Shifted | Marvel

7. Meow, meow (2010)

Don't steal, children!

I imagine the Mission Impossible team playing as I run through the wide hallways of the base. I try my best to avoid being seen by any of the agents, knowing that a cat probably isn't allowed between these walls. But what does it matter? There are a lot of living things that don't belong here. My heart skips a beat when I see Fury leave one of the offices I have to pass to get to my room.

"Shit!"

I now fully cover the kitten with the jacket and pray to Thor that Fury suspects nothing as I sprint past him and hold the animal closer to my chest, covering it from the Directors view.

He yells my name and something incoherent but I don't understand (or don't want to understand) when I burst through the door to my already messy room. After almost tripping over a pair of black combat boots I manage to place the small cat carefully on my bed.

"So, this is my room," I tell the cat while looking for something to open the can of catfood.

"Uh, I think you deserve a name, don't ya," I finally find a pen and start stabbing the can in an attempt to open it. A little meow escapes the cats mouth and I look back to see it sit up straight on the corner of my bed, eyes fixed on the food in my hands.

"I don't know if your a boy or a girl, so uh ... " With a loud sound I manage to open it and an immediate smell of fish fills my nose, making me gag a little bit.

I walk up to the creature and take a bit of food on my finger. He immediatly starts licking the food and clearly ejoys it.

"I don't know how you can swallow that but bon appétit."

I keep feeding the kitten small bits of the food and thinking about a name for another five minutes. Then a sudden memory flashes in my brain. When I was a child, we had a hamster. It always climbed up his cage and one day he reached the top, but fell down and died. What was her name again? The smell of the fish makes me remember the name.

"Souchi," I say a little louder than intended and the cat looks up and cocks it's small head to the left. It doesn't want any more food so I close the half empty can and wrap it in a plastic bag, hoping that will keep the scent from getting in my clothes.

"You will now be called Souchi."

The cat gives another meow before I hear three knocks on the door.

"Eleandra?" It's Natasha.
"Are you okay? Fury told me..." the rest I don't hear because I'm slightly panicking.

"Shit, shit, shit," I whisper. I must find a way to keep Souchi hidden from anyone on the other side of that door. I gently pick the cat up and run towards the small bathroom. I place it on the small mat and hope it keeps quiet for as long as Natasha is around.

"Okay, I love you, but now shush," I hold a finger against my lips as if I'm telling a toddler to shut up. I hear a confused meow when I close the door.

I exhale loudly, turn around only to find Natasha stand in the doorway, her face was suspicious but the ghost of a smirk was visible.

"Hiya," My voice is squeaky when I lean my elbow on the door handle.

"What are you doing? What are you hiding?" She asks raising a perfect eyebrow, "Or who are you hiding?"

"Nothing, no one," I answer quickly.

She squints her eyes and takes a couple of steps closer, careful not to step on any of my clothes.

"Boyfriend?" She asks innocently, but I can hear the curiosity somewhere in her voice.

"Ew, no," I answer scrunching up my nose. She has a suspicious yet amused look on her face.

Without realising she's now standing 3 feet away from where I'm stood uncomfortably.

"If you tell me now I won't have to use violence," she says but I know deep down she would never even attempt to hurt me.

Within the next three seconds she takes a big step forward, grabs my shoulders and swiftly spins us around so she is now standing in front of the door and I'm stood in the middle of the room.

In a final attempt to keep my new roommate hidden I yell: "I murdered someone in there!". Yup, that's the best I can come up with.

It made her doubt for maybe half a second but she decides to take the risk.

Natasha says something but I don't really understand as I fall onto my bed, groaning.

"What? How? When?" She asks carrying the black cat outside and I roll on my back

"Nat, Souchi. Souchi, Nat," I say, rubbing my eyes.

She raises both her eyebrows, clearly still waiting for an explanation.

"I found it when I went running," I get off the bed and hold out my arms for Natasha to give me back my cat.

"It doesn't look all too healthy," she says while looking at the bald spots.

"I'm gonna take good care of it, I promise," she shakes her head almost unnoticably. I know she won't let me keep the cat.

"Souchi needs professional help," she says with a tiny smile and she starts walking towards the door.

"I can be a professional cathealer, but please let me keep it," I beg, trailing behind Natasha, knowing full well that I'm not gonna win this argument.

"I'm gonna take it to a vet now, you can come of you want to."

Neither of us says anything and we  just keeps walking through the hallways.

I still walk behind her the entire way down the building. The elevator doors open the exact same moment I arrive downstairs, showing a busy talking director Fury and agent Hill. Both adults immediately catch sight of the black cat in the other agent's arm. Hill raises an eyebrow and Fury doesn't take his eye off the animal.

"I'd protect my good eye, if I were you," I mock, gaining a contemptuous look from the director. I quickly walk past the elevator and bump into Natasha.

We enter the garage and walk a few long seconds before I hear the beeps of the nearest car unlocking. I open the door and sit down in the passenger seat, holding the cat in my arms. Natasha closes the door and walks around the car to take place on the driver's side.

"It's gonna be okay, little one. I guess someone else will feed you nasty canned fish next time."

My heart warms when Souchi lays his small head against my chest. And this moment I realise, though all of this is going on inside me head, I want it to be real.
I want it to last.

☾︎☽︎

A/N

Hello peeps.
I apologize for this chapter being so long and slow and boring, but I think Souchi will be a fun part in the story. I hope one of the next chapters I can start putting (2012) next to my titles :) So continue reading!