Tenth Meow - Surprise!

THE sound of digging could be heard. Two pairs of hands rummaged over the rich soil like they're finding a treasure beneath it. The first guy, the one who digs carelessly and sputters bits of dirt all over-a man with ashen hair tied in a ponytail and matching cat ears atop keeps on singing a song full of, "nyanyanya" as the lyrics. Aegir's pink shirt drenched in sweat, white long appendage on his back sways back and forth as he sings.

"Hey, watch it! I already told you! Be gentle. Gardening isn't just a play thing! " The other guy scolded him. The guy swatted his hand, lips tight and serious.

Aegir's eyes watered. His pink lips started to pout. "B-But! I'm already doing it right! I'll plant catnips here. " He raised both his index fingers and joined them together; green orbs twinkling, asking the other man's sympathy.

The other man, on the other hand, remained serious, eyes sharp like gold spikes. He shook his head, making his neck-length hair sway. He adjusted the sleeves of his red checkered polo-shirt. "Look at me, again, okay? Do you want the plant to die? " he pointed at the huge hole Aegir made.

Aegir moved his head to say no. "This is not for plants, do you want to bury something here? It's so deep!" Aegir's head hung low, and he started to hiccup.

"Don't you dare cry again!"

Anthony sighed. He lifted up the sleeves of his polo. Silently berating himself why he used this under the heat of the sun plus double workload because of someone who keeps on playing with dirt!

"Watch me okay? " He gently dug the soil with his hand, when he felt that the soil was hard, he got his trovell and worked. He started to unpacked a sachet of lettuce seed and placed it in the soil.

"It's true, enjoyment is essential but plants are just like you, they have life so you should take good care of them. " Anthony smiled, his dimples showing. His face radiated serenity making him more ethereal than he usually is, his masculinity highlighted.

Anthony's long lashes started batting like a beautiful swallowtail fluttering its wings in a summer day and for Aegir, if there's something more breathtaking than those lashes-it is the pair of golden eyes as if those registered a pool of happiness, rivalling the golden sun in the sky.

Aegir couldn't help but to stare. He never saw Anthony smile like this before. Anthony is always there shouting in frustration for whatever problem he had, brows locking with each other, and lips in a stressed line.

"Then you need to talk to them, say that they should grow well. They will listen to you. " Anthony covered the hole with the soil. "Then after we finish planting this line, we will water them. Okay? " He raised his hand and did a thumbs up.

Aegir just nodded his head. "We will not plant catnip? You said lettuce for this row?" his voice sounded disappointed, "Tibby and Tabby would be sad if we don't plant it. "

Anthony snickered and pointed at the other row two meter away from the lettuce row. "The cat nip would be planted there, we shouldn't mix the same plants in a row, okay? Be patient. " Anthony reached Aegir's head and patted him, which in return sent heat on Aegir's cheeks.

He was never patted by a human before, all he has received was abuse but now this was all new to him.

"Speaking of Tibby and Tabby, where are those little devils?" Anthony asked, cleaning the dirt in his hands.

Aegir squished his cheeks. "I don't know, they were here a while ago causing kitty troubles with your garden tools. Maybe they're outside? " His eyes were full of wonder, blinking continuously.

Anthony's brows creased. "What do you mean outside? " he dug another hole again in the left using his trovell as he spoke.

"Outside. I opened the gate? " Aegir said innocently.

Instead of the soil, Anthony hit his hand using the trovell. "Damn! Why did you open the gate? Do you want your cats to wander around and get lost?! " Anthony's voice raised, maybe because he's mad or his now bloodied hand radiated pain into his system or it can also be both.

Anthony stood up from his planting position, face stoic as if he didn't want to show that he got hurt (but a drop of tear wants to escape from his left eye). "Now, you. Let's get your cats back. " Aegir couldn't help but to only whimper as he stared at the dripping blood coating Anthony's fingers.

"What about your wound? Aegir's face's gloomy, his eyes registering guilt as he was stopping himself from crying again.

Anthony's face cringed as he saw his own blood. He tried to remain calm and gulped a lump full of saliva, his Adam's apple moving up and down. "Don't worry about my wound. Let's get them first-"

As he was about to complete his statement, a cat's hiss interrupted, followed by a loud screeching.

Anthony is currently seated on a raven-colored victorian style sofa with two white pillows with fancy lacework. Actually the motif of the room is victorian, from the white walls with black elegant linings; bell shaped, inside it is another bell with lacework of repeating infinity designs (the floor also had the same color and design), the huge panel window with black and white silk curtains, hanging on the walls was paintings that Anthony knew costs more than his life, and some other extravagant things he didn't wish to set his eyes to.

He is currently in his agent's house, Mr. So didn't go to the publishing house today for reasons he didn't know.

The room is eerie quiet, ironic because of the presence of the black colored with gold linings turntable at the side of the sofa and the various vinyl records safely stored in a glass table near the mini library. He wished to play one song but it might cause the incurring wrath of a monster dressed in human skin.

He tapped his foot impatiently at the floor as he gently caressed the little furball that was sleeping on his lap. He should have felt tense or scared (or even wanting to pee) but all the anxiety vanished and turned to irritation because it's been two hours since he's been waiting for his damned old editor-to show his greasy face and evaluate his manuscript.

This old geezer didn't even offer him biscuits or tea.

The white with black patch kitten started to stir on Anthony's lap. It stared at Anthony and blinked its eyes. Anthony sighed. "Yes, he's still not here, Tibby. Are you hungry? " he soothingly said to the cat, his hands enjoying it as he stroked its soft fur.

Anthony isn't really a cat person but his housemate is-and now, he's slowly becoming one perhaps. Well, his life is stressful and he admits cats are calming.

The cat meowed and yawned, showing its little canines and pink tongue. "Just wait a little, okay? I'll buy you treats later. " He lifted the kitten and kissed its nose, earning an affectionate nudge to his face from the cat.

Before he could play with the cat again, angry footsteps echoed in the room, sounds of grunting welcomed Anthony's ears. He placed the cat back on his lap and stared at the big structure of a black haired man with an enormous round belly holding a black laptop, the man wearing a white polo shirt (its buttons threatening to flee), completing his wardrobe with his brown khaki pants. The man's face is round, eyes chinky-sending daggers as he stared at him. His nose is so perfectly pointed that Anthony wished he was Porcopio- the puppet whose nose gets elongated when he lies. Aside from the perfect nose is his perpetual snarl etched in his lips like a tattoo, he had grown a beard and Anthony thanks him for doing that because he looks less scary, just a bit less, like 0.01%.

Anthony could feel his hands getting wet, nervousness attacked his soul. "Be sure, this is worth my time, you trash!" His voice sounded wet and high pitched like a sea lion given the ability to speak.

Anthony didn't wait for his agent to sit on the sofa, he fished something out of his pocket-a color blue flash drive. He handed it to his agent. "Here's my new story entitled, "Paradox", I've only written half of it, " he said, in return, his agent grumpily snatched away his flash drive and sat on the sofa next to him.

His editor's forehead creased as he inserted the flashdrive. Anthony felt his palms soaked in sweat, the cat, Tibby, affectionately bump its head on Anthony's stomach like a silent motivation.

"So what's this story all about? " his editor asked, tapping the on button of his laptop.

Anthony tapped his foot. "It's about a cat who doesn't like fish. " Anthony's agent stopped tapping on his laptop and gave Anthony a look of disbelief.

"Seriously, trash? Are you crazy with cats? And what's with this cat you're bringing here? " Mr. Pat So pointed his fingers at the tabby on Anthony's lap.

Anthony pasted a bored look on his agent, his gold orbs shone, lips tight and unmoving. "I didn't come here to talk about my pet, just read it, Mr. So. " He fluttered his eyelashes and clicked his tongue, making his agent's eyes send him a look that could kill.

Anthony isn't like this but-his housemate is and it is highly contagious-this development is shocking to him.

He could clearly remember how he received a hideous claw mark in his face for being someone who doesn't fight back. He absent-mindedly touched his left cheek where Aegir had done the evil deed.

His face looked devastated. His eyes red and puffy from crying, his lips swollen and a small trace of blood etched from the side of his mouth. His newly brought navy blue cardigan and white shirt dusted with dirt like he'd been diving in trash.

It's their acquaintance's party today at his university and he wished to dress well yet this happened. On his way to school, he was robbed. He didn't fight back yet he got hurt.

"I shouldn't have taken that shortcut!" he muttered to himself while he's on his way home.

He wished to enjoy the party but he would just be a laughing stock with this look (though he is now). A pedestrian covered her mouth in laughter as he sluggishly walked and a group of teenagers giggled as they stared at him.

He walked faster, head hung low. He doesn't want to hear what they wanted to say, he already knew it-insults.

As he was about to open the gate of his small apartment, he heard someone humming and the sound of taps made when walking, the sound getting closer, then it stopped.

"What are you doing here? Thought there's a huge feast you're going to? Where's my take-out? " Anthony turned around and he saw his housemate, Aegir, eating scones from a paper bag, face confused as he stared.

Anthony opened the gate of his apartment, creating a creak sound. "I was robbed, I decided to go home instead. " he expected sympathy but he got none, instead, Aegir walked towards him and hit him with the paper bag.

"And you let yourself get robbed? What's the use of those muscles you earned from your physical education class? A display? You saved us from that evil big ugly monster yet you can't save yourself? " Aegir started to lecture him, tone higher than usual like a mother berating her child-except that mother possesses a baritone voice-and a male.

Throughout Aegir's stay, this cosplayer brat's vocabulary widden and learned other things because of him.

"He got a knife!" Anthony reasoned out.

Aegir rolled his eyes. "You always watch action movies, and you even copied those hufu moves? Is that hufu? " Aegir questioned what he had said.

"It's kung fu and it's better to give than to die! " Anthony pointed at himself. "If I fought I might get stabbed! "

"Might means not sure, it's a probability, you said that! " Aegir hit him again with the paper bag, this time, with more force.

"Don't use my words against me! "

"Why? You used mine against me too yesterday!" Anthony stopped and thought, and he facepalmed.

"Shut up! " Anthony gritted his teeth.

Aegir didn't let him speak nor prepare himself-Anthony's face incurred his wrath, his long nails left a bloody trail to the unfortunate guy's cheek.

Anthony heaved a sigh, Mr. Pat So just finished reading his manuscript, the evil guy is currently massaging his beard, probably thinking what insults should he say again from his wet and ugly mouth.

Mr. Pat So looked at him, eyes unreadable. "So, you are not that useless trash, hmm? This story has potential even though cats as the subject and protagonist are weird, like you, " Mr. Pat So paused, brows creased. "I will check this further for thorough evaluation but be ready for major revision. You improved, you trash! But it's still trash!"

Anthony couldn't help but to smile, he could feel his heart flutter as he restrained himself from jumping and shouting in joy.

If he'd known that cats would help him with his problem with his agent, he should have met Aegir and his cats sooner.

When he was about to thank his devilish editor, he snarled at him. "Do not be happy yet, fool! Remember this, if this would not pass the evaluation, your contract is over! I had enough of your foolishness! I do not know why I let your first story, 'The Serenity of Eowyn' pass; it didn't even sell at least 200 copies. And if you ever pass the evaluation yet fail in revision-your contract will still be over!" When Anthony thought he received good news, happiness fled in an instant.

"No other company would accept you, I just happened to take in scraps for recycling or-if not useful, that trash-would find itself home in the same dirt where it came from, " Mr. Pat So laughed heartily.

Tibby stirred uncomfortably in his lap as he gripped his hands in his jeans tightly. "Why wouldn't you stick with the plot that is loved by readers? Not your typical unusual and bland plot and writing style! This plot is not to the reader's taste!" Mr. Pat So rummaged in his laptop again and showed Anthony the list of stories with most sales.

Most of the stories there has clichè and overused plot-no uniqueness at all, or some erotica, romanticizing themes that shouldn't be used in romance, yet loved by many.

Many would hate him if he'll criticize them all, but as someone who breaks his head just to think something unique and put value over pleasure on his works-it's utterly disappointing and saddening.

Anthony feels his blood boil, it's the first time that tears won't come out of his eyes, instead of pain that would make him cry, rage coiled in his heart. "Be like them! Give me sales and you wouldn't be trash, capture those readers with these plots! Learn! " Every word that came out from his agent gave a flare in his eyes, he bit his lip.

Trembling, he said, "I'm not like them! You don't know the value of true art-" before he could finish his sentence, Mr. Pat So punched the table, earning a loud smack.

"A trash dare answer me? " As Mr. So was about to throw something in his direction, Tibby got up from his lap, hissing as it walked on the table.

The cat let out an angry growl, eyes glowing dangerously, its canine showing as it stared at his agent, Anthony couldn't comprehend why Tibby's fangs suddenly elongated or it's just his imagination?

His agent, on the other hand, started trembling. He fell from his seat as he sweat heavily. Every step the cat does, every growl, it makes Mr. So squeal like a schoolgirl. "N-No! Get that ugly thing out! "

Anthony's anger turned to amusement. "I want to tell you something, Mr. Pat So, I wouldn't change my plot. I'll revise it but I will not succumb to your wishes, " he paused. Getting up from his seat, he picked up Tibby and calmed the cat. Mr. Pat So clenched his chest tightly like he saved his life from impending doom.

"And also, I want to remind you something with the use of the writing style you loathed-literature shouldn't always be about the clown who seeks the smiles and cheers of the blind crowd-drowned in sweet lies and euphoria-burned into the stake of stagnation because literature is also this colorful, free, and vast corner of those who've been called fool for trying to grasp the light, eyes opened, yet, is neglected and set to oblivion, " he smiled smugly as he saw Mr. Pat So's puzzled face. But at the back of his mind he is screaming internally that he did something again that he least expected.

Anthony waved Tibby in front of Mr. Pat So's face. "W-What do you mean, t-trash? " Mr. Pat So's voice almost sounded like a chipmunk.

Anthony let out a laugh. "Someone like you wouldn't understand, Mr. So..." He moved Tibby closer to Mr. Pat So, earning a squeak from the man. "A cat claw wouldn't kill you, it takes a devil cat to do that because you aren't human. "

He then walked out fast like he's concerned that his agent might have thrown the laptop on the table. And regret that his courage awoke.

When he's already outside the gate, he sighed and pinched the cat's nose. "Why did you do that? What if Mr. So didn't get scared and hurt you? Aegir would kill me. You're a patient alright? You still aren't well, behave. " he pinched the cat's cheek as it stared at him.

The cat, Tibby, just got well miraculously from a dart that hit it when Anthony and Aegir were gardening. Anthony didn't catch the culprit because he ran away fast, but Anthony remembered the man's striking feature-crimson eyes.

Anthony kissed Tibby's paw and the cat purred lovingly. "If I believe in magic, I could say that the drops of my blood from my wound helped you to escape death but we aren't living in a fairytale aren't we, Tibby? " he kissed the cat's paw again and smiled.

He began to walk as he smooched the cat. It ain't weird, it's addictive.

"I'll protect you and Ae ae-from anyone who would dare to harm you in any way. "

Anthony blinked his eyes as he heard someone's voice-someone childlike. He dismissed what he heard and continued walking. "Too much fiction again, " he mumbled.

As he ventured the street, a guy with curly chestnut hair began to walked frantically, in his chest he held tightly a paper bag loaded with goods, what's more uncanny is the pair of white bunny ears in the top of his head and the cotton ball-like thing in his back-like a tail.

"So, cosplaying is a thing now? I should ask Aegir where he buys his costume and props, " Anthony told himself as he stared at the guy. He shook his head and continued walking further.

He didn't know that the guy heard him, the guy stopped walking, face bewildered as he pointed to himself. "He could see my ears and tail? I used an expensive masking lotion to hide this from humans. " He scratched his head.

"Nevermind, he seemed clueless ," he said as he opened his phone with a wheel of fortune tarot card as a wallpaper.

Anthony slumped on the sofa, breathing heavily. He undressed his shirt, revealing his toned and muscular chest and glistening six pack abs. He threw the clothes on the floor. "I'm so thirsty, " he complained.

He just got home and he's very tired.

Tibby is already sleeping in his basket upon eating the treats Anthony bought, of course, Tabby also got his share.

"Water, " mumbling, he lazily walked to the direction of the kitchen.

As he was about to enter, he saw the same cat who soaked his notes, walking freely on his table. On one of the chairs hung a black jeans.

"What's this pest doing here? " he whispered, he got a broom near the socket and prepared to walk and attack the cat.

A bright pink light blinded his sight along with the voice of something he didn't believe existed. "Cute kitty me, transform! " the cat talked.

Anthony dropped the broom on the floor in shock. And his shock never ended when the miniature figure of the cat began to transform into the size of a human, the fur began to change into porcelain skin-the cat changed into someone he knew.

The cat stared at him alarmed. It immediately wore the jeans and said something he didn't hear.

He could feel his head spinning and darkness kissed him goodnight.