Who: Lucy and Anders What: Kitty playdate When: Early September Where: Lucy's house (or rather Peter and Caspians) Warnings/Ratings: Low/None Status: Complete | Partner Thread
Lucy and Anders had been trying to set up a playdate for Aslan and Sir Pounce-A-Lot for ages but something always seemed to get in the way. Either jobs, OC craziness or some other emergency. Looking back over the last few months it was actually mad to think about everything that had happened since they’d first met and she’d rescued Anders cat from the tree. That had been fun and she had ended up joining the gym as a result since she’d enjoyed the activity.
Today though they’d finally gotten a time that suited them both and Anders was on his way over. Lucy had gotten cookies from Baxter’s Bakery and the kettle was on for tea or coffee, whichever he preferred. Aslan was wandering around more than usual and Lucy was convinced that he knew something was going on. But then he was a very smart cat.
It was a perfect day to bring Sir Pounce-A-Lot to meet Aslan, the cat with the name that Anders was rather fond of. He was wearing his Mewgaroo hoodie, having removed the ears when it arrived, and had Sir Pounce-A-Lot snuggled against his stomach. The cat was wearing his harness and the leash in case he tried to bolt, but he seemed comfortable and wasn’t acting like he was going to try to run away anytime soon.
Anders had thought about bringing Lady Widget as well, but while she was great with Sir Pounce, it was harder to judge how she’d be around an unfamiliar cat. He also didn’t know how Aslan was going to react either, so it was probably best just to bring Sir Pounce, who he knew at least attempted to get along with other cats. He knocked on her door, and gave Sir Pounce-A-Lot a scratch behind the ear to help nudge the kitty into wakefulness.
Opening the door Lucy smiled when she saw Anders, “Hey” she greeted stepping back from the door, “Come in, come in” she encouraged. “I love your hoodie, Sir Pounce looks so cosy” she commented as she stroked the cat. Sadly there was no way Aslan would fit in a pocket like that, he’d break the clothing or the wearers back if not both.
“I have cookies and coffee or tea” she told him, “Aslan is wandering around, I think he knows he’s having a visitor”
“This hoodie is amazing,” Anders said, grinning. “We’ve got three of them at home.” Two were for him and the third he had purchased for Tink. “I used to carry Sir Pounce around in a rucksack, but I think we both like the hoodie more.” He still used the rucksack when it was too hot to be wearing a hoodie, but it wasn’t all the time now.
Anders pulled Sir Pounce-A-Lot out from the hoodie, untangling his claws from the fabric as he did so, and placed the feline on the ground. Sir Pounce-A-Lot immediately began to sniff around and cautiously moved around the room. “I’ll never say no to a nice cup of coffee.”
“I love it, I mean Aslan wouldn’t fit but it’s such a good idea” Lucy said with a smile, “Very cute”
Lucy watched the smaller cat sniff around before looking up at Anders, “Coffee it is then, follow me” she said, moving towards the kitchen where she assumed Aslan was. Sir Pounce followed them and she smiled as he did, “Take a seat and I’ll get it made” she told him, “So how have you been?”
“They should make one in a maine coon size,” Anders chuckled. “Though, I imagine he’s not exactly the lightest cat around either.”
“I’ve been well,” Anders said. “I’ve been very busy.” It was almost surprising how busy he had become since Justice had started inhabiting his head, but he wasn’t complaining. If he and Justice could bring true Justice to this world, then he’d work this hard until the day he died.
He had been about to sit down when he caught sight of Aslan, so instead of sitting at the table he sucked in a sharp intake of breath. “And you must be Aslan,” Anders cooed, crouching down not far from the big cat and holding out his hand so Aslan could sniff his fingers.
“Peter manages but I’ve struggled especially if he decides to be an unhelpful dead weight” Lucy replied, “I’d probably do my back in trying to carry him in a hoodie” she grinned at the thought of Aslan in one though.
“I know exactly what you mean. I can’t believe how quickly time flies now, I mean it’s already September” she said as she set everything out while the kettle boiled. “Good kind of busy I hope” she added smiling.
Her smile only increased as Aslan wandered in and sniffed at the offered hand, deeming it harmless he rubbed his large self against Anders legs before turning lazily towards Sir Pounce who was now watching him.
“It’s productive busy, at least,” Anders said. It was hard to say that it was good busy, since poverty and capitalism weren’t exactly the greatest things out there. He gave Aslan a couple of scritches behind the ear, before straightening up and letting the cats do their own introduction. Sir Pounce-A-Lot was used to other cats, but he had seen one this big before, and so he approached cautiously, ready to turn tail at any sign of aggression. “It is September though. It’s kind of hard to believe. Are you going to school at all?”
Lucy nodded, “Productive is good” she said, also letting the cats get on with it while she finished making the drinks. “I know, the year is flying by” she sighed before shaking her head, “No, just working. My sister has transferred to a local university though so she’s sticking around now”
Anders sat down at the table, confident that there wasn’t going to be any hissing and spitting among the cats anytime soon. He really did love having a cat that played well with others. “That’s great to hear about your sister though. You mentioned having a brother in the area too, didn’t you? Is it just the three of you?”
“This is my brothers house, well his and his husbands, my brother-in-law Caspian. So I guess there’s four of us now really. I have another brother but he’s back in England with our parents” Lucy explained, “What about you? Do you have family close by?”
“Well, it’s nice that most of you are together now! Unfortunately, I have no family,” Anders said. “I’m actually an orphan. So just Tink, and the cats.” It was something he had dealt with for most of his life, and he wasn’t terribly bitter about not having a family anymore like when he had been younger. He had made a new family with Tink and the cats, and before that he had considered his friends and Germany to be not unlike a family. He was still bitter in spades about the orphanage itself, but the lack of a birth family wasn’t a touchy subject.
“Oh I’m sorry” Lucy said, she hadn’t realised that or she wouldn’t have brought it up. “Well if you ever need a younger sister just let me know. I have lots of experience” she offered him. Lucy couldn’t imagine growing up without her siblings, they may drive her crazy at times but she loved them dearly.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Anders said. People feeling guilty or awkward about it was one of the reasons Anders rarely brought it up. He laughed at her offer to be his little sister. “Thank you for the offer. Are you sure your current siblings wouldn’t get jealous?”
“Oh no, I’m sure Susan wouldn’t mind loaning me out and Peter definitely wouldn’t. They’ve had years of me and my little sisterly ways” she joked with a bright grin.
“Well then, I’ll have to take that under consideration,” he smiled. “I can’t say I’d be disappointed to have a little sister who rescues cats from trees.”
Lucy laughed, “Susan would have been so disappointed if she knew I’d done that. She’s much more ladylike than I am” she grinned, “I never really lost my love of climbing trees and getting mucky”
Anders had never really been one for climbing trees and getting mucky. He wouldn't shirk away from it if necessity demanded he got a little dirty, but he'd complain about it. "So long as you're doing what makes you happy, right? Personally, I'd pass on all of that, but if you have the freedom to do something and enjoy doing it, there's no reason why you shouldn't."
“Oh I know, I’ve always been a little in my own world and I’m good with that” Lucy replied with a smile, “It’d be boring if everybody did the same thing right? I mean who would fetch cats from trees then”
"Well, firefighters obviously," Anders said. "Unless you're trying to steal their business away from them. I'm on to you now."
“Well damn. You know I have to swear you to secrecy now, I can’t have that getting out and about or the firefighters will be on my back” she grinned.
Anders mimed zipping up his lips and throwing the key over his shoulder. “Your secret is safe for me,” he said, winking.
Lucy laughed as she set his coffee in front of him, “Shall we go through to the living room?” she suggested, they could catch up in more comfortable surroundings. The cats were fine, currently Sir Pounce was trying to jump on Aslan who didn’t seem to mind at all.
Anders laughed a little bit at Sir Pounce-A-Lot. He loved his little furball immensely, no matter what Justice might say about how keeping pets was like keeping tiny prisoners and how unjust it was. “That sounds great,” Anders said, taking a sip of his coffee and standing up. He took one last glance at the cats, cooing “you play nice now, Sir Pounce-A-Lot” before he left the room.