Chapter Text
Beatrice lived a simple but content life. She was in a respected graduate program and lived in an apartment just off campus. She was working on her thesis and on track to finish in good time. The most excitement she ever had was chasing down her free-wheeling cat. Basmati, he was usually fairly tame, but he had quite the escapist tendencies. At first it had given her a heart attack when he darted out her front door, but he had always come home by dark, and he seemed much happier with his little jaunts of freedom. She didn’t let him out on purpose, of course, but she no longer worried herself sick when he did get out, and she couldn’t catch him, which happened at least once a week. It was towards the beginning of a new semester when things changed.
She was cooking dinner when she heard the telltale scratching at her front door. She rolled her eyes but smiled, and walked over to greet the little trouble maker. “Matty, what did I te-” she cut off with a gasp, scooping him up quickly, eliciting a disgruntled hrmf from him. “Are you hurt?” His usual pristine white coat was smeared red around his face. She brought him inside and checked him thoroughly for injuries, but came up empty. He squirmed as she fretted and tsk’d over him. She rubbed at the stains and they came off on her fingers, the ruby red oily substance baffled her, but it didn’t seem to be blood. “What have you gotten in to?” She frowned but let him go after cleaning him up.
He resumed his nighttime routine, unbothered, and she had no choice but to resume her own.
It was a little over a week later when it happened again. Only this time she got a better idea of what was happening. He sauntered over the threshold, covered in distinct, scarlet kisses.
“Wh-”
He looked smug, almost like he was proud of himself. She had no choice but to laugh at how absurd he looked, like a pair of cheap Valentine’s Day boxers. She cleaned him off again, much to his dismay, and couldn’t help wondering who his secret admirer was.
Ava was having the best year of her life. It was her senior year in college, she had nurtured a booming social life, and she basically didn’t have to worry about her classes at all. Everything was perfect, except she wanted more; more travelling, more adventure, more romance…You’d think the dating pool in a college town would be ideal for finding those things and more, but you’d be wrong. She had essentially speed dated a good portion of the campus by now. Not literally, but she had vibes on most everyone. It was a smallish town to begin with, but she was bisexual for god sake, it shouldn’t be that hard to find someone worthy of a second date. Maybe her standards were too high. Maybe she should just get a cat.
She was so caught in her train of thought that she almost tripped over a flash of white fur.
“Woah! Oh my god-hi cutie!” She dropped her bag and sat in the middle of the sidewalk, welcoming the attention of the cat that was now purring and eagerly climbing into her lap. “Are you lost? Are you someone’s baby?” It bumped its head against her chin and she giggled happily. “You want to be my baby?” The cat meowed and continued to cuddle into her lap. “Yeah, you’re coming home with me.”
She grabbed her bag and scooped up the little fluff ball, carrying it towards her apartment.
“No.”
“Maryyyyy.”
“Ava we can’t steal someone’s cat.”
“You don’t know that it’s someone’s cat!”
Mary gave her a look, and they both watched as the cat made himself at home in their apartment.
“Okay fine it’s probably someone’s cat, but I can’t just let him go! He might be lost!” Ava pouted.
“He seems perfectly capable.”
Ava groaned and looked down at the cat. “What do you think Shoelace?”
“You named him Shoelace?”
“Of course I named him!” Ava picked him up and slipped her shoes on. “Okay fine, I’ll take him outside and see what happens.”
‘Shoelace’ trotted happily along the sidewalk with Ava in tow. She followed him until he turned into a building nearby and sat in front of a door. “Is this yours?” Ava asked, kneeling in front of him. He ran into her lap and bumped his head against her hard. She laughed and kissed his forehead, fluffing up his fur affectionately. “Oh shit.” She rubbed at his face, trying to get her lipstick off him. “My bad little man.” He squirmed away and started scratching at the door nearest them. For a split second Ava panicked, realizing she had in fact kidnapped someone’s cat. A real person, likely a college student, maybe even a professor. She ran and hid around the corner, not sure why she was so shy all the sudden, but waiting to make sure that the owner opened the door and let Shoelace back inside, which they did.
After that night, she saw him a few times a week. He would wait by her door and aggressively cuddle her whenever she got home. He seemed entirely taken with her, and the feeling was mutual. Ava absolutely fell in love with him. How could she not? He was a sweet baby angel! She coo’d and peppered him in kisses for as long as he would let her before they each went their seperate ways. His visits quickly became her favorite time of the week, especially as the holidays came around. They were a difficult time of year for several reasons, seasonal depression on top of it all, but she was managing better with her little cheerleader. Up until he disappeared, that is.
She assumed it would happen, lots of people go home for the holidays, his owner was likely no exception, but he was gone for nearly a month when she started to worry. Had he gotten sick? Hit by a car? Did they move? Would she ever see him again?
It was mid January when she finally got the courage to knock on the door. She needed answers.
She fidgeted with her hands, unsure what to do with them after knocking. Suddenly the door opened and the most beautiful woman she had ever seen stood there, looking at her curiously. Her words faltered. Of course this would happen when she was a mess and totally off her game. She was saved by an urgent meow that sounded like it was quickly approaching. Her heart leapt at the familiar sound, and the woman stumbled to the side as her cat flew past.
“Shoelace!” Ava dropped to her knees immediately and scooped the cat into her arms. He continued to meow as he smooshed his face against hers and she laughed, tears springing to her eyes. “I missed you too little man.”
Beatrice was annoyed by the lipstick at first, it was a pain to clean him so often, and she couldn’t fathom why anyone would wear lipstick to begin with, or this often. Her cat was so much happier though, she could tell that whoever the lips belonged to must be quite nice at least, if not overbearing. She found herself searching her classes for red lips, watching for people as she walked around campus, and especially as she walked near her apartment. There were simply too many potential people. She didn’t like not knowing. There was something intimate about the whole thing, a connection had formed between the three of them that she couldn’t quite understand.
She was in her kitchen when she heard a knock on her door. It was odd, she couldn’t remember the last time anyone did. She swung it wide and was met with the last person she expected to see. Ava Silva, she was perhaps the most well known girl on campus, and for good reason. She was kind and outgoing, smart and welcoming, she was involved in nearly every club and organization at their school, and, like the rest of campus, Beatrice had watched her from a distance. She couldn’t help it. Ava was magnetic, and she was on her doorstep, wearing red lipstick…or, it was more of a burgundy…“H-hello.” Beatrice managed after a beat.
“Hi, sorry to bother you.”
She looked so different that Beatrice almost didn’t recognize her. She was shy too, and maybe a little sad, entirely unlike her usual presence.
“This might be a weird question, oh, I’m Ava by th-”
Just as she seemed to be finding her words, Beatrice felt something slam into her ankle. Damnit, of course he would choose now to escape, except he didn’t, he launched at Ava.
Beatrice’s jaw dropped. Suddenly everything made sense. Ava was her cats secret admirer, Ava Silva, friend to the whole campus, had somehow even befriended her cat. She would have laughed if she hadn’t seen the tears streaking Ava’s face.
“Ava, a-are you alright?” She asked.
“Yeah! Sorry, I know this is weird, I just, it’s been a month from hell, and I really missed this little guy.” Ava responded, smiling softly at the cat nestled in her arms like a baby. His eyes were squeezed shut as she ran a finger along his nose and forehead. Beatrice could’ve swarn he was smiling. She felt warmth stirring in her chest at the pair, despite the cold winter air.
“Would you like to come in? I was just making tea.”
“Oh I-um, sure.” Ava said, carefully standing up without disturbing the cat in her arms. “Sorry again, I’m sure this is super weird for you.”
“It’s alright, I’ve been wondering who he’d been sneaking off with.” Beatrice said with a small smile. Ava laughed. “That would be me.”
“Did you call him Shoelace?”
Ava blushed. “Oh, yeah, sorry, I needed something to call him.”
“So you chose Shoelace?” Beatrice let her tone slide into teasing as she poured them some tea.
“Well, what did you name him?” Ava asked, matching her energy.
It was Beatrice’s turn to blush. “Basmati, Matty for short.”
Ava burst out laughing. “See! I’m not the weird one.”
“Rice is hardly a stretch, he’s rice colored!” Beatrice defended herself.
“He’s also shoelace colored!” Ava laughed, turning to the cat now laying next to her on the couch. “It’s nice to officially meet you Matty.”
He rumbled a purr at her, half asleep and at peace now that his two favorite people were with him. “You know, you should’ve introduced me to your mommy sooner, she seems really cool.” Ava stage-whispered to him.
Beatrice almost choked on her tea.
Ava bit back her smile. “What was your name? Sorry I’ve seen you around campus, but I’m bad with names.”
“Beatrice.”
“Nice to officially meet you too Beatrice!” Ava said, some of her usual sparks returning.
Beatrice smiled, deciding to be brave. “Sorry to keep the two of you seperate for so long, I didn’t want him to get stuck somewhere and freeze.” She took a quick breath. “But, you’re welcome anytime, if you miss him, he missed you too.”
“He did?”
“Absolutely, he usually hates strangers to begin with, so you’ve always been a special case.”
Ava looked shocked. “Does he usually like kisses? Cause he loves mine.”
Beatrice laughed softly. “Yes he does, and between the two of us he gets no shortage of them.”
Ava’s eyes took on a new energy, one that rung alarm bells in Bea’s head.
“You know, we’ve basically been kissing this whole time right? Indirectly at least.”
“Oh-I-uh.”
Ava’s eyes dropped to her lips. Beatrice actually choked on her tea this time, thankful for the excuse to put distance between them.
Ava laughed while she coughed. “Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have said that.”
They talked for a little while longer, getting to know eachother, before Ava started making her way to the door. “So, Beatrice, could I get your number? Purely for cat related endeavors.” She said with a mischevious smile.
Beatrice felt her heart skip. “Of course.” She took Ava’s phone and added her contact.
“Thanks!” Ava said, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Beatrice’s cheek. “Ha! Now you guys match!”
Beatrice was too stunned to speak and Ava smiled bright, entirely too aware of her impact. “See you soon, Bea.” She murmured.
The door shutting broke Beatrice out of her stupor and she rushed to the bathroom mirror, seeing how her blush almost matched the lipstick mark on her face. Her phone buzzed and she took a quivering breath. An unknown number:
Thanks again! xoxo -Ava
Wanna go get coffee tomorrow?
With Matty?
No silly, with you:)