open.

[ex_savor573]

Who: Ken Kaneki savor and you.
What: Word is you all like cat cafés...
When: 4/16 - 4/30
Where: Cat Café Calico
Warnings: Felines.

[There's talk of a new cat café having just opened in town. Sharing the name of an already popular business, it seems they're expanding to a second location. As with the original, the café occupies two stories of a building in the shopping district. Taking the stairs or elevator to the fifth floor leads one to the front doors of this new establishment, name bright and bold.

This first floor is the actual café area, offering beverages and snacks for purchase. Treats can be bought for the cats as well, who mill about the location in great numbers. Taking the stairs up to the second floor, yet more cats can be found, along with televisions and video game systems. If someone wants to spend time with cats, they've found themselves the right place to be.

Now, the thing is — they're really understaffed. And walk-ins may be encouraged (if not outright coerced) to fill out a job application. The business is doing well enough that they're hoping to get more hands on deck, so those wandering in or playing with the kitties a bit too long might just find themselves face to face with an application]

[ooc: Treat this as a cat café mingle. Toplevel and tag around to your heart's content, become an employee or a customer. Or try to smuggle cats and see what happens]

Comments

[gentilitea]

They never listen. [ Muttering to himself, before he turns to Kaneki: ]

I can’t imagine how rewarding him for his behavior would possibly help.

[ex_savor573]

I was thinking more along the lines of...bait, to lure him down.

[Because yes there shouldn't be positive reinforcement, but he might be interested enough in the prospect of treats to come within arm's reach]

[gentilitea]

[ Jakob stops to consider this. Kaneki might be on to something here. ]

I suppose it’s worth a try. So long as he is sufficiently disciplined afterward.

[ Who decided it was a good idea to hire him for the cat café again… ]

[ex_savor573]

[Kaneki briefly wonders how one would discipline a cat, exactly...but it seems better not to question his co-worker on this]

Let me just find something...

[He sets his broom against the counter and heads for a cabinet, rifling around for an open container of treats]

[gentilitea]

[ Cats can be so incredibly attuned to the minutest of sounds…including the familiar rattle of treats in a jar or within its packaging. Jakob stares upward at little Boots, observing the cat warily as its ears pricked up and it’s looking meaningfully in Kaneki’s general direction… ]

It seems to be working… [ Jakob mutters, backing away slowly to give the cat some space. ]

Make sure it gets close enough that I may catch it. [ Because that worked out so well the first time. ]

[ex_savor573]

Let's see then...

[Kaneki plucks one of the little jars from its shelf, making sure to rattle the contents about as he closes the cabinet. He's not sure whether it's enticing or not, but he can agree that it seems to have Boots' undivided attention.

Holding the jar carefully, he picks a spot to kneel and continues to shake the treats about. If he can just get Boots to come over here, surely Jakob can catch him]

Here, kitty kitty.

[gentilitea]

[ The cat looks warily at Jakob, but the lure of treats is far too much to resist. It leaps from the fridge and lands on the newly-swept floor, pausing to give Jakob another Look. ]

Go on, then. [ Maybe the cat’s noticed how he’s braced to grab at it again. Who knows.

Just let it get a little closer… ]

[ex_savor573]

[Kaneki shakes the little canister of treats again, encouraged by the fact that the wayward feline has at least come down within reach. Just a little bit more and they should be able to get the little guy out of the kitchen]

Come on, you like these, don't you?

[A question he needn't ask, with the way the cat's eyes are riveted on the container of treats]

[gentilitea]

[ A more efficient way would be to lead it outside with just the use of treats or a cat toy or maybe even magic. Jakob, who knows and cares for very little of feline habits, really should have brushed up on those, or the following might not have occurred, to wit— ]

Steady… [ The cat crawls within range, facing Kaneki now, its ears still twitching—alert for any other sign of movement elsewhere, which comes the moment Jakob makes a swipe at it. Though Jakob’s reflexes might be deemed excellent, a cat’s is far better still, and the moment his armored fingers come within reach the cat immediately arches its back, taking a swipe that bounces harmlessly off his finger guards, before quickly darting away to hide behind one of the kitchen cabinets.

Jakob, of course, is furious, and rubbing at his mostly unharmed fingers. ]

Why, that little—

[ex_savor573]

[These events transpire so quickly that Kaneki finds himself staring after their errant feline companion, rather doubting that the same trick will work twice. Already, the cat is growling low in warning, which leaves him to suspect that they're in for even more of a challenge now.

Pushing himself back onto his feet, he puffs out a quiet sigh before he turns his attention to Jakob]

Are you okay?

[First thing's first]

[gentilitea]

[ Thank you for being like the first person to show concern over him instead of some slighted cat’s.

Even though Jakob meets that concern with his usual candor: ] Hmph, under the circumstances I cannot really say that I am.

[ex_savor573]

[Well, Jakob was clearly the one who got batted at here, not that he doesn't worry a little over both of them]

If you'd rather, I can try and get him out from back there... This has probably taken up a lot of your time.

[Ever the accommodating one, Ken Kaneki]

[gentilitea]

Oh. [ How…helpful of you, Kaneki… He’s maybe a little shocked about it. ]

It will go by quicker if we do it together. [ Ugh, he does kind of owe you one for that. ]

In any case, I have more experience with dealing with…cats.

[ex_savor573]

[It's true it probably could go more quickly with them both... But Kaneki would've felt remiss if he didn't offer.

Jakob seems so much more capable and confident working here than he does]

You've worked with cats before?

[That surprises him, and maybe it shouldn't]

[gentilitea]

[ Kaneki is far too forgiving of Jakob tbh… ]

To an extent. [ He doesn’t look happy about it. ] They are never easy to corral, but with a bit of ingenuity, hard work, and a strong sense of self-preservation…

[ One of these things is not like the others. ]

I am sure we shall retrieve Boots before long.

[ex_savor573]

[One of these things Ken Kaneki does not possess]

Where there's a will, there's a way, right?

[Local tragic protagonist attempts to be optimistic.

Results forthcoming...]

[gentilitea]

[ Hey, it’s something they’ve got in common. ]

Indeed. [ Local tragic protagonist victim of another unfortunate accident… ] First, it would be wise to ensure that you are properly geared. Perhaps you can put on the oven mitts, just in case Boots attempts to scratch you as well.

[ Excuse him as he begins rummaging among the kitchen utensils. ]

And perhaps we can use one of these as a helmet of sorts…

[ex_savor573]

...Helmet?

[Is Kaneki staring? Oh, absolutely. And he's so very good at this, the sport of kings, the Gawking]

I...think he probably wouldn't be that violent...

[gentilitea]

You have born witness to his conduct yourself. [ Pls put your gawking to good use, Protag-kun.

He pulls out a saucepan, before he takes a pause to mull something over. ]

However…I would not subject the good pans to Boots’s ferocity…

[ex_savor573]

He um...

[Kaneki trails off, rubbing at the back of his neck.

Maybe this won't be questioned too much since he's a god]

His claws can't hurt me, so maybe we can use that?

[gentilitea]

Can’t hurt you? [ Jakob gives him a hard look. Sorry, not letting you off the hook that easily. He’s had to deal with Add and his aversions to healing, after all… ]

How so?

[ex_savor573]

[Think fast, Ken Kaneki-]

Er- [Come on, this should be easy- oh] My god-ability lets me adapt to whatever I'm dealing with.

[Smooth. Also true]

[gentilitea]

[ He glares suspiciously at Kaneki for just a moment longer, before he finally relents. ]

Very well. So long as you refrain from making a mess, you may do as you please. [ And yes, bleeding all over the formerly nice clean floor (thanks, Boots) counts as making a mess, too.

He’s watching you, Kaneki. ]