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The door squeaked open and clicked closed as Butcher returned. While it appeared that nobody noticed, Hughie was always hyper-aware of the Boys’ presence - especially so with Butcher. He tried not to make it obvious he was watching, but when Butcher’s shirt started squirming and making noise, he couldn’t stay quiet. He approached carefully, aware that Butcher hadn’t noticed him and not wanting to startle the most dangerous man he’d ever met - even if said man was currently making soft noises at the bundles of fur nestled against his chest.
“Ummm.. what’s that?” Hughie asked, gesturing vaguely towards Butcher.
“Well what’s it bloody look like, Hughie?” Butcher’s gaze was withering, but Hughie was too confused to notice.
“Ok, let me rephrase… why do you have a coat full of kittens ?”
Hughie’s voice rose on the word ‘kittens’ and it was loud enough to draw the attention of the whole office.
“Cats?” MM asked, while Kimiko bounced on her toes and excitedly signed ‘kittens’ at Frenchie, who watched her joy fondly.
“Found ‘em by the river,” Butcher mumbled, paying more attention to the mewing coming from his shirt than the humans in the room. “Some cunt abandoned them in a box. Mother was dead.” He looked up and gave Hughie a lopsided smile, laced with sadness. “I might be a right bastard but even I’m not heartless enough to leave ‘em there.”
Hughie was at a loss for words, having never seen such tenderness on Butcher’s face outside of life threatening situations. MM and Frenchie were already in motion.
“I’ll get a box to put them in,” MM offered, heading towards the back room.
“I will get food from the store,” Frenchie added.
“They need kitten milk,” Butcher supplied as Frenchie was shrugging on his coat. “If you can’t get that, buy goat milk and we’ll water it down.”
Frenchie waved to show he was listening, and Kimiko followed him out with a giddy skip in her step and a smile on her face. It took Hughie a second to catch up, but he soon rushed to Butcher’s side when he noticed how Butcher was trying to shrug off his coat without dislodging the kittens.
“Here, let me,” Hughie carefully peeled Butcher’s coat off his shoulders and one arm. He waited while Butcher switched the arm supporting the kittens, then pulled the coat free and hung in on the rack next to the door.
MM returned with the box, placing it on the desk nearest the door. He’d already lined the bottom with towels, so Butcher approached, carefully plucked each of the four kittens from his shirt and placed them in the box. The distressed mewling when they were set down was loud and Butcher’s eyes went wide in panic. He looked towards MM, who was also at a loss.
“Take off your shirt,” Hughie instructed over the noise. Butcher looked at Hughie like he’d lost his mind. “They need your smell,” Hughie explained patiently. “You saved them, so now they’re gonna associate you with safety. It’ll calm them down.”
Butcher shrugged in acquiescence to Hughie’s logic, and took his shirt off without fanfare. He folded it up and placed it carefully into the box. Just as Hughie surmised, the kittens calmed almost immediately.
"Well I'll be," Butcher chuckled. "Didn't peg you as the kitten whisperer, Hughie."
"Same here," Hughie's voice was soft as he watched Butcher watch the kittens. Butcher wasn't paying attention to his surroundings, which was rare in itself, and Hughie wasn't above taking advantage of the situation to look his fill.
Hughie looked up when the door opened, and caught the amused, knowing look MM was sending his way. He hoped nobody noticed his blush as Frenchie and Kimiko entered with bags full of items.
Kimiko signed fast with excitement while Frenchie bounced between translating her and speaking for himself.
"We have kitten milk and also mousse. I bought medicine syringes to feed them as I cannot be sure any I own are not contaminated. They are too small for toys but we got some for when they are older." Frenchie pulled a teddy bear from the bag. "This can be warmed in the microwave. Not a substitute for a mother, but maybe it will help?"
"You did good," Butcher smiled at Frenchie and Kimiko, and Hughie watched in wonder as Kimiko's expression softened towards Butcher. The two had never really gotten along; remaining civil for Frenchie's sake more than anything. In this moment it looked like they were truly connecting over something.
"I'll prepare the food," MM spoke up when the mewling from the box started to get louder again. "Frenchie, warm up the bear."
Frenchie nodded and handed over the bag with the food before doing as he was bid. Kimiko kept hold of the rest of the toys. As Butcher's attention turned back to the kittens, Kimiko waved at Hughie to draw his eye.
Hughie mouthed along as Kimiko signed - he was learning but still a little shaky.
"Butcher… shirt… why…"
"Oh," Hughie spoke in hushed tones, stepping closer to Kimiko. "The kittens, they need Butcher's scent. Makes them feel…" Hughie awkwardly tried to sign 'safe' . Kimiko's face creased in amusement but she nodded to show her understanding.
MM returned with the prepared milk in four feeding syringes and handed them off. Each kitten was wrapped in a towel and fed with gentle hands by Hughie, Kimiko, Frenchie and MM, while Butcher hunted down a spare shirt in the back office.
The rest of the afternoon was a write-off, as everyone was too enamoured with the kittens to get any work done. When the sun began to set, MM was the first to make moves to leave.
“They can’t stay here overnight,” MM pointed out as he shrugged on his coat.
“I’ll take them with me,” Butcher responded, his voice that same soft lilt it had been since he brought them in.
“I’ll come too,” Hughie spoke up. Butcher offered a small smile, and Hughie returned it while steadfastly ignoring the looks Frenchie, MM, and even Kimiko were giving him. He didn’t care if he wasn’t being subtle - Hughie wasn’t going to pass up the chance to experience more of this soft side Butcher was revealing.
Butcher lifted the box and nodded towards the door. Hughie took the hint, grabbing Butcher’s coat before holding the door open for Butcher to take the kittens through. Hughie waved goodnight to the Boys, pointedly ignoring MM’s raised eyebrows and Frenchie making ‘kissy’ faces.
When they got to the car, Butcher waited for Hughie to get into the passenger seat before placing the box of kittens on his lap. Hughie peered inside and made soft noises towards them while Butcher rounded the vehicle to get into the driver’s seat. What followed was by far the most sedate car ride Hughie had ever experienced with Butcher behind the wheel.
They worked seamlessly together to situate the kittens on Butcher's kitchen table. Hughie reheated the bear while Butcher prepared their next meal. It took under 30 minutes before the kittens were happily sleeping, and Hughie sat down next to Butcher on the sofa.
"What are we gonna do with them?" Hughie asked, voice quiet and careful. He didn't want to sour Butcher's mood with thoughts of the future, but he was curious.
"They'll have to stay together for about three months," Butcher muttered. His head was tilted back against the sofa, eyes closed, and Hughie tried not to stare. "After that we'll need to find homes for them." Butcher cracked an eye open and focussed it on Hughie. "Why? Looking for a present for the misus?"
"No, uh," Hughie swallowed thickly. Butcher sat up and turned towards Hughie, paying attention as the younger man continued. "We decided it was best to just be friends."
"What happened, lad?" Butcher seemed genuinely sympathetic, and Hughie had to avert his gaze.
"Yknow, we tried, but… there's someone else."
"Don't tell me she left you for some dickhead supe."
"No, it's not her." Hughie steeled himself to make eye contact with Butcher. "It's me. I've been in love with someone else for a while, and the both of us, we just couldn't keep pretending anymore."
"Oh," Butcher was at a loss for words. "Well I'm sure, whoever she is-"
"He."
"Oh? Alright, well he'll be lucky to have you, Hughie."
Hughie scoffed. "Yeah, because I'm such a catch."
"Don't be a daft cunt, lad." Butcher's gentle tone was at odds with his harsh words, and the familiar contradiction made Hughie smile despite himself.
As Hughie looked at Butcher, he almost believed for a moment that he could be brave enough to say it. The confession was clawing up his throat, but he couldn't form the words, and a rustle from the kitten box soon drew Butcher's attention. Breathing an internal sigh, Hughie followed Butcher to the table.
"Should we name them?" Hughie whispered as Butcher fussed over the kittens.
"Best leave that for the Boys," Butcher chuckled. His eyes wandered from the box over to Hughie. "It's getting late. You're welcome to stay."
Hughie's heart jumped in his chest. Butcher watched him with uncharacteristic patience, and Hughie found himself nodding. There was no way he'd sleep comfortably on Butcher's beaten up old sofa, but Hughie didn't care. The chance to spend more time alone with Butcher was too tempting.
Realising he'd been staring for too long, Hughie cleared his throat. "We should get something to eat. Pizza?"
Butcher's expression was still soft, and the low chuckle he gave had Hughie scared for a moment that he'd been too obvious this time. He wasn't prepared for the way Butcher's next words squeezed at his insides.
"Whatever you want, Hughie."