#austlan

Person A works at a pet shop and every week they watch Person B come in and pet all the animals, without buying anything and then leave.

Austin’s P.O.V.

Every week he came. At precisely 1:00 P.M. every Saturday, the bell would go off that someone was entering the store, and it was always him.

Austin had gotten used to him coming in every Saturday, even if he never bought any of the cute baby animals. He always just came in and pet or held each and every animal there. It was of course against one of the store’s policies that he take the animals out himself, but his manager had told him that the boy was allowed to, so he let him.

The boy was almost similar to the animals there. He was a small boy with ginger hair hanging in his eyes and always showed up in sweaters and skinny jeans. Austin tended to compare him to the animals that he held. Whether it was a kitten or bunny, Austin found something they shared in common.

It was just another Saturday at the pet shop. They had gotten another batch of kittens in, and they were being kept up by the front desk, so no one would try and hold them. Austin had Slipknot playing quietly from the computer at the register, as no one came in on Saturday’s, well the ginger-haired boy did. 

Speaking of the ginger, where was he? It was already nearing 1:30 and the boy hadn’t shown up yet. It was odd, he had been coming since Austin started working here in August before his Junior year of college started. He had never come late before, the bell always rang at 1:00 on Saturdays.

Austin wasn’t sure how it was going to work when the boy did show. The ginger always went straight for the kittens and always gave them a little extra loving. His manager had clearly said, “No one is to hold these kittens yet, they are still a bit young, I don’t want anything happening to them.”, and he wasn’t going to defy his boss. Austin had to of course to feed them, they had come in with no mother. 

Austin was jolted from his thoughts when he heard the door’s bell ring and he saw the ginger standing in the doorway of the pet store. He was flushed and looked like he had just been running. He slowly started making his rounds visiting all of the new arrivals and our other pets that had been there for quite some time. He decided the boy was content and that he could feed the kittens now.

He grabbed the milk from the fridge before putting it in a few bottles and bringing them out and over to the cage. The ginger boy was still occupied with a bunny and couldn’t help but smile when he saw him scrunch his nose up like a bunny. Austin sat down next to the cage and opened carefully, so he wouldn’t wake all of the kittens at once. He gently grabbed a gray kitten that he affectionately called Gandalf for the time being, and began to feed them.

Austin sighed knowing this was going to take a long time, he loved animals with a passion, but this litter had seven kittens in it, and it would take a long time to feed them all. He felt a presence behind him and turned his head to the side to see the ginger boy standing there, staring at the kittens. Then Austin heard a voice that he had never heard before, the ginger’s voice.

“M-May I hold one?” Austin looked him in his startling brown eyes and saw the innocence and compassion in them, and decided his boss wouldn’t mind if the ginger helped him. He was pretty much allowed to do as he wished here anyways.

“Yeah, would you like to help me feed them? I might be stuck here for a while otherwise.” The boy nods and quickly sets himself down next to Austin, ready to help. Austin grabbed a little orange kitten with fur the color of the boy’s hair and handed the kitten over to the boy gently. After they get settled, Austin decides it’s time to find out about this boy. “I’m Austin by the way, what’s your name?”

“I-I’m Alan.” I quickly glanced up at him to see a pink hue to his cheek and realized he was embarrassed, but why? Was he nervous? 

“It’s nice to officially meet you, Alan.” We fell into silence as we fed the kittens.  Once Gandalf is finished, I gently place the half asleep kitten back in the cage and quickly grab a pure white kitten. After a settle back down and I’m feeding the kitten, Alan cradles the kitten to his chest as he brings it back to the cage. Treating like an actual baby he places the kitten in the cage as careful as possible and grabs another gray kitten putting it in the exact same position.

“You’re really good with animals Alan.” I compliment him and I see his cheeks turn rosy again.

“Thank you.” He doesn’t speak again after that, and I decide to try and get some more from him.

“so Alan, you’re good with animals, and you obviously care for them greatly, anything else about yourself you care to share?”

“Well. I grew up in California and frequented the local pet shop. Once I graduated high school, I moved here to attended university and I’ve been frequenting this pet shop since.” He has such a nice voice, I think to myself. Wait, what. What am I thinking?

“You go to university here? What are you going for?” I had never seen him before working at the pet shop.

“Yeah, I’m going for veterinary technician hopefully. I’m only a sophomore right now, and I have some years ahead of me.” Wow, that actually doesn’t surprise me. 

“Wow, that’s really cool, I’ve never seen you around before. Did you transfer over this year?”

“No silly, you just started working here, I came here the first day I moved.” Now it was my turn to turn pink. I hear a soft meow and look down to see the kitten I’m holding is done feeding.

“I think we have to feed other kittens. These two seem to be full.” He gives me a small smile and switches kittens very gently. I do the same, and we start feeding the next two kittens.

“So how come I’ve never seen you before I started working here?” I ask curiously as to why I haven't seen him around. We must have to have similar general classes. I mean, I’m kind of slacking on that aspect.

“I actually took my generals online during and right after senior year, so I only had to take a few last year.” I look at him with what must be a shocked face because he starts giggling. Freaking giggling. I don’t think I’ve heard anything cuter, wait, again?

“Okay, wow, I’m a junior and just finishing generals, care to tutor me?” I ask because I actually need it in my one class. My professor talked to me about dropping the class, and I want these finished.

“Sure, you seem really nice, and you love animals. What class?” 

“Philosophy and metaphysics.” I hang my head in shame, he probably thinks I’m stupid. Wait, why do I care what he thinks?

“Yeah, I took that class last year, it was a pain, but I know a few tricks.”

“Wow, really! You’d help me?” I ask, quite in shock that he’s willing to help.

“Yeah, how about tonight.” I think about it and remember I have to bring the kittens with me to my apartment so I can feed them every 6 hours. 

“How do feel about helping me feed the kittens again, I have to bring them home tonight to feed them.” His face brightens up when I mention the kittens and he nods his head.

“We can take a break from studying and feed them.” He looks so happy and I can’t help but smile back. He’s just so adorable. Again? My brain must be working off only a few hours of sleep or something. 

“Yeah, let me feed the last kitten and we can head out then, yeah?” I ask to make sure it’s okay.

“Let me feed the last one, you make some last rounds.” I look at him and he has a face on that says, go on, try me. I just shake my head as a grin appears on our faces.

“Okay, you win.” I quickly, but gently, put the kitten I was feeding away and stand up and stretch out my body. Sometimes being tall sucks. I go around filling all of the water bowls and food bowls making sure they were full and that all the cages were properly secured. I get to thinking. How did this super shy boy go from super shy to chatty Kathy in a matter of minutes? I mean I’m not complaining, I could listen to his voice all day. I finish up and walk back up to the front. Alan is just finishing up feeding the last kitten.

I grab the pet carrier from behind the front and grab a few blankets to put on the bottom. Once it’s set up I walk over to the carrier and set it down next to Alan, he takes the kittens and the rest of them one by one and puts them in the cage. He finishes and latches the carrier before standing. 

“Well, I walked here, so could I, uh, get a ride, please?” I look at him and see he’s getting all shy and red.

“Of course!” With that, I lock up and we walk to my car and get in, ready for an eventful night,

DONE! I hope you enjoyed it. If you want this to be continued please let me know and I’ll consider it!