Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves! That means I'm back home in merry old England now and I gotta say it's nice to be back. Germany was fabulous – especially since they had a Cats tour – and I think the time was enriching on the whole. Still, back to normal now and yay with the everyone speaking English again.
Also, I had hoped back when I planned this story – like six months ago or something – that it would only be about ten chapters long. As always though I've gotten carried away with myself and am probably going to be writing at least fifteen. Sorry 'bout that!
By the way, it might be worth typing Primrose Hill into Google Image search before you read this just to get an idea of what I will be getting at later on.
Curiosity Killed The Cat
Chapter 7
Flirtation
How wonderful that feeling is to be free in the night to make the sleeping, silent world one's own. How mystical and magical the air appears and gives rise to the allusion that the soft breeze makes it sparkle as if the stars themselves are floating down to the ground like so many leaves falling in autumn. How wonderful it is to be with someone that sees it too and wants nothing more than to rejoice in the enchantment of the night with no one but you. This is the way in which Misto felt his life had been transformed and as he was gently led by the firm yet peculiarly inviting paw of Macavity so too did he feel like he was moving without his own paws touching the ground.
Macavity had captivated him in every sense imaginable and it felt as if the small, black and white tom's heart was beating only for him in their so far short time together. The red tom was fascinating to look at even from behind and it didn't matter whether it was the daring, striking tones of his fur that so elegantly yet masculinely hugged the well-toned, well-crafted muscles underneath or the wild, yet magnificent style of his mane or even the intricate, almost frightening but altogether incredibly compelling patterning of his piercing but handsome face that Misto couldn't see, the tux was still drawn in and so freely and carelessly lost himself in whatever it was that possessed him at that point.
Macavity knew where he wanted to take Misto and the thought put a small smile on his face as he led the smaller tom onwards. He couldn't quite believe how they'd so instantly warmed to each other on a personal level and now that the immediate shyness and sense of tension between them had seemed to completely disappear the big tom felt so much more at ease and natural in what he was doing. Misto's paw in his felt strangely delicate and strong at the same time but above both of those feelings it felt like it fit so perfectly in his. So too did it let him feel that warm sense of something unknown yet energetic that put him on top of the world and he never wanted it to go away.
Neither one of them could remember how long they had been outside the junkyard by now although Macavity probably had a better chance of making the best guess than the smaller tom he had in tow. Every now and then he snuck a look back at Misto who followed him in an almost trance-like state and then looked away so to hide the wider smile that almost appeared instantly from just looking at him. Misto was following him and it wasn't creepy or a product of his deviance. He was following him of his own free will and to know that he had an interest to do such a thing filled Macavity with a warmness that he so rarely felt nowadays.
Around street corners and past buildings which seemed to grow ever taller they went without Misto noticing much else other than the superb specimen of tom in front of him and as the moon lighting their way began to be replaced more and more by the amber glow of streetlights so too did Macavity find himself getting closer to where he wanted to take Misto on this very special and eventful night.
Had Misto looked around he would have found his surroundings rather foreign and altogether a little scary but thanks to his fascination in Macavity he wasn't at all afraid. It wasn't until he was lead to a rather open area with the sudden replacement of the buildings by trees that he was distracted from his daze and looked around at where he was. Suddenly he stopped causing him to tug on Macavity's arm and at the sudden resistance the bigger tom looked around with puzzlement and was greeted by the upward and sweeping glances of the newly inquisitive and somewhat worried Misto.
"Is something wrong?" Macavity asked without letting his debonair persona let up for a moment. Misto looked around for a moment more before looking back at him and smiling weakly before asking,
"Where are we?"
"It's called Primrose Hill. I thought it would be somewhere you'd like to see. That is if you haven't seen it before"
"No" replied the black and white tom quietly.
"Then I hope you won't be disappointed"
Misto simply smiled back and went on with Macavity who instead of leading him stepped to his side so they could amble along together. As they did so the red tom looked at his companion and spoke to him with his normal voice which incidentally dripped with pure allure as always.
"You've been rather quiet for a while now. Is everything alright?"
"Oh, yes" said Misto politely.
"Good; I was just wondering. I must say you seem rather a quiet cat"
"Well, I suppose sometimes that's true"
"I'm sure there's much more going on inside than most realise"
"You think so?"
"I think I know so. I already know you're far cleverer than you let on"
"Stop" said Misto bashfully.
"Well, perhaps it doesn't need to be said. It's obviously the truth."
"You can talk. You seem to keep your cards pretty close to your chest"
"Well, it's almost a necessity when you're me"
"Because you're so mysterious?" he taunted
"I like to think so"
"Less and less so it seems to me"
"Don't tell me I'm letting my guard down"
"Would that be such a crime?"
"A terrible one if it wasn't you I was letting it down for"
Misto looked away and smiled. It was staggering that the way in which the red tom spoke to him always seemed to be the exact right thing to make him feel wonderful. Slowly they continued to walk onto the parkland in the middle of the city and began to ascend the hill which gave the area its name.
"So what makes you think I'm such a safe cat to divulge your secrets to?"
"How do you know I'm not feeding you a bunch of lies just to impress you?"
"Are you?"
"Well, you say I'm mysterious. Perhaps nobody knows me apart from myself"
"I'm sure I'm figuring you out slowly"
"How are you sure?"
"Because I've never met anyone that it feels more like they're telling me the truth"
"Do you trust your instincts?"
"Always. They've never let me down before"
"And what are they telling you about me apart from that?"
"That being here with you feels right"
Macavity looked at Misto in silence for a moment whilst smiling and then looked away with the same smile. Misto watched whilst smiling too and felt even better when he replied.
"I'm sure it's right then that I feel the same"
"You do?"
"Of course"
The two continued to walk up the hill together and it wasn't long before they reached the top. Once there Macavity stopped Misto and turned him around to look back over the trees they'd walked past a short while beforehand and remained quiet as the smaller tom took in the expanse before him.
"Wow" Misto said quietly as he stared at the city lights.
"Do you like it?"
"Yes, it's…I've never seen it this way before"
"Have you seen it in any way before?"
"Only from the ground"
"Well, I'm glad I'm here for the first time you see it from above"
"So am I" said Misto turning to him briefly. The two shared a glance for a moment before turning back towards the lights without having said anything. Nothing needed to be said in all honesty as it was quite clear by the looks they gave each other that they both felt the same.
"What's that over there?" asked Misto after a few moments more of gazing.
"Where?"
"There. That circular…thing"
Macavity looked in the direction he was pointing and quickly focused on a brightly coloured wheel jutting up into the skyline.
"Oh that. They call it the London Eye"
"An eye?"
"It's a metaphor but that's not really important. It's a great big wheel that turns very slowly that you can ride on"
"Ride on it? Isn't that dangerous?"
"No. It has little capsules humans go into for the ride"
"It's big enough for humans?"
"Yes. It really is enormous and you can see the entire city from the top"
"You've been on it?" asked Misto with intrigue.
"Oh, yes. It's quite an interesting thing to do to be honest"
"Wow. I could never dream of doing something like that"
"Why on earth not?"
"Well…I'm a cat"
"And I'm not?" asked Macavity amused.
"You're Macavity. There's no stopping you from doing anything"
"I suppose not," the red tom said smugly.
"Did the humans not see you?"
"Yes, they saw me but I disappeared before they could do anything about it"
"Such as we'd all expect"
"Well, I hate to disappoint"
"So, do you come here often?"
"Not so often although I occasionally come here to think. I tend to think best when I'm at the top of something tall"
"Really?"
"Usually the roof of my lair suffices but sometimes it's nice to have a change of scenery"
"Oh, so that's where you live"
"What do you mean?"
"I've been wondering but couldn't quite think of where to place you"
"Well, I'll show it to you sometime if you'll let me"
"I'd like that"
"Alright then, I'll make sure I get around to it. Maybe even later if you're interested"
"Maybe indeed"
Macavity sat himself down and held out his paw to gesture for Misto to copy him. The tux sat next to him and side-by-side they continued their conversation only now a little closer together.
"So, we've been talking all evening, Misto, and I'm afraid I still don't know much about you"
"Well, what would you like to know?"
"Well, tell me about yourself. Who's Misto?"
Misto thought for a moment and then replied with less enthusiasm than the red tom had hoped.
"Well, there's really not much to tell. Me and my sister were born at our dad's humans' house in St. James and it wasn't long before we were sent to live at the junkyard"
"You have a sister?"
"Yes. Her name is Victoria and I think you've probably seen her before at some point. She's completely white and about the same height as me"
"Ah, yes. Goodness, she certainly is pretty"
"Excuse me?"
"Your sister. She's nearly as beautiful as you"
"That's more like it"
"Go on"
"Well, we've lived there for a long time and go about our lives however we want. She's not magical like me though"
"Not even a little bit?"
"Nope. She always got quite annoyed about it when we were kittens but she got over it"
"Just makes you all the more special"
"Well, you might say that," said Misto smugly.
"And your father; does he live in the junkyard?"
"No. He still lives in St. James and I don't really think he would suit anywhere else"
"I can't picture him"
"Bustopher Jones"
"Bustopher is your father?"
"Yes. Do you know him?"
"I know of him. I'd never expect someone like him to father someone like you though"
"How so?"
"Well…he is rather…"
"Fat?"
"To put it bluntly, yes. No offence"
"No, of course not. You're right though, he is incredibly fat and a lot of the time quite fat-headed too"
"Oh?"
"Yes, well I suppose that might be a bit harsh but whenever I spend time with him he always tries to make me into himself and that's not really someone I want to be"
"Why not?"
Misto sighed,
"I don't know. He's just a bit uptight and proper"
"Right. Well I'd say that you're nothing like him in that case"
Misto chuckled, "If I didn't know better I'd say that was an insult"
"Oh, no. I just meant you're in no way pompous or anything else like that"
"That's sweet of you"
"It's only the truth"
"Or so it seems"
"Really, it is" said Macavity with a renewed smile hoping Misto really wasn't suspecting him of lying. "It's really nice to be with you"
"Well, I hope I'm not being boring"
"Certainly not! You're amazing"
"So you keep saying but I hope it's not just because of what you can see"
"That's where it started but the mark is certainly moving. You're even more interesting on the inside"
Misto blushed again and looked down to try and hide his smile. Macavity simply took in the sight of it and enjoyed the warmness it brought for what seemed like the hundredth time that evening before carrying on.
"So, you've told me about your dad. How about your mother?"
"I don't really remember her to be honest. She disappeared a long time ago"
"Sorry to hear that"
"Don't be, I don't mind. Growing up was really nice and I suppose Victoria and I had the best of both worlds"
"Being a housecat and feral?"
"Yes, although I'm not sure I'd call myself that feral."
"Nor would I, you seem far too refined"
Misto looked at Macavity,
"Is that okay?"
"My dear Misto, that's just fine" said Macavity putting his paw on top of the smaller tom's. Together they sat for a moment looking into each other's eyes and once again they were allowed to communicate affection without talking. It was a strange sensation that they were both growing to love and without really paying attention to its progression Macavity soon noticed another urge was beginning to grow inside him. It was an urge that was far less mystical but just as profound and pure. It was a desire for Misto and as it grew so too did the red tom find he began to focus more on the smaller tom's perfect, shapely mouth and soft, tender lips with a strange draw to them. Just as what could be expected he soon found that urge grew massively but being a gentletom he did his best to push it to the back of his mind so as not to let it take him over. It persisted though and as his affection for Misto grew so too did his wish to kiss the smaller tom.
Doing his best to think clearly he attempted to continue the conversation.
"Tell me more about your magic. How did you find out you were magical?"
Misto smiled and suddenly gained a nostalgic look about him.
"Funny story" he began as he shifted closer to the red tom, "I suppose the first time I did something magical was when I was a kitten when my sister and I were still finding our way around the house. We were still quite small of course and humans don't make it easy for cats like us to get around and I think most of the time they try to restrict it as much as they can. Anyway, Victoria and I were at the top of the stairs and trying to find a way down but, of course, the steps were still a bit big for us. I decided to try to be big and brave to impress her but no sooner did I jump for the next step down did I slip on the carpet and tumble down the stairs all the way to the bottom where I landed in the coat cupboard. I don't know what I'd hit but all of a sudden I stirred up a lot of dust and started sneezing and with each one they got more and more violent until finally I sneezed so hard that I shot out sparks and set one of the coats on fire"
Macavity burst out laughing at Misto's story and leant back on one arm to steady himself. He did his best to keep as much composure as he could but there really was no point as he just couldn't keep from letting go. Soon he began to roar with laughter and the infectious nature of it all began to make Misto laugh along with him.
"That's not the end of it though" the magician continued, "Of course I ran straight out and hid somewhere and I suppose it was lucky that the sound of me falling made one of the humans come and see what the matter was and notice the fire I'd started. They called the fire brigade and everything!"
Macavity was still laughing and placed a paw on his stomach to try and steady the ache which was now beginning to grow there.
"Did you burn the house down?" he asked through his howls.
"No" Misto giggled, "but nearly. They never had a clue what caused it and the whole experience scared me away from the stairs for weeks!"
Macavity laughed and laughed and every time he tried to stop himself he found he couldn't shake whatever had him carrying on. Pretty soon though the convulsions died down into a small simmer of a chortle and with renewed control he took a few deep breaths to regain all the air he'd forced out.
"Oh, Misto. I never expected you to be so funny"
"Well, it was just the first in a long string of magical accidents I suppose."
"There've been more?"
"Many more. Too many to count I'd say and with a lot of variety. I nearly choked on a dice once"
Macavity chuckled again,
"You did?"
Misto nodded,
"The shock of it all made me forget why I had in my mouth in the first place"
"Oh, Misto" the red tom said shaking his head and smiling. Misto just shrugged and smiled back before directing the attention onto Macavity.
"So how did you find out you were magical?"
"Well, I wouldn't say I was magical like you are or had quite a story of discovery as that but I suppose it just happened one day and since then it's become quite useful"
"Useful how?"
"Well, levitating comes in very handy when I'm…up to no good…and the hypnosis has more than proved its worth"
"You can hypnotise cats?"
Macavity smiled with a little more menace about him,
"Not just cats. I'd say I could do it for most things that can be hypnotised"
"Wow" said Misto before suddenly having a thought and then feeling a little afraid. Tentatively he opened his mouth to speak and then in a quiet voice said "Even me?"
"I'm sure I could," said the bigger tom smugly.
"Oh…" said Misto wondering whether or not he'd already become prey to Macavity's trickery. It all seemed to fit but he really hoped it wasn't true. "Does that mean…you know…that you've already…with me?"
"Excuse me?" Macavity asked not knowing what the smaller tom was saying until he was given a look that said it all. Instantly he could see what the smaller tom was thinking and knew he had to put it right. "No, no, no! Definitely not! I promise you, Misto, I'd never do it to you"
"But you could"
Macavity sighed almost frantically, "Well, probably but I swear to you I wouldn't. You're too precious"
Misto sat next to Macavity silently for a moment thinking about what he'd said and wondered really whether he could trust even that. He'd been having the feeling the whole evening they'd been together and knew the entire time that the whole experience could be a lie. Why then did it all seem so right? Could that just be the nature his power? Then again, if he had been hypnotised then why were these questions popping up? Surely he wouldn't even realise something was wrong or was Macavity clever enough to allow him that much free thought in order to think he was still under his own control?
Moreover, why did he simply not care about all of that and simply want nothing else than to be there with him? He was fantastically handsome and Misto couldn't deny he had never been more attracted to any other cat – even Tugger who thankfully he now found somewhat repulsive ever since their 'accident'. Even if he was being hypnotised then why did it matter? He wanted to be put under Macavity's spell and desperately craved everything that was he. His looks, his voice, his mind, his body, his touch; Misto wanted it all and found that really he had no objections to letting himself fall into this devilish but wonderful tom.
"Precious?" asked Misto curiously revealing a little flattery. It relieved Macavity to no end and returned him to his contented ease.
"Incredibly precious" he said taking the smaller cat's paw once again and smiling at him whilst locking eyes.
"I don't think I've ever been called precious before"
"Perhaps fate was saving you so I could be the first one to call you it"
"I hope so"
Macavity and Misto remained talking and flirting for hours on that hilltop and throughout the time they spent together the strange feeling of attraction between them only grew more. Every now and then one of them would try to do something that might move them a little closer to the other but kittenish shyness always rendered the action into something supposedly less suspect; supposedly in the sense that the action was spared from being seen as an advance but quickly changed into being one of considerable awkwardness that caused both confusion and embarrassment for both of them.
It was not like Macavity to behave in such a way but he had long known since spying on Misto that such acknowledgement of the way he was acting was fruitless and even acknowledging the acknowledgement was getting quite tiresome in the shame it resulted in. He wished he knew the perfect way to show Misto how much closer he wanted to be and as the stars slowly drifted by overhead so too did he feel as if his opportunity was becoming more and more distant.
Misto, on the other paw, was far more accustomed to feeling bashful and embarrassed but in this new romantic setting he found he was at rather a loss for knowing how to deal with them. Macavity stirred up something both familiar and foreign within him and it was both entrancing and scary. Still, he was no stranger to the same shyness that was gripping his companion that evening and together they were stuck in that little enclave of dreamy apprehensiveness without being able to budge. That is until another half an hour went by and renewed tension came about.
With time seeming to fly by in their dreamful togetherness Macavity really found his desire was becoming too much to bear. They'd been talking for so long and every word made him want to kiss Misto more. He knew he wasn't in love but this enchanting effect the magician had on him made him just too curious and exciting to not want to kiss. He had to kiss him, there just didn't seem to be any other option but, as always, his gentletomly ways prevented him from being drastic and simply doing it. Quite rightly too since sensibility, of course, told him that such an action really would be creepy. There really would be no grey area with jumping forward and planting a huge great smooch on the tom before him. It would definitely be strange and he was pretty sure Misto didn't want his mouth to be raped. If there was anything that could destroy a date in such a clear and crude way then that certainly was it.
Misto as it happened began to feel rather the same. Everything about Macavity screamed tomliness and he did desperately want him. Fortunately for him the problem of distinguishing between infatuation and love wasn't even on the cards since this was all so new to him and as such he was simply enjoying the delight he found in Macavity being sat less than a metre away. That didn't fix his problem of wanting to kiss the red tom too though and the strange sensation of it gave him butterflies and made him feel – for lack of a better word – gooey on the inside. It was a feeling that made him want to giggle like a kitten and roll around in the same silly way and the reason for why Macavity being there made him want to do it was not at all clear. Still, there it was and strange as it seemed to be it didn't feel wrong.
As they continued to chat Macavity began to focus less and less on what the smaller tom was saying and more on the way his mouth moved and remained so beautiful. It was as if his lips were crafting the words like a sculptor making a statue and the artistry of both that and his very being were becoming more than Macavity could bear. His hunger to taste Misto's sweet lips was growing ever larger and the desire to feel his beautiful form move as he kissed him was simply carnal. The time was clearly coming when he would lose control and just do it and Macavity knew that such strong intentions could not be ignored – even by a cat with such a strong will and such a mastery of self-control as he.
It was then that he decided that perhaps he could save himself from such terrible embarrassment and put the moves on Misto that would lead him to his goal. It made him feel dirty and altogether disgraceful but the need for the smaller tom was becoming like the need for oxygen. He had to kiss him and he knew how to do it so to lead Misto into it – why on earth should he not do it if he knew he couldn't control himself?
With a steadying breath as he pretended to listen to what Misto was saying as he finished up whatever point he was on Macavity decided that now was the time to break out the big guns and seduce this beautiful cat if only to lock lips with him. It felt wrong and right and simply necessary by now and so without hesitating he turned his head to Misto with the first ensnaring phrase in his mind ready to go.
Just as he was about to speak he was interrupted by Misto suddenly leaning onto him and genuinely snuggling into his fur. It was quite a surprise to say the least and something that caught him completely off guard.
Unbeknownst to Macavity that had he been paying attention he would have noticed Misto getting slowly closer and giving strange but somehow clear signals that he wanted to do what he'd just done. Since Macavity hadn't somehow signalled otherwise the smaller tom had decided to simply take a chance and as such had reached across and pulled himself against Macavity's body to rest his head against his shoulder. It was warm there – not cold like some small part of him had expected – and he seemed to fit so perfectly much in the same way as a glove slipping onto a hand. There he simply remained silent and enjoyed the surprising softness of the bigger tom's fur and waited to see how he would react hoping secretly he might be enclosed by his strong, well-toned arms.
That is fortunately was happened but not before a slightly-too-long moment of hesitation on Macavity's part. It was so unexpected that he really had lost all cognitive power for a while and was left marvelling at the sudden closeness. It was only when he eventually clocked onto how amazing Misto being there felt that he quickly wrapped his arms around him and held him tenderly in the soft starlight – the moon having long set over the horizon to give them the privacy they deserved. There in the darkness they held each other without speaking for a long time but knew what each other wanted to say. Being together was perfection and in the surrealism and blindness of the moment leaving them absent of measured and balanced thought they couldn't believe how they had ever gotten along without each other in their lives. It seemed fate had designed them to fit so supremely together and whether that was true or not really wasn't important. In each other's arms, there on that quiet, oasis-like hilltop in the middle of London something was begun between them and while it may have been too mysterious to call love it was most certainly just as moving.
"Thank you for bringing me here this evening" said Misto quietly after an amount of time that would never be known to either of them.
"You're welcome," said Macavity through his lasting, airy bewilderment.
"I probably never would have ever come here had it not been for you"
"Well, I thought someone so beautiful deserved to go to somewhere nearly as beautiful as they were"
"Do you always use such tacky lines?" asked Misto with just enough cheek showing through his quiet calmness to be jokey.
"Only for the ones that really matter; not that there have been any of those before"
"Then I must be very privileged"
"Or the only one that deserves to hear my terrible attempts at being charming that are all I'm capable of saying when I'm like this"
"Like what?"
There was a short pause before Macavity finally said,
"When I'm knocked head-over-heels and can't think of how to say the right thing"
"If it's any consolation, I think what you've said is the only thing that can be right"
"So, the wrong thing is the right thing?"
"Could you say the wrong thing to anybody else?"
"Nobody but you"
"Then it must be the right thing"
Macavity smiled, "I promise I can do better"
"I don't think there could be anything better than what you've said to me"
"Then I must be better at this than I thought I was"
"Maybe it's just me that brings it out of you" said Misto taking a shot and making Macavity smile even more warmly.
"You know, Misto, I think you may be right"
The pair of amorous toms stayed there a long time simply hugging one another closely with the warmness they shared fending off the newly autumnal chill in the night air. It was so many things rolled into one but all of them were so very right. Macavity and Misto could find no better place to be in the world than with each other and for the first time in a long time it seemed the empty feeling they often felt nagging at the back of their minds and pulling gently on their hearts was a thousand miles away. Truly they did fit to each other and it seemed so heavenly that they had been thrown together on that very fateful evening.
The wonderful night did signal its end though as wonderful nights always do and of course the sun did begin to gently suggest the new day was approaching. Time had gone so quickly that Macavity and Misto just hadn't realised it had flown by and as such they both turned their heads to the horizon behind the still-glowing orange of the city to see the end of their perfect moment coming slowly but surely.
To Macavity it was quite disappointing as it seemed to him that he had missed his chance to kiss Misto. The setting had been perfect and it would have been ideal for them to begin something romantic. Then again, hadn't that already happened? True, they hadn't kissed each other but they certainly had become very close and to look at them in that moment was certainly to affirm that they were more than just being friendly. They were snuggled up tightly and intertwined with one another and that kind of closeness couldn't be considered anything but loving and adorable.
However, to Macavity it still felt as if kissing Misto would have been the icing on the cake of their evening together and for some reason it felt as if he'd failed both himself and Misto. The smaller tom certainly hadn't asked to be kissed but Macavity did presume that he might have wanted it. It seemed as if it were the appropriate thing to have done and having not done it seemed like he hadn't given Misto the evening he deserved.
As it happened, Misto didn't feel like that. He was simply overwhelmed with Macavity holding him close and above all things he was completely swimming in the drug-like effect Macavity's big, strong arms had as they rested on and caressed his smaller body. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before and it was such a different kind of magic that was so much more feral that he couldn't help but let it in and soak his body. It was so fantastic that it left him almost void of outside consciousness and that was why it was so disturbing when suddenly Macavity pulled away from him.
At first Misto wondered if he'd done something wrong and after he'd quickly questioned the sudden coldness on his fur where Macavity had been he looked up into the bigger tom's eyes that still stared back with the lovingness that had been in his touch. Had he done something wrong to make the bigger tom pull away? Had he become boring and not given him anything to want to stay close for? For Misto the whole moment was rather confusing and somewhat worrying and as such he was left sitting in silence waiting for his companion to make the next move.
"It's very late," said Macavity finally, "Perhaps we best move on"
"I think you mean…well, I suppose it is nearly morning"
"It is" smiled Macavity giving a nod to the horizon.
"Do we have to go?"
"Well, that depends. Would it be strange for you to be seen wandering back into the junkyard?"
"I suppose so" said Misto feeling the wind slowly leaving his sails, "It's just…I really don't want to have to go. This is just too nice"
Macavity took his paw and rubbed it gently in his,
"It really is…and I wish we could stay here longer"
"Me too"
"It wouldn't do well for me to be seen sitting about in broad daylight though. I suppose I still have a reputation to maintain"
"Oh, right…" said Misto looking away.
"I wouldn't mind jeopardizing it for you though"
"You wouldn't?"
"Certainly not"
"Well, maybe you can jeopardize it another time?" asked Misto hopefully making Macavity smile even more.
"Ah, Misto. I'm counting on it"
The two shared another long gaze before Misto once again became bashful and looked away kittenishly. It warmed Macavity as it always did and gave him his moment to stand and offer a paw to help Misto do the same. Slowly they began to wander off in the direction they had come as if they had never been there in the first place as the sun got ever closer to peeking over the horizon. Strangely for Macavity, on this occasion he did not leave behind an air of fearfulness and terror. This time the world seemed bright and with a distinct feeling of calmness.
It was simply nice and oddly enough Macavity didn't mind.
A short while later when the sun was just beginning to turn the sky from inky blue to orange Macavity and Misto found themselves standing at the entrance to the latter's den back in his junkyard home. The pair had sauntered back through the quiet, usually animated streets of London with a wistful manner about them and hadn't said much as they had gone. They were simply too internally awestruck at the surrealness the entire night had possessed and whilst both felt their quietness made them look idiotic in the face of the other they never let on about how they felt and hence never realised they were both just being silly. They both felt so free and so wild and as if they had accomplished something they never should have been allowed to do – that in itself was pretty much the truth. It was altogether fantastic and they so wished it didn't have to end there.
Looking into the bigger tom's eyes Misto opened his mouth to speak dreamily,
"Do you want to come in for a bit?"
Macavity smiled back,
"And what would Munkustrap say if he found out?"
"He doesn't have to"
"Well, we'd best not tempt fate"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm afraid so. Besides, absence makes the heart grow fonder"
"So that does mean you want to see me again?"
"Of course it does. I can't wait!"
"Me either! When will you come again?"
"How about after sunset again?"
Misto quickly glanced to the glowing horizon and then back,
"No sooner?"
"I'm sure you can manage for a few hours"
"Maybe" he smiled
"Alright then, I suppose I'd best get going"
"Alright"
"Misto" Macavity began before pausing as if he couldn't think of what he had planned to say. The pause was again slightly too long but he did persist when the words came back, "I really enjoyed spending the night with you"
Misto felt the red tom's words warm him once more and smiled back almost goofily,
"I really enjoyed it too. I've never met anyone like you before in my life"
"I hope that's a compliment"
"It is and I really mean it. You are just…too amazing"
"I thought I said that about you"
"Well, it's certainly true for you. Perhaps more so"
"Oh, I doubt that very much" he said as he took Misto's paw. It was then that he began to feel very exposed again as he geared himself up to say what he wanted to next and after a few moments managed to find the courage to open his mouth once more. "You are very special Misto, I'm really glad I've been able to spend some time with you"
"I feel the same way," the black and white tom said with his heart in his throat.
"Yes, well, I just want to thank you"
"For what?"
"For such a wonderful evening and…keeping me warm"
Instantly Macavity felt like a huge moron for saying the final part of that sentence and cringed internally as he said it back to himself. The problem was he just couldn't think of how to say how much he liked Misto being so close without being creepy and even then he felt as if he'd done just that in those few words. Fortunately for him Misto seemed to be in too much of a dreamy state not to realise the silliness of his feelings.
"Thank you for the same. I never thought you could be so…nice…to be with"
That time it was Misto's turn to cringe and afterwards the pair were left where they were feeling unutterably stupid for not being able to sound like masters of flirtation and allure.
Soon enough though that feeling in Macavity was replaced by his massive desire to kiss Misto that had been lingering all evening and the red tom knew that it was going to have to be now or never – figuratively speaking of course. He didn't know how to do it though and as such was left standing looking like he'd been asked to give an answer for the meaning of life.
Deciding not to hesitate anymore he began to reach out to pull Misto close but no sooner had he laid his paws on the smaller tom's shoulders and felt a ripple of energy shoot through his fingers which surely rattled them both did a small rustling from behind Misto distract him and make him look up.
Misto spun quickly too and no sooner had he done so did he see the small, inquisitive face of Pouncival emerge from the junk looking sleepy and yawning widely. With a sudden charge of fear he spun his head back around thinking as hard as he could for where to stash his companion but to his amazement Macavity wasn't there. Misto was left dumbfounded at the sudden disappearance and couldn't believe Macavity really was that quick and after a few moments of stunned silence turned back to the just woken kitten with a look of amazement about him and with the ghost of Macavity's paws still on his shoulders.
"Did you just get up?" came the sleepy voice of Pouncival from his vantage point.
"No" said Misto breathily.
"Have you been up all night?"
"Yes"
"Doing what?"
Misto just smiled, shook his head dreamily and ducked down through his doorway to disappear into his den. Pouncival was left alone in the solitude of the early junkyard morning with his unanswered question hanging in the air. He didn't understand why he hadn't been answered and was left with the single thought,
'Grownups are so rude!'
Sorry, sorry, sorry it took so long to get this one up. I've actually gone past two weeks on this update so therefore I think I need to pull a dobby and iron my hands as punishment.
Thanks so much for reading! Please review and I promise there'll be a new chapter sooner than the last (well, I will try to promise) x
