closed: we're adopting

[reidinggg]

They had been talking about it for months. Jokingly, at first, something that one of them had brought up on a drunken whim. It had become a bit of a running joke for a while. But then the idea had started to stick, to be thrown out as an actual suggestion rather than a humorous jab. Then they had gotten rather attached to it, to the hypothetical

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[skylar_x]

Skylar hadn't really seen much of the flat since being brought home on Sunday afternoon. After all, her room had an attached bathroom and both Harry and Reid had taken up to doting on her every need. There hadn't been any reason for her to step out of the safety of her bedroom really.

Sometime around midday her and Harry had fallen asleep again. Well, Harry had. Skylar was staring at the ceiling, listening to the sound of his breathing to calm her down.

The door slammed and she winced, sitting up quickly.

But then Reid's familiar and comforting voice followed and Skylar relaxed, pulling herself out of bed. She straightened out her favorite navy pullover sweatshirt as she headed out towards the living room, her dark brown hair a mess of curls.

"Reid? What is it?" she asked, catching sight of the little bundle that he was carrying in his arms. A smile pulled at her lips before she could stop herself.

[reidinggg]

"It, Fawcett, is a pristine specimen of the felis catus species," Reid replied, his attempt at sarcasm barely even coming across as such because, how could anyone get their tone to be anything other than overly sweet and playfully high-pitched when they were holding a squirming bundle of gray fur and and wide eyes.

"-Also known as an adorable kitten, and also the new supreme leader of this household." He unceremoniously dropped with his bag and keys to the floor in order to hold the fuzzy bundle out toward Skylar, a face-splitting grin stretched across his face.

[skylar_x]

It was no secret that Skylar had wanted a kitten for a long time now. Actually, she had wanted one the day she received her letter to Hogwarts but her mother didn't approve of pets of any kind. She always said that they were a distraction.

"You got us a kitty!" Skylar broke out into a smile for the first time in days, warmed by that adorable little face (Reid's actually, though the kitten was just as cute),

She stepped forward and took the kitten, perfect little white paws and peach fuzz baby fur sticking out in all directions. She brought the little face up to nuzzle at her nose.

"I can't believe you got us this little fur ball!"

[reidinggg]

There. There it was. If the absolute adorableness of the snuggly little ball of gray fuzz hadn't been a good enough reason on its own to completely cave and take the little guy home with him, the genuine, unwavering smile he finally managed to get out of Skylar sure as hell was.

"It's been a long time coming. I took a short cut through the shopping center and I swear he was staring at me when I walked by the pet shop and, well. I got us a kitten."

He stepped up to Skylar to scratch a finger behind the quirked up point of the tiny cat's ear, unable to wipe the smile from his face as he watched it paw at Skylar's face as she held it up in front of her.

[skylar_x]

Even though Skylar had keep physically, at least for the most part, her limbs were still stiff and sore but she was moving around again, the potions could do nothing for the emotional scars. There was a heaviness weighing her down now, a constantly reminder of the torment she had been put through. Ever night she tossed and turned, screaming out and pulling at her own hair as she relived the memories.

There wasn't much in the last few days that had eased her mind. But then again, they hadn't tried the healing powers of a kitten yet.

"Does he have a name yet?" she asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the tiny little face, the button nose and tiny little pink tongue. Skylar pulled him in, rocking him against her chest and she could hear him begin to purr.

[reidinggg]

Reid shook his head, fondly smiling as he watched the little creature latch on to Skylar's shirt, somehow already having formed a bond. Reid couldn't have been more pleased.

"No, not yet. I figured it was only right for it to be a joint effort."

[skylar_x]

Skylar was absolutely melting, her hand gently stroking this little round head, barely the size of an peach.

"We've thought of so many brilliant names over the years," she mused, making her way to the couch. "How will we chose?"

[reidinggg]

"Pick one out of a hat? Throw them at the wall and see what sticks?"

He plopped down on the floor next to the couch, curiously peering back at the tiny bundle's wide blinking eyes. "Maybe see what he responds to?"

[skylar_x]

The kitten was looking back and forth between the two of them, bright eyes trying to figure them out. This flat was a whole new world for him with a new family along with it.

"Well, we can cut out Meowly Cyrus and Rowena Ravenpaw," Skylar laughed, nudging Reid's shoulder with her knee.

[reidinggg]

"Peter Pawker? Purrlock Holmes?" Reid suggested, hooking a finger to catch the miniature flailing paw, leaning his chin against the couch and glancing up at Skylar.

"Doctor Mew?"

[skylar_x]

They had come up with so many silly and clever names over the years that it was difficult to keep track, some sticking around as favorites longer than others. Though, as Reid said the last name "Doctor Mew" the little kitten perks up and turned to him.

"Doctor Mew!" Skylar mused, a wide smile on her face as she turned to Reid. "He wanted to pick his name after all-"

[reidinggg]

The grin Reid had hardly been able to keep off his face since first setting eyes on the bundle of fuzzy cuddliness widened that much more, his nose scrunching up as he lightly scratched on fingers just behind the kitten's ear.

"So not only is ridiculously cute, we've got some kind of genius Who fan feline on our hands," he said, his voice a few notches higher than usual as he semi-addressed the kitten.

"My dad'll be so pleased-" he added with a laugh.

[skylar_x]

"He's as clever as he is adorable,"she laughed, picking him up to nuzzle against her nose. Doctor Mew playfully swatted at her and mewed, the little sound soft and sweet.

"Just like you, Reid-"

[reidinggg]

Reid waved a dismissive hand at Skylar's comparative compliment, scrambling up off the couch and dropping himself next to her.

"I'm only adorable when it's worth the effort," he shrugged, dropping his chin on top of Skylar's shoulder to peer back at Doc's flailng, a perfectly goofy grin on his face. "I don't think this one could help it if he tried."

[skylar_x]

"I hate to break it to you but you're always adorable-"

Skylar turned towards him and pressed a kiss to his forehead, happy then that Harry had fallen asleep and she had this moment alone with Reid. There wasn't a day that went by since she was eleven that she wasn't thankful for him stepping into her life but some days the realization of how lucky she was were bigger than others.

"And he's absolutely perfect," she said, turning back to Doctor Mew and that sweet little button nose of his, "We'll have to get him a navy blue collar and one of those scratching trees with all the different levels for him to sleep on."

[reidinggg]

Reid wrinkled his nose at her, probably not helping to build his case against accusations of being adorable as he cuddled up against her on the couch, Doctor Mew hopping around between their laps, alternating between blinking up at them and wildly pawing at whatever body parts he could reach.

"Obviously, he'll be getting completely spoiled," Reid nodded, laughing as he watched the furry bundle hop up against Skylar's chest, flailingly reaching for a curly lock that fell past her shoulder.

He nudged his shoulder against hers, laughter receding to a small relieved sort of smile as he threw a side glance her way. Though they had been talking about getting a cat for years, this really had been a bit of a last ditch effort to find something to cheer her up, to take her mind away from what was clearly on it every hour of the day. It was even more of a relief than he had imagined it would be to see her smile and somewhat relax again.

"I'm glad you like him."