24. kittens xx

The apartment had never felt this alive before. Red and Blue had quickly claimed the space as their own, darting between furniture, climbing everything in sight, and collapsing into adorable piles of fluff wherever they pleased. By the time evening rolled around, both kittens had tired themselves out, sprawled across the couch like they owned it.

Hamzah plopped down next to me, the warm weight of Red draped across his lap. He scratched under the kitten's chin absentmindedly, his gaze flickering toward me every so often, as if he was waiting for me to say something.

"You're a natural," I said, gesturing toward Red, who was now purring so loudly I could feel the vibrations in the air. Hamzah grinned. "Yeah, well, I had a good teacher." He reached over, lightly brushing his fingers against mine where they rested on the couch cushion. The gesture was casual, but it sent a familiar spark through me. I pretended to focus on Blue, who was snuggled up against my thigh, his tiny paws tucked under his chin. "They're so cute when they're like this," I said softly. "Yeah," Hamzah murmured. "Almost makes you forget they're gremlins when they're awake."

I laughed, and the sound seemed to break the fragile stillness between us. Hamzah's fingers lingered against mine, his touch deliberate now. When I finally looked at him, his eyes were warm and steady, the way they always were when it was just the two of us.

"You're staring," I teased, though my voice came out softer than I intended. He didn't look away. "Maybe I like staring."

The air shifted, a slow, magnetic pull drawing us closer. Before I could overthink it, Hamzah closed the gap, his lips brushing against mine with a tenderness that made my chest ache. The kiss deepened, his hand sliding up to cup my face, and I found myself leaning into him, forgetting everything else.

Red stirred on Hamzah's lap, letting out a sleepy meow that broke the spell for half a second. We both pulled back, laughing softly.

"Think we're disturbing the little king," Hamzah said, glancing down at the kitten, who had rolled onto his side, still fast asleep. "Clearly," I said, my cheeks warm.

But neither of us moved away. Instead, Hamzah shifted closer, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as he kissed me again. This time, it was slower, sweeter, like we had all the time in the world.

The kittens, oblivious to the moment, continued their nap, their tiny snores filling the quiet apartment.

By the time we decided to call it a night, Red and Blue had fully claimed their places as permanent fixtures in our lives. Blue trailed after me as I made my way to the bedroom, his sleepy little body flopping onto the bed as if it were his.

"You coming?" I called out to Hamzah, who was tidying up the remnants of our lazy dinner in the kitchen. "Yeah, yeah," he said, appearing in the doorway moments later. Red followed at his heels, bounding onto the bed with an impressive leap. The sight of the two kittens curling up together in the middle of the bed made my heart swell. "Guess we don't need blankets anymore," I joked, pulling back the covers anyway. Hamzah slid in beside me, his arm immediately draping over my waist. "We can share," he said, his voice low and teasing.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't hide my smile. As I settled into his embrace, the kittens nestled between us, their soft purring filling the quiet of the room.

"Do you think they'll let us sleep?" I asked, my fingers absentmindedly tracing patterns on Hamzah's arm. "Doubt it," he said, chuckling. "But it's worth it."

I tilted my head to look at him, and the way he was gazing at me-like I was the only thing that mattered-made my heart skip. He leaned in, pressing a lingering kiss to my forehead, and I felt myself relax completely in his arms.

"Goodnight, Cora," he whispered, his lips brushing against my temple. "Goodnight, Hamzah," I murmured back, my voice barely audible over the steady rhythm of purring.

As sleep began to pull me under, I couldn't help but think that this-falling asleep tangled up with Hamzah, with two tiny kittens snoring between us-was everything I never knew I needed.