Cat AU bc obviously this was only a matter of time

[done_in_3]

it was a dark day, dark and laughable and utterly ridiculous. The Enterprise was safe, the mission had gone well, the captain had begun this five year mission as a newly married man and brought his lovely wife with him on the ship. They were over a year in when trouble finally struck.

The landing party returned to the ship, no captain in sight though Spock had a furry handful of something. A quick trip to medbay confirmed the grim news... it was time to inform Mrs. Kirk....

Bones and Spock didn't waste time calling her. "Aqua.... you need to get down here. It's Jim."

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[watersacrificed]

Aqua didn't hesitate in going to the medbay, rather running to the medbay. When it came to Jim she didn't take any chances. While she knew their luck was bound to run out, she couldn't help but hope that maybe the next five years would go without a bump in the road. But no, something had to happen.

She got to the medbay in record time, panting as she looked at bones and Spock.

"What....what happened?"

[done_in_3]

They were all hovered around his bed, then one by one they looked up at her, horror and guilt in their eyes, pity in others. Confusion in fewer.

Bones and Spock were the last to look up though the vulcan greeted her.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Aqua. As you see here..."

well there was a furry yellow thing on the biobed, curled up looking feverish and as if drugged. Bones had his arms crossed as if this thing's presence insulted him somehow.

"They changed Jim... the aliens planetside, he's..." well, upon further inspection he's....

[watersacrificed]

Aqua was dreading the worse. Jim might be in a coma. he could be dead. He could have lost his memory. She was preparing herself for the worst. What she wasn't expecting was...

"A cat.." she looked at the yellow thing on the biobed, her gaze turning to McCoy and Spock. Wait, was that....no, it couldn't be.

"Are you trying to say...my husband...is a cat?" she looked back and repeated her words again.

"My husband....is a cat?!"

[done_in_3]

Yep, honestly truly a cute widdew kitty cat. The cat itself was clearly out of it, McCoy was trying to give him some fluids.

"I'm unfamiliar with animal physiology beyond some basics. Aqua... I don't know what to tell you sweetheart, the aliens zapped him with something, he started changing and we rushed him back here but he was this form before we even got to the beaming site."

"He appears to have the same brain waves despite his transformation. He is aware of himself and who we are." Spock's hand was on Jim's tiny head, in a mind meld. "He appears to have retained his memories."

[watersacrificed]

Aqua didn't know if she should be horrified, panicking or reach out and pet her husband's head. The good side was, he still remember who she was. The bad news, he was a cat. She wasn't sure how they were going to fix this, but she was going to force Spock and Bones to make her husband human again. Be it science or with magic, it would happen.

"At least he's breathing...he's a live..." she breathed, collecting herself.

"All of us are going to research his condition and find a way to get him back to normal. Got it?" she gave a pointed stare that was a borderline glare to both men.

[done_in_3]

Spock and Bones looked a touch guilty and they nodded, agreeing of course to bring their friend back and to escape the wrath of Aqua should they fail.

The cat wriggled around, trying to get up, trying to get his bearings... but it just turned into a flop and he nearly landed on the floor. He wasn't very graceful in this form but Jim finally got to where he was sitting up, staring at Aqua... and then mewling while moving toward her, as if happy to see her and apologetic that he's in this state.

[watersacrificed]

In the midst of scaring and glaring at McCoy and Spock, Aqua failed to see what her husband of a cat was doing. She looked back tot he medbay and saw he wasn't there. Her heart began to beat wildly, fearful he might've run away, but hearing some sort of mewing, she looked down. She breathed a sigh of relief, kneeling down to her husband and scooped him up in his arms.

"It's okay, Jim. We'll get you back to normal.." she muttered, pressing a kiss to his head.

"I'll take him back to his quarters and keep an eye on him there."

[done_in_3]

He's so tired he just flops in her arms. He's easy to carry, no fighting at all, she just has to put him somewhere he can sleep. Spock and Bones watch them, slightly horrified by what went down. The captain? A cat? It would be hilarious if it wasn't terrible.

Jim wasn't even himself. The transformation left him so exhausted he'd be asleep before Aqua got back to their quarters.

[watersacrificed]

Aqua carried her husband now turned cat, in her arms up to their quarters. He looked so tired, it was only right that he fell asleep. Hopefully Spock and the rest of the crew could figure it out. As it were, she went up to their room, climbing into bed and laid him down on their sheets.

She wouldn't leave him until he woke up. Better to keep an eye on him just in case he woke up and freaked out.

[done_in_3]

He didn't budge when he was put down, he was exhausted and he'd sleep for hours. When he did wake up it would be slowly, then followed by him tearing the entire cabin apart as he tried to walk and also tore around in a panic. Why was he so small? Why was he all strangely colored and why did he suddenly want to lick himself??

Aqua? Help? He might be knocking things off the table and breaking them on accident.

[watersacrificed]

In watching over Jim, Aqua dozed off for a few minutes. She came around when she heard him running around. Stifling a yawn, Aqua opened her eyes to see her cat-husband freaking out. She was quick to act, getting up from the bed to quickly scoop up the cat.

"Shhh, shh, it's okay Jim." Oh God, she was carrying him around like a baby.

"You had an accident and...you're a cat. Just...if I put you down, will you sit still?"

[done_in_3]

He mewled as he was picked up. As she spoke he tried to calm down but he started meowing at her, trying to express his confusion and panic or perhaps even his side of what happened to turn him into a cat... but either way he would sit still for her. He sat still in her arms to prove it.

He maintained eye contact with her, proof he was still himself even in this form... and he notices she's carrying him against her chest. Such a nice wife.

[watersacrificed]

The meowing was concerning, believing that Jim was only in a cat's body and therefore should be able to speak normally. However, he was in a cat's body. Therefore, he couldn't talk like an actual person. Though, on the brighter side he was listening to her. He sat still in her arms when she asked. Now came the hard part, explaining what happened.

So she sat both of them down on their bed and started to explain things. How during his last mission, he was some how turned into a cat and that his crew was trying to find a way to make him normal again.

"...I know that's not what you want to hear, but that's really it. I'm looking over old books to see if there's anything I can find. But in the mean time you're...stuck like this.." Though it could always be worse, at least he wasn't a fluff ball.

[done_in_3]

Hey he'd make an adorable tribble even though he'd agree with her completely. At least he sort of had a way to communicate right now.

He sat, listening and then mewled long and low when she was finished as if to groan out loud. But he crawled in her lap and nuzzled against her, trying to inquire about her well being. She was a stressed mess, he could already tell. They'd have some adjusting, but how were they could to do that? Was he..... going to have to use a litter box?

[watersacrificed]

Yes, he would make for an adorable tribble, but Aqua wouldn't know what to do with him then. At least as a cat, she had an idea of what to do.

Her heart nearly melted having her husband crawl into her lap and nuzzle her like that. Without thinking she scooped him up into her arms so she could nuzzle against his head. His fur was so soft and he looked utterly adorable.

"I'm okay, we'll be okay. If anything...we'll figure it out. You can still sleep on the bed, I'll....put up a pillow as a barrier just to make sure I don't..." Squish him to death...or accidentally roll over on him.

"I don't land on your tail..."

[done_in_3]

He mewed softly, nuzzling was nice. Then she was talking again. He tilted his head at her words though. Why the barrier, did she not think he could move himself out of her way?

He hopped from her lap and onto the pillows, curling up there taking up so little space. He could sleep at her head where he could tell how she was feeling and stay out of harm's way. Compromise?

[watersacrificed]

Aqua didn't think Jim would wake up in time to move away as she rolled over. Besides, she wanted to be safe around him and not accidentally harm him! He was so much smaller than her now. Perhaps she could cast a spell to help keep him safe, but if she did...it might hinder them from making him human again. She could ponder that later, letting her husband go and watch him lay down on a pillow.

"...You want to sleep there instead?" she asked, making sure she understood him.

[done_in_3]

He nodded, or tried to nod. It was awkward but he put his head down slowly then up... then again. Yes please sleep next to him, he wants the comfort of being in the same bed. Albeit a different body.

Besides, fitting on his favorite pillow completely was luxurious.

[watersacrificed]

Jim's attempts at communicating with her were even more cute than his meowing. Really, Aqua had to be shamed of herself for thinking her husband as a cat was utterly adorable, but she couldn't help it. She had half a mind to make a collar with his proper tags and name tag.

"We'll do that then..." she whispered, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead.

"...just don't try to lick my hair, okay?" a light tease, trying to make the atmosphere a bit lighter.

[done_in_3]

Just for asking that he's going to make a point to lick her hair. And were she to exact the plan for a collar and tags, he'd resent her a bit. He'd certainly make the indignance known and get revenge later.... perhaps with hair licking.

But for now he got comfortable on his pillow, waiting for her.