Chapter Text
I have been around. These streets were my home and I knew them like the palm of my hand. Being born a stray didn’t really allow you much more but it’s not like I care. I’ve never known anything different. Be it raining or sunny, this freedom of sleeping anywhere, go anywhere, do anything has always been with me and I like it. My routine would go like this: wake up, stretch, yawn, stretch a little more, look for some food, go stare at the Doberman from the big house next to the shop with lots of flowers and amuse myself as it barked at me, if it’s sunny, take a nice nap and bask in the warm rays, look for some food again, look at people passing by my usual spot on the windowsill of a nice old lady and then go to sleep.
Simple, monotonous and the only possible pain in my ass would be if that huge Doberman ever manages to break that chain and chase after me. But it is highly unlikely. I’ve gotten too used to this life to find it boring anymore. Maybe when I was younger I would be more adventurous and do something stupid but I’ve long abandoned those ideas in favor of a nice, quiet and meaningless existence purring away my lifetime. It’s simply not worth it. Oh, I’ve seen the scars on others to prove how worthless it was. They boasted about them but I only thought they looked ugly. And nasty. They also looked like they had never cleaned themselves.
I really enjoyed my life. Well, I enjoyed it the most I could in my innocence.
When the old nice lady-who would also occasionally put a bowl of tuna on her porch sometimes- passed away I decided that I needed to find another place to lounge. The beastly shrieks and sweeping of a broom on my rear from the new owner- a ghastly woman by the way, she looked malnourished and had several pictures covering her body- were reason enough for me to not feel welcomed anymore. I left with all my pride though, even hissing at her stupid broom.
The day was grey and darkening. It was fairly early but of course I had to be shooed away right in the middle of winter. No matter. I would find a place soon enough. A little rain never hurt me.
I hated getting wet though. It left me feeling funny and gross.
I wandered off for quite some time, reaching the most inner suburban areas where people were louder and the air made me twitch my nose. Large tower like buildings stretched before me and none of them looked inviting. Soon, the first drop was hitting my nose. A five second warning as soon it started pouring and my whole body was instantaneously soaked. I looked up at the sky and frowned then started searching for a shelter. It was not too long before I spotted a small alley between the towers. It was dark and it smelled horrible-it seemed people deposited their garbage here- but it was unoccupied and there was a turned open box just big enough for me to enter. I pawed a little at it, feeling the rough cardboard material and did a small constricted turn before I curled up and laid down. I blinked, my tired eyes gazing at the wet floor and despite my best efforts I could feel my body start to shiver. Today was exceptionally cold. A soft noise escaped me-I refuse to label it as a whimper- and my stomach growled but I just shut my eyes since I’ve been walking all day and was just really tired.
It would go away. The cold, the hunger, the aching. It all went away in the morning.
Involuntarily, my mouth let out another soft mewl.
“What was that?”
One of my ears twitched at the sound of footsteps. My eyes opened a sliver to find a pair of tall legs walking towards my direction.
Great. Just what I needed. Please go away and leave me alone…
I curled up further into myself, trying to make myself as tiny as possible- which wasn’t that hard actually. I just found this spot and really didn’t want some stupid human making ridiculous noises and shooing me away, claiming that this was “his garbage”. I speak from experience.
So I mentally sighed when I heard a small gasp. From the small gap of my barely open eyes I could see the tall legs fold in a crouch. Trying to look at my level, he had a strange contraption over his head that was guarding him from the rain. My eyes opened fully involuntarily and my head raised a little, thinking that I could certainly use something like that.
“Hey little fella’! “ The human voiced and I frowned at him. He seemed amused at that. “My, you certainly seem friendly!”
He had an easy smile that seemed too genuine to mean harm but I still backed further into the box when he started to slowly extend his hand towards me. His fingers felt warm in the second that they brushed against my ear but my instinct spurred me into a violent hiss, baring my fangs in warning. He seemed startled by that, quickly retracting his hand and his eyes widened slightly. I thought that would be enough for him to just go away but his smile returned, a little wider even and his voice still sounded calm and friendly.
“Ah, my apologies. It was rude of me to intrude on your space like that.” I blinked at him again, my arched body slowly relaxing as he continued. “How about a deal? I’ll give you a warm dry place to settle for the night and you’ll make me some company. How does that sound, little fella’?”
I really didn’t like him calling me “little fella’“.
His hand extended again but he kept it near him and made a beckoning movement with his fingers. “I won’t pretend I didn’t see you shivering back there.”
I really don’t know what compelled me but there was something in this human that was different. His eyes were gentle and his voice was soft. His tone was patient and careful, treating me with something akin to respect.
I felt lured by it.
With reluctant steps I got out of the box and slowly approached him. I knew I probably looked a little pathetic. I was already small by nature but my dark fur was clinging to me, wet, and my body shivered uncontrollably. He seemed to wince as he saw how thin I looked.
His smile wavered a bit but he maintained his carefulness as he scooped me up gently into his arms. I let out a startled mewl, my claws clinging to his jacket as I wasn’t used to a human holding me and I started to have second thoughts.
Should I really trust him?
My thoughts turned hazy when his arm shifted me closer and his warmth seeped through my cold body. He started to move and the feel of him walking to somewhere unknown both scared and intrigued me.
I just hope I didn’t screw up…again.