[early morning cat posting]

[sevenhorrorsmods]

Who: everyone
When: July 25
Where: class 3-C
What: a few visitors!
Warnings: none!

[On Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. on the dot, the student body is awoken not by the bell, but by the sound of meowing echoing over the intercom.

[It's not just the PA system, either. Soft, gentle, and very cute mewls fill the classroom hallways; distant on floors one and two, but much louder on floor three. Intrepid explorers who follow the noise will find that one of the third floor classrooms has been overtaken by a pack of ghostly cats!]

[Each creature is the size of a normal housecat, and has the mannerisms of one. That is, they will attempt to hop into your lap for some prime cuddling time, ears and tails flicking adorably all the while. Their bodies are a pale, ghostly white, and their eyes glow a soft, gentle blue. Although they are translucent, they are still solid to the touch, and they feel just like a normal cat does. Soft fur and everything! Aren't they precious? Aren't they just so stinkin' cute??? DON'T YOU JUST WANT TO SMOOSH THEIR ROUND LI'L KITTEN FACES??]

[So long as characters are kind to the cat spirits, the Nekomata are completely harmless. They just want to play and snuggle!! Although. . .]

[Anyone who touches a cat spirit will find themselves hit with a sudden need for physical contact. This can range from something small (desiring a high five) to something bigger (needing to CUDDLE THE SHIT outta someone). Being surrounded by more than one Nekomata means the compulsion becomes stronger, too! One cat means it can probably be safely ignored, but five?? If you don't HOLD SOMEONE'S HAND RIGHT THIS SECOND you JUST MAY DIE!!]

[Oh, so you don't like cats? No problem! The Nekomata are mischievous creatures, and they WILL leap onto people's backs and shoulders without warning. Being cat spirits, they can also teleport from one place to another, so. . . you can be minding your own business one second, blink, and then be staring into the eyes of a cute cat spirit perched on your lap the next.]

[The Nekomata will be drawn towards members of Anzen more than anyone else per their target lock curse, but they are excited to shower literally anyone in a bit of cute kitty affection, regardless of their homeroom]

[Please let me know if your character is being violent and/or aggressive towards the Nekomata. Otherwise, enjoy some compulsive physical bonding with a cute ghostly flair!]

Comments

[ratiocinations]

[The nekomata lament in little meows as she begins to rush off. Holmes, too, almost does the same in an embarrassing way as her hand departs from his, but he swallows it down and replaces it with a gruff sound, instead.]

Ms Fairplay!

[He is following, easily enough, what with his long strides that carry him down the hall. But... her hand-! That desire for touch flares up once more, so very strong since they've hardly left the cats behind, and he eyes her hand pointedly.]

[velluminous]

[ he is going to have to wait to hold her hand until after they are no longer being chased by cats!! ]

Keep up!

[ratiocinations]

[FINE]

My strides are longer than yours!

[In other words, he is keeping up in that loping gait of his. The stairs are just ahead.

But. Four nekomatas teleport and poof right in front of their path, enjoying this game.]

[velluminous]

[ he is, in fact, all but overtaking her. she's a visceral flinch at his side when the nekomata blink to block their way, but there's pride in this woman, and apart from the briefest falter in her gait, she presses forward. ]

Psst! Begone!

[ratiocinations]

[Four cats don’t stand a chance between two grown adults, but Holmes doesn’t exactly want to bowl them over, either. He presses forward too, but in a careful way as he approaches the stairs, offering her a warning. Or advice?]

Your tail.

[All four seem fascinated by it, trying to round Sprezzatura to see if they can get a better angle to bat gently at the tuft. It’s a good distraction, maybe?]

[velluminous]

[ absolutely not! she whips her tail upward out of their reach and hugs it to herself. 'scandalized' does not even begin to cover it. ]

You will think very careful about what you are saying next, sir.

[ratiocinations]

[The cats chirp with disappointment. Why denied tail? 🥺 This makes them sit, their tails swishing.

But Mr Adair simply flashes a lightning-quick smile.]

Be careful with it, that's all.

[She gave him an out, and he's taking it!! But he's also taking the stairs now, two at a time.]

[velluminous]

[ without her???

the sound she makes following after him, all loud stompy footfalls, indicates a woman with more grace than she is choosing to exact at this particular moment. ]

[ratiocinations]

[Someone’s pouting.

But he does not leave her. He waits patiently on the landing of the first floor whenever she’s finally caught up to him — it’s clear he doesn’t intend to go far. Not when that strange feeling still lingers.]

[velluminous]

[ well. she reaches the landing, glances at him once sidelong as she passes to go a little further up the hall, and once a safe distance departed from the stairwell and the still-audible mewling, adjusts the waistband of her skirt. once or twice she glances behind herself—feeling a phantom bap! ]

Stupid...

[ratiocinations]

[She passes, and so he follows. He briefly watches the twitch of her tail until he catches up to walk astride her.]

A successful getaway.

[So far, at least.]

Now, if you’d be so kind to humor me once more, to banish the dregs of this feeling…

[velluminous]

[ aha—yes, circle back to the feeling. ]

What feeling is this? Can you name it? How strong does it remain? You are aware of it before you usher over so many, or no? Or was it different feeling? How many hours, precisely, are you sitting up there with them before you notice it?

[ all without offering her hand, but in her defense, it is because she's scrounging up some scraps of paper from her skirt pocket... and a tiny nub of pencil. ]

1/2

[ratiocinations]

[Is this—

Is this what it feels like to be on the opposite end of all his questions-?

Despite himself, he hums a chuckle, almost disbelieving.]

Ms Fairplay… your dedication to information-gathering is both heartening and admirable.

[ratiocinations]

But I beg of you, I can answer all of that after.

[velluminous]

Bah! Mammon spare me his final coin.

[ SNAGS HIS HAND. ]

[ratiocinations]

[And coming to a stop so that he stops her, too, from their continuous walk.

There it is again. That relief, the warmth of touch — yet as his sharp gaze moves from her hand up to her face, another itch tickles at the inside of his skull. The desire only halfway fades… he trails his gaze up… higher… to her horns.]

Might I ask something particularly bold? I pray you forgive me for it later.

[velluminous]

[ Severine feels—nothing notable. hand-holding. such a basic thing, if half-forgotten. no one wants to touch the tiefling who burned down the school and disfigured the beloved headmaster.

but he certainly, truly, and wholly is ensnared by this, isn't he?

she can't help but have a little fun.

making to withdraw her hand again: ] Mister Adair, please. We are but strangers.

[ratiocinations]

[Tightens his grip, unwilling to let her slip away so quickly unless she makes an honest effort to do so.

He is not so oblivious to think that she’s suddenly become coy. That is far from what he’s gathered of her personality thus far.]

Nothing lurid, nothing abhorrent. I’d not ask unless I felt it were necessary.

[velluminous]

[ in honesty, this compulsion unsettles her. he has never seemed so out of control of his own doing. ]

Nothing morbid. [ those ... interests. ] Go on.

[ratiocinations]

[Morbid? Hello?]

What? What sort of man do you take me for?

[If he felt that sort of compulsion, he’d have enough dignity to walk away. He’s sure of that.]

Your horns.

[velluminous]

Yes? What of them?

[ratiocinations]

May I…

[His free hand gestures in a little flourish, his fingers not quite brushing against her horns, but pretty darn close.]

…examine them by touching?

/2

[velluminous]

[ it must be killing him not to know ]

[velluminous]

If you must.

[ratiocinations]

[From day one, he has been curious about them, but never so bold as to encroach upon her personal space to ask something so tactless. But now, it is an easy thing to request, feeling so crucial to this moment that he might actually expire if he doesn’t get to touch those tall, striking horns of hers. To truly examine a part of her that makes her different from that of a human.

The opportunity now feels like it’ll never present itself to him again. And yes: it’s killing him not to know.]

I thank you.

[A grateful yet hurried murmur. He does not release her hand. But now he adds to the connection by reaching out with his other, and experimentally trailing the tips of his fingers from the base of one horn all the way up to its tip — assuming she doesn’t change her mind and pull away.

His focus is intense. How do her horns feel?]