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Short, Short Stories.

Drabble Three:
In Which Two is Company, Three's a Crowd.

Not tonight, he thought. He didn't feel like aimlessly wondering the streets on this night. Maybe it was because of the severe thunderstorm warning in effect, or the fact that he had been jumped just the other night by a couple of street kids. He thumbed the knife wound on his forearm absentmindedly as he sat on Hanna's mattress, something he never did out of courtesy.

But this night seemed to be filled with firsts, so he continued to sit on the springy cushion as he waited for his partner in crime to get off overtime.

Wind and rain were falling from the sky, rapping on the small apartment window. And for some reason the expression 'raining cats and dogs' had came to mind.

"It's pouring out there! Whoa!" Hanna exclaimed throwing the door open and dragging his soaked figure through the door.

The zombie rose from his spot on the bed, prepared to get the ginger some dry clothes or a towel. From his six feet tall he got a good look of the apprehensive look on Hanna's face, and he sure as hell didn't miss thatlittle twinkle of mischief in his eyes.

"Oh no," The zombie had murmured, already predicting one of Hanna's shenanigans unfolding.

The smaller man gave a sheepish smile before step siding away from the doorway, exposing a small black cat with bright yellow slatted eyes. It shook stray raindrops off its back and cuddled up against Hanna's leg. The zombie just raised an eyebrow waiting for an excuse or explanation - whichever one came first.

"It followed me home Charlie! I swear!" Hanna exasperated, waving his hands in front of his face as if that alone would prove his innocence. "And it's raining; I couldn't leave the poor guy out there all alone!"

The zombie continued to stare Hanna down and it wasn't until Hanna had sighed quietly, "We misfits have to look out for each other," that he let the matter go.

"Is it a stray?" Zombie asked giving a defeated look that made him feel like he was the strict mother to a man-child.

Hanna instantly beamed, radiating light and pure adulterated happiness from his entire being. He "gnee'd" for approximately three minutes straight before plunking himself down on the bed, cat in tow.

The Zombie absently draped the blanket around the smaller boy's shoulders in an attempt to warm and dry the ginger all at the same time.

The cat purred like a lawn-mower and stretched its body out on the bed like it owned the place. "It doesn't have a name tag and it came out of a back alley," Hanna explained as he pet the animal like his life depended on it, a stupid grin plastered to his face. "So I bet he's a stray, and just look at how adorwabale he isth!" he cooed before launching himself into a vigorous snuggle fest with the cat.

Zombie blinked at Hanna's use of baby talk towards the feline, but he couldn't help but reach out a stitched hand and scratch the cat between the ears. The cat didn't flinch away from the green decaying hand, and instead a tiny sandpaper tongue poked out before lapping at the dead man's fingers.

Hanna squealed as if the most amazing thing had just unfolded before his very eyes, "Christopher he likes you!"

So the three of them sat there as thunder shook the earth and lightning split the sky in blinding flashes. The zombie sat up on the bed with Hanna's head of curly red hair rested in his lap. The dead man looked down at Hanna's joy-stricken face and the mischievous black cat curled up on his scarred chest.

Hanna looked up and met Zombies tried eyes, giving him a reassuring smile just as the cat let out a content meow.

The Zombie briefly wondered if this was what a family was like.