HAT: I was on a roll, wasn't I? Maybe It'll continue.
Disclaimer: Andrew Lloyd Webber told me to tell you that I don't own it, that he does... *sighs and pouts* If only... but I don't! REVIEW AT THE END PLEASE!
The Rum Tum Tugger's never had such a plagued mind. For the past three nights after the one before the kiss Tugger's been going to Skimblehanks' den to get a full night's sleep and not only is this Maine Coon's mind plagued by the retched nightmares, but also by Skimbleshanks himself. Tugger can't stop thinking about the way Skimble smiles or how his eyes sparkle when he's excited or gets to tell one of his many stories to Tugger (who does ask for them occasionally) or the kits or how when he works he seems happy and diligent or how adorable Skimble is when he's embarrassed about something... and especially the kiss. It still feels warm on his lips whenever he thinks about it.
He needs to stop thinking about it... but he can't. That's why he's pacing in his den. Then someone enters his den... Mistoffelees. The tux cat looks confused upon entry, dark eyes following his older brother as he paces back and forth.
"What's the matter?"
The maned cat stops and looks at the one that got him into all of this and hesitates before he sighs. "I... I think I might be starting to like Skimble..."
"Weren't you two already decent acquaintances?" Mistoffelees asks innocently.
"No, Misto, not that way... I think... I think I might be starting to fall in love with him."
"Well isn't that good? Then you can win the game easier."
That's the thing Mistoffelees doesn't know that he and Skimble have been faking this whole time that Tugger was playing the game and that Skimble's just doing what he can to help Tugger win the game. But Tugger can't tell him that. So the Maine Coon stays silent and lets Mistoffelees think what he thinks about Tugger's problems. Instead he perks at the greetings to the railway cat and the black and leopard spotted cat walks out of his den and goes to the main clearing where Skimble is. He can't help but smile at the sight of him and Skimble smiles back, but still Tugger can't tell whether or not the emotions are real or not.
"Congrats, you two!" Alonzo says, a sparkle in his blue eyes, as he passes by.
Skimble and Tugger blink and share a look of surprise before glass-green and amber look to Jennyanydots, Jellyourm, and Asparagus, who look to be trying to avoid meeting two new couple's gazes as they guiltily keep from looking directly at them.
"I knew news spread fast, but I had no idea how it got to be this fast," Tugger mutters.
"Oh well, might as well," Skimble says, taking Tugger's paw and walking together towards Skimble's den to have tea, but the kits crowd them and they stand there baffled as they talk all at once. "Alright! One at a time, one at a time... Tumble."
"Are you two together now?"
Tugger nods. "Yes," he answers before pointing at Jemima. "Your question next."
"Which one of you's the girl in the relationship?"
"Next question," the male couple says.
"But... that was all of our questions," Electra says.
Tugger and Skimble share a look and then shrug. "We don't know yet," they say together.
The kits pout. "Will you let us know when you know?" Victoria asks.
"No," they say together.
"Now excuse us!" Skimble says and the two toms quickly flee and when they're alone Tugger's still holding onto Skimble's hand. "No one's around, lad, you don't have to hold on anymore."
Tugger quickly drops the older tom's paw. "Sorry."
"So in a few days we'll get to the point where we kiss publicly," Skimble mutters and Tugger's lips feel warm and tingle immediately. "And the Jellicle Ball's still in a few weeks... the plan is moving along faster than we'd originally planned."
Tugger nods. "By the time the Jellicle Ball comes it'll be a shock when they realize the truth."
After a while Skimble goes into his den and Tugger into his own and he waits a few hours into the night before he sneaks over to Skimble's and curls against the older cat who now holds him in his arms. Tugger, though he knows it will hurt, pretends that Skimble's really in love with him as he falls asleep.
-LINE!-
Tugger rises early and rushes back to his own den, not wanting to be questioned about why he was in Skimble's den. He walks out again and when he walks towards the hunting grounds he sees something that's both amusing and uncomfortable as he sees his younger brother make out with his mate, Demeter... He's just prepared to just walk past them, like any other cat would, when Munkustrap straddles her hips and Tugger jumps back, covering his eyes and crashing into a pile of garbage, gaining their attention.
"Please don't make kittens! I haven't even had breakfast yet!" Tugger begs, definitely not wanting to know about his brother's love life. "Why don't you take that to your own den?! Seriously there are adults and kittens that are gonna hunt, you know?"
"Sorry," the couple murmurs.
Tugger shakes his head and rubs his forehead. "Alright, I'm done... I'm going to go throw up what's left of my dinner and skip breakfast and lunch."
With that said he walks away and sits in a shaded area and looks around. He spots Tumblebrutus, Pouncival, and Mungojerrie talking before the latter push the former (Tumblebrutus) in a direction and he seems nervous. Tugger continues to watch as the mostly white tom-kit walks towards the mystic twins and pregnant Exotica, his eyes going from his paws to Tantomile as he speaks, most likely with a nervous tone and then he stops talking for a moment and Tugger can feel the tension from here as Tantomile looks at him with a contemplating face and Coricopat looks from one to the other. When she says something Tumblebrutus breaks into a grin and jumps up in excitement before stopping as she says something, sobering just in the slightest, but still looking happy.
She must've accepted his request to go on a date later, Tugger thinks, grinning as he nods and backs away before jogging away. He can't help but wonder if he'd feel that happy if Skimble accepted his request on a date for real. He knows the answer, but still he wonders. Suddenly he's aware of a presence next to him and he sees Exotica trying to sit.
"Oh! Why didn't you make some noise?" Tugger demands as he helps her sit down.
She rolls her eyes. "I'm fine. You seem to be deep in thought."
"Yeah," he admits, sitting next to her. "I saw Tumble asking Tantomile out. She accepted right?"
"Yes, but she's not totally into it because he's a little younger than her."
At this Tugger nods. "Yes, I can see the hesitation."
She nudges him. "What's really going on?"
He looks at his paws. Most would think he's not friends with anyone, especially the mostly elusive Exotica, but he's been friends with her for a while. "Well... If I tell you this, you have to swear not to tell anyone else, not even Cori."
"I swear on the Everlasting Cat," she promises.
"Well... The day the game started I told Skimble the truth and he agreed to help me win the game and now... I think I'm starting to fall in love with him, but I don't know what to do," he sums up.
She doesn't talk for a minute before she puts a paw on his arm. "Well... tell him."
"I can't because I don't know if he feels the same about me... he could be acting."
"Take a chance," she says, making his amber eyes meet her dark brown ones.
After talking about random things suddenly she lets out a sharp gasp and clutches her stomach. "What happened?" he asks worriedly.
"My... my water broke," she gasps. "Get me to Jenny!"
Tugger sees the liquid between her legs and knows this is just the beginning as he resists gagging as he picks her up bridal style and rushes to Jenny's den, bursting in while Jenny's washing dishes. He doesn't have time for being yelled at because Exotica lets out a sharp gasp, gaining Jenny's attention and he's ordered to place her on the floor where there are towels and Tugger goes as ordered, glad he's not the one delivering the kit(s) because he wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Thank you Tugger," Exotica whispers. "Remember what we talked about."
The Maine Coon nods and backs away before he runs out and gets Coricopat, Tantomile, and Cassandra to see their mate, sister, and sister-in-law giving birth and when he gets back about an hour later after searching the entire junkyard for them he sees one out of however many kits slip out and he runs back outside and throws up, one arm around his stomach and the other braced against the wall to keep him up. Then he feels a hand rubbing his back as he dry heaves and he notices orange fur out of the corner of his eye.
"What is it?" Skimble asks.
"Saw... gah!" Tugger pauses, disgusted in the taste of his throw up so he's led ot a nearby puddle and he laps up the water greedily to get the taste out of his mouth. "Saw Exotica's first baby born... couldn't do it."
"What were you doing in there, lad?"
"Exotica's water broke when she was talking to me and I rushed her in and I got Cori and Cassandra."
The railway cat smiles. "That was good of you. Come over here and sit, put your head between your legs," he advises.
Tugger does as told and is soon fully recovered and when he slowly rises he smiles at the glass-green eyed tom. "Thank you."
"No problem, lad."
The younger tom leans into the older one, noticing a certain silver tabby watching. "I don't think I'll ever watch another birth again..."
Skimble chuckles. "I assure you, you will one day. What of when Victoria has her first litter? Or Jemima?"
Tugger's hackles rise. "They'd better not have kittens any time soon," he growls.
The tabby bursts out into laughter. "Of course you're as protective as your brothers."
"I always have been," Tugger rolls his eyes.
Skimble holds Tugger's paws and his amber eyes close as he imagines Skimble's really in love with him... he knows that later it will hurt when they aren't, but... just this one last time he'll imagine it... just one last time...
Suddenly Exotica's yells of labor are over and Tugger's ears prick as he opens his eyes in curiosity, but he won't interrupt the family moment to see the kits... he'll wait like everyone else. So instead he'll just cuddle with Skimble for a little while. Throughout their entire time together waiting for permission to see the kittens the two switched constantly from Tugger seeming to be the female to Skimble seeming to the the female. After all, neither wants to lose their masculine edge, no matter how confident they were as warriors (especially Skimble).
Then Cassandra walks out with a smile. "Come in, you two!"
They exchange a glance as Cassandra disappears back into Jennyanydot's den, but enter together. They see three beautiful kittens upon entry with their father, mother, and aunt. Tugger looks to the one in the mother's arms and sees it looks like the mother herself except with light brown fur. The one in the father's arms is white with black tabby stripes and a brown streak along the back. The final one that's passed to the second aunt is dark brown save for a black muzzle paws and tux. Though the kittens' fur aren't like their parent's (like in most cases) their faces hold plenty from each parent. Suddenly Tantomile is offering to let Tugger hold her... nephew.
"No, no, no," Tugger shakes his head.
"Go on," Cassandra encourages from her sister's side.
Tugger gently takes the bundle and feels like he did when he held his baby sister, like he was going to drop him, but due to this fear, he doesn't. Skimble looks over Tugger's shoulder and smiles, looking at Rum Tum Tugger's fearful, yet content face as he gazes on the newborn kitten.
"He's handsome..." the curious cat says.
"Like his father," Exotica says lovingly. "And I can't wait to see their eyes."
Tugger hands Skimble the child and Skimble handles him expertly (after all, he's had two nieces and two nephews and has handled other cat's kittens) and grins at the tux kitten as he has the adult's forefinger. "He's strong too!"
Cori grins proudly. "Yes, both my boys are. And my little girl's as beautiful as her mother," he says, gesturing to the one in his arms.
Tugger has sat in a corner and started to fall asleep, letting the others talk and hold the kittens, so he's nearly shocked when he feels a warm paw on his shoulder shaking him gently. He blinks to try and make the blurry orange image clear, but he's far too tired to get up and do anything at all. He feels a warm arm wrap around his torso as his own arm's thrown over another and he's led out of the den. Tugger nuzzles the one half-carrying him, Skimble, and lets out a sigh. Tugger's put in a warm bed and tucked in and then the presence is gone and Tugger falls into an uneasy sleep.
HAT: Sorry for taking so long, I couldn't find the paper with all the pairings I'd been planning to do, so it took forever. SOrry about that, but not it's going full force! WOO-HOO!
Bustopher Jones: Well, now that that's over with, when will the next chapter be out?
HAT: When I write it and get it out, duh!
Bustopher Jones: *rolls eyes* Oh, goodie...
HAT: What's that supposed to mean?
Bustopher Jones: You're making htem wait far longer than they want to... especially all that you've told them... so many spoilers.
HAT: -_-* ... Review...
