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It's been a long day.
Despite doing everything right, nothing seemed to go Ufo's way. He doesn't usually go out like this– and so far away too, but he was needed for something important.
Now that it was dark, the trek back to his abode felt like it was taking forever. Like, dude! He totally should've brought something to light up the way. It was nearly impossible to see, and it was even harder to focus on not tripping as he slowly came across familiar paths through the forest back to his home.
He sighed, briefly rubbing his black, fluffy face before forcing a smile. He shouldn’t be all downtrodden like this– if he seemed too beat-up, then his sweets was gonna ask about it and he'd have to cobble together a response that would make it seem like he didn't get beat-up by the events of the day.
Each step felt heavier than the last, and the rustling leaves in the night wind only added to the sense of solitude. He missed you. Even though he was only gone since morning, he couldn't help but think about you while with the other cats in the gang he was in. It was hard not to think about you– after all, you were incredibly pregnant and needed his help more often than not.
He hoped you were okay after being alone for so long…
He itched near his hip under his dress suit, scrunching up his face. He wished he brought a bag so he could take off these uncomfortable clothes. He didn’t feel like carrying them, so he just had to suffer with them on.
Once he reached the base of a particular tree, Ufo climbed the ladder leading up to his house… tree house? It was a little too big to be called a tree house, but it was a house in a tree… He and the other members of the gang he was in helped him build it a long time ago– they often do things like that for one another. The other week, they helped Dale move around some furniture.
Ufo reached the platform of his tree house and paused for a moment, catching his breath while standing right by the front door. He really should invest in some stairs.
Eventually, he noticed the soft glow emanating from a small window, and he felt a mixture of relief and anticipation. The lights weren’t on this morning, so that means you must’ve turned them on recently.
As he opened the creaky door, he was met with the comforting warmth of his home.
The interior was adorned with an eclectic mix of items– colorful fabrics, mismatched furniture, and trinkets collected from various adventures. It was a reflection of the camaraderie he shared with the other gang members.
Ufo carefully navigated through the cozy space, trying not to disturb anything. He didn’t hear anything, which meant you were likely sitting or laying down somewhere.
“Sweets?” He called out softly, not trying to wake you if you had fallen asleep.
He glanced around your usual spots– the living room, kitchen– but still didn’t see you. Usually, you’d go over and greet him as soon as he gets back…
Ufo's concern deepened as he moved through the familiar spaces of the tree house without finding you. The soft glow from the lamp in the corner painted the room in a warm ambiance, but the absence of your presence left a void that he couldn't ignore. Maybe you were asleep in the bedroom after all?
"Sweets?" he called out again, this time a bit louder. His steps became more hurried as he checked the bedroom and even the small study nook, but there was no sign of you.
Okay. He shouldn’t panic. He was usually calm and laid back– not panicked! Panicking was Same’s job! There was nothing to panic about. You were just… playing a little game on him, was all.
He sat down on the shared bed to think, frowning as his ears pinned to the back of his head. He had no clue where you were– and the gusts of wind outside were not helping his nerves… Just where in the world could you be? There weren't many other places in his abode to check…
A sudden thought struck him. He rushed to the back door near the kitchen, passing the home phone on the wall, and threw the door open to reveal a small balcony overlooking the forest.
There, under the moonlit sky, he spotted you.
You were sitting on a cozy chair, wrapped in a blanket with eyes closed. At some point, you must’ve fallen asleep.
“Sweets… darling…” He rubbed his face, releasing a small sigh of relief. His tail lowered. “Jeez…”
Ufo stared at you for a long moment, reaching out to gently pet your face. Of course, you were absolutely gorgeous in the moonlight, but it was getting a bit too cold so he needed to get you indoors.
Carefully, he scooped you up all princess style, arm hooked under your knees and a hand on your back. Despite technically carrying more than one person, you and your extra package didn’t feel all too heavy to him. Maybe he was just used to carrying you or heavy things in general. Maybe he was still high on panic. He wasn’t sure.
He adjusted his hold on you before stepping back inside, feeling much more relaxed now that he knew you were safe. After a pause, he began automatically purring, his tail lifting a little. You were safe.
When he finally reached the bedroom he placed you down on the bed, making sure that you were still comfortable with the blanket, before turning over towards the wardrobe. The suit was really starting to itch– he hated wearing such formal clothes…
He pawed at the front of his suit, taking it off with little difficulty. He then began to work at the buttons on his dress shirt, finding that it was much more difficult.
Ufo quietly pouted to himself. He wished he could've worn his regular gang outfit today– which only consisted of an orange bandana around his neck. Simple, and didn't take forever to remove. It would’ve been so much better than wearing a tuxedo!
He was so focused on taking his clothes off, that he didn't notice somebody right behind him until their arms wrapped around him into a hug.
"Hey there, handsome," you mumbled sleepily into his neck. "Took you… Took you long enough to get back."
Ufo smiled sheepishly, craning his neck to look at you. "Sorry, sweets– I've jus' been busy today. So much to do, little time to do it.” After a pause, he pressed a kiss to your lips. “I missed ya, sweets…”
You smiled, hugging him a little tighter. “I’ve missed you too… Mmh… How’d I end up in the bedroom?”
“Carried ya. Also, and I’m not a scientist, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to fall asleep outside.”
“Probably not,” you giggled, eventually stepping away and rubbing at your eyes. You were so incredibly delightful to look at… Slightly disheveled, soft skin…
"J-Just be more careful next time," he mumbled, getting a little flustered. It was almost hard to believe that you were carrying life inside of you.
Your hand briefly went to your stomach, and instead of going to the bed like he had thought, you waddled out of the bedroom.
Ufo blinked before shoving off the rest of his clothes, quickly sporting basketball shorts. He stepped out of the bedroom and looked around. "Sweets?"
You were now in the kitchen, moving things around in the fridge.
"Sweets?" He slowly pouted, walking up behind you. "What are ya lookin' for?"
"Food."
"...What kinda food?"
"The kind that can be eaten."
Ufo crossed his arms at your witty comments, continuing to stare at you. "Are you… craving anything in particular?"
“Um…” You faltered a little before sighing. “I don’t know… maybe something savory?”
“Savory? This late at night?” He seemed half amused. “Didn’t you have dinner?”
…
The long pause told him that you haven’t. At least you seemed sheepish. “I was worried about you– I think I forgot to eat.”
“...Well,” he began with a soft huff, peering over your shoulder and into the fridge too, “I can cook dinner now.” Thankfully and unlike most of the gang, he could actually cook. “Go sit on the couch, sweets.”
“You don’t have to cook,” you said gently. “I know you’ve got to be tired…”
“Nnnonsense! I’m never tired.”
You gave him a look over your shoulder despite his confident tone. “We can just eat leftovers– it’s fine…” After a pause, you reached over and put your hands on his shoulders, giving him a light massage. “You feel so tense… You should relax a little.”
“But–”
You cut him off by kissing his lips. “Let’s rest together,” you told him. “If we really need to, we can heat up a can of something.”
Ufo sighed. As much as he wanted to argue with his sweets, he really was tired. It has been a long day. He wanted to lay down and rest… and how could he refuse, when you said it so simply, with your tender voice he had known to love? He couldn’t refuse.
He nodded, finally relenting, “Alright, sweets. You win.”
You grinned, pulling him towards the living room where the couch awaited. Ufo allowed himself to be led, a tired smile on his face. As you both settled on the couch, he couldn't help but feel a wave of gratitude for your understanding and care, despite you being very much tired too. Pregnancy was no joke– it was almost hard to believe that you were settling on just eating something canned instead of actual dinner.
You nestled against him and he draped an arm around you, the weariness of the day slowly fading away in the warmth of your presence. The soft glow of the lamp casted a cozy atmosphere in the room, and Ufo found solace in the simplicity of the moment.
“I love you,” you began softly, “I love you so much. And, you make me feel so loved too. You work so hard with what you do…” You reached up to stroke his cheek. “Though, I feel you deserve a small break.”
“Yeah?” He leaned down a little to briefly kiss you, trying not to seem flustered. His tail lightly flicked to the side. “I mean… a break would be nice, but… I don’t think I can, sweets.”
“Oh come on,” you groaned. “In other jobs they’d let you go on paternity leave by this point– when’s the last time we went anywhere nice? Or, went on a small vacation together?” You gave him puppy eyes. “We should enjoy our time together while we still can, because here shortly, there’ll be three of us living here.”
Ufo… sighed, lowering his head and collecting his words. He was about to say something– but his ears perked up when the home phone began to ring. There weren’t many people that knew his home phone’s number.
He was about to get up, but was met with your hand to his chest, pushing him back down. “Let me answer it,” you said, lowering your bottom lip.
“But–”
You shuffled off to the kitchen, quickly picking up the phone. After a moment came your muffled voice.
He grunted, slowly getting up and peering through the doorway, somewhat hiding behind the wall. You were making gestures with your hand, pouting heavily while talking with someone… or multiple someones?
“–And,” you continued, “We’re going on vacation for several weeks, so don’t contact us unless it’s an emergency. Sound good?”
“Sweets…” He frowned. He could only assume that the other cats called from the main hideout’s phone– he had left early, using you as an excuse.
You looked over to him… and gave a cheeky smile, slooowly hanging up on the phone by placing it back in its holder. “Look who just got some time off!”
Ufo rubbed his face, though couldn’t help but smile weakly. Oh, how he loved you dearly. “Are we actually going somewhere, or are we staying here for those requested weeks off?”
“I haven’t decided yet,” you told him smoothly, briefly kissing him. “But, let’s go back to laying down.”
“As you wish,” he mused, not fighting it. He might get a visit from Dairy tomorrow about this, but for now, he’ll believe that he may have gotten a break.
As you both went over and settled back onto the couch, Ufo couldn't help but feel excited. A sudden break, unexpected and most certainly unplanned, was not something he was used to– even if he might not actually get a break. Yet, the idea of spending quality time with you away from the usual hustle and bustle was undeniably appealing. Though, now he wasn’t sure what to do with all this supposed freetime…
“You're full’a surprises, sweets,” Ufo said, a playful glint in his eyes.
You chuckled, running your fingers through his fur. “Life with me is never dull, is it?”
“No complaints here. I like it that way.”
As you both drifted into a comfortable silence, the idea of a vacation hung in the air. Ufo couldn't help but wonder where you might decide to go or if you'd choose to stay in the cozy confines of your treehouse. Either way, the prospect of taking a break, even if it was just for a little while, felt like a welcomed respite.
After all… he really couldn’t recall the last time he took a break.