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“Nah, I could absolutely win a fight against a horse.”
“Dude, horses are like…1200 pounds. It'd destroy you.”
“Okay, but I am more agile. And smarter.”
“I doubt that,” started Anthony with a laugh, before his facial features fell in surprise. “Ian! Ian, look!”
The fact their fingers were intertwined sure helped Anthony lead Ian astray from the street and into the entry of the little forest. They were on their way back from the bar, both having drunk a little too much to drive but not enough to be drunk, and therefore had decided to walk back home and enjoy the calm of the night. However, that did not mean Ian was particularly keen on walking into a forest during the nighttime.
“Anthony, can we not–”
Ian stood there, watching as his boyfriend knelt on the ground and checked their surroundings. They might be in the beginning of the forest, the street lamps still visible behind them, but there was anxiety swirling in Ian's guts. He hated how much of a scaredy-cat it could be when it came to things like this, yet, he was unable to help it.
“Don’t worry, babe, we won’t go further,” Anthony assured as he kissed the back of Ian’s hand and kept it tight in his hold, just as he started emitting a few weird noises from his mouth.
“What the fuck are you doing? Are you trying to cast a fucking spell or something? Come on, it's cold, let's go home.”
Anthony turned his head, smiling at his boyfriend's uneasiness. This was so adorable, he couldn't help but squeeze his hand tighter and chuckling quietly.
“Do you want my shirt, too?”
Ian blushed scarlet, pushing his other hand further into the pocket of Anthony's jacket. Earlier, as they stumbled into the night, Ian had complained about the coldness of the wind, and Anthony, like the gentleman he was, had taken off his jacket and put it on Ian's back instead. Ian had complained at first, worried for his lover's health, but had eventually accepted the act and secretly revealed in the comforting scent of Anthony all around him.
“Please, keep your clothes on.”
“That's not what you were saying before we left,” was Anthony's only answer, obviously accompanied by an annoying smirk. Ian blushed furthermore, but before he could tell him to shut up, a weird cracking noise echoed around them.
“Anthony! Let's go, please,” Ian ushered as he tugged on his boyfriend's hand. There were anxious shivers rolling down his spine and he couldn't wait to get home, but Anthony seemed to be focused on something else.
“Come on, come here, pspsps…”
As Ian closed his eyes and awaited the worst, he was surprised to open them to the sight of a black kitten rolling around in front of Anthony. The kitten anxiously stepped closer to the two humans, apprehensive, but eventually sniffed the two fingers Anthony was holding towards it. Once done, it seemed to warm up and started leaning towards the hand it was given and rubbing against it.
Ian had to admit the sight was very, very cute. Nonetheless, he sighed heavily.
“Really? We're in the forest because of a cat?”
“It's always hanging around in the neighborhood! Haven't you noticed?”
Anthony's smile grew larger once the kitten started enthusiastically purring. It pushed against the head scratches it received, obviously enjoying the touch of the human in front of it. Anthony's heart was tightening in his chest, that familiar feeling he had every time Pip had woken him up with his purring or when Ian would smile at him and hold his hand.
“Hmm, when you talk about it…Yeah. But I don't know, I thought it was the neighbor's cat.”
“I thought so too, but its ear is chipped. It means it's a stray who got spayed,” Anthony replied as he tentatively scooped the kitten in his arms. He had expected the animal to put on a fight, or be anxious, but it simply started purring more. With its eyes closed, the cat stretched and happily snuggled into the tattooed arms holding him.
Ian then felt his heart melt inside his chest, too. Under the moonlight, Anthony looked magical, his big eyes shining with happiness and fondness. There was something so enticing about seeing how happy Anthony always was around animals, and especially around cats. This soft way he petted the cats, held them and looked at them was definitely charming. Ian was so, so in love with how tough and serious Anthony could look, but deep inside was the softest man he had ever met.
He also couldn't say he disliked the sight of the cat, too. Despite his mild allergies and preference for dogs, Ian had always thought cats to be especially cute. And this one was very, very adorable; so much so that Ian couldn't resist the urge to lean over and pet its belly.
Immediately, the kitten chirped happily and started kneading a little in the air. Ian felt his heart melt inside of his chest, and it was obvious Anthony did, too.
“Oh My God, it's so cute,” Anthony whispered in awe. Ian didn't disagree, still busy petting the exposed little belly until he felt the brush of something against his leg.
“Holy sh–”
Both Ian and Anthony turned around, fear making their blood run cold. However, against Ian's leg was rubbing a small orange cat with dirt stuck to its eyes. Immediately, Ian felt his whole body filled with relief, his shoulders slumping.
“God, it scared me shitless,” he mumbled. Nonetheless, his sight stayed fixated on the kitten, whose frail state greatly saddened Ian.
“Come here, buddy.”
With those words, Ian picked the animal up sweetly, careful to not alarm it. However, the cat didn’t emit any complaints as it was scooped and only pushed a little as Ian carefully brushed away the dirt around his eyes. There was also dirt on the rest of its body, that much was obvious, and one of its ears was also chipped. Ian felt his heart tighten in his chest.
“It's getting so cold outside,” he said thoughtfully. The kitten scooped in his arms started purring, much to his surprise. It was so cute his heart tightened some more, and he hurried to cover the cat with his jacket a little. The sight of a string, however, was enough to get the cat to grip it with its paws and start munching on it, clearly in a mood to play. Distantly, Ian marveled at the blue of this kitten's eyes, one weirdly much alike to his own.
Slowly, the younger man turned his head towards his boyfriend, who still held the other kitten in his arms. They underwent a silent conversion with only their eyes speaking, along with a few eyebrow gestures. There was kind of an agreement between them that leaving them alone in the cold was not a wise decision, especially considering how bad the winter could get later on. Ian might be allergic, but he didn't like the thought of such adorable and helpless creatures being left alone in the wild…
“Can we bring them home?”
Anthony stuck his bottom lip out, looking up at his boyfriend with puppy eyes. This pleading look on his face was one Ian had always been ultimately powerless against, and thus, he found himself sighing and looking at the black kitten, then back at the orange one who still played with his string.
Having another animal would be nice, indeed. And two cats meant that they would not be too bored or alone when both he and Anthony worked. After all, they had just moved in together and could afford to have those adorable little beasts running inside their house…
“Okay. Yeah, let's take them home.”
“Really?” Anthony exclaimed, jumping up and leaning to kiss Ian in lieu of a hug. There was a huge smile on his face as Ian yelped and kissed back, chastly. Anthony was smirking proudly as he drew back, licking his red lips. Ian was tempted to draw him back in for another kiss.
Anthony, meanwhile, bent down to kiss that adorably cute orange belly.
“He even has your eyes! Oh my god, those are blood children!”
“Blood?”
Ian laughed, watching the adorably eager look on his boyfriend's face.
“Yes. He has your eyes, come on!”
“Yours has your eyes, too.”
Anthony looked back at him with the biggest of smiles, still hugging the cat close to his chest. Ian thought it was precious.
“Okay, yeah, those are our children. Let's hope they'll be better behaved than the ones we have right now.”
Anthony's lips curled into an amused smile as he bent down to chastely kiss Ian's lips one last time. Commonly, they started walking home, kittens still in their arms.
“We should name the orange one ‘sunny’. Because he's like you, and you're the sun.”
As always, Ian blushed dramatically at the mention of him being the sun. He thought it was a silly comparison, not one he personally agreed with, but Anthony had never budged on the subject. He loved to call him ‘sunshine’, to always point out how bright he shone and how blinding he was. Ian would rather apply these adjectives to his boyfriend, but…He couldn't say he disliked hearing that. It was sweet and it made his heart race in his chest in a familiar but pleasant way.
“Okay,” Ian agreed with a shy smile on his lips. The kitten in his arms –Sunny– still hung on to the string of his jacket. “But, then, if I'm the sun…That means you're my moon?”
Anthony smiled at him, his eyes twinkling in that familiar way. The utmost fondness people had spent decades telling him was there, something he didn't believe in until they reunited. Now, he could understand why fans called him ‘Heart Eyes Padilla’.
“Yeah?”
Ian nodded, looking at the shining eyes of the black cat. It did strangely look like Anthony, and the thought made him smile. “Let's call it Luna?”
Anthony beamed, fighting the urge to lean in and kiss the living daylight out of his partner. “That sounds good. I always wanted a family with you.”
Ian rolled his eyes, not fighting the urge to kiss Anthony this time. The kiss was quick and brief, making Anthony go red and nearly squeak. Ian's smile grew larger.
“Let's get them checked at the vet tomorrow, okay? But we need to find them something to eat at home.”
“Are we about to cook two cats dinner in the middle of the night?”
Ian smiled. “Seems so. Anything for our family, right?”
Anthony kissed him again, the two kittens still purring happily in their arms.