youfeelluckypunk

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russell

[dec 6]

Reid still isn't entirely certain why he's here. Very much like his assignment as part of the security team at Mindy's sexual health seminar, he isn't sure how his role as a consultant to the Darrow PD could possibly have led him to being on his way to the city's Humane Society with Russell.

He'd tried putting up a fight, insisting that there were many others cases that needed his more immediate attention (which isn't untrue) than this, a cat-napping, and the only reason he'd ended up leaving the station is because the Chief had implied he considered himself above the case. That's not what Reid wants to get across, not even in the slightest, and the Chief is well aware of that. It'd been an excellent way to achieve checkmate, Reid has to give him that.

When Russell stops the car, though, Reid can't help but let out a heavy sigh. "I can't believe they're sending us to take care of this," he grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose before unbuckling his seatbelt. "We're not that understaffed, I'm pretty sure anyone else could have taken care of this without any trouble at all." What actually needs his attention is the vampire case. To Reid's dismay, he hasn't gotten any closer in the past months to solving it, and the time they'd spent being terrorized in Silent Darrow, along with the time off he'd taken, had seen him greeted with three new victims when he'd returned.

The problem isn't going to solve itself, that much is obvious; but at this particular moment, Reid supposes he won't be solving it either. No, right now, he's being forced to deal with something that's apparently far more important: cats.

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Russell's partner, that nice enough, but relatively boring guy he's been assigned to ever since the rest of the Darrow population arrived, he's off work right now. Maybe for good. There's some health stuff going on and although Russell doesn't know all the details, he does know enough to understand it isn't terminal, but that he needs to take it easy all the same and maybe it's chronic, so maybe the life of a cop isn't exactly the right one for him anymore. Which is too bad, he's a pretty good guy and not such a terrible cop, but it's also led Russell to moments like this. Investigating an actual cat-napping case with Reid, which is pretty much the funniest thing that's happened to him in a long damn time.

Especially since Reid doesn't seem too impressed by the whole thing. That just makes it more fun for Russell.

"At least they're not vampire cats," he says, putting the cruiser in park and grinning over Reid like he's just made the best joke of his life. It's not, it's fucking stupid as hell, but he's going to keep on making as many stupid jokes until he can get Reid to crack a smile about the case. "Get it? 'Cause you're investigating vampires, but also it rhymes with vampire bats."

At this rate, he's pretty sure Reid is going to request to never work with Russell again, but it's just that teasing him a little bit comes so naturally. It's impossible to just completely let it go, even though he won't let it affect how he does his job. Even if it is something as ridiculous as a cat-napping. Which is another pretty funny play on words Russell plans on using at some point during this whole investigation.

Reid only offers an unimpressed, withering glare at Russell before getting out of the car, though the corners of his lips do twitch in amusement. As ridiculous as he suspects this case is going to be, he supposes he should be grateful to be teamed with someone who isn't going to take it very seriously.

There are some officers who are still working their way up in the department, still desperately trying to prove their worth, and Reid imagines they'd have already prepared a number of serious questions to ask in order to recover the stolen cat. At least with Russell, there won't be any need to diffuse a full-on manhunt when they both know they'll likely reach a quick resolution.

"I get it," Reid answers, finally giving in and offering a small, crooked smile. "You should be proud of yourself for that one, color me so very impressed by your aptitude for rhyming. Don't tell me that you think this is a better use of my time, though, the vampire situation is getting out of hand, and I--"

"The what situation?"

Clamping his mouth shut and biting down on the inside of his cheek, Reid slowly turns to face a woman who's staring at them with an understandably bemused expression. "The campfire situation," he says, narrowing his eyes at Russell, daring his partner for the day show even a hint of mockery at his poor cover-up. When he looks back at the woman, he smiles more warmly. "Lots of camping lately, lots of fires, complaints of smoke, that kind of thing. A mess, really. You must be Denise, you're in charge, isn't that right?"

She blinks, looking like she wants to ask another question, but then she nods, holding out her hand. "Yeah, I'm Denise, and you're the guys who are here to help us find our missing cat. Admiral Snuggles is a beloved member of our family here, we're eager to get him back."

"Campfires," Russell echoes with a nod and the thing about his cop face is that it's a good cop face. He can go from smiling and laughing to stern in a split second and there's nothing at all in his expression that would give away what he and Reid were really talking about. It's one of those things David always laughed at, how quickly Russell could turn his emotional state around completely, but he figures that's just part of being a cop. No one wants to see you joking around on a crime scene, but sometimes cops have to laugh together or they'll go crazy with the shit they see.

"I'm Officer Clank, this is Agent Reid, we'll do what we can to get your cat back, ma'am," he offers a second later, shaking her hand when Reid doesn't seem especially interested in going through with it himself. He has no idea what they're actually doing here, because a cat-napping seems like a pretty ridiculous thing to investigate, but maybe there's more here than meets the eye. Hell, maybe the cat is worth ransom.

"So when did you notice he was missing?" he asks.

"He's been missing for two days," Denise says, her shoulders immediately slumping before she turns, gesturing them to follow after her.

Exchanging a quick glance with Russell, the blankness in his eyes the only real indication that Reid is not at all impressed so far, the pair have no choice but to trail behind her as she kindly holds the door to what Reid presumes is her office open for them. They're immediately greeted with what he supposes anyone would except from a cat-lover: ceramic figurines lined up on a desk, a poster that says 'Have a Purr-fect Day!' over a kitten dangling from a tree branch by one paw, and Polaroids of various cats posted on a cork board with their names written in Sharpie on the white space beneath.

On the other wall is another board, this one covered in photos of dogs and rabbits and birds, all of them also accompanied by names, and Reid wonders whether Denise is the one who takes it upon herself to name the animals that are found running loose. It wouldn't surprise him if she was, she does seem very hands-on and passionate about what she does, just based on the office itself, and he finds himself softening at that.

"Denise," he says gently, hands slipping into his pockets as he steps toward her. She turns to face him, and he has to stop himself from visibly reacting to the tears that are already trailing down her cheeks. Instead, he reaches into his back pocket for his handkerchief and hands it to her, offering a small smile when she takes it with a gracious nod then blows her nose. "Denise, is there any chance at all that Admirable Snuggles could have gotten out from where you keep him?"

"No," she insists, dabbing at her nose again before holding the handkerchief back out to Reid. After he lifts a hand to decline it, she shoves it in her own pocket, walking over to the board with the cats and pointing out the one labeled 'Admiral Snuggles' at the top left of the firs trow. "That's him right there. I'm always the last one out at the end of the night, and I know I locked the doors. No sign of a break-in when I got in the next morning, nothing."

Holy shit, that is one ugly fuckin' cat.

It's the first thought in Russell's head and it just about pops out of his mouth, too, but he bites down hard enough on his lower lip that it hurts and manages to keep his opinion to himself. Back in Ogden Marsh that stuff never mattered. Everyone he'd ever dealt with as a cop had known him since he was a kid anyway, so when he cursed a blue streak, no one even blinked. But here in Darrow it's different. Even after years here he has trouble remembering that sometimes.

"No sign of forced entry, but we're gonna have to check out the doors and windows anyway," Russell says when he thinks he's regained his composure enough not to comment on how damn ugly that cat is. Why anyone would want to take that thing is beyond him, it looks like it'd sooner scratch someone's face off than snuggle them. And for a cat who's very name proclaims he's a snuggler, he figures that's sort of important, but then again, he'd never been great at naming animals. His dog growing up at been named Bark and the cat he'd gotten during his year away had college had simply been called The Grey One most of the time. Pets are great, he loves pets and thinks he'd really like to get a dog for Jamie eventually, but he's just not the most creative guy on the block. He figures when the time comes, Jamie and Katie can name the puppy and he'll be satisfied with whatever they choose. As long as it's not something like Admiral Snuggles.

"What about a security system?" he asks, glancing at Denise and then at Reid, even though he's kind of afraid that if he looks at his temporary partner he's going to lose his shit and start laughing over the grumpy cat with the fucked up hair. Somehow he manages to keep his composure as he looks away again, trying to see if they have an alarm set up. "Cameras? Alarm? Anything like that?"

Russell is on the verge of losing his ability to maintain a neutral expression and frankly, Reid can't really blame him. There are aspects of Russell's personality that remind him a little of Rossi's occasional tendency to be irreverent in the face of things he just hadn't been able to take seriously and Morgan's ability to sound charmingly caring even if he'd thought the situation was ridiculous. Those traits are both important in their own ways, Reid thinks. Some of the officers back at the station would likely take this far too seriously, if only because they'd feel the need to impress someone, whether it be Reid or Diane, and others wouldn't have the sensitivity needed to properly handle the case.

While they may be looking for a cat, a distressingly angry one called Admiral Snuggles, it's still important that they treat Diane with the respect she deserves. And then be able to laugh about it on the car ride back.

"We do have an alarm," Denise confirms, "but there's no sign that it went off."

Reid narrows his eyes, carefully avoiding Rusell's gaze as he looks again at Admiral Snuggles' Polaroid up on the board. "Denise, how long as Admiral Snuggles been here?"

"Oh, it's only been a few weeks, but he's so sweet. He's the sweetest cat you'll ever meet, I swear it, I just don't understand why anyone would want to steal him."

Nodding his understanding, he wanders over the cat board, looking over the photos for a moment before pointing at the one to the right of Admiral Snuggles. "And what about-- er, Grandma Wrinkles. When was she brought in?"

"She's been here longest," Denise tells him, "she came in just a few days before Tabigail, the one right next to her. They're very close."

Reid doesn't dare look at Russell, not now, and he can barely find it in himself to glance over his shoulder at Diane. "And what this last one, at the end of the board? Steve."

"Steve is our newest arrival, he just came in yesterday."

There's a picture starting to come together in Reid's mind as to what happened but before he takes any gentle steps toward making his conclusion, he wants to see for himself what it takes to get into where the cats are being housed. Clearing his throat and finally forcing himself to lock eyes with Russell, he nods toward the door. "We're going to need see the cats."

It's Steve that does it. Russell wants to howl with laughter and for a second it bubbles up inside him so violently that he ends up coughing desperately to cover it, waving his hand when Diane looks at him in concern. Fucking Steve. All these ridiculous cat names and then that. Of course, Steve is probably what Russell would name a cat if he ever got one, but he just can't deal with it in the midst of all these other names and so he lets himself cough for a few seconds longer, knowing if he doesn't just ride this whole thing out as a fit of allergies or something, he's going to end up laughing and that won't do anyone any good. Diane will be sure to call the station and Russell will never hear the end of it, because no matter how absurd the situation is, it's up to him to treat it with respect.

"I'm okay," he says. "I'm okay, it's just allergies, that's all. Cats get my throat all itchy." He's not sure if that's how allergies work, given that he's not actually allergic to anything, but he feels like it's more or less the only thing he can use as an excuse in a moment like this.

"Do you need some water or anything?" Diane asks and she's so nice about it that it almost sobers Russell completely. Clearly she's a kind woman who just really loves her job and really loves cats and it's a shitty thing to make fun of her at all. Even if the names she chose are the strangest collection of names he's ever seen.

"No, really, I'm okay," he says, looking at her seriously. "Doctor Reid and I, we'll just take a look at the cats like he's suggested. You don't gotta worry about a thing. I might just be a regular old cop, but Reid here is brilliant. He'll get to the bottom of this and we'll make sure everything is taken care of." He might be over-promising a little, but he's pretty sure Reid actually will figure it out and long before he ever manages to wrap his head around it, so he's not actually all that worried about it.

"They're right through here," she says, leading them back out of the office. "I'll show you."

Before Diane offers to show them out, Reid finds himself just staring quizzically at Russell, trying to determine whether or not his partner for the day is just poking fun of him. It doesn't really matter either way, but he can feel the laughter rising in him and stalling at his chest because as ridiculous as this situation is, they both have to remain professional. Diane is a very genuine woman, that's obvious in itself, and Reid is already fairly certain of what'd happened with Admiral Snuggles; but they need to go through the motions before he rings in with any theories and so, he just gives Russell a pointed look before following Diane out the back office door.

They pass the row of dogs first, and he tries not to glance at every single one they walk by, but it's rather difficult when they're each clamoring for attention. Reid had never desired a dog before, not even as a kid, mostly because he wouldn't have been home often enough to care for one and that's not at all fair to an animal that deserves and thrives on consistency. Even now, he thinks taking on a dog would just be too much, especially considering where he and Luke live, it's far too small to justify--not that he's thought about adopting a pet, he just can't avoid it now that they're here.

Soon, they reach a door to a large room that Reid can already see is filled with cats, most of them perched somewhere or another and resting, though a few of them glance up as they enter. There's one pair in particular that seems to be watching his every move and though he's meant to be looking around the room as a whole, he can't help but look back over at them every few seconds. It doesn't take long for Diane to catch on, and she grins at him before walking over to the cats.

"They're a handsome pair, aren't they?" she asks, chuckling as one of them narrows its eyes at her as she scratches behind its ears. "They were brought in together about six months ago. This one's called Mister Purrkins and his brother there is Catrick Swayze. You know, like Dirty Dancing? Nobody puts Catrick in the corner!"

It doesn't make sense, that's not even the line, and it pains Reid to have to smile and nod. He quickly turns away, pretending to examine the other areas of the room and hoping Russell is managing to keep a straight face because there's no chance in hell Reid is going to risk looking at him again.

"So Denise, you said you're the only one who has access to this door at the end of the night and in the morning, right?"

"That's right," she confirms, "I've been the last one out and first one in for years now, I've barely missed a day."

"And Admiral Snuggles, you said he's been here for a little while now. I saw that you kept his picture ahead of the rest on that photo board, and you even had another picture on your desk of you holding him in your lap. I'm guessing he maybe means a little more to you than just a cat who needs a home?"

"Well, Doctor Reid, all my babies in here mean a little more to me than that," Denise answers, though Reid notices there's a little waver to her voice, and she shifts uncomfortably as she lowers her gaze to the floor. "But yes, I suppose you could say that's true."

Reid hums his agreement, wandering back over to her and absently reaching out to scratch behind Catrick Swayze's ear, though he barely notices that the cat purrs approvingly as he softens his expression for Denise's benefit.

"Denise," he says, taking care to keep his voice gentle and briefly glancing at Russell before turning his attention back to her, "you can be honest with us, and I promise you won't get into any trouble. Do you have the cat?"

She freezes, though she's eyeing the door now like she might actually run over this, and Reid can't deny his relief when she seems to scrap that idea and instead just deflates. "I have him," she mumbles, bringing a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose between her fingers.

"I don't know, I didn't think-- I wasn't the one who reported him missing, okay, that was another one of my employees, and I tried to talk her out of it but she insisted and by that time, it had already gone too far. Admiral Snuggles and I, we bonded the very first day he came to us and a few days ago, a family came really close to taking him home and it just got me thinking that I couldn't lose him. I know it's wrong, I know, but now that I've had him at home with me for a few days, I can promise you, it was the right decision."

She pauses then, widening her eyes at him, then Russell. "Am I going to go to prison?"

Edited 2015-11-28 08:04 (UTC)

Russell's not a bad cop, not by any means, but there's a big difference between being an officer and being a detective, and there's an even bigger difference between being an officer and being an agent like Reid, someone who seems like he was more or less born to profile people, and he's sort of surprised by how quickly Reid has gotten Denise to confess. The fact that she's got the cat doesn't entirely shock him, but he knows it would have taken him a little while longer to get there, and he's convinced he never would have gotten her to own up to it so quickly.

In fact, he'd been just about ready to laugh at the stupid names of those ugly wrinkly cats that Reid seems like he's drawn to when the whole thing had come out in the open and for a second he just sort of stands there, gaping like an idiot. He probably looks as stupid as he feels and he shakes his head and clears his throat at the same time, trying to recover at least a little bit of his dignity.

"I dunno if we put people in prison for taking cats home," he says. "Especially not when you know they're gonna fill out the proper paperwork and pay the right fees for the whole adoption process just as soon as we leave, right?"

Denise nods quickly, her eyes still wide. "Yes," she says. "Yes, absolutely. Of course. I'll even tell my coworkers what happened and that it was a huge misunderstanding and I'll take complete responsibility."

Given that Russell wasn't sure what they would have done even if there had been a genuine cat-napping, he thinks that sounds pretty fair and he's nodding solemnly, as if that's the best thing she can really offer to do, as if her having to admit to her coworkers that she'd accidentally stolen a cat was the worst, most terrible punishment possible for her crime. Which he's pretty sure isn't actually a crime at all.

"I think that sounds fair," he says, his voice as solemn as his nods. "Does that sound fair to you, Agent Reid?"

If he's honest, Reid is glad that Russell tackles her question because even though the answers seems rather obvious, he's grown far too distracted by the twin cats who are mewing beside him. They're perched on the branch of a cat tree that reaches his waist, so it isn't especially difficult to reach out to scratch behind Catrick's ear again before doing the same for Mister Purrkins.

They're awfully cute, he has to admit, though he thinks he'd probably be tempted to change their names if he were to ever adopt them, which is a thought that opens a whole new set of doors in his mind. Mister Purrkins isn't such a bad name, he supposes, but Catrick Swayze would definitely have to be called something else. His thoughts wonder then to what Luke's policy on having pets might be, especially considering he's a werewolf. It's never come up and so they haven't talked about it, mostly because neither of them have ever been especially keen on bringing on an animal home, but Reid reasons that it wouldn't be so bad.

A cat isn't as difficult to care for as a dog because they tend to be more self-sustaining and of course, if he were to take Mister Purrkins, he'd have to take Catrick Swayze. Separating them would just be cruel and--

"Agent Reid?"

"Hmm?" Reid's eyes widen when he realizes Russell and Diane are both staring at him, though there's a little more of a devilish glint in Clank's eyes. His cheeks redden as he pulls his hand back as if he's been burned, shoving it in his pocket before clearing his throat. "Er, yes, everything Officer Clank has said is very true, and I'd have to agree, it all sounds very fair."

Diane looks a little less like she might fall apart under pressure now, looking him over with a thoughtful expression. "Agent Reid, are you... looking to adopt a cat, by any chance?"

"What? No. Me? No, definitely not, I couldn't, I-- I mean, I've never really thought about it before, I haven't even read much on what goes into taking care of an animal in a household so I'm probably not qualified. What, uh, what would be the qualifications, though, if one were interested?"

He refuses once again to look at Russell, already certain of what he'll see if he does, and Reid knows he likely won't hear the end of this when they get back in the cruiser. And probably not for a good while after that.

"They're naked," Russell points out, ignoring Reid's question about what sort of qualifications are required for a cat, because he figures it can't be too tough. Food, litter boxes, cat toys, scratching post, that sort of stuff, and Denis will fill Reid in as soon as it becomes necessary. Because Russell can pretty much tell by the look on his face that it will become necessary, that he's definitely going to be taking some cats home. Probably the naked ones from the look on his face.

"They're sphynx cats," Denise explains off Russell's comment. "And if you're really interested in them, Agent Reid, this breed of cat is actually quite fascinating and there are a good deal of special requirements for them. Unless you already have another pet at home, we'd have to insist on adopting them out together. Sphynx cats are extremely social creatures and have actually been known to die of loneliness. They need interaction other pets provide in order to be happy and they're a great deal more work than a regular cat. You have to keep them warm, because, as Officer Clank as stated, they're hairless and they can get quite cold. They also need to be bathed, since they don't have any hair to balance the oils from their skin."

She pauses, smiling, almost as if she's waiting for Reid to immediately say no, that's too much, he can't possibly imagine taking two cats at once, especially not two that require sweaters and baths. But when he doesn't, she keeps going.

"But the rewards are great," she continues enthusiastically. "They're one of the sweetest breeds of cat imaginable. They're smart and loyal and very sweet. Some people have claimed to be able to train them like dogs and they've been known to greet their owners at the door after they come home from a long day at work. They're really just the sweetest cats, Agent Reid, if you're interested in a cat that's going to be more of a companion that simply a presence in your home, they'd really be your best bet."

"Do it," Russell encourages. "Adopt the naked cats. They have forehead wrinkles, man. They look like little villains from a comic book. You could name 'em Doctor Evil and Sprinkles the Heinous or somethin' like that."

He sees the look Denis gives him when he suggests Reid rename the cats and he chooses to ignore it. This is coming from the woman who stole a cat, after all, he doesn't think he needs to dignify her look with a response.

Well, he wouldn't want the cats to die of loneliness, that's entirely unacceptable. Besides, he's very familiar with how it feels to have someone he loves taken from him, so Reid can hardly, in good conscience, do the same to these two animals. It wouldn't be right, it'd make him a monster, and he realizes he's telling himself these things in an effort to rationalize adopting a pair of cats when it's something he and Luke have never discussed but if he's honest, he's already committed. Maybe he hasn't said it yet, but he's fairly certain there's just no way he's walking out of here without Mister Purrkins and Catrick Swayze.

The list of requirements isn't entirely unreasonable, which helps. The cats will have each other and maybe, if Luke permits it, they can wander around the store during open hours while Reid is at work. They could wear little cat sweaters to keep them warm and finding time to bathe them won't be a problem. The only issue he can foresee is the cause of Luke's monthly visit to the basement, and he's not sure whether the fact his boyfriend is a werewolf will actually effect the cats in any way, but he thinks he's willing to find out.

He'll text Luke. Yes, that's a good idea. "Just a minute," he says, holding up a finger as he steps away to tug his phone from his pocket.

In retrospect, he'll see that he hadn't done much digging--

("Are you allergic to cats?" "No...?" "Just checking.")

--but in that moment, it's good enough for Reid. So he turns back with a bit of a spring in his step, trying not to smile too widely, but Denise catches his enthusiasm quickly enough. She's likely seen reactions like this before, after all, she's probably seen it a thousand times in people who come across a particular animal and get inexplicably attached. She'd done it herself, that's why he and Russell are here in the first place, but it's evident that she has a passion for making sure she finds each of these cats a good home.

"Sorry, just had to consult with someone," he explains, returning his phone to his pocket.

"I understand," Denise says, "can't bring home two new cats without your wife's permission!"

Reid blinks at her, very nearly rejecting what she's said out loud, but it's of no consequence here. Sharing any portion of his personal life with a friend is one thing, sharing it in front of their cat-napper and Russell is another entirely. "I'm actually not married but in any case, I'd be happy to take them." He pauses, giving Russell a pointed look. "Without naming either of them Doctor Evil or Sprinkles the Heinous, thank you."

Russell nearly lets out another snort of laughter when Denise mentions Reid's wife, because Russell's pretty sure Reid and that big, hairy guy from the bookstore are more than just friendly and he wonders what Denise would think of her own statement if she knew that. Or if she saw the guy. Russell's pretty much as straight as they come, but he thinks all sorts of women would have to swoon over that guy. He looks sort of like a bookwormy lumberjack, but he figures that has to be the kind of look some women might just go nuts for. It's why he's kept Katie far, far away from that store. Not that he doesn't trust her or that he thinks she's going to ditch him after all this for a guy like the one Reid is dating, but Russell's just a skinny cop with a moustache. He knows he's not really as impressive as Reid's friend.

"Hey, those are great names. Don't come callin' me when you can't think of better names that properly convey just how evil and adorable they are all at the same time," Russell answers, holding up his hands like Reid has delivered some great insult. He sort of can't believe this is happening, if he's honest. They'd come here to investigate a goddamn cat-napping, found out it was pretty much nothing, and now Reid is suddenly adopting two naked cats. This sort of crazy shit doesn't happen in real life, but here they are, exactly where Russell figures only crazy people would be.

"Are you seriously gonna adopt them?" he asks, dropping his voice so only Reid can hear him as Denise starts to busy herself with paperwork. She seems beyond excited that Reid is about to take these cats and Russell figures she's probably only partly eavesdropping at this point. Besides, she stole a cat, it's not like anything they'll talk about can be any worse than that. "Did your, uh... your friend? Did he say it's cool?"

He's more or less gotten over his small town bigotries that he's carried through a lot of his life, but sometimes it's still a little weird for Russell. It's not like he and Reid have exchanged a whole bunch of private, personal information, but Russell's not blind. He doesn't want to be a dick and he really doesn't care, but he's also not entirely sure what to say or how to word it or what Reid even wants him to know. Maybe he's not even supposed to know.

With Denise out of earshot, Reid sees no sense in downplaying it.

"You're talking about my boyfriend, I presume?" he asks, keeping his expression neutral, even if he can see Russell seems to be the slightest bit uncomfortable about talking about it. That doesn't necessarily bother him, they don't often go into detail about their personal lives with each other and anyway, it's not a subject especially appropriate while on the job. Still, Russell isn't stupid or unobservant, so Reid doesn't feel it's necessary to treat him as such. He's in love with another man and as far as he and Russell are concerned, that's the long and short of it.

Now that he's officially come out to his partner, though, Reid squirms, fidgeting with his hands as he struggles to find an answer. "He... didn't exactly give his approval, but I did confirm he isn't allergic to cats. That's something, isn't it?" As a matter of fact, it isn't much at all, which they're both clear on, if Russell's expression is anything to go by. Reid's not entirely certain whether he feels better about this conversation or the awkward one about his sexuality. As of right now, they're both about on the same of level of uncomfortable.

But the wheels are already in motion, Denise is already starting the paperwork, he's just a couple steps away from paying, and Reid knows every single one of these things can be stopped, but he can't bring himself to do it. "I just-- Look at them, Clank, I can't leave them here. What if nobody ever adopts them? Or worse, what if someone does, and it's not a good fit?" That's pretty much the major possibility in Reid's case, but he casually ignores that in favor of letting himself believe he'd be a far better pet parent to these two cats than anyone else could be.

"I'm talkin' about that big, hairy guy who would've murdered me about fifty times over if looks could kill," Russell answers, breaking into a grin. He's actually never gotten close enough to Reid's apparent boyfriend to know if he's taller than Russell or not, but he's sure as hell a lot wider, with broad shoulders and an intimidating kind of look that Russell is sure he himself only ever manages to achieve when he's armed. He has to be a nice guy under that, or Russell doubts Reid would be with him, and he owns a bookstore, so it's not like he's just some stupid thug, but he's definitely a little scary. Maybe it's just that he doesn't like Russell for some reason, maybe because he'd sort of ended up chasing an armed criminal into his store that one time.

Maybe Reid doesn't need to know that little detail, mostly because Russell is sure he'd heard some weird shit going on inside the store before the guy had come running out, scared for his damn life. He doesn't know what it means, but he knows better than to dig deeper, especially now that he'd be digging into Reid's personal life.

At Reid's question, though, he gives it some thought. If Katie came home suddenly with two ugly naked cats, he's pretty sure he'd react with some serious skepticism at first. It's not that he doesn't like cats, but he wouldn't know what to do at first, not if Katie just brought them home without talking to him about it first, but if she really wanted them and was really serious about it, he knows he'd never be able to tell her no. They're just cats, after all, and if he's not allergic, then Russell can't see why Reid's boyfriend wouldn't adjust.

"I bet it'll be fine," he says. "I mean, if Katie brought a pet home without talkin' to me, I wouldn't be excited about it, but I'd get used to. Especially if she was real excited. It's not such a big deal. Small price to pay for someone you love or... or just care about, right?" He doesn't know if Reid and his boyfriend are in love and he figures it's kind of presumptuous to assume.

"The 'big, hairy guy,'" Reid repeats with an amused smirk, wondering what Luke would think if he'd heard that description. It's not exactly inaccurate. Though Luke probably stand about an inch or so shorter than Russell, he does have much broader shoulders and isn't exactly someone Reid imagines most people would want to go up against in a physical fight. As for the hair, Reid can't deny its existence, nor would he want to for very particular reasons that he can't delve into with Russell Clank. "Well, I'm hoping you're right and that big, hairy guy is going to love these cats, too."

It's a roundabout way of confirming Russell's last question, but Reid isn't sure how personal he should get. He knows he wouldn't mind hearing about how Russell's engagement to Katie is going or whether they've set a date yet; but as for himself, he's simply used to people not caring. Or assuming that he doesn't have much of a personal life in the first place. In this case, though, there's hardly any reason to go into any deeper details so he supposes he's on the right side of appropriate.

"I might have to tell him about the looks that kill thing, though," Reid warns, a teasing smile playing at the corners of his lips. He suspects that Luke would be quite satisfied with hearing that, actually, if the last opinion he'd had of Russell still stands. There's nobody else in this city Reid is in love with, nobody else he'd rather spend the majority of his free time with, and they both know the feeling is mutual; but every so often, he gets the sense that Luke might be fighting a spark of jealousy here and there, which Reid isn't quite sure what to do with because he's never experienced that before.

In a way, it's strangely nice to know he can incite that can of passion in someone he loves so much. Besides, he can't say he doesn't occasionally feel that way himself when he catches someone admiring Luke as they pass by on the sidewalk. Hairy as his boyfriend may be, Luke is still easily the most attractive man Reid has ever seen, and he knows that can't possibly go unnoticed by everyone else, as much as he'd privately prefer that.

"I've got the papers ready!" Denise exclaims, waving a folder in her hand as she rushes over to Reid with what sees to be a bit of a skip in her step. "All you need to do is sign where I've indicated, and you'll be the proud caretaker of these two. Oh, and we're running a holiday special right now so our fee is only $12 an animal." She pauses, glancing at Russell with sudden interest. "You're sure you don't want to follow your partner's lead and take one home, too?"

"You kiddin'? My wife would kick my ass," he answers, even though she wouldn't and even though he and Katie technically aren't married yet. They've picked a date, though, and they're planning and each week that creeps by is a week closer to their wedding, so Russell figures they're close enough that he can refer to her as such to strangers. Besides, he likes how that sounds. Most of the time he's pretty sure the people he knew in Ogden Marsh would think he'd been abducted and replaced by an alien, not because he's been much of a womanizer back home, but simply because he mostly hadn't bothered. He'd dated now and then, had a few one night stands, but nothing important. Nothing that mattered. Not until Katie.

For awhile in Darrow, he'd kept on the same track. There had been Helen -- and why she was ever at all interested in him, he's still got no idea -- and Molly for a brief period, but as much as he loves them both now in their own ways, he's still never experienced what he has with Katie with anyone else. He wonders if that's how Reid feels about Luke, if that's what they've got going between them, and then he finds himself hoping it is. It's a good feeling, maybe the best he's ever known, and he thinks everyone deserves a shot at that.

"Besides, when the time comes to get our son a pet, I'm thinkin' more along the lines of a dog," he admits, leaning against the counter as he watches Reid with something bordering on amusement. He's really about to take these two ugly as hell cats home with him, all without really asking his boyfriend, and he figures he's got to have a lot of trust in this Luke guy to feel comfortable with doing this.

"Oh, we have plenty of dogs right now, too!" Denise adds, clearly excited by the prospect of getting him to adopt one and Russell shakes his head quickly, holding up his hands.

"Nope. That's gonna be a family venture," he says. "I don't wanna be the one pickin' out my son's dog." Of course he'll guide Jamie, give him a hand, especially while he's still so small, but as of right now, he can't imagine choosing a pet for the whole family all on his own.

"Well, alright," Denise says as she prepares Reid's paperwork. "But when you decide it's time, you make sure to come back to me."

It doesn't take more than a few signatures and a payment before Denise is handing him a bag full of supplies. Reid hears everything she says to him, all the explanations on what the items in the bag are for, how much he should be feeding the cats to keep them on a consistent diet, the sorts of things he should react better to than just nodding; but now that she's gathering the cats into a carrier crate, it's hitting him what he's just done.

"This is happening?" he asks aloud, and it's more of a rhetorical question than anything else, but he still looks to Russell as if something might change.

Nothing changes, in fact, and then Denise is tucking the carrier crate handle into his hand because apparently, he's far too dazed to do it himself. He feels like he's having something close to an out-of-body experience right now, that's the only way he can really explain it, and he thinks Denise and Russell are both asking if he's okay so he just nods again. There's no going back now, at least not if he doesn't want to be cruel, but what this means now is that he's going to have to go home with two newly adopted cats to share with his boyfriend. If he was asked to guess how Luke would react, Reid would have to say he has no idea.

Somewhere between impressively well and decidedly not, he figures, which is a fairly broad range but at the very least, it leaves no room for immediate anger or pleased acceptance. It could be worse, he supposes, he could have opted for a dog instead, and that wouldn't have been a good choice at all, considering where they live. It's larger than the apartment he'd had at Dimera but even so, there's no yard and the most open space would be either on the bookstore level or down in the basement. Neither seem particularly ideal for an energetic dog. For a couple cats, however, it does sound workable.

After thanking Denise, who shoos them off after Reid tells her he'll have to come back to check on the Admiral Snuggles situation in a couple weeks or so, he and Russell head back to the cruiser. They walk in silence for a moment, if only because Reid is so lost in thought, but he turns to address his partner when they reach the car.

"The next time we have to investigate something at the Humane Society, don't let me do this," Reid says, and he's mostly being facetious but at least a small part of him is serious. "I think I'll be able to get away with two cats but anything else, and I'll end up a single pet parent."

"Hey, man, don't put that responsibility on me," Russell says, laughing and holding his hands up before he unlocks the cruiser, then goes around to the back so he can open the door to let Reid put the cat carrier inside. He does feel a little bit responsible for this, like maybe he should have tried harder to talk Reid out of it, but it had happened to suddenly and he isn't even sure if he had time to convince his partner it's a bad idea. It might not even be a bad idea when they get down to it. Maybe his burly boyfriend won't care one way or the other or maybe he's just a big goddamn softy and won't say a word even if he hates cats. Whatever the case, Russell doubts this sort of thing is going to end their relationship and he's grateful for that, because he'd feel a little bit like it was his fault if it did.

"C'mon, man, get in. I'll drive you home and get outta there like a bat out of hell before your bookstore guy can decide I'm the one who talked you into getting these," he says, nodding toward the front seat before he slides behind the wheel and turns on the car. He misses having a regular partner, but the new guy, someone named Will, he's supposed to start soon and Russell is looking forward to having someone else to sit in the cruiser with him. It's always better having someone else on board for patrol.

In the back seat, the cats are surprisingly quiet as Russell heads back toward the park. It's not that far a drive and he hopes Reid isn't nervous, because there sure as hell isn't much time for him to collect himself before Russell is pulling alongside Petros Park. The bookstore is only a block or two away and he glances over, his mouth twitching up into a grin. "You ready for this?"

Reid doesn't try to convince Russell that he should stick around after driving him back, it's fairly evident every time his partner's name comes up between them that Luke isn't exactly his biggest fan. For the most part, Reid doesn't try to question it, everyone is entitled to their own opinion; but he also thinks a large part of why Luke may not like Russell is due to the number of times he's been called in to work during an evening meant to spend together. More often than not, it's been Russell on the other end of that call, which is by no means his fault but it's admittedly a less than ideal association.

Still, the animosity can't possibly be that severe, and as he settles the carrier down in the backseat along with the new supplies he's been given, Reid tilts his head with a sudden thought. "I'm not sure I can ever be properly ready for bringing home two cats to my unsuspecting boyfriend," Reid says with a little smirk as he climbs into the cruiser, "but I guess I don't have much of a choice, either. Keep your phone close in case I have to call you for a ride back to the shelter."

He doesn't think it'll come to that, which is evident enough in his tone, but there is the slightest bit of lingering fear that it may be a possibility.

"You know what I was thinking just now, though? I should probably honor you for playing such a big part of this whole situation." Glancing over his shoulder at the cat carrier then back at Russell, he grins. "I don't hate the name Mister Purrkins, but Catrick Swayze has to go. My gut is telling me I should go with Russell."

Russell is about fifteen hundred percent certain Reid's boyfriend is going to hate that, but he figures that's for him and Reid to work out between the two of them. As it is, all he can do is laugh, his eyebrows drawn together in an expression that's somehow both confused and amused. The idea of one of those ugly ass cats being named after him instead of being named something appropriate like Malevolent Ruler of the Undead is just about the funniest thing Russell has ever heard.

"I mean, Russell's a good name," he agrees, still grinning. "I like to think I'm a little less evil lookin' than those guys back there, but maybe I'm just completely delusional." At least he has hair and his forehead isn't all wrinkled like theirs. They have so much extra skin Russell is pretty sure they could fit a whole additional cat inside there. Which brings up an entirely new kind of disgusting image that he has to shake away.

"C'mon, man, it'll be fine," he says, even though he doesn't know that for sure. It's just that he's gotten to know Reid and while the guy is scary smart and knows way too much about way too much, he's also just about one of the nicest people Russell has ever met. Not everyone has that sort of kindness in them and if he loves the bookstore guy, Russell has to figure he's not all bad or scary, and he's probably not going to go postal at the sight of two unannounced cats. Especially not ones that are so ugly they're cute. "I mean, if you need to, you can call, but I'm sure it's not gonna be a big deal. They're just cats, right?"

"Delusional is a word for it," Reid says, keeping his tone serious, though he flashes a teasing smile Russell's way. Their working relationship isn't exactly what Reid would call playful but of all the people at the station, he feels most at ease with Russell. That's mostly to do with the fact that they've worked most closely together most consistently but even so, Reid has an appreciation for the way Russell approaches his work. It's so unlike how he would do things himself but in spite of that, Russell had stepped in to fill the gaps with Denise back at the shelter without any prompting at all. Not everyone can act that quickly, even for a case so simple.

Besides, Russell is also right about how things are going to turn out with Luke. Even though Reid is nervous, simply because he knows he's the one in the wrong, he knows his boyfriend will ultimately be accepting of the situation. It's really just a matter of how long that'll take, though he's hoping Luke will find the cats cute enough to resolve that fairly quickly. Either way, he doesn't really think Luke will kick him out of the apartment or anything remotely as extreme over this; it's just that Reid may have some serious groveling to do for an indeterminate amount of time.

"They're just cats," Reid repeats, nodding firmly. "No, you're right, he's not unreasonable like I'm probably making him sound. It's just that it's really only now hitting me hard that I'm not exactly making it fair for him. How could he possibly reject the idea of putting Russell and Mister Purrkins in little sweaters? He won't be able to, I know it. I know him." He bites down on his lip, glancing at Russell. "We've never had a fight before, maybe that's why I'm a little nervous, too. The idea that I could be responsible for making him angry for any reason just makes me uncomfortable."

"Hey, everyone is gonna fight eventually," Russell says, waving his hand, though he looks a lot more casual about it than he feels. He and Katie don't really fight, they never have, not since that awful day when the virus had come to Darrow. It's not something Russell wants to think about, he hates so much how he had behaved and, even worse, that maybe he'd been responsible for bringing the virus to Darrow in the first place. He'd hurt people he loves, hurt them badly, and he'll do anything in the world to make sure that never happens again, and if part of that is never fighting with Katie, he's more than happy to do that. She's far from unreasonable, the sweetest person he's ever known, and he's going to make sure she knows how much he loves her for the rest of his life. If a little part of him is always making up for the awful things he'd done while sick, he's more than happy to take that.

"Think of it this way, if you're gonna fight for the first time, it's probably better that it's about a couple of cats instead of somethin' real serious, right?" he asks, although he doesn't actually know if that makes any sense. It seems to, because cats really aren't a big deal when it comes down to the end. It's not like Reid's got a secret girlfriend -- or boyfriend, or whatever -- and it's not like he's adopted a child or something without telling the guy he's living with. Cats are nothing. Hardly worth fighting about at all, but if they do, Russell figures there really are worse things. Bigger secrets, bigger problems.

"C'mon, grab your cats and face the music," he says with a grin. "It's gonna be okay. I'm sure of it. If he hasn't killed me already from all the times I interrupt your nights together for work stuff, he's not gonna be mad about the cats." And even if he is, Russell figures they'll work it out.

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[dec 6]

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