Prompt: How about the time when Dimitri got Hugo as a kitten? I wanna see his reaction.
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“I don’t know about this,” Eva Ivanov said nervously.
Alexei Ivanov offered her a smile. “Come on, Dimitri will be overjoyed!”
“But what if something happens to this cat, too? He was so torn up when Moe died,” she said, cringing at the memory of Dimitri sobbing over the dead cat. “I can’t see him go through that again.”
“It’ll be fine! Dimitri wanted another cat anyways.” Alexei looked down at the little ball of fur curled in his arms. He pulled his arms up, hiding the kitten from sight.
He motioned at his wife to follow him. The two made their way upstairs and Eva opened Dimitri’s bedroom door.
The 8 year old boy sat on the floor, surrounded by colored pencils, paper, and glitter. He looked up curiously, glitter on his cheek and his hands.
“Dimitri Mikhail Ivanov, you are so messy,” Eva said with a sigh. She went over and grabbed paper towels off of his desk, wiping the boy up with them.
“I was drawing, mother,” he said.
“I know. We have a present for you,” she said, pulling him to his feet.
“A present?” he asked curiously, not excited like most children would be. “Why do you have a present for me, mother dearest?”
“Hold out your arms and close your eyes, Dimitri,” Alexei said, excited for the boy.
Dimitri obediently held his arms out, closing his eyes. Alexei knelt down and carefully uncurled his arms, allowing the kitten to transfer into his son’s arms.
Dimitri opened his eyes and stared down at the cat in surprise. A happy smirk curled onto his face.
“A cat?” he asked eagerly.
“Your cat,” Alexei said, ruffling his hair.
“You can name him, Dimitri,” Eva said, smiling as Dimitri’s eyes lit up.
He gently pet the kitten. He meowed and snuggled against his chest. He giggled and pet it more, looking at him thoughtfully.
“Hm…Hugo!” Dimitri said, smiling. “He’s Hugo! My cat!”
“Be gentle with him. He’s just a kitten. We’ll leave you alone now to play with him a little,” Eva said, pulling Alexei out of the room.
Dimitri sat on the floor and set the kitten in his lap. Hugo looked up at him and pawed at his chin. Dimitri giggled and moved the cat to the floor, lying down in front of him.
“Okay Hugo,” he said. “I’m Dimitri, and I’ll be your fabulous owner!”
“Meow!” The cat let out a high pitched response.
“Oh, you talk back,” Dimitri said, scratching behind the cat’s ears.
Hugo crawled over to him and pawed at his chin again. Dimitri couldn’t help but let more giggling out. He shifted his face, letting the cat’s rough tongue lick his cheek.
“You’re affectionate! I like you! We shall watch Tarzan together! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship,” Dimitri said, sitting up and pulling the cat back into his arms. Hugo meowed out a response and nuzzled his head against Dimitri’s arm.
Dimitri looked over at his closet, where he could remember finding his cat, Moe, dead. He got up with Hugo cradled carefully in his arms, and shut the closet door securely.
“You’re not allowed in there!” he said sternly.
He set Hugo down and followed the kitten as he wandered around the room. He went over to where Dimitri had been working and laid down, rolling in the glitter on the floor a little, making his fur sparkle with it.
Dimitri clapped in delight as the kitten got back up and came over to him. He picked Hugo up and kissed him on the head.
“You are precious!” he announced, smiling widely. “Hugo, we’re going to get along fabulously!”
