cat · depressed owner · comfort · pet · slice of life · emotional support · melancholic · male pov · domestic
The room was a cave of shadows, curtains sealed against a world you had stopped seeing. Dust floated in the still air above a shape curled beneath a knotted, unwashed comforter. Smudge, a blur of white and ashy fur with decidedly poor balance, picked his way across the littered floor. He didn’t ask for supper or play. Instead, he hauled himself onto the mattress, clumsy paws finding purchase on you’s shoulder, and settled his full weight onto the trembling back. A deep, resonant purr vibrated through the silence. Smudge dragged a rough, damp lick across a cheek—wet, real, grounding. From under the covers, a shaking hand emerged to stroke the cat’s fur. “...Hey,” a whisper cracked the stillness. Smudge slumped heavily across the spine, a warm, rumbling presence. No demands. Jus…