Archive of Our Own ^beta

A stream of orange poured through the canopies above him. The sunset was dismal but illuminating and foreboding in the evening glow. His heart wildly thrummed in his chest. He continued his trek along the path, kicking aside pebbles and twigs.

In the fading light, Yuri’s eyes turned to slits.

He was on a mission, and he would complete it.

Yuri would find the shrine in the dense and looming forest; his wishes would come true without rejection.

Mind, his wishes extended beyond the pitied whims of selfishness and self-gain. He had a sick family back at home to think about. Even more, he had to think about the drought and bad luck plaguing his village. The village’s endurance would last so long.

None of them had believed his ramblings about a shrine to the north and a cat god that had blessed the place. He had been the only one to hear those legends and take them to heart in their time of trial.

As a child, he had listened to those fairy tales of faraway lands. And he refused to forget them.

At the end of the day, Yuri would give his village a first-hand glance of a cat’s true power and efface their prejudice that cats were evil, deceitful creatures. Yuri was that stubborn. He would make it work.

Cats were rare in his village. For many decades superstition had earned cats a stable yet nefarious reputation; cats caused mischief and calamity in his village. Shunning cats was ordinary behavior.

Even if it was against his own family and friends, he would defend them those old trash talking them.

The bronze cat statue would give him everything he desired. It would usher in wealth, prosperity, and blessing for the people who remained ignorant.

It may be a god’s blessing or a red herring for some other magical being out there, but it would suffice.

Either way, hope itself was a magical remedy.

On the plus side, he would finally see a real cat. In his entire life he had never seen one in the flesh. The thought of it made him giddy deep down, but he would never divulge that information to anyone.

If there was one ultimate dark truth, Yuri had always adored cats. Sometimes he would make people weary, but he would shoot back a solid glare.

He would fight you for insulting them, thank you.

Everyone should love cats.

So searching for the shrine would be worth it.

Yuri stared out at the mountain in the distance. Yuri smirked—his arduous journey far would not be in vain. Though he had been walking for hours, he deliberately trudged through the undergrowth.

Sleeping was crucial, but the next day he slung his pack over his shoulder and rejoined the trail again. He had a lucky feeling about today, Yuri decided.

Heat sizzled across his skin. The air battered him in waves and he stared out of half-lidded, droopy eyes. He panted and wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Excitement still surged and knotted his nerves.

Each step made his palms sweat profusely. He gripped onto the creases of his shirt to wipe them off, combating the day’s sweltering heat. Yuri’s sheer willpower propelled him onward, and he had no intention of stopping until he reached his goal.

The lush trees in front of him accordingly blurred and distorted. Why was he so weak? Granted, he had barely eaten the last few days, and the river he had found was a few miles away now. But he was strong. Snorting, he shook his head, knowing he must have exerted himself too much. He could not linger even if reading the countryside alone was disorientating.

No one stopped Yuri’s resolve, including the weather.

No matter what, Yuri would prevail.

Chest tightening, he wheezed, and—

Rustles crashed against his ears. The wind was knocked out of him as he tumbled into the brush. The bark of the bush scraped his cheek, and Yuri winced, blinking, concentrating. He spluttered and cursed and rolled over the side, fully awake now.

Damnit, he had lost focus for a moment

Recharging his sapped energy would be wise.

If only he had the food and water.

Unfortunately, he had run out.

Yuri lay there. He grit his teeth and refused defeat.

Little rustles around him made his ears perk up.

Something warm and slippery touched his cheek. Then another lick came in a long, sandpaper feeling right across his cheek. Yuri seized up and looked.

Green eyes stared him curiously. The plump body of a giant orange tabby accompanied those eyes.

A thatched brown roof swam before his eyes. Arches separated the shrine except for the island of space that created a veranda, the doors leadings inside the buildings cracked open inwards.

Next to the shrine, multiple cat statues stood proud with upraised paws pointing towards the sky. His spirits soared for a moment, but he had to remind himself that these statues were not the right ones.

Flying colors and meows attracted Yuri’s attention. He propped himself on his elbows to get a glance.

A hoard of cats chased each other in the yard. The cats roughhoused with each other’s and batted tails fluffy coats with sharp claws. One black cat leapt the air and bounded at another brown cat companion before scratching and biting playfully. All color variations and sizes attributed to their ethereal appearance.

The cats shimmered in the sunlight.

Yuri had never seen a flesh and bone creature so transparent. He had never seen so many cats.

He was surprised the lick had connected if the cats were all… Yuri did not want to finish that thought.

The tabby stared up at him expectantly. At first Yuri’s blank mind made him evaluate it. The scar across its face spoke volumes about a fierce battle won.

It was a warrior. And Yuri was totally delighted with it.

He gingerly reached out. Flustered a bit, he draw his hand back, but he slowly got over himself and finished what he had started. The cat purred while he Yuri pat and stroked it on its furry head

Had he stumbled upon destiny, or paradise?

He was ready to simply watch the cats roam until the last vestiges of thoughts were effectively broken.

“I think you should leave,” the voice told him.

Ever since an early age, Yuri had stolen to get whatever he needed the most. None of his actions had been done out of spite or unsatisfied greed; he simply had to make ends meet for the people relying on him. He had to be the provider, even though he had not bypassed the threshold of a teenager.

But he always did it and never looked back.

Acting merciless raked in the goods, and he was fortunate that rang true with his personality.

So when the human on the veranda finally registered in his thoughts, Yuri stiffened.

The man wore red and black ceremonial robes. He lay with his legs out his side; many cats climbed and pawed at him. He seemed relaxed, though a worry line crossed his features. He evaluated Yuri carefully.

“And why is that?” Yuri snarled back at him, hopping to his feet. He would pay for ruining his quality time for the cats, because he did not care who he was.

The man’s eyebrows furrowed, and he glanced off to the side nervously at his heated rebuttal. “I—I just… I can’t give you what you’re looking for, because people only come here for one reason,” he protested. “I, the patron of this shrine, Yuuri, don’t think you’re worthy of what you seek inside here.”

Briefly, Yuri pondered the relationship of their names. Just how much of a coincidence did it have to be for their names to be essentially the same? Was this fate? However, he missed not a single beat.

It did not matter. He had no time for these lame frivolities. He had to get straight to the point!

Yuri ducked and removed the knife hidden within the fabric of his cloak. He hurled it at Yuuri in a flourish of triumph. Yes, watch him avoid that and dodge—

An earsplitting sound echoed across the clearing. Any nearby cats rushed away into the safety of the bushes. The knife smashed into stone. The brittle grey statue of a cat that had been behind Yuuri a moment ago shook and snapped in half under the pressure, splitting directly into two sections.

In a flash, Yuuri rolled over the smooth, polished wood, skipping to a halt and flipping to a perfect stance on his feet. He smiled, though it was admittedly a little shy and awkward. He waved and retreated into the entranceway and disappeared.

Reluctant to leave the cats outside, Yuri squared his shoulders and gave chase. Was he just going to lead him to his prey? Well, all the better, but it would be less entertaining. He strived for a challenge at the very least even if it would take him a little longer.

Finally, his fruits would soon show his extreme labor. He had traveled so far, and he had few resources leftover. He barely had enough medicine; he would hurt himself if he went much longer like this.

Yes, the cool metal was under his fingertips. The statue’s smooth, glassy head was underneath his fingertips and he stroked it gently. The jagged edges of its ears bite into his skin as he traced them.

The wooden planks creaked under his feet. Shadows veiled his face as he entered the small shrine. Everything here was sacred here. Trespassing really might have been an issue in another time, but he was too focused right now to care—after all, Yuuri had started this whole thing, hadn’t he? While he knew the shrine had specific rituals that must be abided by (he had heard of the terrible misfortunes that had befallen people), Yuri was from too far away to properly give a blessing. Or, really, understand what he exactly should be doing.

Yuri was not much of magician, or sorcerer, or whatever people called them, but he was self-aware after training and exercising his innermost senses. Peaceful power emanated from everything. The walls, the floor, the essence of spirits in the air all converged in an otherworldly quality Yuri had never experienced before. He stepped slowly, evenly.

He was brash and rude but not ungrateful.

Scraping noises attracted his attention. He heard the low sound of voices. Deep and hushed voices. Yuri’s lips twisted into a grin, nerves lifting at the prospect.

Soon, he vault into the next room, prepared to face anyone standing in his path. Wide and free of clutter, Yuri was instantly transfixed as he followed the wooden boards leading up to his prize.

Far back the epitome of his travels sparkled and glowered in the darkness. In the outline of black, a bronze cat shone with a faint yellow light. Its deep red eyes glowered at him like jewels reproachfully.

Yuri did not have long to think admire its beauty. He ran towards it and momentarily forgot Yuuri’s whole existence. Despite his eagerness, he gently placed a hand on the top of its head. The metal was not warm like he anticipated. A tiny buzzing, rumbling noise radiated from its core, the metal tinged in warmth.

Footsteps zagged across the floor. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Yuuri dashing across the room with a newfound, steely expression. His hand catch Yuri’s wrist. Yuri pulled back and tried to shake him off, but Yuuri’s grip intensified, and Yuri was forced to dig his nails into the soft flesh of his hand. His thumb traced his palm and the creases that lead from his wrist to the middle of his hand. Yuuri’s eyes narrowed but he refused to release him.

“I told you, you can’t,” Yuuri begged. A slight edge accompanied his tone, an underlying pleading.

Yuri hesitated only to gather words on his tongue. Like hell was he afraid or worried. He needed the cat statue more than Yuuri did whether or not he was the shrine’s eternal guardian. Yuri was no expert on these things but he had to put his family first.

“But why should I?” Yuri asked. Trained on him, his eyes were and fierce and he didn’t let up at all. Yuri did not like his plans being altered, and he fully intended to carry them out no matter the cost. “I’ll bring it back, if I have to. I have a promise to keep.”

He would ride such lengths; return to his village and come back if it meant what he needed to accomplish.

Perhaps, then, he should be a little less hostile. Tranquility. Calmness. He sighed and took a breath to relieve his annoyance. Regardless, he would rectify his disrespectfulness to cat god later.

“I—It’s just… besides disrupting the shrine I need it for something else,” the man replied honestly, weakly and a bit thinly, though he leapt back and composed himself. “I don’t even know you.”

Yuri did not care. He swiped at Yuuri’s hand again. Yuuri’s grip loosened, and Yuri bolted at the statue; he made it to the statue’s side and put his hand right on it. The power from within it shimmered, and he felt his hand burn, but he did nothing to show it, not even wince or sigh at the stinging in his palm.

Yuuri’s arms flung around him and pinned him there. Yuri, unable to move, stomped on his foot. Yuuri did not react to this and instead grabbed his hand again.

“Get off me! Stop hugging me,” Yuri snapped, struggling to free himself. More flustered than angry, his face reddened into a tomato and his voice cracked. Random hugs were the worst evils.

“You said you had a promise to keep. What do you want to do with it?” Yuuri asked, mildly curious. He was genuinely open-minded but still a firm brick wall that Yuri found impossible to climb over.

How uncanny. He was utterly nice and not backing down. Maybe he was stronger than he originally thought and bequeathed him the title of a coward.

“I want to take it back home.” Despite the undercurrent of impatient the unhinged truth was evident in his words. “I need it for good luck to save my village from starving to death. And out of everything I’ve ever heard of, this cat should be able to hear my personal prayers and help us!”

A blessed cat statue would help a village that despised cats and warded them away. Yes, there was a particular irony in that, but Yuri had enough faith for an entire village and the world.

Yuuri’s face turned thoughtful title.

Yuri grit his teeth. He took that for a challenge even though there was nothing in it to say so.

“Cats are the most powerful creatures alive,” Once again, he smoothed his hand on the statue; power reverberated through his hands and tingled along the length of his arm. “I’ll respect this thing, or whatever it is. Cats are the best. But why am I telling this to you? You get to stay here with the cats all day long and play with them. You’re the lucky one.”

Yuuri may have been taken aback, because his grip loosened. He may have recognized the unwavering passion in his stance, and he weakly nodded.

“I know what you’re saying, I still don’t think I can give into your demands here,” Yuuri told him. He, however, did unwind his arms and step back.

Yuri scoffed and brushed the wrinkles in his shirt out. Most of them had been created while walking, but he would still eliminate the ones left over from Yuuri’s persistent hugging. Yuuri was too indecisive.

“Yuuri, it’s fine. We can tell him that it’s helping me.”

Yuri whipped around so quickly the statue rattled under his fingers. In the corner the shadowy figure of another man flickered, his silver hair shimmery in the light dim light. The silver-haired man was friendlier in demeanor; he waved and grinned at them impishly.

Yuuri’s eyes bulged, and his mouth went slack. His hands waved helplessly at his sides. “But Victor—“

“What he doesn’t want to tell you is that the statue is already healing a little bit of weakness I have right now, you see,” Victor stated. He pushed himself to his feet. A little wobbly, he held onto the wall. Coughs ripped through his throat and made his eyes water for a second, but he shrugged, lighthearted still. “I’m not dying, but what I have is a bit of a curse I contracted elsewhere. And I ended up here! Yuuri helped me and I couldn’t be more grateful! But I’m not quite as good of a patron as he is.”

“Victor…” Yuuri said, laughing nervously. The concern showed in his eyes, but he stayed back, Victor shaking his head at his advance to help.

Yuuri scratched the back of his neck. He really did not seem equipped to handle those words right then but he was please nonetheless. He reached out to help him, foot in front of him. But Victor simply shook his head and approached Yuri. Yuri watched him wearily, frowning. For some reason something about his voice and the glint of determination in his eyes quite interested him. All things considered, Victor was much better than his namesake over there.

Oddly, Yuri’s compulsion to linger for a while, but he would never admit that out loud. He had to leave.

Leaving would be quite painful with all that he had seen here. Seeing the cats outside had made him happier than he remembered being in forever, and he did not want to sacrifice that so easily himself.

Composing himself Yuuri slicked his hair back, his thoughts deep and varied. He groaned in frustration, defeated, slumping to the ground next to them. “We both have a special connection to this place as well. Not only does he need the power to heal, I’m tied here as the patron, so I can’t watch you to make sure you fulfill your promise to return it.”

Yuri, to his credit, still did not understand how both of them had become patrons of a cat shrine or complicated like their backstories. But he was here to steal the statue, and once again, he placed his hand on the statue for a moment. Fingers clasped its paw and he started to pull it up. He would just leave while the tension was down. The sooner, the better.

To his immense shock, arms wrapped themselves around Yuri’s torso again. He failed to see this incoming, but Victor’s squeeze on him was not nearly as desperate or upset as Yuuri’s plea to stop hims from stealing the statue in the first place.

“Come on, stay with us for a little while longer,” Victor urged in his ear. Hot breath cascaded past his ear. “Play with us, because we’re really bored~”

Yuri seized up surprise, eyes widening to saucers. Another hug. Why were these two idiots so touchy-feely!? But Victor was insistent, and Yuri elbowed him in the ribs to no effect. Quickly, he realized Victor was the absolute most infuriating in the room, but he still could not think of an insult for him.

The tips of his ears went crimson. Yuri’s temper shot up to the very last notch, burning up. He kind of wanted to just let it go (what was he even thinking?), but he had principles as a man that he had to maintain and garner respect for! Principles!

“Fine! Anything! Just stop touching me!” Yuri yelled. Shrugging and squirming, he finally freed himself.

Victor laughed. He fell to the ground and hugged himself around the chest. Despite his merriment he coughed a few times, but he seemed in higher spirits than he had been sitting alone in the peaceful dark.

Yuuri smiled. His lips quirked, a little less serious.

“How about…” Yuuri trailed off for a moment. Feet shuffling, he peered up at them both, trying to make peace even though he had started their hugging “matches” or whatever it was. “I’ll make us tea and we can talk about it outside? I believe in you, I just… I just have to make sure. If the cats accept you, I can’t really argue with them. They’re wise.”

Yuri supposed he had no other choice here. These two were difficult to handle, but he would at least discuss it with them over tea while playing with the cats outside. If he had to stay put for a while longer, he might as well have an ulterior motive, too!

Yuri huffed. He turned on his heel, willingly leaving the cat statue behind. He stalked towards the front of the shrine while Yuuri and Victor followed suit.

Some things were unfortunate, but Yuri thought he had been a little luckier than usual today after all. Fighting his way through the blustery heat had been worth it, and he had to recover his stamina anyway.

Those cats fall in love with him, just wait.