A/N: A short oneshot for my darling Nekosoda. Merry Christmas. ;D
I wrote this with extremely cheesy Christmas Music playing in the background, so… yes… it's a bit fluffier than usual.
Ever since he saw those big, blue eyes, he knew he'd have a hard time resisting her.
But she was off limits to him, right? After all, he was important, he had a mate, he had a kitten… but then again, the kitten was adopted, so it meant nothing, right? And the mate… well, she didn't matter when those big, blue eyes sparkled and that merry laugh bubbled from her lips.
Munkustrap sighed and leant back. He was neglecting his duties. Distracting himself. He couldn't do this. It was wrong. He wasn't allowed to love someone else – and someone who wasn't even out of her kittenhood. He had his Demeter, and she was lovely, beautiful, though her bad dreams were beginning to frustrate Munkustrap to the point of yelling. But she couldn't help it. And he had his Jemima, his baby, even though she wasn't his baby. She wasn't even Demeter's. She was Tugger's, but the Everlasting Cat knew that he would ruin her if he even wanted to attempt to be her dad.
And there he was, forgetting his duties again. He just couldn't focus that night. Was it almost the end of his shift?
"What are you doing out here?"
Inside, Munkustrap groaned. He forced himself to close his eyes and relax.
"Munkus?"
He opened his eyes. Etcetera was standing right in front of him, blinking curiously. "It's Christmas, Munkus," she said. "You shouldn't be standing out here by yourself." Big blue eyes…
"I have to," he shrugged. It was no big deal. He was too old for Christmas, really. Too old for Etcetera.
"It's cold though," she protested. "Come on… come inside. It's warm at home. Mima misses you!"
Munkustrap shook his head. She grabbed his hand and tugged, but she couldn't even budge him. "Etcy," he said gently, leaning down so that he could look at her eye-to-eye. "I can't stop performing my duties, not even on Christmas. There's always a chance that the Jellicles could be attacked, see? They might think that we're vulnerable today."
Etcetera pouted for a moment. Then her eyes brightened. "I'll keep you company then!"
Munkustrap wasn't sure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. "I suppose," he said reluctantly, knowing he couldn't refuse.
Etcetera smiled and jumped up onto his lap. He blinked, startled, then without even thinking, his arms encircled her so that she wouldn't fall. He felt her shivering against his chest from the cold and held her a little tighter.
If the Jellicles could see me now…
But it was okay. He knew it was, just that one night.
On Christmas, everyone was allowed to get a present.
