Chapter Text
You know when a cat has kittens and those kittens are distributed to other people to take care of? That's what happened to Oscar.
He never knew his real mother or his siblings, but when he came to his senses he realized he was a kind old lady's kitten. And it didn't take long for her to discover what her precious Oscar was capable of.
The neighbors saw the sweet old lady treating her cat the same way she treated her grandson who visited her sometimes, and they found it very strange that the two had the same name. In addition to being kind, the lady was also very concerned, therefore, she was afraid of anything that could be a risk to her grandson/cat.
She said that there are people in the world who cannot know his secret, and they would take advantage if they found out. And Oscar could never get close to a dog, as they are animals born with the instinct to attack cats. This ingrained an irrational fear within Oscar, who judged everything around him as dangerous for both his human and cat forms.
Unfortunately, the lady died before she could entrust her precious kitten to anyone, which resulted in Oscar having to live on the streets to survive. Some people came looking for the missing orange kitten and others questioned the lady's family members, but no one knew of the existence of any grandchildren.
Most of the time he is a cat, it is easier to hide and his stomach does not require as much food, but he needs to be human sometimes too, which is worse because hunger is more painful.
Some people feel more compassion when they see a boy begging for food, so he puts on his human face when the situation becomes too precarious. But it was his cat side that lured this man into his alley and made him give him half of his sandwich.
After that, Oscar felt he could trust him and the other kind man who also showed concern for him.
The problem is that Mark and Fernando don't know about his two identities, which causes the boy an immense feeling of guilt. He feels like he's taking advantage of their kindness, but he can't help it.
He wants this, it's what he's always wanted: a home, security, comfort.
So he comes back, sometimes as Oscar and sometimes as a cat, alternating between the two figures that men know and love. If he wanted, he could pretend to be a normal cat and live comfortably with them, but he knows that eventually they will miss Oscar. So, if he were Oscar, men would continue looking on the street for the cat they also became attached to.
He can't be both.
He promised several times never to visit them again, but when he remembered the hot, fresh food and the fact that he wouldn't have to sleep on the floor there, his resistance diminished. It was worse when Mark and Fernando asked him to stay, which he could refuse, but then they just had to make him promise to come back and Oscar couldn't refuse.
He shouldn't have let them get so attached.
It's his fault that his plan of just getting food got out of hand, now he has a responsibility that's too heavy to carry.
For a few days he managed to avoid seeing them, thinking about how to say goodbye without breaking their hearts. Should he say goodbye at all? Or would that be worse? Should he say goodbye as a cat or as Oscar? Should he tell them the truth—no, they can't know.
Eating that poisoned piece of meat was an accident.
Oscar hadn't eaten since he left the two men's house, nothing he found in the trash cans was more appealing than the food Fernando and Mark cooked for him. It was a desperate moment, his stomach had probably forgotten how to handle going so long without eating after having a comfortable life again.
That's why he ate that suspiciously offered piece of meat.
After that, he doesn't remember much more than pain and guilt. Maybe it would be better this way, to end his short life in a tragic and cruel way. Not everyone is blessed by fate.
But.
His consciousness wavered a lot, Oscar was sure he was in a dream. He could hear the voice of the lady who had taken care of him since he was a kitten, so he was sure he was in heaven or something.
But he found it strange that some senses were still working, because he could smell Mark. It seemed like the man was sad, but Oscar doesn't understand why the dream-Mark is sad. Thinking about him made him feel better, he loves him.
After that he returns to a cold and uncomfortable place. He doesn't know how much time passes until he hears the first sound in a long time of lonely silence.
“You don’t have to be afraid alone, okay? I’m here now.”
He knows that voice, Oscar loves that voice.
“I won’t leave you”
Oscar knows this, he has trusted him since the day they met.
'I won’t let you fall' was what Fernando had said to him when he was stuck in that tree. And he had truly kept his promise. The moment he was caught, the boy clung to him tightly, burying his face in his shoulder. He knew he was telling the truth, he knew he was safe.
Is Fernando here? Is he with Oscar now? Is Mark here too? He desperately wants to communicate, but he doesn't know how to control his body. His eyes see only a glare and nothing really makes sense. But he has to do something, he has to show that he is listening, that he trusts them.
He can't hear anything else and becomes discouraged, thinking that he has failed miserably. However, hope returns when Oscar feels fingers caressing his head and a firm voice with a Spanish accent speaking to someone.
“He’s already part of our family, of course it won’t be a problem.”
Family.
Oscar goes home.
Initially, he makes the decision to continue being a cat after he recovers. Deep down, he knows he has to tell the truth. That he has to admit everything.
But he couldn't. Even after he had fully recovered, after he had the chance to explain himself, he decided that he would continue to just be the cat.
Oscat. Mark is so funny.
And for a while, it seemed like the right decision. Like a cat, Oscar could remain close to the two men without having to face the weight of his lie. Like a cat, he could avoid the difficult conversation he didn’t have the courage to have.
However, the guilt did not diminish.
On the contrary, the guilt grew.
Because Oscar listened.
He constantly heard Fernando and Mark lamenting the absence of the boy Oscar. He heard when Mark sighed as he looked at the door, or when Fernando stopped in front of the sofa, thoughtful, saying he wanted to know where the boy was. He heard the pain in the night whispers, when they thought no one could hear.
Oscar couldn't stand living like this anymore.
That night, he snuck into the backyard and waited for them to look for him. Deciding not to go back on his choice, he jumped behind the tree and transformed back into a boy.
The shock was immediate.
“I'm sorry I deceived you for so long...”
The silence that fell was long and suffocating.
Then, to his surprise, both men fell to their knees before him without hesitation. Their arms wrapped tightly around him, and Oscar blinked in confusion, feeling them pull away only to pull their coats off their own bodies and cover his shoulders to protect him from the cold and, maybe, the embarrassment of not being dressed.
He waited for screams. For anger. They must be furious, they had been deceived all this time. Oscar had taken advantage of their kindness.
But all he felt were fingers stroking his hair.
When he looked up, he found Mark and Fernando with tears of emotion in their eyes. They hugged him tighter, then responded with choked voices.
“You came home”
They brought him into the house quickly, as if they were afraid he would disappear if they took a second longer. They helped him put on warm clothes and then sat together on the sofa to listen to the explanation.
Oscar told everything.
He explained about his life on the streets, about the need to hide, about how his ability to transform into a cat was his only way to survive. He said that he found out where they lived because he just wanted some food and a warm place to rest.
And the two men listened to it all without interrupting, absorbing every word, every bit of truth he spilled.
In the end, the boy lowered his head in shame and mumbled an apology. But Mark and Fernando refused to accept it.
“You did what you had to do to survive, Oscar” the Spaniard said firmly.
The other man nodded. “We don’t want you to feel guilty. There’s nothing to forgive.”
Oscar stared at them uncertainly. “But… I don’t know if I should stay. I don’t want my secret to be a problem.”
Before he could say anything else, Fernando held his face with both hands, making him look directly at him.
“Oscar…” he smiled, his eyes shining “You are what we always wanted.”
“We’ll protect you” Mark added. “We understand why your granny said that to protect you, but not all humans will try to hurt you. As long as you’re with us, we’ll make sure you’re not afraid to be who you are. Oscar or Oscat.”
Oscar blinked a few times, feeling the warmth take over his chest. He didn't have to think long before he was sure that this was where he belonged.
***
1 year later.
Mark and Fernando never understood the meaning of having a piece of heaven on earth, but after their lives were turned upside down with the arrival of a different boy, the phrase finally made sense.
Their family may seem strange to other people, after all, it's not very normal for their son to be able to turn into a cat whenever he wants. But they like to think that's what makes everything more special.
The routine adjusted naturally, but of course there were still challenges. For example, hiding Oscar's secret from other people, dealing with his habit of climbing into unreachable places, and, most difficult of all, cutting his nails.
That afternoon, Fernando was sitting on the sofa with Oscar on his lap, holding one of his hands tightly as he cut his nails.
“I didn’t know having a cat son meant his nails grew three times faster than normal…” he muttered, pretending to be angry, frowning exaggeratedly.
The boy chuckled softly, but continued to squirm, trying to pull his hand back.
“I didn’t even scratch anything this time!”
“This time” the Spaniard replied, gripping his hand more firmly. “But I saw my sofa being threatened the other day.”
Oscar blinked, showing no emotion that could blame or exonerate him. “You can’t prove anything.”
Fernando sighed, but couldn't help but smile. Cutting his son's nails would always be like this, but he had already accepted that it would never be easy to protect his beloved sofa from his claws.
Another custom that became, to say the least, interesting, was the time when Mark decided to walk the dogs with Oscar. Or rather, Oscat.
That morning, the Australian was walking calmly down the sidewalk holding the leashes of his two labradors while the cat trotted alongside them, its tail raised in the air.
The funniest thing is people's reactions. The neighbors, accustomed to dogs chasing any cat that dared to cross their paths, stopped and stared in amazement when they saw Sammy and Simba walking calmly next to a small orange cat.
Mark tried to hold back his laughter, he didn't care to explain how that miracle happened. Oscat concentrated on walking with his chin held high, calm, as he felt safe with the presence of his two furry friends and his father.
***
After a particularly long day, Fernando took a moment to relax by himself, lying on the sofa, watching some random program on TV. He knew that Mark would be back soon and that his two dogs were barking at some squirrel in the yard.
His moment alone, however, did not last as long as he had imagined. First he heard Oscar approaching before he could actually see him, the boy walked around him before looking and deciding what he was going to do.
Oscar climbed onto the sofa and lay down on top of him, resting his head against his chest and looking at him with a sparkle in his eyes.
Fernando smiled and hugged him, squeezing the boy against him before giving him a kiss on the top of his head. He loved it when Oscar spontaneously came to him asking for attention.
“I’m a little confused…” he said, feigning a thoughtful tone. “I wonder if that’s my boy or my kitten?”
Oscar laughed, his shoulders shaking slightly. “Meowww.”
Fernando laughed and, unable to resist, began to shower his son with kisses on his face and head, until the boy protested. Oscar, still laughing, snuggled closer to him, making himself more comfortable so they could share a nap together.
The Spaniard felt an unparalleled happiness overflowing within him.
The other day, some friends came to visit Mark and Fernando. It was always nice to have a full house, but as usual, there was one detail that needed to be managed well.
“Where’s your boy?” Jenson asked, looking around.
“He's at my parents' house today. Want more?” Mark replied, already pouring more drink into the blonde's glass.
“He’ll only be back tomorrow” Fernando added, nodding naturally.
But in fact, Oscar was right there. Oscat was curled up on the living room rug, around Simba and Sammy, pretending to be asleep.
The conversation went on normally until Sebastian pointed to the little orange cat and asked, “Are you thinking of neutering him?”
Oscar, who was lying peacefully, immediately opened his eyes wide, his fur standing on end slightly.
Mark and Fernando glanced at each other nervously, before the Australian responded a little too quickly. “Uh… we’re not thinking about that yet.”
“Yes, there’s a lot to think about before that” Fernando added, chuckling suspiciously.
Oscar stared at them, as if demanding they never think about it.
***
That morning, the house was filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. It was the first time that Oscar would go to school in person, both Fernando and Mark felt that paternal anxiety of seeing their son take another important step in his life.
The Spaniard was in the kitchen, finishing preparing the boy's lunch, carefully putting everything in the lunchbox. He wanted to make sure his son had a peaceful and comfortable day, especially considering all the moving.
When he finished, he picked up the lunchbox and went to look for Oscar, but when he looked around he noticed that his husband was also missing. Frowning, he walked to the backyard and then found the two of them.
Mark ran after Oscar across the lawn, while the boy continued to run away from his father's hands. But soon the man caught up with him, holding the boy tightly before lifting him into the air, making him let out an infectious laugh.
Fernando leaned against the door frame and watched the scene, a smile forming on his face.
It was the Australian's decision to start the habit of walking to work that, ironically, led to the two meeting Oscar. And now, in addition to giving his husband more energy, it also allowed him to run around the yard and lift his son into the air with ease.
The heat that Fernando felt in his chest was immense.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped a little closer and called out to the two of them. “Hey, are you guys going to school or are you going to spend the day playing outside?”
Mark lowered Oscar back to the ground, ruffling the boy’s hair before answering. “We’re psyching ourselves up.”
“Uh…” the Spaniard crossed his arms, arching an eyebrow. “Come on, Oscar. Let’s go before you’re late.”
Oscar ran to Fernando, taking the lunchbox he handed him. Mark joined them, adjusting the boy's backpack on his back.
And so, the three of them left together, each carrying in their chest that mixture of fear, pride and happiness.
If anyone asks, they will surely answer that they were not complete before that.
The school entrance looked scarier than they imagined.
“You’ll do fine” Fernando said, squeezing the boy’s shoulders.
“You’re smart and much more responsible than I was at your age” Mark added, trying to smile despite his nervousness.
Oscar laughed, feeling a little lighter.
But then, a scream caught the attention of the three.
A visibly exhausted father tried to contain his hyperactive son, who was jumping up and down, laughing loudly and completely ignoring any attempt by his father to keep him quiet.
“Lando, please. Calm down!”
Mark and Fernando looked at each other, swallowing hard. But when they looked back at Oscar, they saw that the boy was already watching the restless child with a strange expression.
It was a look of recognition, as if Oscar saw something that only he understood.
“Uh… Oscar, try not to get too close to him yet, okay? That boy looks like a hyperactive golden retriever” Mark said, slightly worried.
The boy replied in a calm voice. “Okay.”
But the small smile on Oscar's face completely belied his words.