Surprised we turned to the kitchen door.

Tau stood in the doorframe and looked at us.

"Hey, Tau." Kaami smiled at him and waved his hand to come closer. "Want some tea or some hot chocolate?"

"Maybe." "Come here. I make some space for you."

Kaami raised, walked around the dining table and took the seat beside me.

Finally Tau came closer. While walking towards the table he looked right and left and scanned every inch of the kitchen. "You cook?" "Of course!" "Who's the housewife?" "Neither of us. We both work full time." "You work full time? And who will be there when I come home? That's not good for me! What if I want to eat lunch and set the kitchen on fire? That's dangerous." Right in front of the table he stopped and looked at us with an accusing expression.

"No need to worry. We will be on vacation for the next two weeks. We can get to know each other and don't have to hurry a thing." "So I will be staying here for two weeks?" "Of course not. You will go to school and if you want to have some friends over, you can do that, too."

"You let me have friends over?"

He slowly seated on the empty chair and hopefully looked at us.

"I mean", Kaami said. "maybe not tomorrow. This is new to us, too. We need to process all of this. Maybe after the two weeks, when we have some routine." "Some routine?" "Yes. Nik will get up in the mornings and when you get home the two of us will have lunch together."

For one second, Tau looked really scared.

Why the fuck did the orphanage put us together, if the kid couldn't stand tigers?

"The two of us?" And he pointed at Kaami and himself. Kaami nodded.

"We can cook together." "Ha! As if I would do that." "Why not?"

He didn't respond, just stared at the table.

"I need hot chocolate now", he mumbled.

"Okay." Kaami stood up to heaten up some milk and make froth for the chocolate.

When he came back, he put a perfectly filled glass of hot chocolate on the table.

"Neat. You’re a barista or what?"

Finally Kaami's tense shoulders softened and relaxed. He chuckled while taking a seat beside me, again. "No. I happen to love Latte Macchiato." "He is the best froth maker in the whole world", I praised Kaami's froth making abilities. "Stop it!" He nudged me and leaned on my shoulder. "That's embarrassing." "I'm not." I smirked and leaned in for a kiss.

"Nik, that's too much." Before my lips could touch his, Kaami leaned backward. I glanced at Tau who observed every movement we made. He silently slurped his chocolate. I couldn't clearly read his face. Looked like he was still anxious about the whole situation, but amused, too.

After some time of talking, Tau disappeared to his room again.

He didn't want to talk about friends nor school or anything private. He just sat there and watched us embarrass in front of him.

When he went to his room we finally hugged and kissed and tried to be ourselves again.

"This won't be easy, huh?" "We'll get used to this. We'll do great!" I put my head under his chin and rubbed my nose on his fur. "You're such a big softie, love." "And you are embarrassing." His breath brushed into my hair. I loved it when we hugged. I felt save, like there was a huge shield around my whole body, protecting me.

"Thanks."

"What for?"

He pulled away, just as much to look me in the eyes. Then kissed my nose and finally my lips.

"Being with me", he whispered against my lips.

"Always. I love you."

We kissed again.