Chapter 8: Kitten

Loxus PoV

Loxus smiled at the cats, watching them eat.

"Good kitties," he murmured, stroking their fur.

One of them looked up and meowed.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt you," he whispered, his tone gentle.

The cat purred and rubbed against his leg.

"You're welcome."

Loxus sighed and leaned back. The cats were the only thing keeping him sane. His older brother used to love cats. His sister-in-law still owned them.

He missed the cats and his family. Maybe he should visit them one of these days.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice someone walking by.

"Hey! Loxus!"

He gasped and looked up to see Wilt.

"What?" he responded, pulling his hood tightly over his face to cover his embarrassment.

"Are you giving the cats poison or something?"

"Huh? Why would I do that?"

Wilt watched the cats' movements, wondering if they were eating normally.

"I'm just curious. Why are you feeding them?"

Loxus turned away. "Buzz off."

"Fine. Sorry."

The annoying star player continued his jog.

"Stupid," Loxus muttered under his breath.

Wilt looked over his shoulder and smiled.

Loxus groaned. That guy was really getting on his nerves. He didn't like others knowing about his secret love for cats.

He continued his walk home, ignoring the stares of passersby. He knew what they were thinking. They were judging him, wondering why a thug like him was feeding stray cats. They probably thought the same thing as Wilt, that he was poisoning them or something.

"Idiots," he grumbled.

As he walked, Loxus tried not to think about his past. It was a time in his life that he wanted to forget.

He finally looked up as he reached the dilapidated building where he and the goons lived.

"I'm back," he announced, walking in calmly.

"Hey, boss," Rubber said. "How'd it go?"

Loxus sighed. "It went well. Wilt's a cocky bastard, though."

The goon laughed. "He's just confident. It's not like he's better than you."

He smirked. "True. I'm better than him in every way."

Rubber nodded. "You're the best. Not like you slacked off."

"Yeah, I didn't."

"We know, boss," Rubber said.

He chuckled and went to his room.

Loxus opened his drawer and took out the picture of his brother and him. Despite the wide age gap, they got along well.

"Laure," he muttered, tracing the edge of the photo.

He smiled as he remembered Laure teaching him how to play guitar.

"Hey, bro, do you really think I can play in front of a crowd?"

Laure laughed. "Of course! You have talent. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Laure had said, his expression warm and encouraging. "You just need to believe in yourself, Loxus. Confidence is key."

"Confidence, huh?" Loxus had replied, strumming a chord on the guitar. He had been so young then, so full of hope and dreams...

"Loxus?"

He blinked and looked up to see one of his underlings standing in the doorway.

"What is it?" he asked, quickly putting the photo back in the drawer.

"We found a kitten in the trash. Think we should leave it there."

I frowned. A kitten in the trash?

"No way," Loxus replied immediately. "Bring it here."

The underling seemed taken aback but nodded, vanishing for a moment before returning with a tiny, mewling bundle of fur. The kitten was a pitiful sight - skinny, dirty, and trembling in the unaccustomed warmth of the room. 

Loxus took the kitten from the underling's hands, cradling it gently. With a soft coo, he began to stroke the kitten's fur, his fingers gentle despite their size.

"You poor thing," he murmured, his voice a low rumble that seemed to soothe the kitten. "Don't worry, you're safe now."

The kitten let out a soft mewl, its tiny paws kneading at the air. Loxus felt a pang in his chest. It was just a kitten, helpless and abandoned, much like he had been once.

"Get some milk from a vet and a clean cloth," he instructed the underling, who nodded and rushed to do as he was told.

As Loxus waited, he continued to stroke the kitten, his touch soothing its trembling body. He didn't care what the others thought of him - this was who he was. He cared for these creatures because no one else would. 

When the underling returned with the towel, Loxus gently cleaned the kitten, wiping away the grime and dirt from its fur. He then fed it some milk, coaxing the tiny creature to eat.

It was a good thing there was a pet store with a clinic nearby.

The kitten seemed to perk up after the meal, its eyes brighter and its mewling louder. Loxus held it close to his chest, feeling the tiny heartbeat against his own. 

"You're going to be okay," he whispered, his voice soft. "I promise."

As he looked down at the tiny creature in his arms, Loxus felt a strange sense of peace. 

Sand snicker. "Boss, you really do have a soft side."

Loxus narrowed his eyes at him. "Leave."

Sand held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, boss. Just making an observation."

"I didn't ask for your observations," Loxus retorted, but the edge in his voice was less sharp than usual. 

Sand chuckled, heading towards the exit. "You're a real softie when it comes to animals, aren't you, boss?"

Loxus chose not to respond, turning his attention back to the kitten. He could feel the small creature's warmth seeping into his skin, a soothing contrast to the chill of the room.

"Boss..."

Loxus glanced up, his eyes meeting Rubber's. "What?"

Rubber cleared his throat, looking slightly uncomfortable. "It's just... well, we've never seen you like this, boss."

"Like what?" Loxus asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Kind," Rubber said, hastily adding, "to animals, I mean."

Loxus glared at him, but there was no real heat in his gaze. "So what? Got a problem with that?"

"No, boss," Rubber said quickly. "Just surprised, is all."

Loxus grunted, turning his attention back to the kitten. He could hear the others whispering amongst themselves, but he chose to ignore them. Let them talk. They didn't understand, and he didn't expect them to.

He was the boss, after all. And if the boss wanted to take care of a stray kitten, who were they to question him?

Loxus frowned as the milk was gone.

"I'm taking this little one to the vet," Loxus announced, standing up with the kitten carefully cradled in his arms.

A few of the goons snickered, trading amused glances. Loxus shot them a withering look, his gaze enough to quiet them down. Rubber, however, simply nodded, understanding.

"I'll need more milk for it," Loxus added, as if that explained everything. He didn't owe them an explanation, but he didn't want any more snickering or questioning looks.

"Sure thing, boss," Rubber replied, clearly suppressing a smile. "We'll hold down the fort while you're gone."

Loxus simply grunted in response, already heading towards the door. He could feel the kitten's tiny heart beating rapidly against his chest, a reminder of the fragile life he held in his hands. 

As he walked towards the nearby pet store, he could feel the stares of the passersby. A tall, intimidating figure like him, with a tiny, vulnerable kitten in his arms, was indeed a strange sight. But he didn't care. He had a mission, and nothing else mattered.

Inside the pet store, Loxus quickly found a small bottle, and a soft blanket.

"Need help?" a girl said, making him jump.

He turned around and saw a cute girl his age with short hair and bright purple eyes.

Her name tag said Natasha.

"Uh, do you know where the kitten milk is?"

She nodded, turning around.

He had expected her to giggle.

"Right this way," Natasha said, leading him through the aisles. It was clear she knew her way around the store, easily navigating the maze of pet supplies.

Loxus followed, trying not to feel self-conscious. He was used to being in control, being the one giving orders. Being led around by a girl was a new experience.

"So, found a stray?" Natasha asked, glancing back at him. Her gaze fell on the kitten in his arms, and her face softened. "Poor little thing."

"Yeah," Loxus admitted, lightly stroking the kitten's fur. "Found it in the trash."

Natasha frowned, her eyebrows furrowing in distress. "People can be so cruel. Good thing you found it."

Loxus grunted in agreement, not sure what to say. He wasn't used to small talk, especially not with someone like Natasha. He was more comfortable with silence, with threats and orders.

They reached the aisle with the kitten milk, and Natasha quickly found what he needed. "Here," she said, handing him a can of kitten milk replacer. "Just mix it with warm water, and it should be good to go."

"Thanks," Loxus muttered, taking the can from her. He was about to turn away when Natasha spoke again.

"Do you need anything else? A basket, some toys maybe?"

Loxus looked at the items in his arms, realizing she was right. "Yeah, those would be good."

Natasha nodded and quickly fetched the items for him. "Here you go. And if you need any advice or help, don't hesitate to ask."

Loxus looked at her, surprised by her kindness. "Thanks," he said again, this time a bit more sincerely. Natasha simply smiled, her purple eyes bright and friendly.

As Loxus walked away, he couldn't help but glance back at her. Maybe not all people were as bad as he thought.

She smiled and waved.

He blushed and grumbled. Come to think of it, this might've been the first time he spoke to a girl in ages.

Hmph. He had no time to think about girls. He had a kitten to care for.