Chapter Text
Arthur woke suddenly from sleep, lifting his head to sniff the air. He was confused and curious about what had woke him up; life inside and outside the box seemed to be continuing as normal. Eames was curled up and asleep beside Arthur, snuggled close with his tail thrown across Arthur’s back. Arthur could see that it was still dark outside, and he could hear the horrible sound of wind and rain battering against the walls and rattling the emergency ladder of the building.
He strained his ears harder, knowing he would not wake up so suddenly for no reason. At first there was nothing, but then Arthur heard it. A weak, pathetic howl fighting the noise of the weather, calling for help. Arthur stood quickly, carefully stepping away from Eames so he wouldn’t jostle his mate awake quite yet. He wanted to see what was going on first, and then he’d decide what should be done.
Cautiously, Arthur slipped out of the box and poked his head out from behind the dumpster, scoping out the alley. There were puddles everywhere and the wind tore at his fur, but Arthur ignored his discomfort. The pleading howl had faded away to a sad, mournful string of mews. Squinting through the sheets of rain, Arthur felt his heart drop when he noticed a black and white spotted kitten across and down the alley a bit.
Immediately Arthur rushed out into the rain, running to the kitten. As he approached he saw that the kitten hadn’t even found any shelter, only his tiny tail wrapped around himself for warmth, though it would do no good with how soaked his fur was. The kitten mewled louder when he saw Arthur approach, and although he was shaking, he didn’t run away. “Help,” the kitten called sadly, clearly terrified.
Arthur stepped up close to block as much wind and rain with his body as possible. “What are you doing here?” Arthur asked worriedly. “Where’s your mother?”
The kitten was silent for a moment and then began a lamenting cry. “I don’t know. There was this big dog and she told me to run and now I can’t find her.” The kitten was shivering so violently that Arthur pressed closer, fearful for the kitten’s health. “I want my mom. Do you know where she is?”
Arthur felt his heart breaking for this tiny kitten, lost and alone and far too young to be on his own. He was terrified that the kitten’s mother might be gone for good, leaving this kitten alone. “I don’t know where she is,” Arthur admitted, bowing his head to nuzzle at the kitten’s soaked fur. “But I promise as soon as this rain stops we’ll look for her, okay?”
“I’m cold,” the kitten shivered, shuffling closer to curl up against Arthur. “I want my mom.”
“Would you like to come home with me until we can search for her?” Arthur offered, refusing to let this kitten freeze out here. The kitten didn’t respond but also didn’t run away, so Arthur grabbed the kitten by the scruff of his neck. He received no form of protest as he rushed back through the rain, getting them back into the little archway and the box Arthur now called home.
Arthur set the kitten down carefully and then walked over to nudge Eames awake. Once he saw Eames blink his eyes open, Arthur returned to the kitten, who was still shivering violently. “He can’t find his mother,” Arthur explained to Eames as his mate woke up and took in their new visitor. “There was a dog...” Arthur began but trailed off, knowing he didn’t need to voice his worries for Eames to know them.
The kitten began to mewl sadly again and Arthur ducked his head to begin lapping at his fur, removing excess water and working out knots carefully. The kitten didn’t purr but he did eventually settle in the piles of blankets, calming slightly. Eames stepped closer and nuzzled the kitten’s neck, showing himself to be friendly before settling on the blankets in front of him. “What’s your name?”
“Ty,” the kitten offered shyly.
Eames licked the kitten’s face encouragingly. “That’s a lovely name, Ty,” Eames praised, purring to show his happiness. Between Arthur’s grooming and Eames’ friendly actions, the kitten relaxed more in the blankets. “How about we go looking for your mother as soon as this rain stops, okay?”
Ty purred quietly, snuggling deeper into the blankets. “Yes, please,” the kitten said, but sleepily. His big eyes were already beginning to drift closed, Ty no doubt exhausted from his experience.
“Get some sleep,” Arthur nuzzled Ty’s neck, nearly done his grooming. “You’re safe here.”
Ty was asleep before Arthur finished cleaning his fur, curled up in a tiny ball in the blankets. Feeling protective, Arthur lay down with his body curled up around the kitten’s tiny body. Arthur lifted his head when Eames walked over, touching their noses together before Eames nuzzled Arthur’s neck familiarly. Eames remained close as he settled down, tending to Arthur’s own soaked fur that he had forgotten about. “This could be our chance at a kitten, darling,” Eames suggested shyly.
Arthur purred at the thought, though he forced himself to think logically. “We can’t get our hopes up,” Arthur warned. “Ideally we’ll find his mother. And even then, he may not want to stay with us.”
“I know,” Eames licked Arthur’s ear. “But seeing you like this just makes me feel so sure that you’d be a wonderful father.”
“Stop,” Arthur said shyly, turning to nip and tug Eames’ own ear even though he was smiling.
“It’s the truth,” Eames said, but quieted after that. Both of them were still exhausted so they let their eyes drift closed, Arthur cuddling the kitten and Eames cuddling him as they all slept the storm away.
#
Ty wasn’t very helpful in giving details on where he lived. Luckily, based on what the kitten had described, Eames figured out the right back alley to check. As soon as they found the right alley Ty rushed ahead, recognizing his home and bolting forward fast enough that Arthur couldn’t grab him. Arthur wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not when there was nothing to find in the box much like Arthur and Eames’ home. Ty cried loudly when he found his home abandoned – the mother’s scent already half-washed away from the rain – but Arthur was also relieved that there was no sign of blood or a body.
“She’s gone,” Ty wailed as he nosed at the cardboard, which was soggy and sagging; the box hadn’t been positioned to be saved from all the rain. “She’s gone!”
Arthur didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to give the kitten false hope in case his mother really was gone – left or dead – but he also didn’t want to give up too quickly. “We’ll keep looking,” Eames reassured, acting as lookout to make sure nothing unfriendly entered the alley while they were there.
To Arthur’s surprise, the kitten stepped back out of the box and rushed up to Arthur. Ty pressed himself up against Arthur’s stomach, protected from the world by Arthur’s front paws as he sat. Arthur looked down to find the kitten staring up at him with sad, sorrowful eyes. “Will you be my mom until we find her?”
Arthur wanted to grumble about being the ‘mother’, but his protectiveness won over any ego. He licked the top of Ty’s head, comforting him and smoothing out some now-dry fur. “I will,” Arthur promised. “And Eames will be your father,” Arthur added when Eames stepped closer. He glanced up and Eames just nudged him affectionately. Then Arthur glanced back down to Ty. “As long as you need, we’ll be your family.”
Ty pressed himself closer to Arthur’s stomach and began purring. Arthur stole a moment to nuzzle Eames lovingly; he felt a little overwhelmed at this sudden change in their lives but he knew they could make anything work if he and Eames stuck together. “Let’s get some food and then we’ll see if anyone has seen her in the park,” Eames suggested, hunching down to nuzzle Ty encouragingly.
“Okay,” Ty mewed.
Eames turned and began down the alley and Arthur nudged Ty from behind, prodding the kitten into a standing position. And then they headed down the alley together, Ty wedged comfortably between Eames and Arthur.