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“Before you say anything, the cat followed me first.”
Henry barely got through the door when he heard Alex say this. The grocery bags balanced on his wrist twisted as he tried to put them down on the counter.
What cat could Alex possibly be talking about? Henry knew David wasn’t particularly fond of other animals. He distinctly remembers a moment at the dog park. Alex was sitting on a bench, recording Henry and David playing around with a ball when another dog approached them. David took one sniff and growled. Henry pulled him away and all the way back home before anything detrimental happened.
Henry couldn’t blame him. David spent most of his life in a palace with only humans, and Bea’s cat that he also didn’t like very much. Maybe he understood Henry’s complaints.
Henry saw David hiding underneath the dining room table and decided that whatever Alex did put him there. He could hear laughing coming from the living room and even noticed a distinct set of curls just barely peeking over the couch.
“Alex, love, what the hell are you talking about?”
“Come look.”
Henry walked into the living room and saw Alex, smiling like he invented it, and a small kitten squirming on her back with a neon green toy stuck between her paws. She was a pale ginger and concerningly skinny, but Alex had a bowl in his lap and a blanket on the floor.
“Isn’t she just the most precious thing you ever did see?” Alex didn’t even look up at Henry, just cooed at the kitten that currently occupied a small space on their carpeted floor. Said floor had enough dog hairs to make its own rug, now there was a cat roaming around on it.
But she was precious, Henry could not deny that fact as much as he wanted to. And Alex seemed so happy.
“Adorable, darling,” Henry kneeled down on the opposite side of Alex. “May I ask how this happened?”
“Acting like I wasn’t going to tell you anyway but sure.”
“Menace.”
“Asshole,” Alex redirected his smile from the kitten to Henry. “It’s simple, really. I was walking home and there was a box knocked over that said ‘kittens for sale’ but seeing as the box was on its side, there were no kittens. Or at least I thought so until this little one crept out from behind and pawed at my ankle.”
Alex gently scratched the kitten’s stomach and Henry watched him. It was a cute sight, one that he has seen many times with David, but with more energy. This kitten seemed unbothered and relaxed whereas David is constantly ready for play.
“David is currently whimpering under our dinner table.”
“He’ll get over it.”
Henry knew him and Alex were well off. They had the space, they had the money, but he didn’t quite know if they had the time. It is rare for one person to be home at all times, they are usually both gone and reconcile together. The only time they find themselves alone is when the other is traveling, and they usually do that together as well.
They had time for David because he had a sitter yet, he was used to Henry because of the amount of time they spent together.
“Darling-”
“Before you say no, I already took her to the vet and got her checked out. And got her a collar,” Alex peeked up at Henry through the loose curls that fell over his eyes. “And I possibly named her.”
Henry sighed. Of course, he already named her.
“This better be good after what I endured with naming David.”
“Well, in the theme of celebrities, or in our case, celebrities made icons by queer people, I picked the most fitting name that I could,” Alex then placed a tiny cowboy hat on the floor. “I named her Dolly Paw-ton.”
Henry took a moment to stare at his boyfriend, then at the kitten, or Dolly Paw-ton, and the small pink cowboy hat on the ground before he laughed. He laughed harder than he has all week and Alex joined him. This could be seen as insanity or just two men who needed to let everything go.
“That is just like you.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment, baby.”
“Has she worn it yet?” Henry picked up the hat and placed it flat on his palm. He didn’t even know where these were sold. Alex probably knew. This should have been expected since they last talked about getting another dog so David could have a friend. Henry only brought up the fact that another dog would be David’s enemy and Alex laughed, kissed him sweetly, and whispered the words that he would convince Henry somehow.
Henry had other thoughts, but Alex, being the bright and Southern man that he is, used Dolly Parton against him.
“She bit me. I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Tomorrow, because Henry gets to have this tomorrow. Alex, a home, a job he loves, a bed that he finally gets to share, David, and now Dolly. He gets to have a family tomorrow and sometimes; it still doesn’t feel real.
“David will warm up to her, I’m sure.” Henry lightly scratched Dolly’s head.
Alex gave him a doubtful look. There was no way those two were ever going to get along, but it was okay.
The rest of the night was filled with discussion and adoration. Henry got to hold her, gently, and she didn’t fuss when Alex took her back to lay her down on a dog bed David outgrew. They moved her into their bedroom, and after Alex finally fell asleep, Henry made a mental note to call David’s royal sitter in the morning to inform him about the new addition.