What Love Is

By Semerket

Chapter 14: Sprout

A week later…

Ivy was fumbling around in her greenhouse searching for her gardening shears when she heard an odd noise. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew it wasn't a plant. She searched around the greenhouse for the source of this noise, but then she realized that the sound was actually coming from outside the house. Given her circumstances, paranoia was the better point of valor. It could be a caped crusader skulking about or an evil clown. Using her ears as a guide, they eventually lead her to the side of the house and the source of the strange noise.

Pulling back the branches of a large shrub, she revealed a small animal. It was so tiny she wasn't sure what it was, and mistook it for some kind of rodent. After a moment of closer inspection she realized it was a small white cat, a kitten actually. It was clearly dying. It was emaciated and flea ridden and was missing some patches of fur. How it managed to find its way to her hideout in the middle of nowhere at such a young age was a mystery to the plant hybrid. Perhaps it was a feral cat. It didn't even look large enough to be on solid foods yet, but Ivy was hardly an expert on proper cat care. Ivy carefully picked it up and went back into her greenhouse.

It would make a perfect treat for her giant venus flytrap!

As she approached the large plant it instinctively sensed its mistress and happily opened its mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed. Ivy was ready to toss the mangy fur ball in without a second thought.

Meow.

It was such a faint, pathetic sound. Ivy immediately pitied it, much to her annoyance. She would be doing the wretched thing a favor by putting it out of its misery.

Meow.

She looked down at it. Its crusty glazed eyes were staring up at her innocently. It licked the tip of her finger and purred weakly. It was too weak to lift its head.

Ivy sighed. There would be no feeding it to the flytrap now. She was never very fond of animals; they wreaked terrible havoc on the flora, but she wasn't that heartless. Leaving the greenhouse, she carried it down into her lab, which was set up in the basement. The least she could do was let it die before she fed it to her flytrap.

She set it down on a nearby table and examined it. Ivy wasn't a veterinarian, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what was wrong with it. Everything was wrong with it. Was there even a point in trying to save it? She offered the poor creature water from a large syringe, which it drank greedily from.

Upon closer inspection she could tell by the oversized head and large eyes that this cat would be one of those big white fluffy types that they always put in the cat food commercials; assuming it made it to adulthood. She decided to try using a serum on it that was similar to what triggered her own transition into plant hybridization. It would be a significantly watered down, modified version though. In all likelihood, the serum would probably just finish the poor bugger off, but at least this way Ivy's conscious wouldn't nag her about this later. She sighed.

Killing people was so much easier.

She moved about her laboratory assembling the necessary supplies. After about an hour and a half she had a serum ready. She checked the kitten for a pulse. It was at death's door; it was very cold and already becoming stiff, but it was still alive. "Well, we'll see if this works." Ivy injected the cat with the serum and put a hand towel over it to keep it warm. Then she headed upstairs to have lunch. She'd know when she came back whether the treatment had worked or not.

Two hours later…

Fully expecting the worse, Ivy walked over to the table and was surprised to see that the blanket had fallen to the floor and the kitten was nowhere in sight. Could this mean that she had been successful?

Ivy made a kissing sound.

Meow.

The sound was much stronger and more energetic than before.

"Come out here where I can see you."

The little kitten was still very thin and wobbly, but it was walking. Its white matted fur had fallen out and its flesh had turned a spinach green tone. With the emaciation and lack of fur he reminded Ivy of a little green rat. His ears were reminiscent of two folded leaves and his eyes were a brilliant green. He was just perfect.

"Oh, you are the most adorable," Ivy mooned as she scooped up the little plant feline. "Thing I've ever seen. Yes you are!"

Meow.

"Now we just need to fatten you up." Ivy was feeling very pleased with herself. Taking him back to the green house, she found an unused rectangular planter that was filled with fresh soil. It wasn't much larger than a standard litter box. She placed the small cat onto the planter and turned a sun lamp on above him. Then she rifled through a cabinet until she pulled out some liquid plant food.

Meow.

She generously applied the liquid to the cat, and taking out a watering can, she proceeded to thoroughly water him. He purred contentedly under the cool shower and arched his back and tail; if the tin had been close enough he would have rubbed against it. She noticed that his eyes were much healthier and clearer. They were also a bright green- though she wasn't sure if that was a side effect or not. She couldn't recall what they had looked like before his transition.

After he had been thoroughly doused, Ivy took out her anti-bug spray and gave him a few blasts. She observed him as he walked around in circles a few times as he massaged the damp soil with his paws. After creating a very shallow crater, the kitten yawned and settled down in it, curling into a little green ball. Ivy could tell he was already falling asleep. She was pleased to note that his 'fur' was responding well to the sun lamp she'd turned on. She could make out a fresh growth of very fine grass-like sprouts where his fur was supposed to be. She would check on him again a little later.

If she was successful with the kitten it would make a nice gift for Harley. The blond always did like small soft things. Then hopefully she would stop dropping hints about reacquiring those mangy hyenas or 'bustin' them outta the slammah' as Harley liked to put it. A cat Ivy could handle, but not those things. She didn't care how friendly they seemed, they would always be wild animals. It's a wonder they hadn't already attacked Harley by accident. She also wouldn't have to worry about the kitten living in disharmony with her plants since it was a hybrid too. This way everyone would get what they wanted.

The blond was currently out shopping or knowing Harley, more like robbing the store blind. Ivy paced around the kitchen trying to figure out what to feed it when she remembered that felines were supposed to enjoy milk, especially the small ones. After warming it to a suitable temperature, Ivy carried a bowl of milk into the greenhouse.

The kitten immediately perked up when she set the bowl down beside his planter. Yawning and stretching, he made his way over to the proffered dairy product and proceeded to lap it up greedily.

Meow.

Ivy supposed that was his way of complaining that the milk was gone.

"I'm trying to figure out what to call you." She watched him as he explored the area near his planter. "Poison Oak… No, not very flattering. Juniper? Eh, too fancy. Hemlock… Too harsh. Oleander? Too gay. Virginia Creeper! Um… No." The cat studied her curiously before going back to the center of the planter and lying back down. She noticed a shoot of grass as it came sprouting out on his face. His paw moved up to bat at the undoubtedly itchy sensation.

"Sprout." Ivy smiled. "I think I like that. My little Sprout."

[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]

Several days had passed and Ivy had kept little Sprout under wraps. He was quiet and well-behaved which made that considerably easier. Though in all fairness, he was also recovering from being very ill so he spent most of his time eating, sleeping, and photosynthesizing. Harley rarely went into Ivy's lab or the greenhouse as it was considered off-limits. That, and Harley was always concerned that she might accidentally disturb something vicious and be consumed by a giant, terrifying plant-thing if she went piddling about unsupervised, or as the blond like to call it: 'Red's Little Shop of Horrors'.

"Red!" Harley came into the house with shopping bags. "It's me."

"In here." Her voice came from inside the kitchen.

"Hiya." Harley put the bags on the counter. She noticed that the house smelled like several levels of delicious. Ivy was a great cook. She suspected it had something to do with her chemistry talents. Harley could see something in the oven. "Oh, smells yummy! Whatcha makin'?" The blond hugged Ivy from behind.

"Cake." Ivy was checking something in a pot on the stove.

Harley husked playfully, "You know how I feel about cake, Red."

"Yes, I do." Ivy chuckled. "But not until after dinner."

"I gotcha that stuff you wanted." Harley motioned to one of the bags.

"Excellent!" Ivy smiled as she moved over to one of the bags and pulled out a box of canned cat food.

"I didn't know you were feeding your flytraps cat food."

"Well, I feed it anything." Ivy chuckled. "Actually Harl, I have something for you. A surprise."

"I love surprises!" Then Harley thought about it and became concerned, "Wait, it's not gonna explode is it?"

Ivy pursed her lips, "No, I'm not the Joker, dear."

Harley's smile returned, "Okay then!"

Ivy made a kissy sound. The kitten stepped out from around the corner of the counter and was now standing in the middle of the kitchen as it stared up at Harley.

Ivy smiled at the alarmed gasp that came from the blond. "Oh my gosh! It's a kitty! It's a green kitty!" Harley clapped her hands excitedly and immediately knelt down to pet the kitty. It purred contentedly under the attention.

"I thought you'd like that."

Her blue eyes widened, "Ya mean it's for me?"

"Yes. Of course, dear."

Her grin got even wider as she scooped up the little cat and held him like a baby.

"I've been calling him Sprout."

"That's a good name, Red." Harley stood up and kissed Ivy. "He's perfect Red, thanks so much!"

"Happy Birthday, Harl."

"Birthday?" Harley paused and thought about it for a moment. "Oh my god, I forgot. I forgot my own birthday!" She laughed uproariously.

Ivy laughed too, "Then it's a good thing I remembered."

"So that's why there's cake!"

"Mhmm."

"So where'd you get him? And why is he green?" Harley was so accustomed to seeing strange things in Gotham that a plant hybrid kitty was hardly a reason for alarm.

"I found him outside the house believe it or not. He was very sick. The only way I could save him was by using my serum on him."

"I see." Harley kissed his head and stroked his back, "Mommy's little gween booger. Who's a gween boogah? You are. Yes, you are." Harley felt like she was stroking a chia pet more than a cat.

Ivy chuckled. He'd probably be named Booger now. Oh well, she tried.

[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]

Evening

Ivy woke up and reached out absently in the dark to seek out her lover. Harley had received her final birthday present, which had left them both thoroughly exhausted. Instead of feeling Harley's soft skin she felt something fuzzy. She started slightly when it moved. Then she heard a purring and recalled the newest edition to their little family.

She frowned.

Grabbing the little kitten she sat up and was about to get out of bed when Harley's voice stopped her, "Red? Whacha doin?"

"Harl…" She said groggily. "What did I say about the cat in the bed?"

She couldn't see her face in the dark, but she could tell she was pouting. "But Red. It's too scary in the greenhouse!"

"Why?"

"It's dark and scary! He's afraid of the dark! You can't leave the baby in there all by himself."

Meow.

"He's not alone, Harley. My killer venus flytraps are in there to keep him company."

"Exactly my point, Red."

"But Harley, he's a hybrid like me. He's attuned to the vegetation too. They would never eat him."

"He doesn't want to go." Harley said petulantly. Ivy felt the blond's hands shoot out and take the kitten from her. The blond cradled him to her body and lay back down.

"Not in the bed, Harley!" Ivy was annoyed.

"But he's so little. Just tonight okay?"

Ivy sighed. She was too tired to continue this. She climbed back into bed and eventually was able to go back to sleep.

She was awakened in the morning by a tale brushing against her face and more purring. He was rubbing against Ivy anxiously and frolicking about. She supposed he was hungry, and Harley was certainly not a morning person.

[[[[[[[[[[]]]]]]]]]

"Now. We need to set down some basic rules in order for us to all get along." Ivy put up a hand to stop the inevitable protest, "No, I don't want you to talk right now. I just want you to listen." Pamela paced back and forth in the kitchen as she eyed her captive audience. Sitting calmly on the linoleum floor beside his empty food dish, Sprout perked up at the tone of Ivy's voice.

"Harley might be your mommy, but she's my girlfriend. And that means that when we're in bed…" Losing interest, Sprout licked his paw languidly. "You have no idea what I'm saying do you?"

Meow.

Ivy sighed, "And now I can't be mad at you." She patted him on the head. His grass-like fur had grown in significantly, giving him a fluffy look, and his large bulbous head, big eyes, and tiny body made him adorable.

Ivy turned towards the sound of footsteps. "Harley." Ivy had a tone that the blond immediately recognized. It was the 'we need to talk' tone, and Harley had a pretty good idea what it was going to be about.

"Hiya." Harley moved closer to the redhead. Ivy crossed her arms.

"Now about the cat in the-" The rest of Ivy's sentence was muffled as she suddenly found Harley's lips pressed against hers. The blond wrapped her arms around the plant-hybrid and pulled her closer.

Ivy's train of thought derailed as she felt Harley's hands moving along her back. She opened her mouth when she felt Harley's tongue seeking entry. Harley smiled against Ivy when she tasted a familiar rush of nectary sweetness from Ivy's mouth. After an interminable amount of time, the blond pulled back. "Hey sugah lips."

"Hey." Was the husky response.

Harley kissed Pamela on the lips one more time, winked and made her way to the living room where she was going to (presumably) watch cartoons. Ivy stood in the kitchen in a shocked stupor as she wondered what she had been doing previously. Oh well, it probably wasn't important anyway.