✔︎ | 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒

☕︎︎

Juno was now sat on the counter at Sophies. It was the next morning and she thought she deserved to spend time with the woman. Juno was chewing on a different sandwich this time, it was tuna (her favourite).

Because of this she wasnt paying attention to who was in the line, occasionally she'd feel an occasional head-pat or someone push past her swaying tail but she never bothered to look.

That was until she heard a familiar voice, and saw a familiar hand infront of her face, "cat?" Juno's head instantly darted up and she resisted the urge to mewl in happiness, she didn't want to see him again... okay no. She definitely wanted to see him again.

She quickly pushed against his hand as he rubbed it over her head and purred softly. "She seems to like you," Sophies voice sounded.

George laughs, "yeah.. We met yesterday. Is she your cat?" Sophie chuckles and quickly gives the person infront of George their meal, along with a thankyou. "No.. no she's always been a wild cat. It would be rude to claim her." George hummed in approval, his eyes not leaving Juno.

"So is there a particular food you want from my cafe or are you just here for her?" Sophie teased. George's head turned up to look at her and his cheeks went slightly red with embarrassment, "no.. uh black coffee please." Sophie nods with a smile and turns to make the drink.

After a few seconds of silence she hands George the drink and smiles as he hands her the money, "No on the house sweetheart." she hands the money back and he instantly shakes his head, "no really its fine! Please take my money." George insists but Sophie refuses again. "No. a friend of hers," she signals to the still affectionate cat with her finger, "is a friend of mine."

George smiles and slips the money in his pocket, "well thankyou." he takes the coffee and walks off with Juno right behind him, sandwich forgotten. "Dont you kids have too much fun!" Sophie calls after them, a knowing smile on her face.

George turns and flashes Sophie a cheesy smile before bringing the drink to his lips and peering down at the gray cat next to him, "so!" he chuckles, "where do you wanna go? I've got nothing to do today." Juno hums (although it sounded like a meow) in response and racks her memory for somewhere to go. After a few seconds she decides on a place and rushes in front, peering back at the man for a split second before sprinting again.

George sighs, rolls his eyes with a fond smile, then chases after her. The coffee bounces in the cup, jumping out so often that George ends up donating it to a homeless guy he sees on the side of the road.

He chases after the cat, eventually reaching the edge of Manhattan and seeing the famous river. In the early morning the dock area was bustling with people, so it was hard for George to make out where Juno was, but he managed to keep up.

After a while they slowed down and Juno started walking on the railings next to George. It took a lot for George not to ask where they were going, but if he did he would look like a weirdo, plus she wouldn't be able to respond anyway.

After a few minutes of them both enjoying the view, Juno stopped. George flinched at the sudden movement but stopped as well nonetheless. The cat turned to him and it looked like she smirked at him before she had jumped off the banister and into the crowd.

George blinked, and then blinked again. He ignores the idea of the supposed smirk for now and darts his head around, looking for the girl.

"Cat!" he whispers, "Cat! God I wish you had a name." he frowns and runs his hands through his fringe in worry. He leans against the banister and keeps his eyes running along the floor in desperation that he can catch sight of her.

After a few seconds he hears a familiar purr in his ear and stumbles around quickly to see a proud looking Juno on the railing.. with a mouth full of cold hard cash. George opens his mouth in shock, quickly looking around in slight fear that someone was looking at them (no one was).

Once reassuring himself he slowly reaches his hand out to Juno and takes the money out of her mouth. After successfully counting up the notes he realises how much it was, 150 dollars?! George double takes and quickly re-checks.

Oh nevermind! 160. George's eyes dart from the cat to the money, money to the cat. Juno's smirk never leaves her face, staring into his eyes proudly.

Eventually he exhales, running his hand through his fringe again he asks, "where are we going?"

-

Over the course of the next day George's hair got more and more messed up, (from his exasperation and the autumn wind). Then the day after, and the day after. Those days were, although George hates to admit it, one of the best of his life.

He never found out where Juno got the money, but everyday she was waiting on Sophie's counter with a wad of cash in her mouth.
Sophie herself never questioned it, although by that George wasn't surprised, the woman had a vibe of knowledge about her, like a fifth-sense.

The duo went all over the city, from arcades, to parks, to Brooklyn Bridge and of course, the Statue of liberty. George felt very at peace with the cat, she never expected him to say certain things, or hold a look of judgement in her eye. She was just.. There, and she kept him company.

Several times he had questioned himself a maniac, wondering if all this time on the screen really had got to him. But in the end he always ignored these truths, he enjoyed his time with the cat, he didn't need to justify it.

George was something he hadn't been in a while, George was happy, he was so happy.