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Billy Butcher had made one thing perfectly clear.
They were not getting a cat.
Ryan had been asking for weeks.
“Please?”
“No.”
“Just think about it.”
“No.”
“What if it’s a really nice cat?”
“They’re cats, kid. They sleep, knock things off tables, and judge people.”
Ryan had crossed his arms.
“Sounds like you.”
Billy had nearly laughed.
Nearly.
Then Ryan had played his final card.
“Can we at least visit the shelter?”
Billy should have said no.
Instead, somehow, he found himself standing outside a local animal shelter on a Saturday morning with Ryan on one side and Homelander on the other.
“Just looking,” Billy warned.
Ryan grinned.
“Sure.”
Homelander rolled his eyes.
“We’re definitely coming home with something.”
The shelter was busy but cheerful.
Dogs barked from one room.
Cats lounged lazily in another.
Ryan immediately wandered toward the kittens.
Billy followed before the kid could accidentally adopt every animal in the building.
“Look at this one!”
Billy glanced at an orange kitten.
“It has a face.”
Ryan sighed dramatically.
“You’re impossible.”
A volunteer approached them.
“Looking for anything specific?”
“No,” Billy answered quickly.
“Yes,” Ryan answered at the same time.
The volunteer laughed.
“We have several kittens available for adoption.”
Billy pointed at Ryan.
“Don’t encourage him.”
They spent twenty minutes meeting cats.
A fluffy gray one.
A sleepy tabby.
A tiny black kitten.
Ryan adored every single one.
Billy remained stubbornly unimpressed.
At least until he heard a small meow.
It wasn’t loud.
Just a tiny sound.
Curious and determined.
Billy looked down.
A black-and-white kitten was staring up at him through the bars of a small enclosure.
The kitten’s ears looked slightly too big for his head.
His paws looked slightly too big for the rest of him.
He looked ridiculous.
The kitten meowed again.
Billy frowned.
The kitten pressed closer.
Ryan immediately noticed.
“Oh no.”
“What?”
“He likes you.”
Billy snorted.
“Impossible.”
The volunteer smiled.
“That’s Rocket.”
Ryan’s face softened.
“Rocket?”
“He was found abandoned a few weeks ago.”
Rocket meowed again.
As if introducing himself.
Before Billy could stop him, Ryan opened the enclosure door.
Rocket stepped out.
He stumbled.
Caught himself.
Then marched directly toward Billy.
“No.”
Rocket ignored him.
The kitten sat on Billy’s boot.
Looked up.
And meowed.
Ryan burst out laughing.
“He chose you.”
“He did not.”
Rocket climbed onto Billy’s shoe.
Homelander folded his arms.
“This is hilarious.”
Billy reluctantly crouched down.
The moment he picked Rocket up, the kitten started purring.
Loudly.
Very loudly.
Ryan’s smile widened.
“Oh, he’s gone.”
“Who’s gone?”
“You.”
“I’m standing right here.”
“No. You’re emotionally gone.”
Rocket rubbed his tiny face against Billy’s chin.
Billy froze.
The kitten purred harder.
Homelander pointed.
“Look at that.”
“Shut up.”
“You love him already.”
“I absolutely do not.”
Forty-five minutes later, Ryan was filling out adoption paperwork.
Billy pretended not to notice.
The ride home was peaceful.
Rocket spent the entire trip sleeping in Billy’s lap.
Every time Ryan tried to hold him, the kitten climbed back.
Every time Homelander tried, Rocket looked offended.
Then returned to Billy.
By the time they reached home, Homelander was beginning to take it personally.
Rocket explored every room.
He inspected furniture.
Investigated corners.
Attacked a dust bunny.
Lost the fight.
Then continued exploring.
Ryan followed him everywhere.
Billy pretended not to.
Homelander openly followed both of them.
That evening Ryan prepared a cozy cat bed.
Homelander bought a blanket online.
Billy claimed he wasn’t participating.
Nobody believed him.
Rocket ignored all of it.
Instead, he climbed onto the couch.
Walked along the backrest.
Stepped onto Billy’s shoulder.
Turned around twice.
And promptly fell asleep.
The room went silent.
Ryan pointed.
“There.”
Billy carefully looked sideways.
Rocket was curled against his neck.
Fast asleep.
Tiny paws tucked beneath him.
Purring softly.
Ryan smiled.
“Told you.”
“Told me what?”
“You’re his favorite.”
Billy opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Rocket snored.
Very quietly.
Homelander looked deeply offended.
“I’ve lived with you for years.”
Billy glanced at him.
“And?”
“And the cat won in one afternoon.”
Ryan laughed so hard he nearly fell off the couch.
The next few weeks only made things worse.
For Homelander.
Rocket followed Billy everywhere.
Kitchen?
Rocket.
Living room?
Rocket.
Bedroom?
Rocket.
If Billy sat down, Rocket appeared.
If Billy stood up, Rocket followed.
If Billy disappeared for more than two minutes, Rocket started meowing.
Ryan thought it was adorable.
Homelander called it favoritism.
One rainy afternoon Ryan found Billy reading on the couch.
Rocket slept on his chest.
Billy was absentmindedly scratching behind the kitten’s ears.
Neither seemed aware of what they were doing.
Ryan immediately took a picture.
Billy looked up.
“Delete that.”
“No.”
“Ryan.”
“Never.”
Homelander looked over Ryan’s shoulder.
Then laughed.
“Oh, that’s getting framed.”
Billy groaned.
Rocket opened one eye.
Saw Homelander.
Closed it again.
And snuggled closer to Billy.
“That cat is doing this on purpose.”
Ryan grinned.
“Probably.”
Winter arrived.
The house grew colder.
The family grew closer.
Movie nights became common.
Blankets covered the couch.
Hot chocolate appeared regularly.
Rocket always claimed the warmest spot.
Usually on Billy.
One evening Ryan looked around the room.
Homelander was leaning against Billy.
Billy was pretending not to enjoy it.
Rocket was asleep across both of them.
It felt peaceful.
Safe.
Home.
Ryan smiled.
Billy noticed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That’s a suspicious smile.”
Ryan shrugged.
“I was just thinking.”
“Dangerous habit.”
Ryan laughed.
Then looked at Rocket.
“I think Rocket found exactly where he belongs.”
Billy glanced down at the sleeping kitten.
A tiny black-and-white bundle of fur.
Warm.
Happy.
Loved.
For a moment, Billy scratched beneath Rocket’s chin.
The kitten immediately started purring.
“Yeah,” Billy said quietly.
“I think he did.”
And from the sound of it, Rocket agreed.