Chapter Text
Khaos is a strange cat.
Sure, one would expect a witch’s familiar to be mystical and whatnot, but he really is quite an unusual one, even considering the fact that Anaxa took him in as a stray when the witch found him heavily injured. It’s a given that Anaxa did not expect much from him as a designated helper, much less a pet, but the feline always seemed far too aware of whatever Anaxa was currently up to and knew what to do. Repayment, perhaps, but if that was the cat’s intention then he had already finished paying back his dues a very long time ago.
“Mrrrreow.”
Ah, yes. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
“Give me until midnight,” Anaxa mumbles almost incoherently, his lone eye intensely fixated on the draft of the magic circle he’s been working on. It’s his biggest project of the year—a form creation spell, one that builds an empty vessel for any creature to inhabit, regardless if you're a wandering soul or a living being. Quite the ambitious goal, even for a skilled witch like him; he has spent more than a generous amount of money acquiring ingredients from all around the continent as well as literal months of planning and preparing just for that very moment. Not to mention the amount of energy he has put into it, too.
Anaxa's traitorous stomach grumbles loudly at the thought. From the corner of his vision, he can see the ebony-colored cat staring at him with its single gray eye, no doubt judging him. The other one is covered by a miniature version of the eyepatch Anaxa wears everyday—Khaos’ left eye was irredeemably damaged when Anaxa first saw him, a visible scar left behind despite all the effort that went into trying to heal it.
(“Guess we're matching now, kitty.” Anaxa mused aloud as he carefully wrapped the eyepatch around the cat’s head, making sure not to put too much pressure against the tender tissue. “Welcome to my humble little cottage.”
The cat simply meows back in reply.)
His working time is cut short when his stomach grumbles once more not even five minutes later, accompanied by a light twinge of pain. Anaxa grimaces, moving a hand down to touch his abdomen. He might have forgotten to eat dinner, but he can’t be blamed; he was making good progress earlier.
Seemingly deciding to take things into its own hands—er, paws, Khaos comes closer to sit its fluffy rear on top of the paper containing the draft while Anaxa is distracted. Khaos’ tail swishes around wildly, gaze fixated onto the quill grasped between Anaxa’s fingers before an arm shoots out to swat at it.
“What—” Anaxa unintentionally lets go of the quill because of the sudden attack, the pen getting pushed off of the table before he can even pick it back up.
Anaxa gives the cat a pointed glare. Khaos meets his gaze unapologetically, a soft meow coming out of that harmless little body.
“...Fine, I’m getting dinner.” He declares, pushing himself up to make his way over to the kitchen—or at least, what remains of it after his myriad collection of ingredients and scrolls slowly took over the space.
Khaos still hasn’t left his spot on top of Anaxa’s draft by the time he comes back with a plate in his hand. In fact, he looks even more comfortable lying down on the scroll after disrupting Anaxa’s work, purring away in contentment now that it has managed to fulfill its mission.
“Look at you, so proud of yourself for forcing your owner to finish working. Good job.” Anaxa deadpans, but he can’t keep himself from showing his fondness for the cat with a light scratch behind its ears. He can’t help it—while he’s a highly skilled witch who has performed spells an average one could only ever dream of, his typical day-to-day life is far more mundane, only held together by a pair of cat paws and the occasional interference from those he could consider his friends.
Anaxagoras probably would have succumbed to insanity or body failure a long time ago if not for the efforts of this tiny, furry creature.
A gentle breeze from outside nudges the curtain covering the window open, and soon both Anaxa and Khaos are bathed in the cold glow of moonlight.
“The full moon draws near…” Anaxa murmurs to himself as he looks up to the star-filled sky. The black cat responds with a meow from the side, getting up from its spot to bump its head against the back of Anaxa’s hand in what seems to be some form of an apology, and the gesture draws out a soft chuckle from the witch. “The preparations are almost complete, either way—something like this won’t be enough to hinder my plans. Unless something catastrophic happens to the potion that’s already done brewing, we will proceed as scheduled.”
“Meow.”
“Yes, Khaos, I’ll be careful, and you should be too. We wouldn’t want any accidents from occurring, would we?”
“Meoooow.”
“Exactly.”
–
A few more nights pass before Anaxagoras decides that it's the perfect time to perform the spell.
Being the perfectionist that he was, he made sure that everything was properly prepared in the days leading to the night of the full moon—the magic circle, the ritual objects, and most importantly, himself. He had to make sure his magical energy was enough for a spell of this scale; any less, and the vast amount of time he’d spent in preparation would be for naught.
Now, all that’s left is the incantation.
The wind gently rustles through the trees surrounding the forest clearing, but it is of no concern to Anaxagoras; the breeze is not enough to snuff out the candles around the intricate diagram in the middle of the space. The witch stands before it, gaze fixated upon the moon shining above as he waits for its rays to fully reach him unhindered.
Anaxa breathes out through his nose as the last of the clouds finally shift to uncover the moon, and—
There. Anaxa shifts his gaze towards the magic circle and uncorks the bottle in his grasp, spilling all of the concoction he’d prepared onto the soil below. Once all of it has been poured, he raises his hand, beginning to chant the spell he had memorized to the very last letter. “Oh Luminous Moon—gentle guide, solitary light; lend me Your radiance on this peaceful night...”
The words flow like water as they leave Anaxagoras’s lips, the archaic language sounding more akin to a melody being sung. Slowly, the markings on the ground begin to glow with every phrase of the spell that is said, Anaxa’s heart beginning to race in anticipation once he starts nearing the end of it. The wind around him begins to pick up around him because of the magical energy coalescing towards the center, yet it hardly matters now.
Perhaps it is because he is so focused on the spell that he fails to notice the lone leaf that falls from a tree. Or rather, he fails to notice the black cat beside him who immediately locks its gaze onto the flying thing, perfectly honed in on the leaf as it draws closer to the magic circle.
Anaxagoras only realizes it when it’s already too late.
Khaos pounces forward in the direction of the leaf at the exact moment the last word leaves Anaxa's mouth, signalling the end of the incantation. Anaxa’s eye widens when the cat lands in the middle of the circle, about to call out for it—
A blindingly bright light fills the entire clearing. The chaotic whirls of wind become even more chaotic for a brief second before completely dying down.
Then, silence.
.
.
.
Harsh pants rattle through Anaxa’s chest from the combined excitement and fear. He fortunately managed to cover his vision right before the light hit his only functional eye, but that also meant he didn't see the details of what just happened. Putting his arm down, he takes a moment to scan his surroundings.
The full moon, back to being concealed by thick clouds; the wind, perfectly calm once more; the magic circle, still intact save for the snuffed candles—and in the middle of it all, Khaos, safe and intact, playing with the fallen leaf.
The wave of relief that crashes through Anaxa makes his legs feel like jelly.
“...Khaos, come here.” Anaxa moves to sit down, patting his knee to beckon the feline over.
The cat’s attention immediately snaps to its owner, the leaf forgotten in a blink. Then Khaos casually saunters over to Anaxa, purring softly as he rubs the side of his face against the human’s knee.
All the while, Anaxa has been making a visual assessment of Khaos’ wellbeing. It doesn't look like the cat has been affected nor harmed in any way—none that he can see at a glance, anyway.
Anaxa sighs deeply. Though he’s fairly sure now that the spell hadn't caused his cat any harm, what had been affected was the preparations he had made. It’s definitely a failure this time, and an expensive one at that; all that time and money spent, and all he gets is his cat nuzzling up to him.
Hm. This isn't too bad.
“You fool,” Anaxa mumbles as he scoops Khaos up into his arms, scratching the cat’s chin with a finger. “Don't ever do something like that again, understood? You’ve already worried me plenty enough with this one.”
“Meoooow.”
“Good. Now help me with cleaning up.”
The process itself doesn't take too long, but the drained magical energy finally starts to weigh down on Anaxa’s shoulders and causes him to be slower than he usually is. His familiar proves to be useful this time, gathering the used candles with his mouth and dropping them into the witch’s bag while he erases all traces of the magic circle.
They go home as soon as they’re done. Understandably, Anaxa is already in bed within a few minutes after getting inside, Khaos settling in beside him like he usually does.
Anaxa is out like a light soon enough, completely dead to the world even as moonlight shines through the curtains, illuminating the sleeping feline next to him.
–
Consciousness slowly returns to Anaxa’s mind like a trickle, bits and pieces of information coming to him as he gradually wakes from his slumber.
…Something's wrong.
The first thing Anaxa sees when he cracks his lone eye open is a massive figure hovering closer to him.
His body moves before he can finish processing the sight—a hand roughly pushes the figure away, conjuring a dagger into his other as he tackles them onto the ground. (He misses the pained noise that leaves the person when they land on their back.)
Anaxa holds the blade against their neck, seething as he uses his whole weight to keep them down. “Who are you?”
It’s still dark; his sleep-addled mind can barely make out the features of the stranger—male, he realizes from the ridiculously huge silhouette beneath him— who, for some reason, isn't trying to push him away.
Wind pushes the curtains back at his command, the tiniest slivers of light shining through the window and down on the man beneath him.
Anaxa freezes.
Then he’s lowering his dagger to the ground, careful in his action, as if he's trying to avoid frightening the man.
The hand that reaches towards the man’s face moves in the same manner, his touch feather light as he brushes his fingertips along the man’s cheek, the left eye scarred beyond recognition. The other eye merely stares at Anaxa and lets him do as he pleases, that all-too-familiar shade of gray further rousing his suspicions.
The witch gets the last bit of confirmation from the mark of a crescent moon along the side of the man’s neck, barely visible due to its pale color. It was the spell, he realizes—it somewhat worked, and it turned my cat human.
It must have been obvious that he realized something then, because the gray-haired man tilts his head in curiosity. The movement snaps Anaxa out of his thoughts; right, before anything else…
“...Khaos?” Anaxa gently calls out, his expression a mix of awe and wonder.
What happens next breaks the fantastical mood almost immediately.
The man—well, ‘Khaos,’ opens his mouth, but no words are said. He furrows his brows. Then, with a deep, soothing voice, he says: “...au.”
Oh, dear. He’s so painfully cute.
Anaxa tries not to laugh at the attempt to vocalize a meow. It doesn't stop him from cracking a small smile, though.
“Well. That's one thing we need to sort out soon.” He pats Khaos’ cheek in an attempt to comfort him, seeing the dejection in the cat-turned-man’s eye. “Don't you worry. I’ll make sure you will be able to speak in no time.”
“...eau.” Khaos says as a response, and Anaxa is unable to hold back the bubble of laughter that slips out this time.
“Exactly,” Anaxa replies once he calms down, “I’m confident that I can make it happen. I got you—I always have, haven’t I?” The memory of a wounded cat staring up at him on that rainy night lingers in the corner of his mind, and it only motivates him even further; he will make sure Khaos can live a normal, happy life, however much effort it will take.
Khaos settles for a nod this time.
Anaxa straightens up to sit, satisfied by his cat’s answer. “Alright, then let’s—” He pauses.
It’s only then that he starts to register the position they are in: Anaxa straddling Khaos’ abdomen, clad in nothing but a pair of shorts and a shirt. And Khaos? Well… he might be completely naked, if his upper body being completely bare is anything to go off of. Anaxa doesn’t want to check if his lower body is bare as well.
Anaxa moves quickly, clearing his throat before pushing himself up to stand. He makes sure his eyes don't go back to Khaos as he goes to get a robe from his wardrobe, tossing it haphazardly behind him. “Go cover yourself up first, then get back on the bed. We’ll continue this in the morning.”
A couple of seconds pass before he starts to hear the soft shuffling of fabric. A few more seconds, then he hears a weak meow, and Anaxa takes it as a sign to turn around.
The witch blinks in confusion at the sight of Khaos sitting right beside the bed, looking all pitiful and miserable. “Oh.” The issue reveals itself to Anaxa once his gaze lands on the man’s legs; it hadn't dawned on him that Khaos would also struggle with the simple act of standing on two legs, being a cat before this.
Gentle warmth fills Anaxa’s chest alongside a slight feeling of concern. He didn't fully consider how much Khaos might have to go through just to adjust to his new body—if this body is a permanent one. That emotion lingers even as he helps the huge man up, trying to keep him upright while Khaos miserably tries and fails to adjust to the massive change in altitude; perhaps he could request for assistance from a couple of friends… his oversized cat is way too big for him to handle alone, after all.
It takes a couple more moments before Khaos’ whole body is finally on the bed. The robe that Anaxa gave him barely fits; it’s tight around his shoulders and can't even close properly, even when Anaxa tightens the belt around his waist, but they’ll have to make do for now.
Khaos curls up into himself as soon as the witch finishes fixing him up, just like what he used to do as a cat, but he’s so large that he takes up more than half of the bed’s space in doing so.
Anaxa huffs softly—how did they even fit earlier? He should've been woken up by the new weight on the mattress alone. “Hey, make some space for me,” he says as he climbs into bed, adjusting his position to make himself more comfortable while also not disturbing Khaos too much.
He somehow makes it work. As for the other issues…
The only thing Anaxa can manage to do for now is to let out a deep breath, taking in the sight of Khaos who fell asleep almost immediately; cats and their strange sleeping positions, really. From this angle, he can see the subtle rise and fall of Khaos’ chest, the way he scrunches up his nose every now and then… and his gaze is inadvertently drawn back to where the pale crescent mark lies.
Though his bedroom is quiet save for the crickets chirping outside, Anaxa’s thoughts are anything but. He thinks back to the spell earlier; the powerful winds that blew around the clearing, the bright moonlight that shone perfectly on the magic circle he had prepared. He thinks about the blinding light that filled the area after he finished his incantation, about Khaos who seemingly remained unaffected even after jumping straight into the spot where all the magic had coalesced.
Anaxa frowns in thought. Failure is normal, and accidents are perfectly fine. He’s had plenty of them due to the mysterious nature of witchcraft; they’re exactly what made him the skilled and powerful individual he currently is. But this kind of accident… he’s never had something this unexpected happen before. Was there something more to the spell he used, or was this just a silly little coincidence? This might be something he should look into.
His rumination is briefly interrupted when Khaos rolls onto his back, and Anaxa’s arm shoots out to make sure he doesn’t accidentally roll over the edge. Khaos, oh, Khaos…
It’s terribly easy for Anaxa to admit just how important his familiar is to him. He’s more than just a mere assistant—a lifelong companion at this point in time, perhaps; a soulmate, in a way, there to balance him out and keep him in check, and in turn he makes sure the cat can enjoy life without any worries.
Anaxa can't even imagine how overwhelming it must be to be thrust into an entirely different body without any knowledge of how to use it, much less suddenly have to learn a new language just to be able to communicate. The next few days will be difficult for sure, but Anaxa is confident that Khaos will be able to handle it, being the resilient creature he is. And Anaxa? He’ll be there every step of the way.
Exhaustion slowly starts creeping into his body the longer he thinks to himself, his vision turning blurry from drowsiness. Eventually, he allows his eyelid to fall shut, his last thought being—
—I’ll help you, Khaos. I promise.