Victor ends the call and puts his phone on the dresser. He doesn’t look behind him when he senses Leo’s gaze. “Don’t give me that look,” Victor says to Leo. He turns around and sees Leo standing naked at the bathroom door. “You’re getting water everywhere,” Victor states.
“Get your ass in the shower with me now,” Leo demands. Victor snickers.
As Victor steps into the shower with Leo, Leo slams Victor’s naked body against the cold tiles. “Now, time for your punishment,” Leo comments, pressing his lips against Victor’s.
They kiss under the rushing water. Leo grabs the soap and starts lathering Victor’s chest and shoulders. Victor smiles as he kisses the man he can finally be with.
Victor senses someone is at the front door but tries to ignore it. “I’m coming,” he says as he presses his lips against Leo’s.
“Already?” Leo questions against Victor’s mouth. The person at the front door keeps knocking.
“I SAID I’M COMING!” Victor shouts.
Leo stops and jerks his head back. “What the fuck? I heard you. You didn’t have to yell in my ear.”
Victor lets go of Leo and pushes himself off the wall. “I’m sorry, someone won’t stop knocking at the door.” Leo lets out a groan of annoyance as they quickly rinse off and turn off the water. Victor steps out and dries off as the knocking continues.
“I SAID I’M COMING, GODDAMNIT!” Victor lets out as he hobbles around, trying to put on some shorts.
The knocking doesn’t stop.
“FUCK! I’LL BE RIGHT THERE!” Victor shouts. He storms over and flings open the door.
“WHAT?!”
There is no one there.
“The hell?” Victor questions with confusion.
Victor looks around until he feels something pawing at his foot. He looks down, and a standard schnauzer looks up at him with puppy eyes. The poor thing is dirty; its gray hair matted around its paws and stomach. The hair around the snout is muddy as if he were rummaging around in the dirt, looking for something to eat. The dog starts to whimper and shiver from being cold and wet from the rain.
“Who is it?” Leo asks, still drying his hair with a towel. Victor steps to the side, letting Leo notice the helpless schnauzer at the door. “Did someone leave him at your door?”
“I don’t know. He has no collar, no note.” Victor leans down to pick up the schnauzer. The schnauzer lifts his front legs, allowing Victor to pick him up.
“Poor thing looks like he’s had better days,” Leo comments.
“Poor thing is cold. We should wash him and try to brush out this matted hair. After the storm passes, we can try to find his owner tomorrow.” Victor walks back into the bathroom and turns on the water. “Leo, could you please grab a couple of towels for me?”
Victor kneels down against the tub and starts washing the dog. As Victor starts cleaning the dog’s snout, the dog begins licking Victor’s hand. The schnauzer keeps licking Victor as though he’s thanking him. Leo sits down next to Victor and helps with the shampoo.
After a few minutes of washing all the dirt away, Victor wraps a towel around the poor animal. While Victor dries the dog’s head, he makes eye contact. Victor pauses, mesmerized as if the two are making some connection.Victor and the dog do notlook away from each other or blink. Victor can feel something building up inside of him, but he doesn’t take his eyes off the schnauzer.
“Victor?” Leo questions, lightly shaking Victor. “Babe?”
Victor shakes his head, snapping back to reality. “I . . . I . . .”
“You what?” Leo looks down at the schnauzer.His eyes slowly open wider at what’s before him. “Babe, um, I don’t think he has an owner.”
“Why would you think that?” Victor asks as he brings his focus to Leo.
“Look at his tail,” Leo suggests, pointing down.
Victor looks where normally a small nub of a tail for a schnauzer would be. Instead, there is a shadow of a cat’s tail flinging around. It disappears, and the small schnauzer tail returns. Victor becomes confused, looking at Leo, who grins.
Leo looks back at the dog. “I think you are now the proud owner of a familiar.”
“Really?” Victor is perplexed. “I didn’t ask for a familiar.”
