In the main room, the soft morning light filtered through the curtains, catching little motes of dust dancing in the air.
Luca slung the now-smaller bag by the door with an exaggerated huff, already buzzing with impatience, but Noel wasn't rushing.
He crouched down in front of the couch where the cat—Luca Jr.—had claimed a sunlit spot like a tiny, furry monarch.
The little creature blinked its wide green eyes slowly at him, its tail giving a single, lazy flick of acknowledgment.
Noel reached out, rubbing gently behind its ear with a single finger. "Be good while we're gone, alright? No scratching the furniture. No stealing Luca's seat." His voice was calm, almost indulgent, as if he were talking to someone who truly understood him.
The cat purred, a low, rumbling motor, and pressed its head into his hand.
Luca leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying and failing to hide the faint, amused roll of his eyes. "You're seriously giving a pep talk to a cat?"
