kitty :: l.s

iii

there was a soft knock on the door. harry could hear it of course, but he was too comfortable and lazy to get up. the blanket on his legs really did the trick of warming up his numb toes. he'd even warmed up the tea from earlier so now it was lukewarm and still good.

but the knocking came back louder and impatient and if it didn't stop, kitty would wake. harry reluctantly got up and opened the door, revealing a very red and pissed of niall. "i sent you a text ten minutes ago saying i was coming and you still answer the door late."

harry shrugged and invited him inside. the blizzard was over about an hour ago and the plowers quickly cleared the streets. the sun was shining again, although it was still very chilly and harry was slightly disappointed. he really did like the white snow covering up everything and the clouds moving fast as the wind howled. it gave him a chill—a good, exciting chill.

"enough staring at the window and get over here, i have things to do." harry sighed and rolled his eyes.

"i really have a poor choice of friends." niall shrugged off his coat and sat cross legged on the floor.

"what'd you expect, you woke me up in my nap. and i still have to go to work." harry only laughed as he took a seat himself. "what are you laughing at?"

harry smirked, as niall groaned loudly. harry hissed a half-yelled, half-whispered, "shhh, you'll wake him up."

"him?" harry turned to where niall was pointing and well enough, kitty was standing there scratching his eyes and giving a soundless yawn. harry smiled. the shirt harry gave him raised above his belly button a little showing his small tummy and his pants were covering his ankles. kitty look so soft and small and so, so adorable.

"i guess it's too late now. do you want any tea kitty?" kitty shivered and shook his head no, crawling over to where niall was sitting and cuddling into him.

"you named him kitty?" niall burst into a fit of giggles as harry shrugged.

"it's a nice name." harry watched as niall and kitty looked at each other both smiling. then kitty turned his head and smiled at the ground, blushing lightly. there was something pooling in harry's stomach, and it wasn't like before. there was a sudden need to take him back and protect him. he's never felt this way before.

"so he's a hybrid? where'd you find him?" niall picked his hand up and gently began petting behind his ears. kitty smiled even wider and closed his eyes and leaned in closer to niall as his tail moved to grip his arm. this time, harry's jaw clenched.

"yeah, sure." niall paused and looked at harry with a confused face, but then kitty started nudging his hand back and niall continued to pet him, completely ignoring harry's look of disbelief.

"kitty is so very warm and soft. if you don't wanna keep him, i sure will." niall began softly rubbing his cheeks and massaging his scalp while kitty just sat there and relaxed.

"kitty is not a pet." harry scoffed and averted his attention to the pattern on his loveseat when he realized he was acting jealous. and of course niall had to nuzzle in kitty's hair and sniff him just so harry could feel ten times worse.

"what'd you call me over here for?" niall asked, face still lodged in the crown of kitty's head.

"i called to ask for advice, but it seems like you know what to do." his voice was so much quieter and calmer than ten seconds earlier. kitty seemed to notice because he was no longer purring, but the swelling black hole in harry's stomach still remained. "he didn't have anything with him when he came to my house."

"so do you want me to take care of him?" niall laughed. "i thought you didn't even like cats."

harry sighed and ran a hand down his face. "like i said before, kitty is not a pet. he's a human too."

"but he's still part cat." niall stopped petting kitty and harry practically leaped. he bent over and picked up his dropped car keys before brushing off his pants and smiling. "well, like i said before, i do have work to attend, so is kitty coming with me or staying with you?"

before harry had the chance to even breathe, kitty shot up and whispered. "hazza."

harry had no idea what a "hazza" was, but the way kitty said it made him forget about everything and just focus on how soft and perfect this little ball of hair was. and right after he took another breath, kitty was underneath his arm, cuddling into him and hissing slightly when niall shyly moved closer.

"is hazza harry?" kitty didn't respond; he nuzzled closer to harry, eventually stuffing his entire face into harry's arm.

niall flashed a pearly white smile and stared at harry and kitty. "i don't think you need any advice. he really likes you. just keep doing what you're doing and you'll be okay."

and with that, he left. the front door shut with a soft clock and harry grabbed kitty's face in between his hands and pressed their foreheads together. it was a gentle gesture, but kitty wrapped his tail around harry's whole body and pulled them impossibly close.

"would you like me to pet you?" kitty hurriedly nodded his head and began impatiently rocking his head in between harry's two hands.

harry giggled and started rubbing his hair lovingly, making kitty purr even louder and prettier than when he was with niall. "do you really wanna stay with me?"

"yes, please." and then kitty started crying.

"why are you crying? there's no need to be sad."  harry clutched him tighter and inhaled his scent. he smelled like vanilla and cinnamon mixed with this musky scent that was so perfect and fitting and harry was getting in too deep.

"home." kitty relaxed in his arms, still whimpering.

"home." harry repeated.

fin.

word count :: 1,032

completed / unedited