Work Text:
Friends For Life
by Pirate Turner
He stood apart from the rest of his family in a corner, careful not to touch any of their grimy surroundings as he fought the urge to pinch his nose closed to avoid the awful stench that seemed to permeate every inch of the building. He watched as JD confronted his chosen beast and he rushed readily into his arms. He watched the others smiling, grinning, and laughing, all appearing to be oh-so cheerful to be here to help the Kid make his selection. This was not, however, Ezra's idea of how to spend a cold Saturday morning. He would have preferred, by far, to be snuggled deep into his blankets, pressed close against a warm body rather than being here in this stench-ridden . . .
Ezra's thoughts froze as a pair of blue eyes met his. He took in a sharp breath as those beautiful eyes set upon him. They seemed capable of seeing through to his very soul, and yet he was not afraid. He was, instead, moved by their beauty. The shadowy creature's eyes were the bluest he'd ever seen and reminded him of the cloudless blue skies of Spring that threatened to melt away the icy Winter that wrapped around his heart.
Absorbed by the creature's gaze, Ezra stepped forward, and she came out of the shadows. Forgotten by the rest of his family, Ezra moved to the prison and stuck his fingers through the bars. For once, he did not think of what the stickiness he felt on the bars might be. He only thought of those beautiful, blue eyes that peered hopefully up at him from a body that was every bit as beautiful.
Her movements were perfected grace as she crept closer to sniff his out-stretched fingers. She smelled him thoroughly, her eyes never moving nor blinking from his, then gently bumped her head against his fingers. Ezra's eyes grew moist as he stroked her soft fur and wondered how any one as beautiful as she could have come to be trapped in this Hellhole.
A familiar, deep voice sounded gently behind the gambler. "Ezra?"
Ezra looked up to see Josiah peering at him from wise, caring blue eyes. The others were gone, undoubtedly having left, thinking that he was with them, to check out JD's new dog. Ezra's green eyes skittered away from Josiah's questing gaze back to the beautiful feline who was now beginning to purr. He smiled sadly. He'd never heard a lovelier sound than the deep rumble that was now coming from the cat's throat. "I want her."
The whisper of words were out before Ezra could stop them. He looked guiltily back to Josiah and was relieved to see the preacher's big and kind smile gracing his handsome face. "Then you shall have her," Josiah spoke and left the two new friends alone to go speak in private with a shelter worker.
Ezra gazed back into the cat's blue eyes, and somehow, suddenly, he knew. He knew this had been meant to happen. He knew Josiah, at the very least, had hoped that this would happen and that that was why he had worked so vigilantly to persuade him to accompany their family to this horrid place this day, and he knew it had been fated to happen. He knew that this, like so many of the bad things that had happened in his life, was his destiny, but he knew, too, that there was nothing bad about this encounter, just like when he had first met the six men who had become more family to him than his own blood family would ever be. This wondrous feline, he reflected silently as the worker carefully deposited the cat into his arms, would be his friend for life as he was now hers, as were Josiah and the others.
Ezra lifted green eyes shining with unspoken emotion to the preacher's knowing gaze. Josiah nodded at him, and Ezra smiled. He didn't think there had ever been a time in his life when he had felt happier, and as the cat's purr grew and Josiah continued to gaze into his eyes in his quiet manner, Ezra knew it was true. He leaned forward and closed the bargain with a kiss.
The End