“Doesn’t that hurt?” Emil asked, immediately worried.
“Not really. It’s just pressure. They’re still so light.” Makai sat against the headboard, half reclining into the pile of pillows Emil’s mom had bought them, among other housewarming presents that she’d gotten. “Everything looks so different.” Makai looked around, smiling slightly.
“Yeah, Mom, Lotte, and Evy basically decided the house looked like it belonged to an old lady and modernized it a bit. Thus, the mirror and the other framed things, and throw pillows and whatnot.” He looked at Makai worriedly. “I hope it’s okay? I told them not to go overboard. It’s your house—”
“Hey, sweetheart, it’s okay. I like it,” Makai assured him and nodded at the empty side of the bed. “Come join us for a while. Maybe nap a bit?”
“Yeah, give me a sec, be right with you.” Emil went to get a box of tissues and a bottle of water for Makai’s bedside table. “There. Remember you need to cough, so….” He knew he made the icky face that had made Makai laugh at the hospital too.
“Thanks. Now, nap?” Makai carefully slid down on the bed so that his head and shoulders were still higher than normal. His breathing was pretty okay, considering, but they still had to be careful with it.
“We’ll take it easy today. Get settled and rest. Walks tomorrow.” Emil curled up on his side of the bed, facing Makai, and petted the closest kitten.
“Who would’ve thought we’d go from planning another longer hike to making sure I can walk three hundred feet without passing out.” Makai’s tone wasn’t annoyed or even whining. He was stating his genuine, calm surprise at the fact.
“Yeah. Well, I wouldn’t have thought you’d get shot, so…,” Emil snarked a little, but they both knew it was the residual fear of losing Makai talking, nothing more.
Since he lay on Makai’s left side, the injured hand in the cast and sling was in the way of them holding hands, but Emil moved closer and pressed his forehead against Makai’s bicep, then hummed with sudden weary contentment.
The kittens played on the bed, batting on their hair and fingers, until they all, cats and humans alike, fell asleep one by one for an afternoon nap.
IN THEnext couple of days, their life living together and dealing with Makai’s recuperation fell into a nice, easy groove. They took walks three times a day, as per the doctor’s instructions. Makai rested a lot in between and coughed his lungs out—almost literally—bit by bit.
The kittens loved that they were home and were turning into social little monsters.
“I have names for them,” Makai said thoughtfully one afternoon as he lay on the bed and petted the two yet unnamed kittens that lay on his chest and stomach.
“Oh?”
“I decided to stick with your theme. He’s Xander and she’s Willow.” He poked at the dark orange and the tortie respectively until they threw kitten glares at him.
Emil grinned. “Works for me.” He played a game on his phone for a moment, then almost dropped it when it rang in his hands. “Holy shit,” he gasped. “Hi, Lotte.”
“Hi,” she said brightly. “I have an idea for your kittens.”
“Oh?” Emil blinked.
“Yeah. See, I was in the garage getting something, and I noticed Joie’s old play pen in there. It’s plastic and really sturdy, and we rigged two together, so it’s really big. Do you think the kittens would like it outside the house?”
Emil smiled widely. “That’s a really good idea, Lotte. How much do you want for it?”
“Nothing at all, it’s old and battered, and it would help me to get it all out of the garage, to be honest.” He could hear the smile in her tone.
“Okay, well when you’re driving past us, can you drop it off? Or should I come get it? Is it heavy?”
“Jason can put it in the back of the SUV, and I’ll drop it off on my way to town tomorrow morning, if that’s okay?”
“Sure, works fine. We’ll be here. Thanks so much!”
“No problem, see you then. Tell Makai I said hi.”
“Will do, bye!”
Emil chuckled as he put the phone away.
“What?” Makai looked curious.
“She has Joie’s old playpen she wants to donate to the kittens so we can take them outside!”
