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Tony looked up from his computer at the sound of claws scratching his screen door. He grinned at the sight that greeted him: a ginger cat sat on the other side of the wire mesh, staring at him calmly.
Standing with a groan, he felt his joints stretch and his back pop.
(He’d only sat back down five minutes ago, how was he already so stiff? Getting older sucked.)
He walked to the patio door and slid it open, smirk widening as the cat entered his living room the second the gap was wide enough.
“Hello to you too, Levi,” he said as the furry creature wound her way through and around his legs, nuzzling her head into his jeans. Tony squatted to scratch her behind the ears, which earned him an appreciative purr. “Did you find a way to climb your daddy’s new fence already? Clever girl.”
Levi let him continue to pet her for a few more seconds, then swiped his hand away with a paw. Without further ado she strutted past him further into his house like she lived there, shooting a glance over her shoulder as if daring him to protest.
He didn’t. He was used to her antics by now. Instead, Tony followed her amusedly, and he arched a brow when he saw that she was leading him to the kitchen.
“Did you smell the salmon in the oven?” he asked her.
Levi turned to look up at him, tail swishing.
“Is that the only reason you came to visit me?”
Levi’s ears twitched.
“You little moocher. Doesn’t your daddy feed you enough? Strike that, I know he feeds you enough.”
Tony stepped around her to enter the kitchen and glanced at the timer sitting on the counter. The cat was on his heels with every step, paws padding silently across the tiled floor.
“Well, the salmon isn’t done yet, and I’m just going to freeze it for later this week anyway, but…” he opened a cabinet and pulled out a bright red pouch.
Levi meowed excitedly, once again weaving her way between the man’s legs.
Tony shook out a few of the fish-shaped treats and crouched down next to her, hand outstretched.
He didn’t have a cat of his own - no, he’d bought these specifically for Levi. Since she and her owner had moved next door a few months ago, she’d appeared at his back door at least twice a week. After the first few times, when it became apparent that her social calls were going to become regular and frequent occurrences, he’d gone to the pet store down the road and invested in treats, a cat bed, and a lint roller to clean up the bright red fur that had seemed to work its way into every nook and cranny of his home.
He chuckled when Levi’s whiskers and the rough surface of her tongue tickled his palm as she ate the treats from his hand.
Once she’d finished them, she looked up at him pleadingly with her big golden eyes.
“No,” he said, pointing a finger at her accusingly as he straightened back up to his full height. “No no, stop with the look. You’re going to spoil your dinner, and if you don’t eat when you get home your dad will yell at me. Speaking of which…” Tony pulled his phone out of his pocket and snapped a quick picture of Levi. She tilted her head adorably as she looked up at him, as if posing for the photo. He snorted.
looking for this? he typed quickly.
He sent the message along with the picture to his neighbor. He didn’t have to wait long for a reply.
Shit, I’m sorry. Still at the hospital but coming home soon - be there in 15 for her.
no rush. Tony texted back. but one of these days she’s going to decide she likes me better :) He was unable to suppress the bright smile that rose to his lips as he teased his very hot, brilliant, sarcastic neighbor.
You bribe her with treats.
she’s a good girl. she deserves treats.
There was no response, but Tony hadn’t really expected one.
He glanced at the timer again - nine minutes until the salmon was done slow-cooking.
An idea began to form in his head.
Tony sprang into action.
He dashed to the sink to wash his hands before making his way to the pressure cooker sitting on the counter. He quickly began to measure equal amounts of water and brown rice into it. When that was done, he tweaked the temperature and set the timer on the cooker for five minutes.
Once he’d gotten the rice cooking, Tony turned next to the fridge. Hastily, he began to pull out ingredients for salad and chucked them on the counter: tomato, pepper, carrots, mushrooms… he’d be able to cut them all in time, right? Definitely. He would make himself cut them all in time. Silently praising himself for thinking to rinse spinach and romaine earlier, he grabbed the colander of now perfectly dry, crisp greens from the fridge shelf before kicking the door closed. He snagged a cutting board and knife and frantically started chopping.
A glance up at the two timers told Tony that there were thirty seconds left on the rice, and three minutes on the salmon. That meant his hot neighbor would be here in … nine minutes? Eight? Okay. He’d be fine. This would work. This would work. He could do this.
As soon as the pressure cooker began to beep, Tony dropped the knife (literally dropped, whoops, better pick that up so he or Levi didn’t step on it), grabbed a potholder, and twisted the little spout at the top to vent the steam.
By the time the pot had fully depressurized, he’d picked up the knife on the floor, gotten a fresh one, dropped that one on the floor, picked up that knife, gotten a fresh one, nearly tripped over Levi who came back into the room to beg for more treats, and grabbed salt, dried cilantro, and lime juice from their respective hiding places.
The next seven minutes were a frantic blur. All Tony knew was that by the end, he was standing in front of a dining room table decorated with candles and a silky red tablecloth, on which sat a bowl of cilantro lime rice, a platter of perfectly cooked salmon, a bottle of red wine, and a colorful salad tossed with homemade vinaigrette. It was only set for one, but Tony had made sure that he had another clean plate, bowl, glass, and set of utensils stashed in the cupboard.
There was a knock at the door.
Tony, so accustomed to running at this point, forced himself to slow his pace into a quick walk. As he did so he ran his hands through his hair, and hoped to god his face wasn’t as flushed as he feared it was.
He took a final deep breath before opening the front door … and nearly swooned at the sight of the gorgeous man standing on his porch.
Salt and pepper curls, without a single strand out of place. A lean body still clothed in form-fitting surgeon’s scrubs. And the most breathtaking seafoam blue eyes that Tony had ever seen.
He’d known what to expect, of course, but every time he saw the man he was still left breathless.
“Stephen!” he said, trying not to sound overeager or stutter. Unfortunately, he failed at both. “C-come on in!”
Stephen flashed him a small smile as he stepped over the threshold. “Hello Tony.”
Tony’s knees nearly buckled at the sound of his name being spoken in that sexy baritone.
“So, where’s the culprit?”
It took Tony a moment to realize what Stephen was asking him - he was still caught up on the other man’s voice. “What - Oh! The cat.” He raised his voice so it would carry farther. “Levi! Where’d you go baby?”
The ginger tabby emerged from the living room, lazily stretching her back and scratching it against the doorframe. She appeared wholly uninterested in the presence of her owner.
Stephen crouched down, holding out a hand to her. “Come here sweetheart.”
Levi stared at him.
The surgeon took a moment to readjust so he was fully kneeling on the ground. “Levi come on. I’m sorry, I know you’re upset I’ve been working longer hours. But I’ve missed you, and I promise I’m not on call this weekend, okay? It’s just going to be you, me, the couch, and Netflix.”
Tony’s heart melted at the soft tone and words Stephen spoke to his pet with.
“I have treats you could give her, if you need them to get her to go home with you,” Tony offered, though Stephen leaving was honestly the last thing he wanted right now.
Stephen rolled his eyes. “Is this what I’m reduced to? Bribing my own cat so she’ll leave the poor neighbors alone?” Stephen looked up at him from his place the floor. Tony’s heart fluttered at the sight, and his mind was filled with less-than-appropriate thoughts. “I really am sorry, by the way. I thought for sure the new fence would keep her off your porch.”
Tony chuckled. “Really, it isn’t a problem. I’m the one who lets her inside anyway. She’s a good girl. She doesn’t get into anything when she’s here, and she keeps me company. It can get pretty lonely, working long hours from home.”
He hadn’t meant to let that last part slip out, but the other man didn’t seem put off by the admission.
“I understand,” he replied easily instead. “Careers can be very rewarding, but also very isolating. Mine is the same. And apparently at this point I’m spending so much time in the OR that my own cat doesn’t even want to come back home with me.”
“You don’t have to leave,” Tony offered, his heart beginning to race. This was it. The moment of truth. He had to word this very carefully. If Stephen said no, if he was forced to stay in this big empty house all alone for the rest of the night… he didn’t know what he’d do.
“Thank you,” said Stephen from his place on the floor. “But I should be getting home. I’m honestly starving, I had to skip lunch for an emergency surgery.”
“Then have dinner with me.”
Stephen hesitated, his expression unreadable. Tony’s heart felt like it was beating out of his chest, painfully constricted. It was getting hard to breathe. Still, he managed to keep his voice light and easy as he added, “Come on, I was just about to sit down and eat anyway. Food’s all ready, and lucky for you I made enough for two. And not to brag, but I inherited my mom’s cooking skills.”
Oh who was he kidding, he was bragging.
“Well, how can I say no then?” Stephen chuckled, flashing him a dazzling smile. The pressure that felt like it was squeezing his heart and lungs abated, and instead Tony felt like he was soaring. “As long as you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“Nothing would make me happier,” said Tony as he offered Stephen a hand to help him stand. The surgeon’s touch lingered for a few moments longer than necessary, and Tony’s heart fluttered again.
As if she understood the exchange that had just taken place, Levi strutted over from her place in the doorway and began to rub herself over her owner’s legs. Stephen’s gaze and expression grew soft. “Okay, you win sweetheart. We’ll stay for a while.”
Tony’s heart melted even further.
He led the other man through the kitchen and into the dining room. The surgeon seemed momentarily surprised at the sight of so much food when his eyes landed on the table. “You made all this?”
Tony nodded. “Oh, just a little something I threw together,” he said. (Literally threw, he thinks to himself, not even ten minutes ago he was literally throwing ingredients across the kitchen.)
“I - I hope it’s okay?” he asked quickly. “Do you like salmon? If you don’t I can cook something else, it’ll just take a few minutes.”
“No, no, I love salmon,” reassured Stephen quickly. “And it all smells delicious.”
“Good,” said Tony shyly. “Oh, here, I’ll go grab a place setting for you. Be right back.”
He ducked into the kitchen.
When Stephen was sure Tony wasn’t looking, he snuck a small piece of salmon off the edge of the plate. He blew on it lightly to dissipate the steam still rising from the hot fish before bending over to offer it to Levi.
Never one to turn down free food, she quickly pranced over from the corner to take the fish.
“Good kitty,” he whispered, scratching her behind the ears as she finished. “You got me invited to dinner. You are getting so many treats when we get home.”