The rain came down in relentless sheets, turning the narrow alley behind Nico’s apartment into a glistening maze of puddles. Trash bags leaned against the red brick walls, their contents spilling slightly as though giving up against the weather. Neon light from the diner across the street flickered half-heartedly, casting a wavering glow over the scene.
Nico tightened the hood of his oversized raincoat, clutching his sketchpad under one arm. Beside him, Junie hopped from one dry patch of ground to the next, her round glasses fogging up in the cold. The duo, barely into their teens, still had the mischief and heart of kids, their bond stronger than any rainy-day discomfort.
“You’re gonna mess up your sketches,” Junie warned, though her voice carried more teasing than concern.
“They’re in a plastic sleeve,” Nico shot back, his tone mild. His sharp eyes, as always, seemed to notice more than they let on.
Junie was mid-hop over a puddle when a sound stopped her—soft, high-pitched, and full of desperation.
“Mew.”
Both kids froze, their gazes snapping toward a pile of soggy cardboard boxes by the dumpster. Another tiny mew sounded, faint but insistent.
Nico and Junie exchanged a glance, no words necessary. Junie crouched first, her rain boots squelching in the mud. Nico followed, his heartbeat quickening as they peeled back a damp layer of cardboard.
Curled inside was the tiniest kitten either of them had ever seen. Its gray fur was matted, one ear looked torn, and it shivered violently in the cold. Its large eyes blinked up at them, a mix of fear and hope.
“Oh no,” Junie whispered, her hand hovering uncertainly. “What do we do?”
Nico didn’t hesitate. He shrugged off his coat, gently wrapping the kitten before cradling it to his chest. “We take it home,” he said simply.
Junie wasn’t just Nico’s partner-in-crime; she was his cousin. Her family lived across town, but she spent most afternoons here since Nico’s mom worked long hours at the diner. It wasn’t official babysitting—Junie always said she was “too cool for that”—but the pair stuck together like glue.
As Nico wrapped the tiny kitten in his coat, he felt an unexpected pang in his chest. The way Pepper shivered, her wide eyes darting with fear—it reminded him of how he felt when he first moved into the apartment after his parents split. Small, unsure, and clinging to whatever scraps of warmth he could find.
He held her closer, his jaw tightening with resolve. “She’s coming with us,” he repeated, more to himself than to Junie.
Junie’s brow furrowed. “What about Mr. Henshaw?”
The name alone sent a chill down Nico’s spine. The landlord of their apartment complex was infamous for his strict enforcement of rules, including his unrelenting stance on pets. “No pets allowed,” his notice had declared in bold, underlined letters. It was rumored he once evicted a family over a parakeet.
“We won’t tell him,” Nico said, meeting Junie’s gaze with quiet determination.
Junie nodded, her lips quirking into a grin. “Then it’s a secret.”
By the time they reached Nico’s apartment, both kids were soaked, but the kitten was warm and sleeping soundly in the crook of Nico’s arm. Inside, the tiny space was cramped but cozy—walls decorated with Nico’s sketches, stacks of books teetering in every corner.
Junie rummaged through the kitchen drawers while Nico gently set the kitten on a folded towel in his closet. “We need a name,” she declared, holding up a small can of tuna.
“Pepper,” Nico said, the word slipping out before he could think twice.
“Pepper?” Junie wrinkled her nose. “What, because it’s gray?”
“Because it’s feisty,” Nico said, pointing to the kitten, who had just swatted at the corner of the towel with surprising vigor.
Junie laughed. “Okay, Pepper it is.”
Over the next few days, Pepper became their secret mission. They scavenged supplies—an old shoebox for a bed, scraps of yarn for toys—and sneaked extra food from the kitchen.
“She eats better than I do,” Junie joked one afternoon, watching Pepper lap up milk from a saucer.
“That’s because she’s the boss around here,” Nico said with a faint smile, giving Pepper an affectionate scratch behind the ears.
“Does your mom know?” Junie whispered one evening.
Nico hesitated, glancing toward the closed kitchen door. “I think so. She hasn’t said anything, though. Maybe she knows what it’s like to need a little help.”
Still, even with that unspoken understanding, keeping Pepper hidden wasn’t easy. Mr. Henshaw prowled the hallways daily, his sharp eyes scanning for rule-breakers. The faintest sound of a meow could send Nico and Junie scrambling to silence their furry companion.
“Do you think he’s like… allergic or something?” Junie whispered one evening as they huddled in Nico’s room.
Nico shook his head. “No. He just doesn’t like animals.”
“Then he’s evil,” Junie declared, crossing her arms.
Their laughter was short-lived when a knock came at the door. Nico’s heart stopped. He grabbed Pepper, tucking her into the closet before opening the door.
Mr. Henshaw loomed there, his beady eyes scanning the apartment. “I heard something,” he said, his voice clipped. “A cat, perhaps?”
A faint meow sounded from the closet, barely audible but enough to send a jolt of panic through Nico. He cleared his throat loudly, stepping sideways to bump the edge of the table. The clatter of a falling spoon filled the silence.
“Nope,” Nico said quickly, his palms sweating as he bent to pick up the spoon. “Just me and my little cousin here, trying to untangle some Christmas lights.”
Henshaw’s gaze lingered for a moment longer before he grunted and walked away. But the encounter left Nico shaken, the reality of their secret weighing heavier than before.
The tension reached its peak when Pepper became sick. Her shivering returned, and she stopped eating. Panic set in as Nico and Junie realized they couldn’t handle it alone.
“We have to take her to the vet,” Nico said firmly.
Junie nodded, though her wide eyes betrayed her fear. “How do we pay?”
“I have some savings,” Nico said. “And it’s not about the money. She needs help.”
The duo snuck Pepper out in a backpack, navigating icy sidewalks to the nearest vet. The doctor, a kind woman with a no-nonsense demeanor, patched Pepper up with care.
“You’ve got a fighter here,” she said, smiling as she handed the kitten back.
But when they returned, fate caught up with them.
Mr. Henshaw was waiting by the door, his arms crossed. “What’s in the bag?” he demanded.
Junie tried to shield the backpack, but Pepper let out a weak meow. The landlord’s eyes narrowed. “I knew it,” he said. “A cat.”
Nico stepped forward, his voice steady despite the fear coursing through him. “We found her in the alley. She was hurt. We couldn’t just leave her.”
Mr. Henshaw stared at them for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, to their surprise, his shoulders sagged.
“I had a dog once,” he said quietly. “A beagle named Max. Had to give him up when I moved here. Rules.”
Junie blinked, caught off guard. “That’s… sad.”
Henshaw sighed. “It is. But sometimes, rules aren’t everything.” He looked at Nico. “You keep her out of sight. Don’t let anyone else find out. Got it?”
Nico nodded, a wave of relief washing over him. “Got it.”
Pepper recovered quickly, her energy returning in bursts of playful chaos. Nico and Junie marveled at how such a small creature had brought them closer—and even softened the heart of their gruff landlord.
“Can you believe we found her in the alley?” Nico said softly, almost to himself, as Pepper batted at the yarn. “Feels like forever ago.”
Junie smiled, watching Pepper pounce clumsily on the yarn. “Yeah. She’s kind of impossible not to love.”
Nico smiled, watching Pepper tumble after a scrap of yarn. “She taught us something, didn’t she? That being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared—it just means you care enough to do something anyway.”
Junie nodded, her grin softening. “Yeah. And maybe kindness is its own kind of courage.”
As the snow outside glistened under the streetlights, the tiny apartment felt warmer than ever.
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