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Afternoons in the Moriarty manor were generally quiet. At least, out where Fred was, in the gardens. Since he was the only one who took on gardening duties, he was naturally alone as he went out to tend to the flowers.
The rose garden was not far from the main building itself; the greenhouse was stationed a few paces away from one of the side doors. Fred had a pail of water and a small watering can in his hands as he lugged them out, the pail slightly heavy due to the amount of water inside. He had found it to be more efficient to bring all of the water over in one go, then use a smaller container to water the rows of flowers. Of course, that meant he’d have to struggle a bit due to his small stature.
Sometimes he’d have Moran or someone else help him out, but the others were out getting information and planning, so he had to do it alone today. He sighed softly as he set down the pail near the doorway on the inside of the garden. Then, he bent down to fill the smaller can with water so he could start watering the roses.
Just after finishing watering a row of flowers, he noticed some movement in the garden. Fred paused in his actions. He was supposed to be alone; was someone trying to break in? He quietly set down the watering can in his hands, then made his way over to where he saw the movement.
As he drew closer, he ruled out the idea that whatever had made the movement was human. There was no place for a person to hide in the garden, and there was also no reason for someone who was trying to target the manor to make a pitstop to admire the flowers.
It didn’t take long before he spotted a tricolor tail at the base of one of the bushes. Fred let out a breath. So it was just a cat, he thought to himself. Fred bent down, placing his hands on his knees. He could see the cat shifting, his eyes meeting the calico’s bright green ones.
They stared at each other for a second, neither of them moving. Then, Fred broke the standstill, stretching his hand out to the cat. The cat obediently scooted forward, its whiskers twitching as it sniffed Fred’s hand. He turned his hand over to scratch the cat’s head, the cat letting him do so.
As he drew his hand back, the cat inched its way out of the bush, watching him curiously. He smiled, then returned to the entrance of the greenhouse, picking up the watering can once again.
It wasn’t too rare to see stray animals in the garden, so Fred didn’t pay the cat too much attention as he continued with his rounds. The cat followed him around, Fred patting its head once more before he returned to the manor with the pail and watering can in hand, leaving it behind in the garden.
Normally, stray animals came and went, but that calico cat was still wandering in the garden the next time Fred came back. Once again, he set down the tools in his hand and pet it, the cat meowing in response. Fred gave it a small smile before he went back to work, picking up the watering can and filling it up.
The third time he saw the cat in the garden, Fred couldn’t help but feel worried. Generally, the animals that came by would only stay for a bit before leaving, but this cat seemed to have been taking refuge in the garden. After watering all of the flowers and weeding out the stray leaves, Fred brought his tools back inside. He made his way to the kitchen and washed his hands, spotting a spare loaf of bread left out on the counter. He looked at it for a moment, then reached out and broke a piece off, carrying it with him as he went back out to the garden.
The cat was still there when he returned, and Fred offered it the bread he had taken from the kitchen. After looking up at him for a while, the cat accepted it, taking it out of his hands before scampering into a corner. Fred quietly stood there for a moment, then left to return to the manor.
Somehow, he had become accustomed to bringing a bit of extra food to give to the cat every time he went to water the flowers. Perhaps it was a habit from when he used to live in the slums. Then, he also particularly liked feeding stray cats — before he realized it, he had regularly been taking care of about thirty of them.
In comparison, taking care of just one cat was much easier. He had also started making trips out to the garden even on days he didn’t need to water the flowers. He had seen Moran and Louis looking confused when he excused himself, though neither of them had pressed when he came back.
This routine went on for a while — until one day, Fred entered the garden to see someone crouched down by one of the bushes. The suit and blonde hair gave the person away; it was no one other than the leader of the Moriarty Plan, William himself.
And… he seemed to be petting the cat…?
Fred froze in place, realizing that he had never asked for permission to keep the cat. He knew that William was a benevolent person, but he couldn’t help but think about the last time he had been caught taking care of a pet without asking first.
It was a long time ago, when he was still at the orphanage. The director had caught him that time. From the next day on, he had never seen the cat again. Every time he passed by the director, the latter would glance at him with an icy coldness in his eyes, making Fred feel as if taking care of a stray was something that was looked down on.
… It was quite ironic, looking back on it.
“Fred?” William’s voice drew Fred out of his frozen state.
“Yes?” Fred responded hesitantly, unsure how William would respond.
“Have you been taking care of this cat?”
Fred inhaled sharply. “Yes.”
William turned to him, Fred’s eyes widening as he saw the cat in William’s arms. “It seems to be quite friendly,” William said casually, petting its head. “Would you like to keep it in the manor?”
“... Huh?”
That wasn’t what he was expecting William to say.
“I was thinking a new companion would liven up the place,” William smiled. “And I’m sure I can rely on you to take good care of our friend here.”
“Ah-” Fred paused, his gaze sliding to the ground. “I’m sorry for not asking for permission before.”
“No need to worry.” William moved to stand next to him. “I think it’s nice that you’ve found something you liked doing while being here. Why don’t we introduce it to everyone else?”
“Is that okay?” Fred frowned. “I mean- for me to take care of a cat like this.”
“Of course,” William responded easily. “I see nothing wrong with doing things that you like if you have the time, as long as it doesn’t harm others. Come, we have a new friend to welcome.”
“Ah… okay.” Fred followed behind William mindlessly, still slightly stunned at William’s easy acceptance of the cat.
Perhaps it actually wasn’t that surprising. There had been a whole ordeal when they had to take care of some fish; William did seem pretty interested in them back then. He was also the kind of person to help someone if their cat got stuck in a tree, or if someone’s puppy got lost.
William’s kindness was always refreshing to see. Each time, Fred was reminded why he had chosen to follow such a person in the first place. With William at the head of their group, Fred truly believed that they’d be able to change the corrupt society that they lived in.
-
“We’re keeping this thing?” Moran lifted the cat up by its scruff, staring in disdain as the cat kicked empty air. “Isn’t that just a waste of time?”
All of those in the manor had convened in the living room, scattered around the couches or standing around. Fred had his hands folded in his lap as he watched everyone else react to the small cat that was in the room.
“No way, the cat’s so cute!” Bonde quickly rescued the cat, smoothing down its fur. Then, he turned to look at William. “Does this little one have a name?”
“No, I don’t believe Fred has named her.” William glanced at Fred, who nodded in agreement.
“Hm… what would be a fitting name for a cat?” Albert took a sip of his tea before setting it back down on its saucer.
“You could name it Three, since it has three colors,” Moran commented dryly, earning a slap to the back of his head from Jack.
“How about emerald, since she has green eyes?” Louis suggested, then furrowed his brows. “Though, that makes it seem like she’s a green cat…”
Bonde let go of the cat, watching it jump down from his lap onto the ground. Multiple sets of eyes watched as the cat made its way to Fred, curling around his leg. “Aw, it likes you!” Bonde smiled.
“I’ve been taking care of it for a bit,” Fred admitted, reaching down to pat its head.
“That’s why you’ve been sneaking out?” Moran raised his brows, laughing when Fred refused to meet his gaze, slightly embarrassed.
“Well if the young master has no objections to keeping it, I have none either,” Jack stated succinctly, his eyes trained on the tri-color cat.
Multiple murmurs of agreement echoed throughout the room before it quieted down again. It was only when Moneypenny hit her fist against her palm that the silence was broken.
“Why don’t we name it Biscuit?” She looked up, her eyes lighting up. “The white part kind of looks like milk…”
“Biscuit…” William echoed, nodding slowly.
“I like it!” Bonde shot Moneypenny a thumbs up, then leaned down to gesture at the cat. “Come here, Biscuit!”
The cat looked at Bonde, unable to process what he had said. The room burst into varying degrees of laughter at the cat’s lack of reaction.
“Hey, Fred,” Bonde looked up after catching his breath, Fred tilting his head in response. “Mind if I steal this little one away for a bit? I think it would be fun to take care of a cat for a while.”
“Oh,” Fred blinked, then looked down at the cat that was circling around his legs. “Sure.”
He was still a bit surprised at the positive reception of bringing a cat into the manor. But after a second, he shook his head, clearing those thoughts. Of course they’d be open to something as minor as that. Everyone in the manor was extremely kind and open; it was something that he had accepted long ago.
He didn’t have to be as on edge as he once was. He could let himself relax around them; they were the family that he had once been looking for. And now, the cat — Biscuit — had joined him.
“Really? Yay!” Bonde’s voice broke through Fred’s thoughts. The former’s excitement made him smile a bit.
Over the next few days, Bonde did seem to actually become slightly closer to Biscuit. Fred had seen him playing with the cat on a few occasions, the calico friendly enough to let Bonde pet her.
The next time he saw the cat, Moran was once again picking her up by the scruff, Bonde telling him that he should try taking care of the cat; it was actually pretty fun. Moran grudgingly agreed, though Fred caught him dumping the cat into Louis’s arms the following day.
Louis earnestly took care of Biscuit, but he ended up spending too much time trying to perfect her food and the time of day to let her take a walk outside. Though, the manor was a bit more lively with people actively hustling around trying to raise the small animal.
It brought out a few hidden sides to people that Fred had never seen — like the way Moneypenny would go out of her way to pet the cat, or how Jack would try to teach it tricks in his free time. He’d find the cat in the gardens sometimes, when he would go out to water the plants.
Even after spending time with everyone else, Biscuit seemed to like following him around. Perhaps it was because he was the first one to meet her, or perhaps she had just taken a liking to his calm demeanor. (It was probably the latter.)
Eventually, the responsibility of taking care of Biscuit was returned to Fred. Surprisingly, it was William who took care of her last, William saying that he would love to take care of her longer if not for the plans he had to make. Thus, Biscuit ended up accompanying him as he went to the gardens once again, the pail and watering can in his hands.
Biscuit meowed as he set down the tools by the entrance, Fred bending down so that he could pet her. She was much more familiar with the manor and those who lived in it now; she no longer hid in the bushes like when Fred first found her. Fred’s expression softened as he picked up the watering can, thinking about how the cat was a bit similar to himself.
The afternoon sun poured in through the large windows as Fred tended to the flowers row by row, making sure they had enough water and checking for dead plants before moving onto the next one. Biscuit usually liked to wander around before following him, keeping him company.
Because Fred didn’t talk a lot, even when alone, when he was in the garden, the only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of leaves and the pouring of water. However, Herder had dropped by the other day and gave Biscuit a collar with a little bell on it, so whenever she moved, it would jingle quietly.
Fred waited for the jingling noise as he finished watering the plants, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. Soon enough, Biscuit appeared from one of the rows of flowers, making her way over to him. Nodding, Fred let them out of the garden, about to return to the manor.
He paused for a moment, taking in the scenery before him. Though it wasn’t much different than when he had first arrived, there still had been a lot of change. He was no longer an outcast; he had found a home in the manor with the people who lived there.
Instead of reminiscing about the past, he was going to look toward the future. He’d do as much as he could to support William and his ideals, so that he could stand by his side. Next to him, Biscuit nudged his leg with her head, meowing softly. Fred felt his lips tug upward in a smile as he looked down at her, letting her circle around him for a bit before he continued walking, returning to the manor.