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It was almost 10 now as Vincenzo glanced at his watch while his partner sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Cha Young was exhausted. If her calculations don't betray her, it has been two hours since they are stuck in traffic. All because they decided to let the prosecutor pick a place for dinner.
"Aish, why isn't this car moving?" She snapped.
"Because the car in front of it isn't moving, byeonhosanim." He explained dryly.
"Well, honk the horn!" She offered.
Seoul's traffic was another circle of hell.
"That would cause noise pollution."
Cha Young clicked her tongue and let her head loll on the window as she saw the cars in the other lane move and not remain stagnant like their lane.
"How about we change lanes?" She offered again.
Vincenzo sighed again.
"How about we wait?"
"Well, that is what we have been doing for hours!"
"Patience, Cara," he said, voice fond as his hand on the console moved to shift the gear. Miraculously, their line moved—only by an inch though.
She took his hand on the console and intertwined their hands.
For a few minutes afterwards, there was silence as she found herself tracing lines on his scarred hand, the lights from the traffic enunciating his scraped knuckles.
It served as a 10 minute distraction until she lolled her head on the window again—holding his hand on the console this time.
Her eyes lingered around the pavement until it landed on a box there, two cars ahead of them. She eyes it with curiosity and a gasp escaped her as a tiny tabby kitten jumped out of the wet torn box.
Vincenzo followed her gaze, one hand on the steering.
"Look!" She shrieked.
Oh no, Vincenzo thought.
Given their circumstances of battling in a war against a corrupt corporation, a barely old kitten was not even the last thing they needed.
A glance at his partner's eyes as she slips her hand out of his own on the console which moves to the car door immediately, Vincenzo knew what was up.
She tried to open the locked door as Vincenzo sighed, looking for an umbrella he kept beside his gun under his seat.
Cha Young stops her movements to glance at him as he opens the door and opens the umbrella before moving outside.
She watches him (and others in traffic stare from their windows too) as he moves to take that tabby kitten in his palm and Cha Young has already decided she'll name it something Italian (she is even more tempted to name it something after her snob of a partner) after advice from him.
When he comes back, her heart swells with affection and all her limbs are gaining a surge of kinetic energy to pull his collar as he sits inside— closing the umbrella now, the kitten watching him do it—and kiss him absolutely senseless or reroute and ask him to drive them to the union council and sign the papers (the latter happens very soon in the near future).
He looks at her as he passes the baby cat in her welcoming hands and notices her sparkling eyes before noticing the car in front moving forward and putting his hands to the gear and steering.
(She does kiss him senseless as reward when they reach his apartment.)
The traffic block is over 30 minutes after, this time accompanied by coos and baby talk by Cha Young who's introducing the stray kitten to herself and him.
The cat meows a lot in her lap and Cha Young believes those are responses and occasional questions to her introduction.
Vincenzo snorts when she says something that he knows is intended to make him snort like, "and the cons of having him as a partner is that he is as fussy as a child when it comes to food but I think that's an easy mistake," or "and despite us having law backgrounds and being aware of weapon ownership being illegal in the country, we do own a few because this gentleman driving believes that we must resort to the same tools as our opponent so don't be scared when you get on bed and your tiny legs hit some metal."
They make a stop at the convenience store and Cha Young holds the kitten in the pet aisle, asking the little creature in her hand which flavor of treats he'd prefer. Vincenzo does not know how to feel about this when he comes back from his assigned task to fetch alcohol and australian cow full fat milk for the kitten.
Once home and done with dinner which is a whole a new experience, Vincenzo just stares at the spoiled kitten and his partner—the spoiler.
As he comes back from the bathroom, he finds her with the kitten— both showered, one on the phone with his pajamas on and skin glistening and the other on the lap, purring as it sleeps.
"I sent you the location of the vet I scheduled the appointment at," she informs as she comes back after placing the kitten on the sofa (with a blanket, of course).
She takes her place in his arms, snuggling as she chatters on, "We will also go buy it a good sleeping nest and a few toys."
Vincenzo knows a lie when he hears one. Cha Young and few in one sentence is a false statement.
He kisses her forehead as she pulls him in for a kiss mainly out of the rush of excitement and affection.
"May I know the name of this...new resident?"
"It's part of family, jagiya. You need to start being more forthcoming towards it," she scolds.
"And I wanted your suggestions on the name since we are raising it together."
Cha Young swats his back when he groans in protest at her words.
"Gatto?"
"Translate!"
"Cat."
"Be more creative!"
"Ombra?"
"Why does that sound nice and fancy?"
"It means shadow."
Cha Young hums, pleased. It matches the cat very well since it is a black one.
"Ombra, our little gattino."
Vincenzo just holds her close at her declaration. It is a first for him. Raising a cat with a partner.
Ombra, Vincenzo soon realizes is an absolute menace who will do anything—anything to keep Cha Young away from him. Cha Young, to his immense displeasure, insists that the kitten is his carbon copy. Ruthless and selfish (when it comes to Cha Young).
It takes him weeks to even acknowledge Vincenzo's presence—both parties eyeing each other with scrutiny before one night with Cha Young (both parties main source of attraction) acted as the arbitrator.
The rivalrly lessened of sorts but never ended.
And day by day, noticing Ombra's rebellious behaviour of being a brat and demanding attention during their hours of solitude, Vincenzo decided to banish him from the room they are in.
Whether it was watching opera as they cuddled or other activities, Ombra was banned by Vincenzo from that room.
Now you may think this is quite cold of him but that bastard (as Vincenzo curses) has a way of making himself the centre of Cha Young's universe.
It was an amicable decision as Ombra did got his time with Cha Young before Vincenzo did (Vincenzo can never put it in words how it feels to be number 2 but Cha Young had laughed and said that is how it will be in the future too and he'd thought of this as a practice).
Initially, Cha Young felt distressed hearing Ombra's pitiable (Vincenzo knew it was a damn actor) pleas of meows. Luckily, Vincenzo aims to please and serve as a very effective distraction.
When things got rough, Ombra was a source of comfort. Seeing it grow was astonishing, the tabby little kitten was growing limbs and gaining weight. It was also becoming smarter (or as Vincenzo would say, sinister).
When he had to leave, he did not know whether Ombra was a blessing or a curse for his partner. Whether the constant reminder of his presence that she found in him was something comforting or torturing for her.
When they met again, at their island on the docks, Ombra practically ran to Vincenzo—who won't ever accept it to anyone's face that he did miss the cat too.
He crouched down to pet it behind it's ear—the favourite spot before his gaze slipped on the ground and saw the sandals worn by his wife.
As he got up, he took in her sun kissed cheeks, cherry red lips pouting, few stubborn strands of baby hair on her face that refused to be pushed back by her glasses.
"I can't believe this."
Vincenzo grinned. This is the first time she's been the second one to be greeted.
He pulled her into a hug, grabbing her small waist, stroking the fabric of the sundress at the curve.
She clutched tight despite the annoyance as they both breathed in home.
Not giving two shits about who was watching, she tugged him forward for a proper greeting as he tasted cold limoncello with hints of biscotti. His gaze was fixated on her plump lips as he caressed her jaw and tightened his hold on her waist.
Ombra's meows were relentless but for once, even Cha Young didn't care and Vincenzo admitted, he felt significant.
"Priorities, Mio Capo."
He had a shit eating grin on his face as the words left her mouth but she knew the words uttered were sincere after he kissed her forehead and apologized.
Vincenzo's happiness was short lived as Ombra was back in her hands, touring the island and being shown here and there.
And her room served not only as bearer of her belongings but also as Ombra's new place when banished from entering the room during the hours.