It's that time of year again - exams! This year, I thought I'd practice by writing a Gaia fic, since I recently got (re)obsessed with that site. Anyone who actually keeps up with my updates, don't worry - I haven't ditched Avatar :)
For some reason, I feel like this can be taken as just a fantasy fic - you don't have to know the characters in depth to understand. Enjoy!
(btw, I stole the first sentence from my English text book - that's why it's in italics)
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters in this fic.
A Man and his Cat - 439 words
Only the steady creaking of a flight of swans disturbed the silence, labouring low overhead with outstretched necks towards the sea. The sun rose out of the water steadily, a great ball of fire in the sky. A short distance away, a shadow made its way to the docks. The ancient wooden boards creaked and swayed under his feet as he reached the end of the pier and swung his legs over the edge, seating himself. He pulled off his shoes and socks, rolled up his pants and let his feet skim the surface of the water.
He sighed. Ever since the incident a few weeks ago, the morning sunrise was his only salvation. It was the only thing that reminded him of the life he once had. But everything was different now. His friends no longer trusted him; people didn't visit him very often. And most of all, the only woman he had ever cared about, loved someone else.
"Ugh," he groaned, covering his face with his hands. "My life's a wreck…"
"…Ian?" He heard an uncertain voice from behind him. Turning around, he found it to be none other than his cat.
"Rufus, what are you doing here? Have you been following me around again?"
"No, not really," the animal replied as it approached him. The man raised an eyebrow. "Okay, okay, maybe a little bit. But just to see if you're alright."
He shook his head, picking up the cat once it was close enough and placing it on his lap. It curled up instantly. "You were never this attached to me before…" he murmured, stroking its coat absently.
"Maybe," it purred, obviously enjoying the attention. "But you were never this friendly either."
The man nodded his head. He gazed up at the sun once again. Without looking away, he spoke.
"I've had a lot of thoughts running through my head lately," he stated. The cat's ears perked up. "But before you get any ideas, I don't really want to talk about it right now."
"Fair enough, Ian," was the response. "After all that's happened lately, you deserve to keep some things to yourself."
His grey eyes widened as Rufus looked up at him, grinning. He suddenly felt a great sense of appreciation for this animal that had always been there for him
"Thanks buddy," he replied softly, smiling. The cat merely meowed before settling itself on his lap again. Together, they stayed at the pier until midday.
And they both knew that nothing would ever break the strong bond between them.
Btw, they should really list Rufus as a character - he may be a cat, but he still counts :P