Archive of Our Own

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[MUFFLED MEOWS, MORE DISTINCT PURRING, FOOTSTEPS]

[VOICES INCREASING IN VOLUME]

[excitedly] Martin, look at this one!

Jon, you've said that about the last four cats we've looked at!

But this one is perfect!

[FOND LAUGHTER]

If you say so, love.

[SOFT MEOW]

[quietly] You're so soft, and oh so fluffy. [louder] I think his fur is almost the same color as your hair.

[sighing fondly] We're taking him home then, are we?

[LOUD PURRING]

[FOOTSTEPS]

Oh, I see you found our newest residents!

[together] Residents?

Yep! They're a bonded pair. The orange cat is usually in front, hiding the black cat. The black cat, poor guy, looks like he's been through a few alley wars. But it's a good sign the orange one likes you—we've been calling him Marmalade, and the black cat Blackberry, one of our kid volunteers was on a toast-themed naming kick that weekend.

[LAUGHTER]

I know, I know. They don't yet seem very attached to those names, though, so you'll be able to change them fairly easily. I'm Tabitha, by the way—I'm just going to clean some of the kitten cages while they're out in the day room. Let me know if you need anything!

[distracted] Thanks.

[PAUSE]

Is it just me, or does the shadow in the back have eyes?

[snorting] That's probably Blackberry. Oh, Martin! He's coming toward us! Quick, put your fingers by the bars.

Yes, dear.

No need to be rude in front of the cats.

[SNORTING]

[PAUSE]

[softly, full of concern] He's very skinny, and it looks like there's spots where his fur isn't quite growing right.

[equally soft] Just means we'll have to give him lots of love.

Well, we know you have plenty of that to go round.

[FABRIC RUSTLES]

H-hey! Careful there! Shoving me made Blackberry here unhappy.

[muttering] Blackberry. [louder] We need to find them new names.

[LOUD MEOWING]

[laughing] I think they agree.

So, we're taking them home?

[happily] Yeah, we are.

I'll go get Tabitha, see what paperwork we have to do. Then I'll go get the carrier from the car. Hopefully, they'll let us get away with the one, since I wasn't expecting two cats. [voice gets softer] Although I probably should have, knowing you.

He's a lot of bluster, don't worry. He's very happy with you both, too, I know.

[RUMBLING]

Tim will have a field day, though. I don't know how I'm going to live this one down, not on top of him being right about Martin and I hitting it off on a blind date. [laughing] It's been four years, you think he'd let it go.

[MEOWING]

Marmalade, you haven't even met Tim yet! Sasha will love you, though, she's always wanted a fluffy cat. Oh, and Georgie will be so jealous—she's still sad the Admiral never got as fluffy as she thought he would when he was a kitten.

[SOFTER, CROAKY MEOW]

Why, hello there Blackberry. Yes, I'm more than happy to scratch your ears with my other hand. Four hands in our house means plenty of pets, that's for sure. And since both of our jobs have stayed work-from-home, there's lots of time for cuddling. Oh, well, you both seem quite good at that already. It's very sweet of you to clean Blackberry's head, Marmalade.

[CROAKY MEOW, RUMBLING]

[FOOTSTEPS COMING BACK]

We really will need to give you better names. Don't worry, I've got a list—you'll just have to meow to tell me which ones you like. Sound fair?

[MEOWING]

Convincing them to go along with your plans already? Hardly fair, love.

[MUFFLED KISS]

You know they'll love you more than me anyway. I've got to gain an advantage somehow.

[OFFENDED MEOW]

[LAUGHTER]

[FOOTSTEPS]

Ready to take these guys home?

Absolutely.

Great! Let's get that paperwork done.

We'll be right back, and then, home.

[FOOTSTEPS RECEDE]

[RUMBLING, TWO SOFT MEOWS]

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