A/N- Requested by AlicePonineTeazer.
Tugger's voice rang out across the junkyard, and the older cats stilled, indulgent smiles on their faces as the young toms and queens lined up, facing one another, at opposite ends of the clearing. The fading sunlight refracted off the scrap- illuminating everyone in the gentle glow of a spring evening.
"We all know the game already- but Munk and his obsession with the rules requires that I explain for the thousandth time." Tugger rolled his golden eyes, giving a good natured smile to the silver tabby sitting atop the TSE1 with Demeter.
"At the start of each round, I will call out 'You're everything I hoped you'd be: you're…fill in the blank.' For the first round the queens will pick a tom who they think has that quality. Next round the toms choose. Each round, if someone isn't picked they're out. Last two standing- a tom and a queen- win."
"I wouldn't have to insist if you just-" Munk was cut off as Tugger raised his voice.
"Yeah ok- let's start!"
Teazer shifted her weight, paw on hip. They'd all been playing the odd little game since they were kittens; but suddenly it felt intimate. Each of them was on the cusp of adulthood- something always meant more now than it ever had before. Especially if it involved the toms. She glanced up to the line across the clearing; eight toms, single file.
Addie with his wide grin, Jerrie with that confident tilt of his head, Tumble's shoulders taunt with excitement. Teazer watched as Pounce looked each queen up and down before turning to laugh at Plato's stoic expression. Misto, who gave her a quick smile. A giggle escaped the orange calico as she rolled her eyes, hoping to disguise the moment of enthusiasm she'd let slip. Alonzo's tail swished back and forth with impatience while Cori focused on the sparks at the end of his paws. She reached the end of the line.
Tugger scrambled to the top of tire, arms spread wide as he called out; "You're everything I hoped you'd be, you're funny."
The queens squealed and ran across the clearing, tails swishing rapidly as the excitement began. The rush of color was disorienting and all Teazer could hear clearly was the tom's laughter, and shouts of encouragement from the older cats. Funny was an easy one; she nudged Addie's shoulder, and he gave a crooked grin as he placed his arm around her waist. She resisted the urge to pull away. Addie was a friend, but she couldn't force herself to see him in this new light. Mungo, Cori, Misto, Pounce, Alonzo, and Tumble had also managed to survive the round. Applause went around the scene as Plato gave a gracious bow to his defeat, before leaning against the pipe to watch with everyone else. Teazer saw Victoria glance at the disqualified tom even as she clung to Misto's arm… a stab of jealousy and anger hit the calico queen, as they walked back to their side.
Tugger's voice rang out again, "You're everything I'd hoped you'd be… you're easy to talk to."
This time the toms raced across the clearing- some of them with such speed that many of the queens braced for a collision. Unsurprised to find Mungojerrie at her side, Teazer glanced up the line again.
Tumble and Vic.
Misto and Jem.
Alonzo and Cass.
Cori and Tanto.
And Addie and Pounce stood on either side of Etcetera, leaving Electra to join Plato on the sidelines. She lifted herself onto the pipe giving a short shrug to the assembly. Demeter laughed, leaning into her mate's shoulder before calling out to the young queen.
"I was always the first queen out too, Electra! Sometimes the tom you're looking for is on the sidelines as well."
Plato ducked his head, a self-conscious smile playing across his face as Electra nudged his shoulder.
Teazer giggled at her friend's antics, giving her an ecstatic thumbs-up as everyone else was distracted. The calico queen turned her brown eyes back to the toms now lined up again. She watched from the corner of her eye as Tugger opened his mouth, about to call the next round.
Jenny, however, beat him to it; "You're everything I'd hoped you'd be- you're kind!" Without another word, the Gumbie Cat wrapped her tail around Skimbleshanks', effectively distracting him from his pocket watch. Tugger rolled his eyes, shouting after her "Yeah, okay, let's go with that."
Teazer and the other queens began to run. Most of them didn't make it across, as they dissolved into fits of laughter when Mungo raised his paws in surrender, stepping away.
"Sorry, ladies. Kindness ain' one o' my virtues." Most everyone nodded, and the queens gave a round of applause as Jerrie sauntered to the TSE1. Teazer, though, held back a sigh. That round had been easy- one she didn't have to think about or guess at. Perhaps it would be the only moment she hadn't had to read too much into the game… and they had virtually skipped the round. Unable to let it go entirely, she glanced back at the toms, eyes sweeping to the end of the line. Misto held her gaze. And maybe she imagined it, but she could almost see the magic spark to life in his eyes.
"Tom's turn, right?" Tugger cleared his throat and the game began again.
"You're everything I'd hoped you'd be. You're confident." A few of the toms looked at Tugger with raised eyebrows.
The older tom placed his paws on his hips. "Trust me- this is gonna work out much better for everyone if I objectify you instead of the girls." He gestured over his shoulder. "You all forget; Bomba is not only the jealous type, but could easily kill me if she decides I'm encouraging any of you to be jerks." Bomba nodded at the toms with a look that clearly stated she would personally give them hell if any queen left the game upset.
"So play nice."
No one stood alone that round.
Grinning, Tugger lowered his voice, everyone hushing to hear.
"You're everything I'd hoped you'd be…" he wrapped an arm around Bomba's waist, pulling her to him until their noses touched. The younger cats groaned. "You're sexy."
Despite the hot blush in her cheeks Teazer ran, leading the race. She threw an arm over Alonzo's shoulder, as Cassandra gave her a once over, with mild disdain. Then again, the dark queen was more than likely to take Teazer's presence as a compliment to her taste instead of a competition.
Vic and Addie.
Cettie and Cori.
Jemima and Tumble.
Teazer with Alonzo and Cassandra.
Tanto and Misto.
Pounce gave a huff, and crossed his arms.
Cettie caved first, followed by Jemima; one stood on either side of the disqualified tom, leaning in and kissing his cheeks. He nodded, accepting defeat graciously after that.
Teazer unwound herself from Alonzo's side, brushing down the fur on her arms. If she was lucky she could brush away the sensation of Alonzo's paws too tight on her skin.
Tugger glanced over the remaining cats, before nodding.
"Toms choice… You're everything I'd hoped you'd be; you're adventurous."
The line rushed forward, pairing off with blinding speed.
Teazer opened her eyes as the sound died down, unable to keep the sigh of disappointment from escaping her mouth. She didn't have to glance to the side to know that no one stood beside her- she could simply feel the empty air.
She took a half-step forward. A gentle paw on her shoulder kept her from going farther than that.
"Look again."
Her breath caught in her throat, reevaluating the pairs around her. She couldn't bring herself to look at the tom behind her just yet.
Admetus stood with Cettie perched atop his shoulders, both of them with unbalanced smiles.
Tumble sat before Victoria, his head leaning against her knees.
Cori held out his arm shyly, Jemima avoiding his gaze as she linked paws with him.
Most surprisingly of all, Alonzo stood shoulder to shoulder with Tantomile- an easy camaraderie between them.
Cassandra had already draped herself across the tire with graceful boredom.
Which left Mistoffolees.
His slender claws barely touched the stripes on her neck, but she felt the electricity against her pulse point. She turned her head, surprised to realize she had to look up to see his face. He rolled his eyes with a smile.
"You really thought you wouldn't be picked for a trait like 'adventurous'?"
She gave a shrug, muttering under her breath.
"Not exactly. Oi jus' wasn't expectin' you to be the one to pick me."
He withdrew his paw, and she winced, suddenly aware of how her words must sound. Too late to take them back… unable to think of any other way to retract the unintentional insult she stepped back, leaning into his chest. The round was over, and the toms began to retreat to their own side. Teazer stared hard at the floor, whispering as Misto passed her.
"Oi didn' mean it loike that."
Tugger began the familiar phrase, but a deeper, dramatic tone finished it.
"You're understanding." Gus the Theater Cat stood, holding shaking arms wide in a grand gesture of invitation.
Jelly smiled, taking her mate's paw. He kissed her reverently and the pace of the game slowed. The queens did not race to the toms' sides. The five of them looked the line up and down, locking eyes with one of the toms, and walking to them with measured steps.
Many of the older cats watched with hushed anticipation, the whispers and surprised gasps stifled into background noise.
Tantomile didn't choose Cori but leant her forehead against Addie's with a secret smile.
Cettie stood with Tumble.
Alonzo took Jemima's paw with a look that dared anyone to challenge them.
Teazer was the last to choose. She placed a paw against Misto's arm, refusing to meet his gaze and keeping her back to the rest of the world. For a moment, she could feel his breath ruffle the fur by her ears before his attention was drawn back to other side of the clearing.
Unable to resist the curiosity, Teazer turned as well.
Cori stood at the center of the Junkyard, head held high. Victoria stood, still frozen across from everyone else.
Teazer's brow furrowed; what was keeping her there? It was simple wasn't it? Choose Cori, or someone else… weren't those the only choices? The calico queen felt Misto tense beneath her paw. Sneaking a glance at his face she saw the same confusion in his eyes as was surely written across her face.
Did Misto want Victoria to choose him? That must be it…
Until the white queen deliberately held out a paw to the tom that was alone.
Then it dawned on Teazer- she couldn't honestly choose Cori… but it appeared that Victoria would not leave him alone either. Teazer waited with everyone else for them to separate and take a place among their friends and family. Only they didn't. Still paw in paw, they walked to the worn out old oven. The silence lengthened. Cori lifted Victoria onto the rusted metal, leaping up behind her. Neither uttered a word, but nodded for the game to continue. Teazer whistled softly. Misto twitched at the sound, bowing his head to stare at her.
"If that ain't understanding, Oi don' think any o' us know what is."
The spark in his eyes brightened again, his arms wrapping around Teazer's waist before lightly pushing her towards the other side of the yard.
The light had faded long ago, and the amethyst shadows lent a severity to the game that the orange glow of sunset had not. It felt like a test now, instead of a lighthearted distraction. Before Tugger said those fateful words, Addie shook his head.
"I've decided to give my competitors a chance at winning," he laughed, "so I shall bid you all goodnight and good luck." He retreated to the edge of the clearing with a tired grin.
"Three toms left: Tumble, Alonzo, and Mistoffolees. Four queens left: Teazer, Cettie, Jem, and Tanto." Tugger breathed in deeply.
"Anyone have suggestions?"
A chorus of voices chimed in with opinions.
But Misto's voice rose over the rest; Teazer was distracted for a moment by how much his voice had deepened in the last year.
"I think the game's over Tugger… the moon's about to rise anyway."
Many nodded in agreement, and the clearing became crowded with movement; couples and families curled together, murmuring about the starlight and enjoying such a beautiful night.
Although her brother beckoned her over, Teazer clambered onto the fence at the edge of the yard, tail swishing against the splintering wood.
The cool air made her fur stand on end, but there was nothing as calming as the soft rush of wind around her. The fence creaked beneath a new weight; she closed her eyes as the electricity sparked against her paw.
"Is that one o' your tricks?"
He chuckled, the sound as intoxicating as the magic on her skin.
"Maybe… although magic only works if you want it to, you know."
They sat in content silence for what seemed like forever, until the brilliant silver moon rose above the TSE1.
Deuteronomy's voice echoed through the still air, and Teazer watched as he blew a kiss towards the shimmering sky, the Heaviside Layer a pale veil across the stars.
"You were everything I'd hoped you'd be… You were beautiful."
Misto leaned towards Teazer, placing his paw over hers.
"Well now… looks like we're the only two left then…"
She nodded, her lips a breath away from the magical tom's.
"S'pose so. And you're everything Oi'd hoped you'd be."
He stopped her words with a kiss, mumbling "You're perfect."