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Brian was walking towards his car. He had a crazy day at work. Nothing went as planned. “Friday the 13th! And people say don’t believe in superstitions” he mumbled to himself as he was getting closer to his car. He knew that it was just a bad day as so many others before and what happened today had nothing to do with the specific date but, at that moment, he needed to blame someone or something. All he wanted right now, it was to get home, take a shower and enjoy the company of his partner. The day was so crazy that he didn’t even get the chance to call Justin the whole day. And that’s what was bothering him the most, even though he wouldn’t admit it. But he needed to hear his voice, it was always calming him down.
While getting to his car, he grabbed his phone to call him when he heard a distinct noise coming from the trash cans next to the parking lot. He couldn’t understand what the noise was. It sounded like an infant crying but no, it was not that. It couldn’t be that, could be? Curious, he put his phone back into his pocket and walked towards the trash cans. To his surprise, when he got there he saw a tiny, black kitten, crying incessantly. “Perfect!” he said, “a black cat! All I needed right now! If I get home in one piece, I will be very lucky!”
He turned away and went back to his car. He unlocked it, opened the door and sat behind the wheel. As he was about to leave, he remembered the numerous discussions he had with Justin about getting a pet. Justin adored cats and he always wanted to have one. And not just any cat. Of all the beautiful cats out there, he wanted a black one! “They are so beautiful in their own way” he was always saying. But Brian was always crushing Justin’s hopes on that matter, as he was drawing a line about having a cat – or any animal so to speak – in the house. And now…a tiny kitten was right there, crying desperately for help. Was that a sign? Someone had dropped it there for sure, who knows why? It must have been only a few weeks old and Brian knew it wouldn’t survive on its own. And he also knew that if Justin had found out, he would never forgive him for leaving it there.
“Fuck this!” he said and got out of his car signing. He walked back to the trash can and picked the little guy up. It had the size of his palm. He brought it close to his chest and immediately, the little one grabbed onto him with his tiny nails and, feeling safe, it stopped crying and started purring. Brian froze for a few seconds since that behavior was the last thing he was expecting. He looked around if anyone was watching him taking pity on a cat and, as soon as he was sure no one was around, he returned rapidly to his car. “Ok little beast, let’s go home” he said and drove off.
“I have no idea what you need, probably you are hungry or cold…or both. But I know someone who will definitely know what to do with you. I bet my balls – well, my ball to be accurate – that he does!” He kept talking to the kitten almost all the way home, as the kitten remained grabbed onto him purring and meowing from time to time as it was talking back to him. Brian even forgot to call Justin and that was saying a lot about his instant connection with 'the little beast.' Arriving home, he mumbled to himself: “I can’t believe I spent the last half an hour talking to a cat! Maybe I need a shrink after all!”
He got out of the car carefully to not disturb or harm the kitten and walked towards the house. He opened the door, walked in, and called Justin.
"Hey Sunshine! I am home!"
No answer. They hadn’t talked all day. OK, he was busy but, Justin also hadn’t called or texted him all day neither. He just realized that and as soon as he was about to start worrying, he heard noise coming from the bathroom. “OK, he is just taking a shower” he said to himself and shouted louder so Justin could hear him.
"Hey Sunshine! I am home!"
"I am in the shower," Justin shouted back.
Brian ungrabbed the kitten from his chest and placed it carefully on the kitchen counter. Trying to sound as casual as he could, he shouted again.
"Emm…do you have any idea what a kitten likes to eat?"
Immediately, the sound of the running water coming from the bathroom stopped and a few seconds later, Justin’s head popped out. His poor sunshine, he looked so confused.
"Have you just asked me what a kitten likes to eat or did my ears deceive me?"
"No, no, that’s exactly what I asked," Brian said casually. "So?"
Brian knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep pretending for long that nothing weird was happening. Especially while having Justin walking towards him, looking at him suspiciously and asking with his eyes “What the fuck is going on? Speak!”
"All right, all right. I brought someone home," Brian mumbled.
"What?"
"I brought someone home," Brian said loud and clear this time.
"Who?" Justin asked really curious. He had an idea 'who' after Brian’s question about kittens but, could it be? Could the I-do-not-want-any-furry-ball-in-my-house had actually brought a cat home? And before he finished his thought, he heard it meowing and finally saw it. A tiny black kitten was sitting right there on the kitchen counter. Not only Brian had brought a cat home, it was also a black cat which he knew Brian hated – or at least that’s what he was claiming! At the sight of the kitten, Justin’s face lit up and a huge smile appeared on it. Brian told him in few words what had happened, while Justin had already taken the kitten into his arms and was petting it.
"So, you are telling me that you didn’t have a choice," Justin said.
"No, I had a choice. I could leave it there. But I chose not to," Brian clarified.
"Ok, ok. I am glad then that you chose not to leave him there! And please, stopped calling him 'it!'"
"So, is it a…is he a boy? As it seems, not even a female cat enters this house, literally."
"I don’t know. I can’t say for sure. But we will know tomorrow as he is going to the vet first thing in the morning. I hope you know that since he crossed that door, he is not going anywhere."
"Yeah, I thought so. And that’s why we need to establish some rules for him to…"
Brian didn’t get to finish his sentence and Justin started laughing.
"Rules? Since when do you follow rules?"
"Since never! I don’t follow any rules but he must! First rule, no getting on the bed."
"Yeah, yeah, dream on," Justin said and turned away trying to pour some milk in a plate. "We need to find him – or her – a name. What do you think about Bagheera for a boy and Luna for a girl?"
Brian stood there knowing he was already losing the battle. But he wouldn’t lose the war. He would fight till the end for that one – at least – rule. But who was he kidding. That little beast would do whatever he wanted to do and Brian would allow it. He fell in love with “it” since the moment the kitten grabbed onto him and started purring. But, of course, he wouldn’t admit his 'defeat' that easily.
"Emm, you can name him whatever you want. I am calling him beast, boy or girl."
Justin turned around and smiled. Typical Brian. He got near him, kissed him and whispered: “Thank you”.