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The sun beats harshly down Sonny’s face when he steps out of Mandarake, and he suddenly regrets not wearing a hat. Summer days are hot and humid, but at least this is much more tolerable than his last Comiket foray. Sonny is in Ikebukuro for the first time in months to pick up a reserved order on Hada’s behalf. Otome Road greets him like an old friend, even though the store fronts change with every visit.
The familiar sign of a maid cafe catches Sonny’s eye. He’s been to the Akiba store many times before. The drinks are good and the service is always impeccable, even though Sonny doesn’t have a preference for catgirls. Now, he’s hot and thirsty and sees no reason not to go in.
Neko Pawradise is located on the bottom floor of a duplex building, under a K-books. The welcome bell chimes as soon as Sonny opens the door, and he savors the cool blast of air from inside.
“Welcome!” A blonde girl clad in a server’s uniform greets him immediately. She’s wearing pants and a vest. This is already different from Sonny’s previous experiences.
“A table for one, please,” Sonny says awkwardly. “Ah… I don’t have a reservation, I’m sorry.”
“No worries! This way please, Goshujin-sama! Is this your first time here?”
“Yes, it is.”
An amused look flashes across the girl’s face. She beckons him to follow. “I’m Millie, the manager. If you have any questions or maid change requests, let me know and I’ll take care of it. Enjoy your stay!”
Sonny knows some people have designated maids, but he himself has never been very particular. He’s been served by a rotation of girls from Rosemi to Finana to even Toko-san at the Akiba location. It’s never been a problem.
He is led to a small table and handed the menu. It’s not until he’s fully seated that Sonny takes in his surroundings. The decor is very neutral and European-themed. Behind the bar stands someone with blue hair, making a fancy drink. On the floor are a handful of maids wearing cat ears and tails, which is on par with the theme of the cafe.
A maid catches Sonny’s eye and winks.
It’s then that Sonny realizes he missed something very, very important. He glances from the menus to the signs to the maid rosters on the wall and gulps.
This is a catboy cafe.
Sonny vaguely remembers hearing about this from Petra. He definitely should have paid more attention. Still, it would be rude to leave now, and Sonny really is thirsty.
“Welcome, Goshujin-sama!” A maid says, snapping Sonny out of his reverie. He’s wearing the standard uniform but with a few modifications. His headband is orange, with bells and hairclips decorating it. The maid has heterochromatic eyes and a friendly smile.
Most importantly, he’s cute. Really, really cute.
“My name is Alban, and I’ll be serving you today! Since this is your first time, allow me to explain our store policy.” Alban leans in to gesture at the menu. He smells like vanilla, and Sonny’s face heats up at the thought of this. “A lottery voucher for maid polaroids will be given for every order of 1000 yen. All other games and pricing options are listed here. Since this is your first time, you’re allowed to try out multiple maids, but the staff in butler uniforms are a nono!”
Alban shows him the employee roster on the wall with everyone’s photos. “Today we have myself, Uki, Shu, and Mysta~ If you’d like to request any of them, please let me know.”
“No! You’re already perfect!” Sonny insists, then blushes. This is so embarrassing. He’s never acted like this before at the other store!
Like a professional, Alban just blinks and smiles back. “Thank you so much, Goshujin-sama! I’ll do my best to serve you! Do you need some time to look over the menu?”
“No… I’d like the omurice and melon float, please.” At least the menu is the same between both stores.
“Of course! If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to let me know!” Then Alban is turning around, the fluffy skirt of his uniform almost bouncing with every step. He’s even wearing a petticoat underneath. The skirt is short enough to show off the pale expanse of Alban’s long legs.
Sonny buries his face in his hands. He’s gonna die.
“You okay there, buddy?” A deep voice asks. It belongs to a man in a red shirt from a table away. “This is your first time here right? Don’t worry, Albanya is super cute. He’ll take good care of you.”
This surprises Sonny. In his experience, people usually keep to themselves.
The maid sitting at that table pouts. “Fufu-chan! I’m still your favorite, right? Don’t go off secretly requesting Alban again or I’ll really be mad!”
“Aw Uki, that was one time! And I didn’t know you weren’t working that day.” The two of them return to their card game, leaving Sonny to his own devices.
Sonny has never given a lot of thought to his preferences. He likes the girls at the Akiba location just fine. They’re sweet and cute and small. Alban is also sweet and cute and Sonny really wants to touch his ears and poke the base of his tail, which looks fluffier than everyone else’s. Does Alban like pets? He looks like someone who enjoys head pats.
“Here’s your food!” Alban says, surprising Sonny. He really moves quietly like a cat. “One omurice and one melon float. How would you like me to decorate your plate?”
“Ah…” Sonny glances at the bottle of ketchup in Alban’s hands. He’s wearing lacy wrist cuffs that match his headband. “Can you draw a cuttlefish? With a heart… Please.”
This earns him an amused look from Alban. “Do you like cuttlefish?”
“I like to eat them.”
Alban grins. “That’s very cute, Goshujin-sama.”
“No you’re cute!” Sonny insists, which just makes Alban laugh.
The finished artwork is almost incomprehensible, with ketchup lines bleeding into each other. Sonny eats it happily. Alban stays for a little bit to chat, but it’s all small talk and surface level conversations. This doesn’t bother Sonny, who’s content just watching Alban’s face and the way his mouth moves when he speaks.
Alas, Alban eventually gets called away. Sonny finishes his food quietly. Everything tastes better in the presence of cute cat boys, he decides. When Sonny is done, Alban walks him to the front where Sonny pays his bill. Manager Millie looks satisfied and tells him to come again.
Sonny does come again. Visits to Neko Pawradise become a part of his routine. He learns that this location and the sister store switch staff members occasionally, although boys usually wear maid outfits here and butler uniforms in Akiba. Sonny meets Shu and Mysta and even Enna, who’s usually cooking in the back. Still, he always requests Alban.
In the weeks that follow, Sonny gets to know Alban a little more. Alban is naturally charming and funny, although his favorite activity seems to be teasing Sonny. Based on the day of the week, Alban also likes to change his accessories. His favorites appear to be different hair clips, small earrings, and the occasional garters for his thigh high socks. Sonny tries his best not to be a creep, but he can’t help but categorize these little details in his mind.
Time spent at the cafe is a quiet reprieve from Sonny’s hectic life. He treasures his visits, even on days that Alban isn’t working. Unfortunately, Sonny’s oasis in a sea of cruel reality is tainted when he steps into the cafe on a Saturday to find an argument brewing.
“Sir, please calm down!” Alban tells a middle-aged man. Yugo and Shu are also there, trying to deescalate the situation as a customer continues being loud and uncooperative. The other patrons are all watching as the man tries to grab at Mysta, who looks shocked.
Millie is at the front, trying to make a call on her phone. “Sorry,” she tells Sonny. “I’ll be right with you!I need to call the police. Fuck, why isn’t anyone picking up?”
“Ah,” Sonny says. One look at the commotion is enough for Sonny to piece together the situation. He walks over and clears his throat. “Sir, please refrain from causing a scene.”
“How dare you tell me what to do?! He slapped me! The maid dared to slap me! He should be punished accordingly!”
Mysta’s face is red with anger and frustration. “You were copping a feel!”
“I’ll do whatever I want!” The man snaps, then tries to grab Mysta again. He’s only held back by Alban, who he roughly elbows away. He also pushes Shu, sending him stumbling into a table with a yelp. Uki rushes over to them immediately and glares daggers at the offender.
Sonny sets a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Let’s take a walk to the police station. That’ll help you cool down.”
The man slaps Sonny’s hand away. “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
Sonny sighs. Then he pulls out the black carrying case and flashes everyone his badge and ID. “I’m Inspector Brisko with the Metropolitan Police. I’d like you to come to the precinct with me to discuss your disorderly conduct and assault of the employees here. You can come willingly with me, or come in handcuffs.”
“Holy shit,” Uki says while Shu lets out a “Sheeesssh!”
The offender goes from looking indignant to looking scared. He glances wildly around the cafe, perhaps for an escape route. Unfortunately, all eyes are on him with no hopes of slipping away. He stops struggling and slowly follows Sonny to the front, where Millie is waiting.
Sonny hands her his card. “I’m taking him with me. If any other issues arise, please contact me at this number.”
“You don’t have to be so formal,” Millie says, looking relieved. “But thanks, I will!”
The trip to the station is anticlimactic. The man changes his story multiple times, despite Sonny giving his accounts as a witness. At least the local officers are helpful and cooperative. The whole thing is vastly annoying and takes up too much of Sonny’s afternoon. By the time he steps out, the sun is already setting.
Alban is waiting in front of the station. He’s no longer in his uniform. This is the first time Sonny has seen him in a normal jacket and jeans. Alban looks boyishly handsome, but still cute. “Hi.”
“Can I help you?” Sonny asks immediately. “Are you hurt? Do you need me to go back to the cafe with you? Is Mysta okay?”
“Mysta’s alright now. Millie gave him the rest of the day off. I think he’s more shocked than anything.” Alban says softly with a smile. “I just wanted to come thank you.”
Sonny scratches his cheek. “Ah, There’s no need. I gave Millie my contact information.”
“Yeah, well, I wasn’t sure if you’d ever come back to the cafe again,” Alban says quietly. He’s not entirely wrong. Sonny feels weird about that display of power in a space he usually only occupies as a lurker. He doesn’t want to be treated differently, whether it’s with awe or fear or a mix of both. He doesn’t want to be Inspector Brisko there. He just wants to be Sonny, Alban’s regular.
“I’ll visit again, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all! But… Do you mind?” Alban tilts his head. He’s still wearing hair clips, even though the cat ears and other accessories are gone now. “Everyone is really grateful for your help!”
“You can call me if you need assistance again,” Sonny offers.
Alban looks a little dejected at that. “What if I want to call you about something unrelated to the cafe?” When all he gets in response is a confused sputter, Alban continues, “I never knew you were a police officer.”
It can’t be helped. Sonny only ever visited on his off days. There’s no way in hell he’d waste his precious Alban time talking about work, when they’re busy laughing over shared hobbies and jokes and thoughts about Metal Gear games.
“The point is, I’d like to get to know you outside of the cafe!” Alban says. “I want to talk to you more, and it’s not just because you’re a hot cop who helped us out of a tight spot. Well, it kind of is about you being hot but...”
Sonny can’t help but laugh. “Okay, I’d like that.”
Alban beams. “And how about this? I’ll keep calling you Goshujin-sama if that’s what you want.”
“I’d rather you called me Onii-chan,” Sonny mumbles before he can stop himself. “Sorry, never mind, I said nothing.”
“Ayo?” Alban stares back at him. Then a slow and knowing smile spreads across his face. “I think the two of us will get along just fine~”