The Illusion of Danger

Chapter 21

The remaining time that he had apart from Rocky went by much slower than Mordecai first thought it would. Every time he looked at the clock, it felt like time was actually going backward.
Needless to say that when Tuesday finally came, the black and white cat was so relieved; that his relief was only amplified when the clock read that it was time for him to get ready to go the bridge.

Throwing on his trench coat and a hat, Mordecai swiftly exited his apartment, locked the door, and started on his way. He couldn't wait to see Rocky again and he was openly admitting that to himself. For almost the entire seven thousand, six hundred and eighty minutes they had apart, the tabby lived in his mind. It was even worse now that he was going to see him again.

Mordecai got to the bridge at exactly seven but to his surprise, Rocky wasn't there yet. His car wasn't there and the tabby wasn't anywhere to be found. He'd always been early... did the letter scare him away? Was he too honest? Perhaps he forgot? Unlikely.
Brushing the rock off before sitting, the tuxedo decided he would wait until he couldn't wait any longer. There was a bit of worry that clung to his gut, thinking that either Rocky had gotten into some sort of trouble or he really had been frightened away.
Of course, if the latter was the case, Mordecai would be willing to understand and accept it for what it was. At least he would have been able to say that he had the pleasant and unexpected experience that he'd wanted since he was a kitten.

Rocky was running late. Far too late for his own comfort. Mitzy had him running errands last minute on a day he thought he had off but he sorely mistaken. Regardless of how late he actually was, even just a minute late to be early was too late when it came to seeing Mordecai again. It had been a little less than a week since seeing the other man, but it felt like an eternity. His car felt so cold and lonely the past week, not being able to see or feel Mordecai next to him or in his arms. The purring from the other man was what he missed most, it having been so soothing, and comforting.

As he ran out of the Little Daisy Cafe, he looked at the clock, it read almost half past the hour that they were supposed to meet.

"Raspberries!"
The tabby cursed, grabbing his coat and hat off of the rack next to the door. Ivy tried to say goodbye to him before he ran out the front, but he was long gone before she got a word out. Rocky hopped into the car and sped the entire way to the bridge. This man was lucky with his speeding lately that the police did not pull him over and ticket him.

Once he got to the bridge, he screeched to a halt on the other side where he would park in his secluded spot within the foliage. He didn't even bother putting his coat or hat on before he exited the vehicle and took off down the hill to meet up with the tuxedo.

"MORDECAI!"
He shouted excitedly, running up to the man. Luckily he didn't trip down the hill at the speed he took it.

Mordecai stood from where he sat the moment he heard his name be called by the familiar voice. He didn't move at the sound of the vehicle because it could have been anyone.

Rocky's heart skipped and fluttered just at the sight of the man.

"MORDECAI! I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE! MISS M HAD ME DOING WORK I COULDN'T REFUSE ON MY DAY OFF OR I'D BE ON TIME OR EARLY EVEN! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M LATE TO SEE YOU I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE FORGI-"

Mordecai briskly walked up to the tabby and wrapped his arms around him tightly.
"You have nothing to apologize for."
He stated softly yet firmly, his hat falling from his head as he buried his snout into Rocky's shoulder.

The tabby was silenced by the embrace. Immediately, he began to purr. This is what he had been missing all week. The soft warmth of the other man's arms around him.