During the Ball
the1andonlyofo, thank you! Sorry about the long wait. Lunar0Flaree, thank you! It's so nice to hear from you. I hope you keep enjoying everything. :) JusticePig (love the new name!) don't be so sure about the glowing part… remember he only started glowing a few hours afterwards. Iz-Insane, thankee! Don't worry, I promise never to leave my fics unfinished, even if there's the occasional delay between chapters. Cuty, we all know how good he made it, don't we? :) NyraGrimm, thank you! I hope to keep hearing from you!
A big thank-you to CrazyIndigoChild for beta-reading!
11. Magical and Marvelous
(This chapter takes place during "Mr. Mistoffelees")
As far as Tugger's improvised songs went, this one was easily one of his best. He certainly didn't miss the rather pointed look he received from Mistoffelees at the mention of their seven kittens—but really, in the middle of lauding his mate's magical powers, how could he not mention his grandest, most phenomenal magic trick yet?
The important part was that his grand song was working. Oh, he knew what Mistoffelees was capable of with his courage and his magic, and the Jellicles knew what Mistoffelees was capable of, but Tugger always found that a bit of extra attention and encouragement never hurt.
It helped to distract from fear and worry. It certainly helped distract Tugger from fear and worry; because if he thought too long about what would happen if Mistoffelees couldn't magic back Old Deuteronomy, and if he thought too hard about what Macavity would do to the junkyard and to his kittens—well, then he would drive himself insane with worry.
So instead he sang, and worked up the other Jellicles, and though he could tell Mistoffelees was slightly bashful at all the attention, he clearly appreciated the encouragement, letting it bolster him into concentrating his powers.
And in the end, it worked. Tugger shouldn't have been surprised to see the proof of his mate's abilities; with a few flourishes and a little help from Cassandra, he'd done exactly what Tugger knew he could do, and with a spark of magic, Old Deuteronomy had been delivered back among the Jellicles, a little confused about the sudden travel but whole and unharmed. Macavity had clearly not intended to hurt the old patriarch, and hopefully now that he realized how easily Mistoffelees could thwart him, he would leave the junkyard alone.
As the Jellicles closed in, embracing Old Deuteronomy and taking up Mistoffelees' song, Tugger marveled at his sudden sense of relief. To the best of his abilities, Tugger had tried to block out all memories of his mate's time in captivity. It had only lasted a few days, but during those days he'd nearly killed himself with worry, not knowing if Mistoffelees and their kittens were safe, not knowing if his kittens had been born, or what Macavity intended to do with them. It was nothing short of a miracle that he'd managed to find him and Demeter in time to watch his kittens come into the world.
He'd tried so hard to hide his worry from Mistoffelees, focusing instead on their kittens. But every so often, Tugger would stop and think and worry about whether or not Macavity was still alive out there, still working at his plans.
But now, he knew, those fears had been laid to rest. This one act, in which Mistoffelees effortlessly transported Old Deuteronomy back to the safety of the junkyard, proved to Tugger that his mate was strong, was powerful, was now able to stop any danger.
And why should he have doubted it? He knew Mistoffelees was strong. That was exactly why he'd been so attracted to the mysterious youth, why he'd stood apart from the rest. It was exactly why he'd continued to be so attracted to the small tom, the one who'd actually managed, beyond all laws of nature, to bear his kittens.
Tugger wasn't stupid. He knew how tongues wagged around the junkyard, and how the young queens and toms would strut around proudly whenever they'd managed to find their way into Tugger's arms, and better still, his blankets. Tugger had his pride too. Bedding others was never really something he thought worthy of bragging about, or of singing or strutting about.
There was no greater triumph for him than to proudly show how his heart belonged to none other than the magical Mr. Mistoffelees. He knew he was beaming with pride now, and maybe laying it on a little thick as he sang, but he couldn't help it.
And then he thought about what they'd done, not half an hour earlier in a secluded clearing, and his proud grin widened at the possibility of Mistoffelees already being pregnant again.
"I give you the magical… the marvelous… Mr. Mistoffelees!"
Tugger watched as Mistoffelees, with a glow still in his fur from his magic use- and maybe something else- playfully teleported away in a shower of sparks, smirking a bit at how his mate would surely chide him later for pulling out that rather elaborate title. But none of it was an exaggeration… Mistoffelees was, as far as he was concerned, marvelous. And most importantly, he thought proudly to himself. He's mine.
There's been a longer-than-usual delay between my chapters and that's just not cool. You may expect the next (and final) chapter within a day or so. Thank you!