My best friend's cat // Mashton

0.5

0.5 - Calum

A few days had passed.

Ashton hadn't seen the cute boy again and he had been noticing Luke's weird behaviour. The blonde boy had been staying in his room a whole lot and never allowed Ashton in. It made him suspicious, but he kept quiet. Luke would tell him when he was ready for it.

For Luke, however, the past few days had been amazing.

He didn't get much sleep, so yeah, he was tired, but Michael was learning so much.

He could walk properly and completely on his own. He could ask for food, drinks or the bathroom if needed and the bathroom was mostly done by himself.

Luke was really proud.

And Michael was too. He wouldn't admit it, but he was. And he also just loved to pretend to still need Luke's help. It gave him a chance to be close to Luke.

And Luke didn't mind having Michael so close either.

Currently, it was past noon.

Luke and Michael were watching a movie (Garfield) in Luke's room. Michael kept pointing at the cat and then to his own ears and tail, excited about the whole movie. Luke found it immensely cute and couldn't help but cuddle the cat-boy, smiling all the time.

Ashton was at work.

It was once again a normal day and nothing special had happened just yet. So Ashton was simply spinning on the chair -as usual- and looking around the store a little bored.

Until the little bell rung.

Ashton's head snapped up and his eyes fell on the door, something that happened every time the bell rung. Even if he didn't expect the cute boy to come back. Not anymore at least. But to his surprise, the same boy from before came in. He was wearing all-black, except for the grey beanie he was pulling down.

Ashton's whole body shot up, his focus on the boy he hadn't thought would return. But here he was, looking at the guitars again, before looking around the rest of the shop.

Soon enough, his eyes fell on Ashton.

The boy got nervous, approaching the curly lad slowly. And he wasn't the only nervous one, because Ashton had gotten nervous now as well. He didn't really know why and he didn't exactly like it, but it was the way it was.

"H-hi," the boy quietly greeted Ashton, giving him an awkward and small wave.

"Hey," Ashton breathed out, before slowly smiling. "Haven't seen you around."

The boy hummed, looking down as he stood across from Ashton, on the other side of the counter. He licked his lips, before biting down on his lower lip.

Ashton couldn't help but look at him, smiling still at the boy's cuteness. Especially when he looked so nervous, fiddling with his fingers.

"Can I help you with something?" Ashton then asked, watching as the boy across from him looked up shyly. He then nodded, still biting his lower lip. Ashton waited for the boy to talk, being surprised as he did.

"I came to say sorry. F-for running away." The boy looked at Ashton, his amazing brown eyes meeting hazel.

"Oh, that's okay. It happened, no worries." Ashton reassured, shrugging and smiling.

"Still," the boy looked down again, back to biting his lower lip.

"What's your name?" Ashton asked. He had been wondering about that and he wanted to ask it as soon as possible or he'd never get the chance again.

"I -- eh, I'm Calum." The boy, who was apparently named Calum, introduced himself. Ashton simply smiled widely, "That's a wonderful name. I'm Ashton, by the way."

Calum nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. He was starting to feel more comfortable, or so Ashton liked to think.

"You know what, Calum?" Ashton started, getting Calum's attention successfully, "maybe you could check out the guitars again? I'm pretty sure you didn't get a good look at them last time."

Calum's eyes widened a little, almost sparkling as Ashton suggested that. It was so cute, Ashton almost 'aw'ed, but he kept himself from doing so. He didn't want the boy to run off again.

"C-can I?" Calum shyly asked, seeming to be containing his excitement. Ashton nodded, walking from behind the counter, "sure, come along."

Calum happily followed Ashton, his excitement quite noticeable. Not that much to Ashton though, as he was leading Calum towards the guitars and couldn't quite see him.

Once they reached them, they did the same as last time, Calum sitting down with a guitar and trying to play it. Ashton occasionally pointed out things and helped the boy play. Both of them not once complaining and both of them never really stopping with smiling.

They could get used to this.

In the meantime, back at Ashton and Luke's shared apartment, Luke was fighting to stay awake. He was so tired from getting up to keep Michael busy at night. But the movie (by now Garfield part two) was quite funny, so he could manage, he told himself.

"G-gar-fiel-d," Michael spoke slowly, making sure to pronounce everything alright, "'s fun."

Luke smiled sleepily, "he is, yeah. You're a bit like Garfield huh?"

Michael hummed, too entranced by the movie to properly answer. "Ears a-nd t-ai-l."

Luke chuckled at the boy's answer, yawning as he snuggled a little closer to Michael. He wasn't that tired, he kept telling himself. He could easily stay awake.

Michael on the other hand was still wide awake, almost automatically snuggling closer to Luke as Luke felt warm and nice. His tail was a little cramped behind his back, so he freed it and held onto it as he continued to watch the movie.

It was weird for him to think of the world so differently. It was a little smaller, but also bigger. And everything seemed to look so different.

Even Luke.

His much loved owner even seemed different.

He was much smaller now, of course. He was still taller than Michael, but he was also really small. Like when he curled himself into a ball and let Michael cuddle him. And that was so different from when Michael was small and the one being cuddled.

And all the colours, those were amazing as well.

As a cat, Michael only ever had known dark and light. Now there were so many shades of colours he hadn't learned the names from yet. But he was planning to, because he loved learning so much about the new yet same world.

And as Michael looked at the sudden weight on his shoulder, to see Luke's head, eyes closed. Yeah, in that moment, Michael was happy this had happened to him. He didn't quite understand it, but he liked it.

His best friend was now really his best friend. They could communicate and they could really cuddle. It was much easier and neither of them would have it any other way. Not now they had this.