thephix | (exsilium) ic contact

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.

[Very, very slowly, she reaches across to press a finger over his lips in a be quiet gesture.

It's playful, though, even if she's looking at him as if he might be insane.]

You're being ridiculous.

[so ridiculous]

( Well. Okay then.

He is just going to gently nip her finger with his teeth, careful not to hurt her with his retaliation.
And then he's pouting just a little. )

[Adonis did you just bite her?

Excuse Max while she huffs and pulls her hand away, throwing both hands up in an exasperated sort of gesture, very over the top and maybe just a little bit Italian.]

Is this just because you have a kitten?

[That he's being so ~~adorable~~ ridiculous.

And she's just going to pour herself a second glass of wine so she can judge him while sipping it.

It's slightly undone by the fact Artemisia followed her to the bench and is rubbing against Max's ankles.

Sigh, cats.]

Nuh uh.

( still smiling, and maybe he's smiling too much, ducking his head and sheepishly trying to banish it away. That's not entirely successful with the kitten rubbing up against Max and Maurice flopping onto his belly as he keeps watching his new toy.

Donny huffs a quiet laugh and watched as she gets her wine, kicking off his boots and drawing both feet up onto the couch. )

I w-was um, always this annoying.

I'm sure you're not.

[But - ugh - the kitten is making adorable sounds and with a sigh, Max crouches down to carefully scoop her up. Glass of wine in one hand and kitten in the other, she makes her way back to the couch, sitting at the opposite end to Donny but stretching her legs out so they're in his lap.

It's definitely only so that she can set the kitten down in her own lap and it has plenty of room to move about on her legs. It has nothing to do with the fact she just likes touching him, even if it's in little ways like this.]

Is this your w-way if asking for a foot rub?

( eyebrows raised a little, but only playfully. Donny idly lets his hands slide down one of her calves, warmth in his touch to soothe her muscles. )

She l-likes you.

( Tiny cat might be kneading Max's leg.)

[She raises her eyebrows right back, looking at him over the rim of her glass.]

If I wanted a foot rub I'd ask for one.

[Not that she doesn't smile at the warmth in his touch.]

Of course she does.

[Everyone likes Max, animals included.]

Yep.

( Said in a of course you would kind of way, gently tweaking her foot. )

G-good um, good things you're so m-modest.

( Adonis pls. )

But if you're offerring...

[Pointing her toes for a second, as if she needs to draw attention to her feet.]

Are you mocking me?

{Careful, mister.]

( A little face, but he's glad to make good on his offer, sliding the heat of his hand down the sole of one of her feet, before taking it in both hands and starting to massage it. Gently, at first, before building up a little more intensely.

And, he's glancing over his shoulder, looking for someone else, before double taking and pointing to himself, in a sort of who, me? kind of gesture, positively shocked by the suggestion. )

That'd b-be rude.

( Not saying Max shouldn't be mocked sometimes, though. Just lovingly. )

[This is... good. She's leaning back againt the arm of the couch, glass hanging loosely from her hand, enjoying the foot massage and the cat curled up in her lap and Maurice nosing at her hip until she scratches behind his ears.]

And I suppose you're too polite for that?

I'm a g-gentleman.

( Which he thinks might be a mistake the moment after he said it, all things considered. Slipping his hand down her pants, letting her draw away his boxer shorts and getting each other off probably couldn't be counted as gentlemanly behaviour, but he shakes his head instead of faltering, letting the warmth work its way into her muscles. )

Are you sure w-wearing uh, wearing heels all the t-time doesn't-- doesn't d-damage your feet?

[A hum of agreement, despite the teasing from before, because she's a little too chilled out to keep up with the joking around. It's a slightly sketpical hum, at least.]

Shapeshifter.

[Which means that yes, it would damage her feet and her muscles and her posture if she couldn't shift her body to exactly however she wants it to be. She can shift things around to make wearing heels more comfortable, and shift away any damage she might do to herself.

It's why it's impossible to tell she did ballet for a few years.]

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