An Adorable Addition

[Ezra Cooper]

The day started out as any other day. Ezra loved on his girlfriend for a couple of minutes in the morning, showered her with more attention after his morning routine and then went on his way to work. It got a little harder to leave her alone as she started to get better. It meant she was getting closer to the point where she could be independent again. Ezra had to admit, being able to take care of the pyrokinetic the past few weeks have been pretty great. He felt accomplished and useful. And Alex seemed to lap it all up, or at least not have the energy to protest. Either way, he heard no complaints from her.

Going to work every other day, all he could do was talk about how brave and how strong Alex has been to his colleagues who asked. And really to those who didn't ask. He was just so darned proud of how Alex was slowly but surely pulling herself together. But it also came with the creeping doubt that as soon as Alex got back on her feet fully, which didn't look like it'll be too long, he was going to get back to being the useless boyfriend who couldn't protect her.

That aside, Ezra was having an okay day. A lot of chilling in the truck, playing cards with the crew, eating delicious cronuts and giving an old lady the help she needed after her breathing apparatus shut off on her.

It wasn't until they were about to get off their shift that Ezra found the little scared kitten in an abandoned house that got a complaint of a funny smell. His team walked into a shit storm, emphasis on the shit as it was seen scattered everywhere on the floor, on the furniture and some even on the walls. And this little kitten was huddled, shaking in a corner and when Ezra picked it up, it started crying out like it was in pain.

He decided to bring the kitten to the vet after work and found out that it was a she and she was dehydrated and hungry. After a feeding session where she practically swam in her food and formula, Ezra brought her home, keeping her zipped up in his hoodie. He could feel her shaking against his stomach the whole drive home.

As he entered his home, a small smile came across his face and he sighed softly at the sight of Alex on the couch, doing exactly what the kitten had done in his hoodie just minutes ago. He closed the door quietly and went to the fridge first to get himself a cold bottle of water before heading over to Alex.

He placed the shaking critter in front of Alex and the little one curiously started sniffing Alex's face, giving her little licks.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Slowly but surely Alex was getting better. Between the sessions she'd spent with Dr. Campbell and the passage of time Alex began to be more active and alert. She wasn't as tired as before, even though she did still spend a great deal of time in bed. The bandages had been removed, finally freeing her from the bindings and letting her feel like she was on the road to fully recovering. The last, lingering remnants of the attack were internal. Dr. Campbell had helped her bounce back from most of her injuries, though she still felt the after effects from the severe brain trauma leaving her prone to migraines and vertigo.

Before Ezra was set to come home from his shift Alex messed around the apartment a bit. She picked up here and there, made the bed, did all the dishes and took out a pack of meat from the freezer she planned on using for dinner this evening before settling onto the couch to watch TV. Within an hour she felt the nausea setting in prompting her to shut the nature show she'd not been paying attention to off and curl up on the couch in hopes to stave off the dizzyness that was starting to sink in. Not ten minutes had passed before Alex was fast asleep.

Alex was curled in a ball at the corner of the couch when Ezra quietly slipped into the apartment. Her arms were tucked into her, the sleeves of her sweater pulled over her hands. She didn't stir even as Ezra moved in and retrieved his water. Only when she felt the cold prickle of the cat's whiskers against her nose did her face scrunch up. Slowly her eyes fluttered open. It took her a few moments for the small, fluffy kitten to come into focus. "W-what?" She murmured, yawning as she sat up. Her eyes widened as she realized what it was she was looking at.

Alex's face lit up at the sight of the kitten who was sitting, staring up at her curiously. "Ezra!" She exclaimed carefully reaching out to gather the kitten up into her arms. She cradled the kitten in one arm, reaching up to pull Ezra down so she could give him a welcoming kiss. "Where'd this little guy come from?"

[Ezra Cooper]

The change in Alex was severe and surprising and Ezra couldn't help the bark of happy laughter that escaped his lips when Alex scooped the kitten up who almost immediately snuggled into Alex's neck. He happily kissed Alex back and corrected her.

"Little girl. I found her while I was doing my last round." He tapped the kitten's nose and smiled. "But...I don't know if we can keep her. She's been through a lot and needs a lot of medication and attention. I mean, we could foster it..."

[Alexandra Lawson]

"Little girl." Alex said with a short nod, smiling as her eyes lowered to the tiny, fluffy bundle in her arms. A soft giggle escaped as the kitten nuzzled into her neck. Gently she stroked the kitten's fur even if a bit of a frown touched her features. "Is she sick?" Alex asked, glancing up to Ezra. She shifted, keeping the kitten held against her as she drew her feet up beneath her. "I'll take care of her." She insisted.

After a few moments of snuggling with the kitten, Alex returned her attention back to Ezra. "How was work?" She asked, smiling. "You want me to start dinner?"

[Ezra Cooper]

Ezra inched closer and reached his arm out around Alex's shoulder, playing with the little kitten as well.

"She is, a little bit. We kind of found her in a bad situation." He said, not really wanting to delve into what he had walked into. It wasn't that he thought Alex couldn't handle it; even the thought of it just made him sick.

Her insistence had Ezra chuckling lightly. "Yeah?"

The heat manipulator shrugged when work was the topic at hand, though he gladly responded to her next question. "Oh yes. Yes, yes. What were you thinking of cooking?" He asked, excited.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex couldn't keep the faint hint of the frown off her face. She didn't take well to the sad story of the kitten's origins or what it could mean. Her mind instantly flashed to the worst case scenario in which the tiny little ball of fur was sick and wouldn't be given long to survive. Just the mere thought was enough to break her heart. At least she knew then and there she was going to do whatever it took to ensure the little girl in her arms was going to be as healthy as possible. "We can keep her, though, right?" She asked, her eyes turning up to Ezra again.

The moment the much taller, slender young man moved to sit beside her Alex leaned into his one-armed embrace. She took in the warmth of his closeness and craned her head over to kiss his lips once again. "I took out some chicken." She said, easily skipping over his dismissal of his work day. Alex knew better than to push for any details regarding what Ezra did for a living. She'd made the mistake of looking up some videos online one day and it scared the hell out of her to think of what her sweet, gentle Ezra was faced with on a regular basis. "I can make your potatoes." She said teasingly, giving him a nudge with her elbow.

[Ezra Cooper]

The look on Alex's face when she asked if they could keep it was a dangerous look for Ezra to see. He was not actually equipped to deal with that look because he would automatically say yes to anything she asked. Devil woman. That was what she was.

"I don't know Alex...she'll need to go to the vet a lot." He started saying, his resolve waning by the second.

Glad that the subject was changed, Ezra nibbled lightly on Alex's bottom lip and hummed his approval for the chicken. "Fried chicken?" He asked before his interest was piqued when there was mention of his fries.

"Mom's spiced fried potatoes?" He asked with a wide grin.

[Alexandra Lawson]

Alex nodded faintly. She understood Ezra's reluctance. While she had been released from the hospital with the news that her medical bills had been cleared by a mysterious benefactor, Alex understood the financial strain her being incapacitated coupled with the work Ezra had missed could cause. She let out a low sigh and turned her attention back to the kitten. It was a shame she had to be so guarded with the little ball of fluff. Alex's heart had already grown attached to her. "We can try, though. Right?" Alex asked, glancing up to Ezra and giving him a weak smile.

With a bit of a reluctant sigh Alex went to bundle the kitten up in the blanket that was kept draped over the back of the couch and set her down. Slowly Alex rose to her feet, letting her touch linger ever so softly upon Ezra before pulling away. She took a couple steps, paused to get her bearings, then exhaled with a bit of a huff before continuing toward the kitchen. "I got the chicken breasts." She answered as she went about washing her hands in the kitchen sink. "And, yes, those potatoes." She smirked, as if there were any others.

[Ezra Cooper]

The guilt set on Ezra's conscience as he watched Alex cuddle the kitten. And then her meek voice asked so sweetly, followed by a smile that damn near made Ezra lose it, his conviction was quickly waning.

"We'll keep it here for at least a few days. Until she's better." He smiled and stroked the kitten's head.

His eyes closed briefly when Alex's touch lingered and he let her walk. He was going to miss taking care of her. He followed her to the kitchen and hummed his acknowledgement. "Anything I can do to help?" Ezra asked as he sat on the stool facing the kitchen.

[Alexandra Lawson]

It was only half a concession but it was more than enough to cause Alex's eyes to light up again as she glanced over her shoulder to Ezra as he trailed along behind her. She shuffled along, her long hair tied in a loose, sloppy tail. Her socked feet made it difficult for Alex to resist the urge to go sliding across the tile floor of the kitchen. She glanced down as she moved and gave a frown. She looked frumpy and out of sorts. In truth she was frumpy and out of sorts, though that was little comfort. She gave a resigned sigh and turned her attention back to the task at hand.

"I got it." She said, the smile returning to her features the moment they turned toward Ezra again. He always did bring out a certain, special gleam in Alex's eyes. "You've been working and saving kittens for the last two days." Alex scooted over and lifted herself up onto her toes, reaching up to pull Ezra's neck down to her so she could steal another chaste kiss from his lips. "I think I'm about to go crazy with nothing to do." She admitted, smiling against Ezra's lips before pulling away and going to the cupboards to start pulling out the needed pots and pans to make dinner.

[Ezra Cooper]

Seeing Alex sliding a little across the floor made Ezra smile softly. She was slowly regaining her composure. Bits and pieces of Alex was coming back and Ezra couldn't be happier. And that smile was returning, the one that made Ezra's heart skip a beat every time it was set on him.

The kiss didn't help either. He was melting into a pile of goo inside as he returned the kiss wholeheartedly. Her affection was most definitely welcome and he relished the moments when they were directed at him.

"Okiedoke. Just lemme know if you do need help, mkay? I'm going to go take a shower." He slid off the stool and started stripping on the way to their bedroom. Ezra picked up after himself and threw everything in the laundry hamper before grabbing his towel and loosely tucking it around his waist.

"You're welcome to join at any time." He called out playfully before entering the bathroom to take his shower.

[Alexandra Lawson]

"Your timing is terrible." Alex said with a soft laugh. She was still reserved and moved with delicate motions. The music she listened to was kept low, as did the TV when it was movie night with Ezra. She even went so far as to naturally speak in a much softer, almost gentle tone. The symptoms were improving every day but she'd already gotten into certain habits over the last couple months. "Catch me when I'm not in the middle of making dinner." She said, turning her eyes to get a glimpse of Ezra before he slipped into the bathroom.

Alex fell silent as she set to work on preparing dinner. She almost felt strangely domestic with Ezra showering after a long day and her in the kitchen. She couldn't help but let out a little giggle at the idea. It would suit her for now even as she already felt the grip of restlessness taking hold. For the time being she was perfectly content to be in the kitchen cooking for Ezra in her comfy pajama bottoms with little cartoon mice running across the plush fabric and a weathered San Francisco 49ers t-shirt that was so large she seemed to be swimming in it.

By the time Ezra emerged from the bathroom Alex was well into putting the finishing touches on dinner. She'd put on some light music and she let the tune raise her spirits. She smiled as the bathroom door opened and she crossed the kitchen to greet him with a chaste kiss. "Perfect timing." She said, smiling against his lips. "Hurry up and get dressed, it's almost done."

[Ezra Cooper]

"Well I can't let you enjoy dinner with me all sweaty and grimey." He shook his head with a chuckle. "I will definitely do that next time." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before disappearing into the shower. As the warm water beat down on him, Ezra took the time to think about Alex. There was so much he wanted to tell her but it was way too early. He kept telling himself she was still a little too fragile.

Of course, a big part of his reservation telling Alex that he wanted her to stay at home was the fact that if he told her, especially in her state, if her reaction was negative (and he kind of expected it to be) he would be devastated. And what if she agreed only because he was the one asking her to? That would be devastating as well.

And she was just starting to get back to doing little Alex things, the ones that made Ezra fall for her constantly for the past five or six years. It just wasn't fair.

He climbed out of the shower still thinking about it when Alex's voice permeated through the mess in his head and a smile lit up his face. He returned her kiss gratefully and let his lips linger down to her neck, nibbling on the soft skin briefly before pulling away. "Yes maam." He saluted her and walked off to the room to get dressed in an old band tee and boxers before joining Alex in the kitchen.

"Them fries though." He took a big whiff of the fries and clapped happily. "Let's do this."

[Alexandra Lawson]

A soft giggle escaped as Ezra nibbled gently against Alex's neck. She swatted at him, grinning coyly as she pulled away. There had been a time not too long ago when the gesture would've caused a rush of heat to surge into her cheeks but now she only smiled and moved back to the table where dinner sat and took up her usual seat. When Ezra's attention turned toward getting dressed she grew sober, her eyes drifting downward, absently staring at the plate in front of her. Only when he emerged did she snap out of her daze and glance up to him, the faint gleam returning to her gaze.

Alex smiled at Ezra's display. She always did admire the almost childlike excitement her carried for the little things in life. His cheerful, upbeat demeanor had always energized her, kept her from getting too low herself. On his shoulders she felt she could reach the stars. Lately, though, something had been missing. She appreciated how pleased he was with dinner to be sure but instead of being able to take part in the pleasantries she felt more like a mere spectator.

"The man of the house deserves five star dining." She said with more than a hint of playful sarcasm touching her voice. She wasn't, exactly lying or anything. Ezra had spent the last 48 hours on duty while she'd done little more than sit around for the last two days. Sure she'd done some laundry and picked up the apartment some but it wasn't as if she considered that to be work or anything.

[Ezra Cooper]

Maybe it was the fact that Ezra had just come home from a 48 hour shift. Maybe it was the excitement of getting his favourite potatoes for dinner. Fact of the matter was, he was distracted from seeing Alex's look of despondence. There was something missing in his partner and he failed to see it in his excitement. Or his lethargy.

Instead, he concentrated on the gleam she held in her eyes when he returned and being called the man of the house, even with the joking tone it was said in. "That it was made by the woman of the house makes it ten stars. Michelin's got nothing on Alex Lawson." He winked before digging into his food.

"So if we're taking care of the wee one, we're still going to have to get some food for her. The vet I went to suggested we give her this special formula that could help clean her out since a lot of the problems with her are internal. Would you like to come with me to the pet store tomorrow?"