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Acronix was lying on the sofa, idly typing on his phone. Nothing was going on today. It was boring as hell. Sighing, he put the phone down and looked at his brother, who was sitting at his desk, reading a book.
"Kruuuux," he shouted. However, his twin didn't respond. "Kruxieeee!" He kept trying. "Stop being annoying," Krux grumbled irritably. "But I'm soo bored."
"That's not my problem," he replied, still staring at his book.
"Now it is."
Krux removed his silly reading glasses and glared at his younger brother. "Sometimes you act like an pubescent teenager." Acronix grinned. "And you're acting like a spoilsport!" He slid off the sofa and stretched his limbs.
"You know what? I'm going out for a bit. It's too boring for me here." Krux eyed him intently. "Fine. But don't get caught."
"Don't worry bro! I got a disguise after all," Acronix said, putting on his hood.
"And don't stay away too long!" his brother called after him. "Okay, Mom!"
Acronix happily strolled along the asphalt and watched the hustle and bustle of the townspeople. As always, he was fascinated by the huge buildings or the fast cars. He just couldn't understand why Krux hated this great modern world. It was all so much cooler than the old, boring junk from forty years ago!
Acronix was so absorbed in his surroundings that he almost missed the little white kitten crouched under a bench. He stopped abruptly as it began to meow pitifully. "Oh my god!" he gasped and squatted down.
"Where do you come from?" The kitten mewed even louder. Acronix gently petted it and it began to purr. "You're the cutest thing I've ever seen!" he said delightedly.
The kitten padded out from under the shelter of the bench and brushed its head against Acronix's leg. It was so tiny and its fur was so fluffy. It must have been only a few months old. "Don't you have anyone to look after you? Are you all alone?"
The cat stared up at him with wide eyes. Acronix sighed. "Who would do such a cruel thing...?" As dirty and skinny as it was, he could only assume it was a street cat.
"What should I do with you?" he thought. "Should i take you home with me?" The kitten mewed. Acronix grinned. "Would you like that?" Another meow. "Then it's settled! You're coming with me!"
He carefully carried the kitten in his arms and hurriedly walked back to the museum. As he stood in front of the base's secret entrance, he paused. Krux certainly wouldn't be happy if he suddenly came back with a cat. He knew him that well.
"Kitty, you have to be quiet now, okay?" he said softly. "My brother shouldn't see you!" The white furball blinked at him. Acronix slipped it inside his jacket and then entered the base.
On quiet feet he moved in the direction of the room. "Nix? Back already?" He heard Krux' voice from another room. Acronix flinched and wanted to flee as quickly as possible when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
He cried out in surprise and turned around. "H-hey! Don't scare me like that!" His brother raised an eyebrow skeptically. "What's the matter with you? And why are you already here again?"
"I-i'm fine! And I didn't feel like it, so I came back."
There was silence.
"Um...I'm going to my room now, okay? Byeee!" Acronix finally wanted to leave, but Krux blocked his way. "Why are you so weird?"
"I'm not!"
"You are."
"Let me pass!"
Suddenly, a pitiful meow came from his jacket. "What was that?" Acronix faked a cough to drown out the meowing. "I have no idea what you mean!" His brother was getting impatient. "Stop this nonsense! You're hiding something."
Acronix bit his lip nervously. "Please don't freak out now..." Hesitantly, he took the kitten out of his jacket. Krux's eyes widened in horror. His gaze darted between Acronix and the cat.
"That's a joke, right?" he asked dryly. "Acronix, why are you bringing a cat home?"
"She was all alone!", the younger one explained. "And look how emaciated she is! She probably hadn't had anything to eat for a long time."
He scratched her gently behind the ear and she started to purr loudly. "Can I keep her?"
"That's out of the question."
"Oh, come on!" Acronix whined. "I've always wanted a pet!"
"But we don't have room for a flea-infested furball here!" his older brother interjected. "Take it to an animal shelter. It's better off there." Acronix made a sad face and hugged the kitten. "But she's so cute! Please, big bro, make an exception!"
He was staring at him with the cutest puppy-eyes he could do. Most of the time he could persuade him that way. "Forget it." Krux folded his arms across his chest. "You won't get away with it this time!"
He actually got away with it. It took a while, but eventually Krux gave up. "You're gonna be the one who takes the responsibility, got it?" he had said grimly. Acronix's eyes had gleamed with delight. "Of course! Thank you, brother!"
After giving the kitten a little bath, it was now even more fluffy than before and its white fur was shiny. Now he had placed a bowl of milk in front of her, which she immediately devoured.
"You seem to enjoy that, don't you?" Acronix said delightedly, sitting next to her on the floor and watching her intently. Krux, standing by, eyed the new roommate disapprovingly. "You need a name," Acronix suddenly remarked. "And I already have the perfect one for you! Your name' gonna be Bean!"
Krux snorted in amusement. "Bean? Can't think of anything better?"
"It suits her!", the younger defended himself. "She's tiny as a bean."
"You do know that one day she'll be big?"
Acronix did not address this. "You like that name too, don't you, Bean?" he asked the cat in a sugary voice. She lifted her head and mewed in agreement. "Are you done eating?"
Bean licked her nose with her pink tongue and brushed around Acronix's legs. Then she padded towards Krux, tail held high, and did the same. "Hey, cut it out," he growled moodily and took a step back.
His younger twin giggled. "She seems to like you!" Bean sat down and looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Come on, pet her!" Acronix prompted. Krux sighed, reluctantly leaning down to the kitten and hesitantly petting it.
Bean purred loudly before suddenly climbing up his leg. "Stop! Go away!", he scolded and tried to shake her off. Acronix laughed. "Stop laughing and take her away!" His brother rushed to him and freed him from the playful furball.
"Are you scared of that little kitten?" Acronix teased. "Of course not," Krux answered gruffly and laboriously plucked the white hair from his pants.
"Mhm..." He grinned and turned to Bean. "How about a little tour? After all, this is your new home now!" The kitten mewed. Acronix giggled and Krux rolled his eyes in annoyance.
The days went by and Bean had already settled into her new home. Acronix had gotten everything he needed for her: cat food, toys, a basket, and so on.
Now Bean snoozed contentedly on Acronix' lap as he fondled her lovingly.
"You're really spending every minute with this feline, aren't you?" Krux remarked snippy. His brother grinned knowingly. "Someone must be jealous!"
The older man snorted disapprovingly. "I am not! At least you don't annoy me all the time!" Grumbling, he turned away. Acronix giggled and quietly said to Bean, "He is jealous!"
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Krux was sitting on the sofa, reading a book. Then he heard a meow and a moment later Bean jumped up to him. The older one sighed. "What do you want?" She mewed again and brushed her head against his knee.
Krux hesitated, glancing around cautiously to make sure his brother wasn't around. Then he picked Bean up and placed her on his lap. She purred in delight as he scratched her.
Krux didn't like to admit it, but he really had taken this kitty to his heart. He probably just had a weakness for cats. Bean suddenly hopped back down and rushed across the room. She had spotted her toy ball.
"Do you want to play?" Krux asked as she came back with the ball and put it down next to him. "All right then." He put the book aside, picked up the ball and threw it. Bean ran after it, grabbed it and brought it back.
Krux chuckled. "Are you perhaps a dog?" He threw it again.
"Good girl," he praised her when she returned with the toy. Suddenly he heard a giggle and when he looked up he saw Acronix watching him from behind the door.
"What are you doing?!" he hissed. "You're playing with heeeer!" his little brother teased. "That means you like heeeer!" Krux felt his face turning red. "Nonsense! She just hasn't stopped annoying me!"
"Suuuure..." Acronix grinned. "Your face gives you away!" Bean meowed loudly. "Even Bean knows you're lying, you softie!"
Krux shot the ball at him and hit his head. "Ouch! Heeey!"