Work Text:
‘This is not a puppy,’ Duff said incredulously. ‘You were supposed to get us a puppy.’
The cat kept eyeing him suspiciously. It was black with a delicate white marking on its forehead. Quiet and graceful, as far as he could tell. Not even a kitten anymore either. When Izzy had brought it home and set it free in their living room, it had claimed the couch for itself and was now sat on Duff´s favorite cushion.
‘They didn´t have puppies. I figured where´s the difference, right?’ Izzy had the audacity to look unphased.
‘But… I already bought puppy pads and everything! I bought chew toys, Izzy. Chew toys! What are we gonna do with them now?’
Duff knew he should have come with. The shelter had called right when he had been headed into a meeting. Izzy, on the other hand, had had the afternoon off. There hadn´t been anything to worry about, though. They had discussed this. Planned for it.
‘I´m sure we´ll find a use for the chew toys,’ Izzy said reasonably. ‘Let Axl have one for when you bring out the numbers next time. He can work out his anger that way and we don´t have to listen to him rant. Problem solved. Everyone´s happy.’ Izzy clapped his hands and the cat shot him a nasty look.
‘There really weren´t any puppies at all?’
Somehow, Duff had trouble believing that.
‘Nope. Fresh out, I´m afraid.’ Izzy shrugged.
‘Huh.’
It wasn´t that Duff didn´t like cats. All animals were good animals in his book. Maybe except for that loud parrot Mrs. Miller at their old apartment complex had kept. The constant monologues had been grating on his nerves and the walls really had been too thin. But other than that, he didn´t discriminate. It was only… puppies often exuded a certain energy. He had been kind of looking forward to having one around the house. Playing fetch. Teaching it little tricks. You couldn´t really do that with a cat, could you?
‘Don´t look like that, it´ll be fine,’ Izzy said. The hint of uncertainty on his face was new and not very reassuring.
Duff looked at the cat again. It returned his gaze through narrowed eyes. He could tell that it wasn´t yet sure about the situation either, trying to decide whether he was trustworthy or not. Izzy sat down on the couch next to it and for a moment, Duff worried, that he would end up with scratches all over his face. But the cat just threw him a curious look before turning around. Izzy leaned back and crossed his legs, looking up at Duff. The cat curled up on its cushion, mirroring his scowl. Suddenly, everything clicked. They were already ganging up on him!
‘Yeah,’ Duff said slowly. ‘Yeah, I guess you´re right.’
Of course, they´d keep the cat. How could they not? Upon closer inspection, it was kind of cute. Maybe not like a puppy, but close enough.
Three days later, a copy of the finalized adoption papers arrived in the mail alongside an invoice for veterinary costs. There was also an outline on vital stats, expected expenses, and ownership requirements. Amongst the onslaught of information, there was one tiny detail that caught Duff´s eye.
‘You saved her,’ he said later, when Izzy walked through the door.
Izzy gave him a confused look.
‘I don´t know what you´re talking about.’
‘Kitty. They were gonna put her down.’ There was a tight feeling in his chest whenever he thought about it and he struggled saying it out loud.
‘Oh, were they? Hm, good thing I brought her home then.' Izzy smiled. 'You should think of a real name, by the way. That one is ridiculous.’
Duff walked up to him and hugged him close. Izzy let out a noise of surprise.
‘I love you,’ Duff said.
Izzy patted his back a little awkwardly. By now, he was quite used to Duff´s affectionate nature, but he could still get a little shy now and then.
‘Me too,’ he mumbled, sounding unusually sheepish.
‘You still owe me one puppy, though,’ Duff said later that night as a by now familiar weight landed on their bed and settled between their bodies. ‘As much as I love your feline counterpart. Don´t think I´ll forget.’
‘I do?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Hm, I guess you´ll get your puppy then.’ Izzy paused. Duff could hear the gears in his brain turning. ‘You think the two will get along?’
Duff wrapped an arm around his back and pulled him closer, careful not to jostle their little companion.
‘I think they´ll get along just fine,’ he said and was sure of it. Just like the two of them.
Maybe it didn´t have to be right now. They could wait until one day, they had more space and perhaps, a nice garden. Duff knew he sometimes rushed into things. But they had all the time in the world and with this, he could afford to be patient.