That admission sent a surge of warmth through Zelos. Again, he couldn’t fight the twitch of his lips, and the slight flush of his face. To think that Malba really enjoyed his presence? That he found some benefit to having him here? It made his heart feel strangely full in a way it hadn’t for a long time.
He knew it was necessary to play along. With some effort, Zelos’s expression morphed into one of feigned surprise. “Huh,” he murmured. “That so? You must really like cats then, huh, Mals? Only way you could justify me eatin’ you out of house and home, sleepin’ in your bed, messin’ up your living space….”