Work Text:
Pawprints on the carpet.
Early in the morning, when the air outside was still chilly from the night, and the grass was still covered in dew, Will loved to take a walk through the gardens. There was almost no risk someone would be at the gates, his master wasn’t up yet, and he had a little bit of time for himself before a long day of work started. The demon slave had gotten used to his schedule a long time ago, and these morning walks helped him to fully wake up before his master would call for him. It was better to be fully awake and alert from the start after all. He walked past the various flowerbeds, his pale fingers sliding over petals to free them from the water drops. Will’s mind was elsewhere, far away from the house where he served an incredible master, but also lived with a scientist who put him through so much pain that he sometimes felt scared just by thinking about it.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by a soft sound, and at first, he flinched, scared that it was someone who had sneaked into the gardens at night. After all, he was still a demon and shouldn’t be seen. At least not without master Stanford at his side. But then he realized that the noise didn’t sound human at all. It had been a squeak of some sort, more animal like. Will stood still and waited, while a breeze rustled the leaves of a nearby rose bush. Then he heard it again, soft, and plaintive, as if something needed help. His heart went out for anything that would produce a sound like that, and the demon followed the noise to its origin. Luckily, whatever it was made the noise every few seconds, and it wasn’t too hard to follow. Will just hoped that it wasn’t something that was seconds away from death and wouldn’t survive because he wasn’t quick enough at finding it. However, the volume of the noise made him think it wasn’t that serious, and eventually he traced the noise to a big bush. Something was under there; he was quite sure of it. The ground was muddy, but Will had just enough power to keep his uniforms clean, even if he crouched down now, to find what was making that noise. He pushed the undergrowth away, still half expecting to see something sinister, whether it would be one of the anomalies that were so common around the house, or something artificial, made by Fiddleford, or a nosy journalist.
Instead, he saw a small ball of fur in an unusual shade of blueish white. Strange, this didn’t look like anything he had ever seen around here. The demon hesitated but not for long. He reached a little further into the bush and carefully cupped his hands around the small creature. Then he pulled it out of its hiding spot there, careful not to scrape it against the branches of the bush. Whatever it was, it had frozen at Will’s touch, and he could feel it trembling in his hands. It was so small it had probably gotten stuck in the shallow ditch underneath that bush, and its instincts had caused it to cry out for help. Once William had finally freed it, he cradled it closer to his chest and took a good look at the fluffball he was holding. After a second or so, a small head popped up and a pair of blue eyes with slit pupils looked at him. It opened his little mouth and squeaked. A kitten, and a very young one. Its eyes were open, but that was about it. It shouldn’t be away from its mother; it was too little. But Will knew he wouldn’t find an entire family in here, not with the hounds that guarded the premises. “How did you end up here, little one?” He asked the kitten, gently sliding a finger over the kitten’s back. The fluffball couldn’t answer him of course but did lean into the touch. The demon hesitated; he didn’t know if master Stanford would approve of this. Not at all. But in the end, Will’s heart won it from his brain. He carefully got up, very slowly, to not scare the kitten.
He managed to reach his room without any duties calling him. The demon set the fluffball on his bed and went to find a few blankets, for it to wrap up in. The kitten took a few wobbly steps and squeaked at Will, who smiled a little. He made a small nest of blankets next to his bed and went to pick the kitten up again. He stopped for a second when he noticed something odd. The kitten appeared to have thumbs. “You remind me of Stanford.” The demon muttered to himself and reached his hand out. The kitten squeaked and backed away from him, but Will was faster and picked the fluffball up. A female kitten, he figured out, studying it, while it tried to hide in his elbow. “I might as well give you a name.” Will spoke softly. “I think I will call you Sixie. It fits with your paws.” Sixie squeaked at him again. “I have to provide breakfast for my master, but I will make you something too, I’m sure you’re very hungry.” Will spoke up and put the kitten in the makeshift bed he put together for her. Sixie squeaked again, and the demon sighed and set his finger to his lips. “Shhh, don’t let them hear you. I don’t know if they will let you stay.” He spoke up and the kitten blinked at him, before curling up in the blankets. Will sighed, brushed the dirt off his pants and left the room, careful to make sure it was fully closed. He wasn’t worried Sixie would try to escape through the window, she was much too small to reach it.
Thank Axolotl Will had woken up so early in the morning. Now he had time to make breakfast for master Stanford and prepare a bowl of milk and a few pieces of scrap meat that would otherwise be thrown out anyway. He brought the kitten her food first, then hastily made his way over to master Stanford’s chambers to start the day. The demon slave had no idea how this would work out, if the kitten could even survive with the minimal care, he could provide with the schedule he had to follow, but he could at least try. What else could he do? He wasn’t one to turn his back on anyone or anything that needed his help, and Sixie had nobody but him. So, he kept his head down and his mouth shut and continued working like nothing had changed. When lunch came around, he made sure to bring her a new bowl, glad to see she had finished the other one. Then dinner time approached, and the demon slave brought his new furry friend a portion of fish, which she ate up immediately. All the while, she didn’t make a single sound unless Will had the door closed and was petting her. Clearly the blueish white kitten was smart enough to understand that silence kept her safe.
The night came and William retreated to his room. He was exhausted, but the sight of Sixie in her little nest made him smile. He carefully scratched her between her ears for a while before getting ready for the night. Right before he fell asleep, he heard a very soft purring sound. Sixie was happy she found a place to call home. The demon slave fell asleep with a smile on his face, even more determined to keep his little friend safe.
Everything worked out well for several weeks. Sixie was getting bigger and stronger, but she was still a kitten. Her squeaks gradually changed into soft meows, and she started exploring the room more. Will felt guilty that he couldn’t let her out, but he just wasn’t quite sure how to address the fact he had a cat in his room to his master. Sixie adored her big, demon friend. She circled around his legs when he got dressed in the morning, and looked at him with big eyes, asking to be picked up. It had not taken her long before she started demanding he let sleep on the bed with him. At first, Will had been hesitant, but Sixie wouldn’t stop until he picked her up and put him next to him on his bed. And then, one morning, master Stanford Gleeful walked into William’s bedroom, earlier than he usually did. He wanted to surprise the demon. But when he saw his slave, sound asleep with a kitten curled up against his chest, he was caught off guard. He noticed the box of sand in a corner, the little nest of blankets next to the bed, the empty bowl, and the calmness on William’s face, and understood the cat had been living there for quite some time.
He set a hand on the demon’s shoulder and shook him gently. William woke up and turned his head. When he saw Stanford, his single blue eye went wide. “Master Stanford! Did I miss my cue? I am so sorry.” He sat up, but his master shook his head. “Not at all, my darling. But it appears you have something to tell me. I was not quite expecting to find you not alone.” He spoke up, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Sixie woke up, blinked, and looked at Stanford. She immediately jumped off the bed and hid under it. “Master Stanford, I found her a few weeks ago. She was so small and alone, and I just took her in.” The demon slave explained, his voice shaking. “I see, and why didn’t you come to me?” The sorcerer asked, glancing in the direction where the cat disappeared. “I was scared you wouldn’t let her stay. She was helpless, I just wanted to take care of her.” Will’s eye was big and innocent, and seemingly begging for sympathy. The master went silent, studying the demon. “You know I do not like it when you hide things from me, William. I understand your motives, but it does not take away from the fact that you have not been upfront with me.” He spoke up, and Will lowered his head in sadness. “However, you have proved to be able to take care of this new companion, without missing your schedule or getting fur on your clothes. The cat can stay. But I will not stop the hounds if they get to her, and you will be punished for hiding facts from me. Get dressed and check in with Fiddleford immediately.”
His master left the room, and William sighed deeply. Sixie came out from under the bed and rubbed her head against his legs. “It’s okay, you can stay. You have a definite home now.” The demon slave reached out and put the kitten on his bed. She purred loudly but meowed when he got up and rushed to get dressed. Or well, dressed up for lab days. “I will see you tonight again, Sixie. I’m sorry, I will make sure to bring extra meat.” He promised his little furry friend. She meowed again, sounding concerned somehow. She didn’t attempt to follow him though; she knew she shouldn’t.
That night, William returned to his room, his arms and chest were bandaged up. The injuries would heal overnight, but right now he was in pain and worn out. Sixie was still sitting on his bed but jumped off and rushed over to him as soon as he closed the door. The demon slave put the promised bowl of food on the ground and smiled a little as he saw her grateful little head dig into the food immediately. He sat down on his bed and just put on his nightgown already, too tired to do anything else. Sixie walked up to him when she was done eating, and William smiled when she looked up at him with her big eyes. He picked her up and set her on the bed with him, before getting under the covers. His arm rubbed over his nightstand, causing a sharp pain to go through him. Fiddleford had not spared him at all today, and a tear welled up in his eye. Will sighed and leaned back, resting his head against his pillow. Sixie walked over the bed to his face, curiously sniffing at the tear. Will tried a smile, and reached out to cuddle the kitten, but then he felt a sandpaper tongue, carefully lick the tear away. He almost fully burst into tears, but Sixie nestled herself against his chest and curled up, purring loudly. “Thank you.” The demon carefully put an arm over her and fell asleep. He wasn’t alone, he had his little friend now.