Petro's little problem.
Our Thick-headed Inquisitor has a habit of picking up stays, his latest rescue involves a litter of kittens he had found.
Brother Petro sighed; the piles of paperwork never seemed to get any smaller no matter how many he signed and or stamped with his seal. Also members of the Vatican military kept interrupting him for the most trivial of matters. The Inquisitor wasn't looking forwards to spending the whole week in the office, thought there were important matters to attended to, it would soon be the Pope's 16th birthday and Alessandro himself had requested him to be there. This request clashed slightly with his duty to provide security, he could not refuse his holiness.
Petro felt a warm flutter thinking of the young man who was God's chosen. Since the incident in Londinium, the young man had requested his presence more often, finally confessing in a timid soft voice that the Chief's presence gave him more confidence and was a comfort. This did not lessen his job however, it made it more problematic, Brother Petro usually had Sister Paula officiate as vic-chief while he was with Pope Alessandro
.
A soft mewling brought him out of his reverie; he glanced under his desk, a smile softening his features. "You guys awake?" he pulled out the box containing a litter of three tiny kittens. He had found them abandoned in a box in a dumpster just outside the city. He didn't' have time to call an animal shelter to have them come and pick up the kits as he usually did whenever he found an abandoned cat.
Petro was fond of cats, but his position as head of the inquisition (and his rather fearsome reputation) made it difficult for him to keep a pet, it was also against the rules within the walls of the Vatican. But he couldn't' just leave the hungry mewling orphans, they where helpless.
If there was one thing that Petro has a weakness it was for anything small and cute. Sure he might be a rampaging beast in battle but privately he nurtured a healthy respect for life.
It was this weakness that turned against him during the Iblis incident when the imperial messenger Ion Fortuna offered his life to him in return for his protection. The kid was cute, adorable, those large eyes and that determined expression under that mess of blond hair quickly broken down his guard. Of chores he'd covered it all with half formed bluster. He had later covered the boy with his coat protecting the helpless Methuselah from the harmful effects of the sun.
Brother Petro dipped a hand down the kittens where just opening their eyes, one of then scooted over to him mewling. "It's probably time for a brake anyhow." Picking them up, he fed them with a bit of warmed milk. As they fell back to sleep he picked up the phone and dialed the animal shelter.
"It's Brother Petro, I wish to speak with Sister Ashley."
"Hello Petro." The female voice on the other line said brightly.
"I have a litter of kittens that I need picked up soon." He said, getting right to the point.
There came a sigh on the other end. "I'm sorry, but all our available space is taken, if you'd like I could phone around and see if any of our volunteers might be able to take them in. how old are they?"
"They are under a month old….their eyes are just opening. I gave them a bit of milk."
"Aright, I will call you back as soon as I can Brother Petro. Just keep them warm I'll do what I can."
"Thank you..."
Click.
Petro huffed, "One problem after another…." he glanced down at the fuzzy pile of kits under his desk, his smile returned.
Later that Evening Petro placed the kittens in a large leather bag in order to smuggle them out of the grounds. Sister Ashley had called back but her news wasn't good, none of her volunteers had room for the orphans, She would try calling around to see if there was anyone else who might take them, for now, he was take them to his apartment she would come by with the feeding bottles and the milk formula they would need.
One of the plus sides of his reputation was no-one questioned if he walked around with a large bag in hand, indeed, he had smuggled the kittens in using the same tactic of walking briskly down the halls with a hard expression on face that made anyone else turn around and hurry the other way.
He gave a sigh of relief once out of the grounds it was a short walk from here to his apartment, he hurried down the street.
Petro was nearly home free when a large tabby cat jumped down from a high wall, carrying in its mouth what looked like a "…A Cinnamon bun?"
"Come back here you stupid cat!" A vaguely familiar voice called out from the other side of the wall, a grunt followed by sounds of struggling, Petro glanced up curiosity in time to see a blur of silver hair and black robes falling ungracefully over the wall.
THWUD!
"Owch~"
Father Abel Nightroad fell off the wall onto something. With his luck it was probably garbage. The hard pile he had landed on shifted violently, throwing the hapless Priest to the cement.
"GRRAAHHH!""
"A~HhhHHHhh!" Abel screamed as he was grabbed by an angry Goliath of a man. What was worse that he recognized the man as being Brother Petro; 'Knight of Destruction.' 'I am so dead, Nearly 900 years of bad luck and I get this' Able thought as Petro's hands went around his neck.
"Just what the hell are you doing you Four-eyed Ninny!" Petro yelled at him, the Chief Inquisitor shook the silver haired Priest, his hands tightening.
A small plaintive mewing stopped his murderous rage. Petro froze, panic sweeping across his face. 'The kittens!" He dropped the stunned Crusnik and looked about frantically. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the kits where alright, perhaps a little jarred by the impact but the sturdy leather bag had protected them. He turned to the Priest ready to open his mouth and let out another barrage of insults when….
"Ohhhh~ How cuu~te!"
Petro's mouth was still open as Abel peered into the bag at the bundles of fuzz, looking very much like a child would. "How old are they? Are they yours Petro? What are their names?"
Abel looked up when the Blue-haired man didn't say anything. Brother Petro had turned his face away, an embarrassed expression on his face. Nightroad then decided that he should behave his age and cleared his throat. "Brother Petro? I Apologize for…landing on you, I didn't mean to honestly, If I had known you where there I wouldn't have…"
"…it's alright, there's no harm done."
Eh?
Did he hear right? Abel cleaned out one ear with a pinky. "Seriously?"
"Yes, I would appreciate that You not tell anyone about this." Petro was struggling to keep his face stern. "Oh of chores" Abel put both his hands up in surrender. "You have my promise that I won't tell anyone about the kittens…..Just…just one thing?" he asked hesitantly, flinching seeing Petro starting to bristle.
"What?"
"M-may I hold one for a bit?" Abel stuttered, taking a step back.
A huff, "Fine, just for awhile."
Abel was practically bouncing with excitement as Petro gently handed him one of the mewling kits. The priest lifted the little one to eye level, his eyes shining. "Hello there, you're a little cutie aren't you?" he nuzzled its baby fur.
Brother Petro stood there, uncomfortably as the AX squealed and babbled girlishly at the kitten. It was starting to get embarrassing. "Father, if you please."
"Ohh, If I could only keep one of them they are such little darlings." Abel reluctantly gave back the baby. "But rules are rules, where did you get them Brother Petro?"
"I found them in a dumpster.."
"Aww, the poor things. Abandoned?"
"Yes, I was going to take them to the animal shelter but they have no room for them." Petro said, "I have to find someone to take care of them."
"I would offer to help, but I'm rather busy these days. "Abel sighed. " With the Pope's birthday coming up, it's been hectic." Petro nodded his agreement. "I can't look after them indefinitely, they need to be fed, and they are too young to drink anything beside milk. I too, have a problem with looking after them."
"Oh I know!"
The Inquisitors eyes widened at the sound of the priest's screeching voice. Abel continued. "How about we take turns looking after them tomorrow, I'm sure that we can shuffle our schedules so that the little ones will be fed and taken care of. "
Petro looked into Abel's bright winter blue eyes and was convinced that the priest had gone mad. "What are you talking about Nightroad? Even if I do manage to smuggle in the kittens in the Vatican grounds again they would have be kept hidden and close to were your office is."
Again? Able blinked. He smuggled the kittens into the grounds? The silver haired man nodded vigorously, agreeing to everything the blue haired man said.
"…and they must be fed every 2 hours and cleaned properly." Petro finished.
"Right Chief!" Abel saluted him, causing the Head Inquisitor to sigh "Don't' salute me. It's only for one day."
"oh, R-right."
Another Sigh. "And your shift starts at 10am, I have a meeting with his Holiness and the Cardinals. Don't be late!"
Petro hissed furiously at him, disappearing into an apartment building.
A/N: This was originally meant to be a one shot but I'm not sure if I should continue this. Please read and post comments.