Monday mornings were always the worst.
For most people, that meant sluggish coffee runs and inboxes overflowing with unread emails.
For Ava, it meant trying to leave her apartment without her talking cat following her out the door.
"Noir, stay," she said, pointing at the floor.
He blinked lazily from his spot on the windowsill. "I'm not a dog."
"I mean it. I'm already late, and I don't need you sneaking into the office again."
He tilted his head, pretending to think. "That was one time."
"You nearly made my manager believe the building was haunted!"
"His fault for screaming like a child."
Ava groaned, grabbed her bag, and rushed toward the door. Noir followed her anyway, padding silently behind.
"Stay. Here."
"I'll consider it."
She shut the door, sighed, then reopened it a second later. He was sitting exactly where she'd left him, tail flicking smugly.
"Good boy."
"I resent that."
By the time she arrived at the office, Mina was already waiting by the elevator with two coffees and her usual overexcited grin.
"Look who finally made it! I was about to send a search party."
Ava accepted the coffee gratefully. "Traffic was bad."
Mina squinted at her. "You look... distracted."
Ava smiled weakly. "Just tired."
"Liar. Is it work stress, boy trouble, or your mysterious neighbor who definitely isn't a serial killer?"
Ava blinked. "What neighbor?"
"The one you mentioned once. The tall, creepy one with the gray hoodie."
"That was a delivery guy, Mina."
"Oh." Mina sipped her drink. "Still suspicious."
Daniel joined them, holding a folder and looking far too awake for a Monday. "Morning, ladies. Ready for the big presentation?"
Ava froze. "Wait. That's today?"
Mina smirked. "I told you last week."
"You said it was next week!"
"I said it felt like next week," Mina said innocently. "Totally different."
Daniel handed Ava a copy of the slides. "Don't panic. You'll be fine. I already double-checked the data."
Ava smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Daniel."
"Anytime."
Mina leaned closer. "You two are getting awfully friendly lately."
Daniel coughed. "What?"
Ava rolled her eyes. "Mina."
Mina grinned. "Just saying. Chemistry."
"Office chemistry gets you fired," Daniel muttered.
"Not if you're subtle," Mina whispered dramatically.
Ava nearly choked on her coffee.
The morning passed in a blur of meetings, spreadsheets, and Mina's constant attempts to whisper jokes during serious discussions. At one point, Evelyn walked by, flashing her usual perfect smile.
"Morning, Ava. I heard you're leading the presentation today. Brave of you, after last week's… incident."
Ava smiled tightly. "Thanks for the confidence."
"Oh, I always support my team," Evelyn said sweetly, then turned to Daniel. "I'll be in the front row. I'm sure it'll be enlightening."
Mina muttered under her breath, "Enlightening? She's not the sun."
Ava bit her lip to keep from laughing.
When Evelyn walked away, Mina leaned closer. "One day, I'm replacing her perfume with air freshener."
"Coconut?" Ava asked.
"Lavender. The strong one."
Daniel sighed. "You're both children."
"Proudly," Mina said.
During lunch break, they ate in the company cafeteria. Mina was in the middle of an animated story about a disastrous date when Ava's phone buzzed.
She glanced down, and her heart skipped.
[Photo Message: Your cat misses you.]
It was from her father. Attached was a picture of Noir sitting in front of her apartment door, staring directly into the camera.
The image was slightly blurry, but Noir's eyes seemed to gleam unnaturally bright.
"Everything okay?" Daniel asked, noticing her expression.
"Yeah," Ava said quickly, locking her phone. "Just… my dad."
"You sure?" Mina asked, chewing. "You look pale."
"Just tired."
Mina shrugged and continued her story, but Ava couldn't shake the unease.
Why was Noir sitting outside? And how did he even get out?
When she returned home that evening, she half-expected him to be gone again. Instead, he was lounging on the couch, tail wrapped neatly around his paws like a little king awaiting tribute.
"You left the apartment," she said flatly.
"I got bored," he replied without shame. "Besides, your father gives better snacks than you."
Ava stared. "You met my dad again?"
"He talks too much," Noir said. "And he called me 'buddy.' I tolerated it for the tuna."
She groaned. "You're unbelievable."
"I'm adaptable."
She sat beside him, still holding her work bag. "You can't just wander around. Someone might see you. Or worse, hear you."
"They won't," he said confidently. "Humans only hear what they expect to hear."
"That's not comforting."
"It wasn't meant to be."
She gave him a look. "You're impossible."
He tilted his head slightly, eyes softening for just a second. "And yet, you haven't kicked me out."
Her heart twinged. She didn't reply.
Later that night, while Ava worked on her laptop, Noir sat on the windowsill again, staring out at the city lights.
She glanced at him. "You do that a lot."
"Do what?"
"Stare outside like you're waiting for something."
He didn't answer.
When she looked back at her screen, she didn't notice the faint reflection beside his in the glass a shadowy figure standing just behind him, its outline almost human.
Noir's tail flicked once, but he didn't move. His golden eyes narrowed slightly, focused on something only he could see.
The next morning, the office was alive with the sound of keyboards, phones, and mild despair.
Ava slid into her desk chair, clutching a cup of lukewarm coffee, trying to ignore the faint ringing in her ears from lack of sleep.
Noir had kept her awake half the night by narrating his "dreams" dramatically.
Apparently, he'd once ruled a "kingdom of mice" and lost it all to betrayal.
She wasn't sure if he was joking or confessing something horrifying.
Mina leaned over the cubicle wall, chewing on a pen. "You look like death warmed over."
"Thanks," Ava said dryly.
"Another late night with your… pet?"
Ava froze mid-sip. "What?"
"You told me he's been keeping you up! You really should train him better."
Ava let out a slow breath. "Right. My cat."
Daniel appeared, carrying a stack of folders and that annoyingly perfect morning energy.
"Team meeting in ten. The boss looks… intense today."
"More than usual?" Mina asked.
"He was on a call with the board for an hour. I heard him sigh."
"Oh no," Mina said dramatically. "One sigh equals a day of doom."
Ava chuckled despite herself. "Let's just go before he multiplies."
Their manager, Mr. Park, was tall, neatly dressed, and perpetually two seconds away from a nervous breakdown. His tie was always straight, his words clipped, and his patience microscopic.
As the team gathered in the conference room, he adjusted his glasses with military precision.
"Morning, everyone," he began. "We have a new client proposal due by Friday. I expect excellence."
He looked directly at Ava.
"And no… creative deviations this time, Miss Carter."
Ava swallowed. "Understood."
Mina leaned toward Daniel, whispering, "Creative deviations? That's just called personality."
Daniel whispered back, "That's called unemployment."
Mr. Park's eyes flicked toward them. "Something you'd like to share, Mr. Reed?"
Daniel straightened instantly. "No, sir."
"Good. Then share your progress reports by noon."
Mina mouthed dramatically, Tyrant, while pretending to take notes.
When the meeting ended, Ava felt someone lightly tap her shoulder.
It was one of her kinder coworkers, Leah, holding two small pastries in napkins.
"You looked stressed," Leah said softly. "Sugar helps."
Ava smiled gratefully. "You're a lifesaver."
Leah grinned shyly. "Just don't tell Mr. Park. He says snacks 'disrupt focus.'"
"Then it's our little rebellion."
Leah laughed, and for a moment, Ava felt warmth spread through her chest.
Despite everything, this office was beginning to feel… comfortable.
Chaotic, loud, sometimes exhausting but alive.
That illusion shattered around 2 p.m. when Evelyn sauntered over, perfectly polished as always.
"Nice slides earlier," she said, stopping by Ava's desk. "Simple. Safe."
Ava looked up slowly. "Thanks… I think?"
"Oh, I just mean sometimes it's better not to take risks. You know how the boss gets when someone tries to be 'different.'"
Ava smiled politely. "You're right. I'll be sure to follow your example."
Evelyn blinked, clearly unsure whether that was a compliment or a burn. "Anyway. Keep up the… good work."
Mina waited until she walked away before bursting out laughing. "Oh my god, the passive-aggressive Olympics continue!"
Ava grinned. "I'm winning gold."
Daniel appeared behind them, holding his coffee like it was a lifeline. "You two are going to get me in trouble by association."
"Relax," Mina said. "We're team morale."
"Team disaster, more like it," he muttered, but he was smiling.
After work, the trio stopped by a small café nearby. Mina insisted they needed "decompression drinks," which turned out to be overly sweet caramel lattes.
Mina stirred hers dramatically. "So, weekend plans?"
Daniel shrugged. "Maybe hiking."
"Of course," she said. "You look like the kind of person who voluntarily walks uphill."
Ava laughed. "He does. Probably with a map and emergency rations."
Daniel smirked. "It's called being prepared."
"It's called being boring," Mina said, sipping her latte. "Ava, tell me you're doing something exciting."
"Laundry," Ava replied immediately.
Mina gasped. "Unacceptable! You need to live a little."
"I live plenty."
"You talk to your cat."
Ava froze mid-sip. "You talk to plants."
Mina gasped again, offended. "They need emotional support!"
Daniel chuckled. "You two are unbelievable."
"Admit it," Mina said. "You'd miss us if we weren't in your life."
He smiled faintly. "Unfortunately, yes."
For a moment, the three of them sat in comfortable silence, the evening light spilling through the café window.
It was simple, ordinary, and for once, peaceful.
When Ava got home, the peace evaporated.
The moment she opened the door, Noir was sitting in the hallway wearing what looked suspiciously like one of her father's reading glasses balanced on his nose.
She blinked. "What are you doing?"
"Reading," he said simply.
"You can't read."
"I'm practicing."
"Practicing what? Looking ridiculous?"
He ignored her and flicked his tail. "I had visitors."
"What?"
"Your parents stopped by."
Ava froze. "They did what?"
"I told them you were at work."
She dropped her bag. "You talked to them?"
He looked at her like she was the ridiculous one. "Of course not. I meowed. But your father asked if I wanted tuna. I didn't refuse."
Ava covered her face. "Oh my god."
"Oh, and your father said he'd come again tomorrow. Something about fixing the leaky faucet."
"Great," she muttered. "Now I have to hide a magical talking cat and pretend my life is normal."
Noir tilted his head, voice amused. "You were never very good at pretending."
She glared at him. "You're not helping."
"I wasn't trying to."
That night, as she washed the dishes, she caught Noir sitting at the kitchen table again, staring out the window like he had the night before.
"What do you keep looking at?" she asked.
"Reflections," he said quietly.
"In the glass?"
"In the past."
She frowned. "What does that even mean?"
He didn't answer. His golden eyes shimmered faintly, catching the city light.
For a heartbeat, she thought she saw another shape flicker in the glass behind him a man's silhouette, tall, cloaked, holding something that glowed faintly blue.
Then it was gone.
Ava blinked, heart racing. Noir's gaze slid toward her, unreadable.
"You saw it too," he said softly.
The next morning started with a catastrophe.
Ava's father showed up early.
Too early.
As in, "sunrise and slippers" early.
She had just woken up when the doorbell rang.
Her hair was a mess, her pajamas didn't match, and Noir was of course sitting in the middle of the living room licking his paw like he owned the place.
"Oh no," she whispered, panicking. "He's here."
Noir glanced up lazily. "The tuna man?"
"Yes, the tuna man! And if you talk, I swear I'll..."
"Relax," he interrupted. "I'll behave. Probably."
She narrowed her eyes. "No 'probably.' I mean it, Noir."
He blinked slowly, which was cat language for I will absolutely ignore you.
The doorbell rang again.
"Coming!" she called, trying to sound calm.
Her father, Mr. Carter, stood there with a bright smile and a toolbox in hand. "Good morning, sweetheart! I figured I'd fix that faucet before work."
Ava forced a smile. "You didn't have to"
"I wanted to," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "Ah, and there's my little buddy!"
Noir meowed. Politely.
Her father knelt down, scratching behind Noir's ear. "You're such a smart boy, aren't you? Look at those eyes! I swear he understands me."
Ava froze. Noir's tail flicked once.
"Of course I understand you," Noir murmured quietly, his voice low and teasing.
Ava's blood ran cold. "Noir," she hissed under her breath.
Luckily, her father didn't hear. "What was that, honey?"
"Nothing! Just...uh, talking to myself."
He frowned. "You're doing that more often lately."
Ava forced a laugh. "Work stress!"
Mr. Carter nodded sympathetically. "I get that. My boss used to make me talk to myself too."
For the next hour, chaos reigned.
Ava followed her father around, trying to distract him whenever he got too close to Noir.
The cat, naturally, made things worse.
At one point, Noir leapt onto the kitchen counter and started pawing at the faucet while her father worked underneath.
"Curious little guy," Mr. Carter chuckled. "Looks like he's trying to help."
Ava panicked. "He...he's just nosy! Noir, down!"
Noir looked at her, unimpressed. "You should really call a professional for this."
She kicked his tail lightly. "Shut up."
"What was that?" her father asked from under the sink.
"Uh, nothing! Just… talking to Noir."
"You really need to get out more, sweetheart."
By some miracle, the faucet got fixed without anyone discovering that the cat had opinions about plumbing.
After her father left, Ava collapsed on the couch, utterly exhausted.
Noir jumped up beside her, tail curling neatly around his paws.
"That was close," she muttered.
"I was perfectly discreet."
"You were not discreet. You almost told him to use a wrench!"
"It was the wrong tool," Noir said calmly.
She threw a pillow at him. "You're going to give me a heart attack one day."
"Impossible. Your heart's too strong for that."
She blinked. "Was… that a compliment?"
He smirked faintly. "Don't let it go to your head."
Ava sighed, leaning back against the couch. "Sometimes I think my life was simpler before you."
"Boring," Noir corrected.
"Peaceful."
"Lonely."
She paused. The word lingered in the air between them.
Noir turned away, pretending to groom his paw. "You're welcome, by the way."
"For what?"
"Company."
She smiled, small but genuine. "Fine. You win."
"I always do."
Later that day, Mina called.
"Ava! Emergency!"
"What kind of emergency?"
"The emotional kind! I just realized I've been single for six months!"
Ava laughed. "That's not an emergency."
"It is when your plants get more attention than you do!"
"You're the one who named them."
"They have personalities!" Mina protested. "Anyway, we're going out tonight. You, me, Daniel. No excuses."
Ava glanced at Noir, who was pretending not to listen. "I don't know, I'm tired"
"Perfect, then you need fun. See you at seven!" Click.
Ava groaned. "Great."
Noir's voice floated lazily from the windowsill. "Humans really can't say no to each other, can they?"
"She's my friend."
"Mm."
"Don't start."
He looked at her, eyes glinting with quiet amusement. "You're blushing."
"I am not!"
"You are."
Ava grabbed her keys. "Stay here and don't talk to anyone. Especially my father if he drops by again."
"I'll consider it."
That evening, the bar Mina chose was small, warm, and buzzing with life.
String lights glowed overhead, laughter filled the air, and for a while, Ava forgot about curses, talking cats, and shadows in glass.
Mina and Daniel argued over trivia questions while Ava sipped her drink, smiling softly at the easy comfort of it all.
Mina nudged her. "You're spacing out again. Thinking about your cat?"
Ava laughed. "Maybe."
"You really love that thing, huh?" Daniel said teasingly.
Ava shrugged. "He's… weirdly important to me."
"Sounds like you finally have someone waiting for you at home," Mina said warmly.
Ava smiled, but her gaze drifted toward the window.
For a split second, she thought she saw a dark reflection standing behind her own a tall figure with golden eyes watching silently.
She blinked. It vanished.
Mina waved a hand. "Ava? You okay?"
"Yeah," she said softly. "Just… thought I saw something."
Daniel frowned. "You sure?"
"Probably just the light," she said, forcing a smile.
But deep down, she knew it wasn't.
And somewhere across the city, Noir lifted his head suddenly, eyes glowing faintly in the dark.