Once Upon a Comic Con

02 / Harley

I awoke to the sound of my alarm blaring, and in my sleepy subconscious I smacked the snooze button to silent it. 6am. The same time I awoke every morning for work, but as I went to sit up in bed a weight squashed against my chest. I looked down to see my cat, Mochi, curled up in a dreamless sleep. Stroking behind his ear, I managed to get him to awake peacefully and persuade him from crushing my chest.

Once out of bed, I left the duvet unarranged with Mochi tumbling back into the folds, and jumped into the shower. The cold water felt pleasant against my clammy skin, but I wasn't alone for long. The tubby calico waltzed into the bathroom, meowing for his breakfast.

'Give me a minute, mate.' I cooed, rinsing the soap with the shower head. No sooner was I free of suds, was I out the shower with a towel wrapped round my middle.

Mochi disappeared the second he saw me emerge from a swarm of steam, terrified I'd flick water in his direction, bounding down the hallway to wait for me in the kitchen.

I continued my morning routine, tidying up my stubble and brushing my teeth before I put on my glasses and dried off my body. I dressed in my usual workwear, a smart casual shirt with skinny jeans and threw my lanyard over my head. Now the cat was finally in the other room, I hastily made the bed and hurried to join him in the kitchen.

As expected, Mochi was eagerly awaiting me in the kitchen, nudging his food dish towards my feet. I eyed him for a moment, realising how fat the poor cat had gotten in recent months, despite the vet pushing me to buy dietary food. No doubt my lovely neighbour was feeding him. I sighed, filling his dish with one scoop of his recommended food and placed it in front of him. But Mochi sniffed the dish, grunted and walked away.

'Can't be that hungry then,' I called after him, laughing.

Such a diva.

I turned my attention to breakfast, brewing myself a healthy sized cup of black coffee while I fixed myself a bowl of cereal. I used the last of the box, and made a note on my phone to pick some more up on my way home. Just as I settled at the table, Mochi meowed at me from the top of his cat tower.

'Finally forgive me for your breakfast?' I asked, knowing if anyone heard my conversation I would look insane for conversing with my cat. He merely scowled at me in response. 'You need to stick to your diet else you're going to do some serious damage to yourself, buddy.'

The cat grunted and turned himself around, unwilling to look at me, his tail swishing behind him. I'd struck a nerve.

I took out my phone, remembering the date. Tonight the new patch of an online game my friends and I played was dropping. We'd arranged a little while ago to play it together. Then a second event flashed in my mind, Bonnie, my best friend, had a job interview today.

She's probably worrying about it. I best text her, make sure she's okay.

I pulled up her contact information and typed out a quick message, wishing her luck for her appointment. Bonnie hadn't had much luck finding work in the past year. She was recently let go from her previous job after difficulties with her mental health, both she and her boss felt it was best if she took some time off, and after she met her new boyfriend, she quit completely. I only hoped she found something soon, it was doing her no good cooped up in her studio.

Finishing breakfast, I returned my empty mug and bowl to the sink, rinsing them under the hot tap. I went to the office space I'd set up in the corner of the lounge and packed my bag for work; laptop, camera, keys, before zipping it up and slinging it over my shoulder. I scratched the top of Mochi's head and said goodbye to the lump before heading off to work.