Summer’s mouth fell open. “You … have … kitty … ears!” Her voice rose higher on each successive word. “…At least this is a nice kind of anon?” She pushed herself upright on the couch, starting to laugh, clutching her middle. Helios headbutted Tony’s chin and purred at full volume. “Come here,” Summer finally gasped, waving a hand.
Tony offered her an entirely unfeigned pout and he was, for possibly the first time in his adult life, actually blushing. Albeit very faintly. “I don’t think I want to,” he groused in reply, and turned his attention to the cat, dropping his hat for the moment so he had a free hand to scratch Helios’s ears.
“If you come over here I can pet you,” she coaxed. “You don’t want what you’re giving Helios? He’s a spoiled kitty.” Helios lolled his head back into Tony’s hand, blue eyes slitting closed, and Summer rolled her eyes. “I’m all wounded in the line of duty, and you pay more attention to the giant furball than me. How is this my life?” But she smiled while she said it.
He was trying to seem like he was ignoring her, but at the mention of petting, his ears swiveled upright, facing her direct, belying his supposed lack of attention. “But the fur ball isn’t laughing at me, and he purrs,” he replied, now arguing just for argument’s sake, rather than any real irritation, even if he still seemed slightly embarrassed.
Summer bit her lips, trying not to laugh again. It made her sides hurt. “You can bring him with you, you know,” she pointed out. “It’ll be like a petting circle. Besides, Helios doesn’t even laugh at himself. Come on … I can see your ears twitching. And you know I like to play with your hair.”