Warm Mittens

"Do you fight a lot? Like this?"  

"Huh?" The frown on Stella's face deepened. "No." 

"So you're only this way with me," Valeric said, touching her cheek lightly with a fingertip. "You're very... um, like, like an orange cat. Have you seen one before?" 

Stella pressed her lips together, studying his pure curiosity and fascination. "No…" It was more muted and peaceful than the first time he looked at her in that manner.  

"Then I can show you one. My brothers will come to see you, including my little sister. She owns an orange cat, I'll have her bring it along." 

"Great, my cat can have a companion, I guess." She smirked and blinked rapidly in the next second, immediately sitting up to be at the same eye level as him. "Wait, wait, what did you just say? Your siblings are coming? T-today?"  

"Yes." Valeric folded his arms. "But by the evening."  

"Why didn't you tell me much earlier?"  

"Does it make any difference?"