A/N: What's this? A SECOND chapter update? Yes, I am proud to announce this as my first double update. Have fun!
Several hours later, Goss was close to giving up. There weren't even any other kits out here, why should Rosemarine be one of those absent? "Maybe she's turned up with the others by now," the little princess reasoned. However, no sooner had she spoken than a sigh was heard from somewhere to her right. Turning, she saw a dilapidated old sofa. As she watched, the sigh came again. Seeing that no one was on or beside the ruined furniture piece, there was only one thing she could assume. She scampered up and poked her head under the dustcover. Sure enough, there was- "Rose!" Gossy exclaimed in surprise and relief. "What are you doing all the way out here?"
"Being a coward," the tawny princess mumbled. "Aw Goss, how'd you find me?"
"Some people's sighs are extremely loud," her friend returned. "And who says you're a coward?"
"No one…Me." Rosemarine stared at the ground. "I can't even talk to him, and I've tried five times already just to approach. But he never even saw me."
"Hold it. Slow down. Who never even saw you?"
"Munkustrap." Saying his name was getting easier. "He's so distracted today, too…always looking around for someone. And I bet I know who," Rosie added, a bitter edge creeping into her voice.
"Oh right, Demeter," said the auburn princess without thinking. Much to her surprise, this was met with yet another despairing sigh. "What's the matter?" …And then it hit her. "Oh dear. You like him, don't you?"
"Take a wild guess," Rosie responded glumly. "And he doesn't know, and I promised Coricopat I'd at least tell Munku today, but…oh Goss, I can't do it. And that's why I'm a coward."
Gossamew was even more confused. "What's all this about promising Coricopat?"
Realizing the necessity of filling her in, Rose gave her friend a basic version of yesterday's events. When she had finished, there was a brief silence, which Goss eventually broke. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "I…I'm your best friend, aren't I?" Her green eyes filled with hurt.
"Oh no. Goss, it's not that, don't be upset. I should have, I know." Rose had never meant to hurt her friend, of all Jellicles.
"But you didn't." Now Gossy was starting to pout.
"I know, I'm sorry. I am. It's just, well…I don't know why I didn't tell you. Until Cori, I didn't tell anyone except Aunt Jenny. But that's because… well…I didn't want it to die, I guess." Puzzlement added to the unhappiness in Goss' eyes, and seeing this, the tawny princess quickly went on. "You know how you don't want anyone to see your dances till you've got them perfect, Gossy? How until you're ready, they're like a…I don't know…like your kit, or something. You want them to grow at their own pace till they're all ready to be performed."
"Yeah…yeah, I know." Gossamew nodded.
"Well, that's how I felt about telling anyone my secret. It was hard even to confess to Jenny. I didn't want it to be trivialized, or analyzed, or talked over till it's just a common fact. I wanted it to stay special. You can only tell certain people these things…"
"Like Coricopat?" Goss' eyes were less hurt, but not by much. "Like you told him?"
"I didn't tell him!" Rosie protested. "He figured it out."
The green eyes widened and their owner nodded. "Oooh, I see. It was that creepy mind-reading thing he can do, wasn't it? You didn't have a choice."
"No it wasn't. I already told you what happened. He just worked it out." Somewhere in the back of Rose's mind, she wondered why she was defending him. It's just because he at least helped me figure out what to do. That's why. And besides, Goss is getting it all wrong. Anyway, Rose argued mentally, it's not Cori's fault I'm a coward.
Gossamew relented. "Well, I suppose. He's pretty smart, right? It wouldn't be that hard. Heck, I even figured it out and you didn't have to say anything!" Now she was smiling. But a moment later, her expression turned rueful. "I should have known. Where do I get off, being so upset because you didn't tell me? I'm so silly." She looked at her friend pleadingly. "Forgive me?"
In answer, Rose leaned over and gave Goss a hug. "Of course."
"Thanks." They sat back as the auburn kit continued. "No wonder you wouldn't say which tom you liked best when I'd already packaged Dem and Munku off so neatly. You know, I don't even think Bomba flat-out said that they'd already asked each other. I guess I just assu-"
"They haven't? I mean, she didn't'?" Rosemarine interrupted with sudden excitement. "Then I can tell him- there is hope!" Just as quickly, however, her own blue eyes grew insecure. "But still…he might not listen, Gossy."
It was Goss' turn to get excited. "Who says he won't? Listen Rose, I've just had an idea. You haven't talked to Munku yet- but neither have I talked to Misto. So tomorrow, we'll both go up to our toms. You'll tell Munkustrap how you feel, and I'll ask Mistoffelees to the Ball. Then we'll both have conquered our shynesses!" Goss looked extremely pleased with herself.
At first, Rosie shared her friend's sentiment. "Glossy-Goss, you're absolutely brilliant!" she exclaimed, giving the auburn kit an eagerly returned hug. Then doubt set in. "But…wait a minute, aren't we rushing this? We don't even know what to say to them..."
"Oh, that's easy," Gossamew replied with confidence. "We just…that is, we, um…" Slowly her face clouded as well. "You're right," she admitted with a sigh. However, hardly a moment later the confidence returned. "Well, that's what rehearsal is for."
"Huh?"
"We can practice what we'll say right now," Goss explained. "Here, I'll go first and pretend to be Munku." And putting their heads together, the two princesses set to work.
Mungojerrie had never been this nervous in his life. Oopsacat had just told him a few minutes ago that "Willow wants to talk to you," and pointed the way. Now as the patched tom-kit saw the tire piles he'd been directed to look for only a few feet ahead, his heart started pounding harder than ever. There was only one thing this could mean. Evahlastin' Cat, don't let me make a fool o' m'self…
And then he was there, peeking round one of the tire piles. Sure enough, there was a pacing blue-gray princess. She hadn't seen him yet. Which was a good thing, because Mungo was getting very, very flustered. This 'as to be a flippin' joke. Theah's no wiy in the 'Eaviside someone this gorgeous wants t'ask me to th'- Oh fleas, Mungo, jus' get the 'ell in theah befoah you lose i' completely. Taking a deep breath, he tried to relax. Okay, now theah's nothin' ta worry abou.' Yah smooth…debonaih…You'll be swell. He put on his best smile and stepped in where she'd be sure to see him. "Ahem…you wanted ta see me?"
Pussywillow was in the midst of her sixty-fourth length of the clearing, when she heard an unmistakable cockney accent from behind her. The resultant whirling around was, in retrospect, highly undignified, but for now she attempted to relax, sliding on a cheesy grin. "Ah…Jerrie. Hi."
"Hi," Mungojerrie repeated. Pussy's own nerves were calmed a bit when it became obvious that he was even more nervous than she was. The smile she had pasted on became a proper one- even a little sexy. This got easier by the second. However, just as Pussy began to follow up the newly sexy smirk with a little flirtation, Mungo blurted out, "D'you wanna go to th' Jellicle Ball Sundy noight?"
The golden eyes blinked in surprise. "You do get to the point quickly, don't you?" Pussy's grin widened. "I like that in a tom," she purred, slinking forward a little.
Far from relaxing in kind, though, Jerrie looked a bit panicked. "Eh…is that a yes?"
Puss could no longer help herself- she laughed. "Of course it is." She left off slinking, as it clearly was a bit soon for this tom-kit's nerves.
All the muscles in Jerrie's body went limp as he sagged in relief and amazement. "Wow. Tha' was easier than I thought." He swayed a little. Oi don't b'lieve it. She actually said yes… With this thought, he all but fainted- at any rate, the patched tom-kit hit the ground.
Pussy's eyes widened. "Mungojerrie?" For several long seconds nothing happened. Just as she rushed to his side, the brown eyes blinked open. "You okay?" she asked anxiously.
By way of an answer, the little tom let his head fall back for a couple more seconds, closing his eyes again. He opened them a second time as if expecting to see nothing but the sky above him, but failing that, closed them once more. "Catnip," he mumbled, "can't Oi jus' wake up already?"
"Wake up?" It took Pussywillow half a second to realize what he was on about. Then she laughed again. "You silly thing, you're not dreaming. Now sit up, I know you're all right."
In wonderment, Mungojerrie obeyed her. Collecting himself a few moments later, he turned to his new date and gave a weak smile. "Sorry 'bout tha'. Oi jus' thought i' moigh've been a dream is all. Still can't really b'lieve i'…"
Now Pussy just stared at him. "Is it so unbelievable to think that I'd say yes if you asked me to the Ball?"
"Well…yeah. Oi mean…" He trailed off, returning her stare.
"What? What do you mean?"
"Well, iss jus'…look a' me, an' then look a' you. Yah the mos' gorgeous thing to hit the junkyard since Oi don' know when- whoy would ya pick me?" He blushed and shifted a little. "Oi'm no' tha' special."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Pussy was indignant. "You're clever and funny; you've got the guts to sneak into humans' houses night after night and come home with loads of their stuff- meaning you have more agility than most all the other cats I've met, myself included…How can you say you're not that special?"
Mungo had been growing redder and redder throughout this whole speech. "Y'….y'mean that?"
"Cross my heart and hope to die," the blue-gray princess declared. Then she noticed the dizzying heights of the blush on Mungo's face and promptly matched them with one of her own. "Oh fleas. I actually said all that, didn't I…"
Blush or not, Jerrie grinned in earnest now. "Yup." He got to his paws and strutted a little. "Athletic, humorous, smart, brave…Tugger, eat yer 'eart ou'. Oi'm goin' to the Jellicle Ball wiv the bes'-lookin' princess in the 'yard!" He nearly shouted the last sentence. When he looked back at Puss, she was giggling. He pretended indignation. "Whassamatter? Ya said i', didn' ya?"
"Yes," tittered Pussy through the laughter, "but that was a killer strut you did there, you crazy tom you." She stood up as well. "Off with you, Mungo. Now that I have my date settled, I've got a piece to practice."
The devilish grin Pussy loved so much was now spread thick on Jerrie's face. "Aww, can't I watch?"
"No." The blue-gray princess made a show of shooing him away with a flap of one paw. "It's a secret till Sunday. Go, go on now."
Mungojerrie made a mock pout and walked off in greatly exaggerated disappointment. Just before disappearing toward the main clearing, he turned back and called, "Well, I'll pick you up at eight!"
"I'll be ready!" Pussywillow called back, and waved as he moved out of sight. For a few moments after he had gone, she smiled dreamily to herself. Then the rosy mists of affection evaporated with a jolt as she remembered-
She still didn't have a performance piece.
A/N: Okay, it was kind of short. And yes, Rose apparently requires triple reassurance for this simple little business of confessing her feelings to the tom she adores. To counteract that, one of my planned couples at last matches up!
Rubidia, I apologize for disappointing you with the lack of Demunku in these chapters, but I promise that ch. 8 or 9 is bound to have a good moment of that pairing- and a few other pairings, for that matter. Stay tuned, I beg thee!
