#cath-rian

"Hey, Catherine. Let me help you with these suitcases, my kitten."

"Oh, you should. And there's more outside too. Many boxes for you to carry inside with your strong arms.", she giggled.

He laughed, amused by her request, and followed her outside to carry her things inside.

"You really know how to take advantage of a guy's good side, don't you?"

"You should help me since you're my boyfriend, Brian. Besides, I'll help you."

"Well, when you put it like that, I can't really say no can I?"

After hauling several of her belongings into the penthouse, he sank into the plush cushions of the sofa and took a deep breath. A wave of exhaustion washed over him. A scent of new beginnings filled the air.

"Well Kat, I must say this is quite the workout."

"Oh, we aren't finished yet. And don't forget the stuff lying in the hallway.", she reminded while carrying a box inside.

The man took a deep breath, stood up from the sofa, and confidently walked down the hallway to retrieve the remaining items.

Suddenly, Brian's dog, Sam, rushed away from the kitchen, running towards them and jumped on Catherine. The girl lost her balance and tumbled down the floor with Sam on top of her. Brian just laughed at the sight of his cute dog licking his girlfriend.

"Looks like Sam here just wanted to show his affection. He's happy to have me moving in with you, I guess."

"Of course, he would. Now he doesn't have to suffer you alone.", she joked and winked.

"I'm definitely that bad to be around!", the boyfriend chuckled.

He grabbed her hand, helped her up, and exchanged a soft kiss on her lips before letting go. As he was about to give her another kiss by leaning his mouth closer, Catherine placed a hand between them.

"Now who's gonna help me pick out all the fallen items when Sam jumped on me?"

Brian dramatically sighed, but also couldn't resist her cute look.

"Fine, fine. I'll help you pick up the rest of the stuff. But only because you're too beautiful to refuse."

"Thanks, babe. First work and later the kissing. I'll help you with the clean-up, so it'll get faster."

The young couple spent the next few hours unpacking boxes and putting away her things. Throughout the process, they chatted and laughed, enjoying each other's company.

"Sorry for owning too much stuff. I already threw away the things I don't use or need, but..."

He laughed heartily, trying to take a break from constantly lifting boxes.

"Don't apologize, I'm happy to have more of your things around. It feels more like home with you here, my kitten."

"But where do I put all these things?.

The young man analyzed his penthouse, trying to find a spot for everything.

"Well, we could start by putting some of these boxes in one of the guest rooms above and some in the storage. At least until we find a better solution."

"Okay."

Together, they picked up all the boxes one by one and moved them to Brian's suggested places, taking care to neatly arrange them. After both finished, he turned to her.

"Hey, is there any specific place you'd like to put your personal items? Maybe on the nightstand, or the closet?"

"Well, the essentials. My outfits, bags and shoes in your closet if that's alright."

He agreed, flattered by her suggestion to put her belongings in his closet.

"Sure. My closet doesn't have much space left right now because I can already imagine the high amount of clothes you might own, but for now we'll have to make this one do until we buy a new, bigger closet for both of us to share."

"Sure. Oh, ummm... I don't think you have a make-up table where I can put my cosmetics and accessories in, right?"

"No, but that can easily be fixed. I'll make sure to get one for you, so you can have a proper place to put your makeup and accessories. My girl has the right to look pretty afterall."

Then the couple continued tidying up and unpacking while the 3-year-old dog, Sam curiously followed them around, occasionally trying to steal a little bit of their attention.

"Brian, can I put my trophies on your bookshelf? If that's alright.", she shyly asked.

"Sure, go ahead and put your trophies in my bookshelf. I'll make sure to arrange them so they look neat. After all, I want to show off your achievements. Everyone needs to know that my girlfriend is a champion."

After spending another few hours unpacking, both sat down on the sofa, exhausted. The boyfriend put his arm around the blonde-haired woman and pulled her close.

"It looks like we've done quite a lot, huh?"

"And there's still more left to do. We'll do the rest tomorrow.", she tiredly spoke before her stomach began to growl

Brian let out a tired sigh, but still found the strength to tease her a bit.

"Hungry? You sure know how to keep a guy busy, don't you? It seems like somebody's hungry and I'm too tired to cook."

"Aren't you hungry, Brian?"

"A little. But don't worry, I won't let you starve. Not on your first day in our new home, my kitten. Any dinner preference you have?"

"No, just don't put too much effort. You look exhausted like me, babe."

He gave her a tired smile and nod in agreement.

"You're right, let's keep it simple tonight. How about we order in? Pizza, Chinese, or something else you're in the mood for?"

"Pizza. You know which one."

Brian playfully rolled his brown eyes but couldn't help but smile at her choice.

"Of course, the classic choice. I'll put in the order, you just relax and take a break."

Brian dialed the number for their local pizza place and ordered Pizza Margherita for her and Pizza with Thuna for him. After hanging up, the guy rejoined his girlfriend in the living room. He sat down next to her, wrapping his strong arms around her and pulling her close, resting his chin carefully on her head and enjoying the comfortable silence and each other's company.

A little while later, they heard Sam barking as he entered the living room and approached them. Catherine rubbed the dog's head after it licked her hand as a sign of affection, which made the owner and his lady laugh.

"He must be excited about having you here. Finally some female attention in this manly penthouse."

The lovers laughed as Sam jumped up on the sofa, trying to make space for himself between them.

"Woah, Sam!!", she couldn't stop but giggle and softly stroked the animal's fur.

"He's being quite selfish, isn't he? Wants to hog all your attention."

"Stealing me from you, Brian.", she giggled.

"Are you snatching my girlfriend away with being cute, Sammy? That's not cool, boy.", he joked.

"Don't be jealous, Sam is cute. How can a girl resist him? He has me charmed."

"I think you're cuter, my kitten."

The man took her hand, held it high as she spun around gracefully before they pulled closer as they laughed. He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tightly. He couldn't express how he was with her, how happy she made him, and that she was now with her. Having Catherine and Sam under one roof just felt right.

As the days passed, Catherine and Brian slowly settled in together. The penthouse, their home, felt even more alive now that she was now with him. Even Sam felt happier than ever to have both of his favorite humans around. Brian took a moment to scan his surroundings, taking in the sight of everything being in its place. It looked a little different now, more lived-in and cozy, a clear sign of both of their presences.

Then he walked over to his girlfriend, putting his arms around her waist, standing behind her and resting his chin on her bare shoulder.

"Our home, my kitten. It's definitely finished. You did a good job, I have to admit."

"Don't give me all the credit. You too. You did more than I did and I really like your artistic input."

He held her tighter, nuzzling his face into her neck, inhaling the familiar scent that always drove him crazy, making him want her even more.

"The best part is having you here with me. Now, everything feels complete."

A few days after Catherine finally moved in, Brian decided to host a dinner party at their penthouse to celebrate a new start with her. Their friends arrived, bringing gifts and good wishes. The atmosphere was filled with joy, laughter, and a sense that this was just the beginning of something wonderful. The night was filled with good food, great conversations, and an overall feeling of happiness and love.

"Hey, Tate, training next week, same time again?", Catherine asked her ice-skating partner.

"Definitely, Snow Queen. Same time, same spot. Looking forward to it."

Their best friend, Liz, appeared from behind, chuckled, and playfully ruffled Brian's hair, which made Catherine giggle.

"Hey! Liz, stop!!"

"Moving in with Catherine. You're full of surprises, Baker. Now I can keep an eye on you two and make sure you do not mess things up with Catherine."