Why Can't I Love You
By Robin Girl
Chapter 1

(Yeh, Yeh I know!! Shoot me I have another story out. This was hinted between me and a friend. Her site is Astronomical Heights. We were talking one day and about slash and she said that Skimble and Misto would be a good couple. Of course our views are different character wise. She thinks Quaxo and Misto are two different characters… o_O; I don't so I didn't write it this way. Instead of two cats I like just one, less confusing that way. If Misto isn't doing magic then he is dressed with the three white paws and one black costume (first half of the movie) and when he's doing magic, well I think you get point. Tho I have to admit, Jake is HOT and SEXY in the Quaxo costume!! *faints* Oh yeh *wakes up * I know the ages are whack with Skimble and Misto. So Misto is a young Tom. ^^; Not a kitten. What else should you know?….*is thinking * can't think of anything else. Enjoy this first chapter!!)

"Skimble?" A voice called from below.

"Yes?" A scottish voice replied looking over to see Mistoffelees, the youngest Tom of the tribe. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a question..." Mistoffelees answered quietly.

"Well sure, sure, come on up here. No need to be afraid!!" Skimble-shanks was loved by all tom's. All of the elders knew about his preference for males though while the younger ones had no clue. But either way the Marmalade Cat was loved by everyone.

The youngest Tom carefully climbed up. First Skimble saw one white paw then a black one followed. Two more white ones followed after that. The innocent white face was determined not to fall and finally sat safely up on the perch.

"Now lad, what is your question?"

Mistoffelees blushed nerviously playing with his fur. "Um..what happens if you don't love a queen?"

Skimble raised his eyebrows. "Surely there is a queen you love. That pretty lass Victoria likes you."

"Yeh, but I don't like her back."

"Well everyone has to have someone to love.." Skimble responded.

"That's why I'm so confused, instead of Queens, I'm looking at Tom's." Mistoffelees felt tears well up in his eyes and he embarrassingly scrubbed them with his paws. "That's not right though, is it?"

Skimble sighed, the poor lad, he was so confused and lost. "Laddie, look at me." He lifted the black Tom's chin, "I have a secret to tell you."

"What?"

"I'm that way to. I know how confusing it can be." Skimble felt it was the right thing to do, to tell Mistoffelees. "But as long as you reconize it and can hold your tail up high everything is justified."

"Mistoffelees!!"

Both Tom's jumped a mile. Skimble caught Misto before he fell off. Misto looked over Skimble's arm to see Munkustrap staring up at him. "Trappy?"

Munkus felt a pit grow in his stomach. Mistoffelees didn't call him that unless something was wrong no a days. When Misto was a kitten he would call Munkus Trappy, but not now. "I've been looking for you. Tugger said you walked off from play time looking unhappy."

"Oh.." Misto cursed Tugger for noticing him. But then again Tugger always knew where he was. After all Tugger had raised him. "Sorry, I just had to talk to Skimble about something."

"Skimble, is everything alright?" The tabby glanced over at the railroad cat.

SkimbleShanks nodded, but his facial expression told him they would talk later. "Go on and play lad. You're ok now I hope. Go get Tugger for telling on you."

Mistoffelees' face brightened like it use to when he was a kitten. "Ok!!" Surprisingly graceful the conjuring cat slid off the ledge he was on and pranced off to go find Tugger.

After Munkustrap was sure his young charge was out of hearing range, he turned back to meet Skimble-Shank's gaze. "Alright spill the Cat Nip!"

"Our young magician has found that he is not attracted to Queens."

"What?" Munkus exclaimed, he had hoped that Mist would have led a normal life other than the fact that he was magical. All of those hopes were now gone. "How upset was he?"

The marmalade cat stretched and climbed down to face Munkustrap. "He was more confused than upset."

The tabby sighed looking down cast. "I should have seen it coming. The way he was raised probably prompted him.."

"Prompted?"

"Yes, Tugger and I raised him. I should have let Jenny or Jelly take care of him or at least help take care of him.."

"No, I don't think you caused it. It's in the genes the human's say. You leave him to me. I'll take care of him."

"But I don't want him to go unloved."

"Unloved? Who could not fall in love with that young Tom?" Skimble smiled, "I know I've found myself looking at him."

"If you decide to be his mate and he for you I can be reassured that you won't do anything you shouldn't until he's old enough?"

"Of course." Skimble replied reasurringly, "No need to worry."

"I'm trusting you with someone I'd risk my life for. Make no mistake that I would hurt anyone who harmed Mistoffelees in any way."

"I know that Munkustrap, Tugger is probably the same if even worse than you."

*~*~*~*

"Oooof!!" Tugger groaned as a small lean body knocked over, "What the?"

"You told on me!!"

Tugger sat up grabbing Mistoffelees by his shoulders and playfully throwing him to the ground. The young Tom climbed back on top of Tugger and giggled. "You worried me Misto, so we're even."

"I guess so..." Mistoffelees laid his head on Tugger's chest, "Rummy?"

Tugger looked down worried. He hadn't heard that nickname in a long time. "Yes?"

"You love me no matter what right?"

"Of course, I raised you." Tugger wondered why the black Tom has to ask such a simple question. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I'm different.."

"No you're not. At least no more different than me.."

"Yes I am." Mistoffelees took a deep breath. He would feel better if Tugger knew. "You love Queens. I love Tom's."

"As long as you are happy."

"Really?" Misto hadn't planned on that reaction. He looked his best friend in the eye, "You don't mind then?"

"I look at love as being happy, if you don't love Queen's but are forced to then you aren't happy." Tugger carassed Misto's ebony hair gently, "But if you are happy with having a Tom as a mate then please, be my guest."

Mistoffelees felt his heart jump. Rummy..er Tugger, he wasn't a kitten anymore, Tugger didn't mind. When he was little, why heck even still, he always thought that if Tugger approved then it was definitely ok.

"Sooo who are you looking at?"

"Hm?"

"Which Tom has caught your eye?" Tugger asked again. He wasn't playing around when he said he didn't mind Mistoffelees being that way. There was nothing wrong with being gay, it just meant you loved a bit differently.

"TUGGER!!" Misto squealed like a queen blushing. "Well, Skimble-Shanks..."

At least that wouldn't be a battle. SkimbleShanks was already that way, but, he was a little to old for Misto though.

"Does he like you?"

"No idea...hope so." Misto thought for a minute then turned his attention back to Tugger, "So have you got your eyes on any new Queen?"

Tugger laughed and shook his head, "Believe it or not I think Bombalurina is the only one for me."

"You really love her don't you?" Mistoffelees always loved to see true love. It made him feel happy inside. "You're so lucky to have already found someone.."

"Well, you do know that Munkus has his eyes on Demeter, right?" Tugger grinned, he had to tell someone, not that it wasn't already obvious, but not everyone knew just how deeply Munkustrap cared for the young Queen. The flirt had been sworn to secrecy so much for secrecy.

"Really??! Who would have thought, our Trappy, falling in love." Mistoffelees giggled falling back against Tugger.

"I know, right?" Tugger's keen eyes caught Skimble-Shanks walking over to them. "Well look who is coming over to meet us..."

"Wha?" Misto stopped laughing and blushed a deep red. The blush was not hidden because of his face being white.

Skimble smiled, "May I talk to you alone Mistoffelees?"

The conjuring cat nodded not looking the marmalade cat in the eye. "Ok.."

Tugger took his leave and sauntered off to sit beside Bombalurina.

"What do you want tot alk to me about."

Skimble settled on the ground, "Come here my lad snuggle close. I now have a confession to make."

A confession? First Skimble told him his secret and now he had a confession? Curiosity got the better of him and he crept over to the only one who understood him fully.

"I have to confess that I'm madly attracted to you. Have been for quite a while I'm proud to say." All of this was completely true. The black Tom always caught his eye.

"I want to be able to love you."

All of this happened in one day? Misto felt his cheeks turn red again. Someone actually wanted to love him? "You want to love me?"

"Yes I do..will you let me?" Skimble watched the conjuring cat's facial expression hoping to catch an answer that would give him some kind of clue.

"No...one..has ever wanted..to..love me like that.." Mistoffelees studdered out shivering slighty chilled and frightened. Nerviously he crawled closer laying his head in Skimble's lap. " I think I would like you to love me very much."

Skimble felt his heart speed up. Carefully not sure as to what Mist's reaction would be, he leaned down and licked Misto's cheek. Misto licked back timidly. In return he recived a nuzzle between his ears. Mistoffelees purred enjoying this. Skimble wrapped his arms around the Black Tom holding him close. The two set in silence for a few moments niether moved.

End Chapter 1

(Please review and tell me what you think)