Julian and Alex traded off getting undressed with petting kittens and explaining that a bad thing had happened that they'd had to deal with, and also that it had been very boring.
The kittens agreed that it was all very boring, but accepted the pets well enough.
Eventually they were in pyjamas and tucked into bed, lights out and kittens snuggled between them for most efficient petting. They curled close, faces and knees together, with a space just for the kittens to be double-spooned, warm and spoilt.
"I don't feel right letting the kittens roam with a poisoner about," said Alex worriedly, scritching at whatever fuzzy part was presented to him, mostly cheeks and chins and little noggins. "But they're so bored."
"Better bored than poisoned," said Julian.
They both looked at the kittens and Alex said, "Someone got poisoned."
Julian sent images of bad drink and dying, and they all made ick-faces.
"We're worried for you," said Julian, kissing each little wrinkled nose. "We'd like you to stay safely in here, for now."
The kittens pondered whatever images they'd gotten off the idea of worry from both Alex and Julian, and then sent them agreement with a side of wanting extra treats to make up for it.
Julian laughed and promised, and they all settled in more comfortably, the kittens apparently intending to sleep close to their humans tonight instead of in their basket. They radiated a sleepy, disconnected sort of concern, not wanting their humans to go out and be harmed any more than the people wanted the cats to get in trouble.
It was sort of charming, even if the reasoning seemed to have to do with them being providers of food and pets rather than anything a human would call love. But predators, even tame ones, were going to be what they were, and Julian found that a little comforting.
He let the hand buried in Nightshade's fur go still and slack and chased the feeling of sleep that was currently tugging at his consciousness. Ideas swam in and out, suspicions and mundanities alike, but Julian let them all go in favour of rest.
Chapter 16
Alex woke to a paw in his face, which was normal.
Cinnamon gave a little chirruping meow and licked his nose, then nudged at his chin with rather more force than he'd been expecting.
"Yes, all right, I'm awake!" he said with a laugh, stroking her head. "Are you hungry?"
A moment later, Horace flew down to chirp at Julian, tugging his hair to wake him as their morning alarm. A little whistle at Horace told him it was just gone 8:30, and they'd want to be up and about if they were going to get anything like fresh breakfast from the buffet. Sleepy nobles would wander in from nine to eleven or so, but the food would be sparser and colder the later they went.
The cats were still in bed with them, or in bed again more likely, atop them in languid poses that still left plenty of room to bother their now-awake humans. Alex let himself cuddle closer to Julian, who'd ended up right up next to him overnight, and used his free arm to pet Cinnamon, while Julian got both hands free for Nightshade and Sage. The three kittens shared affection surprisingly well, allowing for human frailties like only having so many hands, rather than getting jealous over who got what petting.
It wasn't long before there was a polite knock on the door and a maid said, "Food for your cats, m'lords?"
"Just a moment," said Alex, getting up and belting on a dressing gown before going to answer. The rooms they'd been given weren't large, though they were nice, just a big bedroom with some chairs and an ensuite bathroom, allowing privacy but no sitting room or other means of entertaining guests. Which, to be fair, Lucas knew they didn't require, so it suited them just fine.
Despite cats around his ankles, Alex managed to open the door and motion the maid in. The cats peeked outside but didn't venture, mindful of the warning that they were possibly in danger from accidental poisonings out there.
In here, a quick whistle confirmed the food was uncontaminated, at least by any magical means, though he couldn't imagine why anyone would poison the cats on purpose. Most of the guests were barely aware they existed at all, which Alex was determined to keep that way.
"Thanks for taking care of them," said Alex. "They'll be trapped in here just in case, so any time anyone wants to come pet them would be appreciated. Uh, servants only, though, no guests please."
A slow grin blossomed on her face as he talked. "I'll spread the word, m'lord. They're very popular!"
"They're good cats," said Alex fondly, watching them sniff around the bowls and eventually decide who was eating what. The sensation of them negotiating it was a familiar one to him these days, and it felt a bit like home.
Not that he needed to be getting maudlin after one day away, but it had been a fairly eventful day.
"Anything else I can do for you, m'lord?" she asked politely.
"No, no, go on," Alex said with a big yawn. Julian stayed resolutely under the covers for the whole conversation, smart man.
She closed the door after her, and Alex planted himself face-first back on the bed next to Julian in a dramatic flop. "I don't want to talk to anyone today," he whined.
"I know, love," said Julian, emerging enough to stroke Alex's messy hair. "We'll manage. We have each other."
