Retail Therapy // Part One
The mall was busy. It was a rainy Saturday afternoon and apparently, like Alex Greico and Danny Kurily, the rest of the population had nothing better than to wander aimlessly through store after store. It was surprising to Danny, actually, that it had been Alex who motivated the trip out of the house. He was usually the one suggesting shitty movies and cuddles on the couch on a rainy day.
Danny didn’t mind snuggling on the couch with his boyfriend, especially when they watched horror movies and Greico watched from behind his fingers, chewing on his lip intently because, let’s be honest, that was fucking adorable. Come to think of it, Danny would be crazy not to enjoy that, but sometimes he had to get out of the house, which was why he’d jumped at Greico’s suggestion of a bit of retail therapy. He also figured it would be a nice distraction from the shitty mood he’d been in lately. Being overworked and underpaid tended to do that to him.
“So, what did you want to buy, anyway?” he asked curiously, linking his fingers through his boyfriend’s. Greico was definitely on a mission for something.
“Oh, you know... stuff,” Greico answered evasively, leading his boyfriend through the maze of people.
Danny frowned. He recognized that tone of voice well; his boyfriend was up to something.
Really, Danny should have figured that Greico wouldn't have wanted to leave the house without a motive. He hated malls, especially when they were crowded like they always were on a rainy day. It was just a question now of what that motive was...
When they came to a stop outside a pet store, Danny felt he had a pretty good idea of what that motive was.
"No," he said instantly "So not happening."
"I haven't even asked for anything!"
"No, but I've got a pretty good idea what you're going to ask for and the answer's no."
Greico pouted. "Can we at least go in and have a look?" he asked, giving Danny some pretty impressive puppy dog eyes.
Danny sighed. It was damn near impossible to deny Greico anything, considering how adorable he was.
"Okay," he conceded "But just a look!"
Greico grinned and nodded, grabbing his boyfriend's hand and dragging him into the pet store. He headed straight to the kittens, exactly as Danny knew he would.
"Oooh, look!" he exclaimed, pointing at a fluffy white ragdoll "Isn't she precious?"
"Mmm," Danny said disinterestedly, looking around the store.
"I bet Tiddles would love to have her as a friend..."
"No. Absolutely not. I didn't even want one cat and I let you get that... demon. I am not making that mistake again."
"Tiddles is NOT a demon. He is my baby. You're just bitter because he pounces on your feet."
"It hurts! He's got talons to rival Wolverine, that animal."
Greico rolled his eyes. "I know you like him, Danny. Stop pretending to be a heartless brute. I've seen you smile at his sassiness."
Danny scoffed. "Sassiness? More like brattiness."
Greico didn't respond. He was too busy talking to one of the sales assistants who was opening up the cage which housed the kitten he'd been admiring. Greico scooped the little ball of fluff up and started gushing.
"Oh, she's so sweet. Look at her gorgeous eyes!" he said, shoving the kitten in Danny's face.
Against his better judgement, Danny looked down at her. He was met with the gaze of wide, blue eyes which seemed to have a slightly mischievous sparkle to them.
"Miaow?"
The kitten sounded almost questioning and without thinking, Danny reached out and took her from Greico. She started purring almost instantly, smooching into his arm and gently kneading it with her paws.
"She likes you!" the sales assistant said with a smile, watching Danny gaze down at the little furry powder puff he was cradling. His face was a mixture of surprise and adoration.
"She's so sweet... I don't want a kitten though."
20 minutes later Greico was driving their beaten up green camry away from the mall. Mischief was curled up in her cat carrier on Danny's lap and he had one finger through the side of it, gently scratching her fur.
"I bet that me getting my own cat wasn't exactly what you had planned for today," he said to Greico, a slight smile on his face.
"Actually, that was exactly my plan."
Danny frowned. "Why?"
"Because I love you and you've been a bit down lately. I think you need your own furry companion," Greico said thoughtfully.
“You really thought that a cat was the best way to cheer me up?”
Greico grinned. “Well, I’ve got a few other ideas. But they’re going to have to wait until we get home and it’s going to involve a lot of ha-”
“Shhh!” Danny cut his boyfriend off “Not in front of Mischief. She’s a lady.”
Part Two