(Untitled)

[dinosaurman]

((Backdated to the day of the chocolates.))

Grant was having a hard time getting his door open, between juggling his keys and a feline version of Laura Palmer. Finally he unlocked the door, put the cat down and invited Honor and Nimitz in. "Make yourself comfortable," he said. "Is there anything I can get for anyone?"

Comments

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura mewed softly and pawed at Grant's arm. Some water would be nice. That cookie left an aftertaste.

[honor_nimitz]

"She'd like some water," said Honor.

Celery?

"You've had two stalks already today," Honor said, addressing her 'cat. "I'm not cleaning up after you if you get sick again." She smiled at Dr. Grant. "He's rather a greedy guts when it comes to celery, but it's not good for his digestive system."

[dinosaurman]

"I imagine it wouldn't be," he said. "All right, one bowl of water, coming right up." Grant went through a door that divided the living and sleeping areas, and came back with a bowl of water for the cats. "So, is there something special about celery, or is it just a personal favorite?" he asked.

[honor_nimitz]

"It seems to be a species favorite. I've certainly never met a treecat who'd turn celery down. As a matter of fact, that's how the original settlers on Sphinx--that's my home planet--discovered treecats: a rash of celery thefts. A clever little teenager named Stephanie Harrington set up a camera trap in her family's greenhouse and caught the first image of a treecat ever recorded on film." She lifted Nimitz off her shoulder, and he immediately ran over to Laura. "Nimitz claims it strengthens his telepathy, and I have noticed a difference after a binge. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, the side effects can get messy."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Once Honor and Nimitz had departed, Laura hopped down off the coffee table, padded over to where Grant was standing by the door, and threaded herself around and between his ankles.

[dinosaurman]

"Hey, careful there," Grant said, picking her up. "I could step on you, and then where would you be? Small, furry, and with a sore tail." He made his way back to the couch.

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

She meowed, giggling to herself, and snuggled into the crook of his arm.

I could get used to this, she thought.

[dinosaurman]

I must be doing something right, he thought.

He sat down on the couch and arranged the cat beside him. With long, slow strokes, he pet Laura from the top of her hear to the base of her tail. After a few minutes, he sighed.

"I realize that this is bad timing for an apology, but I'm sorry about what I said to you last night."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Hours later, Laura stirred as the gloom lightened at daybreak. She vaguely registered something large and heavy beside her, and the remaining shreds of cat-consciousness flashed warm/solid/smells good/snuggle. She cuddled up close and sighed happily.

[dinosaurman]

Grant cracked one eye open when Laura moved closer to him. He reflexively tightened his arm around her, and got a handful of warm, soft breast. After a brief, irrational thought passed through is head, (Why on earth is there a warm water bottle in my bed?) the truth kicked in and he sat bolt upright, fully awake.

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

Laura hummed softly at the feel of warm pressure on her breast; then a disorienting sensation of falling when the body behind her went from horizontal to vertical. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes and tried to get her bearings.

"What the hell?"

[dinosaurman]

Grant was already halfway out of the bed, or he would have been if his foot hadn't been caught in the sheets. Lying on the floor, one leg still wrapped in the bedding, he stammered, "Jesus, I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

She sipped coffee and thought back.

"Well, he thought I made a cute cat." She grinned. "He said I remind him of one of his daughters, and that he misses his family. We talked about him and Honor, and how they're going home soon. I think that's the basics."

[dinosaurman]

"So nothing on the deep mysteries of yarn balls, then."

[wh0_kill3d_m3]

She laughed. "No, nothing like that. We did talk about how much more intense the sense of smell is for cats. Is it like that for you when you're a wolf?"

[dinosaurman]

Despite the awkward situation, he cracked a smile. "Yes. Smell and hearing are much better. Eyesight, well... is very different."