Work Text:
It all happened so fast. Bethany was calling for him to help prep the surgery, a cat and 3 kittens had been brought in. It was just after sundown and some idiot probably hadn’t been looking where he was going, hitting a poor innocent creature. A mother with her kittens no less! It was an outrage. But Anders worked fast and effectively, moving swiftly he set up the table ready for the mother cat, she was being checked over by Beth who was calling out the status of her condition, a broken leg and possible hip fracture. She needed an X-ray before they could do any work, Anders worked methodically, taking in the information and working with it. He knew she could have internal bleeding or other fractures. Taking over he sent his assistant to set up the X-ray whilst he checked over her general condition.
Hours later after an X-ray and surgery the mother couldn’t pull through from the anaesthetic. It was inevitable after the injuries she had sustained. That didn’t make it any easier to bare. Anders felt numb as he scrubbed his hands clean, could he have done better? Worked faster? He knew even the best vet and hindsight wouldn’t have helped. Looking down at the water he tried to compose himself. There were still the kittens, they seemed in good health, although too young not to have a mother look after them. He sighed deeply before moving into the waiting room where Beth was tending the 3 small balls of fluff.
“Anders, you did all you could.” His eyes must still be red from crying. He felt raw. “The guy who brought them is is still here-” Beth started explaining.
“Oh, that’s all I bloody need right now!” Throwing his hands in the air. He did not need some prick who can’t drive pretending to care so he can clear his conscience. Not now. “Can’t you send him away, all he needs is a pat on the back for bringing them in and he can be on his way.”
He could feel her eyes boring into the back of his skull, he continued to check the kittens for any signs of distress. Hopefully when the practice was cleared and they closed up he could get in a couple hours rest before he came back to feed them. Minutes later he heard the door open.
“I hope that dick is on his way now, could you check the surgery once more.” Anders said absentmindedly. Quiet footsteps came up behind him. “Look, Beth, I’m fine. You know it’s hard loosing any animal, especially one unjustly hit by some arse who drives too fast around here. I hope that idiot ends up crashing in some ditch.”
“Mm, I agree.” A calm rumble said from behind him. He was glad he had put the last of the kittens down, otherwise he may have dropped them, when he abruptly turned round to face the person who defiantly wasn’t Beth.
“What are you still doing here?! Haven’t you done enough?” Anders was furious now, couldn’t this man leave him be, he had already put Anders through so much by killing the mother. Did he enjoy suffering. “She’s dead. She didn’t make it through the injuries YOU gave her!” He was thrusting his finger at this stranger now, to hell with being professional. Anger was spilling out of him until Bethany interjected, she had grabbed his hand and pulled him to face her.
“He didn’t hit her Anders! He just found them, and was kind enough to bring them in, if he hadn’t we would have lost them all! Now apologise.” She held him firmly, strong like her brother, and eyes like cold fire.
Anders lost all his fight hearing that, another thing to top off this strenuous day. He deflated. Head bowed and eyes shut.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have blamed you without knowing, it was unjust. I apologise.” With that he turned back to the kittens. “It just makes me so angry that someone could do this.” His fists were clenching again, he had to physically tell himself to relax before he could lift up one of the kittens, a final check before they lock up. But a hand beat him to it. Dusky brown skin laced with shear white tattoos gently lifted a small tabby bundle and placed it in him now open palm. Soon after lifting up the other two and bringing them towards his chest. Anders glanced round in confusion at the stranger. He was short, everyone was to him but he was particularly short, the white tattoo on his hand swirled up his arm under his black skin tight top. He wore black jeans and a dark beanie, under which was hiding a white shock of hair. He looked concerned at the small bundles he held to his chest, carefully holding them whilst stroking his thumb over their heads, calming them as they searched for their mother.
“…I found her in the street, you know. I don’t even own a car.” He said, almost to himself. That rumble sounding so lost. Anders didn’t know what to say, so he went on facts.
"They’re too young,” he mumbles “they need their mother.” The room fell silent, the stranger looks up at him, hopeful that something could be done about that. A short internal conflict happens until he was sighing. He puts the kitten down and walks to a cabinet, pulling out a bottle of milk and 2 syringes, silently filling them and handing one over.
“Here, like this.” He says quietly, showing him how to hold the kitten and letting it drink. Relieving him of the other kitten Anders starts feeding her as well. They stand in companionable silence, only soft mews and sounds of the fluff balls drinking their fill. Bethany now tidying up the office quietly, always there ready to help.
“I’m sorry, that I didn’t get to her in time to save her.” The silence was broken, but so softly that Anders almost didn’t notice.
“No, there was nothing that could be done. Too much damage from the car. It’s just- I hate losing them. But these little ones survived, they are doing well by the looks of it. They will need constant care and attention, we will have to send them to the shelter, but they’re too young. We don’t have the staff to-” He chokes on a sob, he knows they wont make it at the shelter. They mean well but they need 24 hour attention. He will loose them too, nothing good came of this.
He felt Beth hug him, she knows this part hurts him the most. She is murmuring about finding them a home and other nonsense to try and make him feel better but it’s useless. He sits on the stool, curling around the kitten, hoping that if he just stays there he can protect it.
"I, ah… Have room for them.” The man in black is trying to help, but no, he won’t have the time.
"They need to be fed every few hours,” Anders waves him off “you must have a job that-“
"I work from home.” He is shuffling his feet, but looking sincerely between Anders, Beth and the kittens. Maybe, if he is offering, it will at least give Anders more time to work out a permanent solution.
“Are you sure? They will be a lot of work, getting up to feed them every 3 hours, cleaning them, making sure they don’t get fleas. They can be terrors as they grow, might have constant yowling. You cant leave them to go out for long. They will need a space to sleep. It very kind of you to offer, but there is so much to do and think about. I don’t want them abandoned somewhere, alone and cold.” Anders could go on but he hoped to drill the point in that this will be hard work. This man cannot be the answer to his prayers, the Maker was never so kind.
Now he is smiling, why is he smiling? Nodding, the man gently placed the kitten with her brother, after a small scratch behind the ear he leans up to get the pen and paper on the shelf above him, scribbles down a few notes and hands it to Beth, nodding at her. Anders is perplexed, whats going on? Just as he is about to ask, Bethany is smiling and rolling off a list of instructions to him. Blankly he stares at her until it sinks in. He will do it, he’s given them his contact information and address, now Anders just needs to get a box for them, milk, syringes and a few other pieces.
That was the moment Fenris had been waiting for, the light to come back to the vet, Anders, eyes. Since the moment he had walked in the man had either looked like he was about to kill Fenris or that he was about to burst into tears. Knowing that the kittens were safe was his main priority, but knowing that a weight had been lifted from the man with the golden hairs shoulders made it truly worth while. He was giddy now, standing and going about the office collecting everything they would need, he was muttering to himself. Fenris caught snippets like ‘I can’t believe it’, ‘joyous day’, and ‘such a relief’.
Soon he is faced with the full force of that joy, albeit in an unconventional way. Anders talked about what he will need to do, when, how and why. The enthusiasm seeping out of him, he almost glowed with it. He asked many questions that Fenris replied to freely. He agrees to bringing them back in the next few days to see how they are doing. Fenris agrees to texting Anders or Bethany if there are any issues. Soon he is whisked out the door to go home with 3 kittens in tow and a lot to think about.
~ ~ ~
The next morning (after waking up 3 times in the night to feed the kittens) Fenris sees a message from Anders, he smiles at his concern but waits until he’s had some coffee and checked on the little ones before replying. He returns to 3 more texts and one missed call.
{How are they this morning?}
{Fenris, are they all okay?}
{Is everything alright?}
{1 missed call from…}
He resists the urge to roll his eyes, it’s sweet that he cares, but it is almost too much.
{Everything is fine, they’re all okay, do not panic yourself}
Instant reply. Fenris does roll his eyes at that.
{Thats good to hear! Ps it is my job to make sure they’re okay}
Rather than texting him Fenris just takes a picture of the 3 of them curled up on their bed (one of his old jackets and a towel), hopefully this will keep Anders calm enough for him to take a shower. But low and behold and Fenris steps into his room drying his hair he hears his phone vibrate.
{Aww, is it okay if I come and check them later? The first 24 hours are the most important.}
Fenris gets on with his day after saying that Anders can come over to check on them after work. He tries not to think about it. Yet after a few hours of code writing he is up and cleaning his apartment, it was clean enough to begin with, but he tells himself it is because he is being courteous. He checks on the kittens and feeds them before he nips to the shops for some tea (thats what you offer people when they come over, wasn’t it?) and some snacks.
A knock at the door has him looking up bleary eyed, he must have taken a nap whilst feeding the kittens. They didn’t seem to mind as they had all nestled their way into the curve of his body where he lay on the bed. Shifting slowly he got up and changed his shirt to one slightly less covered in fur. The knocking was louder now, more frequent.
“What did I tell you about panicking?” Fenris asked and he pulled open the door. The sight that greeted him was of a slightly out of breath Anders, still in his work clothes and a badge that said ‘Real men <3 cats’. Fenris restrained an eye roll as well as a smile as he made room for him to come in.
“Can I get you a tea or coffee?” Fenris offered politely, he didn’t know how many varieties of tea were out there until he went shopping and he may have gone overboard. Luckily Anders was happy with tea. As he went to make a cup, Anders went to see how the kittens were doing. After he was satisfied they were doing well they ended up in the kitchen discussing how long Fenris may need to keep them until he finds homes for them.
“… I personally would take them in if I could, and it is hard not to, but sadly my landlord only allows for one small pet and I am currently looking after a rabbit for a friend…” Fenris wasn’t particularity paying attention, he enjoyed the opportunity to just soak up someone being there with him, talking about their day and other interesting things. It had been a long while since Fenris had had that. But it also gave him a chance to really look at the man, he was handsome defiantly, strong features, a striking nose and freckles dusting most of his visible skin. His golden hair hung loosely by his face, not tied up like it was last they met. He wanted to run his fingers through it. On that note he jerked out of his staring into the conversation.
“…So what do you think about that?” Anders was asking, a smile on his lips and an expecting gleam in his eye.
“Uhh, that sound’s, fine?” Fenris replied, not knowing what he was agreeing, to but judging by Anders widening smile it was the right answer.
~ ~ ~
For the next few weeks Anders would go round and check the kittens every few days, and Fenris had brought them to the vets once, so far, for jabs and a full check up. It worked well, both working to make sure they all grew up to be healthy long lived cats. They still texted regularly, or more, Anders texted regularly to check on how they were doing and Fenris replied with pictures of them either asleep or eating. Anders liked this type of communication because he got to indulge himself in them and take joy from seeing the little balls of fluff grow.
Bethany could tell the day now by how much Anders was smiling when he came into the practice. Tuesdays and Fridays had the biggest grins because he got to go and see the ‘kittens’, she knew it was more than just them now, she had seen the pictures on his phone. Yes they had the kittens in them but his phone background was of a selfie Fenris had taken early one morning, a ginger kitten balanced on the side of his head and the two black fluff balls on his pillow. She had given him the most exasperated look that said ‘if you don’t talk to him about this then I will’ but he shooed her away.
Today she saw Anders texting more than normal and his joyful smile was now more a pout from her point of view.
“Whats wrong healer? Cat got your tongue?” She smiled at her own joke but Anders did not. He looked up and showed her the picture. It was of the 3 kittens in a pot with a wooden spoon balanced to one side.
“Is he being mean to you?” She said behind a laugh. Anders pout deepened but a small smile quirked on his lips.
“Its not funny Beth! He’s been doing it all day! Said I’m mother henning them!” Before Anders could continue whining Bethany got a word in.
“You are mothering them Anders!” She put her hand up to stop him before she got an earful. Then skilfully swiped the phone from his hand.
“Pout like you were before” she said lifting the phone to take a picture.
“I wasn’t pouting!” Snap.
“Perfect” She sent it before Anders managed to lean enough to get his phone back. She giggled and skipped off before he could throw a cotton wool ball at her.
Anders could feel Fenris laughing at him, then the emoji he sent through confirmed that.
{FEN THAT IS NOT FUNNY! Stop boiling the cats!}
{I beg to differ. They’re done now, I shall plate them up}
A few seconds later and they were on his plate with a knife and fork either side.
"Look at this Bethany, he is horrible!” Anders called out, even with a smile playing on his lips he still resigned himself to scowl, just on principle.
“Mhm.” Was the only reply he got from her.
{On a nicer topic than you eating the kittens. What have you named them?}
{The orange one is called Orange, and the two black ones are called Thing 1 and Thing 2}
Anders sighed heavily, he didn’t know what he was going to do with this infernal man. Well he could think of one or two things he would like to do, but he couldn’t tell if his actions would be appreciated. He tried to stay professional, but sometimes Fenris made it so hard.
{You cannot be serious}
{Entirely so, the names suit them}
{They need more unique names than that! Sir Pounce-a-lot Jr}
{No} Sent with a picture of him scowling holding ‘Orange’.
Anders put his phone away because he could see them getting into an argument he was passionate about. Instead he just tried not to think of his face or those beautiful green eyes. Just getting on with his work until he could go home and make a proper case for the names he had in mind.
Hawke burst through the door at 6:05, he was a bear of a man and you always knew when he was near, not only by his shear size but he was often making one comment or another, mostly rude. He greeted Anders and asked where his ‘Lil’ sis’ was, he pointed out back and Hawke made an over exaggerated creep. It worked though because a few seconds later there was a shriek and a loud thump before Hawke scurried out followed by Bethany brandishing a surgical shoe. Anders can only laugh before Hawke hides behind him.
“Now, now, no fighting in the workplace. You can do it outside after we lock up.” An evil grin crosses her face, he would warn Hawke to run fast but he thinks that that advice will be taken regardless.
His phone vibrates, and knowing what Hawke is like, they’re as bad as each other, he pivots away whilst taking his phone out his pocket, but sadly he isn’t fast enough for the quick thinking rouge. His phone is gone before he has a chance to process it. That mischievous grin does not bode well for him.
“Don’t you dare Hawke!” He says trying to reach for his phone, although hight is on his side, bulk is not, so he is easily kept at bay.
“Ohhh Anders who’s the sleepy boyfriend?” Hawke says with glee as he sees the background picture.
“He’s not-”
“Oh, he is,” Bethany nods "he rescued a bunch of kittens a few weeks ago, Anders has been totally in love with him since.”
“I have not!” Anders protests, but he knows its futile, with the two of them it was like trying to heard, well, cats.
Hawke types furiously and hits send before Anders can get anywhere near him to stop it. He hopes Fenris will still talk to him after this.
Whilst Hawke is distracted by laughter he has a chance to grab the phone and rush off into his office, that conveniently has a lockable door. Just as he is about to text and apologies for his ‘friends’ behaviour his phone vibrates. He hopes its not as bad as he fears it will be.
{U wanna go 4 a date w/ me? <333}
{Sure, my place? Dinner?}
Anders just stares at the screen and blushes furiously. Walking back into the main room he gapes at Hawke, who has a very knowing smile on his face. That bastard.
“I don’t know whether to kiss you or kill you!”
“I’d appreciate neither if thats okay with you. All in a days work.” Hawke was wearing a shit eating grin and Anders wanted to slap it off, but he didn’t have the mind to. He was still processing the ‘sure’ he’d gotten from Fenris.
~ ~ ~
They had chosen Saturday night, Fenris said he’ll cook and Anders will be round at 6 because he finishes work early on weekends. He had spent the whole day preparing a nice meal, set up the table so it wasn’t a mass of paperwork. Candles had been lit, a sweet scent was in the air. The kittens were a good distraction but they weren’t helpful when trying to work out conversation topics. He showered and was ready an hour earlier than he needed to be.
Why was he so nervous about this? He knows Anders, they have been talking for weeks. But it didn’t calm the butterflies in his stomach. He had gone for plain and simple, something he couldn’t mess up. He wore simple but smart black trousers (that were slightly too long for him), shined shoes, a grey shirt that has a flash of blue under the collar and had combed his hair back for the first time in years.
A knock at the door had him moving swifter than when they had first met. When he opened the door to great Anders he was stunned. Having never seen him out of his scrubs he didn’t know truly what lay underneath the blue baggy material, now he wished Hawke had stolen his phone sooner. Anders was wearing a simple dark green dress with gold accents around the hem, it fitted him well, showed off the long line of his legs and curve of his collar bone. He was also wearing dark flat boots that came up to his knee and a dark waistcoat with golden buttons and fathers tumbling over the shoulders. He hadn’t even got to his face, lashes darker and a flick at the corner of each eye made him look like he could kill him at any second if he wanted to. But the smile on those pink lips told him that he wanted to be here, with him. Coming back to himself he coughed before stepping back to allow him in.
“You look-” He couldn’t think of the perfect word that would describe how Anders looked; Stunning, fabulous, breathtaking, phenomenal, extraordinary, none compared to what he was seeing. “Beautiful. Truely.”
Anders was blushing and he loved it. Fenris tore his eyes away long enough to get a bottle of wine and two glasses for them whilst the chilli heated up. He knew when he came back from the kitchen that Anders would have gone to find the kittens.
He was still blushing and nervously fiddling with the hem of his dress when Fenris walked in.
“They seem to be doing well, no issues from what I can see. You’ve done a good job looking after them, thank you, I was so worried …” He knew this could go on for some time, when Anders was nervous he talked, which was no bad thing because Fenris enjoyed listening to him. He rambled on about the kittens, all things he had her before. But soon silence had fallen over them, and it wasn’t a comfortable silence they usually fell into when feeding them or just cuddling them. This was an expectant silence, because Anders was no longer here to just see them, he was here for him, and he didn’t know what to do now.
“So, how’d you end up here? In Kirkwall I mean, not here here.” That blush was back. Fenris tensed slightly at the question but politely answered that he had traveled after leaving his previous employer and wanted to settle down, it wasn’t entirely false, but it omitted a lot of the more unsavoury details.
“Is that how you got those tattoos?” He blanked at that, and Anders saw him loose the colour in his face. “Oh I’m sorry, I’m such an idiot, don’t answer that! Okay, how about your old workplace, why did you leave?” Anders was trying so hard to be kind but it wasn’t working. Fenris felt trapped, he couldn’t not answer, but he couldn’t get the words out. He stood and moved to the window, he needed to think. He heard Anders mutter curses under his breath.
“I’m sorry, I should have warned you that I am good at putting my foot in it! You don’t need to answer, I am sorry. How about we go and see if the foods ready?” Fenris felt him gently touch his elbow, instinctively he flinched, no matter how much he didn’t want to. But seeing that look on Anders face, like being back at the vets for the fist time, all he wanted to do was make it go away. He had started walking away when Fenris reached for his hand and entwined their fingers, a small smile reassured him enough that he hadn’t gone that wrong.
“You’re an idiot, but I don’t blame you for asking. I’m sure I look very odd.” He looked up into the golden eyes, admiring the crinkles around them that were coming from his smile.
“You look very handsome Fenris, believe me.” Anders chuckled before heading towards the kitchen, hands still together.
Dinner went well with no more embarrassing questions, they both kept to ‘how is work?’ and ‘this weather has been unusually cold?’. Best not to choke on food from a badly placed question. After the plates have been cleared away they go back to sitting on Fenris’s bed with the kittens, something that is familiar to both of them.
“So, how did you get the job at the practice?” Fenris asked innocently. Then he saw Anders freeze and knew he had put his foot in it now. An apology on his lips was hushed by hand waving it off.
“No, its okay, I just wasn’t prepared.” He laughed lightly, some of the tension falling from him. “We really are a pair aren’t we? No worries, yes, well I got my job here because of my ex partner. Karl sadly died a few years ago due to ‘man slaughter’ a slap on the wrist and that was the end of it.” He looked out the window lost in thought for a few moments, and Fenris didn’t know if he was coming back until a deep shuddering sigh came from him. Fenris reached across the gap where the kittens slept and held his knee, gently rubbing circles just above his boot.
Anders smiled at that, such a small gesture gave him the strength to open up, he continued to tell the story about how he had lived in an orphanage for ‘difficult’ children most of his life. Kept indoors for weeks, regimented lives, always under the watchful eyes of the staff. He spoke of his escape attempts and one time where he swam a lake to get away. It was told with an air of sarcasm but the lingering pain still held strong. Fenris’s gentle hand was an anchor and he appreciated him listening calmly, no outbursts of sympathy or over zealous reactions to his story. He moved on to Karl, how he had met the old boy and life got better for a time. Then Karl was moved away because they got too close. So he ran. Here to Kirkwall where he started the shelter, tracked down Karl and lost him all in a matter of weeks.
“Thats why I stayed, for him, to do good in a place where there is so much bad.” Anders didn’t look sad exactly, he looked lost, left adrift in this city. All Fenris wanted to do was hold him tight and tell him everything would be okay, second best was to bring his hand up to his lips and kiss him gently.
“Thank you, for opening up to me when all I did was stutter at your questions.” They were smiling, both idiots in their own way. Alone for so long and now clinging on to a city that was drenched in misery, but even the darkest cities have gold and silver in them.
“I came from Teveinter after running away from my step fathers company. That is where I got these, it was not pleasant.” Fenris said absentmindedly, he felt Anders had a right to know after opening up to him like he did. He hoped it would be enough.
Tiny mews broke the silence between them, Anders flashed him a smile and squeezed his hand knowingly. The tiny mews were more incessant so they got the milk out for them to have.
“Have you thought anymore on their names?” Anders grin was mischievous now, he knew what was about to ensue and he knew he was about to have the most ridiculous names given to his cats.
“I’ve told you, Orange, Thing 1 and Thing 2.” Anders wouldn’t take it an lifted up Orange.
“This is Sir Pounce-a-lot Jr, this is Lady Fuzzywinkles, and this is Serrah Pawsester.” Anders was grinning, and although he liked the expression he just needed to wipe the smug off.
“That is not ‘Lady Fuzzywinkles’” Fenris said indignantly.
“Oh and why not?”
“Because HE is not lady anything” Holding the black kitten to his chest he hoped to protect it from such terrible naming.
“Hmm, okay fine Commander Fuzzywinkles the third it is then!”
“Why the third?” Fenris asked confusion written on his face, he could imagine more of them having the same name.
“Because it has to be unique Fenris!”
“I believe it is unique enough” This conversation continued, never resolving the true issue of what they were each called, a discussion for another day.
Soon it was time for Anders to leave, with an early start in the morning he reluctantly pushed off the bed. Despite putting his foot in it and some awkwardness, it had been an enjoyable evening and one he was hoping to enjoy again soon. Fenris walked him to the door, murmuring a quiet goodnight. Just as Anders was about to walk down the hall Fenris ran his hands up over Anders arms leaving goose flesh where his fingertips touched. Gently winding one hand in his hair and tugging down to meet his lips. Shocked by the change it took a moment for him to melt into the kiss, a teasing tongue using for more and Anders compiling eagerly. They enveloped each other, holding close and exploring the warmth of being so close. Soon pulling back with flushed cheeks.
“Thank you for tonight. I will see you soon, I hope.” Was all Fenris said before stepping back, smiling as he closed the door.
Anders took a whole two seconds to register what happened before he was jumping up and down on the spot in silent joy. As he went down the stairs he ripped out his phone.
{I had a wonderful night, Thank you x} Putting the kiss on the end brought back the ghosted feeling of warm lips and strong arms.
Fenris relied in his usual way, but this time there was no kittens. Just a picture of him smiling, holding a feather from his waist coat.