Victoria started weaving her way through the crowd toward where she could see Pounce and Tumblebrutus. Plato noticed her entrance from where he was still standing near the patio, making his way toward where he figured she was heading. He wondered what had happened to the smaller tom.
Pounce looked up as Vic approached. "Victoria."
"Pounce...this is going to seem odd, but would you see if you can find Mistoffelees?"
"Sure, where do you think he is?"
Her voice dropped to a murmur. "He's left, I don't know where he's gone but I'm worried about him."
"What happened?"
"I…don't know...I just know he's in trouble."
Plato finally reached the others. "Trouble?"
Vic glanced at him. "Hm?" She glanced at Pounce who nodded and slipped away.
"Is everything alright?" Plato asked, actually sounding almost concerned.
"Everything's fine."
He didn't look impressed by that answer. "Your cousin and father are still missing," he said.
"They'll be back," she said.
He looked even less impressed by that. "Well then," he drawled. "Seeing as I am part of this family soon enough, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about things being hidden..."
"There's nothing being hidden, and you're not part of my family after marriage, it works the other way," she replied, trying to keep her voice even.
He arched a brow at that and shrugged. "Well then."
She glanced at him before turning to move off and see to the other guests. Plato frowned after her, not liking that much at all, but hanging back to talk to Tumblebrutus instead. Vic slipped through the press of cats again to the punch bowl, getting something to drink, trying to calm herself down a bit
Jones re-entered the room, regally nodding to several of the other cats, making his way toward his daughter.
She sensed more than saw him, and turned. "Father."
"Sweetling," he replied in greeting.
"Would you care for something to drink?"
"Not now," he replied. "Do you have any idea where your cousin went?"
Plato noticed the reappearance of Jones and started slinking in that direction.
She shook her head. "No, sir. I was wondering that myself."
His eyes narrowed just as Plato slunk up. Vic managed not to flinch as her fiancé arrived. "Is there something the matter, Father?"
"I need to find that blasted cousin of yours," Jones informed her.
"Mistoffelees is missing?" Plato asked with an arched brow.
"I'm sure he's around, sir." She replied, ignoring Plato.
Jones gave her a hard look. "Hardly," he said. "You saw as well as I did that he was headed nowhere except for the door."
"Then searching for him can wait until after the party. We have guests to think of, Father."
Jones only narrowed his eyes farther. Clearly she hadn't understood what she had seen. He needed to catch his nephew as soon as possible. "Of course," he drawled, turning away, planning on calling up the police if nothing else. Plus, there were some mercenaries whose services he could very well use...
Plato turned to Victoria. "Nothing's wrong?" he demanded softly.
"Nothing you need concern yourself with." She replied, quietly, but with an edge to her tone.
Plato's eyes only narrowed farther. "Mistoffelees tends to be something I concern myself with."
"It's not your business what my cousin does or doesn't do." There was a definite sharpness to her response.
"He's my friend, isn't he?" Plato asked, almost harshly.
"I don't know. He certainly has never told me as much."
"Well, he might just be shy," Plato snapped. "Now seriously, what's going on?"
"That is none of your business." She responded with equal ire.
He frowned at her. "Why not? What could possibly be so bad as all that?"
"The fact that you don't know what is and isn't your business and you take great pleasure in making my cousin's life hell whenever you're around him."
Plato drew back slightly at that. "I hardly..." Oh but he did. He just wasn't used to others noticing it.
"You do. And it's distasteful. This is a private matter and you have no right to stick your nose in it."
"Your family is hardly private to me," he snapped in reply.
"It very much is. We are not wed and so you have no right to any of it at this time." She snarled back, her ears lacing.
"We are engaged though."
"And how much does that honestly mean? It is a fiscal match."
"Perhaps. Shall I go ask your father what happened then?"
"There's no reason. It matters little. He and Mistoffelees had a falling out and Mistoffelees left abruptly."
Plato's eyes only narrowed. "Leaving New Year's abruptly for a falling out? That does sound interesting."
"It happens."
"You really should learn your place you know," he snapped.
"Excuse me?" She drew back in shock, a snarl coloring her tone.
"All this telling me what I should, or should not do," Plato said, spreading his hands. "All this what I find interesting or not. That's for me to tell you, not for you to tell me."
Victoria had more than enough, her cousin had been sparking and her father was threatening him with God only knew what this evening already. She was done with dealing with the egotistical prick in front of her. Her blue eyes narrowed and her paw connected solidly with his cheek, propriety alone at the last minute reminding her to keep her claws in. "How dare you!"
Plato staggered slightly, gaping at her, having expected neither the blow nor the force of it. "How dare you?" he thundered, half the room having fallen silent and staring at them.
Her ears lay flat against her head. "How dare I? You sweep into my life, assume I want to marry you and then take every opportunity to belittle me and my cousin! You're lucky that's all you got."
"I at least have the god damn right to do those things!" he replied hotly.
"Oh for the love of God, this is the twenty-first century not the nineteenth!"
"That doesn't mean certain things change," he growled.
"What? You're going to ignore the last century of women's rights now?"
"That only matters for the peons," he replied haughtily.
Alright, forget her resolution not to draw blood tonight. Her paw drew back to hit him again, claws extended. He hissed, grabbing her arm and twisting it slightly. "How dare you?" he growled. "You're making a damn scene."
She cried out softly. "I was keeping my voice down, you're the one who drew attention." She hissed in response.
"You slapped me," he growled. "That got everyone's attention more than my voice ever could."
Victoria tried to pull away. "Maybe it's because everycat in the room's thought about doing the same."
Pounce and Tumblebrutus finally managed to get past the last of the cats between them and the couple. Tumble putting a hand on Plato's arm. "Plato, let her go." He recommended quietly as Pounce put a hand on Vic's arm, above Plato's.
Plato gaped at his cousin. "Go?" he demanded.
Pounce supplemented quietly. "Best society doesn't see this continue. Just let go of her wrist."
Vic was busily glaring at her fiancé as she tried to wrest herself from his grip.
With a scowl he let go of her wrist, dropping it and raising his hand as if pulling away from something disgusting. "Fine," he growled.
Pounce glanced at Victoria who shrugged him off, curling her lip in disgust at Plato before sweeping away and out of the room, Pounce following her.
Tumble glanced at Plato. "You need to not rise to the occasion."
Plato scowled at him. "The hell do you mean by that?"
"I mean she may have started the scene, but you did aggravate it."
Plato's scowl only deepened. "Whatever," he brushed the comment off.
Tumble sighed slightly, remembering why he didn't talk much. Plato scowled again before turning and sweeping out of the mostly silent room, in the opposite direction.
o.o.o.o
Once out of the ballroom, Victoria turned to Pounce. "I was fine."
"No, you weren't. Let me see your wrist."
"Pounce..."
"Let me see it."
She rolled her eyes, but offered him her arm. He gently touched where Plato had been holding, glancing at her at a sharp intake of breath.
"Mhm. Fine. Now, what happened with Mistoffelees?"
She glanced around, "What do you know about any changes he may be going through?"
"He told you?"
"Not really."
"What do you mean?"
She hesitated before letting him know what she'd seen.
"Shit. Aright, I'm going to see if I can track him down..."
"Thank you."
He nodded, heading to where the coats hung and getting his and Mistoffelees' before leaving.
o.o.o.o
Mistoffelees had nearly fallen asleep against Cori when he remembered leaving his phone in his coat pocket. "Oh hell," he muttered. "I should call Pounce at least, or..." He raised his hands and let them flutter down again.
Cori glanced at him, "You know the number?"
Mistoffelees nodded. "Yeah." The mottled tom reached for his phone, offering it to Mistoffelees. "Thank you," Mistoffelees murmured, dialing the number.
"Mhm."
"Hello?"
"Pounce?" Mistoffelees asked, voice small.
"Mistoffelees? Where the hell are you?" He kept his voice low, but his worry was apparent.
"At... Coricopat 's apartment," Mistoffelees said, voice also low.
While Mistoffelees was talking on the phone, Mac approached Cori, tapping him on the shoulder. "Balcony," he muttered.
Cori blinked at his friend in confusion but slipped outside.
"Oh...kay. I have your coat and phone here," Pounce continued on the phone, and Mistoffelees watched Cori leave to the balcony.
"Thanks. I don't think it's a good idea to come back to the apartment now though..."
"Yeah, Vic told me what she saw anyhow."
"Oh god, I need to talk to her," Mistoffelees said.
"I...would probably wait on that for a bit..."
"What happened? Afterwards I mean?" Mistoffelees asked, worry twisting in the pit of his stomach. If something had happened to Victoria because of him—but what could have actually happened?
"She had a...rather visible fight with Plato."
"How so?" Mistoffelees asked, voice clipped.
"Well...she slapped him...almost twice. Tumble and I did what we could to calm him down...well, Tumble did. I checked to see she was alright."
"Everlasting cat," Mistoffelees muttered. "Is she alright?"
"As alright as she can be. I'm pretty sure your uncle didn't see so there's something at least."
"That is at least good. Helpful that he didn't see something tonight at least."
"...Yeah."
Mistoffelees sighed, rubbing a hand over his face and glancing with a frown outside to where he could see Mac and Cori on the balcony. Oh hell... his stomach dropped.
"Mistoffelees? You still there?"
"Yeah," he murmured, still watching them, frowning even more. "Sorry. Can, can I call you back tomorrow? Try and figure something out?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Thanks," Mistoffelees murmured, clicking the phone off and frowning.
o.o.o.o
Mac crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the other after closing the door. "Are you out of your mind?"
Cori frowned a bit. "What?"
"Sparkles? Magical cat? Lightning? Are you insane?"
"What if I am? What's it matter?" Cori could feel his heart rate rising a bit as he thought about the conversation. "Besides, that was a private conversation."
"Private? He comes in here throwing off sparks and you think that could be a private conversation?" Mac snapped. "His uncle is hunting him down and he could blow this place up at any time and that was supposed to be private? Besides, if he's right about his life expectancy, what does it matter, you staying with him?"
Cori's ears laced back, his grey eyes narrowing as his tail wrapped around his leg. "He's getting control over it, his uncle doesn't even know we're seeing each other, much less where we live and yes it was private."
Mac didn't look impressed. "Have you just not thought this through? His uncle doesn't know yet, he might be gaining control, and he could be dead in what was it, a matter of months?"
"Damn it, Macavity , leave it alone." Cori snapped, feeling his throat clench, his ears flattening further.
"Come on, Cor, seriously?"
"What do you want me to say?" the mottled tom ground out.
"I don't know. Are you seriously thinking this through?"
"I..." Cori turned away, leaning on the railing. "I can't just pull out, Mac."
"Why the hell not?" Mac demanded.
Cori shook his head. "Please, just leave it alone."
Mac frowned at him. "You're out of your mind. People accuse me of being the crazy one Cor!"
"Mac...I just can't." He replied, grey gaze unfocused as he considered what had been said again.
Mac's frown deepened. "Are you alright?" he asked suddenly. "This looks far worse than one of your I'm-not-panicking moods."
"I'll admit it, Mac...I...I don't know what to do, I'm-God is this what panic feels like?" He shuddered, trying to take a deep breath to calm himself.
"Yeah, that looks an awful lot like panic," Mac said dryly, calming himself down. Holy hell.
"W-well how else am I supposed to respond to finding out the cat I may well be in love with has, at most five years to live?" Cori snapped.
"You may well...? Oh hell Cor."
He flinched at that. "Damn it, I know."
"I... I'm sorry," Mac murmured.
He shrugged. "Not much I can do. Just...be there I guess."
Mac nodded. "I..." he glanced out into the night, where fireworks were still going off.
Coricopat shook his head. "I...should probably head back inside."
Mac nodded. "Yeah, probably should. I... I think I'm going out for the night," he said finally. "Need some space to think too."
"...Kay. See you later, Mac."
Mac nodded, entering the flat first, glancing over at Mistoffelees who was sitting on the couch, studiously ignoring him. He shrugged and, grabbing his coat, left the apartment.
Cori took almost another five minutes before he'd calmed enough to come back inside. Mistoffelees was still curled up on the couch, though he was hugging the pillow to his chest at that point, glimmering faintly.
Cori moved over, sitting down beside him. Mistoffelees glanced over at him, swallowing. "Hey."
"Hey."
Taking a breath, Mistoffelees raised his eyes to meet his. "Your flat mate has a really loud voice," he said softly.
Cori's ears flickered back. "Yeah...I suppose he does."
Mistoffelees bit the inside of his bottom lip. "Coricopat ..."
He glanced at Mistoffelees. "Yeah?"
Mistoffelees shifted, as if trying to decide whether to pull away or move forward. "Are you sure, about me?"
He nodded, firmly. "Yes."
Mistoffelees stared at him for a moment. "... Alright."
"Why do you ask?" He spoke warily.
Mistoffelees shook his head. "Just... he had a point," he muttered, glancing away.
"Maybe so, but I don't really care if he did or not."
"You should care more about your own safety you know," he murmured, glancing back with a wary smile.
"I...probably...I just..."
"This should not be the answer to everything," Mistoffelees muttered, scooting forward and cupping Cori's cheek with a paw, leaning in to kiss the other.
Cori returned the kiss, "Probably not."
Mistoffelees made a humming noise in agreement, but brought his paws up to Cori's shoulders anyway. Cori's arms moved to wrap around Mistoffelees' waist.
"Well on the plus side," Mistoffelees murmured, drawing back after several moments to catch his breath. "I don't think I'll have to worry about getting engaged."
Cori's ears flickered at that, weighing which part of this evening that was referencing and then nodded, "I suppose that's true."
"My uncle's certainly not going to be worrying about marrying me off," Mistoffelees said, expanding on it a bit. "... Oh god, how am I going to go to school? Or rehearsals?"
Cori froze at that. "That… does need to be figured out."
Mistoffelees blinked for a moment and shrugged. "Later," he murmured. "Figure things out later."
Coricopat nodded very slightly, leaning in to kiss Mistoffelees lightly again. Mistoffelees pulled him in closer, his paws tightening on his shoulders. Cori's paws started to trace Mistoffelees' spine, one moving up to scratch the base of his ears.
Mistoffelees shifted closer to the other at that, moaning very softly. "You and my ears," he breathed when he had to draw back for breath, diving back into the kiss once his lungs had been satisfied.
Cori smiled a bit into the kiss, continuing to massage Mistoffelees' left ear. Mistoffelees pressed against him harder, before tugging at him as he laid back against the couch. Cori carefully followed him in the motion, a purr, nearly growl, rising in his throat. Mistoffelees whimpered softly at that, running a hand down Cori's back. Cori's paw moved to trace down the side of Mistoffelees' face. Making another small sound, Mistoffelees' paws came up to both cup the back of Cori's head, ruffling his headfur.
Cori chuckled softly, but drew back very slightly. "I...how wise is this?"
Mistoffelees blinked at him for a moment, and tried not to protest with withdrawal. "I..."
"I mean that. You've already had one strong reaction today..."
"I don't care," Mistoffelees muttered. "I just..."
"You just?"
"I just..." Mistoffelees blushed. "Am all interesting levels of scared, and I like this and I don't want to stop but should and I just..." He couldn't quite seem to finish his sentence.
Cori leaned down, kissing him softly. "I see."
Mistoffelees leaned up into the kiss before, "You do? Because I'm not sure I understood that."
The mottled tom, pulled back to look directly into Mistoffelees' eyes. "It's a confusing place. I," he took a deep breath. "I don't know if it's a good idea to keep on tonight though."
Mistoffelees took a breath, keeping his gaze. "Right," he murmured, trying to even out his breathing. "Yeah."
That hadn't been necessarily what he'd planned to say, but it would do for now.
Mistoffelees shifted a little from where he was laying on the couch. "I, so then..." Cori sat back a bit, glancing at the clock. Mistoffelees followed his gaze. "It is getting late, isn't it?"
"It is."
Mistoffelees swallowed, pushing himself up on his elbows. "Sleep might be a good plan then, huh?"
"Probably..." Coricopat murmured.
Mistoffelees sighed, glancing away. "Alright, well, this time you're the one pinning me down."
Cori sighed and finally sat back, rising. Mistoffelees sighed again as well at that, finally sitting up. Cori offered his paw.
Mistoffelees glanced up at him, smiling faintly and taking it, hoisting himself up. "Well then," he murmured.
"Sleep sounds rather inviting."
Mistoffelees nodded. "Yeah. Really, really, does."
Cori glanced toward the bedroom before heading in that direction. Mistoffelees lingered for a moment longer before taking a deep breath and following him. "Can I borrow the same clothes again?" he asked, and Coricopat handed some over.
o.o.o.o
Coricopat glanced at the clock, sighing softly, almost half past four. This was ridiculous. He really ought to just get up, the only problem was he was half under the other cat and he really couldn't. His grey eyes moved to the smaller cat curled next to him and he sighed softly again, murmuring-barely audibly-what he hadn't been able to say some four hours earlier. "I promise to be there through whatever form this takes. I...can't leave you on your own, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you. I don't want to lose you, but..." He sighed, rolling his eyes slightly at himself. "What am I doing? You're not going to hear any of this."
Mistoffelees stirred slightly at the sound of Cori's voice, though he wasn't entirely awake yet. Coricopat hesitated at that, not meaning or wanting to wake the other. He needed sleep. For a moment it looked like Mistoffelees was going to actually stay asleep, but then he rolled over and found himself blinking awake, pushing himself up on one arm.
Cori sighed softly, looking at him for a moment. "You really should go back to sleep."
Mistoffelees blinked at him for a moment, shaking his head slightly. "I don't even want to know the time..."
Cori glanced toward the clock. "Probably a good idea."
Mistoffelees sighed, letting himself lay back down on the bed. "I don't think I can go back to sleep."
Cori turned his head to look at him. "You sure?"
"Complete panic does not do well for my sleeping habits," Mistoffelees muttered.
"I suppose that's true." The mottled tom replied, considering his own complete lack of sleep.
"... Why are you awake anyway?" Mistoffelees asked, the fact suddenly getting through his brain.
"Hm? Restless night."
Mistoffelees blinked at him. "... I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it's not as though I tend toward normal hours anyhow."
Mistoffelees raised a paw and rested it on Cori's cheek, more for his own sake than the mottled tom's. "I... still."
Cori reached up, placing a paw over Mistoffelees'. "I'm fine."
"Oh, are you? Because I'm certainly not."
"I will be...I'm not in full panic mode, we'll put it that way."
Mistoffelees tilted his head into the pillow a bit more, rubbing his thumb over Cori's cheekbone. "You have a full panic mode?"
"...No?"
Mistoffelees smiled faintly. "Ah, alright." He paused for a long moment. There was a lot he didn't know, a lot he was worried about, and honestly a lot he wanted to say but he couldn't get his mind to settle on any of it.
Cori gently put an arm around the other cat, drawing him closer. "You amaze me."
"...I do?" he asked softly, wrapping his other arm around Cori and burying his face in the crook of the other's neck.
"Mhm." Cori murmured, savoring the contact. "You...well, even with this, you're doing better than you could be."
Mistoffelees shifted farther into the embrace before settling. "Oh. I only think that's because my brain hasn't had enough time to fully think this through," he murmured.
Cori kissed the tip of Mistoffelees' ear. "Well, I'm here when you need me."
Mistoffelees' ear flickered at that. "But... why? All I've ever managed to do was make life difficult for you and I just don't understand."
Coricopat swallowed, he could do this, right? Say what he'd already said when the other could hear him. It wasn't that hard...was it? "I...I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you." He murmured, almost more of mouthing the words than speaking them.
Mistoffelees froze for a moment before pulling his head back enough to look Cori in the eyes. "Y-you... lo-love ...?"
The mottled tom hesitated momentarily and then nodded very slightly.
Mistoffelees remained frozen for a long moment, his eyes still locked with Coricopat 's. "You... you're out of your mind," Mistoffelees said finally, breath hitching, before using his paw on Cori's cheek to pull him forward into a desperate kiss.
Cori had opened his mouth to respond with a "probably, so?" but was cut off. He leaned up into the kiss, one paw supporting him a bit as the other arm wrapped around Mistoffelees' waist. Mistoffelees' paw slid behind his head, cupping the back of it, his other resting on Cori's chest.
Cori purred, gently lowering himself back, drawing Mistoffelees down with him. Mistoffelees went with him, noticing the purr against his paw and making a noise in the back of his throat. Cori's paw traced its way down Mistoffelees' side, his tail moving to wrap around the other's leg.
Mistoffelees half laughed at that, his own tail laying against Cori's, one paw sliding across his chest and over his side. Cori's purr deepened, running almost toward a growl at the touch. Mistoffelees moaned at the sound, able to feel the rumble. He drew back for a moment, trying to catch his breath.
Cori met his eyes, catching his own breath. "I…"
"You?" Mistoffelees asked, breathless still, his tail curling around the other's.
Cori's lips quirked into a bit of a smile. "I do love you."
"Oh god," Mistoffelees said, voice strangled, before giving up breathing as a lost cause and kissing the other again. Cori sank deeper into the pillows, purring as he ran one paw over Mistoffelees' spine, the other one tracing up from his hip to scratch at the base of his ear.
By this point Mistoffelees' fur had long since lit up like a Christmas tree or fireworks. He let all his weight fall on Coricopat , one paw on his shoulder, the other down by his waist. Cori's purr deepened toward a slight growl again, a soft hitch in it all that indicated the added weight's change to his breathing-or lack thereof-pattern. "Cori," Mistoffelees said, as much as the breathless sound could be described as saying, "Cori, we..."
"Hm?"
Mistoffelees blinked at him, pulling back slightly and again trying to get his breath under control. Cori groaned a bit as the other cat drew back. "We what?"
Mistoffelees tried to get his words to order themselves in a functional enough way to actually be spoken, and after a couple moments gave up on that hope. Instead, he tugged Cori with him as he rolled them over, reversing their positions Coricopat purred, leaning down and kissing the other cat again, his paw slipping up Mistoffelees' side, under his shirt.
Mistoffelees jumped slightly at that, pulling Cori a little closer. Cori's purr deepened again, he continued the touch carefully, almost hesitantly, tuned for any protestation. None of which was coming, Mistoffelees running his paws down Cori's side and tilting his head farther into the kiss, a small purr creaking in his chest.
o.o.o.o
Cori lay in the bed, absently running his paw down Mistoffelees' back, a soft, sleepy purr in his throat. Mistoffelees made a small sleeping sound, adjusting his head where it lay on Cori. He glanced around the room and out the window. "... I didn't mean to do that."
Cori's eyes flickered to the window. "I suppose it could be worse."
Making another sleepy nose, Mistoffelees moved a bit closer. "What, I could have taken out the entire city's power grid? ...How would they even go about fixing that?" He smiled faintly as he said it though.
Cori chuckled softly. "I'm sure they would have figured something out."
Mistoffelees snorted. "Probably." He raised a paw, resting it on Cori's chest. "... Thank you."
Cori's paw that wasn't petting Mistoffelees' back came up to twine with the other cat's. "You're welcome. Thank you."
Mistoffelees glanced at their entwined paws, blinking. "I really don't want it to be morning any time soon."
"Well, eventually the sun does have to rise"
"Can it not?" he asked and shook his head at his own question.
Coricopat laughed softly at that. "No, as much as we may wish it so."
Mistoffelees shifted closer again, settling down, his tail coming to wrap around Coricopat . Cori purred softly, arching his neck to kiss the top of Mistoffelees' head.
Mistoffelees was still panicked, but it had faded into more of a background noise by that point, and he felt surprisingly content at that particular moment, and rather sleepy as well. He could feel himself starting to fall asleep already. Coricopat could feel his eyelids finally drooping.
o.o.o.o
Sonya adjusted his tie, making sure his suit was laying at least mostly flat as he approached the room where the Police Ball was being held. He hated events like these.
Munkustrap muttered under his breath as he finally approached the room where the Ball was this year. Just what he wanted to be doing-glad-handing with the upper ranks when everything that needed doing still needed someone to keep an eye on it.
Sonya glanced over, spotting the silver tabby. "Ah, Hollister," he said, eying the other. "You look just about as happy as I am to be here."
Munkustrap looked up. "Oh, Vlask. If by that you mean this is one of, if not the, last places on earth I want to be then yes."
Sonya laughed. "Well, it's just for a couple hours," he said as much to assure himself as the other.
Munkus chuckled. "I suppose that is true."
Sonya glanced at the door. "Shall we then? Better to get it over with."
He sighed. "I guess so. After you," he added when Sonya moved forward to open the door.
Sonya glared at him. "Thank you ever so much for that," he said, stepping through, though he held the door behind him so it wouldn't slam in the other's face-though he had been slightly tempted.
Munkustrap caught the door, coming in a pace behind him. "I wasn't about to have you holding the door for me."
Sonya raised a brow at him. "Right." Sonya glanced around the place, wincing slightly as he saw Growltiger making a line for the door. Already?
The police commissioner approached the pair. "Why officer Vlask, I was wondering when you were going to show up."
Munkustrap' brow rose at the reference to the other officer...huh. Sonya forced a smile. "Ah, Commissioner. I didn't realize you would be looking out for me."
Growltiger smiled in reply. "I always like to keep an eye out for old friends," he said.
Sonya managed to keep the smile in place. "How kind."
Growltiger inclined his head. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you about your current... case."
Munkustrap's ears perked very slightly at that, as he apparently glanced around for somewhere else to go. Sonya shot him a quick glance. Don't you dare, it seemed to say. "Whatever about the case, sir?" he asked.
Growltiger slung an arm over his shoulder. "Well, I was just wondering why you thought it was worth your time? After all, it's five years old..." he started guiding the younger officer with him, farther into the party.
Munkustrap kept his distance, subtly following, greeting a couple of officers as he wove through. Sonya glanced over at him, trying not to shudder at the touch. "It ties in with my current case," he said.
Growltiger looked less than impressed by that statement. "Come now, Sonya, how long have you known me? Don't you trust me?"
Sonya bit back his reply of not at all. "I've known you since kittenhood, Sir."
"And you should know then I have your best interest at heart. But pet projects like this one keep you held back when you should be advancing more."
One silver tabby ear flickered in that direction as he carried on his conversation with one of the younger sergeants. "I'm very happy with where I am," Sonya replied shortly.
"Oh come now, Sonya," Growltiger replied, glancing up as he thought he saw someone. Griddlebone glanced in that direction, before excusing herself from her conversation by the refreshment table.
Sonya tried to get the other to let go of his shoulders by rolling them. "I'm sorry you disapprove sir, but I'm not about to walk away from my partner or a case."
Growltiger looked less than pleased by that answer. "Eventually you'll learn," he said. Munkustrap' ears twitched as though a fly was bothering them.
The white queen finally reached them. "Tiger."
Growltiger finally let go of the other. "Milady," he said, using what could be considered an affectionate nickname for her, if he ever could be described as having anything affectionate.
Sonya watched her approach, and tried not to let his sigh of relief at the other not touching him anymore be too obvious. She offered the Commissioner a smile. "And who is this?"
"Surely you remember Sonya Vlask?" Growltiger said, taking a step half to the side. "He's Michael Vlask's son?"
"Sonya...oh, yes, of course." Even as she said it, something in her eyes indicated she was still trying to place the name.
He bowed his head slightly at her. "It is nice to see you again. It's been several years though. Perhaps your engagement party?"
"Indeed, and you. It may have been that party after all."
He smiled faintly. "And how have you been then?"
Growltiger watched them, turning to another officer and engaging him in a quick conversation. "I've been good, and yourself?" Her green gaze followed Growltiger for the briefest moment before returning to Sonya.
Sonya glanced toward the other and back to the white queen. "Well, considering my line of work, well enough."
She nodded very slightly. "Anything interesting in your life of late?"
He shrugged. "Not outside of police work I'm sorry to say." Getting threatened by dart boards and walking into a conspiracy. It was all in the line of work. "You look rather amazing, by the way."
She offered him a smile, accompanied by what might have been a blush, but then again one couldn't be sure. "Why thank you. You're looking rather dashing this evening yourself."
He smiled as well. "Thank you. But I have nothing on you."
She dropped her eyes at that, running a hand over her dress. "You flatter me."
He shrugged. "You look that stunning and of course people are going to flatter you," he replied and wished he knew when to shut up.
She glanced toward where Growltiger was finally distracted and took a step nearer, looking up at Sonya. "Thank you."
Sonya blinked rapidly at that movement forward. "Y-your welcome."
"What do you say to getting some refreshments, hm?"
Sonya nodded, glancing at Growltiger and where he had last seen Hollister. He paused for a moment, almost offering her his arm and deciding against it. "Certainly."
She glanced up at him again as she moved toward the refreshment table. He followed her closely, glancing around and greeting other people around the area. They finally reached the table and she glanced at him. "So what do you do outside of work?"
He blinked at her, serving himself a cup of punch, considering, and offering it to her first. "Well, not much. Especially not lately."
She took it with a smile. "Thank you. That's a pity."
He shrugged slightly. "Even when I do have a life outside of work, it's pretty boring. Being a film buff tends not to go down too well with a lot of the ladies."
"Film? What sort of film?" She looked at him, taking a sip of her punch.
He blinked at that. Most people didn't bother asking beyond, oh, you watch films. "Older ones, mostly. I find the silent era especially fascinating, but some of the things produced in the aftermath of the Second World War as well."
"I've always liked the old Cary Grant comedies, but he had a couple of dramas too," Griddlebone said after a moment's consideration.
He smiled, nodding. "Indeed. That era was a fascinating one in film."
"Do you have a favorite, or is that asking you to stretch a bit much?"
"Favorite era or favorite Cary Grant?" he asked with a smile.
"Hm...let's go with the second and then get back to the first?" She returned the smile.
"Hm, I always liked the Philadelphia Story, but that may be because of Hepburn as much as him," he said with a smile, "The second favorite then being Bringing up Baby."
She laughed. "Bringing up Baby is a good one, but I have to say that I liked him in To Catch a Thief for drama and later in Operation Petticoat for screwball comedy."
He grinned. "I may have actually missed the second one of those. I might have to look into that one."
She laughed again. "His situation with women isn't much better than in Bringing Up Baby, but it was enjoyable."
He chuckled. "Oh dear. He does seem to end up in those situations, hm?"
"Indeed he does." She took another sip of her punch. "How about you? Preferred actor?"
He shrugged. "I always had a fondness for Katherine Hepburn. Or Louise Brooks."
She nodded slightly. "Good choices. So, film and work. Anything else you do?"
He shrugged. "That does seem to take up a lot of my time. I do cook, if that counts as a hobby though... how about you? What do you do to pass your time?"
"I go dancing when I get the chance. A trip out on the town with friends is nice too."
He nodded. "Much more social than me in other words," he said with a faint smile.
She smiled. "Well, I'm sure that could be remedied."
He blushed at that, taking another sip of the punch. "Oh?"
"Well, certainly you don't work all the time."
He shrugged. "It depends on the case," he said, voice low. Sometimes he could do nothing but cases, as hard as that was on his mental stability.
"Well, give me a ring, might be nice to get to know you a bit."
For a second he had to process that statement and the blush only got worse. "I... perhaps."
"I get together with a group of friends on Thursday nights at seven at a club on 9th, usually. You're welcome to join us sometime."
"I will have to see if I can make it," he murmured, taking another drink, already deciding it would be a terribly bad idea.
She offered him a smile. "Well, I hope to see you there sometime."
He nodded. "Indeed." He glanced around, wondering where he had lost Growltiger, and while he found the fiancée much preferable to the actual commissioner, he was unsure how to feel about being left alone with her.
Griddlebone let her gaze sweep over the assembled company, keeping an eye out for the tom she was supposed to be here with.
Growltiger seemed absorbed in some conversation with one of the other officers, and Sonya glanced at the clock. He had timed his arrival fairly late, so it wasn't too much longer to midnight anyway. He frowned though when he saw Growltiger start, and pick up his phone, having a conversation animatedly before leaving the room.
Griddlebone's brows rose but she smiled a bit at him leaving, she really didn't want to know why at the moment. She glanced at Sonya. He turned back to her. "Yes?"
"I don't know...do you dance?"
He blinked. "Not particularly well but... yes..."
She nodded, knowing that wasn't going to be on the schedule tonight, but sometime, she might have to drag him onto a dance floor.
"Was there any particular reason you asked...?"
"Just curious." She reached past him to set her now empty glass on the table, leaning in rather close as she did so.
He swallowed. "Well, you like dancing, anything else?" How the hell did you end up with Growltiger and why are you so close?
"I like to spend time with friends. I'm a fan of classic film and literature...though not necessarily films of classic literature. And I certainly don't mind long walks once in a while."
He laughed at the comment about literature film adaptations. "They do seem to lose something when adapted, hm? As for long walks, you are more than welcome to join me on patrol sometime," he said jokingly.
She laughed. "I'd take you up on that but I don't know how good an idea it is."
"Oh, probably a bad one." He smiled. "Which books are you favorite then?" And ah, there was Growltiger in again, and boy did he look pissed.
"I like..." She broke off as she saw the commissioner. "I...should probably go."
He nodded. "Perhaps. I hope you have a good night then. Happy New Year's."
"And you, perhaps I'll see you around." He nodded, not planning on staying much longer at all however. She offered him another brief smile before slipping off to meet up with Growltiger and see if she could calm him down from whatever was wrong. Sonya watched her go, shaking his head.
Growltiger glanced up at her approach. "Ah, Milady," he said.
"Tiger."
"How are you enjoying your evening?" he asked, clearly distracted and only half paying attention to any answer she might give.
"Quite well. Is everything alright?"
He actually thought about it before answering. "It seems I might need to leave early."
"Oh?" She looked at him in confusion, and a bit of disappointment.
"When Bustopher Jones calls with a missing person, you do not not take the call," he replied.
"Jones called? Who's gone missing?"
"His nephew apparently," Growltiger replied, looking around and trying to spot officers that he trusted.
"Goodness, and on New Year's too..."
Growltiger shrugged. "It's hardly good timing."
"I...will you be out late?"
"It's hard to tell at this point, it depends on if we can find the missing cat soon enough," he said, distractedly wrapping an arm around her waist and kissing her.
She kissed him briefly, more a peck than anything. "Can't you just send some cats after him?"
"For a case like Jones?" Growltiger huffed. "Not if I want to remain employed and alive."
She sighed. "Alright...just take care, alright?"
"I always do," he replied, slipping his arm from her waist and heading for the door, calling a couple officers with him.
She stood there, watching him go, her ears flickering back. Sonya frowned at that exchange, stepping forward. "Are you alright?"
Griddlebone glanced at him, offering him a smile that seemed only fractionally forced. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
He shrugged. "I would hardly know. But you certainly didn't look happy."
"He's been called away again. You'd think that being in charge he'd be able to send other cats to deal with things."
Sonya frowned. "On one hand, taking a proactive approach is a good thing in a leader, but on another... who called him?"
"Bustopher Jones, apparently his nephew's gone missing."
"On New Year's Eve?" he titled his head. "Bad luck." He glanced over at the clock. Hn. "Too bad he had to leave but fifteen minutes before midnight..."
She shrugged. "Not unusual for him I suppose."
"Still..." He murmured and wished he really knew when to quit. "It's been, what, five years since you were engaged?" He nearly blanched when he put the date together. Please, please let it be coincidence.
"Yeah, about that. Three years before that of…sort of…seeing each other."
He nodded. "Still not married then?"
"No. Every excuse he can find to postpone it and he will."
Sonya froze. "Ah."
"Why?" she asked, turning to look up at him.
"Just, sorry, curious. I really should be less curious, but then again it can sometimes be a good quality in a police officer..." he babbled.
"Well, you know what they say about curiosity..." She murmured, but shook her head. "Not that I mind."
He blinked and shrugged. That sounded a little too close to a threat for him to be comfortable, especially after recent events. He shifted his weight from hand to hand. "Well, I should really let you... socialize with other cats and such..."
She glanced at him, shaking her head. "Only if you'd prefer. I'm enjoying the company."
"Well, I, that is, I don't want to take all your time, there are lots of others that... but..." he babbled. This was bad. "I'm enjoying the company as well, I would just hate to monopolize it."
Her lips turned up in a smile. "Well, what if I choose to let you monopolize it, hm?"
"Well, then, I guess, it would have to be monopolized," he said faintly.
Her ears tilted back just a bit. "Would you rather not?"
He shook his head a little too quickly. "Not at all. Just, well," he was perhaps enjoying it too much and she was engaged... to Growltiger. He repeated that fact to himself several times.
"Just?" She glanced up at him again, her hair styled in such a way as to frame her face and drape around her green eyes.
"Your fiancé is a very jealous tom," he murmured. "He may have left but honestly it, I would hate to cause any trouble between you."
"I can handle Growltiger. But if that's what you're worried about..." She shrugged very slightly, turning her gaze away.
Well, it was possible he could manage not to make a situation more awkward then it already had been. Maybe. He shrugged. "I just wanted to, I don't know, know where everyone was standing? I didn't mean I didn't want to talk to you just that," right, that sentence was going nowhere. He shrugged again.
She looked up at him again. "Where everyone is standing?"
He raised his hands a little helplessly. "My mouth and brain disconnected for a minute there. I have no idea what I was trying to say."
She laughed lightly. "Happens to everyone once in a while," she said and paused at his strained smile. "I believe we were talking about something before he came back in?"
"Books, long walks, and films I believe," he murmured.
"Right. And you say you have no hobbies aside from films? And that you can cook, right?"
He nodded. "Pretty much. By the time I get home I tend not to have the energy to read any decent books. And I don't have much time to even cook."
She nodded very slightly. "Pity. Do you like your job?"
He laughed. "It's one of those jobs you have to love. As long as I'm not being threatened with knives. It's really the only thing I could see myself doing."
She nodded very slightly. "Wait, threatened with knives? That happen often?"
He shrugged. "Occasionally. Usually it's guns though." He paused. "Sorry, it was a bad day. Most of the time though the job is actually rather boring, or just dealing with taggers and such."
She chuckled at that. "Deal with them much then?"
"Taggers? Oh, don't get me started on them."
The white queen smiled a bit at that. "Oh?"
He smiled in return. "Yeah. There's a couple rather persistent ones running around my normal area."
Another soft laugh. "I see. Don't they have better things to be doing? Or do they do it just to bait you?"
"At this point? I think at least of them in a mix of both. I just hate having to catch him so much."
"How often do you actually catch him?"
"It seems about every four or five months. He's good though. That's part of the problem he has a lot of talent as an artist and I have to keep dragging him in to get more community service."
"There are places he could go instead of public locations to utilize that talent."
He nodded. "Still. I guess I wish I could figure something out..." With a small shake of his head he moved the subject slightly, asking, "Do you like art much?"
"I do, couldn't begin to actually create it, at least not a visual art like that, but I do enjoy it sometimes."
He nodded. "Yeah. When I have time, I find the little museum downtown to be a soothing place to spend an afternoon. Oh, I guess that would be another hobby I have, hm? Though like you, I probably couldn't create it at all."
"How often do you get the chance to go down there?"
"Once every couple months lately. It depends on my stress level. One time I was going about once a week."
"Wow. So your stress level's gone down then?"
He laughed. "Or I've just gotten more used to it."
She smiled at that, he had a nice laugh when it was heard. "Possibly."
He glanced around as he heard people start to chant, and up to the clock. "Oh, well, it's almost midnight..."
She glanced toward the clock. "So it is."
He looked back over at her and offered a small smile. She returned the expression as the clock chimed midnight. "Happy New Year, sir."
"Happy New Year," he replied.
"It's been a delight to talk with you this evening. I can't think of a way I'd rather bring in the New Year." Alright, so that wasn't entirely true, but best not to go too fast in a case like this.
He smiled faintly. "Thank you for that great compliment. I rather enjoyed it as well."
She glanced around. "I'd best start saying farewell and go call a cab."
He nodded, and paused for a very long moment. "I could give you a ride home," he said, "Since I was considering making a retreat anyway."
She looked up at him offering him a gentle smile. "I wouldn't want to put you out of your way."
He shrugged. "I'm leaving anyway. I don't mind driving."
"Thank you. Give me a moment to say a couple of goodbyes and grab my coat."
He nodded. "It's no real problem, I'll be toward the door."
She nodded slightly, slipping off to bid some cats a good night. He made his way toward the door, nodding to a couple cats and waiting by the door, having gotten his coat. She met him there a couple of minutes later, draping her winter cloak around her shoulders, fastening it at her throat
He blinked at the cloak and smiled. "It suits you," he said, opening the door and holding it for her.
She offered him a smile in response as she stepped through. "Thank you." He nodded, striding toward where he had parked, unlocking the doors. She slipped into the car. "Thank you again for the ride."
"It's not much of a problem. Are you in uptown or which way should I head?"
"Downtown actually. Toward Oak."
He nodded. "Alright. That's actually closer to where I live anyway." He smiled at her faintly, turning down the road and into traffic.
"Did you have a good time tonight?"
He nodded. "Better than I was expecting yes. And... how did you enjoy the evening?"
"It was delightful. I was pleasantly surprised."
He smiled. "That's good." She returned the expression, her gaze moving to the lights outside the car. He fell silent as well, humming faintly to the music that was on the radio that had turned on with the car. She arched an eyebrow at the music, but only slightly.
"... You can turn it off if you want."
"No, it's fine."
"Alright," he said, approaching Oak. "Alright, so where now?"
"Left at the next intersection, and right two blocks down."
They finally made the last turn. "I'm the third on the left here."
He nodded again, pulling up to the curb. "Well then, I hope you have a good evening. Perhaps it will be an indication of the year to come?"
She offered him a smile. "I certainly hope so, and wish the same to you."
He smiled. "Good night, Griddlebone."
"Good night, Sonya."
He watched her get out of the car, musing. She glanced back, waving as she slipped inside. He waved back, taking off from the curb after seeing her enter, heading for his own apartment.