For the brief moment Mason was in his room, Domino couldn't help but think further upon their new insight into their previous owner. Mason re-entered the living room a moment or so later and was about to sit down before hesitating and deciding to stand. He noticed Domino in a state of contemplation.

"Uhh... Everything okay?" He asked.

Domino jumped. "Oh, yeah! Sorry. Just deep in thought."

They noticed Mason standing across from them. "You can sit down if you want, you know."

"Uhh... I think I'll just stand for a bit longer." Mason replied, his fingers articulating at random. "What were you thinking about?"

Domino rubbed their eyes. "Just that earlier conversation you had with Tristan. I guess I kinda knew he treated humans differently than he treated me, but I'm just surprised at the extent of it."

Mason scratched his head. "I get that. He's been like that for a while. Used to be worse, actually."

Domino's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yeah," Mason began. "Probably around the time you were still his cat, I'd wager. Probably took way better care of you than he did himself."

"Why would he do that?"

Mason sat back down on the far edge of the couch. "Beats me. We weren't talking back then because I couldn't stand him. I mean, I still wanted to talk to him, but I just couldn't be around that. I don't really even know why I still bother with him sometimes when all he does is treat me like shit."

Domino nodded. "How long have you two been friends?"

Mason thought a moment. "Probably... About 15 years? I think we met in like, third grade."

Domino tilted their head.

"Oh yeah, you don't know what that means..." Mason began. "We were eight and nine years old."

"At the same time?"

Mason chuckled. "No, I mean I was nine and he was a year younger than me."

"Ohhh. That makes more sense anyway," Domino began. "That also explains why you're trying so hard! He's like family at this point, isn't he?"

Mason shrugged. "Sorta. He definitely was when my actual brother outed me to my mom and I got kicked out of my house a couple years back."

"What does that mean?"

"Like, they learned I was pansexual."

Domino stared in confusion before quickly averting their gaze so as to not accidentally convey aggression. 

"Duh! You don't-" Mason began, cutting himself off with a facepalm. "Yeah, well pansexual just means I date whoever I want even if they're not the opposite sex, and a lot of people are uptight about that, enough to kick their own family members out of their house and cut all contact." He sighed. "Good thing I hated them anyway."

The two sat in silence for a moment. Domino scooted a bit closer.

"Tristan's been better, he really has," Mason began, absent-mindedly petting Domino on the top of their head. "I don't know what's preventing him from going any further with it, but he just seems like a totally different person than he used to be, even before he was legitimately a conservative."

"Uh, actually I liked when you were scratching my chin more." Domino replied, cutting off his train of thought.

Mason looked over at what he was doing and pulled his hand back. "Shit! Sorry man, I didn't even ask! I've been doing that a lot more lately and I really need to just stop, right? Like-"

"Mason," Domino began. "I am a cat."

"Well, I guess," He replied, his other hand rubbing against the arm of the couch. "But it's different when you can talk and you're just like a human in every other way, I guess."

Domino's ears flattened. "I'm still just a cat, though. I didn't choose to be like this." They began. "I didn't choose to be forced to take on human responsibilities and drama and at the end of the day I still just want affection like I've always gotten."

Mason shrunk a bit. "I'm so sorry. I don't have to talk about Tristan anymore if-"

"No, that's okay! That's not what I mean, though. I tried blending in and acting more human even up to the first two or so days we knew each other, but I could tell it just didn't work. It didn't feel like me. You act so differently around Tristan. Surely you understand what I mean, right? I don't want to do that around you."

Mason realized that he'd been stimming a lot more than usual around Domino. "I understand. I'm sorry. I guess I just got too caught up in my own drama."

Domino headbutted Mason's shoulder affectionately, pressing their face to his arm. "You're forgiven, but please keep petting me."

"Heh, alright."

Mason continued to give Domino scritches behind the ear. The two sat in silence for a moment as Mason couldn't help but once again notice Domino's warmth and just how soft their fur was against his arm. It was accompanied by a strong emotional warmth that made him feel at peace as it had been doing. Mason's leg began to bounce as he tried to rewire his human brain to not automatically register this interaction as romantic.

In an effort to do so, he distracted himself by beginning to think back to Tristan. "...You know, I actually found a housing program that put me here, right next door to his place. That's how we got back in touch."

Domino opened their eyes slightly. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Mason began, his leg slowing down to a halt. "I didn't know until I was taking out the trash and saw him at the same dumpster. It was actually really fuckin' awkward, but overtime we started talking again. He saw that I wasn't doing too good mentally or physically and we started planning out ways he could help me get back on my feet. I mean, I didn't know at the time that he'd micromanage me so much, but here we are, I guess."

Domino opened their eyes some more and backed away a bit. "I think that speaks to your guys' friendship! I think it's a good sign, even if things are bumpy right now."

"Yeah, I guess," Mason sighed. "I just wish I knew what was going on. It seems like something or someone is actively holding him back. Maybe someone who's helping him finance his apartment even."

Domino tilted their head. "Who were you thinking of?"

Mason took in a deep breath and exhaled lengthily, transitioning into a sigh. "I know who, but I don't wanna think about her anymore."