Title: that cat/like a cat
Rating: G
Fandom: Kiseki, specifically Hajimari no Kiseki
Relationship: Lloyd Bannings/Rean Schwarzer
Wordcount: 743
Short summary: After some time apart, Rean looks for Lloyd and finds Coppe in Lloyd’s room. That’s not exactly a problem except that Rean gets a little jealous…
When Rean enters Lloyd’s room and finds only a black cat instead, he’s a bit confused to say the least. Randy had said Lloyd was upstairs, but perhaps he had misremembered? But then again, the door was already open and Lloyd wouldn’t just leave his room like this if he wasn’t around somewhere? Rean decides he’ll just entertain this cat for now until Lloyd comes back. Crouching down, he beckons the cat to come closer, but instead of stopping in front of Rean to get petted, the cat walks right past him. Rean wonders what he did wrong until he hears a familiar chuckle from behind. He turns around and sees Lloyd holding the black cat in his arms. Said cat is snuggling up to Lloyd like it’s a frequent and natural occurrence, and now that Rean thinks about it, he vaguely remembers Randy sending a picture of Lloyd holding a black cat some months ago… Was it this cat?
“Is that the cat from next door?” Rean asks as the cat purrs from Lloyd’s petting.
“Coppe?” Lloyd chuckles as he walks past Rean to sit down on the bed. “She’s not really anyone’s cat per se, but I suppose she likes to hang out on our roof. So I guess, kind of next door?”
Ah, so it is the cat that Rean has met a few times before, the one that is protective of the SSS and thus had a bit of a rivalry with Celine. Although Lloyd’s relationship with Coppe seems a lot cozier than Rean’s relationship ever was with Celine.
“You two get along well.”
So well that Rean’s not sure how to intrude…
“Are you jealous?” Lloyd teases as he gives Coppe a belly rub. “Did you not have any friendly cats back at Leeves? Or at Ymir?”
Rean shakes his head. “I think the dorms were too busy for cats to hang around at Leeves. As for Ymir, I think they preferred to stay away from Badeux?”
Rean’s not actually sure, though, and it’s hard to think about that when his attention keeps being stolen by the way Coppe is just stretching out, totally relaxed and enjoying Lloyd’s petting. It just makes Rean want…
“Ah yes. Well, Badeux is a good dog.”
“Yeah…”
Rean remembers when Lloyd had visited Ymir, everyone including Badeux had immediately taken to him. It certainly didn’t hurt that Lloyd was visiting as Rean’s lover, so of course Badeux had treated Lloyd as family. Now if Rean could become the same for Lloyd…
“Anyway, don’t worry. Coppe will cuddle up to you soon enough.”
Rean blinks. He supposes it would be nice to get close to Coppe. But that hadn’t been what he was thinking about actually.
“Unless it is something else?”
Rean blushes. Lloyd is looking at him curiously so he knows he can’t avoid answering. Besides they’ve been together long enough that, even if a little embarrassing, Lloyd would understand.
“You two look…too cute together. But I…”
“Rean?”
Rean coughs. Aidios this is actually kind of hard to say out loud. “But I was hoping to…you know…”
He ends up trailing off and gesturing with his hands. He just wants to be…cuddled? Like Coppe? Maybe?
Lloyd smiles reassuringly. “That’s not a problem, Rean.” He stops petting Coppe and instead moves to set Coppe on the floor. “Coppe, go play with KeA, alright?”
Lloyd follows those words with a little nudge, and a moment later Coppe is out of the room. Lloyd moves to close the door before returning to the bed.
“I’m all free now.” Lloyd grins as he spreads his arms out. “All yours.”
Rean takes the opportunity to press himself into Lloyd’s arms. “I’m sorry…” he murmurs against Lloyd’s neck. He’s embarrassed about how needy he acted, basically chasing away a cat, just because he couldn’t wait any longer to get Lloyd’s sole attention…
Lloyd laughs. “Don’t apologize!” He wraps his arms around Rean and rubs his hands up and down Rean’s back. Rean feels himself melt. After being apart for some time, to be held like this, touched like this, loved and cared for like this… Maybe if he were a cat, he’d be purring too.
“Welcome back, Rean.”
Rean smiles as he presses his lips to Lloyd’s jaw. “I’m home.”
Ymir is home. Leeves is home. But being in Lloyd’s arms is basically the same feeling, so…
I’m home, Lloyd!
If home is where the heart is, then…