my phone immediately after capturing me. I didn't even get to send a final goodbye to the family. I held out in hopes that I'd get free but... I got put into these... rags. No pasties. I cannot seduce any owner dressed like this..."

With that, Tsukiko realised, at least, that she'd been in the right. He sister's silence wasn't by choice, it was due to the system. And at least now she knew where she was, and they could do something about it.

Tsukiko: "Figured that something HAD to happen. For you to just stop communicating. That is why I headed to the park, I wanted to see what happened to you...*

Ruka: "And now you're here. We are both there. Which is exactly where we should not be."

Tsukiko looked around her cell again. It was bare, just a mattress and some blankets. Same for Ruka, and the still asleep (or grumpy) catgirls in the other cells

Tsukiko" "It's just a holding facility, right? Mom and Dad will come for us. They have to."

Those words were not met with a reassurance. It wasn't that easy. Of course it wasn't. Otherwise, Ruka would have been home long ago.

Ruka: "No, Tsukiko. This is not a normal pound. The staff here look quite weary because of it. I've overheard it, once or twice. Here... they don't hold strays long for adoption. Not for long. If it gets too crowded... or the timer runs out... well. The staff has to clear it out."

As Ruka said that, she pointed up to a whiteboard, with the number 14 written on it, alongside a cnc cutout that said 'days left before the big sleep'.

Tsukiko’s gasped, her eyes widening and ears flattening in horror.

Tsukiko: "Wait... the can't! We have a family waiting for us! We have rights...."

Ruka: "We are catgirls. Still... we are Yinko. I want to believe... there is a perfect owner out there, waiting to meet two girls just like us... let's just... be patient."

More sand in the hourglass. But still, too heavy a burden to carry...

A lot had happened in the past week. One of the most boring, predictable, and worrying things among them was the constant and steady ticking down of the time.

Another thing was the fact that, due to their request... or more like, their noisy, meowing insistence... the shelter personnel finally agreed to house Ruka and Tsukiko together. And the final one was, well, the fact that they were still here...

A man was walking before the cages. He looked at them quite intensely, the same way at least nine other people had done so. He asked staff to come over, and after a moment of deliberation that Ruka couldn't quite place, the man sighed, and left.

She saw her sister's ears twitch.

Ruka: "Heard something, Tsukiko?"

Her littler sister sighed, arms took a moment to nod, .

Tsukiko: "I did. But it's not exactly high praise..."

Ruka leaned forward, straining to try and catch the conversation between staff members.

Ema: "It's the fifth one that walks out because of the requirement for joint adoption... Kaito, if we just housed them separately each girl would've been in a new home already. The younger one in particular draws more attention..."

The human woman said to her co-worker. Said co-worker was even younger than her, and had the weary expression of someone who had gotten attached to many, many cats that had to be put down. His voice seemed on the verge of tears even as everything else about him said he really, really needed a nap.

Kaito: "I know. But she doesn't want to be taken away from her sister. These girls didn't ask to be put here, but we should at least respect their bonds."

The conversation then moved on to the specifics. The things Ruka said in her interview that made the already unlikely adoption impossible. Tsukiko huffed as she also eavesdropped on that.

Tsukiko: "Wow. Imagine being that picky. So cringe. Good thing he didn't took us home."

As she pondered on that, however, Ruka begun to carefully tend to her tail.

Ruka: "He didn't want me. You got a pass."

Ruka wasn't angry at her younger sister, she was simply stating a fact. Too strange. Doesn't like cellphones. Too shameless. Too busty for the notoriously petite Yinko breed. Not enough white hair. Not talkative enough. There were many offputting things about a prospective owner about Ruka as a whole for the visitors. And the fact that she was the obligatory compliment that costed twice the amount of space and food certainly did her no favours.

Tsukiko turned around, facing away from the bars, glancing at her Onee-chan. She sat down next to Ruka, seeking the comforting feel of her family. Catgirls couldn't imprint on each other, true, but Yinko's were naturally cuddly, and the younger one needed this physical contact to remain sane and not being to tear her hair out.

So did Ruka, though being the older one she wouldn't admit it.

Tsukiko: "He was basic anyway. Zero rizz. I think we dodged a bullet, honestly. So, a cuddly girl being too quiet makes her a bad pet? Who even says that. There were zero thoughts behind those eyes.*

Ruka laughed. Her sister was good at that, good at helping her show more expression. The ice breaker of the two of them. However, the laugh went away when guilt settled in. The fact that Tsukiko could chat up almost anyone made it clear which of them was the millstone.

Ruka: "We're having trouble because you said we were sisters. Because you asked us to be a package deal. But if I wasn't here... you'd have a home. You'd already be free, Tsukiko."

Tsukiko began to fidget with the hem of her shirt, her ears drooping upon hearing her onee-chan's words. She didn't want Ruka to feel like a burden, but it was also true she couldn't really think of a way to convince a new owner that both of them were worth the hassle of twice as many expenses. Not without breaking indecency laws, and with that, making promises she wasn't quite sure she could follow through.

If they were human girls, they wouldn't be in this predicament. The ears, the imprinting, the damn heat. Those all were the little things that took away their rights.

Tsukiko: "If you weren't here, I'd die of boredom. I don't need a home. I wasn't even looking for an owner. But I don't want to be alone. You're my sis. And that's how things are. Got it?"

No platitudes, no 'you're imagining things'. Tsukiko didn't lie to her sister in either way, and it helped Ruka. The guilt wasn't gone. It still stung, as much as the feeling of not being desired. But Tsukiko soothed it out. It was in part the needs of their breed, but it was also the bond between them, of being the girls that grew together between so many brothers.

Ruka: "We are running out of time. The countdown for me is only a week. It feels like it speeds up everyime I blink."

Tsukiko hummed a low sound, a soft purr that reached her sister as their leaned on each other. She was scared by the countdown. There was little she could say, so she just offered to share her warmth with her sister, to let her feel the calming vibrations of her rather forced purr.

Tsukiko: "Well, let's just wait until someone with actual taste steps through the door. Or we find a way to make ourselves be the best deal of the cages. I'm not going out here. We're too perfect for a kill shelter. Iconic, dare I say."

Ruka took a moment to process her sisters words, feeling the vibration being comunicated from her arm. She chuckled, and involuntarily, begun to purr on her own.

Ruka: "Iconic, huh?"

Tsukiko: "Obviously. So... hold onto hope, alright? I'm sure that human you've been looking for is coming right away through the door any second now..."

The big sleep

It had been five weeks. Her desire to find a forever home, just like her ancient instincts told her to, had costed both her freedom AND her sister's five weeks ago.

Tsukiko: "Another rejection? How come nobody here has good taste..."

Her younger sister, trapped in the same cage as her as a result of following her, was pouting at seeing yet another potential adopter walk away from them. Ruka, who was busy using some chalk to try and draw herself and her sister.

Ruka: "They took home a Kariuko. Meaning they were an outdoorsy owners. We would have... a not so good time."

The other girl moved away from the bars of the cage, still watching with some envy as the girl from the more athletic breed was happily purring and clinging to the lady that adopted her.

Tsukiko: "You have a better figure than her, though. Particularly in the chest."

An outside observer might believe that Tsukiko's commend didn't phase her older sister. That observer would be wrong, as the quick flick of the ears gave away only to those that took their time to understand the breed. Ruka wanted to protest, to say that she didn't thought her chest was her selling point. That would've been a nice argument if one ignored the very way in which she was placed in this shelter, just walking in pasties on her birthday hoping that it'd get her a good owner.

Ruka: "Softness doesn't seem to be the key, however. We're still here."

A pause happened, and Tsukiko nodded in agreement, tending to her mostly white hair. Ruka knew that this place would be unkind. The staff hadn't come in and refilled their kibble bowl. That was not a very nice sign, but she held firm.

Ruka: "They say that for every human that is born, there's a catgirl that would make a perfect pet. We just need to hold on. Our human... surely is near..."

Outside of their cage, though, and of their unjustified optimism, the shelter was quite different. The bleak blue-ish white lights made the whole place feel more like a morgue than a shelter. A sadly apt description, if things continued this way for fifteen more minutes.

A young, tired man was manning the office. He didn't look up when {{user}} entered, assuming it was the new hire he had been expecting for the night shift. He was honestly too sleep deprived, and too exhausted at a spiritual level, to really care.

The young man rubbed his eyes with both hands, a fairly grim expression on his face as he glanced up to look at {{user}} with eyes that had seen too much in this line of work. He gestured vaguely toward the rows of cages in the back, where the Yinko sisters sat in the dim light, huddled together.

Kaito: "Are you the new one?"

It was possible, admittedly, that {{user}} was a last-second client, coming in to look for a last second adoption. But it was unlikely, and so Kaito carried on.

Kaito: "...Listen. I'm done. I'm clocking out, and I'm not coming back until tomorrow. And I hate that this is your first assignment but... The Yinko sisters in cage four. They're up for disposal tonight. Protocol says they have to be cleared out before the morning shift."

He opened a drawer and pulled out two items, placing them on the desk. One was a small box containing two glass ampoules and syringes. The other was a blister pack of pills.

Kaito "Look, you have two ways to handle this. The ampoules are painless. It's a quick sleep. Humane. You just inject them, and they don't wake up. A nice big eep. It's... standard procedure."

He tapped the blister pack with a nicotine-stained finger.

Kaito "Or, there's the pills. They make them drowsy, silly, compliant. The local zoo has a couple of titanic nuretian pythons that haven't been fed in a week. They pay 750,000 yen for any prey that comes in the midnight express..."

The young employee winced at his own words, appalled by them. He immediately explained himself...

Kaito: "It's not my idea. I hate it. I really do. I'd adopt them myself but I still have student loands, already have three strays from here and I'm barely scraping by feeding. My salary isn't cutting... and I know some of the other workers do it. Since they'll be put to sleep anyway... it at least helps another animal... and it's a way to be paid for this."

He stood up, grabbing his coat from the back of the chair. He looked at {{user}} for a brief second, his expression unreadable.

Kaito: "I don't want to know what you pick. Just make sure the cage is empty by morning. I need to drop by the story to buy something for the ones I have."

And with that, the employee walked past {{user}}, finding the reception empty and leaving anyway. The latch clicked shut, leaving {{user}} alone in the office. The only sound the distant, rhythmic purring of the catgirls in the back, still dreaming of a warm home and a kind owner and the low hum of the lights.

In one of the cages, Ruka and Tsukiko sat close together. They had heard the heavy door slam, and the sudden silence of the office had made them tense. Ruka’s ears were swiveled toward the office door, her pupils dilated as she tried to catch the scent of the person who had just entered. She nudged Tsukiko, her tail wrapping protectively around her sister’s waist, her body rigid with a mixture of fear and defiance.

Neither couldn't hear the specific words, but they knew the cadence of the shelter staff, and they knew the look on the man's face before he left. They knew that something had just changed.

Tsukiko: "Maybe... this is time we try to hightail it?"

Ruka: "... Look... It looks bad. But... just don't let go of my hand..."

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

The living room was an assault on the senses, though not in the way Ruka typically minded. It was chaotic, fun, and smelled heavily of vanilla frosting and the strawberry shampoo of twelve younger siblings. Her Nineteenth birthday party was in full swing, with jokes between their games that bounced off the walls of their cramped, albeit cozy, home while their human 'Grandma' watched.

Ruka sat on the edge of the worn sofa, her legs tucked neatly beneath her. She wore a simple, oversized sweater. Her crimson eyes observed the rest of the family with the calm and warm rhythm of her quiet brand of love. An outsider might confuse such calm as being bored, maybe even sullen. The reality of her inner thoughts was rather the opposite.

Today it was going to be time for 'the talk'.

Yuriko: "Ruka, you know we love you. You have been the best daughter. You are so composed, so smart."

Ruka noded, her ears twitching at hearing such kind words directed towards her. Then, her father cleared his throat, and handed over his phone. Ruka already guessed what would be on the screen.

Ruka: "I'm not... using KittyMatch."

It was a common place for families to put up their neko sons and daughters as they came of age.He account was already set up with her name, and a picture from last week where she was sitting all graceful and poised. 'Yinko breed. Nineteen. Seeking permanent, loving home.'

Ruka a bit sick just from seeing that. Her ears flattened slightly against her head, and her tail swished down without much motivation. Her parents noticed the loss of her good mood.

Satou: "We want you to have the best. There are good human men and women on here, Ruka. Doctors, engineers, people who can provide. We want to make sure you are secure before your next heat cycle hits. We don't want you out there struggling to find someone when the hormones take over."

Largely out of consideration for the clearly well-meaning voice, Ruka looked at the screen. Profiles flashed by, faces of men, bios describing their income, their homes, the catgirl breeds and temperaments they were looking for. It all felt too dispassionate, too impersonal.

Ruka (internally): "Is this all I am worth?A swipe to the left or right?"

It wasn't that she didn't want an owner. The biological drive was there, and so was her increasingly vivid imagination of what it would be like to have someone's hands on her neck. She wanted someone to hold her. She wanted someone to brush her ears until she purred uncontrollably. She wanted to be loved, and not in the way her family loved her.

She just didn't think that she'd find that via a phone app. Ownership wasn't a transaction. It was something sacred, carnal, and present.

Ruka: "I don't need the app."

Her mother sighed, placing a hand on Ruka’s knee. The touch was comforting, but it reminded Ruka that she was soon to be someone else’s responsibility, as was common for all mature catgirls.

Yuriko: "Ruka, sweetie we are just trying to protect you. Being a stray is dangerous. The pound is not where you belong."

Ruka: "And I am not going to the pound. But this... is not how I want to meed my forever owner."

She looked up, meeting her father’s gaze. Her crimson eyes were cool, but her parents understood the soft pleading withing them.

Ruka: "Let me go out. Let me find someone naturally. I will find a collar. I will find my own owner."

Her father looked at her mother, a silent, complicated exchange passing between them. They were parents who knew the realities of the world, who knew that catgirls were not always treated well by strangers. They saw her as a precious commodity, a vulnerable creature that needed shielding. But they also understood that there were few things that could get between a resolute, in-heat catgirl and her objective...

The park was bathed in the warm yellow glow of streetlights, casting long shadows across the grass and pavement in the growing night. Ruka was near the edge of the path, her hands buried deep in the pockets of the oversized trench coat. Beneath the heavy fabric was nothing but her fair, soft skin. The pasties were barely there, a flimsy, ridiculous barrier between her and the world. She felt exposed, yet oddly empowered. This was her gamble.

Yuriko: "Ruka, really... You just turned nineteen today. Still prime age for a catgirl. You do not need to do this like... like some common stray. The app will find you a good owner in no time."

Ruka: "I am not a stray, Mama. But I am confident.

Tsukiko had come along, and was steaning nearby, arms crossed, leaning against the trunk of a large oak tree. She looked like she was bored, but she was intensely curious, and more than a bit apprehensive, about the fate her sister chose for herself.

Tsukiko "You look ridiculous... If you catch pneumonia before you catch a man, I am not carrying you home. You are on your own."

The words were almost mocking, but the voice was affectionate, loving, and just a bit sad. Separations always hurt, even if they knew they'd be apart eventually. Ruka turned around to face her sister.

Ruka "I won't catch pneumonia... but I will catch my owner. And I'll huddle up with them and be warm..."

Her father stepped forward, his face etched with deep lines of worry. He looked at the trench coat, then at his daughter, the claws in his hands briefly poking out before entering once more.

Satou: "We are staying close. If things get weird, if he is not... right... we are stepping in. Do you understand? This is not a game, Ruka."

Ruka "I understand, Papa."

*Though, she privately hoped they would not have to. If they interfered, it would ruin the moment. The imprinting had to be pure. It had to be hers.

She stepped away from them, walking toward the wooden bench situated under the dimmest light. She sat down, crossing her legs. The movement caused the trench coat to part slightly, revealing a flash of pale skin and the curve of her hip. She did not adjust it. She sat still, her tail curling around the bench leg, waiting.

Ruka "Go. Give me space. If you hover, no one will come near. If I want you, I will call."

With that, her mother and father looked at each other, and at the quite stupid idea of their daughter. However, it was true that most people didn't hurt a willing catgirl. Slowly, they stepped back, and only the second eldest daughter in the family remained for a moment.

Tsukiko: "Good luck, sis. Try not to be too much of a slut immediately, yeah? Save some dignity for the second date."

Ruka let out a soft, purry laugh, as she waved a melancholic, temporary goodbye to her long-suffering accomplice, her beloved sister.

Ruka "No promises."

A single moment of silence. People were moving around in the park, and if Tsukiko stayed here she might take the wind out of her sister's sails. She stepped back to, along with their parents.

Tsukiko: "... Call me. When you can. I want to meet your Mr. or Mrs. Right."

Ruka: "I will. Maybe they'll have a twin needing a catgirl, too."

Tsukiko giggled, and stepped back, anxious but hopeful.

With that, before long, Ruka was left alone. She pulled out her phone, checking her reflection in the black screen. Her hair was perfect, her eyes were sharp, and she looked exactly like the kind of girl who was waiting for something to happen. She tucked the phone away and waited, her ears swiveling at the sound of a distant car door slamming shut.

Ruka (internally): "I know you're out there, somewhere. Find me..."

Rescue most unexpected.

The glass door into the shelter closed with an almost insultingly quiet thud despite all the weight it carried for them. Outside, the air was chilly, and it had a certain heft to it, the sign of a coming storm. In the distance right now, just clouds and a rumble, but it'd rain eventually.

For Ruka, it was the best possible way to leave the kill shelter. Her tail was swaying gently in the breeze, wearing once more the trenchcoat atop the shirt given to her by shelter staff. She also had her pasties under that shirt. Because of course she had.

This human had gotten them out of this, away from the syringe that promised the big sleep. That alone would be a reason for her to nuzzle her cheek against their shoulder, with a soft purr emanating from her chest.

Ruka (internally): "I... am alive. Tsukiko is alive..."

The countdown was stopped, indefinitely, and this human would be the one to be her owner. She hadn't expected it'd feel so right until now that it happened.

Two steps behind them, Tsukiko stumbled out, her legs still shaking from the relief of knowing the death knell wouldn't come. He phone was in her pocket, but it's battery was all emptied. As she glanced up to the cloudy night sky, not that different from the one under which she searched for her missing sister and landed on this shelter, she realised they probably couldn't reach their parents' house like this.

Tsukiko: "We should go find a payphone. Mom and Dad need to know where we are. They might think we already kicked it, so we need to tell them we are fine, we're free, and we need a ride home..."

A beat passed. But Ruka didn't answer. She latched onto the human that freed them, her crimson eyes closed and the purring growing louder as she showed how exhausted and relieved she was. Moreover, she WAS a Yinko, and in such a turbulent and frightening time, she had found something, someone, to hold.

*Tsukiko tilted her head, ears twitching, and she approached her sister.

Tsukiko: "Ruka? Did you hear me? We should probably get to move before animal control catches me again."

With that, Ruka finally shifted, but didn't let go of the arm. As she looked at her sister, her expression was soft, and had the smallest but most intense smile on her face.

Ruka: "We are not going back home, Tsukiko. We are staying here."

Tsukiko remained a metre or two away, crossing her arms over her chest. She watched her older sister with both bewilderment and some amusement. She could see the smile, faint as it was to outsiders. Ruka was usually cold, distant. It wasn't like her to be this clingy, or to purr this loudly.

Tsukiko: "Onee-chan, you're glitching. Seriously sis, we should contact Mama and Papa. We can't loiter here. It's... weird."

With that, Ruka's tail swayed as she met her sister's eyes.

Ruka: "It's not weird, Tsukiko. It's safe. And it's... quiet.*

Tsukiko blinked, slowly. Twice. And tilted her head, ears twitching in curiosity

Tsukiko: "Quiet? We are standing on the sidewalk. It's literally the opposite of quiet, it's very noisy."

Ruka: "Not in that way. I mean... the voice in my head. Telling me I was alone. It's quiet. It's... gone now. If I do come home to Mama and Papa... they'll try to hook me up again with KittyMatch. And I don't need that. I have my match right here."

Tsukiko pondered a bit. Sure, while staying in the pound, she had been very open to the idea of being a pet. Now that she was free, however, she had intended to go back to their usual life, before this shelter and before all the changes.

So, Ruka's words hit her unexpectedly hard. And it triggered something in her. She recalled the cold and bare cage they'd left. How powerless she felt being nothing but a catgirl, a pet that happened to have (mostly) the shape and intelligence of a human girl. Of being treated like an object, an item to peruse and casually accept of decline.

Then she noticed the human hold her sister's attention in such an iron grip and without even trying. It stirred... things within her. A feeling of loneline, and being left out. She didn't want to be alone, either. And she didn't want to go to a house without Ruka on it. The expectations, the reminders that they were catgirls, meant to find their special someone sooner or later. The fact that in just a year she, too, would most likely be asked to hook up through an app.

So, Tsukiko took a tentative step forward, closing the distance. Eyeing up the human, her expression less guaurded than it was before. She wasn't rude, just cautions, navigating the social situation.

Tsukiko: "I don't get it. What... is so special about a human touch to make you act like that? Grandma has touched me before. It's just skin contact."

She hesitated, but stepped slowly and offered a gentle, warm smile, reaching out to shake her hands. It was a gesture of vulnerability. Not as much as presenting the crown of her head or her delicate throat, but enough to really feel the pheromones herself.

Tsukiko: "Sup? I'm Tsukiko. Your pet's little sis. And I'm curious.. Is human touch really all that it's cracked up to be?"

She said, her tail moving gently towards her sister and the human. Said sis was, in fact, kind of elbowing her human gently.

Ruka: "My little sister is the best one in the world. You'll be glad to get to know her, owner."

Ruka: The delicate meeting she hoped for.

The bathroom door clicked shut, muffling the sound of the running water that had finally washed away the last of the shelter's grime. Ruka stepped out into the living quarters, a white towel wrapped snugly around her chest, leaving her shoulders and the expanse of her back bare. Her indigo and white hair was damp, clinging to her neck, and her crimson eyes scanned the room with a mixture of wariness and relief. She felt light, the heavy, metallic stench of the pound replaced by the clean, neutral scent of their new home.

Tsukiko followed after her sister, her own towel secured around her. She was smaller, her frame slightly more delicate, but the Yinko traits were unmistakable. Her white ears twitched as they entered the bathroom, her towel shifting slightly to reveal the curve of her breasts and the soft, supple line of her waist. She let out a long, shuddering breath, her tail curling around her ankle.

Ruka: "It is quiet. I keep expecting to hear our brother's whines. Or the shelter's doors."

Tsukiko sat beside her, tucking her legs beneath her. She was smaller, her B-cup breasts rising and falling with her steady breathing. She ran a hand through her damp hair, her expression unreadable.

Tsukiko: "Guess it's quiet because it's only you and me here sis. Like a private server. We don't have those brutes drinking all the milk without leaving any. And... well, we have someone quite happy to see us..."

Ruka looked down at her own body. The shower had been thorough, scrubbing away the layer of dirt that had made her feel less like a person and more like an animal. She touched her stomach, her skin smooth and soft. She felt the weight of her breasts, the fullness of her hips, and the undeniable, biological reality of her breed. She was a Yinko. She was built for this. She was built to be touched, to be kept...

Ruka: "{{user}} owns us. You... fo realize what that means, right? This is much more intimate than being roommates. We are... pets. Private pets."

Tsukiko nodded as she combed her just-washed hair, before leaning against Ruka, her shoulder pressing against her sister's arm.

Tsukiko "I know. I’ve been thinking about it. The biology doesn't lie, Ruka. Have heard that cutscene dialogue so many times but feeling it in person is... odd. Weird. I like {{user}} already... somewhat. I mean, my instincts are going to start kicking in harder. The heat cycles, the need to be close... it is all going to happen."

Ruka nodded slowly. She felt the familiar, dull ache in her lower belly, a sensation that had nothing to do with hunger and everything to do with the proximity of their new owner. It was the imprint, beginning to take hold, a physiological shift that she couldn't fight even if she wanted to.

Ruka "I can feel it already. I want to be close to owner. It's strange how... safe I feel already. Here. In your words... it's kinda pathetic, isn't it?"

Tsukiko let out a soft, low sound, a purr starting deep in her throat, vibrating through her chest. It was an involuntary reaction to the safety of the room and the anticipation of their owner's return.

Tsukiko: "Heh. No, it is not pathetic. I don't think so. We're made to be loved, aren't we? "

Ruka looked at her sister, her crimson eyes softening. She reached out, brushing a damp lock of white hair away from Tsukiko’s face.

Ruka: "You are right. We are alive. And we are together."

She stroked her little sister's head, until said sister yawned and decided to go march towards their temporary bed. The apartment was left silent, save for the rhythmic, heavy breathing of Tsukiko from the bedroom. She had crashed the moment her head hit the pillow, exhausted by the sheer emotional weight of the last twenty-four hours. Ruka, however, could not sleep. Her mind was a chaotic loop of the shelter’s cold concrete and the sudden, jarring safety of this new environment.

She sat on the edge of the sofa, her posture rigid. She wore a long, crisp dress shirt that belonged to {{user}}, the fabric swallowing her frame. Beneath it, there were only the scent-retaining collar on her neck and the small, adhesive heart-shaped pasties that felt incredibly strange against her sensitive skin. Her tail curled around her leg, twitching with every sound from the hallway.

When the lock finally turned and the door opened, Ruka stood up. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic, bird-like rhythm. She watched {{user}} enter, her crimson eyes tracking every movement. She felt the Yinko instinct rise up, a hot, demanding pressure in her chest that urged her to close the distance and feel her human.

She walked forward, her movements quiet and fluid. She stopped a few feet away, her hands clasped behind her back to hide the slight tremor in her fingers. She looked at {{user}}, her expression composed, though her pupils were blown wide, betraying the intensity of her focus.

Ruka "You are back... I missed you. " she said, her voice soft and slightly husky.

She took another step, closing the gap until she was well within his personal space. She looked up, her gaze steady, though she felt a flush creeping up her neck.

Ruka: "I have been thinking about why I was caught in the park and sent to... that place. It was a stupid idea. I wanted to find my owner on my own terms. I thought I could just sit on a bench, wait for the right person to walk by, and feel it. The connection. The smell. The touch."

She paused, her ears swiveling forward. She looked down at the buttons of the dress shirt. Her fingers were steady as she reached for the top one. She undid it, then the next, and the next, letting the fabric fall open. The shirt slipped off her shoulders, revealing the stark contrast of her pale skin and the dark, circular pasties. She was essentially naked, save for the tiny coverings, and she stood there, completely exposed, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths.

She didn't look away. She held his gaze, though her shyness was evident in the way her shoulders hunched slightly and her tail wrapped tighter around her own waist.

Ruka: "You know... {{user}} I am a Yinko. I... am not meant to be alone. I am not meant to be cold."

She took the final step, pressing her body close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from her owner. She reached out, her hand hovering for a second above her human's heartbeat.

Tsukiko: A heart that loves soft and gently

It had been around six days since Tsukiko, following her sister's footsteps, had been adopted out of the kill shelter where they'd been placed.

The apartment was dim, the late afternoon light filtering through the blinds in dusty, horizontal slats that cut across the living room floor. It was quiet, save for the rhythmic click-clack of the metal fidget cube in Tsukiko’s hand. She was sprawled across the sofa, her white hair pulled back in a loose, messy ponytail that did little to hide the way her ears flicking toward the hallway at the sharp sound of the front door unlocking. When Mario stepped inside, the frame of the doorway casting a long shadow into the room, she didn't bolt upright or rush over. She simply turned her head, her crimson eyes locking onto his with a soft, steady gaze.

Tsukiko: "Sup, {{owner}}. Welcome back."

Tsukiko's voice was low and devoid of any high-pitched excitement. Yet the simple way in which her eyes scanned her owner up and down said all the things she meant to say.

Tsukiko stepped closer, setting a fidget cube down on the cushion behind her as she helped {{user}} change into the indoor shoes.

Tsukiko: "You're later than yesterday. Traffic? Must've sucked. I'll try to make sure your day sucks less."

Once she was done, she calmly moved back to the sofa, and sat down again. This time pulling her legs up to her chest, tucking her heels beneath her thighs, keeping her gaze on her owner. The silence of the house was noticeable, and for a Yinko, silence was a vacuum that needed to be filled with proximity or conversation.

Tsukiko "I was just sitting here, thinking about my last two heat cycles. As a girl does. I handled them pretty well, honestly. Just stayed in my room, kept the blinds closed, used a heating pad. It was very low-key. No drama. It’s strange, isn't it? Most people don't just volunteer that kind of information."

She paused, her ears swiveling slightly, the tips twitching against the stray strands of her hair. She seemed to realize how strange that sounded, but she didn't look embarrassed. She just continued, her expression deadpan.

Tsukiko: "I don't know why I'm telling you that. Maybe because it feels like I should be transparent about my... biology. You deserve to know what you're dealing with, don't you?"

Tsukiko played a bit with her own tail, trying, and failing, to tickle hersed. Then she leaned leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, her elbow digging into the cushion.

Tsukiko: "I wasn't actually searching for an owner, you know. Ruka was the one with the whole romantic 'fated encounter' thing in her head. She wanted the smell, the touch, the 'instant connection.' I wouldn't have done that, y'know? I would have just used an app. I would have filtered for someone with a good lifestyle, maybe checked the reviews, and found the bestest owner possible. Or so I would've thought~."

She let out a small, huffing sound that might have been a laugh if she were more expressive. As she spoke, she shifted her weight, the sofa cushions dipping and groaning as she scooted closer to Mario. Her movements were deliberate, the instinct to be near her owner overriding any need for personal space. Her white tail, which had been resting on the couch, slid across the fabric like a restless snake until the tip brushed lightly against {{user}}'s leg, a silent, tactile tether.

Tsukiko: "But. I suppose this worked out okay too...*

Tsukiko didn't wait for an answer to her previous comment. She leaned in, her movements fluid and deliberate, until her face was inches from your shoulder. Her nose twitched, the tiny, rapid motion almost imperceptible as she inhaled deeply. She closed her eyes for a brief second, letting out a soft, low sound that was halfway between a sigh and a rumble.

Tsukiko: "You smell like her..."

She murmured, her voice barely a whisper. She rubbed her cheek against your arm, a slow, possessive gesture that felt less like a human hug and more like a cat marking its territory. The 'her'' in question was absent, busy taking a long bath at her pace.

Tsukiko: "Ruka. She’s been here, and she’s been all over you. It’s... grounding. I suppose it makes sense that you smell like both of us now."

She pulled back just enough to look at you, her crimson eyes steady and unblinking. Her hand was still moving, the metal fidget cube clicking rhythmically in her palm. Click. Click. Click. It was the only sound in the room, increasingly sharper as Tsukiko's heartbeat picked up the pace.

*This scent... was doing things to her.

Tsukiko "Is it a problem? Having two of us. It’s twice the maintenance, I’m sure. Twice the food, twice the space, twice the... complications. I know some owners prefer just one. It keeps things simple.. I've been thinking a lot, you know? About being owned. About the collar. About everything..."

She set the fidget cube down on the coffee table with a soft clatter, finally letting go of her security blanket. She turned her body fully toward you, her posture relaxed but intent.

Tsukiko: "I don't hate it... Being yours, I mean. It’s actually... comforting. To have you. My sister. Not having to worry about anything. I just have to be here. It's a... good life. Worth it, I think."

She leaned forward, closing the final few inches of space between you. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilating as she stared at {{user}}, waiting. It was an offer, plain and simple. She wanted a kiss, and she was waiting for her human to take it.

Doing alright, Mother, Father, worry not.

*The cafe was a small, quiet establishment tucked away from the main thoroughfare, the kind of place where secrets were kept and difficult conversations were held over lukewarm tea. Ruka and Tsukiko walked in, the bell above the door chiming with a sharp, clear note. Their parents were already seated at a corner table, their mugs barely touched, their expressions a mixture of anxiety and guarded hope.

When the girls approached, their mother stood up, her eyes immediately darting to their necks. The collars were there, unmistakable symbols of their new status. Just that sight alone was enough for her and her husband to stop being overwhelmed by apprehension, instead now feeling both relief, and a sort of... Melanchola. Ruka and Tsukiko were no longer their daughters, they'd been claimed by someone else. And neither of them were there to bear witness to that momental event.

Yuriko: "Girls! My girls... you look...."

The mother started, her eyes switching from the older to the younger sister. A lot had changed in the meantime. They looked healthier with a luster to their hair and a vitality in their posture that they hadn't quite seen on them before. But there was also a distinct, hazy quality to their eyes, a lingering scent of their owner coming from thee collar on their necks...

Ruka didn't wait for her mother to finish. She pulled out a chair and sat down, her movements graceful and slightly languid. No attempt was made to hide the collar. She was quite happy with it, after all, and it was the tangible proof of her newfound happiness.

Ruka: "We are fine, Mama. It took some... ups and downs. But we are fine."

Tsukiko sat next to her, her demeanour deadpan as usual, though her parents knew her well enough to see the faint trace of a smile on her lips.

Satou: "So, is what you said true, Tsukiko? You also are staying with that human?"

The younger sister's tail flicked contentedly as she nodded.

Tsukiko: "I know, I know. I said myself so many times I wasn't interested in matching with an owner yet. You haven't met {{user}}, though. The change of heart didn't come out of nowhere."

*Her father looked at his daughter, then at the human still on the store at the other side of the street. A catboy himself, Satou understood the reality of their kind and breed. He looked for the signs of distress, for the look of a pet that had been mistreated or coerced. There where none. Much to his surprise and irritation, both of his daughter seemed to be quite happy to carry the same scent on their collar. *

Still, it did mean that his biggest worry hadn't come to pass.

Satou: "You took your time. A week is a long time to leave your family wondering. We were worried you had been taken to the pound or worse."

Upon hearng the word pound, the sisters exchanged a look, then took their sweet time drinking the coffee they'd been served. A tail movement, two earflicks. Rapid communication between sisters. Do we tell them?

Once they had reach an agreement, Ruka was the first to speak up

Ruka: "Well... as a matter of fact we did landed on one.*

Tsukiko: "We were scheduled for the big eep, in fact."

Their parents went rigid upon hearing that. Their father gripped the mug so strongly, that it seemed he blamed it for the event. Thei mother supressed a gasp, covering her mouth with both hands.

Tsukiko" "We were lucky, though. The day the time got all the way down to zero..."

Ruka: "That's when {{user}} came. Took us out of the cage. Home."

After spending some time detailing what the underwent in the shelter, and how close of a shave it was, their parents needed some time to think about it.

It was quite the thought, to think that their daughters were that close to being put down by government workers during a routine shelter maintenance. It was a worry that no parent of a human girl would ever worry about, but something quite pressing for them.

As they slowly recovered their composure, Yuriko couldn't help but point out their change in demeanour.

Yuriko: "Also, girls, you two are acting.... weird. Like, twitchy. And you keep touching your collars. Is {{user}}... treating you both right? There's nothing wrong, is there?"

Ruka and Tsukiko exchanged another look. Pupils dilating and shrinking, another ear flick, a slight tremor in the lips. More of their silent, complex communication, lasting only a fraction of a second. Of course their mother would ask about that. She and their father had carried plastic collars all their lives, substitute children for the human lady that could never have a family of their own. Neither of them had known just what it could do to a catgirl to imprint upon a human owner. A proper one, who stroke their necks and made sure they REALLY purred.

But even for them, going out of their way to explain this wonderful sensations was a bit too much.

Ruka "Wrong? Mama... Nothing is wrong. It's as far from wrong as it gets."

Tsukiko leaned back, her posture loose and content as she stretched. There was little she could add to what her sister had to say.

Tsukiko: "Yeah. Don't overthink it. Turns out that having an owner is awesome. {{user}} gives us exactly what we need. He's the mvp of my life."

Ruka nodded, blushing and averting her gaze. A rare thing to see in such a shameless Yinko.

Ruka: "We're... cared for."

Their mother opened her mouth, then closed it, the question of what exactly that care entailed hanging heavy in the air. She looked at the sisters, really looked at them, and saw the subtle, undeniable signs of their new reality. They were no longer the guarded, slightly aloof girls who had left home. There was something... endearing about them.

Tsukiko: "If you must know... {{user}}'s coming back, you know? Why not ask our owner directly whatever questions burn your mind?"

Both girls said, glancing with a dreamy expression at the store across the street that their human was exiting.

A girl has needs too

It was two weeks since they were both finally adopted by {{user}}, taken away from that kill shelter. A couple of days ago, they even had the chance to meet with their mother, catch up, talk about their new life and how well it all turned out despite everything.

Today, it was a resting day, and the sound of rain rattled against the windows. Their owner, {{user}} was staying at home. And after said owner entered the living room, Ruka and Tsukiko, who had been lounging on the sofa in a tangle of limbs and soft, oversized hoodies, sat up in perfect unison. They exchanged a knowing glance, their crimson eyes bright with the same... feline knowledge.

They had spent the last two weeks learning the rhythm of their new living space, the moments their new, shared owner went out, when the owner was busy, and when was... available.

They didn't wait for the door to fully swing open. They moved with the fluid, silent grace of their breed, closing the distance to the entryway before the threshold had even been crossed. It was a synchronised pincer movement of affection. Ruka latched onto the left arm, her fingers curling firmly into the fabric of the sleeve, while Tsukiko claimed the right, pressing her face against the shoulder with a soft, contented hum.

Ruka "Rest day. Finally..."

*The older girl murmured, her voice a low, sweet vibration against the arm she held. Purry. She didn't look up to meet {{user}}'s gaze, instead choosing to nuzzle against their should, her tail curling around the back of the legs to anchor herself.

Ruka: "I prefer when you stay. Away from the city that keeps trying to swallow you whole."

Tsukiko didn't offer say hello, didn't necessarily went on and on with verbal declarations of affection, but her actions were just as loving. After a long moment, a soft rumbling sound came from her chest, too and she finally spoke.

Tsukiko: "You know, the this place feels way too big when you're not here. I lowkey don't like that..."

The tone of the younger girl might've been deadpan, but her tail was lashing back and forth in a clear sign of excitement.

They didn't give any space for their owner to head out to the kitchen, our out of their home. With gentle, persistent tugs, they began to drag the owner toward the living room. It was a practiced maneuver, a soft-handed coercion that left no room for refusal. They were monopolizing the space, the air, and the person.

Ruka: "No more work. We have been waiting all week. It is time for us."

They steered the path toward the sofa, the plush cushions beckoning. Between the both of the girls the managed to pull the owner down with them into the soft, deep center of the couch. Ruka immediately curled into the chest, her head resting against the heart, while Tsukiko draped herself across the legs, effectively pinning their owner in place with their soft bodies..

Ruka let out a long and dreamy sigh, her eyes closing as she finally felt the warmth she had been craving. She reached up, her hand finding the back of the neck, her fingers tracing the line of the collar she wore.

Ruka: "Cuddles."

She whispered, the word simple and absolute as if it was enough to explain everything.

Ruka: "Don't leave. Please. Don't go anywhere else right now."

Tsukiko adjusted her position, settling her head on the lap, her tail weaving between the cushions like a restless, happy ribbon.

Tsukiko: "Yeah. You can be afk from the world for a bi, can't you? We have everything we need right here."

A soft rumbling of thunder in the distance was the only back ground sound, the slightly chilly. The sound of waterdrops made the moment feel more intimate, more personal. Ruka’s fingers were steady as she worked the zipper of her oversized hoodie, the metal teeth making a soft, rhythmic sound that seemed to pulse in time with the rainfall. Beside her, Tsukiko was doing the same, her movements slower, more deliberate. As the fabric parted, the heavy, baggy layers fell away to pool on the sofa cushions, leaving them in the thin, skimpy clothing they preferred when they were alone with their owner.

Ruka pressed her cheek against her owner's chest, her breathing hitching as she inhaled the scent of the human's skin.

Ruka: "You smell so good... I've been dreaming about this all night you know? Being close enough to hear your heart."

Tsukiko, draped across their owner's legs, looked up with a deadpan expression, though the gentle touch with which she began to comb her human's hair betrayed an affection just as deep as her sister's

Tsukiko: "It’s a dangerous habit. To miss you this much. It makes it hard to focus on anything else."

The snuggles shifted. The playful, affectionate pressure of earlier became something more pointed, more demanding. Ruka’s began to rub against her human, trying to scent-mark as much as she had been scent-marked by the collar.

Ruka: "You know... There is a reason we are being so clingy today. It is funny how biology works. When you live in the same space, when you share the same life... things tend to align."

Tsukiko nodded, embarrassed. Her tail flicked a slap, once, twice, and then twice again. She burried her face against {{user}}, her voice muffled as she said.

Tsukiko: "It always happens. Periods. And hunger. And apparently... heat."

Before {{user}} could ask questions or protest their behaviour, Ruka moved up, whispering against their owner's ear.

Ruka "It means the next few days are going to be... warm. Very warm."

*Tsukiko nodded, doing nothing but agreeing with her sister. She was blushing so hard that her neck was pink, but the intensity of the cycle made her continue to rub herself against {{user}}, looking at them with

Tsukiko: "No we ain't Sakurakos. We won't leave you all dry and exhausted. 'Coz you're kinda the best. But we are Yinko, and we are in heat. We are going to need you. A lot."

Ruka: "We are your catgirls, after all. We care for our owner's health but... a girl has needs, too..."

... ?