Author: Merula

Pairings: 1x2

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Yaoi, Sap

Disclaimer: Gundam Wing is not mine.

For Sunny's request... thanks to you I now have a few 'pet tales' started....

Kitten

I took a deep breath as I searched for my keys, ignoring the muffled protest from inside my jacket. "Shh," I hissed. "If Heero's sleeping, waking him up would be the wrong way to start off your relationship."

Another muffled protest. Sighing, I unlocked the door and slipped inside. Heero had left the kitchen light on for me. I closed the door and dropped my keys in the tray beside the door.

The lights were off in the bedroom and I could see that Heero was already fast asleep. Good. He'd had a hellish day and I knew if he woke up now he wouldn't be in the right frame of mind to listen to my arguments.

Feeling a little better, I went to the kitchen, carefully shutting the door behind me. I put the brown bag Sally had given me down on the counter and then reached carefully inside my jacket.

The kitten made a small mew of protest when I deposited her on the counter. "Shh!" I murmured at her. "He's really grumpy if you wake him up. If we want this to work we have to do it the right way!"

She blinked her big blue eyes at me and mewed again, patting the bag with her paw.

"I know, I know. I'll get all this settled for you and then you have to be quiet until morning, okay?"

Part of me wondered why the hell I was trying to be logical with a cat of all things. The other part of me replied that I had already gone so far over the edge already that it didn't matter at this point.

The kitten patted the bag again. Quickly, I pulled out the stuff Sally had gone out and bought when I had shown up at headquarters with the bedraggled kitten. Luckily, she had just nodded at my incoherent explanation for suddenly having a small feline and stepped in to help.

Food first. I filled the bowl with dry food and water. The kitten watched me eagerly, and when I put both her and the bowl on the floor, she immediately stuck her head in the food and started to eat.

Litter box was next- stuck in the corner behind the table. I showed the kitten where it was- she sniffed it once and went right back to her food. Later I could move it, but tonight I had to leave the kitten in the kitchen- I didn't dare let her roam around the apartment tonight.

Food, water, litter... there was a round cushion in the bag and a few stuffed mice. I put the bed down near the food and scattered the mice. That should keep her quiet and happy until tomorrow. Tomorrow when I would have to explain to Heero why we suddenly were pet owners...

The kitten didn't even look up as I left the kitchen, carefully closing the door behind me. I went into the bedroom and shed my clothes in the dark, slipping in beside Heero.

He uttered a sleep grunt and rolled over, pinning me with his arm. "Mm," he murmured in welcome and I kissed his shoulder.

"Sleep," I whispered back and his breathing evened out again.

I stared at the ceiling, trying to block out the day. I hadn't even meant to go down that street- but I was looking for a shortcut back to where I'd parked the car. I hadn't meant to run across that little girl and her kittens...

"Mister! Hey mister! Wanna buy a kitten?"

"I can't," I told her. "I wish I could..."

"Me too," she looked down at the kitten in her arms. "Momma said I had to sell them all, or she was gonna be really mad at me. This is the last one left. And- we really need the money..." Then she held the kitten up to my chest. "Here, hold her for just a minute..."

The kitten had snuggled up right against my chest, blinking at me with those big eyes. "Aw, see? She likes you!"

Miniature con artist? Maybe. But hadn't I been one at one time?

She sure looked like she needed the money. So, I'd handed her the cash I'd kept in my wallet for emergencies and returned to HQ with a kitten in my jacket... I'd hoped to pawn it off on someone else, but no such luck. And the shelter was already closed...

Crap, Heero was going to tell me that I'd been had- and I knew it- but... damn it. The kid had looked hungry- and that poor kitten...

When was I going to stop feeling like I had to save everyone and everything I could?

~*~

When I woke up, the bed was empty. This was a normal occurrence, and at first I didn't panic. Heero had some strange ideas about what was a decent hour to get up in the morning. Not that I cared- he made better coffee than I did.

I stretched, happy that today was a day off for both of us. After Heero's day yesterday, he needed to take some serious down time and after mine...

Mine. The kitten. In the kitchen.

Where no doubt Heero had already been...

I shot out of bed and ran towards the kitchen, hoping Heero hadn't found the kitten. Maybe he hadn't felt like coffee this morning?

The kitchen door was wide open.

Oh hell.

"Duo? What are you doing up?" I turned to find Heero sitting on the sofa, paper in hand, coffee cup beside him.

And a small cream-colored kitten curled on his knee, striped tail wrapped firmly around herself. She opened her eyes and looked at me for a moment, then closed them again, obviously content with her world.

"Duo?" Heero repeated, putting down the paper and frowning at me. "You okay?"

"You... you found..." I gestured at the happy bundle of fluff on his knee.

"I did." He smiled and rubbed the kitten's ears. "She's very sweet. Where did she come from?"

"I was... well..." I tried to find the words, still sort of mind-blown over the fact that Heero didn't seem to be upset.

He reached out and picked up the kitten, cuddling her close as he stood up. "You need coffee," he said and headed towards the kitchen, dumping the kitten in my arms as he walked by. "Go sit. I'll get you some."

"You aren't mad?" I called as he vanished into the kitchen.

"Course not," he sounded surprised. "Should I be?"

I sat down on the sofa, feeling a little dazed. "Even if we keep her?"

"I thought we were. You bought all the stuff."

I regarded the kitten on my lap with surprise. "I'll be damned," I told her softly. "I thought he'd be mad."

"Don't be stupid." Heero materialized with my coffee. Handing it to me, he sat down beside me on the sofa, reaching out to scratch the kitten's chin. "Tell me what happened."

"How do you know I didn't just pick her up from a store?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Because I know you. Tell me what happened."

"I was had by a mini con artist." I told him and explained what had happened. "So, can we keep her?" I finished. "At least until I can find her a good home?"

"Of course we can keep her- as long as you want." He kissed me and picked up his paper again. "But I'm not cleaning her litter box- that's all yours, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed, leaning against his shoulder. There were such things as automatic cat boxes, after all.

OWARI

 

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