Michael Reinhardt opened his door and placed his armyesque duffel bag on the floor outside. Then he leaned back into his apartment and took out another, smaller bag, a wheeled on carry-on suitcase, which he also set outside of his front door. Once that was done, he moved back inside. "Come on, baby. It's a little trip. he emerges with a little Siamese looking cat who climbs onto his shoulder and looks around. He takes the handle of the small bag and walks across the hall to the door of his partner Ryan Yamada and India Tor. They had agreed to take care of his cat, April, while he was on Falcon Island. Lifting his hand, he knocked.
India Tor opened the door almost immediately, smiling. "Come in..." she whispered, motioning them inside. "Hello cutie." she reached up to pet the cat on Michael's shoulder. It looked like the kitten had plenty of space up there.
"Aww, hi India." Michael acted as if she were talking to him, knowing full well she was not. But he chuckles. "Ryan's still asleep?" he asked, letting go of the suitcase and lifting April up and off of his shoulder.
"Yea .. his day off and all." India confirmed. "Is that her stuff?" she nods at the suitcase, which was, ironically enough, a pink hello Kitty carry-on. She looks up at him with raised brows.
"Don't judge, India." Michael warns. "It's cute and cuddly, just like my baby." although he realizes if Ryan were watching, he would have have not acted like a ... well ... man who is pussy-whipped.
"I ain't say nothin." India giggles softly.
Michael nods and hands April over. The kitten mews but seems Ok in India's embrace. "Her food and water dish are in there. I mostly fill her dish when she needs it, which is usually no more than morning and evening. I left the litter box at home cause Ryan said he picked one up from Chen's store?"
India nods. "Right, right."
He continues. "There a couple of toys in there but she never seems to like the toys I buy. She likes the draw string of my sweat pants and hoodies, and my socks, but only when I am trying to put them on." he shrugs as if unable to understand the behavior. "But maybe she will play with you alright? She's just barely a year old. The doctor didn't give me a date, so I am saying October the first. I know I'm a softie .. don't rat me out, okay?"
Trying not to giggle, India nods. "I will take care of your baby, Michael. It's good to see you have SOMEONE." she nudges him. "Now say goodbye to Daddy and we girls can have some fun."
Michael sighs and leans in to kiss the cat on her little head, then goes out into the hall, grabs his bag and heads downstairs without looking back.
India walks into the hall with April and they watch him go. "He'll be back." she promises the kitten before they go back inside.
She unpacks the suitcase, which has a small bag of little in it for the litterbox that was bought for their guest. Under the stairs, India set it up, but knew Ryan would clean it, since she was pregnant and couldn't. Then she sets the kitten init, so she knows what it is.
Then she sets the kitten down on the counter and sings a little song as she prepares the water dish and the food dishes, placing them on the floor. She puts April in front of them where they are sniffed and finally, singing "November" the song from Parks and Rec that Michael asked her to look up because April was the cats namesake, India lay down on the couch.
April wandered around the first floor a little bit before she joined India on the couch. Deciding to sleep on the limp of belly, she looks around, occasionally getting up to look out of the windows, only to return to India's belly. Her rented human sings for a bit and falls asleep ... as does April, feeling content.
Ryan wakes and rolls toward India's side of the bed, reaching for her and then patting at an empty spot. He sits up with a small frown, disoriented. Smacking for the phone on his bedside table he squints at it and mutters "Fuck I really slept....oh....Mike...Mike's cat...." He swings his legs over the side of the bed and pads down the stairs quickly in a plain black t-shirt and boxer briefs. He's about to text Mike when he notices two forms on the couch, sleeping, one India and one cat - April. He smiles at the scene and steps quietly towards them, The cat is closer to hand height so he reaches out and gently pets at her back behind her head. The startled animal turns and nips at him and then lets out a low growl.
April is startled out of her sleep and sees a strange man. Well ... not strange. He's been around her human before. She recognizes his smell but .. still. The lump on the soft human is nice and hers now.
India hears the growl and opens her eyes, aware of the slight weight of Michael's cat. Watching the exchange, she grins. "Morning, sunshine." she murmurs to Ryan. "I guess we fell back asleep." she giggles, reaching out to April, who butts her hand, nuzzling into it and looking at Ryan as if he is Cujo the evil big bad ol dog.
Ryan backs up a bit "I think I spooked her." He smiles "But she seems to like you. Sorry I slept through Mike. What time did he leave?" Ryan listens for her answer but pads over to the coffee maker and starts getting it ready to brew a pot.
India stretches, one hand going over her head and the other on her belly and April ON her belly. "We girls have to be careful and stick together." she defended the kitty with a grin. "He came by around eight. Probably so he could go get something to eat before he picked up Anna." she explains. "He brought over her food and water dish, litter and food." she grins and picks the cat up, moving to Ryan and nuzzling his neck. "So we're parents this weekend. Practice run." she grins.
Ryan leans the back of his head into India and lets out a little "Mmmm." He reaches a hand around from his hip and caresses hers behind his and then turns looking amorous. He leans in ready to kiss India when the little cat she's holding hisses at him. Ryan puts both hands in the air and leans back "It's OK April....this is what the grown ups do....geez a little touchy isn't she?"
India giggles a bit. She can't really help herself. Ryan isn't the largest man in the world, but watching him back off from little April was plain and simply funny. "Well ... maybe she doesn't want you hurting me." she suggests, setting the kitten down on the floor, where she glares up at Ryan before moving to the food dish to nibble a bit. "For all I know I remind her of her mother. I know cat lovers and they say cats will adopt people as cats. Maybe your not a cat guy like Michael?" but her face does reflect the difficulty of picturing Michael Reinhardt as a 'cat person'.
Ryan chuckles and puts his arms around India now "Mike's not exactly cute and cuddly. I suppose I'll live if April doesn't like me. I'll relegate myself to litterbox duty I guess.. with no thanks from Miss Priss."
India smiles and presses into him, which is still relatively easy, her baby bump is still so small. "Maybe we will have a girl." she predicts. "And this is just the part of her growing up where she hates Daddy and loves Mommy? I hear that's the first three or four years and then daughters love Daddy ... period ... forever." she giggles and moves to pour them coffee. "If you do things with her, maybe she will warm up to you?" she suggests.
Ryan snorts "Do little girls hiss and try to bite like that? I mean Steph was vicious but I'm pretty sure she's part demon." He sighs "So I should play with April? Did Mike bring some cat toys?"
India giggles. "Well ... sometimes." she confesses. "When my Dad got mad at me he called me a hellcat ... or when I got mad ... or something." she shrugs innocently. "No .. he said she liked playing with his drawstrings ... now if Michael had said that and NOT mentioned the cat, I probably would have slapped him but ...." she turns with her coffee to move to the couch. "But I am sure we can find something for her to play with..." she looks around at the windows for April. "Where'd she go?"
Ryan stands at the counter with his coffee for another moment and chuckles "If Mike wanted to tell you about playing with his drawstrings I'd be kicking his ass pretty fast." He looks around on all the furniture and under it "Huh I dunno....maybe she's like string? Do we have any twine in the kitchen...or an old shoelace?"
India chuckles. "I only pull YOUR strings, baby." she teases and turns towards the door. "Ohhhhhhh. My ......" by the door are their shoes. Best place for them, really. April is on top of one of Ryan's shoes, ripping at the laces, as if there is nothing else in the world.
Ryan runs over "No no no! Bad kitty! Stop it!" He reaches for his shoes and April takes a swipe at him, claws out and gets him good on the top of the hand "Ow fuck!"
India covers her mouth with one hand and tries not to giggle. She moves around the couch just as Ryan is attacked.. She drops to her knees and takes both the kitten, who lets herself be picked up and Ryan. "You OK?" she asks him as the cat glares at him.
Ryan holds his hand and looks annoyed "Yeah...but she's psycho. Mike said she was sweet...."
India grins and shakes her head. "She's a baby, Ryan." she chides him. "Only a year old. OK, I know that's grown and Michael did just have her fixed and chipped. Maybe that has something to do with it?" April is distracted by her locs and takes a swipe at one, playfully.
Ryan exhales in a bit of a huff "Maybe." He walks over to his shoe and picks it up, examining it and fussing with the laces. He looks at April sternly and says "Not for cats!"
India giggles. "See, you're getting the hang of this fatherhood thing." she announces with pride and moves back to the couch. She sets the cat on the cushion and lowers her hair so her locs wave free ... and April is suddenly in play mode. India giggles. "I'm a cat toy! See there IS life after retirement!"
Ryan straightens the tongue of his sneaker and sets it down. He glances over at India enjoying the little demon cat and mutters "Spectacular. I'm going to hit the shower."
India keeps playing with April. "OK baby." and once he is gone, she stops. "Union coffee break, April." she ties the locs up out of her way. She goes to drink her coffee, turning on the television. April wanders off to continue her exploring and plot her domination of her new territory.
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