Cats are cool [Tom]

[alton steven scott]

Steven was relaxing at home. Saturdays were the best day for him. He was usually able to enjoyed a nice relaxing morning with Jacqueline, his cat. They would often watch whatever recorded tv they had left over from earlier in the week while Steven cooked himself breakfast and added food to Jackie's bowl, topping off her water if it was needed. Once he was done eating he would sit on the couch and Jackie would come sit on his shoulders or his legs. Saturday afternoon was a different story. After a light lunch, Steven usually had something around his apartment that required his attention. If he didn't have anything to fix or clean Steven often read one of his books or find something to do away from his apartment.

Today was one of those lucky Saturdays were Steven had nothing to do. He had enjoyed his morning ritual and was debating what to do with his afternoon. Today seemed like a good day to do something. He felt a bit antsy. Perhaps a swim at the beach or a run would help him to, as his mother used to say, 'Get the wiggles out'. Before he could gather anything together, he heard a knocking on his front door.

[thomas peter fitzgerald]

It was a bit of a dull, dreary Saturday morning as Tom shuffled about his small apartment kitchen listening to the rain pelting gently against the window. He was still somewhat sleepy as he prepared his morning tea and thought over his doings for the day. There wasn’t much yet in the agenda aside from grading papers and studying-- a lot of studying. Maybe if the rain let up, studying at the local library and maybe reading a bit for pleasure. That would be nice. Considering the fact that it was indeed summer, this holiday had been very much like the school year with his teaching a course and getting through his own business although soon enough, he would be flying to visit family again and maybe then he could finally relax. Visiting family always seemed a stressful enough endeavour but this time his mother had promised, what with the amount of nagging she’d done to get him to agree to come up, that all would go smoothly. None of the usual shenanigans or absurdities of the garden parties trying to get him engaged, nor any silly opera viewings for the sake of his meeting another ‘lovely young woman’ with which to attend-- no. Not this time. Or so she said, and so he could only hope.

As the kettle boiled, Tom prepared his tea slipping in two spoonfuls of honey before moving to the small table just on the other side of the countertop. There he sat and took a sip burning his tongue. It was then, and only then that the cat decided to finally appear and toddled over slowly to the centre of the room. “Good morning to you too,” Tom smiled, watching as Loki flopped himself out all over the floor. He gazed at the face of his little black cat, intently watching as he lay sprawled on the ground in a bit of a mess. For a cat as lazy and slightly overweight as Loki, it wasn’t unusual to see him sprawled in such a way but the anxious, slow mewling was a bit of a concern as Tom set his cup of tea back onto the table. He soon stood and came to a crouch beside the miserable thing and with a tender hand, stroked Loki’s silky black fur. “What’s wrong, darling?” Tom cooed gently. Loki did nothing but continue to splay out like the little drama queen he was known to be and his owner sighed.

Straightening, Tom wondered what to do. Loki didn’t look sick, he just seemed to be acting like a brat again-- which was none too unusual an occurrence, but Tom didn’t want to dismiss his anxious mewling just yet. He also didn’t want to take him needlessly to the vet but if it came down to it, he’d have to. Suddenly, Tom remembered that young man Steven he’d run into the other day. He’d mentioned he had a cat, hadn’t he? Maybe his cat had once displayed such symptoms. Would he know? It might be worth a shot to inquire, after all. Couldn’t hurt right?

Mind made up, Tom set aside his cup of tea for later and grabbed his keys. Then, with a gentle pat to Loki’s head he moved towards the door, forgetting to grab his rain jacket along the way. It wasn’t long before he was standing in front of Steven’s door, soaping wet wishing he had grabbed it.

[alton steven scott]

When Steven opened the door he was surprised to see Thomas. He couldn't think of a reason that Tom might have to be here.

"Hello," Steven said, feeling slightly bewildered. "Come in," he said, moving aside to let him into the apartement. Seeing that Tom was dripping wet Steven was even more confused. He looked around Tom and saw that it was raining. Well it looked like it was going to rain for the rest of the day. Then again, this was florida and the weather changed on a dime.

Tom looked a bit stressed. However there was a chance he was simply unhappy at being wet. "Are you alright?"