Living with Hope ✓ [ boyxboy ] [ Completed ]

17

Ivan Petrov

I'm sitting on the couch in Sebastian's room. I'm more lying down than sitting, to be frank. And there are half a dozen pillows around me.

My hand is plastered and my back and leg need to be constantly iced. Richard asked me to check if I have blurry vision or hearing and tell him immediately. Concussion symptoms don't just end in one night.

Prince is on me, walking on my torso and licking my fractured hand. He then finds a spot in the middle of my chest, licks that as well, purrs and lies down on it.

"I've missed you so much, Little Boy," I say, stroking his back with my uninjured hand.

Prince purrs in response and adjusts his position. He's now sleeping on his side with his head tucked beneath my chin. I smile at his response. Sebastian and Jessica, who've been watching me interact with Prince quietly, let out a chuckle.

"I've never seen Prince do that before," Jessica says, walking over and gently patting the cat on the head. "I've never even seen him so still, if I'm being honest."

"Yeah, Prince has a soft spot for Ivan," Sebastian says, standing beside Jessica smiling at her like he always does. To him, she's the sun. What more reason does one need to be happy?

Jessica smiles back at him, and all of a sudden they're having a moment they shouldn't be having in front of me.

"Should I leave?" I ask them once they've stopped smiling at each other like two sunflowers on a summer day. They're not cringy like the other couples. They're so bearable, which is why I don't want to stay anymore. "I hate to say it, but I feel like the world's pettiest third wheel."

"Fourth wheel, you mean," Jessica corrects me. "Prince is the original third wheel."

Sebastian agrees. "He was annoying in a sweet way. You couldn't be mad at him, just a little annoyed and then he'd go and lick your face again the way the dogs do. The most adorable third wheel on the planet."

"What did he do?" I ask, looking at the sleeping prince curiously.

"A lot," Jessica says. "Once, Bas and I were making out and he ran in between our legs and started meowing like he'd just broken a limb. So we break apart and rush over to him, and guess what we found?"

"A broken limb?" I ask, knowing well in advance that wasn't the case. "Or a sprained one at least? Prince must have a good reason for doing what he did."

"Nothing," Jessica says. "Absolutely nothing. Just a furry pile of drama. They should cast him in Grey's Anatomy."

I laugh. "Holy shit. Now I know why Prince is my favorite out here. My bloody favorite. I can't believe you actually did that, young lad," I tell Prince, but he's happily snoring on my beating chest.

Jessica pouts at me, I simply shrug, letting myself laugh some more.

"And that was my first kiss," Sebastian says.

I look at him in absolute shock. "That? Prince ruined your first kiss?"

Sebastian blushes. "Yeah."

I look back at Prince. I'm not proud of him like before, I'm mad at him. He just ruined the world's sweetest guy's first kiss.

"Now that makes you a real bad boy," I scold. "Not a compliment, mind you. Everyone out here loves them, but not me. I have a real aversion to those narcissists."

"Lex is a bad boy," Sebastian comments.

"No," Jessica argues. "He's a good guy trying to act cool and pretend to be some egoistic bitch. It rarely works for people, but he happens to be an exception."