A ting sound could be heard from the small white microwave oven placed on a tiled kitchen counter. A veiny hand of a man wearing colored blue mittens with a blue cat print could be seen turning off the microwave. His lips curved as he opened the microwave and got what he cooked. Anthony's smile gets wider as his nose registers the aroma of his creation: Baked macaroni. The more he smells, the more he can feel his mouth water and stomach grumble in hunger.
He slowly places his mac on the counter as he ties his hair using the band his hand once wore into a 'messy' man bun, he's too lazy to comb it and he's too lazy to visit a barber to have his hair cut. He then blew the remaining hair strands that covered his face. He smiled afterward when he felt satisfied.
"Now I can eat and watch my favorite show! " He excitedly uttered to himself as he grabbed his baked mac and proceeded to exit the kitchen.
'There's nothing more rewarding than pampering himself. He's so stressed this week. Why? '
As he found himself in the living room, the messy sight welcomed him; shredded papers' scattered all over the floor as well as an empty bag of chips, and soda cans. There's also broken pieces of glass from his ceramic vase, seeing the sight makes his head hurt.
Aside from that, as he hears a meow and cute voice coming from the opened television, he could feel his vein popping. "Why did you change the channel? " he complained to the guy sitting nonchalantly on his sofa, holding the scratched remote control. The guy's eyes focused on the view, mouth forming an 'o' in his lap lies two sleeping tabby, seemingly very comfortable.
He frowned. "Hey! Change it back to the Gehenna channel! My weekly anime! " But the guy ignored him like it's not his house and that guy named 'Aegir' is not a trespasser and did not refuse to leave when he asked him to.
It's been a week since this Aegir started to live with him. He already shoos him away countless times but he never listens and even blackmails him that if he will force him to leave he'll tell the guys with a black rectangle tool (which eventually he realized it was the cops) that he entered a crime scene without authorization.
He also remembered when his conscience bugged him to the core when he decided that he'd let the poor guy and his cats sleep outside his house on a rainy afternoon.
The guy named Aegir is reluctant to obey his command. The guy is wrapped on Anthony's white blanket like a mummy, he's shaking his head saying no continuously.
Anthony's hands crossed like how his brows follow the same position. "I am telling you! Sleep outside! You and your cats are just freeloaders then you even have the guts to break my things! " Anthony pointed to the broken PSP on his mauve-colored study table. Then he also pointed to the broken plate and mug set of his sister, scattered on the soiled and wet floor.
The guy remained quiet, desperately clutching on the blanket like his dear life depends on it. "Now, what? Are you deaf? Get. Out! " Anthony's voice intensified, anger is evident in his tone.
He forcefully dragged the blanket away from the guy, he could hear the muffled cries of the guy but he didn't falter. He pushed him out of the sofa, earning a pained grunt and a loud thud.
Aegir's eyes watered, he hiccup then stood up from his fall and got the two crying kitties left on the sofa, index finger pointing at Anthony, he said, "Y-You...I thought that you are better than them! All of you! All of you! You only exist to hurt me!" he paused, face full of sorrow, he wiped his tears using his right hand.
"I am tired..." he continued, almost a whisper. An exhausted whisper of someone who endured pain for a long time.
Anthony is familiar with this because he knew the pain but why did he do the sin he loathed?
Aegir walked away...Finally obeying his command, but he never felt at ease because moments later he heard the drop of rain making a sound on his roof and the uncomfortable feeling of coldness that creeps on his skin.
But what's more antagonizing than the coldness he feels is the heavy feeling of contempt and guilt in his heart.
He could feel his hands shake and heavy beads of perspiration run like water in his skin. As seconds passed, he could visualize in his mind how the guy's forest-green eyes coated in tears, shivering while hugging himself and his two kittens.
Maybe he'll ask himself what he did to deserve all of this.
He couldn't move a muscle as his erratic heartbeat played a tense orchestra. If something happens to the guy, it's all his fault.
Besides...only Aegir appreciated him and gave him gratitude. All his life, his help was always neglected but three days ago, with a sweet smile on his face and even bowed. Aegir told him,
"Thank you for saving us. "
Like a broken record, the same statement rang into his mind. Making his heart heavier, as his eyes rained tears...He faced the rain and decided to find him.
Anthony stared at Aegir who was busy watching a cat show on the television, his legs in number four position, face amused but yawning. One wouldn't realize that the same guy just got better from his fever.
Anthony couldn't help but think, 'Maybe it wasn't that bad making Aegir and his cats stay here. '
"My once sad home became noisy when they got here, " he mumbled, feeding himself a spoonful of baked macaroni.
Unbeknownst to him, Aegir is also staring at him, reminiscing the same memory he'd been thinking.
Aegir whimpered. The cold water from the rain seems to be seeping through his skin.
He could feel the terrorizing shivers that chills him to the bone. In his secured arms are two kittens: Tibby and Tabby, who unlike him, are noisy and crying.
He doesn't even know if he's crying because of the coldness that makes him feel numb. The same coldness he always feels whenever he lies in the cold cement of his alley—the freezing feeling of sadness.
'Maybe it's better this way—it's always this way. ' he thought as he blinked his tired eyes at the surroundings.
The same trees, the same flowers he usually sees welcome his sight. Flowers, big or small, each possesses beauty staring at him saying, "Because you're ugly, that's why you're like this. "
The same trees and flowers who are always in flocks-not alone—not like him. Maybe change isn't constant, or even it isn't real. If there is indeed change, he'd not feel this way, the feeling of an empty void worming into his heart...
If there is change, his monochromatic world would flourish with colors like artworks humans admire... but he's always an empty canvas.
He tried to stand but he couldn't, his strength gradually leaving him.
'Deja vu...'
Maybe his life is a series of repeating torments. He's always thrown outside—to face the rain—to be whipped by pain.
'Save me...'
He wondered if someone would come. As he thinks, an image flashes through his mind. A man with messy turf of raven hair and blank golden eyes. The same man who saved him before and now he's...
'Maybe it's better if I died back then. Everyone loathes me. " Even though trembling, he managed to form a bitter smile.
He could feel his eyes blurring, now realizing he is indeed crying. Shivering he retaliated, "Who would love a stray like me? " He managed to say weakly. "I'm all alone—always. " He could hear the cries of the kittens in his grasp go louder as if protesting on what he had said.
"I'm alone. " Maybe the kittens aren't there in the first place. He's just hallucinating. It's the product of his melancholy.
Dark spots started to invade his sight, his eyelids heavily threatening to fall.
'Maybe it's better to feel numb—to be nothing—to die. '
As he was about to close his eyes and to surrender, he felt a set of strong arms enveloped him in an embrace.
"Hey! Can you hear me? Are you okay? This is all my fault, I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." He could hear the voice crack, voice full of regret, and remorse.
The owner of the voice released him from his embrace, now shaking his shoulders.
Though his sight is still blurry, he could tell who this someone is...Someone who has the same golden eyes and features he always sees this week. The same owner of those orbs that owns the delicious food and warm sheets he loves.
He could see the same canvas of gold shedding tears for him. Using his right hand, he reached for him, wiping away the tears rolling from his soft cheeks.
"Warm..." As he said this, the rain had already stopped.
Aegir stared at Anthony who was busy munching his bowl of food, the man's brow raised as he tried to love the scene of cats on the television. Aegir couldn't help but laugh silently.
A thought entered his mind, 'Maybe...Maybe he already found the owner he longed for. '
Time is the only one who can tell...and if fate will also agree, maybe...Maybe he wouldn't be just a stray.
"Your anime is still going? " He asked Anthony as he played-spin the remote control he's holding.
Anthony stopped eating his food and like stars, his eyes shone. "You'll change it? " Anthony's eyes are full of expectancy as he said this.
Aegir grinned and peace signed, eventually putting the remote to his side. "No way. " Anthony's excitement quickly changed into disappointment as he sent daggers to 'the remote stealer. '
Anthony sighed, trying to lengthen his patience. "Hey, please change it, " he pleaded to the guy who was slumped on the sofa and the two kittens now lie on the floor, sleeping. His concentration's still focused on television.
The guy yawned as his 'fake' tail moved from side to side, he lazily got the remote control on his side and instead of changing the station, he increased the volume and looked at Anthony with a smug look on his face. "I don't wanna, beg you peasant! " he sticks out his tongue making Anthony massage his forehead in irritation.
Be patient, Anthony. You can do this! You must!
He closed his eyes and exhaled. "Hey, it's already 10 pm, you just got better from your fever, you must rest, now give me the remote, " he tried convincing the guy again, this time using the reason that he just got better.
Lazy green orbs fixed its target to his golden one. Thick long lashes batted slowly. "That won't work on me, I am okay, I should be asking you? Are you okay? You're shouting like a rabies infected monkey a while ago about your..." Aegir paused, hand massaging his chin like he was thinking. "Soty? Is that soty? '' Aegir's eyes are full of wonder, like an innocent child asking his parents about things he couldn't understand.
Anthony on the other hand couldn't comprehend why Aegir acted this way, is this guy sheltered so much that he didn't know the world? Or he's just a NEET and a weeb who only spends his whole time at home, super introverted and ignorant?
He also reminded him of his plot, which was rejected again by Mr. So. What a really nice guy.
He scratched his head in frustration, undoing the tie on his hair. His dark mane curtained his sight making him more frustrated. "You have a tick? How unfortunate, " Aegir commented on his behavior making him send death stares to the guy.
He kicked the bottle of soda sprawled on the floor and gripped his hair hard. "Shut up! And I do not have a tick, you NEET! " Aegir sent him a confusing look, pointing at himself.
"Me, neat?" He looks at the oversized pink shirt he is wearing, then to his jeans. He also pinches his cherub cheeks, smiling at Anthony, he exclaimed, "Thank you, no one has ever called me neat before. It's the first!" His voice sounded so happy that Anthony couldn't push himself to tell the guy that it's N-E-E-T that means 'not in education, employment or training' not neat as in clean and that he is insulting him not complimenting.
The guy's too pure! Is this guy even human?
An awkward silence passed and Anthony still couldn't get hold of the remote, he couldn't do anything but eat his baked mac grudgingly that he couldn't even taste the deliciousness of his food. The television is noisy with cat meows and cute voices from the announcers of the show. Anthony's taking a glimpse at the television from time to time, only to see a cat being cuddled and pampered by the people on the television, he can also see the jealous stares of the remote stealer on what he is watching.
"I'm shocked that I am feeling jealous right now...So that's how they are pampered. How about the unprivileged ones? " Still engrossed, Aegir broke the silence.
Anthony almost choked on what he is eating and blinked repeatedly. "You're jealous of a cat? Why is that? Are you right in the head or just overly dramatic? " Aegir's warm eyes turned to a blank canvas, smiling bitterly as he increased the volume of the television once more.
"Humans wouldn't understand other living things drama other than their own, especially if they are involved, that's how selfish humans are. " The once hush tone turned into a deep baritone.
Anthony stopped eating and looked at the guy in awe.
He's talking like he's not human. Though he clearly understands his point.
When Anthony was about to say something, Aegir cut him off, "Nevermind, buy us that instead..." the seriousness of Aegir's voice vanished in an instant and reverted to the usual.
He pointed at the television advertisement saying, "BUY NOW! CAT-FRIENDLY GIANT SCRATCHER! FREE THREE ASSORTED CAT TOYS! "
Anthony's early memories of Aegir and the kitties' mischief played in his mind like an mp4: His broken PSP, his torn clothes and towels, the glass set, the mess on the floor, and the supply of milk that didn't take long to finish.
"No!"
Unbeknownst to them, an old woman outside Anthony's window is staring at them, as she smiles mysteriously, the cats on the rooftop start to meow loudly and dogs start howling like an animal orchestra score indicating that a scene is yet to come on a theatre stage.