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Hugo wasn't expecting to receive a picture of a kitten from his fiance with a small "Can I keep her?" Attached to the image.
He stared at the screen blankly. It was a small kitten, striped and gray. With green eyes and soft baby fur. Hugo was pretty sure it was either abandoned by its mum, or Varian stole it. It was obviously to small to be on its own.
Hugo looked over at his fellow employee, sighing as he took off his apron. "I'm stepping out for a break " He informed the man.
The man, who's name tag read Spencer, nodded and waved him off. "Ya should be fine pal, the kitchen ain't that busy."
"Thanks."
"There's a lighter in my butt pocket if ya need it."
Hugo laughed, reaching over and took the lighter from his pocket. "What'd I do without ya Spence-" He hummed, walking towards the back door.
"Ya'd probably have no one to listen to you gay panic over your fiancé, be lost without your daily dose of Nicotine because you never have a lighter, and-"
"It was a rhetorical question!" Hugo laughed loudly as he stepped outside.
Closing the door behind him, he took Spencer's lighter, flicking it open. He sighed as he cupped his hand, sheltering the flame as he lit his cigarette. Sticking it in his mouth he pulled out his phone.
He pulled up Varians number and hit the dial button. He held it up, listening to the dull noise before Varians voice sounded. "Hugh ,honey! Aha I'm taking it you saw my text?"
He rolled his eyes. "Why else would I be calling you, ya dumbass.?"
" You always call me when your on a smoke break babe."
Hugo exhaled, watching the smoke puff and curl out into the crisp November air. " yeah ok but where the hell did you get a baby cat?"
"Technically it's called a kitten, and I found her."
"Well wherever you found it you can take it back to that spot, and dispose of it."
"Are you heartless!? " Hugo leaned away from the phone as Varians horrified voice rang out. Exhaling, more smoke puffing up, Hugo waved his hand as he spoke .
" Baby listen, we can't have another pet."
"Why not?"
Hugo put the cigarette into his mouth, inhaling deeply before exhaling again. More smoke, the sound of Varians breathing softly over the phone. "Because we already have Ruddiger, and he's already a handful. "
Hugo didn't exactly know how his Fiancé legally had a raccoon as a pet, but he did. And yeah, maybe the flee bag had grown on Hugo, but he wasn't about to adopt an orphaned kitten just because Varian had a mushy spot for baby animals.
"But it's a little baby " came the next pleading words.
"I don't give a damn if it's a baby or if it was the queen of England in disguise, we aren't keeping it."
"Her- Its a her and I already told her she could stay."
Hugo let the smoke roll off his tongue, watching it puff out, leaving its familiar taste in his mouth. "It- and no. That's my final answer. "
"But hugh-" Varian whined.
"No Varian."
He heard him sigh, sounding defeated. But this was Varian were talking about, and if it's one thing he knew, Varian wouldn't give up. " Maybe if we-"
"Just go drop it off on the side of the road or something."
Hugo didn't hear an answer. But after a while he heard Varians voice again. "But she's a baby..."
" you can't do it can you?"
Varian spoke up again, his voice soft and gentle. "I can't. It's not my fault, she's just - so precious and small."
Hugo sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "Oh yes, so small and precious just like a skipping stone." He said sarcastically. "And what do we do with skipping stones?"
Hugo should have known Varians answer. But yet, he wasn't expecting it.
" Keep them and stash them away because you realize how much you like the stone and can't throw it" Varian stated matter of factly.
" NO- WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?" Hugo groaned, exhaling more smoke as he sat down on the cold steps. "you THROW IT-watch it go on its adventure.You don't keep it "
Varians voice sounded again, and Hugo could practically see his freckled face smiling at him as he closed his eyes. "Because ~ " he said sweetly." If it sinks it'll drownd.Rocks need air to ya know."
Hugo let out a laugh. "rocks don't need OXYGEN"
"How do you know? Maybe they do? And some of them are so pretty and smooth. And you can't throw away a pretty rock-Maybe it's important ."
Hugo hit his head against his knee, chuckling in disbelief. Putting the cigarette to his lips, he puffed again.
" The rock will be FINE. THE ROCK IS STRONG. It. Is. A. ROCK " He said, waving his hand in the air, his other holding his phone still.
Varian sounded quite chipper as he continued. " Not true- as a matter of fact some rocks have different types of hardness. Take Limestone for instance, limestone is a very soft rock And can be worn or eroded easily due to weather or pressure. While quartsz on the other hand is stronger and pretty, making it often chosen for kitchen counter tops."
"Oh my god... Goggles, lets give the rock to someone else to keep it safe then , yeah?"
He heard Varians dejected sigh, and a sniffle sound.
Hugo pulled his head up from his knees, glancing at the phone as if he could see Varian through it.
Was he crying?
"Y-yeah... ok" Was the soft shaky reply.
Hugo let more smoke flutter out of his lips as he thought for a moment. He could hear the sadness in his fiancé voice, but her knew he was probably just using it to guilt trip and sucker trap him onto letting Varian keep the Kitten.
And did it work?
Of course it did.
"Ok ok you can keep her." He help the phone away as Varian let out a happy exclamation.
"Did ya hear that girl!? Daddy said I could keep you. Welcome to the family baby- who's such a cute lil kitten? You are? And now you got a brother, who's name is Ruddiger and I'll call you- Quartz!"
Hugo laughed softly, pushing his cigarette into the stone step, smothering it out. He smiled as he listened to Varian rambling on happily for a few more minutes before standing up.
"Hey Baby- I gotta go. I've got about 3 more hours on my shift so I'll be home soon."
Varian let out a disappointed "Awwww" before sighing. "Ok Hugh, guess I'll let ya go then. Love you ."
Hugo smiled as he opened the kitchen door, the heat from inside waving towards him.
"Love you more." He smiled.
"Love you most." Varian said, before ending the call.
Hugo smiled to himself as he slipped his phone back into his pocket, stepping inside and letting the door close behind him.