Summary: Based on Season 10 Episode 9Â âThe Mutilations of the Master Manipulatorâ You are there when they find the little orange tabby, Skinner. When Hodgins canât take him, you offer up your home. You just have to convince Aubrey that itâs a good idea.
âIt sounds like somethingâs in hereâŚâ Hodgins mumbles softly as he turns his flashlight towards the other side of the garage.
You tilt your head, eyes scanning for any signs of movement.
âWhatever it is, it could be the source of the predation we found,â you ponder out loud, thinking back to all the marks on the body.
Hodgins hushes you, and out of the silence you hear a quiet creaking coming from the cabinets. Your eyes widen, darting over to meet his. There is definitely something in here. With a quick shared nod, the two of you creep forward, footsteps silent on the concrete. You keep your flashlight focused on the door as he reaches out.
Your shoulders tense slightly.
What could be in there? A possum? A skunk? Neither sound too scary but the suspense is putting your nerves on end.
Hodgins rips the door open.
You gasp as an orange, furry head pokes out from the cabinet, wide eyes darting between you and the entomologist. Oh my gosh.
âItâs just a cute little kitty!â You squeak as Hodgins reaches up and scruffs the little guy, pulling him down into his arms.
What an adorable little cat! You crowd in close, gently scratching beneath his fuzzy chin. He immediately starts purring like a motor, eyes squinting with content. Gosh, how can one cat be so cute! You could literally die.
âPoor things probably been trapped in here ever since Fairbanks died,â Hodgins says.
A small pout pulls at your lips when you think about it, âI canât imagine being locked in such a small space for that long. You poor babyâŚWhat are we going to do with you?â
You canât just drop him off at a shelter, thereâs no telling what kind of home heâll go to! Or if theyâll even keep him. The poor catâs already been through so much.
âI would say Iâd take Skinner here,â Hodgin hums, frowning as he looks down at the creature, âbut unfortunately, Michael Vincent is allergic. What about you?â
You take a moment to think it over. Youâre currently living in an apartment with Aubrey, your boyfriend. Itâs not super bigâŚbut Skinner would probably be happy. Youâd get him plenty of toys and the fanciest cat food, heâd live like a king! Plus, the idea of snuggling down on the couch with the orange fuzzball to read a book seems too good to pass up. Yup, youâre convinced! Now you just have to convince AubreyâŚlater.
âIâll take him home,â you grin and sweep the cat out Hodginsâ arms, letting him curl up into your chest, dirty fur and all, âOnce we get him a good bath and make sure heâs clear of evidence at least.â
What a perfect little friend to have! Youâll get him a nice collar with a bell, a cat tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling, and maybe even some of those designer shelves meant just for cats! Then hopefully he wonât get bored while you and Aubrey are at work.
âI found a tablet in the victimâs house,â Aubrey declares as he comes into the garage, stealing your attention away from your new roommate, âI think this might explainâŚâ
The brunet comes to pause when he looks up to find you, cat tucked comfortably in your arms.
âCorrection!â You grin, albeit a little sheepishly, âThis is Skinner.â
Aubrey spends a moment just staring at you, like heâs processing what you just said and the fact that you seem to tighten your grip stubbornly around the cat. Choosing to not address it just now, he clears his throat and brings his attention back to the tablet.
âI think this might explain all the screaming golden girls heard.â
With that, the topic is dropped for the moment, and you all crowd around the screen to watch a video play out of a young woman pleading with the camera.
â(Y/n)âŚIâm not so sure about this.â
Aubrey addresses you at the entrance to the lab, arms cross over his chest. You trot up to him, Skinner tucked in your arms, this time clean and well-fed. Aubreyâs light eyes stay locked on the cat, hesitant but not completely closed off. This is your chance!
âPlease Aubrey?â You pull out your best puppy dog eyes, looking up at him pleadingly through your lashes, âLook at him, heâs so handsomeâŚalmost as handsome as you.â
The faintest flush spreads up his neck as he glances away from you, tense shoulders loosening a fraction. A grin breaks out across your lips. Heâll totally break.
You tug at one of Aubreyâs arms, forcing it down so he softly grips your waist as you lean into his side. His gaze turns back to you sharply, brimming with suspicion.
âImagine it, both of us on the couch, curled up in a blanket, with a huge tub of popcorn while we watch a movie, and lilâ old Skinner here snoozing away between us, purring and happy because he has a home again,â you persuade him softly, âWe can be his home, Jay.â
Aubrey begrudgingly looks down at the tabby, eyes narrowed as if heâs trying to decide if the small, fuzzy creature is a threat. Skinner tilts his chin up, sensing the gaze on him, and turns his wide, green eyes on the FBI agent. You watch intently as Aubrey clenches his jaw, holds it for a moment, before the tension completely drains from his body. You can barely contain an excited squeal when he reaches down and gently scratches the top of Skinnerâs head before smoothing a hand over his back.
âHe is pretty cuteâŚâ he admits quietly, as if he doesnât want you to hear him.
âIs that a yes, then?â
Thereâs a solid moment of silence before Aubrey finally nods, âYah, we can take him home.â
The excitement finally takes over as you go into a little dance, careful not to upset the tabby though. You wrap your free arm around your boyfriend, leaning up onto your tippy toes to press a quick kiss to his cheek.
âThank you! Thank you! Thank you, Jay!!â
Aubrey canât help but grin when faced with your overwhelming joy. He watches as you lift the cat in both hands, giving him a giant kiss on his fuzzy head before wrapping him in your arms again. A small chuckle rumbles through his chest at the slightly perturbed face the cat pulls.
âLooks like I have two boys to shower with affection now, huh? Isnât that right Skinner?â You ask, purely talking to the cat, before you side glance at Aubrey, âHope no one gets jealousâŚâ
The bunet laughs again, shaking his head as he tugs you back to his side. You giggle as he presses a kiss to the crown of your head, hand gripping your hip a little tighter than before.
âThe moment you start giving that cat more attention than me, Iâm kicking him out.â
Thereâs a hint of humor in his words, so you know itâs a joke. Either way, you could never love anyone or anything more than you love Aubrey. Heâs been there for you in all the good and bad times. Through rough cases and loss. You may love Skinner a lot already, but no one will ever match up to Aubrey.
âReady to go home, Jay? Get Skinner all set up, maybe watch Aristocats, so he feels welcomed,â you suggest as you curl further into your boyfriendâs side.
âOf course, we canât have him getting the wrong idea, after all.â Aubrey stays close as the two of you make your way out of the Jeffersonian, arm still wrapped around your waist, drawing you closer when the winter cold hits you. âOh, by the way! I heard about this new restaurant-â
Your heart flutters at the excited gleam that fills his eyes when he starts telling you about the newest place that opened down the road from your apartment. You canât help it, he looks so cute when he gets excited about something. You really got so lucky, meeting Aubrey and falling in love.
Skinner starts purring loudly against your chest, and when you look down, his eyes are set adoringly on your boyfriend as he continues to talk, telling you all about the menu and possible golden finds. You obviously donât know what the cat is thinking, but youâre sure he already loves the man just as much as you do. Itâs hard not to, after all.
It seems like youâll be the one competing for Aubreyâs attention, not the other way around.