Anders (crazycatman) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-04-08 14:24:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, anders, tinkerbell |
Who: Anders and Tink, and introducing Lady Widget
When: Early April, pre-body swap.
Where: Humane Society!
What: Tink adopts a kitty!
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete when posted
Anders could barely contain his excitement. He had taken the afternoon off from the clinic, and was completely ecstatic that it was finally happening. Tink was finally getting a cat. Anders was finally able to go to the shelter and play with all the kitties.
He pulled up to Tink’s house, and, leaving the car running, went to knock on her door.
Tink worked in the morning, but headed home at lunchtime. She had a couple of mechanics she trusted who were working the afternoon shifts, so that Tink could get things done around the office… and outside of it. Today she was hopefully going to adopt a cat. She was a little nervous about it. She wasn’t Fawn. She wasn’t always good with animals. (Though, Cheese liked her, so that was a plus, right?)
She came home, changed and showered, and was waiting anxiously in the kitchen only a few feet from the front door. When she heard the knock, she’d finished her second Red Bull. She rushed to answer it.
“Hi.” She said, then went up on her toes to steal a quick kiss. “Ready to go? I’m ready to go. I’m nervous. Actually, excited. Actually, more nervous than excited, I think.” She said the words in rapid fire, fuelled by the energy drinks coursing through her.
Anders kissed her back, and grinned, clearly amused at how nervous/excited/wired Tink was. “I’m ready to go if you are,” Anders said, and went to take her hand so he could hold it for the short walk toward the car.
She was practically vibrating she was so nervous/excited/wired. Her fingers threaded through his as they walked to the car (after closing and locking the front door, of course) and she released his hand so she could climb inside. All the while talking almost nonstop. “I don’t know what kind of a cat I’m looking for. I think maybe it should be a cat, you know? And not a kitten? Because cats need love and homes, too, not just cute adorable kittens. Besides, I’m out of the house a lot, and I think a kitten might get really lonely without me? Or do you think a cat will get lonely, too? Are they like puppies in that they chew up everything in the house?”
"I think cats probably get lonely," he said. "Not as much as dogs though. They're mostly self-sufficient, and they're not as pack oriented as dogs. There probably won't be so much chewing as much as knocking things over and hiding all your small things under the couch."
He smiled as they got to the car, and he opened her door for her. "I think a cat would be perfect though. They need homes too, and kittens definitely need more attention than adults."
Tink wondered what she’d find if she’d move the couch in a few weeks. Nuts and bolts? Balls of fluff? Pencils? Whatever she found, it would be awesome. She gave him a grin as he opened the door for her, then slipped inside.
“Thanks,” she said once he was inside the car with her. “I’m thinking adult cat sounds best for my … needs. And I’m not sold on one gender above the other. I mean, does it make a difference? Boy or girl?”
Anders began to drive toward their destination. “That depends if and when they got neutered,” he said. “Male cats who haven’t been fixed, or some who got fixed later in life, will spray to mark their territory, which… isn’t pleasant. It stinks to high heaven. But other than that, there’s not much of a difference.”
“Well, I definitely don’t want my nice, new house to smell like cat urine.” Tink said, pulling a disgusted face. Even her disgusted faces were still adorable. Somehow. She shook her head. “No, maybe I’ll go for a girl cat, then. One that won’t pee all over.”
Anders laughed. "It would be truly terrible if that was to happen," he said. "Lady cat it is."
Tink sighed, leaning back in the chair and turning her attention to the ceiling. She was grinning, unable to stop. She was imagining all the different kinds of cats. Long and sleek, stocky and fluffy, the kind with the squished faces… She reached over and took hold of Anders’ hand.
“Thanks for coming with me.” It was important to her that the cat like him, too.
"If anything, I should thank you for letting me come," he said, taking his eyes off the road just for a moment to grin at her. "There is no way I would miss getting to see all the kitties."
There were going to be so many kitties and he was going to play with every one of them. Well, he would try to at least.
Tink really did love his grin. She nodded. “You’re always welcome, you know that.” She responded, blushing just a little. “I’m going to want to take the mall home with me, you know. You’ll have to force me to settle on just one.”
Now, that made Anders laugh. "If you wanted someone who's going to convince you to adopt only one, you brought the wrong man, Sweetheart," he said. He was probably going to struggle not to adopt another one of his own, even though he knew his tiny apartment definitely wasn't big enough for another cat.
Tink chuckled softly. She squeezed his hand. “Well, hopefully I’ll be able to keep you from adopting more than your fair share.” She gave him a grin. “We’re just here for one kitty to keep me company in that big house. And if we don’t find a good one, we can always try again later? I want it to be a good fit,” she said, knowing that she was repeating herself, but she couldn’t help it.
"You'll have her for the rest of her life," Anders said. "So finding the perfect cat for you is definitely important. I'd be happy to keep coming back until you find your feline soulmate."
“Fingers crossed it doesn’t take long. Wouldn’t it be cute if our cats get along? And cuddle up together and fall asleep in the sunshine? Wait, what if they don’t get along?” Tink sat up a little in her chair as if this was the first time she’d thought of it. “What if … they hate each other??”
“Cuddling kitties is the best,” Anders said, smiling as he thought about it. “Sir Pounce-A-Lot tends to get along with most cats, so we’ll just have to make sure to get one that doesn’t mind having other cats around.
He pulled into the parking lot of the animal shelter, and turned off the car. “You ready to try to find your new best friend?” he asked.
They pulled into the parking lot and Tink stared nervously up at the Animal Shelter in front of them. She turned to Anders when he asked her, and broke into a tentative smile. This was such a big step! She was glad he was there with her. “Yes.” She said. Then she climbed out of the car to follow him inside.
Anders hadn’t actually been to the shelter since he had moved to the Orange County. He had volunteered a couple of times back in Germany when he was on break from classes or wasn’t too busy, but here he hadn’t really had the time. So, he was pretty excited to finally check the place out.
He held the door open for Tink, and looked around the reception area. There was a woman standing behind a desk, with a couple of pictures of some of the pets in the shelter on display.
Tink let the woman behind the counter know that she was interested in adopting a cat. The woman seemed pleased, and showed the pair of them to the “cat room.” There were about a dozen cats and kittens lazing and playing about. There were some litter boxes, and cat beds, and toys. There was also a screened window with a cat door, and a fenced-in, outside area where the cats could go, too.
Tink stepped into the room and looked around nervously. Excitedly. Some of the cats looked over at the newcomers. Others jumped up and came wandering over, meowing and purring.
The woman left Tink and Anders alone in the room, heading back to her desk to get started on paperwork.
Tink bent down to start petting the cats. “Hello, there. I’m Tink,” she said, smiling at the cats now bombarding her. “Which one of you wants to come home with me?”
Kitties. There were so many cats, and Anders could not be happier. Once they were let into the cat room, he almost immediately sat down on the floor.
“Hello pussy cats,” he cooed as a couple came up to him. “Oh, look at you all.” If Heaven was anything like this, Anders would die a happy, happy man. “I think we should just take them all,” he said, smiling at Tink. One of the ones he was petting flopped over onto it’s side. “Or, we could just take you home,” he said, until one climbed up onto his lap. “Or you.”
Tink grinned at the sight of Anders surrounded by cats. She could imagine him like that character on The Simpsons that had all the cats. The Crazy Cat Woman? Whoever that was.
She moved to sit down, too, making sure she didn’t sit in a litter box or on a cat. There were probably a dozen cats surrounding them, crawling into laps and rubbing their faces against Tink’s and Anders’ hands and clothing.
“What about this one?” She asked, after a particularly pushy tabby climbed into her lap, went up on his hind paws, pressed his front paws against Tink’s chest and started sniffing at her nose.
Anders would be the Crazy Cat Woman to beat all Crazy Cat Women.
Anders looked at Tink when she spoke, and then he laughed. “Oh, what a pretty kitty. I think he likes you,” Anders chuckled. And then, cooing again, said “Do you want Tink to be your human, Puss-puss? She’s a pretty swell human.”
Tink would still come and visit. She liked Anders. She liked cats. These cats were all very friendly. The cat that was sniffing her nose turned to glance at Anders, then climbed down off Tink’s lap to wander over and sniff at him, too.
Another cat, a white one with black on its face and toes, took its place, rubbing its face against Tink’s chest, then chin.
Tink laughed. “Or this one? This one’s friendly.”
“Hey you,” Anders said, and then started petting the friendly tabby, and looked over at Tink to see the black and white one nudging her. “Lucky kitty.” He winked at her. “When you have the choice, you should always choose the tabby.” Not for any real reason. Anders just really liked tabbies. “Though my vote is still ‘all of them.’”
“This is going to be impossible,” Tink nearly whined as another cat came over and started mewing and nudging her hand with its head. She gave a frustrated laugh. “I don’t have enough hands to pet all of these cats.”
She put both hands down into her lap, and sat still for a moment, thinking maybe the cats would wander off. Some of them did. A couple moved from Tink over to Anders until he was completely surrounded.
Then Tink could get a good look at the ones who’d stuck around. Maybe one of them would be the one for her. She scratched behind the ear of a Calico, and another tabby. The white one with the black spots was still around, too.
Anders wasn't quite sure what to do with himself. There were far too many cats, and he did not have enough hands to play with them all. So, he cooed nonsense at them and his hands flitted from cat to cut, which ever was more persistent in getting his attention.
"We should have dates here all the time," he said, looking up at her. He did not envy Tink her choice right now. How on Earth was anyone expected to just pick one cat in these conditions?
Tink gave a laugh as a cat jumped up onto her shoulder and started climbing up into her hair. "We really should. This is the most romantic thing ever." She was teasing just a little, but she was really enjoying herself. She definitely wouldn't mind coming back here with him again. Even after she brought home whichever cat was destined to be her new best friend.
"...I really don't know. They're all so amazing." Tink admitted, reaching up to take the cat off her shoulder. It was another tabby, much thinner and smaller than the last. Younger? Grey and white stripes. When Tink had it in her hands, it started to paw at her hair.
“Well, I think it’s romantic,” he laughed. He watched Tink play with the cat, and felt a pleasant type of pang in his heart. It took him only a moment to recognize it, but then he smiled and continued to watch Tink, the adoration in his eyes apparent.
“They really are amazing,” he said. “But when the right cat comes to you, I’m sure you’ll know.”
"You're right. It's romantic." Tink loved the way Anders lit up around the cats. This was the perfect date for him, therefore it was the perfect date for her, too. "Seeing you as happy as you are is romantic, no matter what we're doing." She gave him a smile.
Tink reached over and picked up a toy from the ground near the cat beds. It was a feather ball thingy, on a little stick? It looked kind of like a fishing pole. Instantly, Tink thought of about six ways she could improve on the toy--but she didn't have time to dwell. Three of the cats (including the grey and white tabby that had climbed on her shoulder) all perked up and went flying out after the toy.
“What do you think about this one?” Tink asked, motioning to the grey-and-white tabby.
"I think she's adorable," Anders said, giving his totally unexpected and surprising answer. "Friendly and full of energy, playful. Obviously likes you. And she clearly doesn't mind being around other cats." The same could be said about any of the other cats in the room, but he did like the adorable little tabby.
Tink took his words to heart. And she took a couple more minutes watching the tabby--who was probably just shy of a year old, not really a kitten but still full of energy--and finally made her decision.
"I want to take her home." She said, breaking into a grin as she turned to Anders again. "Today. Can we do it today?"
"Oh, I hope so," Anders said cheerfully. If they could, they could introduce the cats tonight and how amazing would that make this day? Pretty much perfect, he was pretty sure.
With much reluctance he left his swarm of kitties to sit closer to Tink and give her soon to be new cat some scratches behind the ear.
Tink leaned against Anders when he came to sit with her. It was perfect already, but bringing this little gal home to introduce the cats, eat pizza, and play with cat toys would be the perfect end to an already perfect day.
She grinned as the other cats seemed to know--it was like they had an extra sense (didn't they already have six?) and they could tell. Tink and this cat were made for each other. The cat climbed into her lap, purring like a chainsaw.
"We should go tell the lady." Tink said. Her fingers wrapped around the tag on the kitten's collar and memorized the number there. These cats had numbers and not names. That was so sad.
Anders wrapped his arm that wasn't scratching the cat around Tink's shoulders and kissed the top of her head.
"I can go get her if you wish," he said,imagining Tink wanted to spend a little extra time with her new cat.
“Thanks,” Tink said, grinning at all of it. The kiss to her head, the purring of her cat, the excitement that filled her when she realized they were sort of creating a little family. Her and Anders and the kitties. It was thrilling and terrifying and she couldn't wait, even though they'd already started.
She played with the kitty until Anders brought the woman back in, then signed all the paperwork while the woman was getting the cat box and putting together the home kit. A small packet of food, a toy, and a collar all came home with everyone who adopted a cat from this center.
Tink was so excited. She gave the woman a hug as they left. She, Anders, and the cat.
"Widget. What do you think? I think she might like being called Widget." She asked, holding the box so that she could peer in through the little, cardboard holes.
“Lady Widget sounds like a great name,” Anders said with a wink. He was teasing, of course - he didn’t expect Tink to actually allow her to have the ‘Lady’ title, but Anders was of the belief that all cats should have noble sounding titles to their names.
He opened the car door for her once they reached the car, and leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. “That big house of yours will seem a little less empty now,” he said. He wasn’t sure if she still thought of the house as kind of empty, since Anders and Sir Pounce-A-Lot spent quite a lot of time over, but it would be nice for the occasional time when Anders didn’t come over.
Tink loved how often Anders came over to spend the night. Actually, she wished he could come stay more often with her. But she wouldn’t suggest it. They’d only just started dating. It’d be a bit fast, wouldn’t it? But he had a drawer. And Sir Pounce had a litter box. And it seemed comfortable. Still, she wouldn’t say anything. Not yet.
She returned the quick kiss, carrying the box with the small cat in it. Poor Lady Widget was inside murmuring and starting to yeowl at being trapped inside.
“Good. I’ll have to spend a little less time at work and a little more time at home now I’ve got Lady Widge to keep me company.” She grinned, then slipped into the car. “...you think Sir Pounce is gonna like her?”
Anders closed the door, and slipped into his own side before he answered. “I think Sir Pounce will just love her,” he said. “It would be hard not to.”