The Extra Mile

Makoto had to carefully plan his route around town and sometimes he had to carefully plan it twice.

The first time, in naïve innocence, was the route that he planned which would guarantee him to see the most amount of cats during his journey. He just couldn't help himself! Cats were creatures of habit, so if he saw one at a certain place at a certain time of day then he'd be highly likely to see it there again more than once. And every journey that contained at least one cat was a good journey.

Though this brought him onto the reason he then had to plan his walks a second time. Which was to stop friendly cats from following him home. Some cats just liked the attention and they definitely seemed to like Makoto, but his family got a bit fed up when yet another one slipped through the door behind him. More than once Makoto had been tasked with returning a cat to it's owner with a sincere apology. So, as much as it was a shame for him, there were times when Makoto had to resist temptation and plan his route so that he'd avoid cats.

On one such occasion, when he had been less than vigilant and was sat outside his house, stroking the head of an affectionate black cat, his mother walked by and shook her head at him with a warm smile.

“Honestly, I don't know what to do with you,” she chuckled, after Makoto had mumbled that he was sorry, “Though sometimes I wonder what it is about you and cats. They're nice, but if I hadn't known you better, then I'd have pictured you as a dog person.”

With that she went on her way, leaving Makoto in the company of his latest companion, who settled on his lap and began to groom itself.

To Makoto, all animals were good. He didn't understand why some people would get all up in arms about which ones were better, especially not between cats and dogs. He liked both. But he had to admit to himself that he had more of an affinity for cats.

They were aloof and difficult, you had to work harder for them than they would ever work for you, but that just meant that the little bursts of attention they did grant you were more rewarding. There was something about this that Makoto just liked. All cats were different, of course, but more often than not it would take a while for a new stray he encountered to warm to him. But he was always patient with them. He'd crouch down onto his knees and not approach them until they were ready for him to do so. And if they weren't ready that time then he just wouldn't go near them.

You could tell when a cat wanted you to notice them because they tended to be what Makoto would describe as chatty. He'd talk to them a little bit, in that voice reserved just for pets, and if they meowed back at him then it meant they were probably fine with him going closer and stroking them. If they didn't then it wasn't a big deal – some cats just weren't cuddly. It was all about taking the time to figure out what each one wanted.

And once a cat took to you then you had a friend for life. Albeit a friend that would one day be all over you and the next not even look in your direction. They said that cats chose their owners, not the other way around. Well, if that was the case then a lot of them had chosen Makoto.

“Again, Makoto?”

He looked up from where he was sat to see that Haru was staring down at him and the black cat. All he could do was smile sheepishly.

“Yep, again,” he admitted.

Haru took a seat next to him, knowing that Makoto wouldn't be going anywhere until the cat shifted. And cats only moved when they wanted to. It certainly looked very settled on Makoto's lap now that it had finished cleaning itself.

They sat in silence for a while, but this wasn't unusual between the two of them. It was a nice silence that they both liked. After a while Makoto started to hum a tune, not directed specifically at either the cat or at Haru. On his lap, the cat stirred in its sleep and gave a little meow, after which Haru hmphed quietly to himself. It seemed that both of them were open to affection today, from Makoto's reckoning.

He'd never admit to Haru that sometimes he'd use the same methods that he used for cats in regards to their relationship, but honestly Haru was a lot like a cat. Distant and seemingly cold, but if you took the time and effort to get to know him, then he could be the closest companion you could ever ask for.

And Makoto was always willing to do the extra work, whether it be for the cats or for Haru.