It almost felt like there had always been this tension between them. The same yearning, longing, for years. Of course neither could confess it, their pride wouldn't let them.

No, they danced around the issue at every opportunity.

And yet here they were.

Bombalurina had cornered the Rum Tum Tugger one of the more isolated areas of the junkyard. She was tall - always had been, and it was pleasantly refreshing for Tugger to look a queen in the eye.

Finally, she spoke; "Am I going to have to wait for you my whole life?"

He knew what she meant. She wanted to know if they would ever sate their curiosity, if they would ever decide to be more than mutually interested, and no longer denying themselves what they both wanted.

"I have never named a mate because my mind changes so often," He said, still boldly looking her in the face "What I want one day I decide I never really did the next, or even the next hour. It's always been better for me to be unattached."

Bombalurina snorted "Always looking out for your own neck, aren't you? Don't want to be tangled up in something that may not last?"

He knew she had meant to be insulting, but it was true. All though it wasn't as if she herself didn't act the same way. For a moment his anger flared, but he decided not to lose his temper here. Instead he smiled rakishly at her "This way I get to fool around with everyone instead of just one queen."

"You never were the responsible type, were you?" She smiled in spite of herself.

"Precisely why Munkustrap acts in the role of protector. I can't settle on any issue. You know what Fathe- Old Deuteronomy always says about me; 'Always on the wrong side of every door' "

"Oh, that's you alright. As soon as you're in you want out, to avoid getting pinned down to anything." She took a step nearer, her voice getting progressively softer as the space between them shrank. "As soon as you're out you want back in again, feeling out of the loop."

He leaned back as she came within a claw's length of him. She reached out, and started to stroke the fur on the sides of his face and behind his ears. For the first time since she cornered him, he looked away and closed his eyes. Trying to force himself not to pull her close to him. No! I'm free! Never tied to anyone! That's how I like it!

But his mind, his heart, didn't listen to his desperate mental pleas..

Her scent filled the air as she leaned in even closer. His muscles went taut, he began to quiver with the effort to control himself and his breathing became shaky.

"You know," She purred. His eyes snapped open. She was closer than he thought, her mouth right up against his ear. "I think you've been on the wrong side of this door for far too long, do you agree?" And then, she brushed her face against his, and the Rum Tum Tugger could resist no longer.

He returned the gesture forcefully, and in the same movement caught her up in his arms in a desperate, crushing grip. His tense muscles relaxed, and his breathing became easy again.

He felt her melt into his embrace, adding her lighter purr to his rumble. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face into the join between her neck and shoulder, inhaling the scent that had plagued him for longer than he cared to remember. Her arms came up, and she began running her fingers through his mane.

It was a long while before she spoke.
"Does this mean that you and I are going to try being mates?"
He sighed, rubbing his head against hers once more and clutched her tighter still.
"Yes."
He felt her purring catch as she gasped slightly, and then return with doubled volume.
Tugger sighed once more, and loosened his grip in order to look the red queen in the eyes.

The tension was gone.

Aaaand, thus begins one of the most volitile and spat-filled relationships the Jellicles have ever seen.

It was fun writing them as if they were noble XD

Thanks for reading, and I hoped you enjoyed it!