Worth My Tears

A/N: For BroadwayKhaos' 'Random Jellicle Week' contest. A series of small one-shots on Etcetera/Mistoffelees. Personally, I quite like this pairing. I hope you enjoy! Rated T for coarse language and mostly for the Catnip chapter (Passion In The Shadows).

Dislcaimer: Though I know you all sincerely believe that I own CATS, the fact is that I don't. I apologise for any disbelief and shock this statement may cause.

The First Day : Million Pieces of My Heart (The Break-Up)

Etcetera knew that she was lucky to have him, but she just couldn't take it anymore. She'd had enough. She had to leave him; it would be easier for the both of them that way, right?

She sat alone atop a bench in the city park, wringing her paws. She gazed up at the moon for comfort just as Jemima did, but she only found a cold, uncaring heart. Why would the moon care about an insignificant kitten's suffering? The moon only cared about Jemima, and Etcetera was sure of that. Taking a deep breath, she let her eyes slide to the small wicker basket on the bench beside her. A ribbon had been carefully tied into a bow around the handle. It was small, but it was pretty.

It was her last gift to him. Because after all, she did still care.

"Hey, Etcy!"

Etcetera winced and cringed into her paws. He had arrived. She didn't even know how she could go through with her plan…everything that she'd planned to say flew from her mind.

"Etcy…?"

"Hi, Misto," she whispered, her voice a little rougher than usual. She cleared her throat and averted her eyes from the tuxedo cat as he leapt up to sit beside her.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized. "I got caught up showing Victoria and Jemima some of my magic tricks." He laughed lightly, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh," Etcetera replied simply. She couldn't keep the injured tone from seeping into her voice.

"Etcy…" He reached out to cradle her within his arms. "You know that I love you, that you're my world, right?"

Etcetera said nothing. It was too painful. Memories crashed through her head, pressing in on her, making her reach up to clutch at her forehead.

"Are you okay, Etcy?" Mistoffelees' voice was almost frantic with worry. "Do you have a headache?"

I have to. Now. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Etcetera shook her head and pulled out of his warm embrace. Without his arms wrapped lovingly around her, the night air felt far too chilly. Pulling away from him…it felt horribly wrong. "Misto," she began. "I have something important to tell you."

Mistoffelees' eyes clouded in confusion.

"I-I've been thinking about this for a while, Misto. I loved you. But…I don't feel the same way about you anymore," she admitted to him. His eyes widened, and reached out to clasp her paw tightly.

"No, Etcy, no!" he gasped.

"I don't love you, Misto," she repeated, tugging her paw away from his. "I thought I did. I thought you meant the world to me. But it's…it's too difficult. Us." She turned away to hide the tears stinging in her eyes.

"Etcy! We talked about this! We'll work it out!" Mistoffelees begged. "I love you, Etcy! I love you with all my heart…don't leave me," he whispered brokenly.

Etcetera shook her head, hoping that he wouldn't see how hard it was for her to lie to him. How hard it was to muffle the sound of her heart shattering into a million pieces. She wanted to tell him that every one of those million pieces still loved him fiercely. But she couldn't.

"Misto…you know that the elders are against our relationship. I'm not…up to your standards. I never will be."

"What a load of bullshit," he snarled in return, unusually angry. "You never cared before; why now?"

"It's just…I hate seeing their disapproval. You have a far greater future than me, Misto. You don't want me dragging you down." Her lip quivering, she prepared to stand and leave. But Misto caught on to her arm, and held on as if he'd never let go.

"You can't say things like that!" he cried. "What will I do without you? Etcy…I want you by my side for all my life."

Etcetera froze. She was so tempted to just turn to him and fall into his arms, to tell him it was all a joke, a stupid joke. Then they would kiss passionately, and the moon would watch, and it would smile a sweet smile. But it wasn't a joke, and she'd never kiss him again. She had to end it.

"You'll mate with Victoria. She's always been the best choice for you anyway," she said coldly, snapping her arm away from his grip and walking away. She never looked back. Not once.

In a daze, Misto stared after her. She was walking faster than usual, no doubt to get away from him. But he could've sworn that her shoulders were shaking, that she was racked with terrible, gasping sobs. Ideas came to him. Ways to win her back. But he dismissed them; obviously, she no longer wanted him. He'd have to respect that, and keep his distance.

He almost stood to leave, in the opposite direction of course, when he noticed the tiny basket that Etcetera had left behind. He frowned and took it, reading the words that had been scrawled clumsily onto it. Etcetera's handwriting; he'd always used to call it cute. Tears rolling down his face, he carefully read it.

For Magical Mister Mistoffelees, it read.

"Oh Etcy…"

A gift. A last gift. A parting gift. A farewell gift. He pressed the basket against his chest, holding it tightly as if it were Etcetera, not an inanimate object. But he would never hold her again. She would never smile radiantly at the very sight of him. He'd tried, so hard…but he'd ended up pushing her away from him.

And now, he was alone, and without a single comfort but for the last gift his love had left him.

"Oh Etcy…why did you have to go?"

A/N: Next up…Misto-kit and Etcy-kit. How did they come to be? Check it out…tomorrow. ;)