That Time John Murphy Won 9 Kittens In A Game Of Vampire Poker
“Nine kittens? How did you end up winning nine kittens.” Spike asked. A little orange furball was pawing at his pants leg.
“Fuck if I know. Luck of the draw, I guess,” Murphy said with a shrug and leaned down to scoop up the tiny creature. “This one’s Clarke. She’s rather playful sometimes.”
There were two kittens curled up and sleeping next to each other on the couch, one white and one gray. “Monty and Jasper,” he explained, picking up an older looking calico cat. “And this is Bellamy.”
Spike stood dumbfounded as Murphy did a roll call with all his new pets. “There’s also Finn, Raven, Wells, Maya, and… the runt of the litter, I named him Spike after you.” Murphy grinned. Bellamy and Clarke wrestled to get out of his arms and he let them go, watching as they landed back on the floor, perfectly balanced on their feet.
“That’s offensive,” Spike told Murphy, sucking in his cheeks to look more menacing, but the human boy kept smiling. The vampire whacked him upside the head, not too hard, but hard enough. “I can still beat you up, you know.”
Murphy winced, but shook it off. “Yeah, I know. My ears are still ringing from the last time.”
The tiniest Russian blue padded over to the vampire. “Spike meet Spike,” he said as the bleach blonde man squatted to play with his namesake. The kitten fit in the palm of his hand and he held it up to his face to get a closer look. Kitty Spike put his paw on the man’s cheek and feeling affectionate, licked his nose. The vampire couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. The little guy was just too cute.
****ONE MONTH LATER****
“No, Spike! I’m not going to drink from any of the kittens. They’re helpless and… they’re mine!” Murphy said. It had been 2 weeks to the day since he had been turned. It wasn’t the easiest transition to make, but things could be worse. “They’re my pets, the family I don’t have anymore.”
Spike frowned. “Look, you’re not going to be able to keep all of them, but maybe you can have one, a familiar of a sort.”
Murphy made a face. How was he supposed to choose? Well, definitely not Finn. Stupid thing bit him. That narrowed it down to eight, and Bellamy was getting old, so maybe he’d like a nicer home than Murphy could offer, and plus Clarke seemed really attached to him. So, maybe not her either. Monty and Jasper… he couldn’t separate them. That left Wells, Maya, Spike…and Raven.
The all black cat with the shiny yellow eyes was looking up at him. She pressed against his leg and purred. The poor girl had broken her front left paw. It had healed, but she was left with a little limp that broke Murphy’s heart whenever she came over to greet him.
He picked Raven up and held her against his chest; the kitten burrowed her face into his neck. “Okay. I’ll keep Raven, but the rest of them have to go to good homes. Don’t you dare use them in another poker game, Spike.” He fought off the desire to vamp out. Spike had given him the crash course in controlling his urges and he had to practice. He didn’t want to scare Raven either.
“Yeah, okay. I’ll make sure they find good homes,” Spike agreed. He could see the effort Murphy was making to stay calm, and he was secretly proud.
“And... Monty and Jasper have to stay together, and Clarke and Bellamy,” he added.
“Sure, Mate,” Spike said, looking around the room and trying to figure out how he was going to get all eight kittens together and back to his crypt, so he could fulfill his promise.
“Thanks,” Murphy said softly, putting Raven down, so she wouldn’t have to jump and risk hurting her paw again.
((SPIKE SECRETLY KEEPS SPIKE. BUT IT’S A SECRET, SO SHHHH))
****3 MONTHS LATER****
“I thought I was the only girl in your life, Murph,” Faith teased.
Murphy wrinkled his nose, holding back a laugh. Raven was curled up in his lap and he’d been petting her soft fur. “Well, I didn’t see you for two years, and you know a guy can get lonely,” he explained, in a matter of fact tone that was clearly sarcasm.
“Right. Sure, that’s it. You were lonely.”
“I was, but i’m not anymore. I’ve got my two best girls,” he said.
“But I just don’t know that I want to share you,” Faith told him.
He held Raven out towards his girlfriend. “But she needs me. You cannot say no to this face.” Murphy grinned widely, putting the cat back on his lap, “Or this face.”
She couldn’t help the smile on her face. Rolling her eyes, she replied, “I guess not, but man, you are the sorriest excuse for a bloodsucker that I’ve ever met and I know Spike.”
“But that’s exactly why you love me. I mean, I’d be dead otherwise, like dead dead, cause you would’ve killed me.”
Faith covered her face with her hands. “Yeah, I would’ve killed you.”
“Perks of dating a slayer…actual death, good to know."
“Perks of dating a vampire… well, there are none, unless he’s a total wuss.”
Murphy gave her a smile, softer than before. He took her hand. “I’m really glad you didn’t kill me,” he admitted.
“Yeah. Me too,” she agreed, smiling back at him. He leaned in to kiss her, pushing her hair back behind her ear as their lips met.
When she pulled back, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, she looked down at the cat sleeping soundly in her boyfriend’s lap.
“She is pretty cute, I guess. We can keep her.”
