Wow. I'm being hyper-productive these last few days. Maybe I'll finish it before the week is out, who can say?

Anyway, not MUCH development in this one but Tugger gets a good talking to from Munk. In the next chapter I hope to deepen the plot but I didn't think I could get away with not writing this one in between.

Cheers to HumanGuineapig and x-Stage-STARR-x for your reviews, they're greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: Cats? Nope, not mine.

Chapter 4

Pause for thought

Misto lay awake. The morning was coming and he tried to drift off into sleep but he couldn't. He still couldn't believe he'd gotten a date with the Rum Tum Tugger! Where would he take him? What would he do? What was Tugger like on a date?

He watched the junkyard slowly start to illuminate with daylight. He always loved to watch the night turn into the day and the day into night. He felt it was rather magical, but not his type of magical, more divine. He eventually managed to slip into a light snooze, dreaming of Tugger. He slept with a smile.

Tugger rolled himself off of Bombalurina's bed. He felt he could use a good long sleep before his date with Misto, besides it wouldn't hurt to allow some time for Bomba's scent to dissipate from his fur.

"Leaving so soon?" the red queen asked from her position on her bed.

"I don't stick around, babe." Tugger brushed her off

"Will you be back any time soon?"

"I dunno. Maybe, I couldn't really say."

With that he left the den. One might think Bomba would be hurt by Tugger's using her for his pleasure but she knew he was like that, and it wasn't all bad for her either. In many ways she didn't mind but she always thought it would be nice if perhaps he'd stay around for a while after mating with her. She passed it off as just another night with Tugger and went to sleep.

Outside, Tugger made for his den. He felt drained and only thought about sleeping. He went inside his bachelor pad and threw himself down on his bed consisting of a few old blankets. He lay there letting his thoughts wind down so he could slip away. Misto crossed his mind. He was looking forward to spending some time with the little tom but more importantly he was thinking about what he'd like to do with him. To him. He smiled deviously to himself. He lay for a little while longer and it was then he replayed in his mind how he'd gotten to this point with Misto. He chuckled slyly as he remembered the little tom bounding into him and how they ended up on the floor. He remembered Misto's strange actions a few days earlier and how they now made sense, kinda. He remembered how it all started just by going over to see his friend, and then he paused. Misto was his friend, wasn't he? He tried – in his head - to mix Misto as his friend with Misto as his good time boy as he was trying to make him. They just didn't seem compatible and he felt a twinge of guilt inside realising what he was intending to do with the tux.

'Can I do that to him?' he wondered

Now, Tugger was a player. He knew that, everyone else knew that, but he did have a heart. True, it did get pushed into the background most of the time by his over-active libido but it was there. He asked himself over and over again 'Can I do that to Misto?' He lay staring at the roof of his den, puzzling. He wasn't really the relationship type, but even so he didn't want to brush the tom off like he did with, say, Bombalurina. The tux was special to him, but not in that way. At least, he didn't think he was. Was he? They had always been really good friends and he'd hate to lose that for the sake of a quick mating. He remained there for a while, wondering what to do.

"I still can't believe it" Jemima said to her friend. The two were in her den, laying top to tail on her bed chatting as friends do. "Does Misto even know what he's letting himself in for?"

"Well he must" Victoria replied "he's known Tugger since, like, forever. He knows how he does business"

"I think we all do." They exchanged awkward glances to each other.

"What if he hurts Misto?" Victoria worried for her brother,

"Do you think he would?"

"Well he's done it before, what would stop him from doing it again?"

"Maybe he feels differently about him."

"Why do you say that?" Victoria said sitting up.

"Well, they are good friends, maybe he feels he can trust Misto better with his feelings, if he has any" Jemima said staying where she was.

"Well you and he get along like a house on fire, would you say the same thing about you and him?"

"Nah. Me and Tugger are just good friends with some flirting on the side, we'd never do anything like THAT"

"Are you sure? I would."

"Victoria! You're talking about your brother's date!" she chided with a naughty look in her eye.

"I know! But Tugger IS gorgeous".

"Fair enough."

"Seriously though, Jems. Do you think Misto will be okay?"

"Well, he's a big boy, I guess he can do what he wants."

"But do you think he'll be OKAY?"

"Well I think he probably will, but we can keep an eye on them just in case"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

"Okay, we've been talking about those two for ages, let's do something else. Fancy some milk?" Jemima said getting up.

"Sure"

It got to around 3PM and Misto awoke from his slumber. He gently stretched himself out in his pipe and tried to bring his mind together. He smiled when he remembered what a treat he was in for soon. He got up and climbed out of his pipe, full of energy and happy as a clam. He greeted all the cats he saw as he went about his business and even stopped to help Gus - an old and shabby looking cat with a rich history – on his way. He skipped along one of the many paths as happy as he could be. He knew he must have looked odd running around with a huge grin plastered on his face but he didn't care. He had a date with the sexiest cat around in a few hours.

"You seem rather gleeful" Munkustrap chimed in as Misto passed him. The tux stopped and ran back up to him.

"Oh Munk! Everything's wonderful!" Misto proclaimed.

"Well that's good to hear. Might I ask what it is that's got you so happy?"

"Well, you know you told me to wait and see how it went with Tugger?"

Munk raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" he said slowly.

"Well, funniest thing, I was laying on top of him yesterday and he said I looked really nice and he asked me out and I said yes and later he's taking me somewhere and…" the tom said as fast as lightning.

Munk looked startled, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You were laying on top of him?"

"Oh no! Not like that" the tom giggled, "I bumped into him and we fell down. We weren't doing THAT".

"Oh I see. I thought you were going to wait a while and see how things panned out?" The silver tabby asked.

"Well it was he that suggested it."

"Oh was it now?"

"Yeah, I had no idea he felt the same way" the young tom squeaked, feeling like he was a mile up in the air. "Gotta go Munk, I just can't keep still! Bye!" he said scampering off and out of sight.

Munk stood there for a moment wondering what it was the Maine Coon was up to. He hadn't seemed to express any interest in Misto before other than friendship but the tux said it was he that suggested a date. He feared he knew all too well what it was that Tugger was hoping to achieve. He decided to go and find him and try to clarify a few points.

Tugger was rudely awakened by some shoving from a silver tabby.

"Hey! Wake up!" Munk said firmly.

"What?" Tugger slurred

"I wanna talk to you about something important"

Tugger felt he knew what it was Munk had come to speak to him over. Still, he feigned innocence, "And what would that be my oh-so-inquisitive brother?"

"You asked Misto out on a date?"

"Yeah. So?"

"What are you intending to do with him, Tug?"

"Nothing much. Show him a good time I guess."

"That's what I feared"

"Hey, I am what I am." Tugger said turning to try and go back to sleep.

"Tugger!" Munk grabbed him and flipped him back, "You can't just treat Misto like you treat one of your floosies"

"Would you relax? I'm not going to do anything."

"Oh how I wish I could believe that. Tugger, everyone knows you're only out for one thing and I don't think Misto is the type you should be trying to mate with and dashing off"

"For your information, I only wanted to spend some time with my friend but this time with the possibility of it developing into something a little more special."

"How can I believe you? Please tell me" the tabby strained to ask.

"As I said, he's my friend. Yeah I guess he's sexy as hell and I wouldn't mind a little rough and tumble with him but I wouldn't just dive in with the one intention of scoring. He means a little more to me than that. He means a lot more to me than some of those tarts over in the alleys near Tottenham Court that throw themselves at me soon as look at me so I think I can spend some time getting to know him in a different way"

Munk stared at Tugger for moment. Could it be that he was thinking with his brain for once? "Okay Tug, I'll believe you for now. But I swear you'll be sorry if you jerk that kid around, okay?"

"Yes, sir!" Tugger said sarcastically. "Now will you get out, I gotta make myself sexy for tonight, not that it takes much" he smirked.

"Everlasting Cat, Tugger! Do you ever turn it off?"

"Nope".

Munk left feeling exactly the same as he'd come in, a little confused and a lot suspicious.

Tugger decided it was probably time to start preening for the night. He thought about what Munk had said and wondered what it really was he was hoping to achieve with the young tom. He knew it had started out as wanting a quick fumble, but was there something else there? He felt a little uneasy as he left to meet Misto.

Misto was freaking out, half from excitement, half from hoping he looked good enough. As soon as he'd calmed down earlier he went back to his den and set about trying to make himself look as good-looking as possible. He cleaned himself to perfection and was trying to use his magic to give him a little extra sleekness. He winced as he managed to singe himself slightly when trying to make his fur glimmer. He managed to fix this up though so it was unlikely Tugger would notice. As time ticked on he became more and more nervous as the date drew closer. Was his fur right? What should he say when Tugger arrived? Where were they going? How was he meant to act? He decided to try and remain mysterious so Tugger would have to work a little harder. He thought if Tugger can be hotheaded then surely he can be a tease. He began to hop from paw to paw in anticipation. He checked himself in his shard of broken mirror every few seconds to see if anything could be improved upon. He startled when Tugger entered his den without knocking and catching him by surprise.

"Good evening, Misto" Tugger said smiling. Misto had to admit he looked really good. He looked good in the daytime but now he looked great.

"Hi" he managed to say.

"Are you excited to go be going out?" Tugger asked

"You bet!" Misto remembered he was trying to be mysterious and changed his style of voice, "I mean, I've been quite curious about how the Rum Tum Tugger shows a tom a good time."

Tugger held himself for making an inappropriate remark. "Well I promise you won't be disappointed."

Tugger extended his paw for Misto. He took it and they left the den and made for the city lights. It was going to be quite a night for Misto.

Ooooh! So they're just going of on their date. Anything could happen now.

Once again, I love to hear what you think.