Sunday Prompt: Must be set in their owners' house.
Thunder
Demeter hated thunderstorms.
She'd never told anyone why, and they assumed it was just her natural skittish tendencies playing up. After all, even Alonzo didn't like thunder.
Even Macavity didn't like thunder, she thought, flinching closer to Bomba's side. The scarlet queen was sound asleep, easy and untroubled, and Demeter tried not to resent it. It wasn't Bomba's fault that Demeter couldn't help but see every flash of lightning as his…wasn't her fault that even Macavity didn't like thunder, that whenever it struck he would find other ways to pass the day rather than brave the storm…wasn't Bomba's fault that unlike Demeter, she could just forget it and move on, could sleep right through-
What was that?
A foolish thought, born of anxiety and nothing else. Of course, the flash of lightning had illuminated the human tom's trousers, lying abandoned on the floor, but that knowledge did nothing to calm Demeter's suddenly pounding heart. Her claws were out, digging into Bomba's nest; her fur was standing on end, and when another peal of thunder crashed through the house, it was enough to send the black-and-gold tabby shooting across the room and out the open door.
When she was halfway down the hallway, Demeter regretted ever leaving Bombalurina's side. What little light could find its way through the downstairs windows glinted strangely off the portraits on the walls. A new, low rumble made the walls shake slightly. Demeter was about to turn and go back to her sister when she heard a dull clink just behind her, like the jingle of cat tags. With a yowl of terror, she bolted for the stairs, taking them three at a time, only pausing when some part of her brain, one that wasn't overrun by panic, registered the fact that the radiator upstairs always clinked and that Macavity didn't wear a collar, let alone tags. But the fear, the fear he caused was too strong, and she couldn't help but think it might have been him.
It wouldn't have been the first time. It was like a game for him, at first; he would leave a door open, seemingly by accident; he would let his henchcats be overheard saying he was going to be away. Then, just when she thought she'd made it, when she was almost free, he was there. He was always there, the moment she let her guard down for an instant. She would hear a sound and glance over her shoulder, and then when she turned forward again she found herself inches from his chest; or else she would relax, thinking that this time, this time they were really free, and suddenly there would be a sharp blow, three new slashes along her shoulder, a tail twining forcefully around hers, and he would be backing her into a corner, hissing in her ear. "Blind as a kit, Demeter, or did you think it would be that easy? And here I thought all cats could see in the dark."
Eventually, they'd stopped trying to escape.
It had taken Jerrie and Teazer weeks to convince the trapped queens that they were telling the truth about rescuing them…and even then, even after they were safe in the Junkyard, even now, some part of Demeter still expected to be stopped, still expected to look up and see the figure of-
"HOLY HEAVISIDE!"
There was an answering yowl from the other side of the kitchen window as the dark figure of the cat who had been perched on the sill toppled backwards. There was a loud splash, and through the smothering panic Demeter felt a small thread of vindictive pleasure. About time someone gave that fleabag a bath, the small part of her mind thought. The more dominant part of her mind, however, was thinking something more along the lines of Oh, Bast, Everlasting Cat help me I can't go back, I won't, he'll kill me and I know it but oh, Bast, I can't go back…
"Dem?" came a sleepy murmur from the upstairs hallway. "Wha's going on?"
Demeter didn't answer; her gaze was locked on the window, eyes stretched wide in terror. When the dark cat began to drag itself back onto the window sill, however, she found her voice. "Bomba!" she yowled. "Run! It's…" She frowned.
"…Munkustrap?"
It was hard to see through the rain outside, until another flash of lightning lit up the silver tabby's dripping fur. He opened his mouth to say something, but a particularly violent roll of thunder drowned out the words.
Panic forgotten, Demeter jumped up on her side of the glass. "What?" she called.
"I said let me in!"
"Right. Sorry."
A few moments later, a very wet tomcat was squeezing his way through the window. "Thanks for that," he panted, leaping to the floor. A puddle of water quickly spread around him.
"Munk!" Demeter gasped, standing on the window frame to close it again. "What are you doing here?"
"Thunderstorm," he said simply, dipping his head towards the window. He paused, fluffing out his fur in a vain attempt to dry it. "I thought maybe I'd offer some…" Shake. "…Emotional support. Bast in Heaviside!" he exclaimed. "I've had baths that haven't gotten me this wet!"
Laughing, Demeter nuzzled him, pulling back when he shook himself wildly, almost like a Pollicle, scattering droplets around the dark kitchen.
"I give up," he muttered, licking his paw morosely.
"I'm sure Dem would be more than happy to help you warm up." Bombalurina called down from the landing, wearing a smirk worthy of her mate. "Oh, don't look at me like that, Dem. For your information, I was referring to the towel over the radiator. Whatever did you think I meant?" Tossing a saucy wink over her shoulder, the red queen trotted back down the upstairs hallway, tail held jauntily high.
Demeter glared after her.
Munkustrap gave a courteous cough, sounding slightly embarrassed and extremely cold. "Not to impose," he said, trying to find a way to press into Demeter's warm side without getting her wet, "But if there really is a towel over the radiator…"
Demeter's lips twitched. "We could always use Bomba's option," she said teasingly.
Munkustrap leaned in conspirationally. "I'm a bit damp," he informed her, twitching his ear to flick the rain out of it.
Demeter delicately licked a single drop off the end of his whisker. "I noticed," she told him. Before he could respond, she closed the distance between them and kissed him.
The house quite literally shook under the loudest crash yet, but Demeter barely flinched.
Maybe this whole thunderstorm thing wasn't so bad, after all.
