AU

[roartonrisen]

Quite honestly, for about three months, Kieren just sort of figured his cat's been getting really fat. It's not like he should know better, because it's not like he'd ever had an appreciation for the animal arts when he'd been alive. So when someone had given Kieren a look like he's an idiot and commented that the cat's just pregnant, he doesn't think it should be his fault he hadn't noticed.

He hadn't even noticed himself coming back to life. How is he supposed to notice a cat?

He can notice, though, that the cat seems to be in distress and a quick check on the internet says that this is around the time they go into labour. Still, he's not doing this on his own. A touch panicked, Kieren fumbles around the bungalow for his things and fetches towels and an actual dropcloth, texting Sirius absently as he wanders, running a hand through his hair until it's wild.

Does he call a vet? Does he get a house call? Do those things still happen?

Comments

[thebloodtraitor]

Taking the towel from Kieren, Sirius very carefully begins washing the squirmy little thing, wiping goo from behind its tiny ears and off its curvy back. It mews pitfully and Ginger glares up at him, panting at him in such a way that Sirius immediately settles the little ball down near her so that Ginger can nose and lick at it herself.

"What sort of sticky substances?" he asks, glancing quickly over at Kieren once more. "Did you need someone to lick you clean at the time?"

[roartonrisen]

With a pointed look at Sirius, then a glance down to his private regions, he looks back at him with a cocked eyebrow, as if wondering whether he's really asking this. "I'm fairly sure you were there with me, in bed, once I got back from the hospital and there was about two days' worth of sticky everything. And licking," he deadpans.

His smile softens to see Ginger caring for the little ones, and he melts a little himself. "How many more do you think are coming?"

[thebloodtraitor]

It's only with the downward flick of Kieren's gaze that Sirius cottons on the implication and he lets out an abrupt, delighted bark of a laugh. It startles both Ginger and the new little kitten, though they both recover well enough as Sirius leans in closer to Kieren, letting his mind wander to those moments where there had been much licking indeed.

"Yes, well that stickiness was a good deal different than this kind, I'd think," he says, still grinning as he drops his hand to Kieren's knee and leaves it there. "And, honestly, I haven't a clue. I suppose we just wait and see? I've a feeling Ginger will let us know when she's done. Women have a way of knowing these things."

[roartonrisen]

"That sounds like you have some distinct experience with women telling you what's what," Kieren opines, rubbing his fingers over the fur as Ginger pants and mewls, another little kitten starting to make its tiny way out, giving a peek at another slimy little thing that has Kieren thankful he never went towards being a vet.

[thebloodtraitor]

"Oh, to put it mildly," Sirius remarks with a faint grin, thinking instantly of Lily and just how matter-of-fact she'd been when Harry had been born.

There's another little slimy mass wiggling free then and Ginger curls immediately to start licking the goo from the new kitten's tiny body. The other one is still squirming faintly, shifting on the cloth, its little eyes closed. "We're not officially outnumbered by felines," he remarks with a smile. "Padfoot won't like this at all."

[roartonrisen]

"Oh, don't fret," Kieren soothes as he leans over to seal his promise with a peck of a kiss to Sirius' cheek. "We won't let them outrule you, especially not when Padfoot's about. Mostly because only Ginger is staying. And maybe one of the kittens," he amends, because once they're all fluffy and dry, they really are sort of cute.

"You could name it?"

[thebloodtraitor]

"Could I?" Sirius replies, perking up a little as he glances over at Kieren. "If I do, will that be the one we keep?"

Not that he has a clue what name he'd pick. The first things that come to mind are utterly ridiculous. Things like, Sir Purrpickle Rumplesnacks and somehow he's certain Kieren won't go for that.

[roartonrisen]

Kieren's laugh is soft and fond, but he nods as he hides his smile behind his hand. "Yes, we can keep the one you name," he promises, thinking that if they're already buying things for the cat, it won't hurt to buy just a little more for a littler one. "What did you have in mind?" he asks warily.

[thebloodtraitor]

"Oh, well that's quite the responsibility, isn't it?" Sirius replies with a laugh, feeling strangely nervous all of a sudden. He shifts then, stretching out to lie on his belly so he can get a better look at the two little kittens who've been born so far, inspecting them each very carefully.

"I feel a bit like I'd have to name any cat Minerva out of respect," he admits. "But perhaps that can be a middle name."

[roartonrisen]

"Why not that as an actual name?" he questions, because it's a pretty name and he likes the idea of it. It's probably not coming from the same place that Kieren knows it from, but he likes it. "Her nickname would end up being Minnie, wouldn't it?" he says knowingly, able to already see them calling the name out.

[thebloodtraitor]

Sirius's eyes light up at that, lips curling into a wide grin, memories of better years at Hogwarts suddenly flooding in from all sides. The number of times he'd used that nickname himself, the number of times he'd had to pay for it, are immeasurable and worth it for every memory.

"Minerva it is, I think," he says, tipping his head up to grin at Kieren before turning his attention back to the two squirming little ones. "Whether you're a girl or a boy, I think."

[roartonrisen]

Kieren huffs and stares at the beginning of another kitten coming out. "I'm fairly sure we'll have our pick of boys and girls, so there's no need to saddle a little boy kitten with Minnie as one of its names," he chides fondly. He indulges in the way his heart skips a beat to think of their little home and their cats.

"I hope this won't send you skittering away," he says. "I'd hate to lose my favourite bed warmer."

[thebloodtraitor]

"Any boy would be lucky to be given such a name, I'd think," Sirius says, resting his chin on his hands as he continues staring, wondering already exactly which of the kittens they'll keep. They're all rather adorable, he'll admit.

When Kieren speaks again, he turns to look back once more, brow furrowed, but still smiling. "Do you mean me or Padfoot? Or Ginger."

[roartonrisen]

"I mean you, but Padfoot is a close second," he confesses. "I feel like after all that time being cold, I'm extra sensitive to it. I'm sure you've noticed my ice-box feet against you in the middle of the night," he points out, but he's smiling as if it's a charming thing and not just frigid feet.

[thebloodtraitor]

"Oh, I have noticed," Sirius assures him with a teasing grin. In the dead of sleep, it's been quite a shock and has made him quietly grumpy on more than one occasion, but the reminder that at least Kieren has working bloodflow at all now is enough to calm him. "If those frigid feet aren't enough to have me skittering away, I can't imagine a second little cat would do it. Provided he or she doesn't start clawing at me in the middle of the night, I suppose."

[roartonrisen]

"I'll have to teach her the ways of accepting the canine in our lives," Kieren says, eyes widening when he sees a third kitten beginning to make an exit. He reaches for the bowl of water and breathes out warily as he gets ready to catch this one and clean up.

[thebloodtraitor]

"Well, if we introduce her young, I imagine she'll adapt," Sirius points out, shifting abruptly when Kieren reaches for the water to make room for the newest addition.

"I should hunt down the little tomcat that did this," he says then, voice entirely teasing. "He should want to be a part of his childrens' lives at the very least, don't you think? Maybe put in a bit here and bit there for child care. Poor Ginger shouldn't be strapped with their sole care for the next however long."

[roartonrisen]

Kieren peers over his shoulder and lets out a sudden laugh as he rubs the towel over the new kitten once he's gotten him (or is it a her?) clean. "If you feel up to prowling around as Padfoot and trying to sniff out which cat put Ginger in this position, far be it for me to stop you. Just remember, you come home to us."

[thebloodtraitor]

"I sense a bit of doubt in your tone," Sirius replies, grinning as he watches Kieren very carefully wipe the squirming little newbie all clean. "And where else might I go?" he adds with a soft scoff. "Are you implying Padfoot has some wild oats to sew?"

[roartonrisen]

Kieren grins as he leans back on his elbow, a teasing grin on his lips. "Well, if that's you saying that there's no place you'd rather be than here with me, I'll take it," he promises, leaning over to kiss his lower lip from its mild sulk. "I did give you the key for a reason."

[thebloodtraitor]

"Not that I need it," Sirius points out, though he can't help but smile at the kiss Kieren leaves to his bottom lip. He leans upward before Kieren can get too far to steal another before shifting suddenly to drape himself half over Kieren's lap, arranging himself so he can still watch Ginger and her newborns. "But yes, I suppose I am saying that. Is it so shocking a notion?"

[roartonrisen]

"You know, now that I have a heartbeat again, we need to talk about you giving me some kind of warning before you startle me. Windchimes or something," he says, thinking of the one too many times that he'd been startled to shock at the sight of Sirius suddenly in his place. He digs his fingers into Sirius' hair to idly stroke it as they watch Ginger work.

[thebloodtraitor]

Sirius lets out a quick bark of a laugh at that then immediately shuts his mouth when he notices the way Ginger startles at the sudden noise. The kittens hardly seem to have noticed anythign at all, at least, still squirming sightlessly upon the towel as Sirius turns his head just enough to grin up at Kieren.

"Shall I ring a bell?" he asks. "Waggle a dog collar with tags attached?"

[roartonrisen]

"I mean, if you're planning to go and buy something..." He trails off, a teasing smirk on his face that's hard to make go away. He isn't kidding, though. He does get a jolt every time Sirius turns up out of the blue without any warning. One day, he really might feel his heart skip a beat from it.

[thebloodtraitor]

"Perhaps we can train little Ginger or Minnie here to meow quietly whenever I arrive," he says, quite liking the idea himself. There's something rather appealing about having an animal, if even only a harmless house cat, herald his appearance.

Watching Ginger again, he perks up even further he notices the another little newcomer. "Ah, we've got another," he says, though he stays as he is, his head perched on Kieren's thigh. "I'm starting to wonder if we should take bets on how many we'll get in total. We're up to four now, so what do you think -- six by the end? Seven?"