Chapter Text
If you asked Shane Hollander-Rozanov why his husband was standing in the entry way with a box that is meowing this morning, he would’ve assumed he’d finally fucking lost it. All the concussions, injuries, chirps delivered face first into plexiglass had added up.
Of course, now it is different. Ilya was really holding a box that was meowing.
“Ilya…” Shane hesitated. They were more dog people, though Shane never had a real pet growing up.
“Listen—I didn’t know what to do.” Ilya was searching for words. “I get the groceries, is dark outside, I hear meowing coming from this box off in the ditch. Look,” Ilya folded down the top of the box. “Mama, her babies. It’s going to get cold soon Shane.”
The look across Ilya’s face was something Shane had very rarely seen. Part of it was worry, possibly about how Shane would react to what would normally be a joint decision. But the other part, the concern. His eyes were swelling with tears.
“Couldn’t leave them there,” Ilya whispered again, almost a beg.
In the box, Shane can see the tiny ‘mama’ cat, probably just a baby herself. She had gorgeous green eyes and was solid black, aside from the tiny white triangle on her chest. And then her squeaky babies, all different. An orange one, a grey-striped and white one, and one that was black, white, and brown. A mix of all of them.
And they were tiny, bleary little eyes looking up at Shane. They had a blanket in the bottom of the box. Likely either someone had left them there or the employees were trying to help her out.
Shane didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t just leave them there either, especially not if they were already in his house and… wait a second? Did that one just yawn?
“They are really cute,” Shane finally sighed out—all tension slipping out of Ilya’s shoulders.
“I figured we could just keep them until we can get to a vet,”
“Until we can get to a vet,” Shane confirmed. “One of us is going to have to go back to the store. Litter, food, I don’t even know.”
“You go, I’ll stay here. Put them in the bathroom,” Ilya smiled down at his new found friends.
“Not the good towels!” Shane called after him.
“Yeah, sure, whatever…” Ilya walked towards their guest bedroom.
Ilya deposited the family in the bathroom before making a beeline to the linen closet. Ilya thought, if he were a mother cat, he’d want the softest, coziest place for them to rest. He grabs a few old towels and then a ragged fleece blanket, thinking of how soft it was.
Once he got back to the bathroom, the mom had already come out of the box and was exploring the bathroom cautiously. She ran back to her babies once Ilya stepped back in.
“No worries, koshka-mama, just getting your new home set up. Shane will bring you food. I know you are hungry.
Meanwhile Shane was multitasking, watching a Youtube video and driving back to the grocery store. More listening to the video, trying to get a grasp for what he needs. So far he would need wet food, dry food, probably some puppy pads, litter, and a litter box. And then there was the debate of a water bowl or fountain and for God’s sake the cat is breastfeeding! Three babies. Shane would have to get her a water fountain.
Shane perused the grocery store grabbing what he had deemed essential. He considered kitten bottles and formula, she was probably exhausted. But then again, they would only be here until the vet saw them tomorrow. Nonetheless, he grabbed top of the line products.
By the time Shane got back and was now setting everything out on the counter, Ilya had transformed the guest bath into a cat nursery. He had filled the tub with the old towels and a soft, fleece blanket. He got water for the mom, away from the tiny babies.
She had taken a liking to Ilya, not minding then he transferred the babies (careful to only touch them with the towel, he remembers saving kittens with his mom and her telling him to be careful). She was interweaving herself around his legs, purring like she belonged here.
He stepped out and was surprised to see Shane back, organizing his haul.
“Wow, she is going to be spoiled.” Shane whispered, before setting forth to assemble the water fountain.
“She deserves it, she is single mom. I will have to track down her baby-daddy. Demand child support,”
Shane could only wonder where Ilya had come up with ‘baby-daddy’.
“Be very quiet when you come in, she has not met you.” Shane rolled his eyes.
“I am serious, she is nervous.” Ilya was dead serious. “I’m going to talk to her, it calms her.”
Ilya cracked the door open and both men slipped inside to finish setting up her palace.
“Hi sweet girl,” He whispered to her. “This is Shane. He is helping me. We are just getting you something to eat.”
Shane didn’t want to leave the bathroom.
The mom cat had taken a liking to Shane too, rubbing against his legs. Shane sat on the floor and let her roll around in the floor all over her. He couldn’t believe that within the last few weeks, this creature had grown four kittens and gave birth. Alone.
Yet here she was, nipping at his hands.
Shane wasn’t sure how old they were, but their eyes had just opened. They hissed at everything. Ilya, Shane, the blanket, eachother. Nothing but instincts.
“We found them, we should give them names.” Shane suggested.
Ilya nodded. “She is beautiful, I think Sofia.”
Shane looked in her eyes, trying to decipher what name was calling to him. “That could fit,” He scratched behind her ears. She was gorgeous.
The ride to the vet the next morning went about as expected. Three kittens, one mama cat, and then a very nervous Shane and Ilya made for an interesting ride. Let alone the fact they didn’t have a cat carrier, so they got to ride in the very box they came in.
”Mom is tiny, but she looks good. I don’t feel anything stuck.” The vet explained, rubbing a hand down Sofia’s belly. “She is just a baby herself.”
Meanwhile three techs were doting over the kittens. Checking tiny eyes and ears.
”Are you wanting to see about fosters?” The vet, Dr. Paloma, asked.
Ilya spoke up before Shane, affirming her question. Which was good, because Shane had become a little attached to them since entering their home. He didn’t necessarily want a cat family in his home, but he was scared to let them go. They may not know them like Shane and Ilya do.
“No worries, I will have a tech call our lists. See if we can get someone to take them today. If not, are you able to take them home again until we can get one?”
Shane panicked. He hadn’t yet this far ahead. He knew that he said ‘just until the vet the next morning’, but he was terrified of them getting into the wrong hands. He could use a few days to search out the perfect foster family.
”Absolutely,” Shane interjected before Ilya could speak up.
“Mama cats are remarkably good mothers. She will do most of the work. Just make sure she has a quiet place for them, food, water, and litter. And something she can make a nest out of,”
“We got her set up in our guest room en-suite.” Ilya responded.
”Good, I’ll have them start making phone calls.”
Ilya gave Shane a knowing look after the vet left.
“What?” Shane bit.
“I thought we were just keeping them until the vet visit?” Ilya asked, questioning Shane’s sudden change of mind.
“I know… but what if the foster family doesn’t take good care of them? Or she doesn’t’ feel safe?” As if on cue, Sofia had settled in Shane’s lap.
Ilya laughed and rolled his eyes. “Sure, moya lyubov, that’s what they all say.”
”You’re the one who brought them in,” Shane accused (it was true).
Minutes pass quickly as they scroll on their respective phones—pretending that they were not both thinking the same thing. Shane reading more about how to care for neonatal cats. Ilya looking up funny cat names on Tik Tok.
The vet knocked before entering, a giant carrier in her hand.
“Looks like it’s going to be a few days, the local shelter will have to use their list and see. Since Mama is unfixed and doesn’t have her shots, their options are a little slim.” She set the carrier on the table. “You will need this.”
Shane and Ilya transferred the family into the carrier and paid for their visit, throwing another $100 on the counter for the vet. Ilya couldn’t show enough appreciation for how quickly they were able to see them.
What had they gotten themselves into?
Ilya glanced down at the carrier in the backseat, where Sofia had curled her body around her babies without hesitation.
Shane reached back without thinking and rested his fingers against the plastic door.
Temporary, he told himself.
Ilya didn’t say a word.