"You got a cat?!" Xiao stepped away from me, because I was holding a little kitten in my arms. It was small and really fluffy, so of course I was attached to the poor thing.
I nodded and pet the feline with a grin. Xiao sighed. "I should have known you would pull a stunt like this. What is it called, anyway?"
I sat down with the kitty on my lap, and Xiao walked towards me cautiously.
"Not sure yet, but he is a boy. I was hoping you could come up with a name for him?"
"Cat."
"Cat?"
"Yes. It is a cat, so call it cat."
I laughed and the kitten meowed, staring up at the Yaksha curiously.
"Why is it staring at me?"
"I think he likes you."
Xiao slowly put his hand out, and the cat nuzzled his head against it.
He took another step forward and kneeled down to look more closely.
"...Rex."
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Call him Rex."
I figured he got that name from Rex Lapis, and I thought it was perfect. Rex meowed again and began to purr as Xiao petted him.
"Rex likes his name." I added, gently picking him up and handing him to Xiao.
He struggled holding the kitten, but after stroking him for some time, Rex eventually fell asleep in his arms.
"Y/N... what do I do? He will bite me if I move." He asked me, and I heard in his tone of voice that he genuinely sounded a little worried.
"He won't bite you, he likes you. I heard cats only fall asleep on you if they trust you."
Xiao smiled ever so slightly and sat beside me, taking care not to wake the adorable feline.
"Will Rex stay with me for the night?"
"Maybe if he wants to." I started, grinning as I got to see Xiao let down his guard. "You can't force him, though, he'll come to you."
"If he does... join me. Perhaps he will like it better if we are both there with him."
My heart skipped a beat and I quickly nodded, feeling my face heat up.
"Okay. I'm glad you like him, Xiao."
---
A few hours later, Xiao and I entered his room. I sat on one side of his bed and rested my back against the pillow.
He layed next to me, unsure of what to say - but the awkwardness stopped once we heard some meowing in the hallway.
"Shhh, maybe he'll find us..." I whispered, unable to see the kitten while it was dark.
Xiao got comfortable under the duvet so that Rex could be too, and I did the same once he'd stopped moving.
The door pushed open and the meowing stopped. I smiled and subtly moved closer to Xiao, who jumped a little when Rex climbed up on to the bed.
Rex walked towards us, purring. Xiao turned over and noticed that the cat was stood in between the two of us.
I reached up and petted him, to which he curled up into a little ball and shut his eyes.
"Aw, he's fallen asleep..." I mumbled to Xiao, stroking Rex with my index finger. Afterwards, I realized how tired I actually was, yawned and rubbed my eyes.
"Sleep." Xiao asserted, gazing at me with a slightly softer glare than usual. "I will make sure the two of you rest easy."
My heart was pounding in my chest. Both of us? I was glad to realize that adopting a kitten would bring mine and Xiao's relationship closer, because I was not expecting that at all.
"Alright. Goodnight, Xiao. And Rex." I closed my eyes, allowing myself to rest.
"Thank you. For adopting him. It is quite endearing to have you both here with me, despite the circumstances. Sleep well."
