Ben's welcoming smile was a nice change of pace from Nico’s most recent interactions with the human species.

"So, what made you decide to volunteer?" Ben asked.

Nico looked up, caught off guard. He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly very aware of his own limbs. "Oh. Uh, I didn't really..." He hesitated. Telling a stranger that his best friend was currently staging a coup in his living room felt like too much information. "My apartment is... a little loud right now. I needed some quiet." He paused for a moment before hastily adding "...and I do love cats."

Ben nodded toward a hallway that led away from the reception area. "I get that. This is the right place for it. Here, follow me."

He led Nico down the hall into a small, calm room. It was lined with spacious, comfortable-looking enclosures, each housing a single cat. The air here was still, with a faint smell of wet food.

"This is the intake room," Ben explained, keeping his voice low. "When new cats arrive, they stay here for a bit, to make sure they're healthy before they join the main party."

Nico peered into one of the cages, where a tabby was sleeping peacefully. It was a stark contrast to the thumping bass of Jamie’s crisis that was likely still vibrating through his living room.

They moved on, and Ben opened a door that revealed a much larger space. "And this is the main cattery," Ben said, gesturing to the room with a sweep of his arm. "We just call it the catio."

It was a semi-open space populated by about a dozen cats. The furniture, mostly beat-up cat trees and plush beds, was clearly property of the feline state. The catio was alive with small sounds like the scratch of claws on sisal, and the soft thump of paws landing on shelves. Some of the residents were chilling in sunbeams, others were engaged in high-stakes combat with colorful toys, and a few simply stared at Nico and Ben.

"As volunteers, we try to keep things clean and the cats fed and healthy," Ben added. "But the most important part is hanging out with them. Socializing them. Getting them ready for a forever home."

As they stood there, a black cat with big green eyes and her left ear tip clipped walked right up to Nico and started rubbing against his leg, her purring motor already running loud.

PRU-NYAAAA. She meowed loudly.

"Oh," Nico said, looking down. "Hello."

He crouched down, extending a hand. The cat immediately pushed her head against his fingers. Nico scratched her gently under the chin, as she closed her eyes in pure bliss. Ben watched them, a fond look on his face.

"What’s her name?" Nico asked.

"Technically, she's called Mary," Ben said. "But I call her Prunya."

Nico grinned. "It fits her much better."

"She's very cuddly," Ben added. "She’s been here about a year."

Nico paused, his hand still on Prunya’s soft fur. He looked up at Ben, shocked. "A year? And nobody adopted her? She seems so friendly!"

"She is," Ben said, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Sometimes adult cats get overlooked. If my landlady allowed me, I would adopt her in a heartbeat."

Nico looked back down at the cat, who was now head-butting his shin, demanding the resumption of services. He obliged.

The tour naturally dissolved into hanging out. They spent the next hour just sitting there, surrounded by cats. Nico mostly listened to Ben talk about the different guests' quirks, which ones were divas, which ones were escape artists, occasionally nodding or offering a scratch to a passing feline. Nico's stomach gave a quiet, treacherous rumble, reminding him he had only had an apple and coffee for lunch, but he didn't make a move to leave.

"So…" Nico asked, standing up as the light began to shift. Prunya settled contentedly at his feet. "You do this a lot?"

"I’m here most days after work," Ben said. He leaned against a wall, crossing his arms, which did excellent things for upper body, a fact Nico unsuccessfully tried to ignore. "It’s a good way to decompress, you know? Switch off from the world for a bit."

The words hit a little too close to home for Nico. He met Ben’s eyes, and for a second, there was an easy understanding.

"Yeah," Nico said softly. "I get that."

Ben looked pleased and maybe even a little relieved. "To be honest, it's great to have someone else around. Other than Chloe, the manager, it's usually just me holding down the fort."

The late afternoon light was turning golden, casting a warm glow over the shelter. It caught the edges of Ben’s ginger hair and beard, igniting them into a soft halo. He turned to Nico, looking hopeful. "Well, it's closing time. Thanks for the help today. I’ll see you on Monday?"

"...Monday?" Nico repeated, a slight flush rising on his cheeks.

That implied a commitment. A return.

He hadn't officially agreed to come back. But thinking about the quiet peace of the catio and looking at Ben’s inviting face, Nico had a feeling his schedule was about to clear up.