A Place To Belong To

The faucet squeaked loudly as I shut the water off. Grabbing a towel I stepped out of the shower thankful for the steam that covered the mirror as I left the bathroom. The Chairman was now sprawled across the unmade bed with all for of his paws in the air. The first time Alec had seen my cat do that he nearly had a heart attack, thinking the lazy fuzzball was dead.


Alec was finally moving in. It only took a month of subtle hints, and endless invitations before he finally agreed. He already spent more time at my place than his own and half his wardrobe took over my closet. Five months together and I was the one suggesting he move in. It was unlike me to do, but Alec was different. I loved him.

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" He asked as we stepped out of the elevator with the last of his boxes.

"Because." I hummed taking the lead down the hall to our apartment.

Alec hurried after me asking, "Because why?"

I kicked the shoe we used to prop the door open aside and bumped the door with my hip so it was wide enough to walk through. "Because I can." I smirked as he darted through the door as it swung shut.

Alec sat the box he was carrying on top of a stack. His blue eyes narrowing at me as he stood up straight. I chuckled.

"What's so funny?" He asked puffing out his cheeks in frustration. His hands planted on his hips trying to look intimidating, but it only made me laugh again.

I sat my box on the kitchen table before walking over to him and linking my arms around his neck. "You're so cute." I said softly. "I'm glad you're moving in." I said before kissing the tip of his nose. He blushed.

"You're teasing me again." He mumbled turning his head away from me.

"Why would I do that?" I purred against his ear.

"Because you're already twenty-six." He replied wiggling out of my grasp. He started moving towards the bedroom where several more boxes sat, waiting to be unpacked.

"You'll be twenty-two soon." I reminded him. "Four years is hardly a gap." I assured him as I turned to the boxes on the table.

"It's the difference between a middle-schooler and a senior." Alec grumbled disappearing around the corner.

"We're not in high school." I sighed to myself.

I had just pulled open a box full of albums and pictures in frames when a yelp sounded from the bedroom. I didn't pause as I charged down the small hallway, only to hear, "Oh my God!"

"What's wrong?" I burst into the room looking for some sort of danger or an injured Alec.

There was neither.

A box of clothes laid spilled over the foot of the bed. Alec was cowering back to the closed closet doors panting and eyes staring in fear. I followed his wide blue gaze back to the bed. There laying in the middle of the queen-size bed like he usually does when I'm not around was Chairman Meow. Alec loved the tiny gray furball and Chairman Meow had grown attached to the blue eyed boy unlike my other "dates."

"It's just the Chairman." I said stepping towards the bed. The cat was laying in one of his weird positions again, flat on his back, four legs bent slightly in the air and his tail coiled atop his stomach. He was an adorably strange pet, who's birthday was just as important as my own.

"M-Magnus. He's dead." Alec choked out. He had inched away from the closet, but kept distance between him and my "dead cat." "I'm so sorry." He added sympathetically.

I reached for the car and scooped him up into my arms as he released a crackling groan of protest. I cuddled the creature as I asked in a mock baby tone, "Who's dead?"

Looking up at Alec I almost dropped Chairman Meow at his befuddled expression. It was so funny I couldn't stop the laugh, instead I buried my face into my cat to muffle the sound.

"B-But he was. . . How can he sleep like that?" Alec asked flabbergasted.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not a cat."

Chairman Meow croaked another groan of protest and I let him go. He landed on his feet and scurried off out of the bedroom.

Alec covered his face as he slumped onto the bed with a sigh of utter relief. "Thank God. I thought my moving-in had cursed you." He breathed lowering his hands.

I towered over him. "How would that even be possible?" I challenged. He looked up at me with soft eyes and an unsure half smile. His expression made my chest tighten painfully. What was he thinking?

"I just never thought you would want me here. I can't see why it's me." He said lowering his gaze to his hands in his lap.

I pushed him over so he was on his back, and I climbed on top straddling his hips and pinning his hands over his head. His eyes widened as I stared down at him. "I don't know why it's you either, but I'm glad it is." I said firmly. "I want you here, all the time. Do you not want to be here?"

"No!" Alec said frantically. "I do. I really do."

"Then there's no problem." I declared lowering my face to his.

"Except your freaky cat." He commented stopping my decent to kiss him.

"My cat is not freaky." I said insulted. "He's unique."

There was silence then we both broke out laughing. I fell next to him on the bed still shaking with laughter.

"I love you." Alec said propping himself up on his elbow. His cheeks flushed a slight pink with his words.

"Love you too." I smiled.

He kissed me, but I was the one who turned it into an afternoon of welcome-home-sex. It was fun for everyone involved, though when it ended Alec complained that we should have been unpacking, but there was a pleased smile on his face.


I managed to find a pair of clean jeans in the growing pile of dirty clothes, and a sweater that wasn't mine. I had never been one for solid dull colors, but I put it on anyway. It helped somehow. It made everything slightly less real as I scooped the Chairman off the bed and headed into the kitchen in search of food.

The cat fell from hands before I made it into the quiet and empty kitchen. There was no bad whistling rendition of 'Good Morning', or the sizzle and smell of cooking food. I checked the fridge, but all I had left was bottle water and leftovers that needed to be thrown out. I hunted around but there was nothing edible.

It wasn't surprising. I had been the living-dead for the last eight days. Missing work, ignoring phone calls, and knocks on the door, but I had to get back on my feet. If not for me, but for Chairman Meow who had to eat too. I couldn't keep blaming him for leaving. I was amazed I got two years with him.

I knew I wasn't meant for long term relationships. But I never listen to the sensible part of my brain. I keep hoping things would change. They haven't.