[center][fancypost=width: 500px; text-align: justify]It'd been a sunny summer day like any other when it happened. Only a few puffy white clouds floated lazily through the bright blue sky, and the sunlight covered the town with a comfortable warmth. The tom trotted through the busy cobblestone streets, a bright grin on his maw. He was young, a mere nine months old; still apprenticed to a kind, elderly retired politician. He had a pack filled with heavy books on science, biology, math and peppered with famous literature.
He didn't seem to notice or care about the weight of the books, since he danced through the crowds with familiar ease. He pushed his way into a small, quaint bakery and found a spot in the tiny line while he waited for the Maine Coon and her three little kittens to handle the customers before him. He shuffled his paws as he waited and repeated his mentor's order in his head out of boredom. A gust of hot air hit him and he turned to see another person arrive in the bakery.
In an instant, all his thoughts turned to mush. He tore his gaze away from the chubby, tall brown and white shecat and stared at the floor. He didn't want to be rude, even if the sight of her took his breath away. He gulped in a breath and adjusted his bag, trying to recall his mentor's order though he knew deep down that it was lost.
"Next?" The maine coon called, and he jumped with a start. It was his turn already? Goodness, he'd gotten so distracted. He trotted up to the counter, his ears pressed back.
"U-um, I'd like, uh-" He stuttered, his tail curling around one of his hind legs in embarrassment. Then a person pushed up against him, her shoulders rubbing against his.
"He'll take two cinnamon rolls, and aaaand an apple strudel." The brown and white shecat said, her voice as smooth as silk. Her eyes were bright cyan with flecks of gold, like a beautiful tropical flower. Nico watched her with wide eyes, and he couldn't help but feel like his soul had left his body.
"Alright, twenty silver for all." The maine coon said, a smug smile on her face as she handed over the bag. Had she already grabbed them and put them into the bag so quickly? He felt like everything was happening so fast. He fumbled and reached into his pack and pulled out his silver and counted it out before handing it over. The shecat gently placed her tail on his back, grabbed the bag in her maw and led him to one of the small booths overlooking the street.
"You seem like an apple strudel kinda guy, here." The shecat said as she ruffled through the paper bag and pulled out the strudel. She handed it to him with a sly grin, her eyes glittering triumphantly. He took it, still mildly speechless. He bit into it, and he felt his entire body relax at the sweetness. He hadn't noticed he'd been so tense, but now he felt immensely relieved that his every muscle wasn't tensed painfully.
"Who're you?" He asked curiously as he set down the strudel on the paper it'd came wrapped in. The shecat stopped as a cinnamon roll was about to enter her mouth, and let out a giggle. It was a hearty giggle, even though it was gone in almost an instant. He liked it.
"Name's Mary Abattoir, you?" She said, a crooked grin on her face.
"Nicotine Sulfur, but uh, most call me Nico." He said with a dismissive wave. He wasn't a great fan of his name, but it was an old one and he didn't plan on dropping it just because he simply disliked it. "So, do you normally concur guys into buying you food?" He asked slyly, feeling more confident with some food in his stomach and a new name on his tongue.
"Sometimes, if he's as cute as you." Mary shot back, and in that moment Nico realized he probably shouldn't try to one-up someone like her; she had a presence and a sharp mind to go along with it. He turned away, trying to hide a blush and he didn't notice Mary doing the same.
"Sulfur, huh? Where'd that name come from?" Mary asked curiously before taking a big bite from one of the cinnamon rolls. He doubted she planned on sharing either of them.
"My ancestors used to live around a volcano, before it erupted that is; my grandparents took on the name when they moved here." Nico explained. He wanted to someday go visit that volcano, but he knew it'd be too dangerous; besides, his parents would never let him.
"Really? That's pretty damn cool. Mine just comes from being a butcher, boring as hell compared to surviving a volcano eruption." Mary chattered, and he felt his heart flutter irregularly in happiness. "So what do you do for a living?" Mary then asked, changing the topic before the conversation hit a wall.
Nico grinned as he opened his mouth to respond, a fuzzy feeling filling his chest.
Little did the tom know, this was the start of perhaps the best and worst ride of his life.
//not open for IC replies, since it takes place in the past and everything but OOC comments are always the best