#clawd as well

[valzhanginator]

clawdeen wolf from monster high is sooo frazel!daughter coded you guys don't even get it

[freaky-flawless]

Do you guys think we'll ever get another boy doll? Idk why, but it feels really unlikely to me.

At the start, Deuce got 3 dolls pretty much right off the bat, and then hasn't had another one since. (Honestly, I'm a little worried he might be getting the Ghoulia treatment, especially since neither got music videos and were exclusives)

And other than him, we just have a Clawd doll with a bad face, and Heath, who was apart of a budget line. He didn't even get a normal doll release with a phone, snacks, or even a pet.

[m4rs-ex3]

EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP CLEO X FRANKIE IS EVERYTHING TO ME

[torresdesigns]

New this week on Etsy 04/17/2024

: https://thesupplyloft1.etsy.com

[coconutcows]

Maybe I’m missing something here but don’t these two panels go against like most of what Gen 1 was about???? Why would any of the ghouls give two fucks about “being respected in wider monster society”??? Their parents are all “Legendary” monsters, some of the most well known who sent their kids to the mixed race school because they support the initiatives of tolerance, why are the kids concerned with this?? Like wow good thing you aren’t in wider monster society, you attend a highschool that specifically exists to fight that backwards ass logic!!!

I don’t know this just boggles my mind, this stuff is supposed to be aimed at fans of G1 yet everything they try to tackle is done worse than the original series did. Seriously, Fright On and Ghouls Rule handled this stuff better.

They really ditched clawd for some random white boy im crying /neg

[juneberrie]

MONSTER HIGH CHARACTERS WITH A PARTNER WHO SLEEPS IN CLASS

requested || monster high masterlist

───featuring: frankie stein, cleo de nile, draculaura, clawd wolf, clawdeen wolf, deuce gorgon, heath burns, jackson jekyll, holt hyde, lagoona blue

FRANKIE STEIN

would look over and be like 😟

pokes ur arm like "are u asleep?"

and then she realizes you are asleep and she laughs quietly

would probably write ur notes for you??? or like she'd move ur pen/pencil so there aren't random scribbles on your paper

"did u sleep well 😊" when u wake up

CLEO DE NILE

tbh she probably wouldn't notice for a good while

she'd go to ask you a question

and there you are with your head down, obviously asleep

she'd be like "oh 😒" and then just ask you her question later

if anyone near you is like making a ton of noise she'd glare at them and tell them to shut the fuck up

DRACULAURA

"oh!" when she realizes

she'd like giggle bc she thinks ur so cutie

and she'd probably just leave u be for a while until a few minutes until class ends and she'd be like "if u want i can ask frankie if you can borrow her notes" bc lets be honest she probably doesn't take notes

CLAWD WOLF

would probably let you use his jacket as a pillow or a blanket or something

don't expect him to let you copy his notes (he doesn't take any)

would try to explain what the teacher was yapping about but he's rlly bad at explaining so it sounds like "so this and ummm i think that and probably this too.... i think he said something about this?"

CLAWDEEN WOLF

would tap u bc she noticed ur head down and she's like "are u okay"

"oh they're asleep!"

if the teacher asks why ur head is down she'd be like "they have a headache" or smth

will let u copy her notes

glares at anyone breathing slightly too loud

"shut up can't u see theyre trying to sleep?? yeah thats what i thought"

DEUCE GORGON

okay so this bitch is kinda stupid

and he sees u asleep right

so he like pulls out an extra pair of sunglasses from his bag

and he sits you up and puts the glasses on you

bro is so proud of himself!!!

its so obvious you're asleep and then u get woken up bc the teacher is like "wtf"

HEATH BURNS

he'd be like "y/n! y/n!" and then realize ur asleep

and then very loudly go "OHHHHHHH YOU'RE ASLEEP"

so you probably get woken up tbh

he'd be like " 😨 sorry 😜"

either that or he'd notice and very loudly shush people

JACKSON JEKYLL

bro is in shock

how??? are you sleeping???? in class?????

he'd be really nervous for you

cause he doesn't want you to get in trouble for sleeping in class

when u wake up he tells you to get more sleep at night or something

HOLT HYDE

straight up would NOT care

bro was listening to his music and he like looks over and sees u asleep and he's like "okay!"

he'd probably draw on ur hand tbh or like ur paper

when u wake up he's like "omg hey" and would give u one of his airpods as yall walk to class

LAGOONA BLUE

she'd let you sleep

she wouldn't really notice but when she does she's like "awww" and moves ur notebook out of the way so she can write notes for u <3

[woodle-isbae]

hi hi hello i have a very awesome request for Wkko🤗

so imagine he’s working on some type of new invention or something of the sorts

and he just wouldn’t pay attention to you and you just keep prying at him until he caves and edges you or be a little rough just to put you in your place but hes still all sweet giving you praises and kissing you🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗

"Isn't this what you Wanted, huh?"

He whispered into your ear, pressing his chest onto your back while he rutted into you, biting into any exposed skin he could get

"C'mon, answer me baby."

He leaned back, pressing his hand into your lower back to deepen your arch, groaning at the way you constricted around him. Ekko had bent you over his desk, moving his things to the side so he could fill you up, being so needy for him he couldn't ignore it any longer.

"Yes. . .Fuck! Yes, I needed this.."

Your fingers clawd at the wooden desk that creaked beneath both your bodies, toes curling at the way his thick tip hit right into your core, walls clenching to pull him in for more.

"Yes! Ekko, please- right t..right there.!"

Your begs ran right through his mind, provoking him to fuck you harder, his hips slamming right into your ass with a great force that it would surely leave a mark.

"You just couldn't wait huh? Yer' always so fucking needy f'me."

He slowed his hips, illiciting a whine from your lips, pushing back against him to regain that same friction. He let out a breath chuckle, holding your hips in place while he dragged his all the way back, stopping when his tip was just about to exit.

"Uhnt uhnt..ima have my way with you baby."

His words lingered before he gave one big thrust right back into you, a groan turned into a whimper shot out his mouth, the action sending a wave of electricity through your connected bodies.

He continued his fast and rushed thrusts, knocking you into the desk, causing your feet to lift up slightly. You were on your tippy toes, fucked out beyond imagination from how well he was driving his cock into you.

"Ek- ah!..please I'm gonna cum..!"

Your words flew mindlessly past him and into the heated air around you, yelps and pleads joining right after as he kept drilling into you, the table under you decorated with scratch marks from your need to hold onto something.

Just as you were about to release, Ekko pulled out and flipped you onto your back, diving right back in to continue with the same fast and rough pace that had your toes curled.

"Cu- hah..cum with me, yeah?"

His thrusts slowed down, pressing his chest against yours to get as deep as possible, allowing his thick mushroom tip to pound into that one spot that he knew would leave you dazed.

It only took him a couple of minutes before you clamped down on him, greedily pulling him in for more while you drowned in your orgasm, Ekko shuddering before halting his hips, shoving his face into the nook of your neck to muffle the pathetic whines he was letting out as his cock spurt out into you.

After a brief moment of silence, Ekko stood back up and pulled out, racing to get a warm wet cloth and a bottle of water for you. Picking you up and placing you on the couch he conveniently had put there in case something had come up.

"Y'know, that helped clear my mind- thank you."

"So you'll spend time with me?"

"Three hours, then I'm back to work, alright?"

"Great."

You leaned in for a kiss, making sure that the Three hours would go to good use.

Soo...hey!!

I'm still working on ALOT of yalls requests and my own personal projects, gonna take a while to post bc i got mad writers block rn but..

Do Not Fear, I Am Still Here! 👅

Xoxo

[oak23]

To be fair post 2020 G1 media has been mixed up with G3 canon (like Frankie being made of diff brains, Draculaura not being with Clawd, Cleo and Deuce being broken up etc in both the comics and that one shitty book, a b8gger focus on the adult characters and emphasising the lack of independence the teen characters had) and that it's Clear Mattel has certain things they want to rewrite about MH.

If the post 2020 stuff just respected the general status quo of 2013 to 2015 MH canon (keeping couples together, keeping character development intact like Toralei's, not killing off characters like Dracula, keeping the parents out of focus etc) but instead it doesn't feel any of the new media understood the appeal of G1 media having specific character relationships or the fact it was an escapist parent free fantasy series for kids.

Mattel's grip on the brand has meant it's got certain agendas to make the brand aimed at a younger audience than the preteen market and the fact it's combining certain elements of g1 and g3 that makes it incongruous.

Like yeah, fans won't like it but I don't think it's fair to lay the blame at headcanons and fanon for that dissatisfaction when Mattel themselves don't seem to have a clear vision of what they want from Monster High as a whole.

I feel like at this point there's no post reboot G1 media that's going to satisfy the fans because they've all got these head canons and there's so much fanon mixed up with canon that no matter what a writer does it won't ever feel like the 2010-2015 media

[kixsuskat]

Clawde, Stellar, and Gus!! (left to right)

weirdbody doll idea ref finally finished!! They get along really well but still get distracted sometimes, which results in a confused, still, body. They're collectively trans 2v1 and very happy!!

[freaky-flawless]

I am so incredibly excited for the Toaradeen comic to release, but it does pain me to see them both wearing jackets knowing that it takes place during the summer.

[peoplesgraves]

yandere clawd headcannons (^o^)/

Yandere Clawd x Succubus Reader Headcanons

•The definition of golden retriever boyfriend. He’s so obsessed with you, you could literally walk him like a dog. Clawd loves everything about you from the moment he sees you. Loves all the hearts you wear, loves your demonic features and he even loves when you laugh off his affections and confessions, too used to hearing them from others. You didn’t realize that he wasn’t like everyone else that it wasn’t just obsession, it was love! That was ok though because Clawd was happy to spend all his time proving himself to you.

•Clawd follows you around without fail. It doesn’t matter if you leave school late because of detention or leave the house 3 hours early, Clawd is always there waiting for you. If you don’t talk to him then he’s fine just following a few steps behind you and basking in your company. If you do talk to him then be prepared for him to stay as close to your side as possible and be nearly knocked over by the force of his wagging tail. He rarely talks about himself unless you prod him because he’s just to obsessed with you to ever think about himself.

•Speaking of not thinking about himself, Clawd would get into a lot of fights. The only people he’ll tolerate being around you are people he knows he can trust like his sisters, anyone else who gets too close to you is an enemy to Clawd and he’ll forgo his own safety and well-being anytime to keep them away from you. He always wins, doesn’t matter who it is that he’s fighting or how injured he gets, when he has you to fight for he may as well be invincible.

•Clawd loves carrying your things or driving you places. Some people might be annoyed but not him. He’s your boy and it’s his responsibility to take care of you. Ask him anything and he’ll find a way to do it, it doesn’t matter if you’re grateful or not because the only reward Clawd needs is being with you.

•Doesn’t matter how mean you are or how much you lash out at him. It doesn’t phase him in the slightest. Call him awful names, say you hate him and he’ll just take it and then try to comfort you after. However if he were to ever say or do something to hurt you, no matter how minor that’s when he loses it. He’s whimpering and tearing up and begging for your forgiveness. Forgetting his size completely and crawling into your lap, less of a wolf and more of a puppy.

•Call him a good boy or any kind of nickname and he’ll be over the moon. If you call him wolfy once as a joke then he’ll never let it go. He starts calling himself wolfy hoping you’ll follow suit but if anyone else tries then they’re getting a mouthful.

•Definitely has thrown rocks at your window and stood in the rain holding a boombox. He’s cheesy yes but more than that he wants to give you all the good experiences he can, all the ones that other people can only watch in movies or dream about. Clawds ultimate goal is to make you as happy as he is, to make you feel as loved as you make him feel.

[champion-of-love]

eah's not above referencing pop culture since they had daring and melody recreate that moment from the vmas. so i wish they'd done a scene after briar threw the book down the well and then we get a blooper/non-canon scene in the credits and duchess is just suddenly in the story of bella swan in twilight. it'd have that fuckass blue filter from the first movie AND it also doubles as the monster high crossover we deserve where we have clawd as jacob and valentine as edward. (i'm not having them be played by clawdeen and draculaura. the point of the gag is to annoy duchess not have her fall in love mh's best girls)

[lulublack90]

Prompt 22 - Grief/Mourning

@wolfstarmicrofic July 22, word count 506

CW - dead animal, burial,

Sirius came into their dorm room sobbing his eyes out.

“Moony, Prongs, something terrible’s happened!” His face was red and blotchy. Remus had never seen him so upset. He was cradling something furry in his hand. It took Remus a second to figure out what it was. It was a brown rat. 

“Lily’s cat was chasing him. I tried to rescue him but-but-but, I was too late,” Sirius wailed. 

“Oh, shit!” James gasped from across the room. 

“What are you on about, Sirius?” Remus questioned him, not quite understanding why Sirius was so upset. 

“It’s Wormtail!” He cried, holding up the limp rat. He sobbed harder, letting James hold him and cry alongside him. Remus bit his tongue to keep the sarcastic comments contained. 

“He was the most amazing friend,” James stated sadly. “He was always there when you needed to talk and, while he was small, when he transformed, I will never forget the time he snuck up behind Mrs Norris and bit her tail so we could get away before Filch caught us.”

“I-I-I remember how sweet he was when Moony and I started going out, and he bought us all that chocolate and butterbeer. I don’t even know how he carried it all. He was the best of us!” Remus sighed through his nose and resisted a facepalm. 

Just then, Peter walked in, saving Remus from having to explain that if the rat had been Peter it would have transformed back when Clawd got hold of him.

“Why are they crying?” Peter asked, eyeing the rat in Sirius’s hands. 

“They think that’s you,” Remus explained, rolling his eyes. 

“Oh Peter,” James patted the poor lifeless rat. 

“Guys, I’m right here,” Peter groaned.

“I can still hear his voice!” Sirius leaned into James’s chest. 

“Wait, me too,” James said, confused. 

“Idiots,” Peter tutted. 

Sirius and James spun around. 

“Peter?” They said together. “PETER!” The rat fell from Sirius's hand, and they jumped on Peter. 

“Hey, get off, you nutters!” Peter yelped as they squashed him onto Remus's bed. Remus stooped and picked up the rat Sirius had dropped. 

“Well, I think after all that this little guy deserves a proper burial,” Remus declared and grabbed Sirius’s arm, hauling him off Peter. “Come on Prongs, Wormtail, this requires all of us. 

They dug a little hole in front of the whomping willow and laid the rat to rest. “You picked the wrong dorm little rat. I’m sorry your life was cut short, and I guess we'll never know why you were all the way up at the top of Gryffindor Tower. Rest in peace little buddy.” Remus used his wand to fill in the grave, and they all stood quietly and stared at it.

“Glad it wasn’t you Wormy,” Sirius said, clapping Peter on the back.

“Er, thanks,” Peter huffed out a laugh. Remus burst out laughing, which set them all off. 

“Merlin, I love you,” Remus kissed the top of Sirius’s head, and they walked back up to the castle to relax before dinner. 

[knoepfl]

Soft Moments in the Moonlight

Characters:

Clawd Wolf

Female Reader (You)

Trigger Warnings: None.

Masterlist

Words: 1074

---

The moonlight filtered through the curtains of your dorm room, casting a soft glow over the bed where you sat, waiting for Clawd Wolf to arrive. It had been a busy week at Monster High, with casketball practices, schoolwork, and general chaos keeping the two of you apart. But tonight, it was just you and him, and you couldn’t wait to relax in his arms.

A soft knock at your door pulled you from your thoughts. Your heart skipped a beat as you stood up, opening the door to reveal Clawd. He stood there, looking as handsome as ever in his usual laid-back style, his signature jacket slung over one shoulder. His golden eyes sparkled as he smiled down at you, his tail giving a small wag of excitement.

“Hey,” he said softly, stepping inside as you closed the door behind him. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

You grinned, taking his hand and leading him to your bed. “Me too. I think we both need a break after this week.”

Clawd chuckled, settling down on your bed with a content sigh. “You have no idea. I swear, I’ve been running on fumes since that last casketball practice.”

You climbed onto the bed next to him, leaning into his side as his arm automatically wrapped around you, pulling you closer. You felt the warmth of his body as you snuggled into his chest, his heartbeat steady and soothing.

“Well,” you said, your voice soft as you nuzzled into his neck, “you don’t have to worry about that now. It’s just us tonight.”

Clawd hummed in agreement, his hand coming up to gently stroke your back. “That’s exactly what I needed to hear,” he said, his voice low and warm.

As you shifted to get more comfortable, your fingers brushed through his thick, soft hair, and you noticed how he leaned into the touch, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment. A smile tugged at your lips as you continued to run your fingers through his hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. Clawd let out a low, content growl, leaning further into your hand.

“Someone likes head scratches,” you teased, watching as his normally cool and confident demeanor melted away. He practically turned into a big puppy under your touch.

Clawd let out a soft chuckle, though it was clear he was too relaxed to be embarrassed. “What can I say? You’ve got the magic touch,” he murmured, closing his eyes as he rested his head against your shoulder.

You continued to gently scratch his head, letting your fingers glide through his soft hair. Clawd’s body relaxed even more, and before long, he was practically lying in your lap, his head nestled against your thigh as he let out a contented sigh. His arm wrapped around your waist, holding you close as if he never wanted to let go.

“You’re too good to me,” he muttered, his voice a little drowsy now that he was fully relaxed.

You smiled, your heart swelling with affection as you looked down at him. “I like taking care of you, Clawd,” you said softly, your hand never stopping its gentle strokes through his hair. “You’re always looking out for everyone else. You deserve to be taken care of, too.”

Clawd’s eyes fluttered open, and he gazed up at you with a warmth that made your chest tighten. “You’re the best, you know that?” he said softly, his hand moving up to cup your cheek for a moment before pulling you down so he could press a soft kiss to your lips.

The kiss was sweet and tender, full of all the love and affection the two of you shared. When he pulled back, his eyes shone with warmth and gratitude. “I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he admitted, his voice soft but full of sincerity.

You smiled, your heart fluttering at his words as you leaned down to kiss his forehead. “Well, lucky for you, you won’t have to find out,” you whispered, settling back down as Clawd pulled you closer.

After a few more moments of quiet affection, Clawd shifted, pulling you down with him until you were both lying side by side on the bed. His arm was securely around your waist, holding you against his chest as he nuzzled into your neck. The soft sound of his breathing filled the room, and you felt a sense of calm wash over you.

You rested your head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as your fingers lazily traced circles on his arm. Clawd let out a soft hum of contentment, his hand gently rubbing your back in slow, soothing motions.

“Feels good to just be here with you,” Clawd murmured after a while, his voice low and relaxed.

You nodded, smiling against his chest. “I agree. I love nights like this.”

Clawd’s lips brushed the top of your head, and you felt him smile. “Me too. I could stay like this forever.”

The two of you lay there for a while, wrapped up in each other, the world outside forgotten. Clawd’s body was warm and comforting, and the soft rise and fall of his chest as he breathed slowly lulled you into a peaceful state. The stress of the week melted away as you cuddled together, sharing quiet moments of affection.

Eventually, Clawd shifted slightly, pulling back just enough to look down at you. His golden eyes were soft, filled with an affection that made your heart skip a beat. “I love you,” he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Your heart fluttered at his words, and you smiled up at him, your fingers gently caressing his cheek. “I love you too, Clawd.”

He smiled, his eyes closing for a moment as he leaned in to press another soft kiss to your lips. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your skin.

“Let’s stay like this for a little while longer,” he murmured, his voice full of contentment.

You nodded, closing your eyes as you snuggled back into his chest. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

And so, the two of you stayed wrapped up in each other’s arms, sharing soft whispers and gentle touches under the light of the moon. The world outside could wait. Tonight, it was just you and Clawd, and nothing could be more perfect.

---

Author’s Note: I hope you enjoyed this cozy, soft moment between Clawd and his girlfriend! I wanted to show the gentle, caring side of their relationship and give Clawd a chance to relax and be vulnerable. If you have any more requests or ideas, feel free to share them!

[nightmare-dreamt]

Headcanons for Monster high main ghouls + Deuce and Clawd when the first "I love you" is said please :)

Also love your work <3

Monster High Headcanons: First I Love You

Draculaura:

You said it first… kinda? You told her on her birthday, which also happened to be Valentine's day... the day of love

It was a typical romance moment with a whole event planned out just for your guys moment, except when she made it to you, a soft 'I Love You' escaped her lips causing a frown on your face to form.

Immediate worry was on her face when seeing your reaction, but you explained that you were planning to say that to her. In the end, the moment was 9/10 and neither of you are ever going to forget about it.

Frankie Stein:

They said it first, but it happened before the two of you were together.

It was a normal day for the two of you, just attending your classes when Frankle came over with confused look on their face. You asked them what was wrong, but blushed when hearing the answer.

It seemed that Frankie didn't know what love is and really wanted to know by finding someone to show it to them. You were confused, not really sure of how to explain it, but helped them anyway by going around showing things that made them happy and feeling a strange feeling within them.

On your way back to the dorm, Frankie started to name all of the things that they loved and that gave them that weird feeling. You had a smile on your face, listening softly, but stopped when the following words came out of their mouth.

'I love you, you make me have this weird feeling'

Y/n.exe has stopped working

Clawdeen Wolf:

She said it when confessing after you spent months trying to get her brother to notice you.

It was well known within your guys friend group about your feelings for Clawd, but he was with Draculaura and the two loved each other greatly. You tried to hide your feelings, but the more you did, the more it hurt. You didn't know who to talked to, thinking that no one would understand the pain your going through, but one girl understood.

"You need to let him go," Clawdeen stated, staring at her brother smiling at the pink haired girl in front of him. Y/n signed, "I know, but it's just hard watching someone you love go off and love someone else."

"I understand how you feel," Clawdeen whispered. Y/n turned with a confused look, "You do? Who do you love, Clawdeen?"

"You."

Cleo De Nile:

You said it after another one of her breakups with Deuce, sadly this one seemed permanent as the two refused to speak with each other and began moving on.

Cleo was in your dorm room crying her eyes out, upset with the breakup needing the comfort of her friend. Unknown to her, you felt pain every time seeing her upset like this knowing you could treat her better then whatever she had with the Gorgon.

"You should stop crying Cleo, your makeup will get ruined," Y/n exclaimed, wiping the tears away off of her face. Cleo sniffled, "Who cares, Deuce and I are over. There isn't a point in dressing up anymore."

"You can't just change yourself because of someone, there are many other people out there who love you and will care for you more than he ever could," Y/n stated. Cleo looked up, "Who?"

"Me."

Deuce Gorgon:

He said it first and the two of you were on a date together, celebrating your three month anniversary of officially being together.

Everything was beautiful, he arranged a nice candlelight dinner for the two of you were you guys could spend hours together staring into each other's eyes. That was his plan after all, but things took a turn when seeing you looking all dressed up, falling for you all over again.

"Wow," He whispered. Y/n smiled, "Do you like it?"

"I love it… I love you…" Deuce muttered.

Clawd Wolf:

He said it first on accident during one of his games that has been a worry for him and the team.

It was the last quarter with barely any time left on the clock. Clawd was rushing around on the court trying to score one last shot that would get them the lead. Watching their boyfriend play, Y/n stood in the crowd cheering for him, being the loudest in the crowd.

When making the final shot, the buzzer went off causing everyone to go crazy, including your boyfriend who ran around. When reporters talked with him asking what his motivation was, he only had one answer for them.

"That's easy, my partner Y/n," Clawd answered with a smile on his face. "They're the love of my life and they motivate me everyday to keep pushing forward and to keep going."

[jtl07]

Stray cat, first apartment, new adult

last one! i think the biggest takeaway from these "challenge" prompts is that i need to read more genres wow

also: anon, my apologies, i realized belatedly that the cat was supposed to be a stray but by the time i'd checked again, this had gotten a bit away from me. i hope it's still okay! (also everyone thank @littledata for the name inspiration lol)

When Beatrice had been making all the preparations for her new - her first - apartment, what she hadn't counted on was the quiet. It's not perfectly silent - she can hear the thankfully muffled sounds of what seems to be a party next door - but it's quiet enough that it throws her off balance. Not because of the quiet itself: quiet was a familiar guest in her life, a space held for it always. But she hadn't quite realized how much different the quiet would feel, now.

It's different, she knows, different from the cold silence she'd lived with as a child. But it's different still from the warmth she'd had with her grandparents these past few years: reading with her grandfather at opposite corners of his study, kneading dough side by side with her grandmother, walking through the garden with the both of them under the stars.

She knows that they're just a phone call away, knows that she'll be with them again just next week for dinner. Beatrice closes her eyes and presses a hand to her chest. Knows that she'll be okay. Breathes through it. Breathes again.

Hears a soft jingle.

Beatrice straightens, blinks - stands from her sofa when the sound comes again. Follows it to the kitchen.

Blinks again when she finds herself face to face with a cat sitting on the counter.

"Hello, sir," Beatrice murmurs, glancing around to see the window with the loose latch above the sink now fully open (scratches out the mental note she'd made to repair it).

The cat greets her just as gently, rubbing his cheek against Beatrice's palm when she slowly reaches toward it. She can't help but smile at his friendliness. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," she says, petting along his back.

She catches sight of a collar around his neck and hanging from it is a bell and a name tag: "Jean-Clawde Van Damn," she reads aloud. She raises an eyebrow and shakes her head, can't help but laugh as well. "Your owner has quite the sense of humor."

A knock at her front door has Beatrice murmuring her leave to accept a surprise food delivery care of her grandparents. But when she calls them and goes to the kitchen to introduce them to Jean-Clawde, she finds the kitchen empty.

**

He comes back though, to Beatrice's delight, always through the kitchen window. She finds his presence a welcome one, especially on days when all her trying - to make friends, to experience new things, to remember that things don't have to be perfect - has her tired and makes the quiet too loud; it helps to have a bit of comfort in the form of a furry friend.

The next time Beatrice is at the grocery - which in itself is also new, wheeling the cart by herself, balancing her budget by herself - she finds herself lingering in the pet aisle, eyeing snacks and toys alike. Wonders what Jean-Clawde would like.

The next time he visits, Beatrice is ready: she writes a note to Jean-Clawde's owner explaining his visits, asks for permission to feed him and any preferences and/or restrictions he might have. She tucks it into his collar for his return home.

It takes a couple days for Jean-Clawde to come back and when he does, it's with a folded up sticky note tucked into his collar - yellow with what looks like a drawing of a duck in the corner, accompanied by an enthusiastic granting of permission - JC eats anything but it's okay to kick him out if he's too much! - and a pun that has Beatrice chuckling, has her searching her own brain for one to send in return.

It's only polite, Beatrice thinks to herself, smiling as she tucks another note into Jean-Clawde's collar for him to send back to his intriguing owner.

**

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid I must answer the door," Beatrice murmurs, trying her best to ignore Jean-Clawde's whining mewls as she lifts him from her lap. She frowns a bit at him in concern as she stands. He'd arrived in the morning earlier than usual and, contrary to his usual behavior, had stayed near Beatrice for almost the entire day.

I'll add it to today's note, Beatrice thinks as she opens the door at another set of frantic knocks.

"I apologize for the wait -" "Hi sorry -"

It's not often that Beatrice is stunned to silence - well, not ever, in fact. It's something new indeed to be gobsmacked by a beautiful woman standing at her front door.

The woman shakes herself, sticks out her hand and grins. "Hi, I'm Ava, I live next door. I'm sorry I never got the chance to introduce myself."

"Pleasure to meet you," Beatrice murmurs, honest and stunned as she takes her hand.

"I know this is pretty sudden and uh well see I'm looking for my cat, he kinda wanders around, he's a free soul yknow? I dunno if you've seen him - he's gray with green eyes, has a little bell -"

Beatrice glances over her shoulder. "Do you mean Mr. Van Damn?" Opens the door wider so Ava has a view of the sofa and its current occupant.

Ava sighs the sigh of an exhausted cat-mother. "Jean-Clawde Van Damn, you're in a world of trouble, buddy. We're gonna be late for your doctor's appointment." She gives Beatrice an apologetic look. "I think he saw the cat carrier this morning."

"I see," Beatrice says, then, without thinking, "It sounds like he's not the most patient of patients."

Ava whips around from where she'd been trying to coax the cat from the sofa, stares at Beatrice with her mouth agape. "It's you!"

Beatrice blinks in surprise. Remembers the tucked notes sent back and forth via Jean-Clawde's collar. "'Tis I," she says shyly. Starts to slide her hands into her pockets only to bring them out to quickly catch Jean-Clawde when he jumps off the sofa and into her arms.

"I'm glad we finally met in person," Ava says, grinning and bouncing on her toes. "Never thought you were right next door though, would've asked you out for coffee weeks ago." Ava stops, eyes wide as she gestures wildly. "I mean, only if you're interested, I know we like, don't really know each other -"

"Ava." Beatrice waits until Ava stops and takes a breath. Beatrice bites her lip, lets herself try: "Coffee sounds great. Purr-fect, even."

The laugh she gets in response eases every bit of tension in Beatrice's body. "Well, are you doing anything now? Looks like this guy is uh pretty attached to you," Ava says, gesturing to how Jean-Clawde's nestled in her arms. "Not exactly dinner and a movie but hey."

Beatrice chuckles as Jean-Clawde nuzzles her cheek. "I'd be happy to," she says, following Ava and her heart into something new.