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"Oh my goodness!" Nilou gasps with delight, her voice pitching gleefully. "Alhaitham, I didn't know you have a cat!"
Alhaitham closes the door to his apartment and hears a tinkering collar bell. When he turns around, he sees Nilou crouched to the ground, fawning over a small and fluffy white kitten with big green eyes.
"Ah. Yes, that's Nahida. Are you allergic?"
"No, I'm in love," Nilou sighs dreamily in reply. She takes on a baby tone as she introduces herself: "Hi there, Nahida! I’m Nilou! Did you know you’re named after the goddess of wisdom? Oh, you’re just so adorable and soft!” Then, looking up and speaking with her normal tone, she asks, “Can I pick her up?"
Alhaitham waves off the question, brushing beyond the entryway to take a seat in his living room. "Ask her, not me," he says as he pulls out his laptop, settling in to work.
Nilou blinks at him owlishly, then looks back at Nahida. Ask her…? Wait—he wants me to ask the cat? Alhaitham isn’t that kind of crazy, is he?
Yet Nahida makes eye contact with Nilou in a way that belies a true intelligence. Her tail sways expectantly, like she’s waiting to be asked. Nilou hesitates, then shrugs and does as instructed.
“Nahida, can I pick you up?” The woman gingerly asks, offering her hands for inspection. With a graceful stretch to her feet, Nahida seems to respond to the inquiry with a happy mew! before bunting her head against Nilou’s fingers.
“That’s a yes,” Alhaitham informs from the couch, tapping away at his keyboard. Nilou has to hide a smile at his interjection.
She gently picks up the kitten with both hands, cradling Nahida to her chest. For her part, Nahida is completely relaxed, her full trust placed in a human she’s never met. Handling her with care, Nilou marvels aloud, “You’re so fluffy, Nahida! I’ve never seen such pretty white fur,” she coos, gently rubbing a finger under Nahida’s tiny chin. Nilou earns herself a purr she can feel against her heart, and it makes her all warm inside. She carries the baby with her and takes a seat at Alhaitham’s side.
“How long have you had her?” Nilou asks in her normal voice again, finally taking a proper look around Alhaitham’s apartment. The first thing she notes is the odd lack of toys. She wonders if he cleans them up before he leaves for class. She doesn’t see a cat tree or a scratching post, either—not even a window perch for Nahida to sun herself. Maybe the kitten is a recent addition to his space?—
“—Around a year and a half now,” Alhaitham corrects her assumption. Nilou’s surprise cannot be mistaken.
“And she’s still so small?”
“She’s been the same size ever since I found her.”
“Oh my goodness,” Nilou breathes, looking back down at Nahida in wonder. The kitten’s eyes are closed as she continues to purr, utterly liquid where she’s snuggled against the crook of Nilou’s elbow. “You really are such a pretty little baby…”
Unable to resist giving the exposed belly an experimental touch, Nilou finds herself rewarded with a non-response. Emboldened, Nilou gently curls her nails. Still no response. Flattening her fingers, she slowly strokes from fluffy collar fur down a slender chest to soothe a soft tummy. Nahida’s purring remains uninterrupted.
An adorable kitty that can understand her owner and lets strangers touch her tummy? Nilou can’t help the flare of jealousy she feels over discovering that not one, but two people she knows have somehow stumbled across the best cats to ever exist.
“Nahida, if you ever want to come stay with me, I would take you in a heartbeat,” she promises, gently booping the kitty’s cute pink nose.
“I would prefer you not try stealing my cat right in front of me,” Alhaitham cuts in smoothly, a note of dry humor in his voice. Nahida, for her part, sneezes and paws at her face before blinking up at Nilou with half-lidded eyes. The purring hasn’t stopped, but Nilou gets a sense of feline rejection all the same.
“Wow,” she sighs out, both in response to Alhaitham and in her fascination with Nahida, “You are so lucky.”
“Yes, she is,” Alhaitham agrees, to which Nilou pauses before laughing.
“No, no, I meant you. You’re the lucky one, Alhaitham, getting such an adorable friend,” Nilou coos in her baby voice again, delighting as Nahida streeeetches in her arms. She only relaxes once one of her little paws can rest on Alhaitham’s leg, something that makes Nilou aww happily.
“Mm. Here,” Alhaitham stands from his seat, setting his laptop on the couch cushion and turning it so Nilou can read over his thesis as promised. “Your arms are occupied, so narrate your thoughts and suggestions instead. I’ll remember them and incorporate the feedback later. I’m going to make lunch and tea.”
“Oh, of course,” Nilou agrees easily, smiling up at her host.
He walks himself to the kitchenette as Nilou starts reading, one of her hands idly stroking over Nahida’s torso. Every now and then, she’ll read a passage aloud and voice her opinion on it, though on the whole, Alhaitham’s so-called “draft” is already a very cohesive essay—as expected of a literature and linguistics dual-major.
“This seems like it’s already been proof-read a number of times—oh, thank you. I’m not sure how much my suggestions will help you,” Nilou admits as she holds her fresh cup of tea with both hands. Nahida slips out of Nilou’s lap to rest along her thigh instead, settling just outside of tea-splashing range in case something goes awry.
A tray with sliced fruit and a sandwich cut in half is set on the coffee table in front of her. “A second set of eyes is always beneficial,” Alhaitham states neutrally. “For your trouble,” he indicates the food as he picks his laptop back up and turns to sit.
“It’s no trouble at all. Actually, getting to meet Nahida has made this entire visit totally worth it!” Nilou smiles, rubbing Nahida’s forehead in a slow circle with her gentle thumb. “If you don’t mind me digressing for a moment, may I know her story? How did she find her way into your heart?” With a light giggle, Nilou dares to add, “I know there are people out there that would love to find out if it’s a replicable experiment.”
Alhaitham’s fingers briefly pause as he considers the question, then resumes typing. “Per the on-campus dorm policy, there is only room for a single animal in a one-bedroom apartment. It is also highly doubtful that I will ever find another animal anywhere near as intelligent as Nahida. I think the two of us are quite content as things are. I can only foresee trouble and headache if a third party were to be added to our arrangement.”
Nilou looks at Alhaitham, wondering if he knew that she said people would be interested in finding a way into his heart, not more animals. Shaking her head with a soft laugh, Nilou then asks again, “Okay, I see your point. Still, you didn’t answer: How did you find her?”
”She found me,” Alhaitham replies, not slowing as he types. “She was too young and small to have a chip, and there were no stray mother cats in the area. I don’t know what kind of journey she took to wind up on my doorstep, but..." He hesitates. "It was an unpleasant one."
“So you rescued her?” Nilou asks, her voice soft as she looks down at Nahida. She’s shifted onto her side, legs sprawled comfortably, her soft pink toes pressing against Alhaitham’s leg while her spine lays along Nilou’s thigh. She looks so happy and carefree, utterly content—Nilou can’t imagine what she must have gone through to end up all alone, relying on the whims of a random human.
“Yes, I did.” Nahida’s eyes suddenly blink open, then close happily as Alhaitham’s fingers gently rub over her forehead. “I had never owned a pet before, however, so I called on a more knowledgeable friend. He did a commendable job assisting in Nahida’s full recovery despite knowing nothing about veterinary sciences.”
“That almost sounds like praise,” Nilou teases, an attempt at lightening the mood. The man scoffs lightly, withdrawing his hand as he gets back to his paper.
“Without Tighnari, I would not have kept Nahida. Is that praise enough?”
“Plenty. I’ll be sure to pass the message when I see him next.”
“No need, he’s already received my thanks directly—and Nahida’s favor is its own reward.”
“Nahida’s favor?” Nilou queries, tilting her head.
“Much to Cyno’s chagrin,” Alhaitham says, closing his laptop, “Nahida prefers Tighnari.”
“Maybe she recognizes him from that time,” Nilou hums, following Alhaitham’s lead as they both get to their feet. “It’s got to be her way of thanking him for what he did, helping you help her.”
“Among other things.” It’s an oddly vague answer, but before Nilou can question it, Alhaitham beckons, “Nahida, here,” patting his chest. She looks in time to see Nahida bunch herself up and leap off the couch, landing in Alhaitham’s arms. Her purr is audible as she snuggles into his collar, and they shift together so that Nahida is cradled against one of his biceps, leaving his other arm free. He carries her like this to the door, which he unlocks and pulls open for Nilou.
“Thank you for your assistance with my paper. Goodbye,” he dismisses her.
“Oh—yes, of course, I have class soon!” Nilou gasps as she checks the time. “Thank you so much for watching the clock for me, Alhaitham! And goodbye, Nahida, it was so lovely to meet you,” she coos, giving the kitten one more scritch under her chin before turning to step out the door. She hesitates at the threshold.
“—eh?” Nilou blinks, puzzling over something as she steps out of Alhaitham’s apartment. She strides forward, glancing around the hedge of a bush before straightening to look around. “Huh! I could’ve sworn…”
“Is something wrong?” Alhaitham patiently asks from the door. Nilou looks around one more time before spinning on her toes, offering him a shrug.
“I thought I saw Mehrak!” She says, shaking her head. “My eyes must be playing tricks on me.”
“And Mehrak is?”
“A cream-colored tabby,” Nilou explains, “with big green eyes like Nahida’s. She’s another smart and gorgeous cat—and you know, if you were ever going to get a second one, I think she’d be the one!” She smiles and waves at him. “But anyway, I’ll get going now. Thanks again for inviting me, I hope I helped!”
Alhaitham does not reply, merely waving her off in return before closing the door and locking it. He stands there for a moment, then rocks back on his feet to look down at Nahida. The kitten blinks up at him innocently, stretching out her paws toward his face before she starts kneading the air.
“Hmm,” he huffs, allowing a fond smile to cross his lips before he warns her, “I’m going to be busy with my paper this afternoon, so no lap time.” She meows in response and he nods, satisfied that the message has been received. He bends over to put her down and sees her languidly stretch—and then her head suddenly whips towards the living room.
Alhaitham’s eyes follow Nahida’s attention as he straightens up. That’s when he realizes there is another set of eyes watching them.
Nahida’s collar bell chimes as she darts towards the other cat. Alhaitham has never seen her move so quickly apart from when she chases a feather toy. She stops just short of running into the sliding glass door, her tail held high in excited greeting.
As the two cats examine each other with open curiosity, Alhaitham realizes that this is the first time (he thinks) Nahida has seen another cat.
Alhaitham slowly walks towards the door, wary of interrupting Nahida’s attempt at making a friend. He’s not seen any other cats on campus before. As he gets closer, he can see that the golden-furred tabby cat looks very clean for a supposed stray. Its markings are pale and almost geometric in shape, and its emerald eyes rival Nahida’s in depth and brightness.
A soft miau! draws Alhaitham’s attention away from the cat outside, and Alhaitham looks down to see Nahida pleading at him. She never begs for anything—not food, not attention, not toys—but right now, she’s begging him to open the door.
With a sigh, Alhaitham does as requested. Nilou did say that a cat matching this description would be a good second pet for him.
Alhaitham watches them for a little bit to make sure that they’re getting along. Mehrak seems more energetic than Nahida but they both seem excited to meet one another. They sniff each other, and there’s a short-lived game of playful chase, but Alhaitham knows he has nothing to worry about when they climb up onto the couch and start grooming each other.
And so, for a brief time, Mehrak makes herself at home courtesy of her gracious host, Nahida.
The kitties sleep together in a yin-yang formation as Alhaitham works on his paper, listening to music. When his focus timer goes off and he realizes the sun is beginning to set, he starts thinking about dinner. He looks over at the cream-and-white disc of fur, observing them for a long moment before shaking his head as he recalculates his budget to feed the two mouths now in his care.
It’s as he takes off his headphones that Alhaitham hears a commotion outside—one that also gets a sleepy Mehrak’s attention, too.
There is a muffled voice shouting loudly enough that Alhaitham can almost make out what they’re saying. A two-syllable name, perhaps. Are they looking for someone, or just making an early-evening drunken ruckus? Alhaitham feels a vague annoyance at the thought of the latter. The moment his emotions start to trend negatively, however, he feels a brush of fur against his arm, and looks to see Nahida curling her tail into a question mark.
“...it’s nothing,” Alhaitham assures, lifting a hand to pet her gently. “I apologize for disturbing your nap.” She purrs softly and bunts her head against his arm, then places one paw against his thigh.
Alhaitham’s eyes narrow in response to the request. He’d said no lap time earlier, but he’s almost done with his paper—so he acquiesces, setting his open laptop on the table and patting his knee as an invitation. Nahida takes it immediately, hopping onto his thighs. Then, she turns to place a paw on his chest, and miaus before bunting his chin.
It’s then that he actually smiles, lifting both hands to give her a massage behind the jowls as thanks for her concern. “You don’t need to worry about me.” He glances over and sees the cream tabby sitting in his entryway. He thinks to add, It seems you should say goodbye to Mehrak instead, thinking that the cat is signaling that she wants to leave.
Just then, there’s a heavy knock on Alhaitham’s door.
He raises an eyebrow at the noise and then scoops up Nahida, holding her against his chest so she won’t try to slip away (not that she’s ever tried.)
With Mehrak sitting behind him, he opens the door enough to peer outside. “Yes?”
Alhaitham freezes at who he sees on the other side.
The usual beauty on Alhaitham’s doorstep looks like a frantic mess. Golden hair mirrors a bird’s straw nest sticking out at every angle and it’s clear why: He runs his hand through sections of it in an attempt to self-soothe, but it only frazzles his appearance further.
“U-Um,” he stammers, then forces the words out: “I’m looking for my cat! Have you seen an orange tabby around here in the last couple of hours? She, um, she’s usually fine outdoors but I haven’t seen her all day and I’m kind of desperate,” he laughs with a note of panic. “You’re my last lead.”
Alhaitham stares at the gorgeous man, an upperclassman he’s admired from afar for years, and fails to respond before Nahida chimes in with a mew!
Garnet eyes drop to the silky cat-shaped doll in Alhaitham’s arms. At the same moment he looks enamored, he looks pained.
“Ah… this must be Nahida. And you’re Alhaitham, right?” The man tries for a smile, unaware that hearing his own name had nearly stopped Alhaitham’s heart. He lifts his gaze and introduces himself: “My name is Kaveh. Nilou told me that she thought she saw Mehrak around here earlier, so she told me where to find you just in case you’d seen her.”
At last, words occur to Alhaitham: “A golden tabby with silver markings and green eyes?”
Kaveh lights up immediately. “Yes! Yes, exactly like that! Have you seen her?!”
“In fact, she has been sleeping very contentedly on my couch all afternoon. Isn’t that right, Mehrak?”
Alhaitham steps aside to allow Kaveh a look inside his home and the man lets out an inhuman noise somewhere between a yelp and a sob. “Mehrak!” Kaveh cries out, rushing forward to scoop her into his arms. “Oh, thank you, thank you so much! I thought I lost her, I thought she—I thought,” he hiccups, unable to finish the thought as he buries his face into the fur of his beloved pet.
“Have you thought about not letting her roam outside?” Alhaitham deadpans on reflex. Nahida’s ears twitch, and her tail whaps against his ribs as Kaveh turns back to face him.
“Well—I—yes, but I found her outside, and she gets antsy if I keep her indoors for too long,” Kaveh replies quickly, holding Mehrak against his chest with a defensive posture. Remembering that Alhaitham is the one that kept her safe from the elements this afternoon, however, he tempers himself into giving sheepish thanks. “Anyway, I appreciate you taking care of her today.”
“Any time,” Alhaitham replies sincerely. “She and Nahida made fast friends.”
“Really?” Kaveh’s eyebrows lift, big red eyes getting even bigger. “Oh, that’s… actually kind of sweet. Mehrak, you’re friends with Nahida now?”
Mehrak trills loudly in reply, and Kaveh’s face breaks into a sunny smile. It suits him much better than the desperation of before.
“That’s nice. But you do know how worried I was when you didn’t come home on time, don’t you?” Mehrak’s ears pin back and she mews softly. Kaveh just shakes his head with exasperation. “It’s alright, I forgive you. I’m happy you made a friend, but let’s go home now, okay?”
Mehrak protests by wiggling in his arms at the same time that Nahida does, and the two owners are surprised as the cats in their arms struggle towards one another. Kaveh steps forward first, and Alhaitham rocks onto his toes just enough that the kitties can touch noses in an affectionate goodbye. It’s a heartwarming gesture, one that both of the humans understand as an indication that these cats are now virtually inseparable.
“...Kaveh,” Alhaitham shifts Nahida in his arms, “how often do you let Mehrak out?”
“Every day,” Kaveh replies, helping Mehrak crawl up his chest to lay around his shoulders like a feline-shaped neck warmer. “I let her roam while I’m in class and then I bring her in when I get home. She’s usually waiting for me at the door, but she wasn’t today, and that’s why I freaked out.”
“Then the next time she comes to visit, I’ll text you so you don’t have to run around looking for her.”
“Really? That would be great!” Kaveh enthuses, already moving to take out his phone. “Here, put in your contact and I’ll give you mine.” Alhaitham obliges one-handed. When both devices have what they need, they are pocketed, and the men are left with feline companions that are purring loudly enough to rival a modified car engine.
“Alright! Now that I have my study buddy back, I’ve got to hurry home. I have some drafts to finish,” Kaveh says, now eager to wrap up and leave. Not aiming to stop him, Alhaitham simply nodded, gesturing for him to take the door back outside.
“It was nice meeting you, Alhaitham.”
“Likewise.”
“I’ll, um, see you again, I guess?”
Alhaitham’s about to say we’ll see when Mehrak and Nahida both chime in with meows! of agreement. Kaveh pauses before bursting into laughter like flowers in bloom, and Alhaitham feels his stomach flip.
“Okay, you two, that’s enough,” Kaveh chides, giving one of Mehrak’s paws a teasing squeeze. She bats her other paw against his cheek as he giggles and looks back at Alhaitham. “I really do have to go—but I will see you again,” he states with more certainty this time.
“See you then,” Alhaitham agrees, and closes the door behind the sun himself.
The man stands with his hand on the door for a few moments. He comes back to himself when he feels Nahida’s paw tap on his chest.
“Yes, I know,” Alhaitham mumbles. His speeding heart will calm after he makes them dinner. He’ll unwind with a book—and afterward, he’ll take the time to process that he’d very casually managed to ask his crush for his phone number like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Nahida gives an encouraging mew, bunting her head against Alhaitham’s shoulder.
“Mm, yes, I appreciate you too. Now, which should I thank you with? Tuna from a can, or shredded deli turkey?”
The kitten closes her eyes and purrs.