First Sight, kitten!Niall (original) (raw)

“There he is.”

Zayn looks to where Liam’s pointing, spotting the curly haired kitten through the glass, curled tightly around the only other kitten in the cage. Liam’s been describing him for weeks, between buying all the supplies and registering him, and, from what Zayn can tell, he’s just as cute as Liam had said.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Liam’s bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly excited about finally being able to bring the little guy home.

The kitten in question raises his head, big green eyes peering around curiously. His face lights up when he spots Liam, and he rushes to untangle himself from his companion, scurrying over to the big window.

“Hey, Harry,” Liam says. His voice is soft and fond. He raises his hand up to touch the glass and laughs loudly when the kitten, Harry, copies him, both of their hands pressed against the barrier.

Zayn can’t help smiling at the scene; Liam’s enthusiasm is adorable. This is all Liam’s been talking about for months it seems like, and Zayn’s glad he’s finally going to get his wish.

Zayn’s never understood why people go for hybrids, himself. He’s too forgetful, too lazy; the thought of that much responsibility makes him go itchy all over. Sure the snuggles and cuddling must be nice, but he’s always had a girlfriend for that, and he’s never been able to keep one of those around for long, either.

“You’re just afraid of commitment,” Liam had said. “But it’s kind of a rush, yeah? Someone that loves you unconditionally as long as you treat them right and scratch their ears.” Zayn just laughed and rolled his eyes at Liam’s earnest expression. Liam really was a Disney prince come to life.

Zayn looks away from Liam and Harry, glancing at the other kitten in the cage. He looks smaller than Harry, with big blue eyes and a brown and blond striped tail, and the look on his face as he stares at his friend makes Zayn’s heart hurt a little inside his chest.

Suddenly Zayn’s interrupted from his thoughts by the plump, smiling woman that approaches them.

“Liam!” She says, laughingly, reaching out to shake Liam’s hand. “Today’s the big day, right? Finally taking Harry home with you?”

“Hello, Marjorie! And yes, I can’t wait, I thought today would never get here,” Liam says, shaking her hand vigorously.

“I can definitely confirm that,” Zayn interjects. “All his preparing and pacing was driving me mad.”

“Oh, Marjorie, this is my flat mate, Zayn,” Liam says, clapping a hand on Zayn’s shoulder. He looks back at Zayn. “Marjorie’s the owner. She agreed to hold Harry for me while I got everything together and ready.”

Marjorie smiles. “Well, I just knew he was yours from the first time you saw each other, Liam. When you’ve been doing this as long as I have you just have a sense of these things.” She smiles at Liam indulgently, looking like she wants to give him a pat on the head. Zayn understands; Liam usually has that effect on people. “Now come with me,” she continues, “and we’ll be able to get everything in order.”

As Liam follows her to the counter, Zayn’s eyes are drawn back to the cage. Harry is back with his companion, nuzzling his face and neck. His friend, the lanky blond kitten with skin even paler than Harry’s, looks distraught, eyes welling up as he nuzzles back. Zayn figures the two are saying goodbye, and he’s surprised to find how sad the scene makes him. There’s a tug in his chest, and this is so not good. But how could Zayn not be affected? It doesn’t mean anything, just that he’s not “completely devoid of human emotions,” no matter what Liam and his other friends say.

“They’re cute, aren’t they?” Zayn turns to see a pretty girl in an apron standing next to him, gesturing towards the two kittens.

“Yeah,” Zayn coughs, swallowing to clear his throat. “Yeah, they are.”

By this time another employee has entered the cage, attaching a small collar and leash to Harry’s neck and leading him outside. Harry, taller than Zayn imagined now that he’s upright, looks back at his friend and gives a sad little wave, his green eyes somber and glassy.

“They’re the last of their litter, been together since they came in. But Niall and Harry were always the closest. I thought they were conjoined for the first few days. They were inseparable,” she says, shaking her head softly. The nametag on her apron reads “Kate”.

“What’s going to happen to him?” Zayn can’t help but ask, looking at the little kitten all curled up alone in the corner of the cage.

“Niall? Oh, he’ll be sold soon, I’m sure. He’s precious. Sweet and loving and likes to play,” she replies, smiling. “But a new litter’s coming in soon, and he might have a bit of an adjustment period, poor thing. He’s really going to miss his friend.”

Zayn bites his lip, thinking about the kitten all alone at night, lonely without anyone to curl up with. And then he thinks about Harry, home with Liam and Zayn in their shared flat, and how surely another kitten wouldn’t take up too much room. They’re brothers, separating them would be cruel, wouldn’t it?

“Can I see him?” Zayn blurts out and immediately wants to take it back. What is he thinking? He can’t care for a kitten! He can barely take care of himself some days. But then he looks back into the cage and finds himself torn. How could anybody not want something so perfect? Letting Liam bring him here was a bad idea, Zayn’s almost positive.

“See him?” Kate asks, grinning broadly now. “Sure, of course! Come with me.”

She shows Zayn around to the back, to a room with a soft, plush carpet and small toys littering the floor.

“Just a sec. I’ll be right back!” She looks pretty hopeful, almost bouncing, and Zayn’s not sure what he’s gotten himself into.

Kate comes back a minute later, leading the blond kitten by the hand. He still looks upset, eyes red and watery from crying, but she’s murmuring softly to him, comforting noises and soft shushes.

“Niall,” she says, “There’s someone that wants to meet you.” She nudges the kitten in front of her, encouraging him to step closer to Zayn. She looks at Zayn and nods her head, eyebrows raised meaningfully.

“Oh. Right!” Zayn says, wiping his palms on his jeans. Why is he so nervous all of a sudden? He is in so much trouble. “I’m Zayn, Niall. It’s, uh, it’s nice to meet you.”

The kitten looks at him warily, blinking, and tilts his head to the right.

“Um,” Zayn looks around the room, searching for something to say. “We could sit down, maybe? I mean, if you want?” He plops himself down on the floor, motioning for Niall to do the same.

The kitten sinks down to the carpet and slowly starts towards him, looking Zayn over curiously.

Zayn lets out a shaky breath and lifts his hand up, extending it to Niall. This feels important, somehow, and Zayn is surprised at how much he doesn’t want to mess it up.

Niall is hesitant, but eventually he nudges Zayn’s hand with his nose, smelling his open palm delicately and butting it up towards his head.

His blond hair is soft, long on the top with darker roots, and his ears are small and pointed. Zayn runs his fingers along the top of his head, scratching the crown and running his hand down towards Niall’s neck and upper back. His ears are as soft as they look, and Zayn can’t help but rub them carefully between his fingers. Oh man, Niall is adorable. Zayn is so fucked.

Niall lets out a loud purr, curling closer to Zayn. Zayn laughs, startled by the sound, and he grins to himself as Niall tries to crawl into his lap. He sneaks a look down, and Niall is smiling with his eyes closed, seemingly content already.

“They really just need love and attention,” Kate says, smiling fondly at Niall again. “Having a companion like Harry is always beneficial, but there’s something they get from their owners that can’t be replaced.”

Zayn knows a little, he’s read some of the brochures Liam’s left around, or just absorbed it through Liam’s constant nattering, about hybrids and why they were created, about the love and companionship and loyalty they provide for their human caretakers. But with Niall there, sitting on his lap and dozing, butting his head up under Zayn’s chin every time he pauses in his petting, Zayn can’t think of anything else except how much he wants to take care of him.

He can imagine the lectures now, Liam is going to be so cross with him if he mucks this up; he just knows it. And he knows all about the time and the costs and the care that’ll be required, the work that’ll go into it, but Zayn thinks it’ll always be worth it, when you get to keep something you know deep down is yours, from the first second you laid eyes on it.

“I’ll take him,” Zayn hears himself say, arms coming up around Niall to hold him close, and he finds that he can’t bring himself to regret it, not even a little, not even at all.