Okay, some things in here may seem weird, but I am using my personal views on a lot of things. And I am pretty sure that I'm the only person who has many of these views...Oh well. Enjoy the story! There will probably be a second chapter coming soon, so keep an eyes out!
It was warm.
That was always the first thing that Tugger remembered about That Day. The warmth. It was why he was laying in the shadows at the top of one of the many piles of junk around the main clearing. The second thing that Tugger remembered was everyone's excitement. Apparently having Munkustrap's younger sister, brother and cousin come to join the tribe was a big thing. Tugger wondered why. The tribe hadn't made this much fuss when Demeter joined, even though she was Munku's twin. But then, she had just been attacked by a Pollicle, so Munku had probably asked everyone not to make a big fuss over her (Tugger had been busy at the time, so he didn't really know).
Tugger had climbed the pile early that morning, to make sure he didn't run into any of his 'fan-club'. While they were cute kittens, and he didn't mind performing for them, they did tend to get a bit annoying after a while (not that he'd ever let any of them find out...).
Tugger was brought from his musings by an increase in action from the clearing. He sat up, looking down in time to see Munkustrap and Demeter enter the clearing, followed by three other Jellicles. From this angle, Tugger couldn't really see what they looked like, but he waited patiently, knowing he would see them sooner or later. Munkus held up his hands and all of the Jellicles fell silent.
"Thank you all for coming here to welcome the newest tribe members! As most of you have probably guessed, this is my younger sister Tara, her twin Dante and my cousin Mistoffelees. Please make them all feel at home." At that moment, Tugger managed to see the new cats and anything else Munkus might have said never registered. He was too busy staring.
Now, the biggest mystery in the Yard (right after weather Coricopat and Tantomile were siblings or mates) was the sexuality of the Rum Tum Tugger. He flirted with almost every queen he saw, yet not a single one ever accompanied him home for anything more; on the other hand, glimpses had been caught of a male someone (or a few different male someones; only a silhouette had ever been seen) leaving his den late at night. Yet, when Tugger was asked about him, he would show a blank face. Whoever knew, if anyone, hadn't said anything on the subject, and no one could keep Tugger on the topic long enough to get an answer.
The truth was, Tugger was gay. He was very, very gay and he didn't care. So, when he was confronted with the sight of an extremely cutely-handsome, black and white, slim and petit tom cat, it was hard for him to think anything beyond Please, Everlasting Cat, let him be gay, unattached and interested! When his brain finally started working again, he leaned foreward and resumed listening, hoping to learn where the tom was staying.
"...and Mistoffelees will be staying here at the Yard..." Tugger grinned happily. He was positive that the young tom was Mistoffelees, since he was black and white and the other two looked almost exactly alike and were black and silver like Munkustrap. As the three newcomers began to mingle with the tribe, Tugger sat back to consider what he was going to do now.
Mistoffelees was positive he was doing a wonderful job hiding his nervousness. He attributed it to, not only growing up with Tara and Dante, but having spent so much time performing on stage as a magician and an actor. He had always been good at hiding and feigning emotions, but eve now he was outdoing himself. He felt about ready to throw up with nerves, but not a single cat seemed to notice, aside from Tara and Dante (but then, he'd never been able to fool them. He thought it had something to do with Tara being a telepath and Dante being an empath...). While some of his nerves were from his introduction into his cousin's tribe, the majority of them were from something entirely different.
Right away, he had noticed the tom sitting in the shadows at the top of a pile. From the moment the three had stepped out to the moment they had started mingling, the tom had watched them eagerly, almost predatorily. Misto had also caught a stray thought that he supposed came from him: 'Please, Everlasting Cat, let him be gay, unattached and interested!' When he heard that, he assumed that the tom, whoever he was, had been thinking about Dante. There was no one else he could have been think of; Tara was female and no one as handsome as him would think that about Misto, not that fervently. Normally he didn't mind too much, but he had felt a pang of disappointment when he saw the tom: tall and lithe, well-muscled, strikingly handsome (especially with that coat...)...Aesthetically, he had everything that Mistoffelees looked for in a tom. And a brief mind-touch had shown him a complex personality, full of contradictions...Misto mentally shook his head and yelled at himself. If he kept thinking like that, he was going to fall head over tail for the tom!
Quickly, almost unconsciously, he looked at where the tom had been sitting, expecting to see him still sitting there. He blinked when he saw that the pile was unoccupied. A second later, he jumped as one of the female kittens (Etcetera, he believed) started screaming with excitment and joy, and just generally freaking out and fan-girling over someone.
"TUGGERRRRRRRRRRRR!" The other two queen-kits joined her, squealing and jumping up and down. Not long after, the object of their enthusiasm sauntered into view. Misto blinked as he saw the tom who had been sitting on the pile. He was even more handsome in full light. His mane and leopard spots shone goldenly, and the ebony of his fur seemed to swallow up the light. But his personality seemed completely different. He was smirking, and his body language screamed 'I am a god, worship me.' Misto quickly sent a thought to Munkustrap.
'Munkus? Who's that?'
'That's the Rum Tum Tugger. Why do you ask?'
'Because earlier, he was sitting at the top of one of the piles. I got a thought and a few mind-touches and he seemed completely different!'
'Tugger...isn't quite who he seems. He's a very complicated Jellicle. I think it would be best if you didn't get involved and just accepted what you see, alright?'
Before Misto could make a reply, the Rum Tum Tugger started walking and stopped right in front of him. Misto quickly ended the telepathic connection and looked at the maned tom in front of him curiously.
"Yo. I wanted to welcome you to the Yard. Dunno if you've heard of me yet, but I am the Rum Tum Tugger. You can just call me Tugger." He half-smiled at Misto, thumbs hooked in the glittering silver belt around his waist. Misto nodded his head courteously.
"I am Mistoffelees. Misto, or Mistoff. Either is fine." He held out his paw, and Tugger touched his to it, his smile widening and his paw lingering a little longer then it should have. Misto blinked, and looked into the bright hazel eyes. Their gazes locked for only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Misto couldn't look away from those glittering hazel eyes and the emotion burning in them. Misto couldn't identify Then, slowly, one eye winked at the small tom. Misto blinked and his eyes widened fractionally. Then, Tugger was gone, walking off to go talk to Dante and Tara. Misto stared after him, dazed.
'Misto? Are you alright?'
'I-I think so...Munku, I think he likes me!'
'What?'
'Remember how I said I got a thought from him?'
'Yes?'
"He thought 'Please, Everlasting Cat, let him be gay, unattached and interested!' I thought he was talking about Dante, but with what happened just now...I'm not so sure anymore.'
'I see. I think I'll have a talk with him later...For now, how about you go find yourself a den, alright?'
'Alright. Thank you again, Munkus.'
"Any time, Misto. Anytime.'
Misto cut the connection again, made his excuses and left the clearing.
/\\\\\/\\\\\
It had been almost three weeks since he had come to the yard with Tara and Dante. They had, of course, settled in extremely well. He was the only one still having trouble. He had been close to his parents, and their deaths had come as a shock. Then, with the added stress of a move miles away to a completely different setting, had been steadily wearing him down. Not to mention his confusion over the Rum Tum Tugger.
The Siamese/Persian mix was a mess of complications. Around the tribe, he was a flirt, doing almost anything to get the spotlight on himself. He was a queen's tom, self-centered and shallow. But, when alone...he was so different! He was cultured, intelligent, soulful...romantic. He had quickly explained to the tuxedo magician that there had been some mistakes made when he had first joined the tribe, mistakes that had resulted in his current image to the tribe. An image he had tried before to change, but no one would let him. He had to hide so much from them! They couldn't know he was gay, that he adored reading and star-gazing, that he was a psychic. He could only stop the facade and be himself around Misto, Demeter, Munkustrap, Coricopat and Tantomile. Munkus knew because he was Second-in-Command, Demeter because it was pointless to try to hide something like this from a psychic, Coricopat and Tantomile because they were psychic and Tugger's cousins, and had known him long before he had joined the tribe. Misto had no idea what he felt for the tom, or what Tugger felt for him.
With all of that on his mind, he knew it was a matter of time before he broke down. He was somewhat prepared for it when it finally came, but what happened after...he expected it about as much as you would expect to break a leg sitting in a chair! He had been exploring some of the Yard alone, trying to accustom himself to it when he caught sight of himself in a mirror. In his reflection, he saw his fathers black and white coat, and his mother's stature and eyes. Like a wave, grief crashed over him and his breath caught as he tried to stop the tears.
He leaned against a pile of junk, entire body trembling. He closed his eyes and slowly breathed out, pressing trembling paws to his eyes as his tail swished agitatedly around his calves. He had only been standing like that for a few moments when a strong, corded pair of arms wrapped around him, pulling him close to a warm body. A gentle paw lightly pressed his head against a muscular chest. He gasped, his eyes flying open and shooting up to stare into a pair of worried hazel ones. He didn't speak, staring at his unexpected comforter with shock.
"Are you alright, Misto?" Tugger asked quietly. His paw moved and lightly began to comb through Misto's head-fur. The obvious affection in the gesture, coming from someone who had only known him three weeks, undid him. He pressed his face into Tugger's chest, hands gripping his mane, shoulders shaking with the force of his silent sobs.
When Tugger saw Misto walking off, it didn't take too much for him to get away so he could follow. When the young tom froze, staring at a mirror, then practically collapsed, he couldn't stop himself from rushing to him and pulling him into his arms. When he asked if Misto was alright, he was fervently hoping that the answer would be yes. When Misto began sobbing into his chest, he tensed slightly, hugging the tuxedo closer. He bit his lip, wondering if what he was thinking was a good idea. When a small sound of distress escaped Mistoffelees, he decided that it didn't matter and he could deal with the consequences later.
Tugger easily picked him up, cradling him gently against his chest while Misto continued to sob. Not long after, they reached his den, an abandoned closet. He quickly entered, using his foot to pull the door closed to ensure no one bothered them. He then carefully set Misto down on his bed and curled around him. One paw stroked down an ebony back and side, the other gently massaging around ears and combing through soft head-fur. A constant stream of half-known words poured from him as he tried to comfort the young tom who had, in the space of little under an hour three weeks prior, stolen his heart completely.
He had no idea how long they lay there, but eventually Misto's tears stopped and Tugger's paws came to a rest; one laying gently on the small of Misto's back, the other cradling the back of his head. That paw moved to gently tilt up Misto's chin. His eyes searched Misto's ice blue ones, trying to figure out why the magician had collapsed. A small smile and a paw reaching up to twine their fingers together partially reassured him.
"Don't worry, Tugger. I'm fine. Just a bit of a much needed release." The soft words further helped, but he still needed a bit more. He tilted his head, silently asking. Misto was silent, his eyes falling to rest on the paw that still rested on Tugger's chest.
"Do you know why Tara, Dante and I came here?"
"No. Munkus never explained."
"The three of us had been living with my parents, because the twin's parents wanted them to be able to follow their dreams of acting. But about three and a half weeks ago, both Mom and Dad were killed by a rabid Pollicle. It was so sudden, so unexpected...and then Munku pulled us here almost immediately, wanting to make sure we were safe. Unfortunately, we didn't get time to mourn. Add the suddenness of the move, the completely new location, having to get settled in, a few other things...I haven't been able to mourn them properly." A few more tears escaped his eyes, but a gentle thumb brushed them away before they could go anywhere.
He looked up into Tugger's eyes, heart twinging at the emotions swirling within them. Not thinking about what he was about to do, he leaned up the few inches separating them and pressed his lips to Tugger's.
Far about three seconds, Tugger was frozen with shock. Then, his brain finally caught up and he moaned lightly as he returned the soft, sweet kiss. Eyes slid closed, arms wrapped around waist and neck, fingers tangled gently in soft fur. After an unknown amount of time, they finally pulled pulled away, breath coming in soft pants, eyes wide with wonder. Mouths opened to speak, but eyes connected and smiles replaced half-formed words. Nothing needed to be said.