"Where did that cat come from?"

Andy and John both looked at the cat then at Allison. She stared them down. "What? I don't have animals in this thing, you know." She waved her bag at them before letting it drop. The cat didn't startle at the thunk of the purse hitting the dingy carpet.

"Who left the fucking front door open?" John scowled, getting up and moving to go close it. The cat didn't back out of the doorway, though, it just slinked into the room with them. Ignoring it with a huff of annoyance, John leaned out of his bedroom doorway to look at the front door, then reentered the room.

"It's not open."

"Must've come in through an open window," Andy mused. The stray was just standing in the middle of the room, giving the bare space a disinterested look. John crossed the room once more to plop down lazily on the bare mattress there. As soon as he was still, leaning against the wall, the cat started stalking over to the bed. It hopped up and, without a moment's hesitation, padded onto his lap and settled there. John watched incredulously as the stray laid its head on his thigh.

"What the hell?" The criminal's brow furrowed.

"Don't... move." Allison said, watching intently. Nothing happened.

"Why?" John replied, staring at her.

"This is so cute."

Bender rolled his eyes.

"I never pictured you letting a living thing get that close to you." Andy said, also in awe.

"Pet him, you savage," Allison encouraged. "Look, he likes you, go on."

"Fuck off," Bender huffed, pulling out a cigarette and match box. He lit the cig and took a drag.

"At least he hasn't thrown it across the room," Andy shrugged.

"I'm not a total asshole," John grumbled. He lowered his right hand and brought it along the gray cat's soft fur. The stray purred and tucked itself more snugly into the crook of his leg.

The other two exchanged an incredulous look.

"Shuddup," Bender drawled.