A/N: Welcome to Chapter 2 of the Reality Check series! This is for OTP Prompt #2: I work at the animal shelter and you come in to pet the cats when you're sad.
"Welcome to the Northland Cat House. Are you here to adopt?" The bushy-haired woman behind the desk smiled warmly, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She reached across the desk for a stack of adoption forms.
"No... no, just uh..." The redhead fumbled on his words, ducking his eyes under his orange goggles. "I'm just, uh-"
"Sherry, he's with me," Mello said, stepping into the main room. "Haven't seen you in a few weeks. Come on, you can come to the back. Lilith finally had her kittens."
"Oh, good," the man smiled, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his ill-fitting jeans. "How many?"
"Eight," Mello said. "She's a tired Momma Cat. They're all healthy except for one little girl. She's had a rough few days."
"Can I hold them?"
"Sure. Just be careful, all right? They're tiny." Mello unlocked the door and stepped inside, narrowly avoiding a purring tabby chasing a toy mouse. "Oh, watch out for Mizar; he's on a biting binge today."
"'Kay," the man said, smiling at the one-eyed black cat in the corner. "Hey little fella."
Mizar farted and hissed. The man smiled.
"Lil and the kittens are over here," Mello said, waving him over. "I'll let you sit inside the cage with them. They're only in here until they're old enough to join the others," he added. "As soon as they're ready for adoption, they'll be in the main room. Watch out, Sparkles."
"Sparkles won't know what to do with herself. Too much competition," the young man chuckled, kneeling on the floor of the cage. "Hey Lilith."
"Poor tired Momma," Mello cooed, rubbing the purring calico's head. "We're just gonna show off your babies, all right?"
Mello picked up a tiny wriggling furball and handed it to the other man. It pawed at his striped shirt.
"They're so small," the man smiled. "Tiny."
"That one is Henry. This one's Athena," Mello pointed to a female whose markings matched the mother's. "Athena's the only one who came out calico like her mother."
"I thought calico was a breed."
"Nope," Mello grinned. "They're just shorthairs. That's why Henry and Max are gray, and Artemis, Haley, and Diana are black and white. The orange one is Jude. The brown one is Piper. She's not doing so well. She was the runt, and she's having trouble with her back leg. It's too short, see?"
"Oh," the man frowned. "I hope she gets well soon."
"Me too," Mello admitted. "Lilith has done her best, but eight is a lot. Piper gets shoved out of the way at feeding time. I've had to suckle her on a dropper more than once when her siblings suck poor Momma dry. If she makes it, it will be hard to find her a home. People don't really like deformed kittens, you know?"
"I would take her," he said, petting the tiny kitten's head with two fingers.
"You should," Mello said gently. "You love cats. You're here all the time. Maybe you should get one for yourself."
"I'm not so good with animals," the man admitted. "I'm not so good with anything."
"You're good with the cats here." Mello handed the man another kitten - Diana, this time. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" The man cupped his hands under Diana's backside, smiling as she nuzzled against his chest.
"What should I call you?" Mello held up his hands. It doesn't have to be your real name. It's just, I've been referring to you as Stripes for a while, but I didn't want to call you that to your face. Unless you're cool with it?"
"Matt. I'm Matt." He placed Henry beside his mother. Lilith immediately began licking her baby's head, causing both men to chuckle.
"It's nice to put a name to a face, Matt," Mello said. "Seriously, though. Consider adopting? Not that I don't enjoy seeing you here every other weekend, but it just seems like you're kind of a lonely guy."
Matt frowned. Mello cringed, plopping Max into Matt's lap.
"There's nothing wrong with being a loner, of course," Mello added quickly. "Let me try this again. Do you have a roommate, Matt? Girlfriend? Anyone to keep you company?"
"Not really," Matt muttered, patting Max's back. Max mewed, and a flicker of a smile lit up Matt's face for a brief moment. "I had a roommate. It didn't work out. It's just me and my video games. I work a lot. I probably wouldn't have time for a pet."
"Where do you work?" Mello asked. He took Diana from Matt and placed her by Lilith, who promptly began washing her daughter just like she'd washed her son.
"Tech support," Matt said. "Technically I work from home, but..."
"So you would have plenty of time," Mello said brightly. "It's settled. When the kittens are old enough to go to their new homes, you'll get one. I'll even waive the adoption fee."
"Mello, I don't know the first thing about raising a kitten," Matt said, flustered. "I'm not very good at taking care of-"
"Then I'll come over and show you everything you need to know!" Mello interrupted, determined. "I'll show you how to be the very best Fur-Papa. You'll be number one! Well, second to me, of course."
"Let me get this straight," Matt furrowed his brow. "You'll give me a kitten, waive the adoption fee, and train her for me? What's the catch?"
Mello paused, picking up little brown Piper and holding her close to his chest. He stared pointedly at Matt.
"You'll take Piper. It's not common knowledge, but we are a kill shelter. If we reach capacity and they think nobody wants her..." he trailed off, kissing the tiny creature's head. Piper wriggled, trying to suckle Mello's fingertips. "If I can tell them she's spoken for, they'll have her spayed and microchipped and she can live a good life. A good life with you. Maybe you'll be good for each other."
Matt stared at the tiny kitten in Mello's arms, then glanced up at Mello himself. Somehow, the scene felt right. For a moment, Matt could almost picture Piper and Mello in his apartment - in his life. For some reason, he liked the idea.
"Okay," Matt said, imagining cat toys scattered around his computer parts. Scratching posts beside gaming consoles. Mello sitting in the recliner, Piper purring on his lap. "Yeah. I'll do it. I want her."
Mello beamed.
"On one condition," Matt added.
"Name it," Mello said.
"Promise me that you'll come over and teach me how to care for her?"
"I pinky-swear it," Mello said, extending his little finger. Matt mimicked the gesture, sealing the deal.
"Mello?" Mello's skin was soft. Much warmer than Matt expected.
"Yeah, Matt?" the blonde asked.
"Maybe you could come over sooner? To help me prepare a place for her. And, uh," Matt added quickly, "Maybe catch a movie?"
"Sure," Mello grinned. "I think I'd like that."
Piper purred.