Cookie
CookieMinho parked his car in front of his building late at night, and Kibum was most likely waiting for him to come home.
He didn’t enjoy holidays in his home country, let alone his hometown. As much as he loved Korea, he couldn’t stand the heavy atmosphere in the country full of envy and jealousy towards those who managed to build a better life. Kibum and him had left for Japan a few years ago, and if it wasn’t for their respective parents and family, they wouldn’t even think of coming back there.
A piercing mewing woke Minho up from his reverie, making him turn his head to the passenger seat at his right. A cute little black new-born kitty with white covering his small paws and the bottom of his small face was laying there in a pile of towels to keep it warm.
He still wasn’t sure why earlier he had agreed on his little cousin’s pleas to help it when he came with it in his hands. He didn’t see any point in scolding the little since it was too late - the little buddy already discovered and taken away; not mentioning how hard Minho found it to reject the request with those big tears falling from the kid’s eyes.
Minho let a small sigh escape from his lips before stretching out his arms toward the small fluffy ball. He had informed Kibum about the new arrival beforehand so he could prepare the kitten a place for the night.
“Come on, buddy, let’s go home” Minho lifted it with the pile of towels and covered it so it wouldn’t get cold. “Hush, hush little one, I’ve got you” he cooed in attempt to stop the baby kitten’s mewing. Minho got out of the car and with the kitten in one hand and an infant formula box in the other he went into the building.
When he arrived at their floor, Kibum was already waiting at the front door with a worried gaze, shifting from one foot to the other. He didn’t event let Minho open his mouth to talk, too preoccupied on the mewing living being.
“Let me see him, show it to me” Kibum was all over Minho, trying to have a look at the fluffy ball. The taller pushed him back though.
“Bum calm down, let’s go inside first and we’ll take care of it.” Minho said, taking off his shoes with his feet before he headed straight to the kitchen followed by his boyfriend.
As he put the mewing kitten and the formula on the countertop, Kibum hurried himself to take the fluffy ball in his hands and inspected it with careful eyes. The little animal indeed was a new-born; its eyes were still closed and he didn’t seem to hear either. His small body was trembling in -what must be- fear but also cold. Its mewing sounded desperate, somewhat filled with pain. And then Kibum saw a wound on the front-left paw.
“Oh god, Minho!” Kibum panicked. “It’s injured, and bleeding!”
Without waiting, he ran to the bathroom, looking for medications and pads, only to be stopped by Minho who grabbed him by the arm and led him back to the kitchen.
“I know it’s injured, that’s why I took disinfecting wipes with me” Minho took out said wipes from his pocket at the same time. “Now will you calm down and help me cleaning the wound, please? We lost enough time.”
Chewing on his bottom lip, Kibum nodded and followed Minho’s instructions who resumed in: “Hold him tight, not too tight Kibum, let him breathe!” “Give me the wipe” “Give me some water”. They cleaned the wound with success, however there was no way to put a bandage on it, as nothing could fix itself on the tiny paw.
“We’ll see that tomorrow, I guess.” Minho said, placing the tiny kitten back on the pile of towels.
“But, Minho.” Kibum started saying taking out a shoebox he had found earlier and an empty small bottle of water. “There isn’t any veterinarian within hundred kilometres”. He mumbled before putting a bowl of water in the microwave.
“There’s still that drug store where they have stuff for animals, hopefully they will be able to help us.” Minho replied while putting the kitten in the stuffed with towels box. “Water for the milk?” He then asked.
“Nope.” The microwave’s alarm ringed in announcement of the end of the heating. “I’ll improvise a hot-water bottle” Kibum said.
“Hot-water bottle? What for?”
“Prepare the milk Minho! The little one is starving!” Kibum only rushed him as he filled the empty bottle with hot water.
23:25
Feeding the kitten was difficult as a syringe could never be replace a feeding bottle, but neither Kibum nor Minho had any other alternative. The little one kept on mewing and moving in Kibum’s palm while Minho tried to give some milk.
“Come on sweetie, I know your mummy’s is softer but you gotta eat.” Minho pushed slightly on the syringe, making a drop of milk fill the kitten’s mouth.
The mewing still wouldn’t stop, however Minho noticed Kibum’s unusual silence. He frowns and calls the other, but the other remains oblivious, eyes glued to the fragile living being in his hand.
In that very moment Minho knew Kibum’s heart had just been stolen.
With a small smile, Minho called his boyfriend a little louder, this time provoking a reaction from the older, and also a questioning glance directed to him.
“I think he’s had enough.” The taller took out the syringe from the kitten’s mouth with much attention. The little one made a cute sound as he yawned and stretched in Kibum’s hand, ready to fall asleep.
“Aw why are you so cute?” Kibum squealed and took the kitten closer to his face. He it’s tiny head with his forefinger. He felt a pang in his heart when it started looking for his body heat, mistaking it for the mother’s. “Minho, give me the bottle with the hot water please.” Kibum demanded.
“Are you finally going to explain what’s the use of that bottle?” Minho asked, stretching his hand with said bottle.
“I made a post on that Facebook group, asking for help.” Kibum began his telling. He took the bottle and wrapped it in a thin cloth before laying it in a corner of the shoebox. “They told me the kitten needs warmth. Since it’s not hot enough here and it can’t sleep with us in bed, we have to improvise something; a home made hot-water bottle.” He turned to Minho and pressed the bottle against Minho’s cheek. “See?”
In response, Minho only nodded.
It didn’t take long for the kitten to stick to it. Finally he fell asleep.
“Don’t be too happy Minho, we got to feed it every two hours.”
01:27
“Meow, meow, meow, meow, meeeeeeeeeow, meow..”
“Told ya” Kibum grinned at Minho who jumped in surprise at the sudden mewing. “Whoa! Exactly two hours since the first feeding!”
He stood up from the couch and went to the box they left nearby. The kitten didn’t move much; just its paws in attempt to take away the covers.
“Aaaw cutie pie is hungry” Kibum cooed before lifting the box and heading to the kitchen where the food was prepared beforehand.
This time, the feeding was bit easier since it took the tip of the syringe and gladly gulped the drops of milk. Minho joined them a few minutes later and observed the scene; Kibum was holding the frail kitten with so much adoration in the eyes, small chuckles would leave his lips every time the fluffy ball made something cute. Kibum turned to Minho and handed him the kitten and the syringe.
“Can you finish for me?” He asked. “I have to change the water in the bottle.”
“Sure.” Minho nodded and took the kitten who had started to mew again. “Okay, okay, here is the milk, wait a second!” He put back the tip of the syringe in it’s mouth so it could eat some more.
However, Minho started regretting his decision to bring the kitten home, not that he didn’t want to save that innocent soul, but he doubted that anyone here would want to take care of such a young kitten.
“Kibum,” he started with hesitation. “What are we going to do with it?”
“What do you mean?” Kibum turned to Minho, a frown printed on his face.
“We’re leaving in two weeks Kibum. And we can’t possibly take it with us” The younger reminded him. “So, what are we going to do with it?”
“Isn’t two weeks enough to let him go by himself?” The small bottle in his hands was laid back in the box, wrapped in the same cloth from before. Kibum then embraced Minho, looking at the fluffy ball.
“It needs a month before they reach weaning, Bum’. That means that in two weeks whoever takes it will need to feed him like we do for two more weeks.”
“I’m sure we’ll find something by the end of our stay” Kibum reassured the other, or rather himself.
Minho hummed in replay, observing the kitten who was dozing off, nestled in his hand. He walked past Kibum and laid it near the warm bottle and covered it.
“Let’s sleep for a while before the little one wakes up.” Minho said, the box under his arm.
03:32
Kibum woke up with difficulty despite the incessant mewing beside him. He was about to stand up only to be stopped by Minho who was already taking the kitten out of the bedroom.
“Go back to sleep, I got him” He told, his voice raspy from sleep.
In the kitchen, Minho took the syringe filled with milk and sat on the countertop. The kitten seemed more agitated this time, refusing to eat. Minho frowned and took one of the wipes in the box and wrapped it around the tiny body. Maybe it was cold…? Suddenly Minho felt the kitten tense as the mewing stopped.
“What the…?” Minho’s frown deepened in confusion and worry.
He pated with his forefinger the belly area and rubbed gently on it. Nothing. Quickly after, the body relaxed and Minho swore he heard the kitten sigh. The mewing started anew, as piercing as the first time.
He felt the cloth getting wet.
Dumbfounded, Minho laid the kitten down on his lap and unwrapped the cloth, only to be met with a thin dark string (of what seemed to be poop - Minho guessed) and a wet Kitten.
“Are you serious? Really?” Minho exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelieve.
“What happened?” The older asked, his sleepy eyes rived on the little black fluffy ball.
“He pooped and peed on himself…” Minho grumbled in exasperation. He wasn’t feeling like cleaning and all that. It was hard enough to be woken up after barely two hours of sleep. Kibum’s snicker didn’t help him getting his mood better. The older patted his shoulder. He then took a tissue, dampened it and with delicacy he started cleaning the kitten’s tummy.
“There you go! All clean and ready to eat and sleep again!” Kibum happily exclaimed.
And so the whole night passed in that way until next day. Minho was the one feeding the little animal each time so the other would sleep. However, he hadn’t noticed Kibum peeking at them, hidden behind the kitchen door.
At nine o’clock, the three of them were, once again, in the kitchen. This time Kibum held the syringe for the kitten, its head.
“He has got way stronger,” he observed, a happy smile on his face. “And the wound also seems to heal! Aw I'm so proud of you, you're going to be a nice and strong kitty cat!” Kibum glanced at Minho and a rather somber expression plastered on his face. Kibum frowned at it. “Minho, what’s going on?”
The latter had his eyes glued on the kitten, different emotions flooding could be read in them but Kibum felt something was indeed off. The kitten put himself in a ball and hid in the clod that was wrapped around him, purring himself to sleep.
“We can’t keep him, Bum.”
Minho’s words hit Kibum hard in the gut. He put the animal in the box and approached the younger, confused.
“What… What do you mean ‘we can’t keep him’?”
“You are getting too attached. We are getting too attached.” Minho answered rubbing the nape of his neck. “What will we do when he opens his eyes? I, for sure, know I won’t have the strength to let him by himself. And I’ve already told you that two weeks is just not enough for a kitten to survive by itself out there.”
Kibum gulped, a lump in his throat was already forming as tears started to fill his eyes. How would he be able to leave it just like that? It was an innocent soul that just asks to live, nothing more. He knew Minho was right, the longer they kept it, the harder it would become to part away.
“So what is you suggestion? Leaving it outside in the cold? Minho, I swear to God I’m not letting you do that! I’m not letting the kitten starve to death!” He flared up, pointing at his boyfriend. “I’d rather keep it…”
“What choice do we have, then?” Minho yelled, he seemed as desperate as the other. “Killing him?”
“Why don’t we put him down to sleep?” Kibum’s answer came suddenly after a few moments of silence. “I-I mean, it’s still painless and he won’t suffer either.” The words flooded out of Kibum’s mouth with hesitation. Minho agreed on them with a nod, though.
“We’ll see if they can help us at the drugstore somehow.” Minho said and sighed. “Let’s get ready.” He then left the kitchen to get dressed.
The temperature outside had dropped in comparison to the day before. The sun hid behind the thick curtain of clouds, and they warm rays were replaced by cold raindrops. Minho ran to the car followed by Kibum who was carrying the box, making his best to protect the kitten. The car ride was rather quiet, as the older was desperately texting everyone he knew whether they wanted to adopt a “small cutie pie”. Soon enough they were in front of that specialized veterinarian drugstore. A woman in her fifties was sitting. When they entered, they both regretted their decision to come here as she sent them an exasperated look.
Everything went wrong. The lady left as soon as she saw the kitten, and a man, who looked a bit younger, took her place. Seeing the fluffy ball, he looked at both Kibum and Minho with a mocking face. At least he looked at the wound and said it had been treated well before laughing at them when the matter about euthanasia came on. Kibum’s throat tightened. He turned around to wipe the single tear that managed to fall from his eye. On the other hand, Minho balled his fist in anger and shot the man a death glare, before taking Kibum away with him.
Back in their apartment, the atmosphere had become heavy. Kibum’s mobile phone wouldn’t stop vibrating and displaying text messages of refusal to his request. Each new text message was a condemnation for the new-born kitten, and a stab in Kibum’s heart.
Minho went to Kibum and enlaced him from behind. It was hard for both of them. Who would have guessed the older would get attached to that extend, that he himself would get attached too? Regret and guilt rise up in Minho’s heart; maybe he shouldn’t have brought him here.
“Kibum, I’ll call my uncle to take care of it, okay?” He whispered in his boyfriend’s ear. He received a weak nod as an answer. Minho let him in his sadness, understanding the state the other must be in. He left the room, with his own phone in hand.
Minho’s uncle came 10 minutes later and had had the situation explained. Kibum sneaked away in the living room, trying to deal with his mixed feelings. He listened to the conversation between the uncle and his nephew; with each said word, more and more tears filled his eyes and flowed down his pale cheeks. His body trembled in anger at himself for being helpless. There must have been a solution; it couldn’t end like this.
“Okay guys, I’m going” the Uncle said. “I’ll let him back where you found it, maybe some other cat will take care of it.”
Instead of answering, Minho joined Kibum and embraced him, trying to comfort him as much as he could. He rubbed his back and lulled him moving back and forth.
“Baby, please don’t cry,” He pleaded. “Trust me it’s better that way for everyone.”
“I-I know, but...”
“It’s hard, I know.” Minho pulled away from Kibum and locked eyes with him. “But it will be even harder. You saw by yourself that nobody wants it; they don’t even give a damn about it! What would we do when he starts hearing, when he opens his eyes and looks at you with that innocent and child-like expression on his face?” He rubbed away the tears from Kibum’s cheeks with his thumbs. “It’s hard, even for me, with each feeding I felt more and more attachment, and I can tell you that both of us won’t be able to leave it if we don’t do it now.”
As if on cue, the kitten mewing of panic filled the whole apartment. Silence followed after the click of the closing door.
Kibum bursted into tears, desperately holding Minho close to him.
_____________
A/N (it's pretty long, no need to read if you don't feel like it):
As I said, I maybe owe you an explanation on this.
So this story relates to real stuff that happened a few days ago.
First of all, if some of you are animal defendants, let me tell you that I myself love animals, and have a sweet spot for cats. Everytime I see one, I can't resist them and always go to play with them if they'd let me approach them.
I'm currently on vacantion in my home country, where my grandparents, uncle, aunts and cousins live. Bulgaria is not a rich country at all, tons and tons of issue weight down the people. I can easily say that health field (for animals AND even humans) is one of the biggest issue they have. My hometown has a population of 3000 people. Let me tell you they once REFUSED to send an ambulance for me when I once urgently needed first aid.
The homeless animals issue is obviously not in their priorities, which can seem normal since you won't be able to find a single competent doctor for you if you happen to fall ill, and the organisations are unfrotunately too weak to change the situation. That means there are thousands and thousands of homeless cats and dogs out there that unendlessly reproduce. My hometown's streets are filled with cats and kittens.
My little brother found the little kitten on the twelvth of July in the evening, since he's just a child, he didn't know that maybe the mother didn't abandon it, but was just looking around for food or whatever. He brought it to my mother who called me and asked me to find a box. Almost everything in the story is real (just not the characters connections, of course.). I omitted some parts though - like the haematophobia I suffer from, and my fainting whe I saw the wound (it was really bad, trust me), and changed a few small things that wouldn't have fitted in the story (since it's a boy/boy relationship).
Here are two photos of the hero that stole Kibum's (my) heart:
Why Cookie? The Facebook group in which I looked for help is called "Biscuit Family", and I have to say that they helped me and my mom a lot, be it for different tips or even moral support (it was hard waking up every two hours to feed the kitten). So I really wanted to name it after the group, so Cookie came in mind.
Why even name it in the first place? Let me tell you one thing: waking up to feed a helpless soul that was taken away from his mother makes you feel things you never felt. I'm pretty sure this is the closest to what a mother feels to her own new-born child. We put so much efforts on this kitten, hoping it will grow up well and become strong. To me, the little one was entering the family.
I really need to stress that I was AGAINST this unfair end. if I could, I would have taken it back home with me. I was shocked and horrified at how easily people throw away new-born kittens, instead of sterilizing cats (and dogs). As I said, the town is invaded with homeless cats. Just yesterday I found another kitten (older) that was desperate to find a family who would adopt it.
As of today, I don't know what's going on with Cookie, whether it survived or died is still a mistery to me. I didn't look for it since I asked not to be told where my uncle had exactly left it. I wrote this in memory of those hours filled with emotions, and especially in memory of that little buddy that I'll never forget.
Thanks for reading and sorry for my sloppy writing.
Love,
GFH.
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