Chapter Text
the wind chills Remington to the bone as he makes his way down the street, lost in the meld of sight and sound of the Gotham underbelly. it had been only hours since he wandered away from his family, but it seemed like lightyears away.
a quiet growl interrupts his train of thought, and with an embarrassed blush does he remember that he hasn't eaten since that morning. he wonders if his mommy is looking for him, Sebastian holding onto a crying Emerson. tears cloud his vision as he sniffles wetly.
just a few more blocks of walking, then I'll find shelter. an alleyway looks promising, even as he begins to grow weak. he takes off his coat, throwing it over his shaking form, falling into a restless slumber, head propped against a trashcan. eyes flutter open at his body being picked up, before sliding close again. Remington snuggles against the heat source, content for just a moment.
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.
of all the things Selina expected to come back home to after "patrol" (i.e. flirting with Batman), finding a little stray, shivering and restless, was not one of them. he was so pale, cheeks a very rosy red, drying tear tracks on his cheeks.
motherly instincts kicking in, she scooped the child up into her arms before ascending the stairs to her penthouse suite. he snuggled closer to her, and Selina found it in her as to not protest too much.
cats swarmed the door when she entered, rising from the couch as to wind around her ankles, looking at the bundle in her hold. it's almost scary how light he is, as she deposits the sleeping form on the couch and takes a heavy quilt to throw over him.
Lyle and Mara assume their usual spots on the back, attentive as she murmurs to her children in a low voice. another stray she had taken in, surely soon to be one of them.
with one last look back, Selina slips into her room, quickly preparing for a restful night of sleep. as her eyelids grow heavy, she internally remarks that her little kitten would like to know where his real family is.
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sunlight filtered through breezy curtains, bathing the living room in a soft golden glow. Remington stirred from his spot on the couch, feeling surprisingly well-rested.
a weight on his chest stirred him further, fur tickling his nose as his eyes slid open. the chubby Ragamuffin chirped, standing up and stretching. in fact, all around them were cats over every shape, size and breed. now that the fog in his brain was clearing, he sat up and soaked in the environment.
this definitely wasn't the alley he had fallen asleep in, for one. it seemed much more homier, if that was a way to put it.
noise from a different direction startled him, panic beginning to settle in his conscious. he had to run, what if it was-
"oh! you're awake."- a pretty lady in a bathrobe, standing in the doorway to the dining room. she was pretty, really pretty, and had a pan in one hand that smelled an awful lot like scrambled eggs. his stomach finally made its presence known with a loud rumble.
Pretty Lady smiled at his flushed cheeks and sauntered away, leaving him to follow after. the rest of the place was just as nice as he expected, mentally making notes as they sat and ate, taking in the silence before the inevitable questions. Remington was grateful for the quiet, it gave him time to think.
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when she knew he was done eating, she took his hands in hers and settled him with a warm gaze. he seemed a little wary.
"when I got home last night, I was not expecting to find you in the alleyway, cold and shivering. tell me, little one, what's your name, and where is your mother?"
he shrunk in on himself, eyes sorrowful, and Selina felt her heart break just a little bit. "My name is Remington Kropp, miss, and I lost my mommy when I got caught up in a crowd. I spent so long trying to find her."
"my name is Selina Kyle, Remington. would you like a hug?" at his nod, she pulls him close, holding on tight as sobs begin to shake his little shoulders. pressing a gentle kiss to his temple, she quietly murmurs that everything will be alright, even when she observes his red and blotchy cheeks as stained with tears.
once his cries quiet down, she scoops him up and moves back towards the living room, plopping him back on the couch. "stay put for a bit, kitten. I'm going to see if I can find any info on your mommy, okay?" at his nod, she smiled, before slinking around the corner, tapping a familiar number on the pad. a gruff voice picked up on the second ring. "Selina, what a surprise. what's the occasion?" "can you do me a favor? I need you to look up some info on a Remington Kropp."
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after Miss Selina turned the corner and walked away, Remington looked around in fascination at all the different felines. in a corner slept an old Persian, snuggled together with a small litter of ginger kittens. too in the zone to notice, a twosome of felines made themselves comfortable in his lap. one was the Ragamuffin sleeping on his chest earlier, and the other was a pretty gray kitty, with bright gold eyes. fingers threaded into fur, he saw the collars around their necks. Lyle and Mara, who he could see himself becoming close friends with.
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setting her phone down on the counter with a sigh, Selina mentally prepares to tell the sweet little boy on her couch the somber news. fingers dug into the doorway, she takes just a moment to observe the wholesome scene before her. Remington is sat on the couch, both arms full of cat, a content glow about him.
"hey, kitten?" he looks up, snuggling close when she sits down next to him, fingers carding through his hair. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but it looks like your family left sometime last night, they likely didn't realize you were gone."
she's ready for him to start crying once again, but he only sighs in defeat, shoulders slumping. he seems so much more older than he really is, and that scares her.
"it's okay, Miss Selina, I'll be fine at a local orphanage." now, that wouldn't do at all. he was much too sweet to be left there, and she really could use a little company.
.
.
"Pumpkin, how would you feel if I adopted you? mama cat and her little kitten." Remington feels a bit of hope well in his heart when she says that. "Really, mama?" the word is heavy on his tongue, but he's sure he can get used to it.
Selina's grin grows impossibly wider, a little misty in the eyes.
"of course, kitten, I need someone to teach my ways."
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before the sun rises, the news hits the tabloids that Gothamite Selina Kyle has adopted, a handsome little boy named Remington. across the US, on a different coast, a family of three mourn the son and brother they lost. this is where the path diverges, yet only time can tell what will happen.