Catboy!AU: Cuddles are the Best Medicine, Part 1

[moehakase]

Don slips on his apron and smiles as he sets to work gathering the ingredients for lunch. Today’s menu is meant to be a surprise; he’d banished Marvelous from the kitchen (amidst increasingly pleading protests) just so he’d be able to keep it a secret. It’s going to be an absolute feast - baked chicken stuffed with cream cheese and bacon, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, cheese toast with pesto, pasta in tomato sauce with zucchini and eggplant, fried apples with cinnamon, and fruit parfaits with sweet cream for dessert. Marvelous is used to big meals, of course, but they’re not always elaborate ones (though they are always delicious), so Don takes a lot of pride in being able to put together a truly exceptional spread.

The prep is going to take him ages, since he’s doing it all by himself, but it’s worth it for the joy of surprising Marvelous. He figures he might as well round up all the ingredients at once, just to make sure he actually has everything he needs, though Marvelous’s kitchen is so well-stocked he hardly thinks he needs to worry. The meat and vegetables are right in the refrigerator, of course, as is the cheese and some of the fruit. The apples are in the basket on the counter, and the bread is in its cupboard as always. He sets it all out and takes stock of it before moving on to the spices, taking each one out of the spice rack with care. Before long, he’s gathered everything he needs.

Everything except the pasta, that is.

Marvelous keeps the pasta up on the very highest shelf in one of the tall cupboards above the counter. He doesn’t seem to have any trouble reaching it himself with just the help of the kitchen stool, but he has certain height and reach advantages that Don doesn’t. Even getting up on his tiptoes on the stool, the pasta is just out of Don’s reach. He steps down from it, tail swishing with frustration. He could go get Marvelous and ask him to get the pasta down for him, but that would ruin the whole surprise of the meal! He’ll have to get it some other way.

Don frowns, tail still swishing as he thinks about it. He really only needs a bit more of a boost, so there should be something he can use... He looks over at the dining table chairs. He’s never stood on one, but they always seem sturdy enough when he sits on them, so they ought to be fine. It’s only for a second anyway.

Don picks up one of the chairs and carries it over to put it in front of the counter. He takes a quick step up onto it, using his tail to keep his balance. The pasta is all easily within reach now. He scans the shelf for the box of penne, and spots it in the back. He reaches for it and the chair wobbles. He starts to lose his footing just as he grabs the box, and he’s a split second too late to jump safely off when he hears the wood crack. He yelps with surprise as he falls, too startled and thrown off-balance to make a good attempt at catching himself, and cries out when his foot hits the floor and a blaze of pain shoots up his leg. He lands hard, taking most of the impact with his hands and forearms. He only just manages not to hit his head.

For a moment Don just lies on the floor, tears in his eyes from the shock and pain of his fall. His heart is racing, and he’s struggling to catch his breath. He tries to push himself back to his feet but his leg surges with pain and he cries out again, his yell dying down into a sob as he clutches his hurt ankle.

Comments

[foodispriority]

Marvelous isn't sulking. 

He just happens to be sitting on the couch, glaring sideways at the kitchen door with his arms folded because he feels like it. Not because he has been effectively banned from his happy place. Even if Don did smile so convincingly and widen his eyes and promise it would be so worth it in the end. Marvelous trusts Don, but it is such a sacrifice to make! To leave the kitchen and not go back in! For hours! And hours! Maybe not at all the entire day! 

He's pretty sure he can already smell food. 

He tried putting the TV on but of course it was programmed to a cooking channel when it flickered to life, and watching it just made him hungry, and horny. But he's banned from the kitchen and therefore also from some very excellent ways to sate both of those desires. Don knows food preparation is seriously sexy, so to deny Marvelous the pleasure of watching him doing it means it must be really important to him. 

Marvelous isn't sulking anyway. 

It's silent in the room until he hears the crash, accompanied by a yell, that comes from the kitchen. Marvelous jumps to his feet immediately. As he rushes towards the door the thing that registers foremost in his mind is that if it had been a simple accident that sounded worse than it actually was Don would have already called to him through the door not to come in, and that he would deal with it. Not to mention that as Marvelous puts his hands on the door he hears Don's sudden cry of pain. 

"I don't care what you said, I'm coming in," Marv says flatly, and walks in to find Don and one of the dining chairs collapsed on the floor. Marv can see the way Don's eyes are watering, his hands clasping his ankle. 

What were you doing? Why did you take a risk like that? Marvelous clamps his mouth shut on any harsh words, and panics.

"What can I do?" He asks. "Can you get up? Is it broken?" 

(He will feel pretty stupid later for sulking, that's for sure.)