Reformation

Chapter Ten- What friends?

Mike

"Muroooow..."

Mike groaned. "Too early, Captain..."

A padded paw batted at his nose, making Mike sneeze. He opened one eye. "Captain, I swear-"

A rough, sandpaper tongue dragged across his forehead, and two paws planted themselves firmly on his cheeks. Mike burst into laughter, making the kitten jump back in annoyed surprise.

"Alright, alright, I'm up!" Mike protested as the Captain began kneading his painfully empty stomach. He sat up with a groan, causing the kitten to roll into his lap, and stretched with a yawn. Mike realized he had never been such an early riser as when he owned a cat.

The feline in question watched him with her typical mellow, unblinking green gaze from her perch on his knees, unaware that she had caused such a change in his life. Captain Bubbles was still a kitten, but she had grown into a lanky adolescent with fuzzy, peach-like black fur. Mike ran his hand through it, scratching under her chin and pulling a rolling purr from her throat.

Mike threw on a long baggy t-shirt over plaid shorts and wandered out of the bedroom, the Captain padding along at his side. When the door opened, excited yips greeted Mike first. His eyes widened and he stopped outside of the doorway, watching the huskie bounding toward him with enthusiasm.

"Woah, Drac, watch it!" Mike yelped as the huskie tackled him as only a pup with no idea of its size would do.

Mike fell onto his rear with a thump, throwing his hands up to ward off the wet pink tongue. Against his annoyance he chuckled weakly, wondering where his lazy mornings went.

Mike heard familiar bass laughter and looked up to see Sully wandering over to help. He took his friend's hand and felt himself lifted off the ground.

The green-haired boy rubbed his sore backside. "How does one puppy grow so much in only a month?"

Sully eyed him with amusement. "How did you not in eighteen years?" He teased.

Mike snatched the mug of coffee out of Sully's hand, then walked toward the kitchen with Sully at his side. "Oh, I know, it's what you're feeding the Count."

His purple eyes pouted. "Drac needs all that food! She's a growing pup you know."

Mike smirked. "Right. What's in the fridge?"

Sully's stride perked up considerably. "I made sure to stock up on bacon and eggs!"

Mike laughed. "Are you trying to shape my menu? A chef is an independent soul."

Count Dracula and Captain Bubbles trotted after their owners, pausing to tussle with each other.

Sully perched on the bar stool. "Not when his supplier pays for the ingredients." He said with a wink.

Mike blinked, his mood dampening considerably. His mug lowered, and his voice softened to its I'm-serious-about-this level. "Sull, am I a burden to you?"

Sully's smile faltered. "What? Why would you think that?"

The green-eyed boy searched for the answer in his black coffee. "I just, I feel bad for living here and eating your food and never putting a cent toward it..." He mumbled, trailing off.

Sully gazed at him, recognizing his friend's discomfort with discussing his own worth. "Mike, you cook my food and keep the place clean, not to mention the free entertainment, and that's enough right now. I'm not asking for anything else."

Mike still stared into his cup. "I know, but I hate to be a free loader..."

A gentle hand tilted Mike's chin until his painfully sensitive green eyes met Sully's resolute gaze. "Hey, you are no such thing to me, Mike. You're still getting your feet under you, so don't beat yourself up. I promised to take you with me to work, and I meant it. We'll go today, okay?"