The Cattery (M/M contemporary sweet kinky romance)

by Merikan, K. A.

  When he finally turned around to look at Goran again, the sparks between them hit him without Goran even trying. All the tan muscle on show, the veiny hands, the big eyes that seemed to look right through him, all combined into a perfect package.

  Ollie opened his mouth, but something seemed stuck in his throat, preventing him from speaking up. His knees were soft as he met Goran’s eyes, which held the same kind of sincerity as last night, even if clouded by anger.

  “What do you want, Ollie?” Goran muttered. “Oh, wait. I know what you want. You want Luis, so I don’t know what we’re supposed to talk about here.”

  Ollie chewed on his lip. He wished Goran would call him by his given name, not the pet name Luis came up with. “I wanted you to know that I’m sorry. I still want to be friends, and I’ll help you stay here for the whole term.”

  Goran raised his hands. “Yeah, whatever. It was my idea to go out yesterday, right?”

  “I panicked, okay? He was looking at me as if I stabbed him in the heart,” said Ollie, twisting the front of his T-shirt with both hands.

  Goran wrapped his arms on his chest and shrugged. “He’ll live. He’s a grown man.”

  “We would have gotten the strikes anyway, because Cin’s after me,” said Ollie, stepping closer.

  “Apology accepted. Let’s just forget about it all.”

  Ollie deflated and pushed closer, itching to touch Goran. With Cin lost, he really needed Goran on his side, but Goran took not one but two steps back.

  “Doesn’t mean I’m happy about it,” Goran said more harshly. “I opened up to you, like I never do to anyone, and it was worth shit to you, so… that’s that.”

  Ollie pressed his lips together, his chest fluttering. “That is not true. Why are you judging me again?”

  Goran scowled. “You’re so desperate for approval, but you don’t want to actually do the work. You made your bed, so sleep in it. Your actions speak for themselves.”

  Ollie narrowed his eyes. “Doesn’t everyone look for approval? We live in a society. Without approval, we’re nothing!”

  Goran smirked. He actually smirked. “Sorry, not sorry. You don’t get my approval for this.”

  Ollie’s mouth dropped open, and he stepped back at first, only to slap the front of Goran’s chest with the palm of his hand. “If you don’t want my help, you won’t get it!”

  “Help with what? Staying here? I got two strikes because of you! I was fine before. I could even become Luis’s favorite cat if I wanted to!”

  Cold fury grasped Ollie’s insides and he pushed at Goran. “No. He wouldn’t like you as much as me. He and I have a connection. You have no idea about us!”

  Goran shook his head. “Of course. Your special relationship with Luis. Yet you need approval from me. You’re not getting it. Are we done?”

  Ollie brushed his hand over his forehead, not knowing what to do with himself. He didn’t want Goran hating him, no matter how many false stories he’d told Ollie the night before. “You’re gonna miss me soon enough!”

  Goran rolled his eyes, and unbuttoned his shorts. “I’ve got three other cats to choose from, and Luis on top of that. I’m good.”

  “Oh, so you’d rather fuck Cin than me?” hissed Ollie, even though the mere suggestion of it stung his ego like a furious bumblebee.

  “Why do you care? You’ve got your beloved Luis.” Goran pushed his shorts down and threw them to a sun chair. “I’m going for a dip.”

  “Fine,” growled Ollie, keeping his eyes firmly on Goran’s face. “You can go now. I’m not interested either.”

  “You’re so in denial,” Goran said, but he didn’t wait for an answer and turned around, as if to show Ollie what he was missing. He walked off toward the sparkling ocean, and a part of Ollie wanted to follow him so desperately it hurt.

  But he turned around and ran instead.

  Chapter 13

  Goran’s silence was like a black hole in Ollie’s chest. He wouldn’t talk to Cin anymore, and Clove and Bounce were acting civil at best. Ollie had never felt so lonely before. He’d hoped that Goran would warm up to him again eventually, but the way his gaze always just brushed past him, as if Ollie could somehow damage his eyes, hurt more than he’d expected. On top of that, Luis was not there to distract him, and with each passing day, fear was itching underneath Ollie’s skin.

  In his letter, Ollie spoke plainly about his feelings. How ashamed of himself he was. How he never wanted to hurt Luis, but as days went by, he was starting to realize that if Luis really wanted to console him, he’d have already done so, and the knowledge turned into a dull ache deep within him.

  It was getting late, and Ollie was losing hope for the day, but lying on a sunbed close to the gate between the cattery and Luis’s mansion, he was the first to hear the electronic door open. He didn’t get to say a word, as the little cat bell rang, turning his muscles into goo, but by this point, he didn’t even care. He just wanted to see Luis and make sure everything between them would turn out fine. He put his cat ears on and kneeled down, immediately crawling toward the sound over soft grass.

  He saw Luis’s feet emerge from behind one of the garden tables, and his breath caught when he saw Luis’s toes curl in his sandals. He meowed, intent on being the first one seen. The first one ready.

  “Hey, Ollie.” Luis scooted down to pet Ollie’s hair. “All the others are at the pool, aren’t they?” His gaze was soft and made Ollie’s heart pound. Luis wasn’t angry with him. He must have read the letter.

  Ollie purred and moved his head against the strong hand. A warm sensation spread over his back like a blanket, soothing the hurt deep inside Ollie and the loneliness that turned the last week into a series of pictures in grey scale.

  “I thought you deserved some pampering. Would you like that, baby?” Luis smiled and stroked Ollie’s neck so gently that the touch echoed all over Ollie’s body.

  Ollie whimpered, and the pressure around his eyes became so unbearable he had to shut them. He nodded and licked the salty inside of Luis’s palm.

  “You are beyond cute.” Luis jingled the little bell on Ollie’s collar and put his strong arms around Ollie, picking him up in one swift move.

  Ollie curled up in his arms, shuddering when his body swung so high above the floor. But he trusted Luis. He wanted to have someone he could unconditionally trust. He pawed at Luis’s face with the front of his fist.

  Luis smiled and when he carried Ollie toward the room where he gave his kitties massages, Ollie’s excitement revealed itself with a squeal. He pushed his face against Luis’s neck, reveling in someone finally welcoming his presence. Luis’s scent was familiar, and Ollie clung to it until he was slowly lowered onto the table in the middle of a Middle-Eastern-themed space with beaded lamps and numerous candles for decoration. He stretched under Luis and let his eyes roam over his hairy, masculine forearms.

  “I thought my Ollie needed some pampering today. Am I right, baby?” Luis sighed and took off his shirt. He usually did that to not get oil on his clothes during a massage. But as soon as Ollie thought that nothing compared to the way Luis’s strong hands kneaded his muscles, the memory of Goran’s arms around him flashed in front of his eyes. His mouth fell, and only when Luis frowned at him curiously, he made himself smile again. He quickly rolled over to look at the floor and arched his back toward Luis. What the hell was wrong with him recently? Luis was his whole world, and he was finally here to spend some time with Ollie. There was no reason to fantasize about anyone else. Suddenly, not having to speak to Luis was a blessing, because he wasn’t even sure if he’d be able to gather the words.

  “I love to pet you and play with you. You know that, right?” The strong hands rubbing the first helping of oil up Ollie’s back made him groan in pleasure. Ollie closed his eyes and rolled his hips, reacting to the firm touch. Luis had taken massage courses, and it showed every time he put his palms on Ollie.

  And yet, while feeling like condensed safety, it wasn’t the
touch that made Ollie shudder.

  “I’m not really sure what’s going on here lately,” Luis went on, as did his hands. “But the last thing I want is my kitties fighting. If you ever feel unhappy, or unsafe, or if any of the other cats does something to hurt you, you can write to me about it.”

  Ollie sighed, trying not to let his disappointment show too much. Of course, he could. He could write anything to Luis, but it would merely be a confession. Ollie would never receive the same honesty back. There was only one person who gave him that. Goran.

  He squeezed his eyes tight and bit the inside of his cheek. The cold shoulder he was constantly getting from Goran was like a kick in the face after the closeness they shared, and yet he needed to endure. Mistakes couldn’t be mended. Even with Luis touching him, he was left cold.

  Ollie didn’t need to see Goran to recognize his meow, smooth as chocolate. What on earth was he doing here?

  “Aww, look who’s come to play. You don’t hate me anymore?” Luis laughed and judging by the disappearance of his hands, he must have leaned down to pet Goran.

  Ollie rose on his elbows, breathlessly watching Luis stroke Goran with both hands.

  Goran arched up to Luis’s hand with a big smile and meowed like the happiest cat on the planet, but Ollie could swear the guy gave him a side-eye. How dare he come here and butt in when it was Ollie’s time with Luis? Did he still hate Ollie and want to rob him of even the tiniest crumbs of affection?

  He clutched at the edge of the table, for a moment unable to move as Goran’s nastiness stabbed his chest over and over. Olie used to think Goran was rude, but he’d never take him for someone so inherently mean.

  He meowed in protest.

  “Oh, yes, you want your cuddles too. Okay.” Luis’s smile widened, and he reached to Ollie with one hand, rubbing his cheek with his thumb.

  Goran nudged Luis’s knee with his forehead and then licked up their master’s thigh, as if Ollie wasn’t even there.

  Ollie hissed at him, clenching his jaw so hard his teeth started aching. He wouldn’t be treated like this!

  Goran meowed in return, and for the first time in days, their eyes met. Was he trying to provoke Ollie? Make him do something against the rules so he’d get kicked out? They both had two strikes by now.

  “There, there. No need to be so mean to each other.” Luis laughed as if this was all a game.

  Ollie slid off the table and crawled over to Goran, barely restraining himself from ‘accidentally’ bumping their heads. He would not back down this time. How could Goran be so cruel and try to take even this from Ollie, after antagonizing him all week and luring away all of Ollie’s friends?

  Goran watched him for a moment but then walked off to Luis’s legs again, naked and graceful. He nudged the back of Luis’s knee and then licked it playfully, once again ignoring Ollie.

  “Oh, God. You’re so cute,” Luis laughed.

  Ollie pushed his whole body at Goran and tackled him to the floor. He hissed again and pressed both his hands against Goran’s chest. This was his time. Goran didn’t have the right to hoard it all to himself. And had his sincerity been just an act? Since when was he so into Luis?

  Goran yelped in a most un-feline way and pushed back, turning the position on its head and forcing Ollie on his back. Ollie stirred in shock when the warm, tan skin melted against his, robbing him of breath. No matter how angry he was, his body did not hate being under Goran at all. He inhaled a big gulp of air and raised his head just in time to not let it slam against the floor. His hand flew up and he struck Goran across the face.

  Goran gasped, and his eyes went wide. He didn’t hit Ollie back, but he grabbed his wrists and held Ollie down, his grip bordering on painful.

  “Babies, what’s going on?” Luis’s voice was weak, as if he wasn’t in charge of the situation anymore.

  Ollie struggled in Goran’s grasp, the pressure inside his head and around his eyes rising suddenly when he realized his strength was no match to Goran’s. That tan, handsome face was so close Ollie could kiss Goran’s full lips if he wanted to, provided Goran didn’t hate him enough to knock out his teeth.

  Everything had changed since Goran arrived at the cattery. Everything. The place used to be an equilibrium despite the hierarchy of Ollie being the master’s favorite. Yet the changes weren’t about that at all. Luis still came back to him, even today. It was about Ollie being pushed out of his comfort zone, being pushed to think about the outside world, and even face it with Goran by his side.

  Ollie and Goran had talked for hours and danced late into the night, as if Ollie were a real person, not a recluse living behind walls and pretending to be a cat for money.

  Goran hissed and pushed Ollie’s wrists down again as soon as Ollie managed to hold them up a little.

  Luis jingled the cat bell, making both of them turn into statues.

  Ollie stared at Goran, hypnotized despite being so hurt by his behavior. His heart thumped. Luis would go now, leaving Ollie even lonelier than he’d been for the last few weeks. He didn’t know what to do. The floor was crumbling beneath his feet.

  Luis took a deep breath, his voice trembling with nerves. “What’s going on here?”

  Goran sat up on Ollie’s hips, and the closeness of his body was so sad, arousing, and confusing at the same time that Ollie needed to get away as soon as possible.

  He exhaled and tried to pull out from underneath Goran, catching his breath in harsh gasps. “Nothing. Goran hates me, because he knows going out was actually my idea,” he whispered, trying to pin Goran with his gaze, but he wasn’t able to hold it on the handsome face and forcibly pulled away. His brain was a chaos of colors. Had he really said that out loud? A small part of him hoped that maybe Goran wouldn’t be so disgusted with him once he told Luis the truth.

  Goran backed off and sat on the floor with his arms crossed.

  Luis sighed, running his fingers through his hair. “It doesn’t matter whose idea it was. You both broke the rules. And why was it your idea? You claim you’re happy here.”

  Ollie clenched his fists, gaze avoiding Goran’s face at all cost. “It’s complicated,” he said in the end, proud that he kept his voice steady despite all odds.

  Luis shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Goran, can you leave us? I’m sorry to push you out like this, but I need to talk to Ollie.”

  Goran got up with a deep sigh and once more locked his eyes with Ollie’s, making Ollie’s heart skip a beat. It felt as if there was an invisible leash attached to Ollie’s neck, and Goran was tugging him by it. But as soon as the door shut, he was alone with Luis, and his stress levels went through the roof. He looked up and saw only disappointment on that handsome face.

  He shuddered, unable to completely fill his lungs with air. Would this be his last strike? Would he be asked to leave?

  “Ollie? Let’s sit down, huh? And you can put on some pants if you want to.” Luis took a deep breath and sat on the sofa in the corner of the room.

  Ollie exhaled and extended his hand for one of the folded blankets stacked by the wall. His limbs felt stiff, but he covered himself with the thin fleece and stood up on shaky legs.

  “Okay,” he said, completely pumped out.

  Luis didn’t avoid him though. He pulled Ollie under his arms, and for the first time in months, the atmosphere felt truly intimate. “I’m not so good with people, so it took me a while to work up the courage to come visit you. Especially after the letter.”

  Ollie bit into his index finger, stifling a sob that suddenly came up his throat. “I’m sorry, Luis. I don’t know what’s happening to me recently.”

  Luis hugged him tighter, and it was weird that it felt more like being embraced by an older brother than a lover. “I worry about you.”

  Ollie pushed into him, tightening his arms around Luis’s midsection. The comfort streaming from Luis’s warm, strong body made him relax, even if just a little. “The atmosphere hasn’t been good recently. No one wa
nts to talk to me anymore.”

  Luis took a quick nervous breath. “Oh, God. I’ve messed up. I’ve created a pressure cooker. Like that prison experiment. Has something horrible happened?”

  “No. Nothing. I just feel so alone when you’re not here. They don’t like me,” whispered Ollie and rubbed his face, hiding behind his hands. The darkest corners of his soul were leaking out into the open at a rapid pace. “Sometimes, I think everyone would be better off if I wasn’t here.”

  “Don’t say that…” Luis stroked Ollie’s hair, and it didn’t feel like it was Ollie the cat being petted for once, but him. “You’re a lovely… guy. I just don’t know if you’re getting what you need here anymore. But as long as you stick to the rules, I can’t make that decision for you. You wrote that I’m the most important person to you in the whole world, and that… worried me, to be honest.”

  Ollie opened his eyes and looked at Luis through the wetness that gathered in them. He was exhausted. Drained. He couldn’t hold back anymore. “Who else would it be? My family doesn’t want me the way I am.”

  “I’m not even here half the time. You’re my sweet little kitten, but I think you should spend some more time figuring out if that’s what you want to be. I’ve been thinking about this, and as long as you keep that secret from the other cats, I’d like to give you access to the Internet every now and then. And, again, as long as you keep that secret, you could be meeting other people, maybe once a week. You’d go with me to my house, and we could go out, or you could take one of the cars and make a trip somewhere. I worry that you’ve been here too long, and that you really don’t know where you belong anymore.”

  Ollie exhaled. Not that long ago, this would have been his dream come true, but as time went by, Ollie had been growing increasingly certain that Luis had never seen him as anything more than a friend. It’d been years, and nothing in Luis’s behavior even remotely suggested he’d want to deepen their relationship. This was yet another confirmation of what Ollie already knew deep in his heart. It made him sad, but at the same time, an eerie calm enveloped his chest as he looked into Luis’s dark eyes.