Vehement rain plummeted down from unimaginable heights, audaciously slamming against the parched ground splitting open to welcome it. It was late autumn, so much Joonmyeon clearly remembered. Perhaps late autumn, but the date slipped long out of his mind. That day was seemingly dreary and decadent looking, windows deluged in water droplets forbid one to see past the glass the vast horizon showered in lights reflecting in the rain that fell from the heavens above with such bestial strength.
Jongdae was never late. Six thirty in the evening and the entrance door would creak open with him rushing in, always apologizing for being late, for ‘traffic’s a ’ how he’d say. Six thirty sharp, not once has it been different. Yet this time around, Joonmyeon concluded, due to rain their dinner will have to be pushed to a later time, much to his displeasure, for stew is the best when eaten right off the fire and he could already see the steam dwindling in air promising the dish was getting colder and colder.

Just as he was about to fish his phone out of the pocket, the door to their apartment gave a meek creek, completely drenched Jongdae rushing in just mere moments after. Face gaunt and pale from cold, he looked utterly devoid of life with his obsidian tresses wet and sticky from the rain, let alone his clothes that looked like they were worn by the lowest of beggars.
-“Quickly, bring me a blanket!” Joonmyeon heard him wail pitifully near the door, wordlessly rushing to the bedroom and retrieving a warm, earth colored blanket that promised to make the other warmer, at least a bit until he manages to take off his wet clothes.

But much both to his shock and dismay, what Jongdae did left him utterly devoid of ability to speak as he quickly pulled the zipper of his jacket down, revealing a completely shocked and mewing kitten, ragged and black like deepest of onyxes trashing around in Jongdae’s grasp, claws out in the daylight and threatening to rip anyone to thin shreds. Jongdae quickly pulled the blanket around the mad animal, cradling it in his arms until it calmed down enough for him to put the bundle that was the blanket and the kitten on the couch, running to the bathroom to slip his wet clothes off of himself. Emerging back with a towel wrapped around his nether parts, hanging low on his narrow hips, he gave Joonmyeon a swift sign with his hand to wait as he went to their bedroom to put some decent clothes on, returning to the living room in long sleeved maroon shirt and baggy track pants of the same hue, albeit seemingly different size.

-“Okay, now you can say whatever you want.”
-“Absolutely not.” Spat Joonmyeon, left forefinger accusingly pointing at the rolling bundle on the couch that tried to sneak its way out of that confinement that albeit soft and warm, was restricting.
-“I know this was an impulsive decision, but Joonmyeon please, I’d really like to keep it.” Jongdae pleaded, setting himself on the edge of the couch and helping little one out of that brown cage, waiting for a moment before he decided to pet the little unkempt head whilst wild dark eyes stared up at him meekly, questioning the act before it willingly pushed itself against his palm, seeing no harm in what Jongdae did.
-“Jongdae, no. We had this conversation many times already, haven’t you learned by now? We cannot keep a cat. Who will feed it? Take care of it? You? You are so forgetful that I have to remind you of your mother’s birthday, do not tell me you are reasonable enough to take care of it.”
Joonmyeon let out a sigh as a tired hand ran a path through his hair, messing the dark locks once in a perfect order.
-“He was digging the trash.” Jongdae spoke, hand caressing the sinewy body of the little one that clumsily jumped around, finding it inexplicably amusing how swiftly the shadows moved around, trying desperately to grab them.
-“Oh, don’t play that card, that’s so low.” Joonmyeon frowned, eyebrows knotted as he stared down at his lover trying to caress little one’s tummy, albeit with no real success.
-“Here, outside the building, it was digging up the trash in the rain. That’s why it took me some time to get up the stairs; I was trying to catch it. It kept running away from me, so I kept on and on waiting until I could catch it. Look, “ He swiftly raised his hand, the kitten staring at him with apprehensive eyes before leaping off the couch and into a faraway corner of the apartment where it continued to lay hidden. “He’s afraid of humans. He even has a slight wound on his hind leg.”

Joonmyeon stared down at Jongdae’s thin form looking up at him with pleading eyes, sighing heavily as his hand waved the matter off in a very anemic movement as he was too tired and by far too hungry to discuss the matter right away.
-“Kitten may stay the night, but after that it’s either you or it that will stay here, your choice.”

Grinning sheepishly at him, Jongdae let out an excited giggle as he ran after the scared kitten that did its best to destroy everything it could on its path around the apartment, trying desperately not to be caught by the human.
I sympathize with you, spoke Joonmyeon’s eyes as he watched the wide eyed kitten ran past him by.

And albeit that was the deal, Jongdae knew a myriad of tricks how to make Joonmyeon accept the cat.

-“You’re joking.”
-“No, you know I can do it without any regrets.”
-“No way, you wouldn’t last for a week, let alone forever.”
-“Want to see how long I can? I’m more worried about you, Joonmyeon.” The addressed man gulped loudly beneath the covers, shifting uncomfortably.
-“You’re playing an incredibly dirty trick. Depriving me of … You’re really…evil.” Joonmyeon spat the last word out with so much venom it made Jongdae chuckle pleasantly in return.
-“Either kitten stays or no .”

A long moment of silence followed before a sigh of resignation ensued.
-“How will you name it?” Joonmyeon asked, voice edging on being drenched in poisonous hate as Jongdae’s bare, sweaty body pressed closer to his beneath the blanket, feeling him shift into a more comfortable position on the couch after he offered to hold his cup of tea whilst he moves around.
-“I’ve been thinking…” The latter sighed, head pressing softly against Joonmyeon’s heaving chest, pictorial fingers lazily tracing circles over the alabaster skin as the older s his free hand around Jongdae’s narrow shoulders, pulling him closer. “Do you remember when we first moved in and you decided to decorate the apartment?”
Joonmyeon hummed in acknowledgment, taking a sip of his warm coffee.
-“We invited all the guys over: Minseok, Lu Han, Kris, Zitao, Jongin, Kyungsoo - who was so kind to cook for twelve-, Baekhyun, etc…Well, I doubt you remember it, but Zitao had been staring at the pillows for hours, frowning and muttering incoherent rubbish about how flowery everything is.”
Joonmyeon let out a strangled cough, eyes widening in shock as Jongdae continued the story, his hand sneaking beneath the blanket for the forefinger to point at their kitten now comfortably resting on the armrest of the couch, glassy eyes glaring menacingly at the flower design of the pillows near it.
-“It’s the same glare. Same, bloody glare. They are the spitting image of each other, so I thought about Tao. Suits it quite fine no matter the gender…” The words trailed off as he beckoned the kitten to come closer, wishing for his fingers to get lost in the soft mass of its obsidian fur.
-“He was really doing that, that bastard—“
-“Love,” Intercepted him Jongdae, “What is, is, but your obsession with flowers must stop.” He sighed, apologetic eyes staring up at the older one as he mimicked with his head towards the rest of the apartment donned in flower patterns – from vases, small table cloths, pictures, and even some silverware.

-“Fine.” Joonmyeon spat, drowning himself in his coffee, ”Tao it is.”