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"Cats, come inside." Charles Augustus Milverton said to the three cats which gathered at his legs while he opened the door of the study. The mewing creatures didn't wait for the order to get repeated: they rushed in before Mr. Milverton and his secretary could even step in the room and headed towards one of the sofas placed in the middle. That sofa was made from the exact same material as the other one in front of him, but Mr. Milverton preferred that, which meant that it had his scent which drew the cats near. The King of Blackmail might have been hated by countless people in the country, but not by his cats which were obsessed with the man who adopted them from the street and gave them a new home.
Mr. Milverton walked to the sofa and sat down on it, ready to be taken over by his pets. Ruskin followed his employer and stopped at his side. With an envious look in his eyes - oh, how happily he would have been in the cats' place - he watched as Milverton began to pat them, one by one, but the cats were unable to get in line. They started to fight to be taken care of by their owner.
"Calm down." Mr. Milverton let out a chuckle and tried to make peace between the cats. "Everyone will get some patting." He noted and he took one of the cats into his arms and started to softly caress its fur. Ruskin watched in silence how the pale fingers ran over and over on the cats’ back who honored the treatment with purring. Soon, they began to calm down and settled down around Mr. Milverton to sleep. One of the cats took place on his lap. If Ruskin's jealous eyes could kill, the cat would have been dead already - but he was aware that his employer loved the cats and he didn't want to cause him any kind of pain.
"You don't need to stare like that, Ruskin." Mr. Milverton smirked and looked up at Ruskin's face. Ruskin turned red, knowing that the other man could notice that he was envious. He was ready to apologize, but Mr. Milverton continued. "I still didn't pet my most favourite one of all. Come here." He told him gently.
Ruskin's heart started to beat faster from the offer. He knelt down in front of his employer and waited to be patted like the cats. Mr. Milverton reserved a special way of treatment for his most favourite pet. He took Ruskin's chin into his hands and brought his head closer to himself, covering his mouth with his own. Ruskin closed his eyes while the kiss lasted and gave himself over to Mr. Milverton's care. He was trembling on the floor from his feelings. A tear ran down his cheek when he heard that his employer whispered on his lips.
"You have no reason to be envious. You are the only one I will ever kiss, Ruskin - and your lips should never be covered by anyone else's either. Don't forget who owns you."
"I will always remember it." Ruskin answered with devotion while Mr. Milverton's fingers tenderly caressed his skin. Even if the cats were purring around them, Ruskin was sure that he was not just Mr. Milverton's favorite pet - but the happiest one of all.