Assorted Nerdy Nonsense

Red, she/her, 27. This is mainly to keep track of stuff I've read and enjoyed. Contains 18+ materal, MDNI. I'll try to keep this as organized as I can.

[yesterdayiwrote]

The irony of this new breed of self-righteous AI hunters on AO3 is that they're all just copy and pasting peoples fics into AI detectors, which are all operated by AI and therefore THEY are feeding people's work into the algorithm without their consent and in some cases no doubt circumventing the locks people put on to avoid getting scraped...

Don't copy and paste anyone's AO3 work into third party websites, you're not the good guys in this situation?

[maimaily]

the lads boys as kittens. 🍎 ‧₊˚ caleb

summary: You were living in your new apartment now, a free space for yourself, but maybe it was too free. You weren't quite used to the silence and loneliness of it, so you decided to welcome a little one to your home. After considering many options, a cat seemed adequate: clean, independent, wouldn't take much of your time like a dog… right?

characters: kitty!caleb (other characters will be posted separately), mc as reader.

a/n: no one has pointed this out yet, but I feel it's my responsibility to clarify: the animals mentioned in this writing play a FICTIONAL role. Wild animals shouldn't be domesticated, and their captivity must be respected. Don't take this as an incentive to adopt exotic animals. Proofread but if there's any mistake please let me know! (eng isn't my first language).

xavier 🢒 rafayel 🢒 zayne 🢒 sylus

Caleb — Serval How did he get to live with you?

You didn't understand. Your mind couldn't even process a thought, a single moment of malicious intent towards the purest beings in this world. After taking a look at your surroundings, you finally grasped the extent of wealth a single person could accumulate through corruption and greed. In this case, a protocore dealer who owned a dangerous amount of altered protocores in his possession, ones that he clearly didn't know how to use or store, had finally been caught, not without a brutal fight against the wanderers that got summoned by the metaflux levels in the area.

However, the broken vases and the ruined expensive furniture weren't your concern. Not even the infamous dealer, who was squirming and crying out in pain due to a fractured arm. No.

His precious sand-like fur was bathed in blood. His breathing was uneven, labored, and pained. A marvelous serval cat stared at you with clouded eyes, tugging every string of your concerned heart. His right paw, once long and slender, full of strength and agility, was now completely broken to the point you had to look away.

You saw when the animal, after being brutally kicked by the monster that was being handcuffed behind you, stayed motionless under the heavy flow of bullets over him as the hunters attacked the wanderers. The rest of the exotic animals in the house that this criminal owned as pets were safe, and soon authorities would proceed to their rescue, but this little one, would anyone care enough to save his life before time ran out? Before it was too late and you lived to regret it, he was already in your arms, on his way to the closest medical attention.

This story was familiar to you already: rescuing a hurt kitty, crying internally after seeing the bill, and doing everything in your power to help it. But now the conditions were different. His broken paw was beyond salvation, so his only hope of using it again was with a prosthesis, which cost a couple of extra zeros more than you could afford. Yet you managed to request an advance on your check, getting out of the emergency quickly.

But now, with a disabled wildcat unable to return to its habitat, who would take care of it? You tried everything: adoption ads, asking your colleagues, looking for centers that had space or could take care of him… but nothing, the answer was always the same: people offering absurd amounts of money, which you took as a red flag, or refusal due to “too much responsibility and expense.”

In such a situation… There is no choice but to take responsibility. After all, where four cats eat, five can eat too, don't you think?

Counter climber. He doesn't even have to jump that much; stretching his front paws on top of every surface is enough to have him glued to your side. You're cooking? He's silently watching in this position; eating? He stands with his paws on your lap to inspect your meal; late for work? You don't need to guess: that warm breathing on your face is the diligent Caleb standing on the edge of the bed as your alarm!

The energy is tired of him. It's impressive how much Caleb has learned to use his prosthesis in such a short time, recovering almost full control of his slender body under your care. But what's even more incredible is how his energy levels seem to be endless! He's always doing something: walking around, running on Sylus's wheel, chasing bugs, or playing with the multiple toys Rafayel always leaves scattered on the floor (and doesn't like to share).

Gadget gremlin, no one is safe in this house. The automatic vacuum cleaner that Xavier hates with his life is Caleb's favorite ride around the flat; he climbs on it as soon as he sees it active, and you swear you can almost see his smile when he does. Ah, don't use the scanner with him around; the second you look away, he'll SOMEHOW print himself... and you won't know what to do with the 34 copies of his paws that were supposed to be reports. You should also consider gluing your clock to the table, he has knocked it over many times already... And you swear that if he blows another light bulb by playing with the switches, you'll sell the photos of his paws to buy a new one.

He comes with a built-in speaker. No cat has ever sounded more canine to you. It's not a gentle "meow" here and there; those are full "WAN" when he demands attention. And god forbid you pet someone else in front of him, you'll have him right in your ear begging for affection. Please buy Xavier some earplugs before he commits a crime. Please.

With Rafayel and Xavier, he has founded what you call the "puddle of feline gloom". No you? No motivation, then. Days get boring without you scratching his chin! :( Or cuddling, napping, or just without following you around... not even mischief is appealing if you're not there to react in the moment. So the three cats go into a boneless state in the living room, basking or just limp until sleep gets the better of them.

You don't know where he learnt it, but he makes your bed. It happened one time you left in a hurry for an appointment and didn't have time to make your bed. Your surprise at finding the pillows arranged in a lopsided attempt was remarkable. The covers were pulled up, slightly crooked, but with earnest work! He's a sweetheart, and he knows your routine. Don't worry about the details.

You haven't even touched your suitcase yet when Caleb, the master of guilt-tripping, has all of your clothes sprawled on the floor like emotional landmines. This guy has the cleverness to make you feel even worse for leaving (even if it's just for three days) by sabotaging your attempts at simply packing. Afterwards, he'll curl up with his head hid under his paws, all mighty and heartbroken... but will never let you go before some goodbye kisses.

His favorite place to make biscuits is also your chest! No, Xavier isn't happy with that, and no, Caleb does NOT care a single bit. He purposely does when Xavier is around if he can, but if he's not, the affection is the same: gentle licking on your cheeks and kneading on your soft tissue, cuddling right after he's done on top of you. Don't forget to give him head pats or he'll meow up a storm until you do! :(

The first days after bringing home Caleb couldn't be considered "easy". The vets warned you from the start that it would take time for him to recover and regain mobility after his paw was amputated. The mere word "amputation" brought to your chest an uneasy feeling of guilt, thoughts of "I could have prevented this if I had caught that man sooner," or "Perhaps if I had more money, I could have sought better treatment,"  tormented your mind in moments of emotional vulnerability.

But the real torment started when you took him home. You didn't like to say it out loud, but you felt like giving up at least a couple of times, not because you weren't willing to help him, but because you weren't sure you were capable of healing his wounded trust towards the world. He hissed at anything that came near him, whether it was you, one of the boys, or even toys you used in the hope of befriending him. What broke your heart was that he wasn't even aggressive; he never bit or scratched you, just looked for safe spaces to hide and recover.

So you changed your strategy. Approaching him resulted in hissing and hiding, which led you to try the contrary, giving him space. You still talked to him, fed him, and allowed him to be alone as long as he needed. Eventually, it worked. You remembered the day he finally stepped out of his hiding spot: the blue light of the TV enlightened your sleepy expression as you dozed off on the sofa, covered in a warm blanket, completely relaxed. It wasn't until you sensed something that you opened your eyes; his little face and big ears were right in front of you, observing your features turn soft as you let your guard down.

Maybe he ran away the instant you opened your eyes, but he had never been so close before, much less willingly, so smiling couldn't be helped. It progressed like that. Each night after going to bed, he would enter your room and look at you with curious eyes, then he'd sniff you a little and run back to his bed. Not long after, he'd allow you to pet him a while, and then he'd go out when he saw the rest of the kitties playing around, intrigued by their squeaky toys, and one day, you woke up to him cuddled up by your side.

He becoming so clingy and talkative was not what you expected, tho... but you couldn't say you hated it. He was so loving and funny that being around him always cheered you up; bad days could be easily forgotten after seeing him try to convince Zayne to play (big kitty club probably), chasing Rafayel all over the place, and... well, him fighting with Xavier wasn't that fun, "sharing" was not in their vocabulary. But even so! He was your little friend, your cuddle bug, your company during late-night meals, and a mischievous darling whom you couldn't get really mad at when he pulled those big, round eyes full of innocence you adored.

But now that you were packing for another work trip, seeing all your clothes out of your luggage and him munching on your shoes grumpily, growling as if they were the culprit of you going away, you could only sigh in annoyance. "Caleb, stop! We've talked about this!"

You tried to take the shoe away from him, but he only bit down harder, pulling it toward him as you pulled on it, giving up to not hurt him. "Come on, it'll be a three-day trip, I'll be back in no time, don't get like this..." You caressed his back, soothing him. He meowed back, bumping his head against you and nuzzling you, meowing even more as he sat between your legs.

"I know, I know. You don't like it, neither do I!" You sat down on the bed and carried him in your arms, kissing him. "Just a couple of days and I'll take you out to play, don't be mad. You'll be fine." His tail and ears dropped as he curled up in your arms, making you kiss him a little more.

The past few days, as if he sensed you were preparing for the trip, you felt like he was trying to do anything to make you stay. He picked up all of Rafayel's toys and put them all together in the corner of the living room, didn't steal Xavier's blanket, didn't wake you up before your alarm went off, and spent more time with you, if that's even possible.

Just to be clear, the small bird he offered you one day was also a friendly gesture. Please don't panic like that again. The little birdie was alive! This time.

Unfortunately for him, none of that was enough to prevent the inevitable. You had to leave, even if only for a few days; there was no other option.

"How's everything going? Did the mission go well?"

"Yes! I just have to finish up some paperwork before going back." You answered Tara, who videocalled you to chat a little. "Is everything alright with the boys?"

Tara was at your place to feed and check on them. "All good, don't worry. One of them knocked over a flowerpot, but I don't know who... I cleaned it up. Ah, and Xavier has been meowing around his plate for a while now. Should I feed him more food?"

"Absolutely not. He's on a diet, he knows it," you joked, and saw a little ear flick near the camera. "Who's there?"

"Ah! Someone has been eager to say hi!" Tara moved her hand, and a pair of beautiful, round eyes peeked from the bottom. "Wah!" With loud meows, the leopard-like cat stared at your image with excitement, getting so close to the camera that you could barely see him.

"Hello to you too, Cay!" The cute tone of your voice made him bump against the phone, making you and Tara laugh with tenderness.

Video-calling turned out to be Caleb's favorite thing to do when you were away; just hearing your voice was enough to get him in a good mood, easing the lonely feeling in his heart. There is always a way to make distances disappear, it seems, but your little Cay would always wait for the day your warm hands petted him with tender love one more time.

© MAIMAILY. Please do not steal, copy or plagiarize this work.

Likes, reblogs are comments are greatly appreciated!

YAAYYY I FINISHED IT !! I thought I'd never be able to write the final part of this series, but it's been so much fun that I just had to keep researching and drawing inspiration. Thank u so, so, so much to everyone who followed the series. I'm so happy so many people liked it, I didn't expect it haha. Thank you for all the comments, likes, and reblogs! Also, thank you to all the people who started following me!

I have some other projects in mind, like a fem!lads series, so if anyone is interested, they're welcomed to stay!

tag list ! @animegamerfox, @princessofenkanomiya, @aethercoreria, @thatweirdomidas

Dividers made by: @uzmacchiato, @v6que and @haecunt

[maimaily]

the lads boys as kittens. 🌹 ‧₊˚ sylus

summary: You were living in your new apartment now, a free space for yourself, but maybe it was too free. You weren't quite used to the silence and loneliness of it, so you decided to welcome a little one to your home. After considering many options, a cat seemed adequate: clean, independent, wouldn't take much of your time like a dog… right?

characters: kitty!sylus (other characters will be posted separately), mc as reader.

a/n: cat breeds are selected based on the "Yes, Cat Caretaker" event. If there's any change, it'll be based on the appearance of each breed, but not its personality traits strictly. proofread but if there's any mistake please let me know! (eng isn't my first language). This one is gonna be long btw.

xavier 🢒 rafayel 🢒 zayne 🢒 caleb

Sylus — Caracal How did he get to live with you?

During the winter season, Captain Jenna assigned your division the mission of traveling to the periphery of the savanna, a crucial task for a recruit like you since it had the dual function of personal training and training for the hunters in the area, who had limited personnel and experience compared to the grand cities.

The camp, to everyone's luck, was well-equipped and the missions were not as exhausting; plus, the weather was pleasant enough to work in. However, one night, the onslaught of the Wanderers was greater, and communities nearby, in their attempt to defend themselves, caused a fire that spread rapidly, exacerbating the crisis.

The next morning, once the flames had been controlled and the locals were taken care of, you began patrolling the area with your colleagues to ensure there was no one else injured, continuing through much of the burned terrain. That was the moment when you found him.

He was just a cub, weak and on the verge of starvation. Even so, he showed resistance by hissing and pulling out his sharp claws when he considered you a threat. If it had not been for his critical condition you would have left him alone, simply taking him to a safer zone deep in the Savannah. Still, the obvious wound in his right eye prevented you from ignoring him.

With a few scratches and bites (which, yes, they HURT) you managed to take him to the nearest animal protection center. Some questions were asked while they started the examination of the rebellious cub who wouldn't let anyone come close that easily. Information about the place you found him and if it existed any signal of its mother in the nearby area was significant. The wildlife veterinarian concluded that it could be the case of an orphan, the hints being the location he was rescued from, which happened to be near the hunter's campsite, areas that caracals avoided due to the abundance of people around.

Thinking about it, the past few days you had been suspicious of some strange sounds as you trained or passed the time with your friends. Some unexpected rustling or scratching. And that time when a piece of meat disappeared from your plate… Could this little guy be the culprit? The idea made you chuckle, and you got a little closer with the permission of the vets, perhaps he was a little more familiar with your voice.

"Little man, we're just trying to help you. Everything will be fine, come on", you coaxed him out of his hiding spot behind the cabinets. It took you a whole ten minutes to catch him in your hands, wrapping a warm towel around him with a gentle tone and slow movements. He squirmed, hissed, and tried to bite again, but there was no opportunity now, he was in the hands of professionals again.

Maybe that was how your bond started.

After being admitted to the clinic, his condition gradually improved. Your visits were nothing new to the staff, because something inside you felt peace at seeing him in better shape each day, watching him sleep peacefully, and eat voraciously. The poor guy had surely spent a good while starving. Little by little, between frequent visits and growing confidence, the little one warmed up enough to play with you. He would run in the gardens and jump to catch the dangling cat wand that you used to carry around.

On a certain evening, during one of your visits, the head veterinarian approached you with a warm smile, his clipboard tucked under one arm and a practiced casualness in his step. "I was checking on his analysis from this morning, he looks a lot better than when you first brought him in, don't you think?," he said, leaning against the tree that protected you from the sun as you watched Sylus run around. "Is that so? He looks bigger now too, and it's been only a few weeks."

"Caracals grow quickly. And with a gentle person taking care of them, even more," he said, taking a step closer. You only smiled, looking back at Sylus who was flicking his ears. "I was thinking… You mentioned it was your day off, right? Maybe we- Ack!" The guy yelped in surprise as a blur of tawny fur shot from the shadows. He wasn't using his claws, but was firmly gripping his ankle, his good eye narrowing as his little tail flickered.

You laughed, managing to take him in your arms with care. "Sylus! You can't just do that, you scared him."

"Sylus?"

"Ah. The locals mentioned something the other day. I couldn't catch the pronunciation right, though. But it meant something about greatness and… I thought it fitted him." The feline in your arms chirped and you returned to the main point of the conversation. "Excuse me, you were telling me something earlier?"

He cleared his throat, fixing his appearance a bit. "Ah yes. I… I was going to suggest transferring him to Linkon. They’ve got better equipment at the Wildlife Linkon Reserve, and I know the team there. They probably won't take him in immediately but… he's still young, you could take him with you, right?"

…Why did you always end up in these situations?

Four-legged threat. You became accustomed to the sound of things breaking and falling after adopting Rafayel. It wasn't always intentional, he just tended to be messy. But Sylus… he deliberately locked eyes with you, he CRAVED for you to witness his crimes, to watch how his paw slowly pushed over the edge of the counter your coffee mug, the way his sharp claws threatened to scratch and tear apart the bathroom mat (again) and how his teeth was just a breath away from munching on your chicken thigh. He didn't just love chaos, he was the chaos.

Hyperactivity is afraid of him. He jumps, and remember, caracals can jump over three meters (10 feet) with no impulse. So, leaving the balcony open was completely ruled out; the passing birds deserved a longer life far away from Sylus' claws (yes, it had happened before, and the bird had survived… barely). He likes to run, and caracals are also unbelievably fast, so he does these marathons from the kitchen to your bed, to your bed to the sofa and then you have to see the table he knocked over and the covers of your bed on the floor. You feel like taking him to the wild and making him run a whole day wouldn't be enough to tire him out.

He's BIG. You thought Zayne was big, I mean, Maine Coons were large cats… but now you can't help but feel that Zayne looks tiny by his side. He takes almost half of the couch, your bed, your whole damn desk when he climbs on it, the cages you use for the rest are comically small for him, and carrying him is a chore that tortures your back health. If Zayne could talk he would complain with you about how he's a victim of his fat ass 💔 (Sylus has picked out the habit of crushing cuddling Zayne with his enormous body. Zayne barely stands him, Sylus probably thinks he's hilarious). He takes the best spots on the bed, by the way, and Xavier is not having it.

Chonk. The change of being in the wild and living in a small apartment with another 3 cats led him to move less. And his diet couldn't change, so, over time, he became a bit chonky. You couldn't deny he looked adorable with a little pooch belly (which he sometimes allowed you to scratch and pet), but you also knew that wasn't healthy. Taking him for walks outside was nearly impossible, that'd be irresponsible and people could get scared, but you had the solution: a new exercise wheel! It was huge, and he ran so fast you were almost scared he'd accidentally centrifuge himself… Don't worry, he was back in shape in no time.

Food thief alert. Rafayel and he are very much alike in this topic with one difference: Rafayel steals your food and Sylus steals his. No, he shouldn't be eating regular cat food, yes he eats it just to be petty, and yeah, he acts smug about it. Probably just messes with Rafayel 'cause his reactions are madly funny, but something inside him tells him he should avoid Xavier's plate…

Scary dog cat privileges. No one will ever break into your apartment, trust me. And if you're dealing with some creepy neighbor at the door, he will calmly walk over and sit beside your standing form, yawn, and not even hiss. Seeing those fangs as he yawned was enough to get you out of your uncomfortable situation, isn't he such a good boy? If you're too scared to take out the trash at night he'll also accompany you to make you feel safe. He has never attacked anyone, but wouldn't hesitate to do it if you were in danger.

Actual cutie :( Deep down Sylus is just a really silly and sappy guy !! Please don't get intimidated by his looks, he'll literally cuddle with you on the sofa, letting you pet him for hours if you wish and he PURRS. LIKE. AN ENGINE. He likes to rub himself against you so you smell like him and he smells like you, likes kisses, nose boops, chin scratches, and if you're lucky you can touch his ears. If he doesn't let you, it ain't personal: caracals have sensitive ears (a lot of muscles there!), so too much touch can overwhelm him. You can always admire his little ear flicks when he's focused either way!

His favorite place to make biscuits is your belly. The softest dough he'll ever knead, and if you have a bigger belly? Please, you'll make him feel like he won the lottery. He rarely shows this kind of affection and, even if it hurts a little because of his natural strength, you're not interfering in the process. He'll purr as he kneads and lick your hand if you reach out to pet him.

Another mighty thunderclap tore through the skies, momentarily deafening the sound of the drops hitting the terrace floor and the shaky windows. It was the third day of this great storm, this one being so strong that going to work was out of the question, so you stayed home. Having four cats was not exactly synonymous with boredom, though. Xavier missed bathing in the sun, Rafayel wanted to play in the rain, and Zayne... well, he actually just wanted to nap.

The most restless of them all seemed to be Sylus, pacing around the apartment with an annoyed look, as if tired of waiting for something thrilling to happen. The first thunder he heard got him excited, making him perk his ears in alert, and jump onto the window seat with wide eyes. He tapped the window when the first drops of water hit the crystal, reminding you of the times you did “drop races” as a child, anxious to see if your selected drop of rain would reach its “goal” before your friend’s one did. 

But now, after three days of non-stop raining, it no longer caught his attention. Until now, apparently. A gentle growl and a nudge on your shoulder made you turn to look at him. “You want to get in?” You asked, lifting the blanket you had been using to cover yourself as you sat on the floor in front of the balcony doors, admiring the storm. “Come on, let’s see the rain together.”

With a warm smile, you welcomed him to cuddle with you, him taking a seat by your side and closing his eyes as you scratched the space between his ears. The comfortable silence of your home, combined with the chilly weather, brought you closer to him. You welcomed the storm with quiet gratitude. And, with all your being, you hoped it would last just a few more days.

It was the only way to postpone it, at least for a little while.

ᯓ★ A few days before

You were at work, mindlessly sipping coffee as you reviewed some documents on your laptop for your next mission, when the notification sound of an email brought your attention back. But after clicking on it, your hands didn’t move, you didn’t even blink, and the room suddenly felt too cold.

Subject: Wildlife Release Authorization. From: Linkon’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Considering the successful follow-up of the rehabilitation treatment, and the notoriously improved clinical results and professional evaluation, candidate 943 “Sylus” (Caracal caracal) has been considered suitable for reintegration into the wild. We kindly request that you confirm receipt of this email, as the candidate's presentation is scheduled for the next five working days.

Just after reading the body, you closed the tab and let the email bury under the endless pile of new ones. You knew this would happen someday. But you’d think about it later, after work, maybe, or tomorrow. Just… not today. 

You returned home late, dragging your feet, but not exactly in exhaustion, at least not a physical one. You followed your nightly routine, spending some time with your precious kitties before going to bed, and you found him there, curled up over the soft covers with his usually sharp features completely relaxed. Trying not to wake him up, you got closer and booped his nose, giggling at his little ear flicks and his paws moving, as if trying to find you. “Sleep well,” you mumbled and lay down beside him, your hand caressing the smooth fur of his back. 

You weren’t ready to say goodbye.

“Now… go!”

The next day, you stayed home. Full of energy and with a ton of free time, you built an obstacle course for Sylus. This was a common exercise for him as part of his treatment and training for his injured vision. It helped him build a stronger spatial awareness, kept him active, and improved his visual coordination. “Good! Good, great!” You cheered with enthusiasm as he finished the entire course without bumping into anything, eating with delight the treat that awaited him at the end of it. “You’ve gotten so much better, Sy. You looked awesome—”

But your enthusiasm vanished with the memory of that email you tried so hard to ignore. Maybe, deep down, you wanted to prove that Sylus still needed some time, for his own safety! He could still use a week or two, or maybe three, or… or you could simply accept that you knew from the start this was bound to happen, and sooner or later he’d need to return to his natural habitat, and you shouldn’t have bound with him as you did.

A grumble got you out of your thoughts.

“Oh my god. Yes, yes. I’ll give you another treat.” You looked down at him, rolling your eyes at how he pulled the fabric of your pants. “Jeez, you’re so greedy.”

You still had four more days, yet parting as soon as possible might be the best thing for everyone. After thinking about it too much, tossing and turning as if feigning dementia gave you hives, you decided to start packing. His medical reports, leftover medication, his documentation, and some things that, once returned to the wild, he would never use again, such as the toys he pretended not to want so much, but ended up using perhaps to amuse you. You weren’t sure if he was aware of what would happen soon, yet he seemed restless, flicking his tail constantly and looking through the windows almost in annoyance.

The day you decided you’d take him to the center was when the storm started. The perfect excuse. But as mentioned before, it wouldn’t last forever.

Your eyes then opened as something heavy lay on top of your back, pressing you against the mattress more than you’d like. “Ugh…” You squirm, only to see a big paw right on your cheek and a warm, steady breath tickling your neck. “Sylus…” You complain, trying to move him, but it only seemed to make him cling more to you. 

“Caracals are solitary creatures”, they said. “They prefer to be alone and aren’t as loving as other felines”, they lied to your face. Sylus was the dictionary description of clingy and needy. He picked up this habit when he was a cub. And I repeat, he was a cub; he barely weighed more than two kilos after growing up. But now? He was easily ten times that weight. However, this time, you allowed him to stay like that. The alarm would go off in an hour, you could endure it.

But what you could not endure was what happened in the next few hours; you never imagined it, but the image of Sylus, the once-wounded little caracal you rescued and cared for for months, fussing and hissing inside a cage while the vets took him away, broke your heart. 

“It’s for the best, he will re-adapt to his habitat, please do not worry,” someone said to you, but you didn’t see who. You just stared at the vast valley that would serve as Sylus’s temporary home until they reintegrated him into the savanna. The lump in your throat signaled it was time to go home; you didn’t want to cry in front of everyone. So you went back the way you came, took a couple of steps, and suddenly you heard the rattling of the metal grating that divided the protected area from the outside. Curious, you turned around one last time, and what a surprise when you saw that tawny fur jump over it, high as never before, getting out of the valley.

“Sylu– Ah!” He landed on top of you, making you fall hard, and you thanked the floor, which was all slippery mud, for preventing you from getting a contusion. The caracal licked your face after pouncing on you, like a little treat for letting him catch you, and suddenly, the tears slid down your cheeks. You hugged him tightly, giving kisses to the top of his head, earning a little grumble from him that made you laugh. 

Perhaps your bond had grown too deep for a clean goodbye, and parting was a language either of you had ever spoken.

© MAIMAILY. Please do not steal, copy or plagiarize this work.

Likes, reblogs are comments are greatly appreciated!

Guys. I tried, I really did my best. I'm gonna admit that I don't love the final result, I feel that it was getting too long but this is the idea I wanted for Sylus. Yes, I could've forgotten the part of caracals being wild animals and just make him domestic, but I simply couldn't, lol. Sylus is probably ooc but pls he's just a caracal 💔. Regardless, I really hope y'all like it, I worked on this for days and did my best I SWEAR.

Thank you so much for your support on the series, the next one will be Caleb as the final part!

tag list ! @animegamerfox, @princessofenkanomiya, @aethercoreria, @thatweirdomidas

Dividers made by: @uzmacchiato, @v6que and @haecunt

[maimaily]

the lads boys as kittens. 🍐 ‧₊˚ zayne

summary: You were living in your new apartment now, a free space for yourself, but maybe it was too free. You weren't quite used to the silence and loneliness of it, so you decided to welcome a little one to your home. After considering many options, a cat seemed the most adequate: clean, independent, wouldn't take much of your time as a dog... right?

characters: kitty!zayne + mc as reader (other characters will be posted separately

a/n: cat breeds are selected based on the "Yes, Cat Caretaker" event. If there's any change, it'll be based on the appearance of each breed, but not its personality traits strictly. proofread but if there's any mistake please let me know! (eng isn't my first language).

xavier 🢒 rafayel 🢒 sylus 🢒 caleb

Zayne — Maine Coon How did he get to live with you?

A precious cat café that you frequented was your favorite, it had a cozy atmosphere and the kitties were adorable. Most of them were young and lively, playing between the tables and napping on the window frames. You loved that place, but one day you received the unfortunate notice: they were going to close permanently soon.

The nostalgia of memories formed in that special place drove you to visit again before it shut down forever. There was no longer service, and just a couple of employees were cleaning up the place. They apologized and explained that maintaining the establishment was becoming impossible since the rent had become pricier and the cats needed more medical treatments. Upset, you were about to leave just when the owner stopped you at the door.

In his fragile arms he carried a pitch-black beauty, bigger than a regular cat. You recognized him as the cat you always found at the reception desk every day you visited, staring at the door in an upright sitting position or taking a nap from time to time.

The owner explained that it was his cat. He tried many times to introduce him to the rest of the cats in the café, but he never got along much, mostly because his big body intimidated the smaller ones, and apparently, he wasn't as playful. Because of this, he made it stay with him at the reception to keep him company, rarely getting any caress besides yours, who always showed him affection.

The gentleman explained the complicated state of his health. His business had become a chore for him, it made him stay away from home for long hours, and he couldn't bring himself to leave his precious cat alone that much. Since his goal was to provide the kittens with a better life, he got them new owners who were happy to adopt them before closing the shop. But for his boy… he needed the perfect caregiver. That's when you learned his name: Zayne.

"Even now that I'll be more at home, he deserves an owner who can take care of him as he deserves. My mobility is getting more limited with each passing day, and I'm worried he's starting to take care of me instead of me taking care of him… My wife and I adopted him some years ago, but I'm not selfish enough to make him stay with me now that she's gone… I know he will be happier living with you."

And that's how it happened. After a couple of days of proper procedures, your new angelic boy was home.

Gracious presence. Zayne has the unique talent of making looking through the windows a solemn sight, with his silky, daintily groomed black fur glistening in the late afternoon sunlight. His tall, long body stretches gracefully when he wakes up from his small naps, purring tenderly when you scratch his chin (he loves it). His existence is so full of grace that your gallery is now loaded with his photos.

Shy boy! During the first days of living together, it was hilarious to see such a big cat jumping in surprise each time Rafayel got closer to sniff him when he was napping, accidentally waking him up. But his reclusive demeanor was as endearing as it was concerning, you didn't want to cause him any discomfort or anxiety, so you did your research and got a few toys and treats ready, compromised to spend the day bonding with your cats. Rafayel was enthusiastic, Xavier liked being rewarded for his hard work, and Zayne... well, he played with the plush mouse toy along with Xavier! It was something, wasn't it? The next day when you returned home after work and saw them napping together, you knew it had been all worth it.

Quiet. Continuing with the previous trait, he's an even quieter cat than Xavier! Doesn't really let out meows and just occasionally chirps when he's hungry or expresses discomfort. He doesn't make any noise at night… someone could learn a thing or two from him.

Glutton in disguise. Zayne is a well-mannered cat, he is clean, polite, and mostly never causes trouble, but when food is involved… sigh. His usual wet food is fine, perfect even: nutritional, tasty, and prepared with love when you add the supplements recommended by the vet. There's nothing wrong until treats are involved. He likes them too much and will get pretty moody if he doesn't get at least one per day. The vet strictly restricted him from eating them so frequently after his last check-up. He doesn't like to talk about it.

His favorite place to make biscuits is your thighs. Soft, squishy even, he doesn't hurt you with his weight and you always reach out your hand to pet him as he commits to his duty. It occurs as you're lying down: he'll announce himself with a short meow and jump on top of your legs gently. After he's done, he lies on your lap quietly (nap time!)

Nuzzles, nuzzles, nuzzles. Against your legs, your hands, your face, anywhere you allow him to, really. Doesn't do it frequently, just when you've been gone for too long or when he's showing affection. Oh, he also likes to stretch his body up on you, so you must carry him and let him nuzzle against your neck when he's needy.

Grooming grump. No, don't get me wrong, I said it before: he's always neatly groomed. Not "most of the time", no. Always. He spends a good amount of time getting his fur clean and shiny, not even Rafayel is as meticulous as him, but... the grooming brush? Get that away from him. You have to prowl around while he basks, acting as if you're not looking for him, then reach down to pet him a couple of times, gaining his trust... and now! You take the brush from your pocket and start from his exposed belly. He'll surrender the first 5 minutes, gently smacking your hand when he's done with the sensation. And let me tell you he's still very polite about it.

No touch. Strangers can't touch him, he'll run off. You can, but that doesn't mean all the time. His ears are particularly sensitive so he'll move away if you scratch him for too long, and how open he feels that day to allow you to shower him in caresses or not relies on his mood. You've learned to respect his boundaries, giving him space when he needs it, and he knows for sure your arms are all open to receive him when he wants to be pampered.

It felt, at times, like the world was a heavy storm cloud perched on your shoulders—loud, weighty, and unwilling to lift. "Bright days and cloudy days" you merely called it, but deep inside, the truth was that exhaustion made you feel like you were running in circles.

“Hey, it's fine. We're all bummed about it, but it's already done. Take this. It'll help you sleep at night”, the forever-sweet Tara told you after seeing the guilt in your eyes, still heavy from today’s mission... including that disastrous report you submitted, which didn’t exactly win points with your boss. She handed over a small packet of herbal tea—the kind that promised to calm your nerves. Her usual remedy when things felt off.

With a sigh, you put it away in your bag and left the Hunters Association building. Your bike was under repair again since it had been damaged during your previous mission, so you had to take the bus—and yes, what your eyes saw was the bus, the only one that came every hour, pulling away as you arrived at the bus stop seven minutes late.

On the outside, you only sighed heavily and rubbed your temples. But inside, you felt like you were reaching your last straw for the day.

The door locked itself after you, matching your hundredth sigh of the day. Kicking your shoes off and not caring about picking them up to store them was the first sign. Dragging your feet in dim light and just pouring food on each of the bowls was the second one. Ignoring the mess of toys Rafayel created during the day, and Xavier asleep on your clean laundry was the third.

Finally, heading to your bedroom without taking a shower first was the fourth and last one he needed before jumping off the wall hammock and walking towards the dark room. The soft click of the door handle turning startled you. “Zayne?"

You were sitting on the bed, breaking your rule of no outside clothes on the freshly cleaned covers, but frankly, you were too tired to even bother. Your body was facing the open window, small tears blurring your eyes as you stared at the starry sky outside, counting the tiny sparkling dots to avoid any form of thought about your awful, lousy day coming to your head.

Evidence destroyed, a fugitive, and a terrible feeling of resentment toward yourself for failing.

It felt unfair to disturb the peace of your cats with the gloomy mood you were in, and it was late anyway, so you allowed them to sleep and rest at ease, dealing with your turbulent emotions alone. But tricking Zayne into believing everything was fine turned out to be a fruitless mission.

He walked around the bed, his shiny, peridot-like eyes staring back at you. “Meow,” he bumped against your leg, nuzzling for a second before placing his paws on your knees for support. “Oh, Zaynie. Go back to sleep, it's nothing." You scratched his chin and he purred, leaning against your touch and jumping on top of your lap, sitting there. Avoiding falls from the unstable sitting spot, you cradled him in your arms like the biiiig baby he was. “Sorry for waking you up…”

His paws gently touched your face, and it sounded ridiculous maybe, but you felt it like reassurance you so badly needed in that moment, and that made you tear up. His paws patted your cheeks, and you couldn't help but smile. Your back rested on the mattress now, his body cuddled on top of you, purring slowly and tenderly, his soft breathing calming your own. He had nuzzled his face against yours as you cried and let out all the pent-up stress and frustration from the day.

His purring rumbled against your chest as your hands kindly petted his delicate fur, earning an affectionate lick on the cheek that coaxed a giggle out of you. You cupped his tiny face to pepper kisses all over it. "Thank you for coming to my emotional rescue, my loving gentleman," you teased, adoring every aspect of him. Zayne was observant, and after weeks of building your relationship, earning each other's trust, and caring for each other, it was clear as day how much of an emotional support he was for you.

Once your mind became clear of self-deprecating thoughts, you refreshed yourself with a warm bath, changed into your comfiest clothes, prepared the tea Tara gifted you, kissed Rafayel and Xavier goodnight —a well-deserved gesture after a whole day of absence—, and tucked yourself under the covers where Zayne waited patiently for you.

Your hands gently caressed him, waiting for the herbal infusion to take effect, and slowly you drifted into the land of dreams, your relaxed breathing bringing a sense of comfort to the cat beside your limp body. He stretched to reach the lamp on the nightstand, fumbling with his paws until he managed to press the switch and turn off the light.

You'd only notice until the next morning, but it wouldn't be the first time he surprised you with those actions. Were those small gestures the same as he did when he lived with the elderly couple that adopted him first? And if they were, was he tired of having to do it all over again for you?

A few words were enough to answer this: he would always look after you with pleasure, as you always took care of him.

© MAIMAILY. Please do not steal, copy or plagiarize this work.

Likes, reblogs are comments are greatly appreciated!

hi !! first of all: thank you SO much for the love the kitty series is receiving! I'm so happy y'all like it, these are really fun and relaxing to write for me, so I'm glad there is people who enjoy it too. For Zayne's part... I'm sorry Zayne girlies, I admit this isn't as fun as Xavier's or Rafayel's, but y'all are welcome to make me write something cuter if you want HAHAHA. Thank you again for reading, let's see each other again for Sylus's version! <3

thank you to all the people who started following me too! (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+

tag list ! @animegamerfox, @princessofenkanomiya, @aethercoreria

Dividers made by: @uzmacchiato, @v6que and @haecunt

[maimaily]

the lads boys as kittens !! 🪼 ‧₊˚ rafayel

summary: You were living in your new apartment now, a free space for yourself, but maybe it was too free. You weren't quite used to the silence and loneliness of it, so you decided to welcome a little one to your home. After considering many options, a cat seemed the most adequate: clean, independent, wouldn't take much of your time as a dog… right?

characters: kitty!rafayel + mc as reader (other characters will be posted separately).

a/n: cat breeds are selected based on the "Yes, Cat Caretaker" event. If there's any change, it'll be based on the appearance of each breed, but not its personality traits strictly. proofread but if there's any mistake please let me know! (eng isn't my first language).

xavier 🢒 zayne 🢒 sylus 🢒 caleb

Rafayel — Siamese How did he get to live with you?

Oh, the classic mistake: "My first cat is an angel so I may adopt another one!" Did you expect another quiet and calm kitty? WRONG. But let's start from the beginning: you were worried that Xavier would feel lonely being the only cat. You heard it's recommended to introduce them to other cats so they can learn to socialize and avoid aggressive behaviors, especially in younger cats. Xavier was already an adult, but it wasn't too late, right?

And it happened by coincidence, really. You were strolling around, enjoying the fresh air and your well-deserved day off, when you heard the first weak and pitiful "meow" behind some shrubs. You quickly found him; his leg was hurt, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in a long time. You carefully got closer, trying not to scare him, but he still hissed and even tried to scratch you.

It was understandable, he was hurt and you were multiple times his size, how could he not be scared? So you offered some of the small treats you carried with you since adopting Xavier, a new habit. That managed to make him calm down enough for you to pick him up with your jacket.

At the vet, you felt relieved that his injury wasn't serious and he'd get better soon. The lady asked if you were interested in keeping him, and you were about to refuse when you remembered Xavier. Some company wouldn't hurt for either of you so... why not? After the corresponding paperwork and paying for the treatment, little Rafy was all yours to take care of. The walk back home was quiet, only filled by Rafayel's massive smugness of owning you.

The expression of utter betrayal on his little face was beyond words when he discovered he wasn’t the undisputed king of the house!

Picky eater. Dry food is too dry and wet food is too wet. Oh, and he gags at certain veggies, don't put them near him. He loved cooked fish yesterday, but who said he wanted it again today? Also, he has already made it clear he doesn't like that brand of tuna. And once again, where's his salmon treat? You can't win with him, Siamese cats weren't supposed to be this picky!

Food thief. Pretty ironic how he's so demanding about his food, but he'll do anything to have a bite of yours. He wants to taste that vanilla ice cream you bought, the steak you treated yourself with, and your drink looks tasty too. You have to push him away all the time, and sometimes he stretches as if he wasn't doing anything. He's not slick.

Gagging Gatsby. You observed him all day, worried sick for your little boy who wouldn't stop gagging. With your heart squeezed by worry, you rushed to the vet, only to find out that he... had swallowed a fly. He spent the entire afternoon writhing in disgust, convinced that ingesting a mere fly had doomed him forever, and you stabbed your wallet at the vet for this little lord who was just feeling icky. You really didn't know what to do with him anymore.

Doesn't like = will destroy. The precious cat mug you bought at the thrift store ended up broken on the floor after Mr. Perfectionist felt it looked at him wrong, or something like that. The vase with flowers gifted by your colleagues? Dumped on the table, the poor flowers scattered all over the place (Xavier joined in his antics, double scolding for misbehaving). And the curtains? Oh Lord, they were a bit too white for his liking, they had to go away! This means he jumped to the top of the window and slid down them with his claws :)

Spoiled rotten. Bows, collars, outfits, jewelry, fancy oils for his exquisite fur and paws, special brushes for grooming, the comfiest bed and blankets? He wants them all. Have I made clear enough that your wallet is suffering?

Needs attention like air to breathe. Contrary to Xavier, he meows a lot. When he sees you passing by he meows happily as he follows you, does it when he's angry, hungry, needy, or just wants you to stop doing whatever you're up to and cuddle him instead. He's mostly dramatic, but when you leave he meows up a storm, and that's what hurts you the most.

Loves baths like no other cat! You could have been expecting this, so yes, he does love baths very much. You bathe him with Xavier, who doesn't really mind them, and it's so cute seeing Rafayel being the most playful he ever is, even trying to get Xavier into the action (he's dozing off due to the warm water…). Let him enjoy his time, he and Xavi get a bit upset with the blow dryer if air gets into his sensitive ears.

His favorite place to make biscuits it's your ass. Do NOT leave your rear exposed while you're lying down, he will jump onto you and start kneading the soft flesh without warning. It's up to you if you let him do it or not, but he thinks he's soooo funny.

"You know… we really need to work on this, little man." You sighed, hands supporting your head as you sat on the toilet. "Privacy and all, don't you think?"

The coffee cream cat stared at you with big eyes, almost blinking happily as you talked to him. This was usual everyday life since you brought Rafayel in... personal space dissipated completely and privacy became a once-in-a-while-luxury.

Rafayel not only wanted but needed to be glued by your side each minute of the day. When you woke up, the first thing you saw was little Raf on top of you, eyes expectant of breakfast; at noon he climbed to the table as you ate to keep you company, at evening he sat next to you on the couch if you decided to watch some TV and at night he ran with full batteries around Xavier who had won the best spot of the bed.

"Meow". You sighed again, almost sure he understood what you were saying to him, and actively decided to ignore it. "Come on, Rafy. Just a minute, please!" You tried to carefully push him outside, but he just jumped up on the counter and looked at himself in the mirror.

When you got out of the bathroom, a groggy Xavier waited on the couch for breakfast. He saw how you carried Rafayel's body with one arm and brushed your teeth with the other before letting him down on the hallway floor. The little cat at your side looked away for a second before losing his concentration completely, his wide eyes now landing on an earring you lost some days ago.

He jumped on top of it and tapped it with his paws, looking its shiny colors, the gem-like shape, and- oh! That smell!

"Breakfast's ready!" You called them both and they hurriedly attacked their bowls. Sadly, there was no time to spare as the clock marked near eight in the morning, threatening you to get late to work. Your presence was like a fleeting shadow, going from here to there, taking interrupted bites of your breakfast, tripping as you put on your socks halfway through, and buttoning your shirt wrong.

"Bye-bye, my loves. See ya. Behave," you said as each busy head received a kiss between their ears. "Bye-bye, Miss Hooman!" was probably the thought inside Rafayel's mind before he heard the automatic lock of the door. Only then he did notice your absence, and by the time he reached the door, it was already too late.

The day felt longer than usual, and even more tiresome. You dragged your feet inside and closed the door behind you, taking your shoes off as you turned the lights on. The living room looked empty, a thing you noticed after putting away the groceries in the cupboard. Xavier's bowl was almost empty yet Rafayel's one was mostly the same as this morning. By looking at the hour they were most likely asleep by now, so you'd make sure everything was alright the next morning.

With slow movements, you made your way to the bed after taking a shower and tucked yourself under the covers where Xavier had fallen asleep. You scratched his head, scrolling on your phone to find the app for the new security camera you installed for the front door. It was your new acquisition after adopting another cat, you needed to be sure you had a way to take care of them even from a distance. To optimize energy, the camera only recorded when it detected movement at the entrance, but the curiosity soon broke your heart.

7:49 a.m. The first recording, just as you left the house. Rafayel's thin body paced in front of the door with a sad meow, his ears flattened after a long time of meowing. 8:36 a.m., he probably heard someone outside and ran to greet you, only to find a closed door. 10:31 a.m., he was trying to find his way out, jumping to turn the doorknob, only to fail. 1:23 p.m., he decided to take a nap there for an hour, and by noon there were no more videos.

Your heart clenched, and you didn't waste a second before getting off the bed and finding Rafayel after looking around, curled up behind the sofa cushions with the shirt you wore that morning. "Hello, baby," you smiled when he opened his eyes, meowing loudly one more time as he bumped his head against your hands, "Hi, love. Were you sleeping? Are you comfy?"

His paws tried to reach your face as you cradled him in your arms, taking him with you to the bed. "I'm back home, sorry for taking so long, Rafy." He protested, of course he did. You left him alone all day! Do you know how long is that, Miss Human? That's like. A whole year in cat years! And Xavier is not exactly the best company, you know? He naps all day and doesn't play with him and-

Smooch.

His feline rambling subsided after your soft lips touched his small head. "I'll make it up for you tomorrow, I got you a little present for being such a good boy". Rafy The Lover was back, purring happily against your hands as you caressed his soft fur, lulling him to sleep on top of your chest with a warm smile only you could provide.

You knew better than anyone the feeling of being alone, and you'd do anything to avoid making Rafayel feel left behind again when he called out for you.

© MAIMAILY. Please do not steal, copy or plagiarize this work.

Likes, reblogs are comments are greatly appreciated!

I'm so sorry it took me this long! I had so many ideas for Rafayel I had to cut back many, maaany of them, also I was a bit busy (๑-﹏-๑) . I'm not 100% happy with how the story turned out, but I really hope you like it.

tag list ! @animegamerfox, @princessofenkanomiya, @aethercoreria

Dividers made by: @uzmacchiato, @v6que and @haecunt

[maimaily]

the lads boys as kittens. 🪐 ‧₊˚ xavier

summary: You were living in your new apartment now, a free space for yourself, but maybe it was too free. You weren't quite used to the silence and loneliness of it, so you decided to welcome a little one to your home. After considering many options, a cat seemed adequate: clean, independent, wouldn't take much of your time like a dog… right?

characters: kitty!xavier (other characters will be posted separately), mc as reader.

a/n: cat breeds are selected based on the "Yes, Cat Caretaker" event. If there's any change, it'll be based on the appearance of each breed, but not its personality traits strictly. proofread but if there's any mistake please let me know! (eng isn't my first language).

rafayel 🢒 zayne 🢒 sylus 🢒 caleb

Xavier — Ragdoll How did he get to live with you?

You adopted him. He was going to be your first cat, so you wanted to make sure you were choosing the right one, and receiving recommendations from an adoption center was the best idea. You went there and heard of a slightly older cat who hadn't been adopted yet. A single look was enough to know he was the one. His bright blue eyes stared at you, and his paws tried to reach you as you got closer. A little nervous of scaring him, you gently allowed him to sniff your finger, and he then rubbed against your hand. It is not necessary to say you decided you'd give your life for him.

On the way home, the little kitty curled into a puffy ball of fur, sleeping peacefully after feeling safe in your warm arms ♡

Little did you know what this little thing really was !!

This kitty EATS. A LOT. You can easily win his heart with treats. He can smell them even before you open any can or package, but will wait like the good boy he is, with both front paws stomping cutely on the floor. However, you had to cut back on them because your wallet was starting to suffer the consequences of a gluttonous kitten. Poor thing got upset for a while, but the food was still yummy, so he adapted (he's not that much of a picky eater…)

Eepy baby. He's a sweetheart and always, I repeat, always cuddles to take naps with you. The kind of cat who climbs onto the bed the moment you flop down on it and makes his way between your arms to be cuddled and sleep. Purrs quietly and very softly, and will rub against your hands as he does. Rarely meows, but does it when he's being needy. Has fallen asleep while eating or drinking his warm milk more than once, his little chin all dirty, so you have to clean him (he doesn't like it!).

He follows you everywhere. Whatever you're doing, if you're walking around the house, he'll follow you like a loyal knight. His fluffy tail moves gently against your legs when you're standing, washing the dishes, brushing your teeth, or cooking. Sometimes he expects you to see him (you do) to pick him up (you always do). He's a needy boy! Needs lots and lots of your attention!

Talking about attention, he climbs onto your body when he feels neglected. You were happily cooking, humming the songs on your playlist, chopping vegetables for the new dish you wanted to try- and then oop! The weight of a fluffy hairball snags on the fabric of your hoodie back without warning. "Xavi! Don't move- Don't move!" you urgently exclaimed as you slowly moved back from the hot stove. Can you blame him? He just wanted to spend time with you :(

Great hunter in every shape! A cockroach? He's already smacking it with his paws. A fly? He already jumped to catch it. Mosquitos? He saw them even before you did. If by any chance there's a mouse or rat inside, be sure he's getting rid of it! And he's so fast! (Give him a treat afterwards, he deserves it.)

Grumpy if you wake him up. He hates the vacuum cleaner with his life, and hates it even more if you decide to use it when he's just fallen asleep. When you switched to an automatic one, he smacked it with his angry paws each time it bumped onto him. Doesn't hiss at you, he's too docile for that, but will meow very loudly until you comfort him back to sleep (and give him treats-).

His favorite place to make biscuits is your chest while you're lying down. If you're watching some TV, reading a book, scrolling down your phone, or simply flopped down on the sofa or your bed, he climbs on top of you and makes his way to your chest and starts kneading very gently. He never uses his claws on you, so you allow him to do it, it's his way of bonding with you and relieving some stress after all <3.

Sulkynator 2000. Baby boy gets UPSET to astronomical levels when you even mention other cats. Do NOT play with his little heart like this! :( Why are you watching cat videos if he's right there? He can do tricks too! Or why are you petting the neighbor's dog? He's dirty and too loud! Xavi is clean, he doesn't leave mud on your carpet, and doesn't bark in the middle of the night for no good reason! :(( You'll have to face a moody Xavier for a good time until you soothe his poor feelings.

It was a quiet Sunday morning. The weather outside was hot, and that woke you up, along with the blinding sun that entered the room from the window in front of the bed. You stirred, kicking the blankets away when a gentle paw touched your cheek.

"Morning, Xavi!" You baby-talked to your little prince cat, who had just woken up by your sudden movements, stirring with you and slowly opening his little blue eyes, struggling to keep them open for too long. "Oh no, what are we gonna do? My prince is too eepy to start the day!" You giggled, taking him in your arms and cuddling him once more, kissing his little face. He didn't even need to convince you to sleep five more minutes, his mere sleepy presence was enough for you to feel lazy again and go back to the bed.

But today was too hot to stay in, and you wanted to change out of your pajamas as soon as possible. With another kiss, you sweet-talked your lazy cat to wake up and have breakfast, but he just purred in response and kept his eyes closed. Accepting the impossible, you just got up, feeling his small claw clinging to your shirt; you couldn't sleep with him anymore, but you couldn't ignore his adorable attempt of keeping you close, so you cradled him like a baby, holding him in your arms and even rocking him a little.

If Xavier could blush, he would definitely do so at that right moment. He was a big cat already! But… your arms were so warm and he was so comfy… That's how you ended up carrying him to the bathroom, brushing your teeth with one hand and holding him with the other, then you made him lie against your shoulder, taking your hair products out.

"Mwraa," he protested when you set him down on the floor outside the bathroom. "I need to take a shower. Wait outside, breakfast will be ready in a minute." It wasn't really breakfast that his meowjesty was requesting, but his comfortable sleeping spot: you! But now he couldn't bring himself to be sleepy again, so he wandered around the apartment lazily, finding a good place in front of the balcony door to sunbathe.

When you came out of the bathroom with your hair still dripping wet, the first thing you saw was that adorable bundle of fur lying on his back with his little paws stretched faaar as he just finished doing the most exhausting job in the world. And maybe he did, carrying all that beauty had to be exhausting!

"My, look what I found!" You crouched down to him with a big smile, tickling his tummy, which he quickly defended by trapping your hand. "Is Xavi the prince enjoying the warm weather? Hm?" He got up in a swift move and rubbed against your legs, his long, fluffy tail almost tickling your nose. You picked him up, peppering his face with kisses before putting him down again. "Let's get breakfast, come on."

He happily followed behind you, passing through your legs when you leaned down to pick his empty bowl from the floor. The good thing with Xavier was that no food went to waste… which was also bad because it meant that tummy seemed to never fill. He meowed only once as he saw you open the wet food package.

"Almost done, Xavi. Wait a second," and he did, his little paw ritual bringing a smile to your face. When you put the plate down, he hurriedly took the first bite. "Enjoy, baby. Ah- I forgot to take out the trash." The hurried sense flooded through your veins as you saw the hour. "Wait for me, I'm back in a minute!" Your hands were quicker to pick up the smelly garbage bag and run out of the complex to dispose of it before the truck came by.

You did it just in time, sighing in relief as you walked back, until you saw an adorable stray kitten playing with a plastic bottle cap between his paws. "Look at you, aren't you having fun?" At the sound of your voice the kitten stopped playing but didn't run away, an act you took as an open invitation to get closer. You fawned over the stray, your voice melting into playful coos as you playfully ruffled its fur.

It wasn't until a loud noise from the street scared the small cat you realized you'd been playing with it for a long time. With a content sigh you dusted your hands off and walked back to the complex. Inside your home, Xavier had already finished his food, waiting patiently around the entry for you to come back, blue eyes locked on the door as if he was afraid to miss your arrival. When he heard the soft click of it, he meowed as a greeting, until… What was that?

"Ah Xavi. I'm back, did you finish your food-?" You hadn't finished your question when his fluffy body jumped right at your arms with an angry growl. It surprised you, honestly, he was always so calm and loving that this behavior only occurred when… Oh.

"Is someone jealous over here? You don't like that I- Ow! Hey!" He didn't scratch you, but he definitely was about to chomp that teasing finger you were wiggling in front of his very upset self. He meowed in protest, trying with all his might to rub himself against you once again! How could you do this? He works so hard keeping his scent on you, and now you come back after a fifteen-minute leave, invading his sensitive nostrils with another's cat scent? Oh no, he wasn't having it.

But you couldn't contain your laughter. He wasn't even scary and wasn't hurting you because he trusted you too much to do that, but he was madly funny when he got like that. "I see, I see. I made Xavier upset. I apologize, baby," you said, cradling him in your arms as you sat on the couch. "How can I get your forgiveness, hm?" Xavier acted like he hadn't heard you, wiggling his tail still in his petty mood, squirming gently in your arms as if trying to get away. "Ah ah ah. Don't you want me to be only yours, your majesty? Gotta stay here for that, then. What about I give you a small catnip treat I got you yesterday?"

His entire expression shifted. Oh well. You were right, of course you were, mm-hmm. He couldn't be mad at you all day either, could he? And now he moved closer to you, licking gently your cheek, bringing a smile to your face. "Now who's a good boy, huh? Of course you are, you'll always be."

Xavier held no grudges against you, he never did. After all, who else on this planet would love him as you did, after facing loneliness for so long? He was your good boy, and he'd be always there for you.

© MAIMAILY. Please do not steal, copy or plagiarize this work.

Likes, reblogs are comments are greatly appreciated!

I did it! I can believe the amount of time it took me to finish this, but it's been ages since I last wrote any kind of fanfiction or content for fandoms so I'm a bit nervous. I hope you like it, and if it's the case I'm so happy for that! I'm already working on Rafayel's version so don't miss it <3

Dividers made by: @uzmacchiato and @v6que

[saxifraga-x-urbium]

GitHub - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI: Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11

Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11 - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI

[creechie]

How do I... use this? I don't know what to do ;-;

[the-future-is-chrome]

here’s a youtube tutorial by the guy who made it

[leighsartworks216]

A Family of Dragons

Sylus x fem!Reader + children

I said I was gonna post this yesterday, then I got too tired, so I'm finally posting it today. I've had this in my notes for like... a while. I need to do one with Zayne next lol

All pictures are from Pinterest

Warnings: fluff, domestic fluff, children, twin dad Sylus, slice of life, pictures, pregnancy, silly

Word Count: 2,278

Main Masterlist

First - Second - Third - Fourth - Fifth - Sixth LADs Masterlists

AO3

Updated Tag List Form (pls fill this out if you haven't already and still want to be tagged)

Sylus told himself he wouldn't cry. While you endure unimaginable pain, he acts as your rock. The immovable object keeping you grounded.

For his part, he doesn't cry when the first child is born, or the second. He watches the doctors warily as they weigh, measure and make sure the babies are healthy, but he spends that time kissing sweat from your forehead and assuring you it's over now, reminding you to breathe.

The nurse hands you over the first child, a little girl wrapped in pink swaddling. He accepts the second, a baby boy wrapped in blue.

That is when he cries.

As soon as everyone else is outside, he feels the shudder in his chest. The burn behind his eyes as he looks down at the plump, sweet little face of his son. He sniffles. Clears his throat to try fighting it back. But the first tears fall regardless.

"Oh, Sy…" He meets your eye. The understanding within them, the knowledge of how difficult it is for him to experience such strong emotion like this that moves him to tears. The last time you saw him cry was at your wedding; a brief moment, gone as soon as he brushed the water from his eyes. "C'mere."

Baby in one arm each, both of you work together to shift you over on the bed. It's larger than the average hospital bed, but it doesn't mean there's plenty of room for you both. Still, you scoot over to one side, and he climbs up beside you.

After all the energy you expended holding his hand so tight you think you heard bones crack, having your babies in your arms and your husband at your side, the exhaustion washes over you suddenly. Your arms weaken, but Sylus is there to wrap his arm around you and support his daughter.

"Easy, sweetheart," he murmurs, pressing his lips to your temple.

You nod, stubbornly fighting off sleep to linger in this moment. Trusting him to keep supporting the arm cradling your baby, you reach over to pull back some of the blanket around your son's face. They look identical; the same nose, the same chubby little cheeks, the same pouty lips, same little tufts of white hair on their head. You huff a tired laugh. "They're gonna look exactly like you."

He hums, smiling softly against your skin. "Damn," he whispers back. "I was hoping for a little-you."

Another wave crashes over you. Your vision blurs, eyes flutter as you drift away for less than a second. He pulls you tighter against his side. "Go to sleep, sweetie. I've got them."

You whine an incoherent complaint, but you don't fight when he gently takes your daughter into his care. You let your body be weighed down, let your eyes shut again, let the desire for rest overtake you. "Need'ta… name 'em…" you mutter out.

He hums. "I know. We'll name them when you wake up."

You snort weakly. "Luke 'n' Kieran are gonna be… disappointed…"

Your words trail off into a soft snore. He nudges you carefully so your head falls against his neck, tucking you in safely. His son rests in the crook of one elbow, his daughter along his forearm where it wraps around you. He rubs his cheek against your head, still damp with sweat. Time seems to come to a still, condensed down to stretch seconds into hours, as he appreciates the sleeping faces of his children and the steady breaths of his lover.

And in the stillness, he lets himself cry.

-

"Shh! No, put your hood-!"

Sylus smirks to himself, lingering for a moment longer than necessary outside of the door. He pretends he wasn't listening in, stepping into the doorway with a nonchalant air. You hear him and turn with a hop. "Surprise!"

Kieran holds Ofelia while Luke tries to keep her from pulling her hood off. You hold Arlo, who chews on his fist with intense focus. All five of you are dressed up in dragon onesies of various colors - yours is your favorite color as he expects, Luke and Kieran wear ones with inverted color schemes from each other, Ofelia wears yellow, and Arlo wears green. Floppy wings hang off the back, bouncing with every little movement like a fledgling who hasn't yet learned to fly.

He smiles wide, looking at his little family. "What's the occasion?" he asks, stepping forward to plant a kiss on your forehead and gently pry the hand from his son's mouth. Arlo seems to notice him then with wide eyes. He stoops down to nibble at plush cheeks, his little baby squealing with delight.

You laugh along with him. "You don't know? It's Father's Day!"

"I had no idea," he admits, rising back to his full height. When he turns to look, Ofelia and Luke seem to be having some sort of battle. She keeps pulling her hood off while Luke keeps pulling it on, both of them stubbornly trying to win over the other. She babbles angry complaints, smacking at his hands and squirming in Kieran's arms. He huffs. "You're losing."

"Aughh!" Luke groans, pulling the hood with finality over her eyes and stepping away with a pout, arms crossed and glaring at the toddler. "She's got your attitude, Boss."

He raises a brow. "Excuse me?"

Standing up straight, he quickly corrects himself. "I mean, she's really cute, Boss!"

"Mhm." Still wiggling, struggling now to pull the hood over her head with her uncoordinated hands, Sylus takes her from Kieran, holding her up on his chest and pulling her hood off. She grabs his cheeks with an excited sound. "Better?"

She tilts forward to bump her mouth against his face. He chuckles as he gives her a kiss in return.

He looks back over his family. His chest feels warm and light. A grand appreciation for all the hardships and pain it took to get him here, surrounded by his kids (yes, Luke and Kieran, too) and his love, all dressed up just for his sake.

He reaches out and ruffles the hood over Kieran's head. And knocks the hood fondly off of Luke's. Then he kisses you properly. "Thank you, sweetie."

You grin mischievously against him. "We got you one, too."

He huffs. "Of course you did."

"And you gotta put it on."

A relenting hum. "Of course I do."

-

"Sylus?" you call through the house. You didn't really expect him to wait up for you, but he always did, claiming he couldn't sleep easily without you around. But now it seems like the entire building is empty and quiet. He must be home, so where is he?

You kick off your shoes, drop your keys into a dish, and begin wandering around.

He's not in the living room, but he's left signs of playtime with the babies in his wake from sometime earlier. Not in the kitchen, but he left a plate in the microwave for you, with a note about replacing your ice cream stash after he finished it off last time. Not in your bedroom either, which is odd considering the late hour, night owl that he may be.

You wander down the hall, glance into the nursery, take two steps past the door, and pause. You step back, peering inside again. Sticking out of a crib are two feet. Adult ones, at that.

Biting your cheek to stifle a giggle, you step quietly inside. Sure enough, settled uncomfortably in the bottom of a crib is Sylus. He cradles two babies to his chest, eyes closed and lips parted slightly around slow breaths. You can't resist taking a picture or two. This is definitely your new lock screen.

Photos taken, you step closer and reach down to brush his bangs from his eyes. He hums groggily, breathing in deep and turning his head to squint his eyes up at you. He turns into your touch once he recognizes it's just you. "When'd you get back?" he murmurs in a low rasp.

"Just a bit ago," you tell him. "Was your Alaskan King not big enough for you?"

He grins lopsidedly. "They couldn't sleep."

"Ah. So this was your solution?"

"Hm."

With a big yawn and a long sigh, he slowly realizes how stuck he is. With his legs being as long as they are, he doesn't have any way of actually sitting up so he can get out. Not to mention, with both arms occupied and his broad shoulders, he's very limited in mobility.

You watch awareness cross his face; lifting his head up, he looks around at the netting and shifts experimentally to gauge maneuverability. Only to drop back down and look up at you with a helplessness you've grown familiar with after dealing with two very demanding babies. "Help me?"

-

"We've gotta wait for mommy now," Sylus croons as he pulls into the parking lot. Your plane just landed. And even though he would rather you use his private jet, you'd insisted on going along with the rest of your teammates on a regular commercial airline. That doesn't mean he didn't buy you First Class tickets, of course. (And upgrades for all your colleagues when you got onto him.) You can never avoid him spoiling you.

Arlo leans forward in his baby seat, reaching toward his papa before grabbing his feet. "A-mama," he babbles excitedly.

Sylus smiles. "That's right, baby."

His son reaches again, straining against his seatbelt to try climbing on the middle console. "Ahhh-maaaamaaaaa."

"You wanna come up here?" He watches through the rearview mirror as his Evol unbuckles the eager baby boy and lifts him up safely to the front. He catches him in his arms, reaching down momentarily to move his seat back so his son has room on his lap. He tries standing on Sylus's thighs, turning to look out the big window.

Sylus cranes his neck to peer into the backseat at his daughter. She's furiously trying to figure out how to unbuckle herself. She's seen himself and you do it several times before, but she unfortunately lacks the fine motor skills or reasoning to manage it by herself. He chuckles as his Evol undoes it for her and she makes what can only be considered a cheer for her success.

"You can come up here, too," he reassures her as his Evol picks her up and deposits her on his other leg. She attempts to climb up the steering wheel, bumping the horn.

"Wahh!" they both startle, falling back into his chest. Defensively, Ofelia lifts a little sneaker and kicks at the wheel, hitting the horn again.

He's laughing as he grabs her legs, tucking her into the crook of his elbow to tame her outburst. "It's alright, babies. Nothing's going to hurt you so long as I'm here."

Their attentions all turn outside of the windshield again, twins' fear forgotten as they both begin scrambling to reach the figure half-jogging toward the car. "A-mama!" Arlo cries, while Ofelia shouts, "A-wa-ma!"

Of course, with two eager babies climbing  over the steering wheel, it's no surprise when three honks sound out in quick succession. Two babies make startled cries, but are too excited to see you again to even think of backing away.

You laugh with Sylus through the windshield, rushing to reach your family before even more people turn confused to see what the hell this parked car is honking so furiously at.

-

Sylus glances to the side just in time to watch Ofelia slap a soaked sponge against the car door. Soap suds splatter her shirt, drip to the floor, and even catch him on the nose. Her little brow is scrunched up in focus as she scoots it up and down, up and down, determined to help.

"You got it, sweetheart?"

"Ya-huh!" she chirps. She gets up on her tiptoes, tongue poking out, to reach as high up along the car as she can.

From his position crouched by the car, he pivots on his shoes to find his son. He thinks perhaps he'll be along the back, or even on the opposite side. But the clink of plastic behind him tells another story.

Lo and behold, when he turns, he finds an array of Arlo's car toys all ready and waiting for baths. The sponge is big and unruly in his hands, smacking the toys around the cement floor as he tries to clean them with the same vigor as his sister. He lands on his knees trying to reach for the next one, positioning it in front of him and giving it the same treatment.

"Do your toys need to be washed, too, baby?" he calls to the boy.

Arlo nods. "Yeah! Dey dirty! Yuck-yuck!"

Sylus chuckles softly. He stands to clean the top of the car and the windows where his babies can't reach, his own shirt getting soaked and sweaty from the work. At some point, Arlo decides he's finished cleaning his toys and tugs on Sy's pants until Sylus picks him up so he can re-clean the windows. And Ofelia decides she needs to do more to help, climbing up the bumper to sit atop suds as she scrubs away at the windshield and hood of the car, while his Evol ensures she doesn't slip and fall.

When all is said and done, he could have finished cleaning it much faster by himself, and been more thorough. But when he looks at the shine and sheen, driving back to base from the carwash with two toddlers fast asleep in the back, he hopes he'll have their help cleaning his cars for several more years to come. 

---

Tag List:

@the-golden-jhope @armycaratlover @sylusfluffymeow @cheesemachine44 @nyx2021 @angel-jupiter @thelittlebutton @pikachuzhc @pomegranatepip @cordidy @an-ever-angry-bi @thejysemongko @deusfoundry @always-just-red @22carolina08 @lunaizhere @beautifulthingsiadore @lalaluch @nothankyew @terriblesoup @jeleryyy @nezuswritingdesk @anaathxma @ssushi @monophobix @nerrivm @schnittled @animegamerfox @flamedancer13 @moonlight-inthe-sea @sleepykittycx @perla-drg @slovesyouuu @atinymekanie @astheskycries @nm4565natty @thegreawizards @zeldaisapuppy @ocharavitys @gaychaosgremlin @aenishas @lazypostfandomer @jtoddstherapist @kaceypdf @reiispam @leiakitty @lemonn015 @zaynessdarling @kingraspberry12-blog @krackalaka

[naga-noia]

THERES MORE TO WHITEWASHING THAN JUST SKIN COLOR THERES MORE TO WHITEWASHING THAN JUST SKIN COLOR THERES MORE TO WHITEWASHING THAN JUST SKIN COLOR THERES MORE TO WHITEWASHING THAN JUST SKIN COLORRRRRRRRRR

[galaxyedgeviolet]

[writingdose]

I am once again begging people to realize that AI checker doesn’t work. it’s never worked. it’s notoriously known to have flagged human-made works as AI and AI-generated works as human-made. and by feeding it people’s works, you are feeding more works to AI, because apparently the machine itself is AI.

the only thing AI checker does is harm genuine artists and people in general too.

[just-a-queer-person]

[kelseyfun]

Reblog if you say "Y'all"

[myrandomstuffpage]

[seymour-butz-stuff]

This is why you see so many many many "we can't vote our way out of this" posts online. They know that sentiment will depress turnout. Turnout that will get the people paying them kicked out of power.

Vote

[melaschasma]

Hungarian voters were smart on an individual level, throwing their support behind Magyar over how they might have traditionally voted, but there was an institutional element to it as well: it took most of the other parties dropping out of contention in order to clear the decks and avoid vote-splitting, which was a brave and principled thing for them to do.

[afurioushawk]

To put this in American terms: They teamed up to elect Mitt Romney to defeat Donald Trump, something our left would never do.

[baybelletrist]

Americans Are Cutting Down Flock Cameras. The Company Calls Them Terrorists.

This month people have been tearing Flock cameras off their poles.

This month people have been tearing Flock cameras off their poles. Perched above public streets, they are birdlike things, weatherproof, and they photograph every passing car and file it in a searchable national database. Somebody cut two of them in half at Washington Avenue and Westcott in Houston, spray-painted the wreckage, and left an American flag on one of them. Police were notified on the morning of the Fourth of July. Somebody severed a camera in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. The police department posted the photograph itself and collected more than twenty thousand comments. “Not all heroes wear capes.” “Give them a medal.” Here is what the cameras do when nobody cuts them down. Cops use them to hunt immigrants and to follow ICE targets across state lines and to find women who ended pregnancies in states where that is a crime and to watch exes and to watch women they want, without a warrant and without a judge. A cop types a reason in a box and the box does not check. A man in Burleson, Texas, told deputies his girlfriend had taken abortion pills. He showed them the photographs, the FedEx envelope, the instructions. Deputies opened a death investigation into a non-viable fetus, and the district attorney told them the state could not charge her, and they searched anyway: 83,345 cameras across 6,809 networks, a month of everywhere she had been. The reason they typed was had an abortion, search for female. The search reached Illinois and Washington, where what she did was legal. They found her in Dallas. She came into the sheriff’s office a week later, and they thought she had come to explain the fetus, and she had come to report that the man who called them had put a gun to her head. A sheriff in Jerome County, Idaho ran his wife’s plate more than seven hundred times in three months. He typed the same reason every time. Test. The attorney general found nothing to charge him with. He retired in April. The Institute for Justice counts at least twenty-two officers who used the system to track people they were romantically interested in, and calls that almost certainly an undercount. And the cameras keep falling.

Become ungovernable.

[brood-me-daddy]

Looks like the ACLU has a guide on how to take action in your community. They've already done a lot of ground work.

Get The Flock Out

Automatic license plate reader (ALPR) companies like Flock Safety are quietly trying to build a nationwide mass surveillance system. If ther

[mikkeneko]

Direct link to the toolkit:

Get The Flock Out Toolkit

[the-sweaty-toothed-mad-woman]

today’s the only day you can reblog this

“There Will Come Soft Rains”, Ray Bradbury

[sweetschizo-deactivated20190808]

Hey if you’re schizophrenic/psychotic I just want you to know that you’re a wonderful person and that you deserve so much better than the demonization, marginalization and stigmatization you face in this society.

[sweetschizo-deactivated20190808]

Please consider reblogging this/other positivity posts for schizophrenic/psychotic people every once in a while. If you have more than 100 followers, odds are that a couple of them experiences psychosis and that they rarely see positivity posts for people with their symptoms.

[frozensummerapples]

everyone has to understand now that this isn't JUST about valko anymore, right?

we are actively seeing the consequences of catering to toxic fans: mc's face censored, numbers censored, TEXT censored. everything censored that could potentially trigger antis into making another move.

we are actively seeing that infold is not responding (whether they're listening is a whole other thing that I cannot in good conscience comment on, because they are seeing us, the problem is their lack of response, not lack of reading comprehension and critical thinking).

so to every person that cheered for valko's cancellation: are you happy with THIS? I'm not even asking about valko.

are you happy with lads having to sloppily censor every text, every numbers that could've held hidden meaning for us to dissect?

are you happy with infold not responding to criticism in the slightest? if they can ignore an outrage at THIS scale, do you REALLY think they'll ever address kod or lighting issues or missing content or lack of a roadmap or main story being so slow or the reduction in animation in main story or what have you?

think for a second, do you really feel comfortable enough to spend hundreds of dollars supporting a company that handles backlash like THIS?

if this isn't a wake up call to everyone who celebrated valko's cancellation before, I really don't know what is.

they've shown they will throw caleb mains under the bus to protect their poster child raf.

they've shown they don't care for zayne mains either.

they've shown they don't care about sylus missing content.

they've shown they don't care about xavier mains complaining about kod's false advertisement.

they've shown they to an extent don't care about raf mains either, lying about revealing raf's 4th myth in july. we had to find that out ourselves because someone asked CUSTOMER SERVICE about it.

they've shown they don't care about global enough to give us even a CRUMB of communication. most things we had to learn from cn girlies telling us, NOT infold.

WAKE UP.

THIS ISN'T EVEN ABOUT VALKO ANYMORE. THE GAME WE ALL LOVED IS SLOWLY DYING AND INSTEAD OF BEING DEVASTATED YOU CHOOSE TO DANCE ON ITS GRAVE?

don't log in and don't spend.

thank you.