"I'll be doing this for our familiar ceremony too," I warned him."I'm going to pick out a nice outfit so we look good together."
"Something orange?"he asked, his ears perking up.
I felt myself smile."Okay, I'll wear something orange."
For a moment, it sounded like he let out a single purr but he covered it up with a bit of classic hairball retching.
I ignored him and got changed, using the doors of my wardrobe for privacy.Not that Balthazar seemed interested in looking at me.I didn't know what the etiquette was about getting naked in front of my familiar either.I wouldn't think twice about undressing in front of a regular pet but regular pets couldn't make comments about my body later on.
Then again, Balthazar didn't feel like the type of cat who would care enough to comment.
After I was dressed, I settled at my desk to do my makeup.Balthazar moved to the side when I grabbed the small mirror but stayed on the desk, watching me with a confused look from next to the previously cursed clock.
"Have you never seen a witch do their makeup?"I asked, wondering why he was staring so intently.
He touched the mirror gingerly, perhaps confused by why there was a cat in it.The look of befuddlement on his face was certainly adorable.
"That's you," I pointed out while I dotted concealer on my spots and blemishes.
"I understand mirrors," he grumbled while revealing his teeth to his reflection.
"Do you?"I asked while grabbing my eyeliner.I didn't want to overdo my makeup, just a little bit so I looked nice and like I put in effort.I wanted to look like I cared because I did.A lot.
Balthazar slowly stroked the base of the mirror with his paw and looked behind it, clearly still confused despite his insistence that he understood them.
The more I saw him, the more it was clear to me that he knewwhata mirror was but not how it worked.I didn't blame him, it was an advanced concept to grasp for animals.
"When are you leaving?"Balthazar asked, now in a stand-off with his reflection.
I picked up my phone for the time."In half an hour.Faye is picking me up."
"Where are you going?"
"No idea, it’s a secret," I said, pulling a face while I drew my first line on my right eyelid.I didn't have the most steady hand but it didn't come out looking too badly.
Balthazar fluffed his tail up, spooking himself.He hissed, batted at the mirror, and catapulted himself away, knocking into me.My hand jolted it upwards, causing the eyeliner to smudge.
"Oh, Balthazar!"I chided, groaning at the obnoxious line across my face."That's not the cat eye I wanted."
He didn't pay me any attention and instead, bounced from furniture piece to furniture piece like a tiny furnado.It was a good thing he had no tuna in his moustache for this or my room would be smelling fishy for years to come.
While he raged around, I re-did my makeup and put my pair of favourite hoop earrings in.If my reflection was to be believed, I looked nice.I just hoped Faye would think so too.
Balthazar calmed down after he used the leg of my chair as his scratching post and settled on my pillow with his mucky street feet.
"That's where I put my head, you know," I said, gesturing for him to move.
He stomped on it a little more and gave me his grumpiest look."Don't stay out too late."
"Aww, are you worried about me?"
"No, I don't want you to wake me in the middle of my sleep," he grumbled, not quite managing to sound as unbothered as usual.
"The gentleman doth protest too much, methinks," I said, amused and touched that Balthazar was slowly but surely showing that he cared.
He flicked his ears."I don't know what that means."
"It means...nevermind.I won't be back too late and I won't do anything you wouldn't," I promised, giving him a curious glance."Speaking of, whatdoyou do when you're out all night?"
