Page 27 of Blazing Joysticks
Amid the broken glass lay the scattered pieces of what had once been an intricate anime figurine. Cat knelt, her hands hovering over the destruction as if afraid to touch it.
“My grandmother gave me this,” she said, her voice thick with unshed tears. “Before she passed away. It was... it was the last gift she ever gave me.”
Keir felt a surge of rage so potent he had to close his eyes for a moment, forcing his dragon back down. When he opened them again, he knelt beside Cat, carefully gathering the broken pieces.
“I’m so sorry, Cat,” he said softly. “We’ll fix this. I promise.”
She looked at him, tears spilling down her cheeks, and Keir’s resolve hardened. He’d move heaven and earth to put that figurine back together, to restore this piece of her past.
As Cat moved through the apartment, cataloging the damage with Officer Ramirez, Keir pulled aside one of the other officers he recognized.
“Detective Molloy,” Keir said in a low voice. “Any leads yet?”
The detective shook his head. “Nothing concrete. No fingerprints, no witnesses. Whoever did this knew what they were doing.”
Keir’s eyes narrowed. “So no ideas who could’ve done this?”
“No, do you have any names you want us to check out?”
“The only person that comes to mind is Jason Grimes. He’s had it out for my company for years.”
“Having it out for your company doesn’t mean he’d do this. This seems personal. But we’ll look into it,” Molloy assured him. “But without evidence...”
Keir nodded, understanding the limitations. But he had resources beyond what the police could access. “Keep me updated,” he said, already formulating a plan.
As they wrapped up at the loft, Keir guided a shell-shocked Cat back to his car. “You’ll stay with me. We’ll get this sorted out,” he said, his tone brooking no argument. To his relief, Cat simply nodded.
Once they were back at his penthouse, Keir made a series of calls. First to Beck, instructing him to get his hands on and review any security footage from a ten-block radius around Cat’s building. Then to his contact in Japan, calling in favors to track down a replacement for the destroyed figurine.
It took a few days, but Keir’s persistence paid off. Not only did he manage to secure an exact replacement of the figurine, but he also arranged for the creator of the anime character to sign it. Additionally, he had the broken pieces of the original carefully restored and placed in a special display case.
When the packages arrived, Keir could barely contain his anticipation. He found Cat in the living room, curled up on the couch with her laptop, working on security features for Guardian AI.
“Cat?” he said softly, not wanting to startle her. “I have something for you.”
She looked up, curiosity replacing the sadness that had lingered in her eyes since the break-in. Keir sat beside her, placing two boxes on the coffee table.
“What’s this?” Cat asked, straightening up.
“Open them and see,” Keir urged, a small smile playing at his lips.
Cat carefully opened the first box, gasping as she pulled out the new figurine. “Keir, how did you... this is exactly like...” Her voice trailed off as she noticed the signature on the base. “Is this... did the creator actually sign this?”
Keir nodded, warmth spreading through his chest at the joy in her eyes. “Open the other one,” he encouraged.
With trembling hands, Cat opened the second box. Her eyes filled with tears as she saw the restored original, carefully pieced back together and protected in its new case.
“Oh, Keir,” she breathed, looking up at him with an expression that made his heart skip a beat. “I can’t believe you did this. I don’t know how to thank you.”
Before Keir could respond, Cat launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck in a fierce hug. He held her close, savoring the feel of her in his arms, the scent of her hair.
When she pulled back, her eyes shining with tears and gratitude, Keir couldn’t resist. He leaned in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. Cat responded immediately, her hands coming up to frame his face as she deepened the kiss.
As they broke apart, both slightly breathless, Keir rested his forehead against hers. “You don’t need to thank me,” he said softly. “Seeing you happy is all the thanks I need.”
Cat’s smile was radiant, and Keir knew in that moment that he’d do anything to keep that smile on her face. The bond between them had deepened, strengthened by shared adversity and tender moments like this.
As Cat turned back to examine her treasured figurines, Keir allowed himself a moment of quiet reflection. The threat that had led to the break-in still loomed, but he was more determined than ever to protect Cat, to keep her safe and happy. His dragon purred contentedly within him, satisfied that their mate was well cared for.