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Trust was a very funny thing. Freckle had trusted him to be sure joining the Lackadaisy was a good idea. Miss M trusted him with being the heroic savior of the place. He couldn’t let them down.
A very similar sentiment coursed through him as his legs carried him to Mordecai’s…their home, now? The concept was still otherworldly to him. A bed to sleep in, consistent three meals every day and…the both best and most uptight person he’d ever met in his entire life, would become routine.
Mordecai had trusted Rocky enough to let him into his home, and prior to that, his life.
Disappointing that man was out of the question.
As Rocky walked beside his beáu, the box with his few belongings being held by sweaty palms, he arrived to that mental ultimatum.
The pair entered the building, Rocky first and Mordecai last, who closed the door.
“…So.” Mordecai started. “Is the interior to your liking?” He questioned while Rocky took in his surroundings.
The tabby’s excitement was apparent. “Yes! It’s all cute and neat…much like the owner!” A wink was sent Mordecai’s way, who rolled his eyes. He’d gotten progressively worse at hiding his fondness when he did so.
“Thank you kindly for the compliment to our living quarters…and myself.” The tuxedo gestured to the stairs. “Now, would you like to see your room?”
After some enthusiastic nodding, Rocky was led upstairs, to one specific door. Mordecai swung it open, and Rocky went inside. He almost dropped the box he was holding. Luckily, he just slowly placed it on the floor. He’d unpack later.
“This was the guest room previously. I never made use of it. However, it’s all clean, of course, and mildly decorated already.“ Mordecai gestured with his paws as he explained.
It was a nice, plain room with two windows. There was a bed, a bedside table with a lamp, a wardrobe and a table, as well as a door that presumably led to the bathroom.
How long had it been since he’d gotten something like this?
Mordecai’s eyebrows knitted together when his partner just…showed no reaction? The silence had stretched too long. Rocky was the most expressive and talkative person Mordecai knew. Usually, that meant something was wrong. The black cat froze.
He never knew what to do in situations such as those. “Are you…in need of assistance?”
Rocky’s ears perked and he whipped his head towards the man, with a small smile. “M’fine! It’s just…it’s been a while since I had…such a lovely place to stay.”
“Oh.” Mordecai cursed himself for the filler word. “Do you wish for me to give you an…embrace?” The tabby shook his head. “What? No no! It’s all fine and dandy.”
The other only nodded in response. There it was. Did he want it or did he not? Was there something else Rocky wasn’t saying? Mordecai could never tell. He liked Rocky was usually upfront about things. Or, well, a bad liar if he wasn’t.
He resorted to leaving that be, for now. There were things to be discussed.
He gave Rocky some time to inspect the room more closely. The man eyed all the furniture and checked out the bathroom. Then, Rocky walked back towards him.
Mordecai cleared his throat. “Now that you’ve been properly introduced to your sleeping quarters, I suggest we go down to the living room. I’d like to lay some ground rules. Conditions, so to speak.”
“Oh yes, of course!” Was the animated reply received. The other man’s…everything seemed to return to its energetic normal, which mildly calmed Mordecai.
The two cats went down to the first floor again. Rocky exhaled a little heavily. Alright. This is what he had been waiting for.
After the two had sat down at the table, Mordecai started to speak. “Firstly, I’ll be the one doing the cooking and cleaning around the house, so everything is up to standard.” He paused, and after Rocky’s nod, he continued.
“Secondly, no high profile messes allowed.” Rocky opened his mouth to say something, to which the tuxedo added… “The occasional breakage of objects is…permitted.”
Rocky sighed with relief. “Thank goodness! Y’know how clumsy I can be.” He brought his paws together, biting his lip. “So…anythin’ more?”
The tabby received a positive reply, then the rule itself. “Third and last of all, you will have a healthy, varied diet. Pancakes can be had for breakfast more often than not, but you will be obligated to ingest things with actual nutritional value during the day. Understood?”
“Perfectly!” Rocky exclaimed, grin wider. That didn’t even sound remotely bad, really. Save for less pancakes.
Mordecai sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Marvelous. I suppose that is all.” A giggle left Rocky, who suddenly leaned forwards and planted a chaste kiss on Mordecai’s lips.
It was oh so endearing to see the man blush after receiving affection. “Wha-what? Why…”
“You look just dashing when ya smile.” Rocky said teasingly. “No other reason.” Mordecai scoffed at that, but it might very well have been a snort.
A moment of silence passed between them. But unlike the others, this one lacked that comfortable aspect.
“…Roark.” A sigh left his lips. “Potentially, is there something…on your mind? You’ve been acting in an odd manner.
Rocky’s paws clenched. Instinctively, he wanted to deny it. However, with those emerald green eyes questioning him, how could he?
“Nothing serious. I just…ugh. You do things in such a particular way. I fear I won’t be able to…reach your…expectations?” The words fell, finally. Not very good ones, Rocky thought. He was usually better with words.
Mordecai’s brows raised. “You think I…expect you to do everything perfectly, is that it?” After receiving a slow nod, the black cat sighed.
“See here. Of course I’d like that. But I know you. We’ve been…involved in this way for two years. I’d be stupid to think you’d behave like so.” Rocky averted his gaze, then Mordecai clasped his paws in his own and kept on.
“I’m well aware of your idiosyncrasies, but I still suggested this new living arrangement. It’s quite fine if you slip, Roark. Because I’ve already accounted for that as a possibility and did it anyway.”
Tears prickled Rocky’s eyes again at the words, a smile crossing his face. He blinked them away.
“…Thank you, Mordecai. That…means a lot to me.” Mordecai held his paws tighter, then sighed. “Roark…perhaps I don’t say it as much as I should…but I love you. Truly, and unconditionally. So don’t let your worries drag you down, alright?”
Mordecai felt his words were scripted. Said too much by people. But…that’s how people comforted each other, right? He hoped those words had been efficient.
They were true, after all.
A fierce nod came his way, as well as a sniff. “Alright.”
Roark quickly got up from his chair, which earned a confused look from his partner. “What are you…” He was interrupted by the tabby’s lips, now pressed against his own. Roark sat on his lap.
His paws came to rest on Rocky’s waist, almost automatically. The tabby’s started to practically assault him with repeated kisses, all on different spots.
Mordecai felt his cheeks’s temperature rise.
He’d made the man very happy, it seemed.
“Oh Mordecai!” A kiss on the lips. “I’m so happy…” One on his right cheek. “I could…” Another on his neck. “Do this forever, I really could!”
A white paw was put between them, stopping the onslaught. “Please do not. I might simply not make it.” Mordecai chuckled a little.
The genuine, loud laugh he received after saying that made his heart warm. A feeling quite common when he was around Roark, he’d noticed.
“Oh, right! Now that you’ve…dispelled my worries…There’s actually something else I’d like to say.” Rocky started, standing up again. “About uh, one of the rules.”
Mordecai tilted his head. “But…you said you agreed to all of them.” Rocky averted his gaze. “Yes, I know…but…thinking about it…I’d like to help out around the house, you know? I don’t like the idea of ya doin’ all the work and me…just bein’ there all useless.”
The black cat took that in, nodding a little. “…Right. I suppose we can come to a compromise. Are you alright with me doing most things involving cleaning and cooking?”
Rocky hummed. “It…depends on how much ‘most’ is. How about, for example, you wash the dishes and I dry ‘em? I could also take out the trash and clean my own room and bathroom!”
“The first and second one are…fine. But that third part…I...” Rocky was staring at him expectantly, biting his lip. Mordecai sighed. “I suppose it is your room. And bathroom. That one is fine as well.”
“Yes!” A laugh left Rocky. “Right, um…”
Mordecai interjected. “I could…teach you how to cook, if you’d like. Then you could help on that…after I’m absolutely sure you won’t burn down the kitchen.”
Excited blue eyes stared back at him. “Golly, that’d be great! And I promise I’ll never burn down your kitchen.” Rocky did a salute.
A chuckle left the black cat. “…Alright then. Now, do you think it’s all settled?” Mordecai posed the query to a grinning Rocky, who leaned in close. “Settled.”
The buffoonish man he’d come to cherish planted another one of those countless kisses on his lips.