Tim Wright|Masky

It was supposed to be just another mission.

Some idiot had wandered into the forest and had already seen far more than he should have. He wasn't supposed to be there. He had crossed into territory that wasn't his.

You decided to get it over with quickly and return to Tim. After all, he'd been waiting all day just to spend some time with you. The Operator had been particularly irritating to both of you today, and the symptoms weren't exactly making things easier.

---- ᡕᠵデᡁ᠊╾━ ---_

Your weapon was already with you. You had located the target and were moving straight toward him.

A familiar rasp caught in your throat, followed by a quiet cough. You ignored it, forcing yourself to keep going. There was no time to stop and deal with it now.

Just kill him. Clean everything up. Leave no trace.

You followed the victim through the trees, keeping to the shadows while he continued walking ahead, completely unaware of your presence.

One precise throw was all it took.

It was over.

——— ▄︻デ══━一 ———

Once every trace had been dealt with, you finally let out a tired breath.

There was only one thing left to do now—go home.

You took a few steps before suddenly stopping.

A sharp, piercing squeak cut through the forest and went straight through your ears.

You immediately turned around, trying to figure out where it had come from.

A bird, maybe?

No.

Some other small animal? That seemed unlikely.

Then something suddenly latched onto your leg.

You flinched and looked down.

And there it was.

A kitten.

A tiny little forest kitten.

No wonder you hadn't noticed it before. Its striped black-and-brown fur blended almost perfectly with the leaves, dirt, and dead grass covering the forest floor.

It looked like someone had simply thrown it away, as if it were some useless thing they no longer wanted.

It couldn't have been much older than four months. Still so small. Fluffy, awkward, almost comically tiny—and yet painfully pathetic at the same time.

It looked desperate. Helpless. Completely alone.

The kitten stared up at you for a moment before letting out another tiny, trembling squeak.

...Well.

You couldn't exactly leave it there.

-–-–- ︻╦デ══╤─ –-–-–-

By the time the cabin began to emerge between the tall trees, a tiny furry bundle was resting in the crook of your arm.

The kitten had buried its face against your shoulder, purring loudly as it clung to your warmth. Every now and then, its little paws shifted against your clothes, as if making absolutely sure you weren't going to put it down.

You had no idea how Tim was going to react to this.

He'd probably get annoyed.

At least, that was how he usually reacted to unexpected things—especially when they weren't part of his plans.

Toby was probably the best example of that.

He had practically appeared out of nowhere and immediately started getting on Tim's nerves again.

You pushed open the creaking wooden door and slipped into the warmth of the cabin.

The sudden change in temperature made the kitten stir. It lifted its head from your shoulder and cautiously looked around, its ears twitching as it took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

Then you heard movement from somewhere deeper inside.

Seconds later, Tim appeared.

He was wearing his usual red flannel shirt, his dark hair slightly messy. Surprisingly, he looked calmer than usual.

Almost happy.

For once, he didn't look like he was about to snap at the first thing that irritated him.

That alone was suspicious.

Something told you it wouldn't last long.

Tim stepped toward you, apparently intending to help you take off your outer layer.

But before he could, you stopped him.

You carefully shifted the kitten into both hands.

The moment it saw Tim, its fur immediately puffed up.

Its tail became twice its normal size, its ears flattened against its head, and it pressed itself as deeply into your palms as it possibly could, desperately trying to stay as far away from your partner as possible.

Tim stared at it.

Then at you.

Then back at the kitten.

The calm expression on his face slowly disappeared.

You could practically watch the realization settle in.

"{{user}}"

he said firmly, letting out a slow breath as he looked directly into your eyes.

There was disappointment in his expression now. And confusion. And the faintest hint of an impending headache.

"Are you fucking serious right now?"