Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: PG
Summary: Mowgli had always thought Bagheera hadn't liked him . . . until the day he saved his life.
Warnings: Slash, Established Pairing
Word Count: 1,021
Date Written: 10 August, 2011
Challenge: For a DiteyBlessings LJ comm's monthly game
Disclaimer: These versions of Baloo, Bagheera, Mowgli, all other characters mentioned within, and The Jungle Book are & TM Disney and any other rightful owners, none of whom are the author. Everything else is & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Mowgli stared at the big, black panther in surprise. Bagheera had always treated him with such disdain that he would have thought the big cat hadn't liked him at all if his Poppa Bear had not constantly told him that Bagheera simply didn't know how to show that he liked him. He had often trembled in the cat's presence and always thought that, if Bagheera really did like him, he certainly didn't want to know what it felt like to be some one he didn't like.
And yet, today, he had saved him from Shere Khan's clutches. The tiger had taken him by surprise while Baloo had been off in the bushes, taking care of berry left over. He had tackled him from behind, and his claw had been raised to deliver a killing blow to his throat when Bagheera had suddenly sprang from the bushes, knocked Shere Khan off of him, and clawed and bit at him until the tiger had finally slunk off in defeat. The two great cats had battled so swiftly and fiercely that Mowgli had been unable to tell exactly who was winning until Bagheera had knocked Shere Khan away from him and the tiger had been the one to ultimately turn tail.
Bagheera was limping now, and Mowgli could see blood seeping from several cuts. He was hurting terribly, and he had done it all for him! "Poppa Bear," Mowgli whispered, feeling guilty for Bagheera had been hurt because of him, "is he going to be okay?"
Baloo patted his shoulder even as his own heart ached to see his beloved mate in such pain. He had seen him worse, however, and had little doubt in his confident answer. "He'll be fine, Little Breeches. See? I told ya ol' Baggy Pants liked ya." He grinned.
Bagheera cast a glance up at the pair, glaring at Baloo's comment and nickname, and then started to turn to slink off into the forest. He paused as another jolt of pain rocketed through his right paw, which was sore because Shere Khan had bit it in the fight. He had no idea what would happen as he hesitated, or else he would have ran into the forest with almost as much speed as the tiger had fled.
Mowgli ran from Baloo, threw himself to his knees, and wrapped his skinny, brown arms around the panther's furry neck. "Thank you!" he sobbed into his great, silken coat. "Thank you!"
Bagheera sat with shock clearly written upon his dark face. His green eyes were wide with questions as he glanced at Baloo, who only smiled, and then, ever so hesitantly, as he felt the boy's tears of relief and gratitude beginning to soak into his fur, Bagheera wrapped a paw around Mowgli's shaking back. "It's okay," he rumbled. "You're safe now."
Mowgli squeezed him harder, his hug becoming so tight that Bagheera almost caught his tongue in his fangs. "Thanks to you!" he wailed.
Baloo smiled down at the pair, his heart booming with the greatest musical rhythm of all, that of love, as he walked over to them. He scooped down, wrapped his beefy arms around them, and held them both tight against his massive, furry chest. His family was whole at last! He expected Bagheera to turn tail and run away from the emotions at any time, but he was definitely going to make the most of the situation while he had both his lover and his cub in his arms!
Bagheera's green eyes were almost popping out of his head, but as he looked at Baloo and saw the sweet smile upon his love's face, he began to slowly relax. It had been too long, he thought, since his life mate and he had been together. This cub who didn't belong in the jungle, let alone in their lives, had come between them, but it wasn't Mowgli's fault. Bagheera himself was the one who'd been refusing to have anything to do with the cub and, by extension, Baloo while he persisted in caring for the man cub. It didn't have to be that way, he realized at last, and slowly began to smile.
He gazed into Baloo's deep, brown eyes over Mowgli's head. His tail curled around the man cub and tapped Baloo's hip. Baloo grinned down at him and winked. "Good to have ya back, Baggy." He squeezed him harder, and though Bagheera's lungs were beginning to feel as though they might be crushed from the two pairs of arms wrapping so tightly around him, he had to admit that nothing had ever felt better than being back with his beloved Baloo.
Bagheera closed his eyes in contentment for just a moment and then opened them again as a deep, happy purr began to rumble forth from his throat. His long tail wrapped around Baloo and the man cub. "It's good," he purred in agreement, "to be back." It was Heaven on Earth to be back with the bear he loved, back in the arms where he belonged, in his home, and yet he knew he'd have to leave again because Baloo would never see reason.
They couldn't have a man cub here in the jungle, let alone as a supposed part of their family. Mowgli was an endangerment to them all, but eventually either the cub would grow up and want to leave of his own accord or Baloo would finally wisen up. Bagheera supposed he could wait a few years for fate to take her toll and separate the two.
He could wait as long as he had Baloo gazing at him with love shining in his brown orbs as he was now. He could put up with the man cub for that long, if Baloo continued to give him attention as well. He could wait, and all would come right with their jungle home again eventually. He just didn't have to wait it out alone. He smiled, returned Baloo's wink, and purred his happiness as he waited for the man cub to release him and hoped, all at the same time, that his beloved Baloo never would.
The End