A/N: Yeah, fluff! Thanks, Vivi469 and Helena and Harry Potter for your prompts, and here you guys go!
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"Parker!" Sophie growled in a very loud and unhappy voice. She raced into the room with something could only be described as a lump of red with a lot of holes. She waved it in front of the poor thief's face and glared. "Your kitten just ate a pair of my Jimmy Choos!"
Parker stared at the red blob of holes in wonder that it had once been a shoe. She tilted her head from side to side in hopes of seeing the shoe portion. Sophie turned her attention to Nate in hopes of some sympathy. He just stared back at her for a solid seven seconds before he replied.
"Right, and who's idea was it to get Parker a kitten again?" He said.
Sophie glared at the mastermind and his incredible lack of help in the situation. Parker just laughed at the rescue until Sophie turned her fiery gaze on her. The thief had the decency to frown guiltily before her thoughts overcame her. The memory of receiving the kitten was upon her in a flash.
It happened like this…
Maggie was in town on a visit. This was something that had been happening more and more frequently since their move to Portland. It was something about the fact that it was a quicker and more convenient flight for the art expert and something really boring about work or relatively close to that. Parker wasn't really sure. She tuned out when Maggie said the word business.
Anyway, Maggie was in town ready to hang out. Naturally, Sophie had proposed shoe shopping which Maggie couldn't help but nod along way too eagerly. After it was decided they would go on said shoe shopping adventure, they made Parker go too. It was something about Parker being a girl and needing to learn about girl bonding time when not stealing or pretending to be somebody else. Parker wasn't quite sure what that meant. She just agreed because she knew she would get to spend the whole day with Sophie and Maggie. Shoe shopping was just an unfortunate bump in the fun train she would just have to ride.
Anyway, they were shoe shopping. Well, Sophie was shoe shopping and Maggie was receiving new pairs of shoes she had no way of ever being able to pay back.
"That's okay," Parker called off in the back of the store. She was busy deciphering the significance of so many different heights and thicknesses. "I could always steal you the money later if you need it. Or pay you," she said.
Maggie smiled at the kind gesture before politely shaking her head no. Sophie just stared at her in shock of the fact that Parker had actually volunteered to depart with her money. Then Sophie's lips formed a very happy grin. The thief just shrugged casually to hide the beaming smile at the grifter's pride. There was something about the grifter's proud smile that always made Parker feel like she was doing well at human things. She didn't understand how that worked, but she liked the warm feelings.
So, Maggie now had fifteen pairs of shoes. Sophie bought them. Parker just commented about how many of them looked like they would actually be comfortable. They were laughing and having a ball filled with chatting about fun things. Parker was amazed by the fun she was having. She never thought she could actually go shoe shopping without buying any shoes, not that Sophie hadn't tried at all thirty-two shoe stores. It was an amazing, fun day. Then he caught her eye.
He was a dark chocolate with green eyes, white whiskers, a pink button nose, four tiny white paws, and a swishing white-tipped tail; and staring straight at Parker. The thief stared back with longing suddenly in her heart. She wanted him. He was cute and his little tiny head tilted with hope the moment her eyes met his. Now she really wanted him.
"Sophie, can I have him?" Parker asked with googly eyes trained on the tiny creature at the lovely pet shop inconveniently placed where they were eating.
"Define him," Sophie shot back without even looking up from her plate. Maggie at least had the decency to look around the room. When she realized where the thief was looking, she chuckled.
"She wants a cat," Maggie laughed.
Sophie's head shot up quicker than a car racing in NASCAR. Her head swiveled towards the pet shop and immediately found the guilty party. The grifter frowned at the cute critter completely unfazed by its total cuteness and playful demeanor.
"No," she said. The kitten just did a back flip and she denied the thief unflinchingly.
"Please," Parker begged again. This time she removed her vision from the adorable ball of fluff to put on her best puppy dog face. She pouted her lips properly and everything.
"Parker," Sophie hummed with both eyes back on her meal. She was impenetrable to the puppy face aimed her way. "I taught you had to make that face. It's going to take more than that to convince me."
"I'll feed and brush and water it and take care of it and everything," Parker pouted her lips out more in emphasis. She even blinked her eyes.
"Aw," Maggie smiled at the face. "How can you say no to that?"
"No, Parker," the grifter replied. The thief frowned in defeat and locked both of her arms against her chest in disappointment. The kitten did his part by looking pathetic and miserable. His green eyes were bugging out and everything.
"No stealing him," Sophie ordered not even a second later. Her stupid mind powers appeared to be working in full order still.
"You're mean," Parker sniffled. She really wanted him.
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"No," Eliot denied flat out.
"But she'll listen to you," Parker pleaded with both hands fisted together in the proper begging pose.
They were at the pet shop. The adorable ball of fluff was still there and just as happy to see Parker as she was to see him. This time she was close enough to hear him meow. It was a tiny little squeak and she loved it.
"I said no," Eliot literally slammed his foot down at that. His arms were crossed against his chest and he held his face in a firm frown. It was his no frown. It was very distinctive. "I'm not taking care of that thing for you," he said.
"Please," Parker jumped up and down this time. She really wanted her little ball of fluff for a kitten. "I'll do all of the work. You just have to let him stay with you, please."
"No," and the hitter walked away.
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"I can't," Hardison breathed out in disappointment.
It was a new day and a new form of begging. The little ball of fluff was still there begging for the thief to take him home. The color of his fur and the way he looked at her with those big eyes reminded her of the hacker that secretly held her heart. He reminded her of Hardison so much that the thief was surprised she hadn't even thought of recruiting the hacker to help her with this lovely need. It would be the perfect plan, except her said no.
"Why not?" Parker huffed in sadness.
"I'm allergic to cat litter," Hardison sighed in defeat. He wore the same frown the thief wore. That could mean only one thing. He wanted the little ball of fluff too.
"There's only one person left," Parker nodded at the hacker's confirmation.
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"Please," Parker followed Nate around the mall in desperation. She was currently helping him collect some jewelry as a gift for Sophie. The thief thought it would be a highly convenient time to bring up her little puff ball. The mastermind was just as firm in his convictions as the grifter.
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"No."
"Please."
"Parker!"
"Look at him!"
The thief pointed to her perfect little ball of fluff with magic in her eyes. The kitten did his part and rubbed himself against his cage door. His purr was soft and heartwarming.
"His name is Boots," Parker explained excitedly.
Nate cringed, "You named it?"
The thief just ecstatically nodded her head. Her crazy smile was firmly on her lips and there was nothing in the world that was going to make it fall.
"No." Except that.
"Why not?" Parker pouted in distaste of the answer.
"Because I said so," Nate replied unperturbed.
Parker pointed towards Boots with puppy eyes. They may not work on Sophie, but the men were always putty in her hands.
Nate tried to look away but he couldn't. "Aw, Parker, not the face."
"Please," Parker puffed out her lips and flashed her eyes with hope.
Nate sighed in defeat at the thief's play. He mulled it over in his head for a minute or two before a smile cracked upon his face. "Ask Sophie," and then he walked away with Parker hopelessly trudging along.
"But she already said no," she said.
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"Somebody bought him?" Parker gasped at the clerk in shock.
She and Hardison started making it a daily ritual to visit Boots in the mall. The thief had been worried at first that the hacker and kitten wouldn't get along given their mutual love for her. She was more than happy to be proven wrong when Boots playfully nipped Hardison and then rolled in his hands for his belly to be rubbed. That was when Parker knew she was going to get him.
They had it all planned out. They were going to buy the kitten and sneak him into the apartment while Nate and Sophie were asleep. Then they would just wait until Boots decided to make himself known. They figured the mastermind and grifter couldn't refuse them if the animal was already making himself as unknown as possible. It was the perfect plan. Then they came to the store and discovered their little buddy was no longer there.
"I'm sorry," the store clerk apologized. He had watched the thief, and to some minor extent the hacker, pine over the little ball of fluff for the last three months. His frown of apology was genuine and neither the thief nor the hacker could hate him for it. The kitten was gone. That was all there was too it.
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The thief stared at her bowl of cereal with longing. She wanted Boots back. She had been so disappointed when she lost him. She missed his big green eyes and his sweet little purr. She missed his quiet little squeaks of a meow and the way his tail switched in excitement the moment she was in sight. She missed the way he would tug on the hacker's sleeve or her jacket when the little guy wanted attention. She even missed the way he tried to puff out his fur and look scary when a dog barked at him. She really loved him and he was gone. It had been a very sad, sad three days.
"Parker," Nate called towards the thief from somewhere to her right.
Parker turned towards him mechanically and whimpered, "Yeah?"
"Do you mind if Sophie and I give you your birthday present early this time around?" Nate asked with a sheepish grin. "I know its next week but we're kind of afraid it will spoil if you don't get it now."
"Sure," she said. Then she spun around on her stool three times before jumping off and walking towards him. "Where is it?"
Nate held up a finger and pointed towards a spot somewhere near the support beams. "First, you have to go up to find half of it."
Parker stared at the ceiling for a second before she shrugged and jumped up. She grabbed onto the support beam and pulled herself up. The exposed beams had been one of the reasons Nate and Sophie chose the apartment. They knew she would enjoy climbing all over them. Normally, she would make a big show about the fact that Nate hid something up there. Today just didn't feel right for that though, not after losing Boots.
The thief tip toed around the room on the beams she already had memorized by heart. She spun around and around looking for anything out of the ordinary. She looked high and low for her present, but found none. She scrunched her face up in confusion and then plopped towards the ground with a grunt.
"There's nothing up there," she said.
"That's because it's down here," Sophie explained suddenly behind Nate. The mastermind smiled and winked before he slid out of the way to reveal the surprise. The thief squealed in delight. There in Sophie Devereaux's arms was Boots proudly sporting a blue bow and purring to his heart's content. The thief rushed towards the tiny animal and happily pulled him towards her. She twirled around and laughed at his louder purrs. Boots was home.
"You bought him!" she smiled her brightest smile ever.
"Well," Nate shrugged guiltily. He pointed towards the grifter with a conspiratorial grin, "It was her idea."
Sophie waved him off with a smile of her own at the thief's delight. "Please, she did work very hard to earn him."
Parker slammed into the grifter, mindful of the little fur ball in her arms, in a very grateful hug. "Thank you… but… you said I couldn't have him?"
"It was a bluff," Sophie smiled wider at the statement. You were looking at him so longingly that I knew he would be the perfect birthday present. So, I talked to the guy in charge and asked him to put this little guy on hold."
"And my job was to put down the down payment to ensure we got to keep him," Nate added on for good measure. He placed his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes. "I was supposed to actually take your mind off of him too, but you surprised me with the name. I wasn't expecting you to name him."
"You're the best parents slash bosses, ever!" Parker cheered in glee. She proceeded in showing her happiness by looking around for the kitten supplies. She smiled when she took note of the tiny kitty potty and the food in a specified corner complete with label. She knew exactly what that meant. "He's staying here?"
"Of course," Sophie nodded in reply.
"That way we can all keep an eye on him," Nate explained.
The thief's smile grew impossibly wider at that. She immediately started putting everything together and explaining how everything worked to Boots. The kitten did his part by paying careful attention and meowing in reply whenever he was supposed to. The thief then finished her job and turned around with a smile towards the best people on the planet.
"You do realize this gift requires you to take care of that little critter, right?' Sophie's face fell into a serious expression as the words poured from her lips.
The thief nodded vigorously and Boots purred in response. They both knew they needed to be extra careful with everything they did. Trouble was something they would never get into.
"If we start taking care of him," Nate warned in a desperate attempt to get back to normal. His smile was still dominating his features though, "Boots goes somewhere else."
The thief nodded her head in understanding again because she just couldn't speak out of the pure elation she was experiencing. For his part, Boots delicately plopped onto the floor and raced towards the mastermind. He curled around the older man's legs and purred with big green eyes bugging out to explain how little trouble he would be.
"Soph," Nate twirled his head towards the grifter and pointed to the cat in disbelief. "He's doing the face!"
The grifter just laughed at the kitten's fabulous performance. She bent down and picked the little demon puff ball up. She combed her fingers through his purring form and said, "I didn't teach him that. He must be a natural."
Parker stared at the ruined blob of red that had once been a shoe with wide eyes. She promptly smiled a wide smile and came up with the perfect lie. "He must have known those were going to wear those shoes for the con. He only did that because he didn't want you to go. You know how much he loves you for bringing him home to me, Sophie!"
The grifter scoffed at the tactic and Nate coughed into his bowl of soup. Neither one of them could apparently argue with that though because they both just shrugged. Then the grifter turned her attention back on the thief in question. The guilty culprit had mysteriously made its way into her lap during the flashback and was purring happily in the thief's arms.
"Listen you," Sophie pointed to the cat without removing her eyes from the thief's vision. "You leave my shoes alone. I don't care what excuse you have, you don't ruin designer shoes. Even if you do have good taste."
Boots meows demurely and clinched the deal by taking a few strides and rubbing affectionately against the grifter's leg. Little ball of fluff won the game again.
"This isn't over," the grifter warned. She stomped out of the room to find a new pair of shoes and quite possibly another outfit. The thief and the kitten blinked in her wake before turning their attention on the mastermind. Nate took notice of the blank stares at shrugged.
"Don't look at me," he said. His stony face broke out into a conspiratorial smile as he explained, "We both know he has her wrapped around his little white paws."
Boots meowed in agreement. The thief and mastermind burst out laughing at his comment. They played innocent when the grifter returned and burst into a new round of laughter when they were done. Yep, life was good.