Reverence [Shyan]

care

"I'm home," Shane called, locking the door behind him. He could hear Ryan hobbling around the apartment, yet he didn't answer. Shane stopped and peered in the general direction where Ryan could be, curious as to why his friend hadn't answered as per usual. Perhaps he was caught up in something and hadn't heard him. 

"Um, Ryan?" He shuffled down the hall to check in the kitchen, "You good? Where are yo- what the fuck?" He nearly had a heart attack as something brushed up against his leg, as he was very sure that whatever it was was probably not Ryan unless he was dying and suddenly very furry. 

"Oh, shit, there you are Chica." Ryan was suddenly in the room, moving quickly towards Shane and bending down to pick up a large orange cat. A cat. In his apartment.

"Um, no offence, but what the actual fuck? Ryan? Why is there a cat in the apartment?"

"Sorry," Ryan mumbled, leaning against the counter and tried to pick up the rather large cat. It was a wonder how he managed to pick it up with his bad leg and its weight. 

"Are you going to give any explanation with that?"

"It was raining earlier..."

"I am well aware. It was raining when we left together."

"Yes. And I was on my way back to the apartment, and passed by Chica's box as per usual..."

"Wait... hold on... so you're telling me... this isn't the first time you've seen this cat?"

"Yeah. Anyways-"

"Ryan-"

"Are you going to let me continue?" Ryan stared passive-aggressively at him, and Shane shut up, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. He nodded for him to continue. "As I was saying, I saw Chica there as per usual, and I was going to give her something to eat as I usually do, but she just looked especially sad in the rain and I didn't have the heart to leave her..."

"So you brought her back."

"That is correct."

"And took care of her?"

"Yep."

"I swear to god if you used my towel-"

"I promise I didn't," Ryan smiled, bouncing the large animal like a baby, "I just gave her a bit of canned salmon and let her rest." Shane narrowed his eyes towards Chica. She seemed like she was a grumpy old cat, but she looked rather content in Ryan's arms. Shane couldn't blame her.

Shane took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair: "You know, I realize that you are more empathetic or whatever now, but there's some lines that you really can't cross, Bergara."

"But-"

"I don't even think this apartment even allows pets." Ryan hung his head and buried it in Chica's orange fur. Shane didn't even want to begin to think if she had any fleas or was properly vaccinated, but for the sake of the moment, he did not say anything. "You're like a toddler - I shouldn't take my eye off you," he teased, moving to ruffle Ryan's hair. He could tell Ryan smiled a bit, and then moved his head to try and get his hair back to how it was before.

"I'm allowed to care, aren't I?"

The situation in itself was pretty funny. When thinking of cheesy romances, the tough guy or romance icon was always found with a box-full of abandoned kittens on the side of the road. In this case, Ryan had just found a large, old, grumpy and wet stray cat. It didn't make that much of a difference though. It's the thought that counts, isn't it?

"Say, how about we keep Chica here for the night," Shane propositioned, patting Chica briefly to state his point, "And then we call the pet shelter tomorrow to bring her in."