Gwen/Algie in the kitten room with the ball of string!
It was a difficult adjustment, getting used to the familiars again. Algie knew he was a person again, but sometimes he’d catch one of the familiars staring at him with an odd expression and he’d wonder if theyknew that.
He’d finally confessed as much to Gwen, feeling rather ridiculous.
“My dear,” Gwen said fondly, “they know the difference, between you and a frog, I promise you.”
“But what if there’s some sort of residual…” he waved his hands. “You know I’m not quite the man I was before.”
“No,” she agreed. “But in all the ways the matter, in all the ways I love, you are the same as you’ve ever been. I loved you as you were then, and I love you as you are now.”
“Gwen,” he choked out, his throat tight. “Oh, how I have missed you.”
She kissed him then. “And I you. Every day, my dearest beloved.” She kissed him again. “And,” she continued briskly. “you have nothing to fear from the familiars, I promise you. They can tell you’re not a common wizard – although you were of course never common, my dear,” she grinned mischievously, “but they don’t think you’re a frog.”
“Especially not the kittens, you daft man,” Gwen said fondly. “They’re very open-minded, you know.”
“Yes. I’ll show you,” she added with sudden decision.
“Gwen, you know you need only ask and I will follow, but are you certain this is going to work?”
“Do you trust me, Algie?” Gwen asked, looking over the tops of her glasses at him.
“To beyond the end of magic, my dear.”
Gwen smiled at him, put her hand on his arm and pushed herself up on her toes to press a quick kiss to his mouth.
“Then trust me, dearest,” she said. “It will work.”
She slid her hand into his and laced their fingers together.
They slipped as quickly and as quietly as they could into the kitten room.
“Mrow?” inquired one of the kittens, cocking its head at the two of them.
“Come on, dear,” Gwen coaxed, and the kitten padded over and sniffed her hand. “Yes,” she laughed, “you are going to make someone a lovely familiar.” The kitten submitted to being petted.
A couple of other small, dark, fuzzy smudges wandered their way.
“Gwen…” Algernon shifted nervously. “They’re so young, what if they can’t tell properly what I am?”
The kitten in question bumped into Algie’s leg.
“Dearest, of course she can tell. She’s curious about you, that’s all. Why don’t you sit down?” Gwen summoned a few cushions for them next to the wall. “Well, are you going to help me or not? I’m too old to sit on the floor without assistance.”
Algie offered her his arm. “Shall we my dear?”
It was not entirely graceful, and Algie had to gently remove several kittens (and one of them twice) that had made a beeline for the soft cushions.
One of the kittens promptly climbed into Algie’s lap and batted at his beard.
“Hello there young miss,” Algie said softly, stroking the kitten’s head with one finger.
“Mrow?” inquired the kitten with a gleam in its eye, and he offered her his hand. The kitten nipped his finger lightly.
Algie started, inadvertently causing the kitten to tumble out of his lap and into another one that had come over.
“Sorry,” he apologized. “Do you think she’s alright?” he asked Gwen anxiously, scooping the kitten up.
“She’s fine. Are you alright?”
“I think so. It’s been a long time since I played with a kitten like this.”
“Here,” Gwen rummaged in the pocket of her robe and produced a ball of string. “Try this.”
Algie took it and rolled it in front of him. Three kittens launched themselves at it, shoving each other playfully.
Algie watched them, and then started laughing.
“I don’t think,” he said, wiping his eyes, “I’ve ever been passed over for a bit of string before. Rather puts me in my place, don’t you think?”
Gwen started chuckling too. “Are you feeling better then, my dear?”
“Immeasurably so. Thank you, love.” He leaned over, gently removed an intrepid kitten who was attempting to scale the front of Gwen’s robes, and kissed Gwen softly.
A small, furry body pressed itself insistently into the space between them.
Cackle’s Academy Prompt Game
