thephix | (exsilium) ic contact

Thank you.

( And then, surely enough, twenty minutes later: Donny arrives home, heavy bags all in one hand as a ball of fluff curled up in the crook of his opposite arm.

Deal with it, Max. )

[Maurice is collared and on a leash, which he seems rather confused about, because usually that means they're going for a walk. It's why he starts to bound for the door at the knock, before Max tells him to sit and stay, which he complies with.]

Where did you even find a litter box?

[As Donny walks through the door.

Max is on the couch, one hand on Maurice's head to help keep him still, even if he can apparently smell the New Thing, judging by the way he's looking at Donny.]

It's m-my um, superpower. Finding stuff for c-cats.

( Setting down the stuff, but his attention is officially entirely on the kitten, little grey and white fluffball that it is, because it make a squeaky mewing sound and trying to climb up his hoody, clawing it's way up and squeaking as it perches on his shoulder. )

Hey. It's okay.

( He's just going to start moving over towards Max and Maurice. )

[Her gaze is flicking between the kitten and Maurice, her hand moving to curl her fingers around his collar just to make sure he can't move too easily.]

Have you thought of a name for her?

( Excuse him, he's too busy grinning as she noses at his neck, making squeaky sounds as she headbutts his jaw, laughing a little at the way her whiskers tickle. )

Uh. N-not-- not really.

( Oh my God, cat. ) An art n-name or something.

[That's... just a little bit adorable, and Max's lip press into a thin line as she tries not to smile.]

Mona Lisa?

[Max pls]

Are you M-Mona Lisa?

( A loud mew, and he gives Max a look. Terrible suggestion. ) H-how about uh, Frida? Or Artemisia? G-Georgia?

( Hmm. He's slowly slowly working his way over, before he sits, glancing to Maurice and the little cat digs its claws in as it, too, smells the other things. ) Ow, hey.

I like Artemisia.

[And her eyebrows go up with that ow, though she's mostly focused on Maurice straining against her hold to try to investigate the new creature in their midst.]

Stay.

[He stills a little, but it's pretty clear his curiosity is winning out.]

( Moving slowly so he doesn't jostle the little cat, he holds his hand out to Maurice so he can get the smell off Donny. )

I think uh, t-technically? You're m-meant to keep them um, k-keep them separate.

( But that obviously isn't really feasible in this tiny tiny apartment. Instead, he's scooping the kitten up in his hand, listening to her mew loudly (she's got a good set of lungs) and resting her on his lap. Still away from Maurice, but yes. ) I g-guess I just gotta um, k-keep an eye on 'em.

[Maurice, in all his doggy glory, licks Donny's hand.]

I don't think Maurice would approve of being locked in the bathroom. [Since that's really the only other room in the apartment; she's upgraded since Donny and her found each other, but it's still a studio. If things with the store go well, she might think about finding them a bigger place.]

The biggest concern is him accidentally hurting her.

[Since Maurice isn't inclined to hurt anything on purpose, but he's a lot bigger than a tiny kitten.]

We c-can just, um.

( Man, he's not even sure. He's never actually had a cat before. ) M-make her lots of uh, escape routes? And I'll w-watch her. Right?

( Another little squeak from the cat, and she's all fluffed up and hissing a little as she hops and stomps towards Maurice. And jumps backwards. And forwards again. And batting with her paw. )

[Max lets Maurice move just a little, so that he's directly facing the kitten, huffing at it's antics, just trying to nose at her and make friends.]

Small spaces should help, as well.

[Since the tiny thing can get places that Maurice wouldn't be able to.]

( And the cat is batting at Maurice's face, skittering backwards before she investigates again, after reassuring herself the Donny mountain will protect her. )

Artemisia, b-be nice.

( So delighted, as he grins at Max. )

It'll be p-perfect.

Gentle. [That's for Maurice, who's blinking at being batted and trying to nuzzle the kitten. At the word, he looks questioninly at Max.] Be gentle with her.

[Maurice does know the word gentle, since Max has come home injured enough times that she had to teach him when to back off. She just hopes he'll remember it around the kitten.

She doesn't say anything to his comment about perfect, but she does look up and offer a smile. She's just glad he's happy.]

( the kitten finally relents, purring loudly - maybe from stress - as it presses against Maurice's muzzle and starts looking for Max's hand to demand attention from her, too. )

See? This is g-good.

( she's purring a lot and rubbing against Maurice. Donny pets Maurice, and glances back at Max.)

Thanks.

[Maurice makes a pleased grumbly sound, resting his head on the couch beside the kitten, so it can keep rubbing against him. Max, meanwhile, is eyeing Artemisia a little skeptically, before very carefully petting down her back, just once.

It looks so fragile, is all.]

This is your apartment, too.

[He still needed to check that it was alright to bring another animal into the place, but he doesn't need to thank her.]

( Artemisia is bumping against Maurice, trilling a little when Max pets her, before looking at her expectantly.

Meanwhile, Donny looks entirely besotted with the kitten, though his brow furrows a little. )

You f-found it.

( Worrying at the inside of his cheek. It feels more like her place, really. )

[Cat you have enough attention Max doesn't need to pat you as well.]

You pay rent, you live here, that makes it yours as well.

[It doesn't matter who found it, though she makes a note to include him in the search process if she does decide to get a bigger apartment.]

( Said cat is putting its paw on Maurice's snout and smooshing - more like faceplanting - against him. Apparently she's pleased with this new creature. )

Yeah, b-but.

( A little frown, but he dismisses it, ducking his head. She sets things up. If there was a problem, he'd leave, rather than expecting her to. Not that he thinks that is likely to happen, but still. )

Yeah. Okay. ( He's still more relaxed than before their vacation mission, but he's feeling like he should be more cautious, or something. )

[In playful retaliation, Maurice's tongue flicks out to lick the kitten, before he huffs and lets her go back to smooshing him.]

Good.

[That they've reached this agreement, as Max unclips the leash from Maurice's collar, since it seems like he's not about to go bounding after the kitten. She's sure they'll have to keep watch, but things are calm enough for the moment.]

There's going to be fur on everything, isn't there?

[That seems to be A Thing with cats, and while Maurice does shed a little, at least he's a short haired dog.]

( The kitten jumps off the sofa, still purring, rubbing up against Maurice's legs and stomping around on its short legs. )

M-most of my uh, shirts are g-grey.

( Not that many, actually, but he does manage another little smile, gently nudging her shoulder with his own. ) I g-get lint rollers.

[There's a bit of a pout at that, because she doesn't wear very much grey.

Maurice is entirely unconcered about this, moving around so he can keep watching the kitten, bumping her with his nose but being careful not to tread on her.]

Let's hope we can find some.

[Do they have lint rollers in post apocalyptic London?]

Or I'll m-make some. Out of uh, t-tape? It's w-what I did at home.

( Lint rollers are crazy expensive, seriously. Sticky tape worked just fine. Student budget life. )

Fur c-coat, otherwise?

( With a little smile, conspiratorial. )

[Good god, Donny.

Sometimes Max worries about you.]

I'm sure I can find a substitute other than tape.

[She's making so many faces at him right now.]

Fake fur.

[thank you very much]

I'll d-do it uh, do it b-by hand.

( See, that's love and commitment right there, Max. )

Yep. Insulated by finest uh, finest fake fur. It's very p-protective, I hear.

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html please

It felt neglected

the most obvious explanation

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