A pet by any other name (Raleigh)

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Xantha wasn't fully sure where Spot had been the entire day but she was pretty sure that something was wrong with him. He was acting stranger than usual and his weird twisted face was out of sorts. Despite the odd appearance of her cat she was very fond of him and couldn't imagine having to live her life without him. He was incredibly smart as well, meaning he'd always be able to find her and settled with her for the night, no matter where she squatted. He often waited outside when she had to pop into a building and he'd never once been caught by animal services. He'd never been hit by a car and had never eaten something bad for him so naturally Xantha was highly concerned by this new development.

She'd been walking towards a vet with Spot beside her (he was a bit heavy to lift) when something happened that must have spooked poor Spot a little. He was all the way up a tree before she even had the opportunity to blink. "Spot!" She said in loud whisper. She was sure he could hear her and it was quite late out. She'd just been on the way towards on of the few clinics that was still open at this hour. She didn't really have the money to pay for a vet but honestly? She'd find a way for the sake of Spot. She grumbled in frustration as the poor creature didn't come down, in stead making it's weird cat-like noise at one of the strangers passing by.

Xantha blinked a few times, since Spot didn't usually like strangers. Still, if Spot wanted her to involve the handsome young stranger she was not going to complain. She was going to give the crazy creature whatever it asked for. She stood right in his path, blocking his way and looking up at him, perfecting the innocent and helpless young lady act that had gotten her out of far too many situations already. "I'm so sorry to bother you sir." She started and then motioned towards the tree. "But my cat got stuck in the tree and he'd been off all day. Could you maybe help me get him down so I can get him to a vet before they close? I think he likes you." It was perhaps a little peculiar but Xantha knew exactly how to tell if Spot liked people or not. The peculiar beast was not at all subtle in letting her know most of the time.

@raleigh

[Deleted]

@xantha

he needed someone to remind him why he was walking. he didn't know why he was walking when it would have taken three seconds to apparate across the city but no, something in him had felt like walking at the time. of course that feeling had left about five minutes ago because of the plethora of slow walkers and cars going past and the ever so loud world around him. he glanced down at his watch as he walked, taking a little too much time to look back up. when he did raise his eyes from the face on his wrist, he had to stop short in order to avoid someone who had just walked out in front of him. he swore internally and took something of a step back from her.

he almost retorted, but he stopped himself. he didn't really need to make it known that if she was sorry she wouldn't have stopped him. he hoped the scowl on his face would be enough for her to read into that feeling of his. it rested on his face most of the time but there was a little more effort put into it today because she'd surprised him. he didn't like being surprised. "can't you just call those fire .. guys?" surely they had them right? his world had them so the muggle world should. he looked up at the tree to where the exceedingly large cat was and he was a little taken back. that was no ordinary cat. that confused him a little because he was ninety nine percent sure the woman in front of him was a muggle, otherwise why not use magic to either coax or lift the cat down from the tree.

[Deleted]

Why on earth did she have to encounter one of those kinds of people? She wanted to punch him the moment he opened his mouth, although she almost had to forgive him considering he was too dumb to know the name of fire fighters. "You mean fire fighters." She pointed out to him rather acidly. "And I can't exactly call them. I can't afford that and apart from that spot tends to get very aggressive towards most strangers. While it'd be amusing for me to have him claw your face off he seems to like you." She then bit her lip and looked up at the tree. "And I think he's sick so I want to take him to the vet." She gave him a pleading look, which was far from her nature. "Can you please just help? I'll give you whatever I am capable of in exchange." It wasn't like she had that much to give and well, he didn't seem like the type to ask for anything that she wasn't able to give to begin with.

It was killing her that she couldn't get to her weird ass cat and just pluck him out of the tree to take him to the vet to begin with. She would happily plunge herself into debt to ensure that he'd make it but she knew it never was that simple. She just didn't want to lose one of the few things in life that had always been there for her. The poor creature had adopted her as owner after his own had mysteriously passed away. At first she'd been there to comfort the creature but when her dad ran off with another woman, Spot had been there for her to help her through her trauma. Even more so when her mother got sick and she'd ended up on the street. Spot had taken care of her, much like she took care of him and she knew they were close to each other. She just didn't want him to get sicker and right now her best bet was this stranger. She just hoped he'd be willing to help.

@raleigh

[Deleted]

@xantha

he blinked, though his face stayed neutral as she spoke about not being able to afford to call the people who were well equipped for a job like this. his eyes flicked to where the creature, that certainly wasn't a regular car, sat in the tree, his eyes staring down at them in a way that was eerily close to a human and it almost sent something of a shudder through leigh's soul. it didn't seem too distressed at the situation but the woman who owned him certainly seemed to be. he had half a mind to roll his eyes and just keep walking but there was something that kept him rooted in the spot, unable to take a step away from the situation. he couldn't pinpoint what it was but it annoyed him. he let out an exasperated sigh as he ran his hand down his face.

he relented and he felt his shoulders relax just slightly when he did, though with something of an internal shake he straightened them again, raising his hand to undo the buttons on the jacket of his suit and he looked at the woman. "i'll get the .. cat." he said as he slid the jacket off, making sure to keep his wand tucked in the inside pocket of his jacket hidden. he had half a mind to use magic to solve the problem but it didn't seem worth the slap on the wrist that he'd get from the ministry for using magic in front of a muggle. he tossed the jacket neatly over the closest fence and he undid the buttons on his cuffs, rolled his sleeves up slightly and walked over to the tree.

he did glance down at his shoes and couldn't help but think of the scuff marks he'd have to spell out later when he got home but he shook his head slightly and channeled his inner youth and he started to climb the tree. he'd never been allowed to climb tree's when he'd been younger. it hadn't been proper but he found it wasn't difficult. he found his footing, kept his grip on the branches above him and with every pull and push he wondered what the hell he was doing. he was climbing a tree, for someone he'd just met. it didn't make sense yet here he was.

he reached the branch the cat was sitting on and he took a second to brace himself so he could get the silly creature down. though it seemed it had other plans. it took a step towards him and with a flick of it's tail it started to climb it's way down the tree, as agile as anything and before leigh could muster up any words of frustration it was safe on the ground and sauntering back to it's owner, tail high in the air.

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Xantha sighed in relief when the stranger agreed to help her. It clearly wasn't something he really wanted to do and she could almost feel the resentment rolling off him in waves. Not that she cared all that much, it was all about Spot, not the stranger. He did proceed to undress a little, which amused her just a little bit. She kept a straight face, worried that he might change his mind if she smiled the wrong way. He didn't exactly seem to be too eager to help out. So she waited patiently as he actually did climb the tree. She bit her lip as she looked up as he approached Spot. Naturally the ugly cat decided to be a total brat as he climbed down as the guy got close and sniffed her shoes before sucking up to her. She pulled a frustrated face as she picked up the misbehaving cat and still petted him a little as she cuddled him and chided him. "Spot, that is very rude of you after the nice man got up in the tree to save you. Next time just come down on your own to begin with!" She told the cat quite displeased he'd behaved so poorly.

She stood near the trunk of the tree, the cat having climbed up to her neck as she offered him back his jacket as he climbed back down from the tree. "I'm so sorry. If I'd known Spot was going to be such a brat I wouldn't have bothered you. He's a stupid cat but I care for him a lot." She nuzzled the beast that was draped on her lazily eyeing the stranger. "I promised something in return so just... let me know what you want." She said, biting her lip a little nervously. She could never be quite sure what they'd ask but that didn't change anything. A deal was a deal. "Or if you'd like to cash in later I could give you my phone number. I don't know if you're in a rush or anything." She didn't want to keep him from his business any longer than she already was but well, she wanted to make sure she didn't break her promise. She wasn't that kind of a girl after all. He'd saved Spot (despite the cat not needing much saving) so she owed him. If she could settle it now that would be plenty for her.

@raleigh

[Deleted]

@xantha

it took everything in him not to pull out his wand and aim a well place and a seemingly well deserved curse on the stupid cat as it sauntered back to the woman who owned it, it's tail high in the air with a touch of ignorance and arrogance about it. like it knew exactly what it had been doing and it seemed to be quite pleased with the job it had done. he took a moment while his arm was hooked around one of the branches to take a breath and remember that it wouldn't be worth it to be dragged into the ministry because he cursed a cat in front of a muggle. it just really wouldn't be worth it. he shook his head a little as he started to climb down from the tree, looking down to where he placed his feet carefully and cringing outwardly at the scuffs he could already see on his toes.

he dropped back to the ground with a soft thud, almost losing his balance as he did but he was able to grab onto a branch and stop himself from falling backwards onto his ass. because that was the last thing he needed or wanted to happen. this whole experience had been something new, weird and he was certain it was awful but there was still something about the woman who had stopped him that kept him from saying anything outward about it. "i'm sure you wouldn't have." he said as he reached to take his jacket and he brushed the dust and dirt that had settled on it off before he pulled it back over his shoulders, pulling it taught and over his shoulders properly as h worked the buttons together across his torso. "i really don't need anything." he said as he glanced at the cat that was now laying across her arms, looking rather comfortable and content. "though i'd suggest just leaving the cat in the tree next time."

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He'd almost fallen over, but she was glad he hadn't. It wouldn't really have helped his mood she guessed and he already had a far too sour one to begin with. He seemed to have some form of neat freak going since he dusted the jacket off before putting it back on and buttoning it up. Her eyes couldn't help but stare a little as they looked as his hands closed up the buttons. She was more used to the reverse movement, which was quite the amusing thought. A stranger getting dressed without any fun having happened, how fascinating. She petted Spot absenty as he mentioned not needing anything. She shrugged at that. "It wasn't a matter of what you needed." She reminded him with half a smile. "It was about what you wanted, whatever is in my ability to give." She gently reminded him, although she wouldn't really object if he didn't want anything either. Good deeds rarely came for free and it wasn't like she'd see him again if he did opt in for charity. If she knew she'd be seeing more of him she certainly wouldn't have taken any charity from him.

The moment he suggested leaving Spot in the tree her eyes darkened a little and she certainly didn't mind that he didn't want or need anything from her. She certainly didn't need to be around somebody with that attitude. She gave him a sugary sweet smile of politeness. "I'll keep that in mind." She said with a toxicly sweet smile on her face. She didn't really like this stranger all that much and the only positive he currently had going for him was the fact he'd actually bothered to try saving Spot. He looked like a spoiled young man either way with his fancy suit. Maybe she resented it a little that some people grew up not worrying about money now that she had practically none but well, it made sense to her. She knew the struggles of not having enough money to survive so the idea of abandoning her cat was really offensive to her. How dare he even?

@raleigh

[Deleted]

@xantha

he glanced at her when she'd said that it hadn't been about what he'd needed but about what she could give him. that was a strange way of putting it, well he'd never heard anything like it before. it was usually about all people needed, or wanted from someone who did a good deed for someone. that or the person doing the good deed just expected something in return. it threw him a little bit, because it wasn't an answer he expected. he'd been expecting her to just nod and walk away, it seemed to be the way things worked these days. granted a few years before he'd have walked past her without much of a second thought so maybe it was just lack of experience in being somewhat helpful. "well how about coffee, the next time we bump into each other. call it a rain cheque." he didn't want to point out that the likelihood of them bumping into each other again in a city the size of london but he figured he shouldn't.

it appeared he'd struck a nerve when he'd suggested leaving the cat in the tree and while she didn't voice it he could feel that energy rolling off her in waves, see it in the tense set of her jaw and the sudden disdain in her eyes. he fought the urge to roll his eyes and he crossed his arms over his chest lightly as she said she'd keep it in mind. he let the right half of his mouth turn up into something of a quick but cool smile and he motioned to the cat. "good. because he's clearly more than able to get himself down again." he hadn't actually meant to just leave the cat up there and walk away. even he wouldn't have been able to do that to an animal that he called his.

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By now Spot was purring in her arms rather happily and Xantha could never stay mad at the ugly little creature. She loved him dearly, as he'd always stuck around her, no matter how rough things got. A true friend, one could say. Leaving him up in the tree when he could possibly be sick was not an option to her and even now she planned to take him to the vet and see how that'd pan out. He suggested coffee the next time they ran into each other and she shot him a quick suspicious look. Well great, now she'd have to keep money in reserve for coffee, even if it was highly unlikely that they'd ever meet again. She relaxed her features and shrugged. "Sure. Coffee if the stars align." She replied in agreement, not caring if she was being a bit sassy on the odds. He knew those.

When the stranger mentioned that Spot had been more than capable of getting himself down Xantha smiled, although it wasn't exactly a warm smile. "It seems he's not the only one." She then said, cuddling the cat closer and giving it a quick kiss. "But I'm just glad you're safe again. We're taking you to the vet, even though you don't like him." She said, both coddling and stern to the cat. "No trying to bite his fingers off this time." She said as she booped his nose and petted him. Spot was naturally completely docile right now but last time he'd been to the vet he'd behaved horribly. She looked at the stranger. "Thanks for helping out though. I'll see you around." She said, even though they both knew it was not exactly likely to be true. London was a very big city and they definitively didn't live in the same neighbourhood.

@raleigh