Our Lady of Fandom, Sunday all day

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

As it was Sunday, Gabriel put up the note on the door. It would certainly be amusing if someone eventually took up the offer.

Do-it-yourself Sunday Service

Then he made himself a cup of coffee and found a not completely dry donut that had fallen behind a pew.

[The church is open]

Comments

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Fairly early, Karal came down to the church. It was a slower trip than usual, given that he was hampered by a large cardboard box, with handles and holes, that emitted the occasional curious chirrup.

The large bag of stuff that went with what was in the box wasn't helping. He set the bag down, knocked on the door, and offered up a brief but fervent prayer to Vkandis that this wasn't a mistake. "Gabriel? It's Karal."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Recognising Karal's voice, Gabriel wandered over to the door and opened it, trying to offer Karal a friendly smile of sorts.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal smiled back. "May I come in? I've brought you a present." And he just hoped she'd be quiet until they were actually inside.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel liked the sound of 'present' and he eyed the box curiosly. "Come in," he said. "Make yourself a coffee."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He came in, shutting the door carefully behind him. "I think I'll pass this morning," he said, suddenly nervous, and he set the box down. "Will you come and see?"

She was still being quiet, but he could feel her shifting, as if she knew the box was to be opened soon.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Something was moving in that box, and Gabriel instantly frowned. "It's moving," he pointed out leaning closing and sniffing, forgetting that as a mortal his sense of smell wouldn't assist him much.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal was too busy being nervous to worry about the sniffing, though it did get noted down as another odd thing Gabriel does. "She is, yes," he said quietly, and opened the box.

A bright, alert young cat (http://pics.livejournal.com/vkandis_son/pic/0001a25a) sat up straight, looked at Gabriel, and went chirrup?

"I thought she could be company for you, and she'll help keep away mice and rats, and possibly even squirrels."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel stared down at the cat, his eyes widening. While the idea of keeping away squirrels sounded good, he wasn't sure about the method. Well, yes, he was sure. It was a cat. Cats were bad. Instictively he backed away, hissing at the cat, his eyes turning cold and birdlike.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal winced, reaching out to reassure the cat, but she just looked at him and his hands fell.

Entirely self-possessed, she jumped lightly out of the box and followed Gabriel, making another little chirrup, followed by a short purr.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Backing away further, Gabriel's eyes kept on the intruder. What had Karal been thinking?! Of course, there were dangers to focusing only on the enemy, which Gabriel discovered the hard way, when he tripped on the broom lying on the floor and fell backwards.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Gabriel!" Karal was up off the floor and running over to try and catch him.

The cat kept watching, trotting over to supervise, as if to make sure Karal didn't get anything wrong.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel, now seated on the floor, paid no attention to Karal. Eyes still fixed on the cat, he hissed in Latin: "Don't you dare attack me, spawn of Satan!"

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal hovered. "She will not hurt you, Gabriel."

The cat, apparently assuming that, as she was being addressed directly, she was welcome, came right up and brushed her head against Gabriel's knee, purring again.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel blinked, shuffling a little further from the cat. "No attacks, I said!" For some reason Latin seemed like a suitable language for cats.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

This had been a very bad idea. Sunlord. Karal bit his lip and hesitantly touched Gabriel's shoulder. "I will take her away if she's upsetting you so badly," he said, making his voice as soothing as possible. "I'm sorry."

The cat curled her tail around her paws and sat, regarding Gabriel from half closed eyes, purring quietly but steadily.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Karal thought he should have a cat. Karal might stop bringing presents. Gabriel blinked. He was an angel. He should not fear animals. "What does she eat?" he asked.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Cat food. I brought a bag of it with me," he replied hopefully, crouching down next to Gabriel. Maybe, maybe this would work. "I brought everything you'd need if you wanted to keep her."

The cat seemed to think being kept was a foregone conclusion, because she flirted her tail and wandered over to explore the edge of a pew, rubbing her head against it.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel stared at the cat. Perhaps Karal would come and visit more often to make sure the cat was looked after properly. Finally he nodded. "She can stay," he said. "I guess she doesn't clean though."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal gave a weak laugh. "Only herself, but she shouldn't make any extra work for you, and I'll make sure you don't run out of food for her." He stood, offering Gabriel a hand up.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel pushed himself to his feet with surprising ease, ignoring Karal's hand. "Well," he said, eyeing the cat suspiciously. "Where did you find her."

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"My friends and I went to the mainland yesterday. An animal shelter, a place that takes in unwanted animals and tries to find them a home, had a stall in the city, and she was there." No need to mention Altra had chosen her; that wouldn't go over at all well. "Someone abandoned her, and so I bought her for you."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Unwanted? There's something wrong with her?"

The cat jumped up on one of the pews and began to clean herself, pretening not to pay any attention to Gabriel or Karal.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"There's nothing wrong with her, I promise." Karal smiled, watching the cat settle in. "Someone simply didn't want her. The fault doesn't lie with her, but with them."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Gabriel didn't look completely convinced, but he sat down a few pews away from the cat, trying to look at ease. The cat looked up, then jumped down on the floor, wandering over to Karal and rubbing herself against his leg.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Karal obediently leaned down to scratch her behind the ears. "She'll be company, sometimes, and cats are independent enough that she should be able to look after herself a great deal of the time."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel could see the point in that. "Does that mean she's hungry?" he asked, gesturing at the cat trying to get Karal's attention.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"She had a very large breakfast, but it's possible," he replied. "She's just being affectionate. Cats enjoy being patted." He looked up at Gabriel. "Would you like me to feed her?"

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Yes." That would mean it would take longer until she got hungry again, and so Gabriel would have more time to consider dealing with this situation long term. Cats could have accidents, right?

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

Giving the cat one last pat on the head, he walked over to the bag and started unpacking things. "This is her food bowl, and this is for water. This is her food." He opened the bag and poured some into her bowl. "You can simply keep it filled, and she'll be happy. It's very important that she not run out of water, though."

There were a few toys in the bag, which Karal had only bought because Altra had insisted, and a soft cat bed as well.

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Hm." That seemed easy enough. He wouldn't want to upset and anger Karal so that the boy stopped coming to the church. That accident would have to wait. He nodded.

The cat had trotted after Karal, and immediately took an interest in the food.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He watched her eat for a moment, glad she seemed so even-tempered. Altra had chosen well. "If you decide you don't want to keep her, I can take her away again," he said, looking over at Gabriel. "But would you give her a chance? It can be nice to have a cat around."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel said nothing, just nodded. Perhaps that cat would indeed keep the squirrels away. He wouldn't mind if a few of them got eaten.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"I'm just going to get her some water," he said, picking up the bowl. "You should think about what you're going to call her."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Cat?" Gabriel deemed to think that was good enough.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

He came back from filling the water bowl and set it down, careful not to spill. "Cat?" he repeated. "Well, it's certainly accurate."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Yes, and easy to remember." Gabriel seemed almost pleased with the name.

[bedtime for me!]

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"Cat it is, then," he said with a smile.

[sleep well!]

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

The cat miaowed, but it didn't sound as if it objected terribly. Instead she rubbed herself against Gabriel's leg, making a small jump, and then turned her attention back to the food.

Gabriel took a step back.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"She likes you, Gabriel," he said. Or, more likely, she recognised the person who was going to be her source of food. Either way, Karal was just pleased she didn't seem to mind Gabriel. "If you pat her, or rub her under her ears, she'll purr."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

"Huh. That's good?" Gabriel watched the cat eat. He really hoped she wouldn't like donuts.

[vkandis-son.livejournal.com]

"It is, yes." Karal smiled and sat on a pew near Gabriel. He was beginning to think that perhaps this might not have been such a terrible idea. "Cats are good company, and they're also very useful. We had three or four living in the stables when I was young. They kept the mice and rats under control."

[no-archangel.livejournal.com]

Gabriel gave a nod. That was certainly an advantage, although so far the cat seemed to demand more attention than the mice ever had.