Chapter Text
Laying on the couch, Gonta watched the television with rapt attention. The film “A Bug’s Life.” was playing, and the entomologist found himself fascinated, if a bit disappointed. It wasn’t a good representation on how bugs worked, ants are all female except for eleates, but the story was interesting.
Ouma was cuddled up next to him with Checkers’ head on his thigh like usual, trying not to fall asleep. He seemed to have been enjoying the movie they watched beforehand, “The Bee Movie”, but got worn out slightly during the duration. Gonta noticed that he didn’t like the Grasshopper villain, the boy curling closer whenever the character spoke.
Kiibo was in the kitchen, cooking pancakes. The robot would occasionally comment on the goings on in the film, almost slipping into rambles before he would remember that he was in the middle of cooking. It made the entomologist giggle slightly, Kiibo always slipped into rambles when he liked something.
The only person that wasn’t here was Hoshi, as he was going to get some groceries. It was a shame, Gonta thought, Hoshi would probably like this show.
The credits began to roll as the film ended, and the entomologist sat up more to stretch after being in the same position for so long. Ouma slid off his hip and onto his lap with a slight whine, curling closer to the warmth Gonta emitted. Patting the boy on the head, the green haired teen looked over to the door when he heard it click open.
Hoshi went through the doorway before closing the lock behind him, grocery bags and what looked to be a box covered with a blanket in hand. His expression was as relaxed as usual, but Gonta also saw excitement and happiness in there as well. “Hello Hoshi-kun! Had good trip?” The man in question chuckled as he set the bags and box down. “You’re makin’ it sound like I went on vacation.”
Having sat up when the door opened, Ouma tilted his head with a questioning hum as he stared at the cloth covered cube. Next to him, Checkers put his paws on the cushions of the couch to lick his cheek and stare at the box with him, seemingly knowing or at least suspecting what was inside.
Kiibo’s voice rang out from the kitchen, along with the sound of the sizzling of cooking pancake mix. “Happy to hear you’re back! Could you bring the groceries to the kitchen? I’m kinda busy at the moment, heh.” Chuckling with a nod, Hoshi took the blanket off the… pet carrier? Opening the little door before picking up the bags and heading to the kitchen. “Their names are Mochi and Cheddar.”
As he said that, a small mew was heard from the box as a pale orange paw stepped onto the floor in front of it. While Gonta and Ouma stared at the newly revealed kittens, the robot in the kitchen could be heard concernedly spluttering as he figured out what was going on. “You impulsively bought two new animals?!”
“It wasn’t impulsive, I’ve been thinking about it for weeks, and before you ask I asked Dr. Kohi and was given the go ahead. And, they’re not animals, they are my children.” Gonta didn’t know how Hoshi could have fathered two little cats but he’s not going to focus on that right now. Instead, he focused on how Ouma was staring intently at the ginger and brown tabby duo, who had made their way out of the carrier.
The tiny felines sniffed around, and the purple haired boy slowly got up from the couch and crept closer. Mochi and Cheddar’s attention snapped towards him, and he shakily sat down in front of them, blinking slowly. The stare off lasted for a minute, before who Gonta assumed was Cheddar, padded towards Ouma.
After that, it was like an unspoken barrier had been broken.
The two kittens practically sprinted towards the half-blind teen, starting to rub their cheeks against his knees and slightly trembling hands. An aura of heavily dulled but still there excitement blanketed Ouma, as he started to lightly scratch at the bottom of Cheddar's chin. In response to not getting his unbridled attention, Mochi climbed onto the boy’s lap, kneading his legs and purring loudly.
More of the fog on Ouma’s expression flickered, and he used his other hand to start petting the vibrating brown tabby in tandem with the chin scratches Cheddar was receiving. As the two tiny cats purred up a storm, Gonta went closer as well.
He laid down next to the boy and kittens, and the attention of all of them shifted to him. Gonta blinked slowly, wanting to placate the three of them if they were uneasy. After a second of silence, Cheddar moved towards him and gave him a quick lick on the nose.
The entomologist huffed out a breath from his nose in surprise, blinking rapidly. To his left, Gonta could see Ouma’s lips tick upwards in amusement, and a strange feeling overflowed in him. It was warm and gooey, like a hug but so much more. Gonta wanted to see Ouma do that again, to feel what it made him feel again, but focusing on himself, he could tell that it didn’t leave.
He could feel his face heat up as he realized what the emotion he was feeling was. Gonta was in love with Ouma. The internal panicking this revelation caused was interrupted as Cheddar pounced onto a lock of his hair, Ouma huffing a laugh at the cat’s antics to his left.
As the little kitten gnawed at his hair, the entomologist moved his attention to the shaking boy, who was continuing to pet mochi, clearly content with this turn of events. In addition, Checkers started to come closer, sniffing the air, and Ouma used his now free hand to start stroking the dog’s head. The tender actions of the other simply made Gonta blush more.
What was Gonta going to do?
Checkers came over and licked his cheek in an attempt to reassure him, and the ginger tabby started scratching at his hair. Gonta put his head on the floor in response.