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“Bela, darling?”
“Yes doll?”
“Why is there a cat on the couch?”
Donna had just returned home from a long day of gardening as well as negotiations with The Duke, who can be rather stubborn at times. She was prepared to brew a nice cup of tea and settle down for the night with a good book. Only now her spot on the sofa was occupied by a stark black cat, lounging happily in the sun streaming in through the window.
“Oh! I don’t know? I came in after you left for The Duke’s and she was just hanging out. I thought you got her and forgot to tell me.” The blonde responded, moving to hug her girlfriend from behind while eyeing up the feline who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
“Well, she’s not mine.” Donna responded, squeezing Bela’s hand and kissing her cheek before moving to put the kettle on.
“Strange. She’s a friendly little guy though, very sweet.” She was only proving her point as she went to pet the small thing, and was immediately rewarded with a contented purr.
Donna was sure her undead heart melted at the sight, smiling at the precious display in front of her. Watching her 6’3” vampire cooing at the small bundle of fur was too adorable. It was only when she realized how peaceful the moment was that she realized something was off.
“Bela?”
“Yes, dragă?”
“Where’s Angie?”
“I’m not quite sure.. I think the cat might have scared her off.”
Now that was amusing to Donna. Her little doll that was “made up of nightmare fuel and spite” (Angie’s words, not hers) was scared of a little feline?
“I suppose I should go find her then.” Donna said to no-one. However, just as she was going to go search for the poor doll the kettle announced her water was boiled with a shrill shriek that made the little cat go flying.
Rushing to move the kettle, she poured herself a cup of tea and let it steep before she hurried up to Bela, who was now sporting a fresh set of claw marks along her jaw.
“Bela! Amore mio, are you alright!?” Donna asked while grabbing the blonde’s chin to examine her wound.
“I’m all good, love. But did you see where that poor little cat ran off to?” Bela asked, unphased by the already healing cuts across her face.
“Not a clue.”
That was until a shrill scream echoed around the manor. It seems the cat found Angie.
The two shared a look before sprinting to find the source of the blood curdling screech, only to find Angie on top of a bookshelf, screaming and swatting at the little black cat, who seemed to be getting a tad bit irritated by the grating voice.
Upon seeing the dollmaker enter the room, Angie promptly started to scream. “DONNA! DONNA RUN!! RUN WHILE YOU CAN!! SACRIFICE THE BLONDIE AND GO!!”
“Angie.”
“NO DONNA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? IT’S GOING TO KILL US ALL!!”
“Angie!”
The doll was crying now. As much as she could, being a doll and all.
“Donna, leave without me! I’ll distract it! Live your best life! I love you!” And with that, she jumped from the bookshelf, spreading her arms as if trying to fly, and landed directly on top of the cat’s back.
Not the best idea.
The already skittish cat (Angie’s shrill voice was doing nothing to calm her nerves) took off immediately with a yowl, barreling through the basement and destroying Donna’s workspace.
“Oh for Christ’s sake..” Bela said, already moving to chase after the cat, who was bucking around like a wild bronco trying to get the still screaming Angie off her back.
“Bela, do me a favour and find some food for the poor dear. I’ll try to calm her down but I’m afraid she might need a bit more of an incentive to slow down.” Donna said, placing a hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder and squeezing. This is not what either of them had planned for today.
As the blonde took off, Donna began to assess the situation. Deciding that she should try to grab Angie before even thinking of trying to calm the little cat down, the brunette rushed towards the chaotic duo.
“Angie! Try to move it towards me, I’m going to come get you!” Donna instructed, both internally and externally.
‘And how in the world would I do that??’ Angie snapped back inside her head.
‘I don’t know! Figure it out!”
“You are no help right now!” The doll’s voice was warbling with the beat of the cat’s bounds.
And yet, Angie managed to get a grip on it’s ears and guided her towards the dollmaker, who promptly reached out and snached the doll from right off it’s back.
Donna couldn’t help but smirk at the grumpy little doll she was currently holding by the neck like you would a small puppy. “Hello, piccolo angelo.”
“Yeah, yeah. Put me down.” She responded, squirming around in her arms.
“Donna! I got her!”
The woman's attention was stolen by the tall blonde, who was now crouched over and patting the little cat while it feasted on what looked like some canned tuna.
“Thank you, mio caro!”
Turning back to Angie, she couldn’t help but let out a laugh at the shocked look on her face.
“You actually like that thing?? Why are you feeding it??”
“Angie, she’s just a harmless little cat. Would you like to go see her?”
“No.”
“Too bad, înger! She’s on her way over!” Bela unhelpfully added.
With that, Donna was met with a faceful of white lace and wood.
“Donna, help me! Get it away!”
“Angie. Tesoro. You know I love you. But you’re being very silly right now.” Donna said, lifting the doll from her head and gently setting her on the floor.
“If I die this is your fault.” That earned a snort from Bela, who was finding this whole thing very amusing.
“I will take full responsibility if you die, piccolo.” Donna responded, holding in her own laugh.
Angie took a single step forward, mumbling and swearing under her breath the entire time. She stuck a reluctant hand out and waited.
In the blink of an eye, the cat was rubbing up against her, purring all the while.
“Why is it vibrating?” She asked while tentatively stroking it’s fur.
“It likes you, cel mic.” Bela said whilst moving next to Donna, grabbing her hand and moving her impossibly closer to the blonde’s chest.
“Donna.”
“Yes, Angie?”
“I’m keeping her.”
And with that, Angie and the little cat were now the best of friends.
“That was fast..” Bela whispered in her girlfriend’s ear, earning her a chuckle from the dollmaker.
“What shall we name her then?” Donna had no problem with keeping the cat. In fact, she was secretly hoping Angie would warm up to her. Albeit she didn’t think it’d be this fast but she wasn’t one to complain.
“Stellaluna.” Angie responded without hesitation.
“Isn’t that the name of the bat from that book I got you?” Bela asked, amused.
“Yep! It’s pretty, like she is.” She was now sat on the ground, with the newly dubbed Stellaluna curled up around her content as ever.
“Alright then, I like it. How about you take Stellaluna up to meet all your friends?” Donna asked, desperate to clean up the mess that was her workspace.
“Great idea!! C’mon Stella!” And then she did it. Angie, the doll who moments prior was shrieking at being in the mere presence of this cat, hopped on her back. Willingly jumped on top of her. As if the two could read each other's mind, Stellaluna immediately moved towards the staircase that led to the ‘doll room.’
“Well, that was... “
“Something.” Donna finished for Bela. That truly was something.
“I guess we have a cat now?”
“We?”
Oops. Bela got caught.
“Oh crap I ruined it…”
“Ruined what, amore mio?” Donna asked, cupping the blonde’s cheeks in order to meet her golden eyes.
“I was going to tell you.. Well, ask really.. If I could move in?” At Donna’s shocked expression, Bela started rambling. As she tends to do. “I’ve already asked my mother and she said it was okay as long as I came over once a week for dinner and my sisters are excited for me to come. If you say yes of course!! Don’t feel like you have to it’s totally fine if not, I’ll just-”
She was cut off by Donna’s lips meeting hers in a desperate kiss. Sighing into her lover’s embrace, Bela whined as Donna pulled away far too soon in her opinion.
“I would love it if you moved in with me. I would love that more than anything.”
“I love you, păpuşă.”
“And I, you, il mio cuore.”
The two lovers fell into one another once again, only separating when they heard a crash coming from upstairs paired with the maniacal laughter of Angie.
“I suppose we should go get her.” Donna said, worried about the well-being of her- their home.
“I’ll go watch them, you clean up here. I know how much you can’t stand a mess.” Bela responded, leaving her with one last kiss before swarming upstairs.
If Donna did a little happy dance as she watched her love fly away, no one would ever know. Only the wind knew how she hummed an Italian love song while cleaning up. Only the sun knew how often she would sigh with a dreamy look on her face.
And now, only Stellaluna knew of the ring box in Donna’s office drawer, watching from the shadows after her spirited rider was taken for a walk outside.
“Hello, Stellaluna. Welcome home. I hope you’ll like it here. We’ve built quite a strange little family but I’m rather fond of them. I hope you will be too” The dollmaker said after the feline made herself known, purring against her leg as Donna stroked her.
As if Stellaluna knew what she was saying, she nuzzled her head against Donna’s palm and let out a small mewl. That was all the affirmation the woman needed.
This cat would make a perfect addition to their odd little family.
So will Bela. Donna added internally, looking towards the drawer that held a beautiful ruby ring with a smile and feeling nothing but love.
Pure, overwhelming, unending love.