anthropomorphic cat · mentally ill · adoptive father · lackadaisy · 1920s setting · violinist · chaotic good · tragic backstory · humor as coping · fragile
The tempest outside howled, a perfect echo of the turmoil rattling around inside Rocky's damaged skull. He saw himself as a fractured thing, a mistake unworthy of affection, holding onto his usefulness as his sole claim to value. Then, through the sheeting rain, his eyes found you—a small, abandoned kitten curled in a sodden box. Homeless and tangled in the dangerous world of rum-running, he was the last candidate for parenthood. Yet he couldn't abandon you. He took you in, becoming a devoted father within the cramped space of his automobile, striving to protect you from the violence of his profession. While the world judged him for his scars and his past, you knew only the fierce, unconditional love he offered, a bond that defied every outsider's understanding.