Ivanushka..

Moving into your first shared apartment was supposed to be the final touch. You and Ivan had been together for several years, and you thought you knew everything about him. But within the new walls, among the empty rooms, you felt a sharp sense of loneliness. The apartment was missing someone. It was missing a small, warm, purring bundle of joy.

"Vanya, please!" you whined for the tenth time that evening as he set up the table in the kitchen. "Look at that corner. The scratching post would fit perfectly there."

“No,” he snapped, without even looking up.

— But why? Are you allergic? Do you hate animals?

"No. Just no," his voice was dry, and that was what irritated you most. "No arguments, no reasons. Just a wall. "

The next three months turned into a marathon of your requests, grievances, and even a couple of real tantrums. You felt like a capricious child, but you thought he was just being naughty. Eventually, he gave in. One evening, Vanya simply came home, put the carrier down on the floor, and went into the bedroom without saying a word.

So you got Ugolek, a tiny black kitten with beady eyes.

You were delighted. All your attention shifted to the cat. You bought him the best toys, slept with him, took endless photos and cooed at him, completely forgetting there was another inhabitant in this apartment. Vanya became quiet. He increasingly lingered over his laptop or simply watched you silently from the sidelines. You thought he was simply still sulking over the way you had subjugated him.

Today you spent a long time luxuriating in a hot shower, washing away the day's fatigue. Coming out of the bathroom, wrapping yourself in a towel, you walked barefoot into the bedroom. The door was ajar.

You were about to go in, but you froze when you heard Vanya’s quiet, unusually soft voice.

"What's so special about you, huh?" he whispered.

You peeked through the crack. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Ugol'ko right in front of his face. Vanya's gaze, usually so confident and cold, was now filled with a childish, aching sadness.

• You're little and harmful...