oneshots | JJBA

bruabba | leone gets adopted by a cat

The words die in Bruno's throat when he finally catches Leone. He's been looking all over the place for him, and anxiety had began to nibble on his mind just minutes before.

"What a pretty kitty," Leone coos, voice so soft and quiet Bruno barely hears it from his spot at the corner. He sees him stick out his hand, wiggling his fingers in the face of the cat he's crouched in front of. "Aren'tchya, babygirl?"

The cat nuzzles his hand. Bruno can hear its — her? — purr, as it winds itself around Leone's legs and back in front of him to beg for more attention. Leone chuckles, rubbing the cat's head with a little too much force. He never has been able to control his strength well, Bruno thinks. Especially not with delicate things.

"You like lovin'?" He asks affectionately. Bruno catches the smallest glimpse of a smile on his face as the cat places its front paws on Leone's knee to get closer.

It's heart-wrenchingly cute. Bruno is well aware, and has been for years, that there is a softer, younger man underneath the hardened exterior of his comrade. He's seen it very rarely, but it's always there. Bruno can feel it, in a way, as if it's thrumming just beneath the surface.

To anyone else it may feel silly to think that way, but he's sure that this natural talent only grows because he embraces it. If he were wrong, and it were all just silly, hopeless daydreams, would he find this hardass doting on a stray?

Bruno doesn't think so.

He watches the cat rear back and then jump onto his leg. Leone leans back on his palms to let it climb onto his chest and begin kneading against the fabric of his uniform contentedly. He seems just as happy to let the cat do its thing, switching his weight to one hand to stroke its back. Always just a little too much force, always with good intentions.

As much as Bruno is pleased to let him enjoy his new found friendship, business is a bit more pressing.

"Leone?" He calls.

Leone perks up, before his soft smile unfurls into the usual frown on his face. He pats the cat's back before nudging it off, standing up. "Bruno."

"I've been searching for you," he says, approaching. He gives him a small, knowing smile. "It seems you made a new friend."

Leone glances down at the cat still by his side, rubbing its head against his leg. "It's needy, is all."

Bruno bites his tongue to avoid full on grinning. He wants to tease him for the sudden switch in tone, but he's sure it would make Leone feel insecure to know that he was watching him. The other man doesn't like to be seen when he's vulnerable, even if he doesn't seem to mind as much when it's Bruno that catches him.

"I see," he says simply. "You have orders for a mission with Fugo."

Leone nods, Bruno watching the cat cock its head as he walks past him to trail back inside the house.

-

It's late before they return.

Bruno can't help the small amount of worry that keeps him awake when his men are sent out. They are all fully capable of taking care of themselves, and he's very proud of them for it, but he cares; it's simply in his nature, as much as he decides to ignore it in favor of claiming it's merely a sense of responsibility and respect. Caring is a weakness, and he's grown accustomed to that.

Fugo enters before Leone, which isn't odd. Leone likes to hang back and absorb what's happened after going out, even when it's something as casual as going to the store.

Bruno's only truly concerned when Fugo has discussed finer details with him and gone off to do his own thing, and Leone still hasn't come inside. Fugo didn't mention him not returning nor nothing spectacularly unusual, so what's the hold up?

He steps outside and the answer is almost immediate once he rounds the corner.

"You're a needy lil' thing," he's murmuring, hand stroking down the cat's back. "You know that?"

Bruno can't help his smile now. It's simply too much to not smile about. Leone looks so pleased to be petting this stray who has apparently claimed him as their own.

"Leone," he says. The other glances over, standing up. "Would you like to bring the cat in?"

"Why?" Leone asks. The cat stretches itself out along his leg, and it's almost painful to watch his show of disinterest while he idly leans down to scratch the cat's head.

"You two seem to like each other, is all," Bruno says.

Leone looks down at it. The cat looks back up, eyes wide with curiosity. "Dunno about that."

"I certainly wouldn't call my enemy babygirl." One joke is alright — just the one. The smile that's sure to be on his face should soften the blow that Leone will undoubtedly interpret.

"You heard that?"

Bruno nods.

"Shit."

-

The sound of pounding on his door alerts Bruno. It's late, and he's nearly dozed off over his work, but it jolts him awake and he springs to open it.

Mista is practically bouncing on his heels, an equally ecstatic Narancia behind him. At least there's nothing wrong, as he'd initially expected with incessant banging at one o'clock.

"Buccellati, you gotta see this shit," Mista says, waving him along and turning to head down the hall.

Bruno will admit his shuffling is much less enthusiastic. Despite being startled, with the threat of danger gone, he's feeling just as groggy as before. He follows them into the main room, immediately interested when he sees Leone sprawled out on the couch with his new feline friend curled up on top of his stomach, purring away.

"A fuckin' cat!" Mista whisper yells. The cat cracks an eye open, deems him not important enough to interrupt his nap, and gets up to stretch before turning his back to the three men.

God, no wonder it likes Leone so much. It is him.

Narancia must think this too, because he hides his face in Mista's arm to muffle his laughter. Bruno finds it oddly lulling to listen to his boys laughing over Leone's new buddy, and he smiles.

His fatigue makes itself known in the dull ache to join Leone on the couch, to make the cat scoot over enough for Bruno to lay his head on his chest, too. From the rare occurrences where they've briefly hugged, Bruno knows he's a very warm person. Comfortable to lean on. Sturdy. Not very soft, though...

Mista and Narancia's banter seems to fade away while he thinks of Leone, but he can feel their eyes on him.

"Yes?" He questions.

They give each other a look, barely containing their snickers. "Nothin'," Mista says.

He's too sleepy to investigate it further.

originally pub. on ao3 on 2020-04-15

a/n: this is not re-proofread, sorry for any mistakes. i'll do it later lol