Page 81 of Johann

Alexei settled his warm hand on the back of Jay’s neck, squeezing encouragingly. “Cats aren’t like dogs, sweetheart. They’re a little warier. You need to let them come to you.”

And then he crouched, motioning for Jay to do the same. They waited there, just like that, for a long while, still and silent, and eventually—in tiny, slow movements—the little kitten inched closer.

“There you go,” Alexei murmured, scooping the kitten up in one broad hand. He lowered his head so he and the kitten were nose to nose. “Where did you come from, little thing?”

“From in here,” Jay answered from where he’d crawled forward, peering deeper into the bush. He tried to keep still and quiet, even though excitement had him wanting to wiggle around. “There’re two more here,” he whisper-shouted, crawling back out to rest on his knees. “What should we do?”

“Oh!” Jay startled as Alexei plopped the kitten into Jay’s hand.

“You stay here,” Alexei said. “I’ll ask for a box from the gas station.”

Jay stared at the fuzzy creature in his palms. It was black and white, like it was dressed in a little kitten tuxedo. Jay couldn’t help but think Soren would approve. The kitten stared back at him, yellow eyes wide and barely blinking. “Hello, kitten,” Jay said for the second time, keeping his voice soft, gentle. “I’m Jay.”

The kitten started purring.

Jay hummed happily as Alexei’s strong fingers worked shampoo into his hair, kneading at Jay’s scalp in a way that had all his muscles loose and relaxed and melty.

“Why are you so good at that?” he asked in a mumble, leaning back more firmly against Alexei’s broad chest and stretching his legs out into the bath.

Jay already knew the answer. Alexei’s favorite answer anytime he asked something like that, about why they matched so well.

Alexei didn’t disappoint. “Because I was made for you, kotyonok.”

Jay was learning that Alexei took the concept of fated mates very seriously. He said that logically, the only conclusion that could be made from the whole thing was that Alexei was literally born to love Jay. That Jay was the reason for his existence.

Jay thought maybe it was all a little more nuanced than that, but he loved to hear it anyway. Because wasn’t that just the nicest thought?

He listened in the ensuing silence for any sounds of mewling, but their new houseguests must have still been sleeping.

They’d tried taking the kittens to the shelter, but they’d been told by the harried-looking volunteer that there was no room for them. So they’d picked up extra blankets, wet food, and a heat lamp (the last one being Alexei’s suggestion). The kittens had curled up in the box together immediately on arriving in the new home, the lamp making it look like they were all in a little kitten sauna.

“Lean your head back.”

Jay complied, and warm water poured over his head and down the back of his neck. He sighed with pleasure.

He loved that Alexei liked taking baths with him (although this time, he’d insisted they both rinse off the dirt in the shower before they got in the tub). He loved that even though they’d just spent the past seventy-two hours solely in each other’s company, Alexei was in no hurry to leave his side. That he craved the same closeness Jay did.

Damaged in the same way, Alexei liked to say, when he was feeling saucy.

But Jay didn’t think of it as damage anymore. Some of their shared traits may have stemmed from trauma, yes, but he liked to think of it as…a gift. That he and his mate were so well matched. Made to love each other. Maybe that was naive of him. But he didn’t care.

“What would you like to do after this?” Alexei asked, working conditioner into the ends of Jay’s hair.

Alexei always asked. Because he loved Jay. And even if his love was sometimes sharply obsessive, it was also kind. Thoughtful. Warm and accepting. Jay didn’t care what Alexei said to the contrary; Alexei would always be the nicest human in his mind.

And because Alexeididalways ask, and never made Jay regret answering honestly, Jay said exactly what he was feeling right now. “I want to keep the kittens.”

Jay felt the vibration of Alexei’s soft chuckle against his back. “I thought as much.”

Jay tilted his head back to meet Alexei’s pretty eyes. “You don’t mind?”

“As long as you don’t mind no longer being the only kitten in town.” Alexei pressed a kiss to his nose. “Whatever makes you happy, kotyonok.”

“You make me happy,” Jay answered easily, turning his head back so Alexei could rinse out the conditioner. “But kittens would be nice too.”

Alexei smoothed Jay’s hair back with gentle fingers. “Then we’ll have kittens.”

“And I think I know how I want to give away the first of my money.” Jay had been having trouble deciding, these past months. There were so many ways it could be spent, so many worthy causes. How did one choose?

---