Mate was giving me a lesson. You'd best hop off, my love. He's sort of partial to this here beast. [The car, he means. Curious, he runs a hand down from between her ears to the collar, fingertips going lightly over.]
[It's light and thin--and has a hidden catch that she could probably catch with a claw without too much trouble. Rho herself lightly hops off the car, brushing against Robin's legs as she walks past him.]
Well, not all of you can be cat people. Some of you are car people.
You'll try vodka, but you don't like coffee? [Fair enough. Rho stands up and half a dozen cats flee under the steps, mewling in terror. Rob scoops the remaining one into his arms, fondly.]
Come in, come in, dearest. I've got something quite big to say, too.
Or the kitten might be... well, he might be wrong.
[Nose away, mumsycat. Dust, baked bean stains, pockets of clean. We're neither confirming nor denying Robin's infrequent habit of getting up to scrub, mop and do the dishes in the small hours.]
[She tilts her head to one side, waiting to see if there's more to that. After all, she's in his head. That's...not exactly news. Warm fuzzy static all in the brain when Robin thinks of him.]
[That's the news. Warm fuzzies, but it's not all. There's so-soon and too-soon and not-again, along with a big tangled nest of protectiveness, anxiety, and the way all of that seems to disappear when he's curled up with the guy.]
[He breathes out a sigh to rattle the teacups.] We've been, right, living together for almost a bloody year now, we've, erm, done each others' birthdays, been up and down and 'round the mulberry tree, but... it's a bit scary, Rho.
[Understatement of the century. He slides down off the table, seeking physical comfort and warmth as well as mental.] You know? I didn't think anyone would wantto... not had the best luck, here. Before.
Robin, this one's a keeper. I met him, did he ever tell you that? He was more thrown by me being furry than my method of communication. Mumsy approves.
Last thing we need's some civilian calling the cops on the circus tiger that's loose in town.
[Al perches her hands on her hips and does her best to look Demanding. She's used to weird, and she's actually used to arguing with cats thanks to London, but London was significantly smaller than Odessa's tiger, and couldn't talk back loudly to the inside of her head.]
Comments
[He leans up, over, checks the street's empty and purrs. Loudly, and practiced well. Into her ear.]
[Robin might note that she looks well-fed and groomed, compared to her usual visits. And...wearing a collar.]
Well, not all of you can be cat people. Some of you are car people.
Some of you. Not some of me. I'm still shaking.
You'll be fine--I know you can learn to use that machine. I have faith in you.
So, you found a new housemate?
[Her mental voice carries more than a hint of smugness.]
[She seems to grin, butting her head gently against his chest.]
[He keeps petting her, soft and firm and with a little weight behind it, like he'd do for any largish cat or tactile human.]
I'll still make a point of visiting when we're on this end of the country.
Also, coffee and cuddles?
[She stands, stretching out slow.]
Come in, come in, dearest. I've got something quite big to say, too.
[She politely ignores his cats (not a herd, too small to be a pride. A clusterfuck of cats?) to pad toward him.]
Tell me? I won't tease.
[Nose away, mumsycat. Dust, baked bean stains, pockets of clean. We're neither confirming nor denying Robin's infrequent habit of getting up to scrub, mop and do the dishes in the small hours.]
[He plonks his arse on the table, legs dangling, skritchscraping on the tiles.]
God damn. C'mere? I need to just spit it out.
Yes...yes, you do.
Fuck.
I think I love him, Rho.
[That's the news. Warm fuzzies, but it's not all. There's so-soon and too-soon and not-again, along with a big tangled nest of protectiveness, anxiety, and the way all of that seems to disappear when he's curled up with the guy.]
[With the words comes a wave of reassurance, that it's okay, healthy, and she's glad to see him in love.]
[He breathes out a sigh to rattle the teacups.] We've been, right, living together for almost a bloody year now, we've, erm, done each others' birthdays, been up and down and 'round the mulberry tree, but... it's a bit scary, Rho.
[Understatement of the century. He slides down off the table, seeking physical comfort and warmth as well as mental.] You know? I didn't think anyone would wantto... not had the best luck, here. Before.
It's waaarm.
[Al perches her hands on her hips and does her best to look Demanding. She's used to weird, and she's actually used to arguing with cats thanks to London, but London was significantly smaller than Odessa's tiger, and couldn't talk back loudly to the inside of her head.]
[Not that she expects to win this battle, but a little adversity is good for a growing girl like Al.]
[If Ma was out, anyway. She wasn't very partial to ANY of the animals, really.]
Only if you'll curl up with me.
Yeah, alright, fine, after I do my stretches.
(Oh, God. Does rental insurance cover tigers?)
[At least she's declawed, so there's no puncture marks.]