Soap - Distrust
Inspired by this ask!
Johnny would honestly admit he skipped over the ‘about me’ section of dating profiles, more interested in the photos. Yours however had an eye-catching first line – CHILD FREE, NOT LOOKING TO DATE ANYONE WITH KIDS.
That was fine with him. He had no plan to settle down because he didn’t think it fair to leave a family for weeks or months at a time. He also wouldn’t want to date someone with bairns and grow attached just to have the relationship end.
…He swiped right.
At the first date you were upfront about not just being child free, you were infertile. When he didn’t immediately end the date or start lecturing, you figured to throw the next dating hurdle at him. You were a dedicated pet-parent to a 14-year-old longhair tabby named Evangelina or Evie. Johnny admitted he was excited to meet her, he was a huge animal lover but, with his work and traveling so much he hadn’t had a pet of his own in years.
You warned him that Evie might not approach him right away. The last man you’d brought home had kicked her when her claws got stuck on his trousers. Johnny was livid at the thought of someone kicking a defenseless animal. You soon had him snorting Ale from his nose as you described twisting the fiend’s arm behind his back and marching him out of your home. Making sure to give the man a harsh shove off your stoop.
The first time he visited your home he found himself sitting across from a cat that was honest to God glaring at him. In each photo you had shown him Evie had looked at you with pure adoration. The look she was giving him, however, was a mix of annoyance and disgust. “Keep the heid wee beastie, Ah'm no here fur a square-go.” Johnny tried to make nice, offering his hand for Evie to smell only for her to puff out her tail. She was NOT happy with your guest.
As time passed and he kept coming around the wee beastie resigned herself to growling at him from under furniture and around corners. Climbing up her tower to hiss at him should he get too close or speak too loudly in her presence. She even refused to take Dreamies from him!
The first time he showered at yours Evie had nipped at his feet from under the vanity. You apologized profusely while applying ointment. Johnny laughed your concern away, saying it was a decent ambush and he’d need to secure the bathroom better next time.
Things didn’t improve with the wee besom until 8 months into your relationship.
He wasn’t worried when you didn’t reply to his “back at base” text after a few hours. It was normal not to be in contact for days or weeks at a time so he didn’t take it personal when you didn’t immediately reply. By the second day without even a thumbs up he was beginning to worry. Rushing over to your home and letting himself in with the key you had only recently given him, found you tucked up in bed. You wheezed a bit as you slept on oblivious to his panicked arrival. Your beastie lay curled against your chest, puffed up and staring him down as if daring him to wake you.
Satisfied you were alive; Johnny began clearing the tissues that hadn’t made it into the wastebasket and left you to sleep. He decided to make himself useful, emptying the bin, starting a load of laundry and rummaging through your cupboards to make a grocery list. Eventually he returned to your room with a fresh bottle of water for the next time you woke up. Beside it he set down a bowl of water and some kibble, having noticed the nearly empty bowls in your kitchen. Your beloved fur-baby had clearly refused to leave your side.
He would later swear that Evie had looked at him with surprise instead of her usual disgust. Telling everyone that would listen, “That was the day the wee beastie realized I wasnae the baddie.”
Sitting on your desk was now a photo of you and Johnny holding Evie. Your girl had purred so loudly as Johnny had wrapped his arms around to give her chin a scratch. It was a proper family photo and the one Johnny also kept a copy of.
Notes-
it’s been a while since I spoke with a Scottish person so I didn’t attempt the accent but I did include phrasing I’m familiar with.
I have a set of pictures of my elderly cat looking at me, eyes wide and happy, the next pic she notices her new sister (the baby) and she is clearly angry LOL
Besom is an insult towards a female, meaning like nasty, awful or unpleasant woman.
