Hey y'all! Sorry I haven't updated. I've been pretty busy with life. Anyways, here ya' go.
I woke up to yelling the next morning.
"What do you mean I can't see my own sister?"
"Demeter please keep your voice down-"
"I most certainly will not! I am going to go see my sister. You have no right to keep her from me."
Deme was home early, apparently.
"Demeter, please, she's had a rough couple of days and she's sleeping peacefully for the first time in a week. You're going to wake her up!"
There was a little bit of silence, and I knew my sister was probably pouting, as she usually did when she was losing an argument. I sighed. Well, as long as I'm up, I might as well get out of bed.
I slipped out from under the warm sheets, shivering in the cold morning air. Then I slowly maneuvered my way to the front entrance to the den.
"Bomba! You're up!" Tugger exclaimed, looking over me worriedly. "Did you have another nightmare?"
"No, I was woken up by some noisy cats having an argument." I said, smirking.
"Bombs! Oh you poor thing you are a wreck!" My sister exclaimed, gathering me in a hug. I winced as pain shot down my arm an back from my injuries.
"Hey careful Dem, I'm still fragile." I laughed.
"Sorry," Demeter said. She loosened her tight grip on m a little, but still held on to me.
"I am going to kill that monster for hurting you like this! How dare he!" She looked up at Tugger, "Do you guys know where he went? Has he been punished?"
"Well he's exiled from the tribe, for sure." Tugger said.
"Good. He deserves it. And worse."
Deme released me from her strong grasp, and brushed some of my head fur away from my face affectionately.
"I'm just glad you're okay. I was so scared when Munk told me last night. I would have come then, but he said you needed to sleep. I came as soon as he let me this morning."
"I noticed." I said, grinning wryly.
"Sorry for waking you up. But I set up everything at my den, so you can stay with me."
My eyes shot straight to Tuggers, and I saw he was looking at me too. I knew when Deme found out she'd want me to stay with her. Still, though I hated to say it, I didn't want to leave Tugger's place. He made me feel... safe. And I enjoyed his company on the long lazy days. I mean, I loved my sister, but it wasn't the same. And by Tuggers face it looked like he didn't want me to leave, either. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
"Demeter are you sure that's a good idea?" Tugger finally asked. Demeter immediately took a defensive stance.
"Why wouldn't it be a good idea?"
"Well, I mean Bombs is still in a fragile place right now-"
"Right, so she needs familiar surroundings."
"My den is familiar surroundings. Besides I think she would be safer here. What if Macavity comes back?"
I shivered at the thought.
Demeter frowned, starting to get defensive. "What, you think I can't protect my sister?"
"Are you willing to stay home all day and not leave her side?"
"Are you?"
There was silence, and then Tugger turned to me.
"What do you want, Bomba?"
Logically, I knew I should go with my sister. But I couldn't help but want to stay here. But if I did choose to stay here, would Tugger feel like I was imposing? Or worse- would he guess my potential feelings for him? If he thought I liked him, or worse- loved him, he would probably freak out and wanna stay away from me. Flirting was one thing, but when actual feelings started getting involved, he wouldn't know what to do with me. Neither of us were that great with feelings stuff. I knew I had to go with Deme.
"I-I guess it makes sense that I go with Dem. Maybe the change of scenery will be good for me."
For a second I thought Tugger looked disappointed, but then he nodded agreeably, making me think I imagined it.
Demeter beamed at me. "Great! I'll get your stuff. Where is it?"
I pointed to Tugger's room, and Demeter gave me a thumbs up before disappearing. Then, it was just Tugger and me.
"So... Thanks for letting me stay here, Tugger." I started, looking at the floor.
"Oh, no problem babe. It was nice to have a friendly face 'round here for a while. Even a stud like me gets lonely sometimes, ya' know?"
"Yeah."
Then we just stood there awkwardly. I had no idea what to say to him. What was I even supposed to say? "Catch ya' on the flip side, Sport?" Or maybe "Hey it's too bad my sister came back. I was kind of hoping I could crash with you forever, amarite?" I was normally so good with words, why was I so tongue tied now?
Luckily, Demeter saved me.
"Alright, Bombs. I've got everything. I think. Ready?"
"Mm hmm." I hummed in confirmation, relieved she broke the awkward silence.
"Okay then! Let's go." Demeter exclaimed, walking out of the den.
"See you around, Bomba." Tugger said, giving me a lopsided smile.
"Bye!" I said, and gave him a little wave before exiting.
Demeter linked her arm with mine and smiled at me.
"Let's get you home."
That afternoon, once I was settled in, Demeter and I sat in front of her den, enjoying the sun.
"Mmm this is nice. I haven't gotten any sun in a long time."
"Really?" Demeter asked, surprised.
"Yeah well, Tugger didn't really let me out of the den much."
Demeter frowned. "What a jerk."
"No, no! He had good reasons not to." I defended quickly. "The one time we did go out of the den... didn't go so well."
"What happened?"
"I had a little bit of a nervous break down."
Demeter gasped. "Were you okay? Did you get hurt?"
"Oh yeah, I was fine. But Tugger had to carry me all the way back to his den. "
Demeter made a face at me. "That sounds... nice."
"What's with the tone?"
"Well, I mean Tugger isn't the nicest guy ever. It seems kind of out of character for him."
"Hey just because he's a flirt doesn't mean he isn't nice. They aren't mutually exclusive."
Demeter put her hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. No need to get testy."
We sat in silence again. And then a thought occurred to me.
"Hey wait a second what were you doing with Munk last night? You said he told you where I was and made you stay put until morning."
Demeter blushed and looked down at her lap. "I- well, he said I looked tired, and my den was on the other side of the Junkyard, and it was really late and I had been running all day before- oh stop looking at me like that! He took the couch and gave me the bed. He was quite the gentleman."
I snickered at her teasingly and she stuck her tongue out at me.
"Oh come on, what kind of an older sister would I be if I didn't tease you about boys?"
Demeter grumbled something, and I couldn't quite here it.
"What did you say?"
"I said I'm going inside. Enjoy the sun." Demeter waved her hand dismissively, and walked back into her den.
"Aw c'mon Deme I didn't mean it- Dem! Don't just leave me out here by myself! Ugh!"