And So, This Is Love

“We should go to Virginia Beach this weekend,” Erix suggested the next day as we all lounged around the living room of Mauve and I’s house.

“That’s seems fun,” Emmie agreed, nodding. We all ended up agreeing and planning the trip.

“Meanwhile, I want a beer,” I announced, climbing out of the seat. Beer was all I drank these days, because it never actually got me drunk.

Alex got up and followed me to the kitchen. Alejandro was curled up on the counter, sleeping. I walked over and scratched his head, giving him a kiss. He lifted his head and peered at me through half lidded eyes, giving me a small purr. I giggled.

Alex went to the fridge and pulled out two beers, setting one down next me and leaned against the counter.

“He needs a bath,” Alex commented, reaching over and scratching Alejandro’s chin. “I bought some cat shampoo, it’s under the sink.” I went over and pulled it out.

“This is the wrong kind,” I said immediately. “We need one that prevents fleas and ticks.”

“This one prevents hairballs,” Alex replied, taking the bottle from me and reading from it. “I thought that because he was a long haired cat – “

“These never work,” I sighed, rolling my eyes. “And even if he does get a hairball, we can cut it out right away and they’re far less uncomfortable than bugs.”

“I’m sorry, babe – “

“Whatever,” I snapped, annoyed that he wasn’t paying attention to things like these, because they could affect the health of Alejandro. “I’ll just go out and get some later.”

Alex looked like a lost puppy. I grabbed my beer and wound my body around the counter and back into the living room. In the time that I had been gone, Jack had sprawled out onto the laps of everyone that was sitting on the couch. His head was in Mauve’s lap and she was playing with his hair.

“God, why don’t you guys just fuck already?” I joked, plopping back into my seat. Their faces both turned red.

“Shut up, C,” Mauve told me with a glare on her beet face. Alex came out of the kitchen and left the house with the cat shampoo bottle in hand without a word.

“What’s up with him?” Abner asked.

“Nothing,” I told them, shaking my head. “I’m sure he’ll be back.”

And he was. Ten minutes later, he walked back into the house and presented me with shampoo that prevented fleas and ticks.

I smiled at him. “I told you I’d get it, babe, you didn’t have to,” I said, kissing his cheek as he followed me back to the kitchen to put it away.

“Anything to see you smile,” he grinned cheekily back at me.

“Do you want to help me give Alejandro a bath tonight?” I asked him. He nodded eagerly; it was one of our favorite things to do together.

So that night we changed into bathing suits and got a meowing Alejandro into the bath. Alex held him in the same spot while I went over him with the shower head.

I grabbed the shampoo and squeezed some onto his back, rubbing it instantly. I flicked a few bubbles into Alex’s face. He laughed and blew a couple back at me.

“Uh oh, he’s not going to like getting his tummy cleaning,” I said as Alex picked up his two front legs and stood him up on his hind legs. I squeezed more shampoo onto my hand as Alejandro hissed at Alex.

“Hurry up before he kills me,” Alex said, laughing.

“He’s not going to hurt you,” I rolled my eyes, letting a giggle slip from my lips, smothering Alejandro’s stomach with the shampoo. He began to wiggle around and try to bite me.

“Okay, baby boy, almost done,” I said, finishing up with his stomach and grabbing the shower head again. We sprayed down his soapy body and Alex stood up, holding him over the water. It took about two minutes for the water in his fur to slow down it’s dripping. I grabbed a towel and wrapped a towel around his body, squeezing him so that more water squeezed out of his body. He let out a loud meow.

“He’s getting heavier by the second,” Alex drawled.

“Be patient, I’m almost done,” I snapped, taking the soaked towel and putting it in the dirty laundry basket. I took another towel and wrapped it around his body, taking him from Alex’s arms. He looked up at me with huge pupils. “I’m sorry baby boy, it’s all over now,” I said, kissing his wet head.

Alex followed me out of the bathroom and across the house. Emmie and Erix were sitting on the couch, watching How To Train Your Dragon and eating a bowl of popcorn.

“Don’t you guys look smashing,” Emmie commented on all our soaking bodies. I poked my tongue out at her and we disappeared into my room.

I set Alejandro on the bed, trying to keep him wrapped up in the towel but he sneaked out of it right away, making his way to sit on the windowsill where the sunset peaked in, and he began to snake his tongue along his wet legs.

Alex and I stripped, dried off, and changed into pajamas. We decided to join Emmie and Erix on the couch.

We curled up onto the couch, and not long after Alejandro joined us, sitting in my lap and soaking my pajamas. I didn’t mind.

Eventually the five of us all fell asleep, cuddling each other.