Send the Dispatch (Dispatch x fem!reader)

Chapter 13: Unseen

Cats.

So many cats.

They weave around your legs like you have been expected all along, tails flicking, bodies brushing against you in greeting. One is draped lazily over the back of a couch, another blinks at you from a windowsill, and two more dart past each other down the hallway. You stare for half a second, stunned, before your composure completely dissolves.

"Oh my god," you breathe, crouching as a small brownish-orange cat pads over and presses its head firmly into your hand. You coo without shame, scratching gently behind its ears as it starts purring immediately, loud and pleased.

Herman lingers nearby, hands fidgeting at his sides, watching you with an expression that is somewhere between fond and overwhelmed. "They... um... they mostly stay out of the way," he says softly. "They don't really... bother people."

You grin, still petting the cat. "Hehe. Maybe I just smell like fish."

There is a very distinct pause.

Herman freezes.

"I- n-no- !" he blurts out, panic flashing across his face. "I m-mean- n-not like- you d-don't- !" His words trip over each other immediately. "I d-didn't sniff you- I w-wouldn't- n-not that you s-smell like fish- ! You don't! You s-smell g-good- like, uh- n-nice- " He cuts himself off with a small, distressed noise, face burning red as he looks everywhere but at you. "I'm m-making it worse- s-sorry, i-I'm s-so sorry-"

"Hey," you say calmly, meeting his eyes and holding his gaze so he cannot spiral away from it. "There's really nothing for you to apologise for. I was just joking about that."

He blinks at you, clearly taking a second to process that, like the words need time to sink in.

"You didn't do anything wrong," you add, smiling reassuringly. "You're okay. Just breathe."

He does, finally, a shaky, uneven exhale that leaves his shoulders dropping as if the tension had been physically propping him up. "...Okay," he murmurs, nodding a little too fast, cheeks still flushed a deep pink.

"S-sorry-" he starts automatically, then stops himself mid-word, visibly catching it. He swallows, tries again, quieter this time. "...I m-mean. Okay."

The effort it takes for him not to apologise again makes your heart ache in the softest way, and you cannot help the small, fond smile that curves your lips as he stands there, gawky and trying so hard to believe you.

One tiny brownish-orange ball of fluff catches your attention. It blinks up at you, tail twitching, and without thinking, you crouch down and scoop it up. The little cat immediately curls into your arms, purring like it has known you forever. You bury your face into its fur, hugging it gently, petting behind its ears, and the cat nuzzles into your chest, content.

Then it hits you, you have seen this cat before!

"Herman... wait, this is the cat from your profile picture!" you exclaim, eyes lighting up.

He glances at you, then down at the cat in your arms, and a shy smile spreads across his face. "Yeah... that's Mr Whisker," he says quietly, his voice soft and warm.

You nuzzle the cat one last time, still marvelling at it. "Your house... it's like paradise. Cats everywhere, this little guy... I could get used to this," you say, making Herman chuckle, a sound so genuine that it makes your heart warm.

Herman laughs, quiet and shy, and you can't help but grin at him. "Yeah... I guess it's kind of like that," he says, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

After a few moments, you carefully set Mr Whisker down, who immediately scurries toward a pile of cushions near the window.

You turn to take in the rest of the living space and notice that the floor couch is covered in plastic mats and wraps. A faint shimmer of water droplets glints along the plastic. With Herman's powers constantly producing water from his skin, the precautions make sense. You smile to yourself, amazed at how he manages everything so quietly.