Summary: Cayde does a lot of things that surprise Zavala. Sometimes it's a good thing.
Tags: Domestic fluff, pets
AO3
Everything was, for once, peaceful.
It was gently raining over the City. The Traveler shielded a bit of it, but where the Guardians resided in various apartment-style barracks within the walls, the fat droplets pattered against the windows. It was a soothing sound.
Zavala sat near the window late that evening, comfortably dressed, his Mark the only armor he wore. His fireteam was out for the evening. Ikora was helping a few of her Warlocks research something, and had been spending a few nights in the Archives with them. A big deal. Cayde was… somewhere, probably. Likely getting a drink, or watching a late-night Crucible match and betting with other Guardians, or catching up with his Hunters.
In fairness, Ikora might have been spending more time out of the Vanguard’s barracks to give Cayde and Zavala more privacy. Though their barracks were a bit larger than most fireteams’ and each had their own private room for sleeping and storing some of their possessions outside of the vault, the two of them shared quite a bit since their battle-stress-fueled confessions. It really hadn’t changed a lot about their relationship, besides being more physical. More… lingering, almost. Looks, touches, words.
Ikora teased them both about it, but was clearly glad they had finally talked about it. Zavala guessed that her absence from the barracks wasn’t out of her own interest, but letting them settle a bit better together. He would talk to her later about it to make sure.
But for now, although Zavala did very much enjoy his fireteam’s company, it was also nice to have an evening to himself.
He flipped to the next page of the book he was reading, one Cayde had recommended. For pleasure, not information. An old Golden Age novel, and quite entertaining, despite its age. His Ghost was just as interested in it as he was, reading over his shoulder while offering light in the dusky room.
Halfway through the page his Ghost blinked. “Cayde is returning.”
Zavala nodded. “So much for our peace and quiet.”
He felt his Ghost’s amusement at that, but both turned their attention back to the book. Zavala hoped Cayde would take the evening easy. It was a lazy day, so unusual for them, and Zavala relished the chance to actually relax a little. There weren’t many strikes for the entire day, reports of enemy activity nearby were reassuring, and even on other planets most Guardians seemed to be handling things with ease.
Perhaps tomorrow would return to the hectic worry that was constant in Zavala’s mind, but for now, he was determined to just enjoy himself a little.
The door beeped softly as Sundance unlocked it, and it hissed open to allow the Hunter entry.
“--need to stop squirming so much--oh! Hey, Zavala, you’re still up!”
Zavala glanced up at him and frowned. “Cayde?”
“The one and only.”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Uhh.” Cayde had his cloak bundled to his chest. “I picked up some stuff while I was out. You can go back to your book, I’ll take care of it.”
Zavala narrowed his eyes as Cayde rushed to… the bathroom?
He shared a confused and suspicious look with his Ghost. “He’s hiding something,” his Ghost said.
“I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now,” Zavala replied with a sigh. “We’ll deal with it when we finish this chapter.”
“That’s a good idea. I think Sasha is going to tell Aaliyah she loves her.”
“I thought it might be the other way around.”
“Well, come on, I’m dying to find out!”
Zavala smiled and turned to the next page.
A crash and a curse shattered the quiet.
Zavala was on his feet with a rifle in hand before he realized it. “Cayde?”
“I'm fine! It's all good! Ow, sh-- I just knocked something over. I got it.”
Zavala set the book down and followed the sound anyway. “Are you sure?”
“Yep, all fine, I have the situation under control.” Cayde’s words were a little rushed, his voice just a bit higher.
“It doesn’t sound like it.” Zavala’s rifle vanished as he approached the door to the bathroom. “Why are you even in there?”
“I’m shaving.”
“Cayde, you’re an exo.”
“Don’t be insensitive!”
Zavala rolled his eyes. “Do you need help with whatever you’re doing?”
“Very tempting. I’m always down for that.” He put an emphasis on the last word that made Zavala just a bit more warm than usual. “Except for right now, because I am--”
Something let out a shrill squeak.
“I am totally fine and uh, don’t you have strikes to lead, or, I dunno--”
There was another, more insistent squeaking sound.
“Titans to look all cool and imposing with? Giant shoulder pauldrons to shine? Ow!”
“Cayde, I’m going to open the door.”
“Nope, if you not do that, that would also be great.”
Zavala opened the door.
Cayde cursed again and shifted, turning his back to the doorway. He was hunched over the sink as another offended squeak broke out. The only thing that had fallen was a decorative, but luckily unbroken, floral display Ikora had set on a shelf. Zavala wasn’t sure why she wanted to decorate the bathroom, but it wasn’t worth a disagreement.
“What do you have?”
“Nothin’.”
“Cayde. I won’t be mad, whatever it is, you know.”
“I…” Cayde huffed. “If you are, I’m gonna be real upset about it.”
“I won’t be,” he repeated. Zavala took a step closer.
Cayde stood up straighter and angled himself around the sink so Zavala could peer around him.
In his hands, Cayde was holding the smallest ball of soaking fur Zavala had ever seen. It was wrapped in a towel far too large for it, and it looked positively offended by the situation.
“Is that… a cat?”
“I was already on the way home when I saw it. All by itself, in the rain. I couldn’t just leave it.” Cayde gently rubbed the kitten with the towel, earning another squeak. “It was so cold. It would’ve died out there. I think it’s old enough that it didn’t need its mother, but… it’s so small.”
Zavala softened at the concern in Cayde’s voice and the tender way he handled the kitten. “Did you think I’d make you throw it back out into the rain?”
“No. I dunno,” Cayde mumbled. “I just got so worried about the little guy.”
He raised a hand to touch Cayde’s shoulder. “I’ll get something for it to eat while you dry it off.”
Cayde turned his face to him, the glow of his jaw a bright grin of orange. “I love you.”
Zavala smiled and leaned down to press a light kiss to Cayde’s head. “He’s biting your hand, dear.”
“Yep, he sure is, and his cute little kitten teeth are really sharp.”
“Don’t let him beat you,” Zavala teased. “Wouldn’t that be embarrassing, having to revive you after being slaughtered by something that fits in your palm?”
“Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Cayde!”
Cayde cackled at his tone. “I mean a grenade.”
“You did not.”
“You are absolutely right.”
“There are innocent ears, don’t expose him to that sort of behavior yet.”
“I don’t think he can understand English, babe. And anyway. I was wrong. I did not give you the credit you deserve for your--”
“I’m getting something for the cat to eat before you can finish that sentence.”
“Aw, you’re no fun!”
Zavala paused in the door. “You didn’t say that last night, Cayde.”
Cayde whirled with his eyes wide, his lights glowing bright. “Oh, commander, how crass!”
“You’re a terrible influence on me.”
“Ow, stop biting me! You’re lucky you’re so cute, you little furball.”
Zavala chuckled and left him to it.
He rummaged through the kitchen for a few minutes, listening to Cayde talking to the kitten. It was mostly scolding it for its biting and complaining, but interspersed with affectionate cooes and assuring it that it was safe. Zavala filled a small bowl with leftover chicken after shredding it into pieces small enough the kitten could eat.
He heard footsteps, and turned to see Cayde carrying the now mostly dry kitten wrapped in the towel into the kitchen. “Look, little guy, Zavala’s got some yums for you,” he cooed to it.
“Yums?” Zavala repeated.
“Yes. They’re yums. It’s baby talk and I don’t care.” He lifted the kitten beside his face. “Look how cute. You can’t not baby talk to this teeny little face!”
“You are adorable. And I think it’s hungry.”
“Here, put it on the floor, let’s see if he eats.” Cayde crouched down. “Shh, shh, it’s okay, little guy, I got you. Ow. Good thing I’m made of metal.”
Zavala knelt as well and set the dish on the floor. Cayde carefully helped the kitten in front of it. It was very fluffy and very orange. It took a little wobbling step and let out another squeaking meow before shoving its tiny face into the bowl.
“Aw,” Cayde said.
“It’s so small.”
“For now. I’m thinkin’ it’s gonna get pretty big. See his paws? They look too big for him. That’s how it always goes, if they have big paws, they turn into big cats.”
“What are we going to do with it?”
Cayde shrugged, the silver plate on his forehead drawing down as though furrowing his brow. “I didn’t think that far ahead.”
“You never do.”
“Hey!”
Zavala held up a hand. “That’s my job.”
Cayde huffed, indignant.
They watched the kitten eat, both suppressing laughter at the little noises it made as it tried to climb into the bowl. Zavala nudged bits of the chicken closer to it.
Once the kitten had licked the bowl clean, it blinked up at the two of them and meowed again. Cayde chuckled and reached down to scratch it gently under the chin. It rubbed its face on his finger for a moment before taking a few steps away.
“It’s gonna start exploring now, I bet,” Cayde said.
“Keep an eye on it. I don’t think there’s anything dangerous, but be careful.”
Cayde nodded as it wobbled its way to the cabinets and sniffed at the doors. Slowly, the kitten wandered through the room as the two men sat on the floor watching it. It would occasionally look at them and meow, to which Cayde would always respond with something like, “What’s up, little guy?” or “Find something fun? Probably not.”
Eventually it wandered back over to them and flopped on the floor between them. Cayde, in delight, reached down to pet it. The kitten rolled over and grabbed his finger, biting him with its tiny little teeth.
“Ow! Ow, hey, easy!” Cayde withdrew his hand and tried again. This time, the kitten was much more gentle with its bite. “That’s better. Vicious little thing, aren’t you?”
The kitten kicked at his hand and jumped to its paws. Its eyes were wide and dark as it turned toward Zavala. It crept forward on its clumsy legs before making an attempt to pounce on his mark.
Cayde laughed. “Oh, that’s precious.”
Zavala shook his head and tugged his mark, making the kitten chase after it. “That isn’t a very good toy, little one,” he said.
“Look at him go. Oh, wait, nope, he’s gonna take a nap now, huh? Worn out already?” Cayde pushed himself forward onto all fours and reached forward to scoop up the kitten. It squeaked in protest. “You’re okay, I’ve got you.”
It burrowed into the warmth of Cayde’s chest, seeking the solar heat from the Gunslinger. Zavala felt a smile. “I can hear it purring from here.”
“Zavala. I’m absolutely in love.”
“Looks like it’s content to nap on you. Maybe you shouldn’t sit in the middle of the floor. Come on.” Zavala got to his feet.
Cayde held the kitten close with one arm and accepted Zavala’s help to stand, careful not to jostle it. The two went back to the common room and settled together on the couch. The kitten didn’t stop purring the entire time. It curled up in Cayde’s lap just as he did on Zavala’s.
They watched it silently for a few minutes, Cayde gently running a finger over its fur. Finally, Cayde spoke, his voice quiet. “What are we gonna do with him now?”
“Let him sleep.”
“Okay, yeah. I mean later.”
Zavala reached around him to pet the kitten too. “It’s very cute.”
“You wanna keep it, don’t you?”
“It wouldn’t be the first cat to wander the Tower.”
“Official mascot.” Cayde chuckled. His free hand sought Zavala’s. “Are we parents now?”
Zavala snorted at that. Even his Ghost was amused. “If that makes you happy, sure.”
Cayde hummed softly. “You know, we’re gonna have to get stuff for him. Toys, food. Ugh, we gotta get him neutered. Or spayed. I don’t know if it’s a girl or a boy.”
“That’s fine. I’m sure we can spare some Glimmer for cat toys.”
“And we have to name it.”
“Hm, that we do.”
“What if we name him after Shaxx ‘cause he yells a lot?”
Zavala chuckled. “I don’t think he would be terribly pleased.”
“Which would be even funnier.”
“Maybe we should wait until we know what it is before deciding a name.”
“Maybe.” Cayde paused. “He’s orange and fluffy, like Shaxx.”
“Cayde.”
Cayde snickered. “Alright, alright. Food and toys and stuff first. Make sure the poor thing can like, actually survive.”
“You helped it a lot,” Zavala said softly. He squeezed Cayde’s hand.
“Yeah, that’s me. Always helping the little guy.”
“Hero.”
Cayde felt a little warmer as his lights brightened. “Means a lot, coming from you.”
“It’s true. And you’re my personal hero. Unconventional as your tactics may be sometimes.”
“You dork. I love you.”
******
Cayde wasn’t sure what time it was. He had sort of drifted off, not quite asleep, but the door hissing open roused him.
The blue lights of his eyes cast a very subtle glow on the room, just barely illuminating the figure who had entered. Her Warlock bond glimmered violet in the shadows, and Cayde’s eyes reflected off her simple silver jewelry.
“Cayde?” Ikora whispered.
“Shh,” he hissed. Zavala was still asleep, curled around him, his breathing deep and even. “They’re sleeping.”
“They?” Ikora stepped closer. Cayde looked down at the kitten in his lap. Orange joined the blue in a sheepish grin. “You found a friend.”
“Yeah.”
She shook her head. “I’ll see about getting a few toys for it tomorrow, if the rain lets up.”
