004 ★ pokes, panics, and yowls!

It all started with a sneeze.

Not ( Name's) sneeze. Not even a normal sneeze. It was a tiny, squeaky, dramatic "hehh'TSHHH!" followed by the unmistakable sound of something soft falling off the couch.

That something? Romance, her most dramatic of the five recently adopted cats.

( Name ) peered over her cursed, cat coffee mug. "Bless you, buddy."

That morning, she'd noticed a few more weird things: Abby sniffling, Romance overgrooming, and Baby had been eating less amount of food a usual. Even Jinu, her most composed cat, looked a little... tired.

She bit her lip. ( Name ) found them in a soggy cardboard box near her café just a couple of days ago. What if they were sick?

( Name ) turned to her barista that morning, a vet student named David, covered in floral tattoos and made wicked cool latte art.

"David, do you know a good vet?"

He looked up from his latte art and said with deadpan calm, "Only the best, boss. She treats my bearded dragon, Bunny. Here's the number."

₍^. .^₎⟆...

Later in the day, ( Name ) faced a predicament; she had never transported five cats at once before.

After some trial and error (and a scratch across her thigh), she managed to wrangle everyone into individual carriers, except Jinu, who simply followed ( Name ) into the car like a dumb little cloud.

Driving there wasn't the hard part; it was what was going to happen inside the vet that would be a challenge for ( Name ) soon. The sign outside read Whisker Haven Veterinary Clinic. Soft pastels. Smiling cartoon animals. Birds chirping. Very wholesome.

( Name ) stepped into the waiting room, balancing five carriers, her bag, forms, and a quiet hope that this would go smoothly.

It did not.

The receptionist smiled calmly. "Five checkups?" she asked. ( Name ) nodded sheepishly. "Found them recently. Just wanna make sure they're okay."

"No problem!" she said brightly, handing her a clipboard. "Fill this out. Also, there's a support group for multi-cat households if you ever feel like crying."

( Name ) weren't sure if she was joking.

Soon, she sat down waiting for her appointment. Barking echoed in the distance. The scent of antiseptic burned their little demon nostrils. And then, a Pomeranian entered, wearing a tutu.

Romance saw it and nearly lost his remaining sanity. "Why is it sparkly? Why is it looking at me?"

A pug named Mimi, sitting nearby, stared directly at Mystery through the mesh carrier flap.

Mystery stared as Mimi's tail wagged.

Mystery growled, still not forgetting the white fluffy dog from the other time. ( Name ) and the Saja cats slightly jolted when a woman came out of the rooms, heading in their direction.

Dr. Maple Lin was a small, sprightly woman with big glasses and the energy of someone who genuinely liked chaos. ( Name ) stood up after being called and entered the room as the doctor smiled warmly at the ( h/c ) girl and the five cats.

"Okay!" said the vet tech cheerfully. "Let's start with... Jinu?" She opened his carrier.

"Hi there, handsome!"

Jinu, sensing the end, stared at the ceiling. She hoisted him up, plopped him on the exam table, and started her inspection.

Temperature. Pulse. Eyes. Ears. Then came the thermometer.

Jinu's eyes widened. "...wait, that's not where I think it's going?! " he whispered-shouted.

But yes. The sacred exit.

In it went. Jinu yowled so loudly that the lights flickered. Abby fainted in his carrier.

Mystery was next. As the vet reached in, he hissed, swatted her glove, and tried to phase through the carrier bars.

"Spicy one, huh?" Dr. Lin chuckled.

Mystery tried to meow-bark at the vet. But then ( Name ) scratched under his chin, trying to calm him down.

He froze. His eyes fluttered. "...I am... weak..."

The thermometer returned. Mystery fought. A full-on exorcism happened on the table. At one point, the ( h/c ) girl was on the floor trying to catch him while Romance screamed encouragement like a prison riot coach.

Eventually, he was swaddled like a demonic burrito and examined.

He would never trust a towel again. "Okay, this one's a little grumpier," ( Name ) warned.

Abby came out of his carrier like an angry raccoon in a pink, fluffy bathrobe.

Dr. Lin tried to pet him. He slapped her hand with one paw and bared his teeth.

"You will regret this," he growled.

"Good reflexes," she said cheerfully, and shoved a treat in his mouth.

Abby stopped. He chewed. "...That actually good," he muttered.

( Name ) scratched his ears. He purred. But realizing what was going to happen, he clung onto ( Name ), hoping that his owner, his pretty angel. The one who gave him a home and a warm bowl of chicken soup would protect him.

Then came the thermometer. Dream shattered. "No," he said clearly. "NO."

But yes.

The next one was Romance, who clung to the inside of the carrier like a fan clinging to a BTS member.

"Don't take me," he cried. ( Name ) kissed his head. "It's okay, pretty boy. Just a checkup."

He emerged like a drama queen, a pink, fluffy queen. Dr. Lin gasped. "He's gorgeous."

Romance flipped his head. "I know." momentarily forgetting about the situation he was in. The other cats rolled their eyes or smacked their paws on their face.

The doctor checked his ears, weighed him, and poked his tummy. Then she picked up the thermometer. Romance whispered, "I don't deserve this..."

It happened anyway.

He screamed like a dying demon (... ironically ). The second Baby was lifted from his carrier, and he limp noodled. Completely boneless.

"Oh," said the vet tech. "He's... very relaxed?"

"I think he's dissociating," ( Name ) whispered. They weighed him, poked him, and even when the vet took his temperature. He didn't react.

Until the needle came out.

Baby unleashed a shriek so unholy it startled the fish in the tank. He twisted mid-air and knocked over a box of cotton swabs.

Romance shrieked from his carrier, "IS HE DEAD? DID HE DIE?"

₍^. .^₎⟆...

( Name ) held each cat while they were given their vaccinations.

It was like playing Russian roulette with claws.

Abby bit the vet tech. Twice. Romance yelped so dramatically during his shots that two dogs in the waiting room began howling in sympathy. Jinu fainted, like passed out, as the vet and ( Name ) watched Baby to the Heimlich maneuver on him for some reason. 

The boys were back in their carriers. Traumatized. Furious. Covered in cute, colorful vet stickers.

( Name ) looked at them and sighed, sheepishly smiling. "Well... at least you're all healthy."

They glared. Mind scarred. Dignity erased. After arriving home, they didn't leave their carriers for five minutes.

Then, one by one, they emerged. Silent. Disheveled. Changed.

Baby curled under the blanket and whispered, "My butt stings."

Romance licked his paw like it owed him money.

Jinu collapsed on the couch, giving the ceiling a thousand-yard stare. Mystery wrote something in the dust on the window. No one could read it.

Romance curled into a loaf on the rug and muttered, "I need a bath. And therapy."

( Name ) walked by with bowls of chicken soup, feeling bad for their suffering ( even though it was meant to be good for them ) and said cheerfully, "You guys were such good boys today!"

At least they brighten up at the mention of food, and maybe how much ( Name ) cares for them... even though it was slightly traumatic for them.

∧,,,∧
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                               / づ♡ author secrets...

🐾  the saja boysss... no wait cats, don't know what the vet is but for some reason they get the chills or freak out when they hear the word ( must be crazy cat instinct or something... )

🐾  mystery climbed into the vet's lab coat sleeve and refused to come out. dr. maple lin notes: " very flexible. slightly cursed?"

🐾 baby escaped down the hallway with the syringe still stuck near his butt.

🐾 plz comment on here for any funny, cute, slice of life ideas or scenarios for the demon kitties in this book

🐾 comment here if Gwi-ma should appear here as an animal too? if yes then what animal should he be? ( i was thinking a tiny pink/purple lizard or a hamster? )