Suki Blue Fiction

What Xander expected was a familiar mop of red hair, a friendly smile and a big hug. What he got was a worried frown, not so much hair and a cat thrust in his face. “You’re not Willow,” he said, almost expecting the stranger to turn into his best friend with a pouf! and some purple smoke.

“No, no. I’m not…whoever that is. I’m Rodney McKay.”

“Okay.” Nope, he still wasn’t getting it.

The cat was lowered and Rodney McKay shifted quickly from foot to foot. Xander figured either he was uncomfortable or he needed to use the bathroom real bad.

“I live five doors down.”

Xander blinked. “Okay. Nice to meet you, Rodney McKay from five doors down.”

“Heh. Yeah. Good one. Listen, - a little pushed for time here – I have to go away for a while, possibly a long while, and the local dim-wit said she would look after my cat and she’s let me down and I have a cab waiting and I really, really need to go.”

A knowing smile slowly crept over Xander’s face. “Oh, you’re that Rodney McKay.”

“Yes, yes. Didn’t I already say that? Look, are you going to help me or do I need to bang on the next door down, because there are a lot of doors and precious little time?”

The cat was raised in the air and Xander reached out and took it. “Uh, I actually have no idea how to look after a cat but, sure, how hard can it be?”

Rodney McKay’s eyes widened with what appeared to be horror and astonishment. He reached out to take the cat back. “Oh, well, maybe you shouldn’t…”

“Don’t worry, my parents had a cat and they did okay, and I kind of observed,” Xander said, cradling the purring lump of cat away from any risk of confiscation. “And my best friend and her girlfriend love cats.”

Rodney McKay seemed to be assessing the situation. “Well, he does seem to like you and…oh god, this is not happening. I have to… and my cab… I can’t not go. Are you sure this is okay?”

“Sure I’m sure. Go, go on. Enjoy your trip. Uh, how long will you-”

“Possibly a long time. It’s a business trip. Classified, actually. Oh, hold on.” Out of his pocket, Rodney pulled a wad of cash. He stepped inside the door and deposited it on a table. “That probably isn’t enough. Damn.”

“Okay, here.” Xander juggled the cat, a pen and a pad of paper. “This is my phone number. You have a cell, right? Call me on the way to wherever you’re going and I’ll give you my banking details. We can arrange a transfer or something.”

“You trust me enough for that?” Rodney asked, his expression screaming that such a thing was impossible.

Xander shrugged. “You’re trusting me with your cat. Seems only fair to return the favour. And besides, you have a kind face, despite what the neighbours say. Plus, I have this really bad habit of trusting people I’m attracted to.”

“Really? Oh. Really?” Rodney McKay straightened, looking pleased and slightly smug. “Well then, perhaps we could go on a date – if you’d like – when I get back. Whenever that is. Probably a while. Hopefully. Well, not hopefully. Actually no, hopefully. Well, yes, uh, damn it. This isn’t coming out right. And I don’t even know you-”

“Your cab is waiting. Call me.” With a big grin and an armful of unexpected cat, Xander closed the door and waited for the phone to ring.

**