Here is my Entry for CettielovesTugger 's Jemimas dream date contest :D
Just a quick one shot for your enjoyment! hope you like it!
Special thanks to CrazyIndigoChild for Beta reading :)
Jemima hummed a sweet tune as she brushed her dainty fingers thought her delicate fur; staring at her reflection in an old, dusty stove window as the light from the moon illuminated her auburn shaded eyes. She twitched at the sounds that echoed though the junkyard, fearing her protective father would walk out of the surrounding shadows that seemed to creep closer to engulf her tiny figure when her back was turned.
She hated having to hide from the one's who risked their lives to protect her, to sneak out in the late hours of the night while the junkyard dogs roamed for pathetic table scraps made her feel like she was letting her family down; dragging their honour and good name though the mud. But what she was gaining seemed more important then all her betrayal: Love. A tom she would be able to call her own, to hold her close and promise her the world if she were to simply utter the word. It had her thinking of becoming a mate, maybe having kittens of her own.
She jerked her head around at the sound of faint movements drawing up the narrow path surrounded by dark, menacing junk. Jemima's plump, red lips curved into a gentle smile as the indistinguishable sounds began to evolve into light, careful footsteps that continued to approach her slowly. Every step seemed to grow louder and louder the closer they drew, slowing down to a miserably slow pace as if to tease her even more; tempting her run up and meet the handsome tom before her composure burst with anticipation. "Jerrie?" Jemima could only see the faint light outline of her visitor. She swallowed hard as her chest began to fill with a slight panic at the realization that this wasn't- couldn't be the tom she had been hoping for. She also took note that this intruder was standing between her and the only path out.
This figure was noticeably smaller than that of the muscular tom, but it wasn't a height she could instantly recognize off the top of her head. Too short to be Alonzo or Admetus but not short enough to be Pouncival or Mistoffelees.
"Don't come any closer!" she warned, teeth bared to glimmer dangerously in the dark. "Do you know who my father is?" she shouted, fear of being cornered causing her fur to bristle and quake as the muscles tensed underneath. Her petite height and slim figure would be useless in a fight and, being the Protector's daughter, meant she had nowhere near the level of practice the other Jellicles would have experience by this point in their lives. It was a sad rendition of the shoemaker's kids, except she was left without a fist.
"Calm down," a ridiculously accented voice chirped from the darkness. Their almost harsh tone deflated once a low, airy chuckle puffed past their lips almost silently. "You ain't gunna intimidate no one screeching like dat." The young queen relaxed, immediately recognizing the shrill voice of a very familiar queen.
It was Mungojerrie's better half, Rumpleteazer. There was only one reason the gifted queen would ever show; her brother must be standing her up, leaving her out in the dark to let Jemima wait for him all night. The brown and red queen frowned bitterly; Rumpleteazer probably wanted to gloat and poke fun at her for being played so fraternal twin stepped out from the shadows, fully shedding her mysterious silhouetted state to engulf herself in the ray of silver, shimmering moonlight to join Jemima. Rumpleteazer's orange fur was highlighted against the thick black and white stripes that accented her curvy yet slim midsection. Her colours radiated a visually pleasing warmth that Jemima had sworn she hasn't seen up until now, in the darkness. She understood now why Rumple chose to do her heists at night; who wouldn't take advantage of such a unique and oddly stealthy coat that was surely a trademark of the duo? The sun, she admitted to herself sadly, did her no justice.
"What do you want, Teazer?" Jemima asked in a low voice, she felt terribly embarrassed to have waited up so late just to be stood up by the notorious tom himself, she felt even more stupid for convincing herself that he'd actually show up. A quick glance at the feminine doppleganger sent a small smirk to twinge her lips into a crooked smirk; oddly enough Jemima could see the tom in her. It wasn't at all that she seemed manly, she was drenched in the feminine beauty possessed by the majority of the queens in the Jellicle tribe, but the same warm, eye popping colours that had attracted her to Mungojerrie in the first place were beginning to show in the older queen."Nothin, thought you shouldn't be alone is all," she replied casually with a kind smile that fit her face perfectly. It was also a smile that seemed to mock her pathetic search for love with a genuine look of sympathy. It was all she could not to stalk off and leave the queen standing in the cold beam of the moon, she did come for her after all.
"I can handle myself," Jemima muttered darkly but offering a tight, half-hearted smirk to try to backup her independence. Of all the effects she strove to create for herself with the use of mature makeup and stylish bows and ribbons, she did not want to look like the same innocent kitten from before. She was older now and could more than fend for herself, despite her earlier display of weakness that more than proved she wasn't ready to leave the protective bubble her father so lovingly sealed around her. Rumpleteazer raised a thin eyebrow, clearly unconvinced for she too had noticed the less than adequate display of unattained fighting skills.
Jemima lost interest in the conversation really fast, she could see the incredulous look being unsuccessfully masked as the other queen bit her lip in attempts not to laugh. Angered, she brushed past the striped queen brusquely and beelined for the exit. She neither had the time nor the patience to deal with the cockney queen at the moment, she reminded her too much of the tom who stood her up. She could have been a good queenfriend for Mungo, sure she was new at the dating game but she would make a nice mate; she would have tried.
"I don't doubt that." Rumple piped from her stride beside her, easily falling into step with little to no effort on her part. "But it can get pretty lonely, can't it?" Jemima stopped abruptly, turning to the richly accented queen to meet her inquisitive gaze. She hoped that the tears weren't as noticeable as they felt, it was as if she was looking through a half filled fishbowl. She could see Rumpleteazer's face soften and her mouth open to offer a few kind words, but then thought better of it.
"Why would he do that to me? He asked me here, why would he not show up?" Rumpleteazer swallowed hard at the layer of hurt that thickly coated the small queen's delicate voice along with a hint of hatred that could only make her smile.
"I don't know, Jem. He's a tom, they're always trying to play with us queens," she tried to console. Jemima shivered a little as the older queen wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, the tears running freely down her face and hurt contorting her beautiful face. Rumpleteazer slipped a soft paw onto and lifted Jemima's chin to stare into those wide, kitten-like eyes, innocent and curious.
Jemima was baffled by the events taking place, she hadn't expected to ever be so close to Rumpleteazer. What she was feeling was alien to her, she hadn't felt so light headed in her life. "I'm not like my brother," Rumple breathed airily in the closing space between them, "I can tell a real Jem when I see one." As Rumple's breath blew across her lips the gap between them closed, Jemima's face held firmly to the other queen's warm lips.
Jemima felt a surge of feelings she had not experienced before; something about this kiss made her heart race and her palms sweat. Even as their lips parted Jemima could still feel her lips tingle.
"I wouldn't stand you up for any heist, no matter the reward," Rumpleteazer said, staring deep into the younger queen's eyes and attentively running her hand over the short, fair fur on Jemima's cheek.
"Wouldn't you?" The twins were known for being deceitful; she would know, she recently fell for one.
"I'm not like him, Jem, you know that," Rumpleteazer said leaning in for another kiss. Jemima had always been her most precious jem, so close but unattainable. Every time the small feline would sing Rumpleteazer would find herself helplessly mesmerize as she watched in awe at the priceless beauty her brother had beat her to, but not anymore. This time she had won, and she wasn't going to let her brother take what was rightfully hers. Too bad he was careless.
Jemima wrapped her arm around Rumpleteazer's neck as she took it upon herself to deepen the kiss. Her lips were nothing like her brother's, they were soft and gentle to the touch. She could feel Rumple's hands softly trail down her spine to caress her back. She broke the kiss when her lungs began to ache; she'd nearly forgotten how to breathe! Taking a deep breath, she attacked the loving queen's lips for the third time.
Both their lips curved into the kiss, smiling felt so natural in this moment that frowning was downright impossible for their features to handle. The cold wind that whistled and squealed through the surrounding junk eerily blew around them as they pulled away. Rumpleteazer continued to hold Jemima close in her arms as the younger queen dazed into the eyes of her newly found romance.
They stayed like that until the weak light of the morning began to seep into the romantically darsky above. Knowing her father would be returning home soon, Jemima pulled from the striped queen's grasp, giving a sheepish smile, her burning cheeks only making her look even more embarrassed and awkward. Without a word, Rumpleteazer walked Jemima to the den she still shared with her family. Jemima turned towards Rumpleteazer to see a kind smile playing on her lips and a slightly tired but content sheen in her eyes, she couldn't imagine the night going better then it had.
"Same place tonight?" Rumpleteazer asked with a smirk. Jemima blushed and nodded shyly, accepting the tabby cat's offer for a second date... not that this could be considered a first date exactly.
Jemima stood up on her tipy-toes, giving the queen she had recently become smitten by a tender kiss. The queen's lips tasted sweet against her tongue and her scent was almost erotic. she wished the night could have lasted longer, if not just for a little while.