Prompt: Could you do one where something happens to Hugo and it really gets to Dimitri and he is reminded of Moe, but Theo arrives to help him through it?
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I entered my room and went over to Hugo, who was lying on my bed. I stroked his fur and offered my hand to him. He would usually meow and lick it, but today, he just kept his head down.
I frowned. “Hugo, darling, you offend me.”
Hugo, who would usually meow at me whenever I spoke to him, flicked his gaze to me before his eyes fell back to staring at the floor. I stroked his fur gently, frowning.
“Hugo?” I said, petting his favorite spot behind his ears. Instead of purring and curling up against me, he just kept staring.
He got up and pawed at me weakly. I picked him up, realizing how shallow his breathing was.
“Moe isn’t moving. I think he’s sick, father.”
The memory of the day my old cat, Moe, had died came rushing back to me. Moe had been acting strange too.
“Hugo?” I repeated, stroking his favorite spot. The cat struggled weakly in my arms and I set him down on the ground gently.
He slowly made his way into my closet and I stared in fear. Moe had crawled into my closet to die when I was six years old.
I went to my doorway. “Dad!” I called, trying to remain calm. Moe had been very old. Hugo wasn’t even 10 years old. Surely he couldn’t be dying.
My dad hurried down to me, concern in his eyes. “Is everything okay, Dimitri?” he asked.
I pointed at my closet. “Father…I think Hugo is sick,” I said, trying to fight off memories of Moe.
Dad’s face paled. He moved past me and went to my closet. I couldn’t check. I didn’t want to find Hugo dead, not the way I had found Moe dead.
“Dimitri, I’m going to take Hugo to the vet. He’s not doing well,” dad said, and relief entered me, because at least Hugo was alive.
Dad reappeared with my cat cradled in his arms. Hugo was still breathing harshly, and was fairly limp, but just seeing him alive made me feel a little better.
I sat on my bed as I heard the front door shut. I looked over at my pillow, knowing how Hugo loved to curl up on my chest when I slept at night.
A few minutes later, my bedroom door creaked open. I looked up as Theo came into the room.
“Your dad texted me,” he said, coming over and sitting next to me.
“My cat, Moe, died when I was six. He crawled into my closet and I found him dead about an hour later,” I said, looking over at my closet. “Hugo was acting strange and then he went in there.”
“Well, that explains why I feel the need to crawl into your closet every time I get stuck with you,” he said.
I smiled lightly. “Little Theodore, you are not cat,” I said.
He leaned over, kissing me. “I can’t promise you Hugo will be okay. But I know how much you love your cat, so I’ll just say that if something does happen, I’ll be here for you,” he said.
I pulled him into my arms, hugging him tightly. “I must admit that I do get overly attached to my cats. It was a few years before I could bring myself to get another kitten after Moe’s death,” I said, remembering the way I had cried in my father’s arms after he told me that Moe was dead.
“Hey, don’t worry so much. There’s nothing you can do. Your dad has him at the vet’s, and now you have to wait. Don’t dwell on it too much,” he said.
I pulled him down on the bed with me, putting my head on his shoulder. He put his arms around me and kissed me.
“You are such a cat lady,” he said.
“I am,” I agreed with a nod. “A very fabulous cat lady, who will be devastated if Hugo passes away.”
“But you’ll have me. I’ll stay here tonight if you want,” Theo said.
“Stay here until I know what’s wrong with Hugo,” I said, putting an arm around Theo.
“I will,” he said, and I leaned up and kissed him, grateful that I had him to help me through this.
