"Hey, Misto," Pouncival crawled around Mistoffelees, who sat as stiff as a board by Alonzo, annoyed, "Hey Misto! Hey Misto! Hey Misto!"

If Pouncival wasn't a small kitten, Mistoffelees would've had him on his back already. Misto sat Indian style, still annoyed and holding his paws together. His rich brown eyes trailed towards Pounce slowly as if having a vendetta against him.

"Yes, Pouncival?" He asked through gritted teeth. His claws beat against the uneven pavement as if ready to scratch Pounce through and through. Being the good cat he was, though, he kept himself quiet from any sort of riot.

The kitten grinned widely and circled him again; tail flicking in pure child bliss. He pressed his nose against the Magician's and giggled.

"Hi!" He nearly screamed, backing up in a load of hysterics. Mistoffelees blinked rapidly from the sudden look of Pounce's eyes looking at his. He crinkled his nose, feeling a tingling sensation run through it. Slowly, his head leaned back against his shoulders as he began a very, over exaggerated sneeze.

"Ah…AH!" Mistoffelees yelped before actually sneezing. He flung his head forward and sneezed quietly. The aftermath wasn't quiet at all.

He rolled back from the impact of his sneeze, running into a load of trash. Alonzo's eyes widened while he stifled back a laugh, unlike Pouncival, who laughed ferociously loudly. Alonzo stood straight up and fast strolled towards Mistoffelees, who was digging himself out of the trash. His small head peeked out of the mass of trash; a banana peel circling his left ear.

"You okay, Misto?" Alonzo asked, putting his paw on the fellow tom's back. Misto shot a small glare at him and removed the peel from his matted ears.

"Just perfect," He almost hissed, crawling out of the huge heap. He looked down at himself in disgust as he could smell his now unbearable stench. He stuck his tongue out in disgust the same reaction that Alonzo had. He crinkled his nose and helped his friend up.

Pouncival slid over to Misto and Alonzo, tongue stuck out. His eyes were squinted due to the wide smile that spread from cheek to cheek. He pointed one of his paws toward Mistoffelees whose brows arched.

"There's a man over here"

"With a look of distaste"

"Could it be from me or just pure agitation?"

He raised his brows and glanced from Alonzo and Misto. Both stared at the small kitten that was still on his knees and singing.

"Does he even have a Jellicle mate?"

Mistoffelees's eyes widened slightly as Pouncival's sudden need to abbreviate on him having a mate. His claws seemed to sharpen as they sat against his sparkling black fur, making Alonzo's eyes flicker from the claws the Pouncival. Cautiously, Alonzo put his paw on Misto's shoulder.

"Pouncival," Alonzo warned, eyes still on Mistoffelees, "I'd quit the act if I were you."

Pouncival giggled off, scampering back. He circled around both Alonzo and Mistoffelees, knees just dragging. His bright, happy eyes and grin illuminated the room with child mischievousness, which both Alonzo and Misto had not seen in a long tom.

"Why?" He asked, exaggerating the y, "It's true. Jennyanydots said it's nice to say the truth."

Slowly, Alonzo bent down, looking from his brow. The black fur that surrounded one eye seemed like it had grown ten times darker. Pouncival almost seemed intimidated as his the wide smile on his face evaporated into a scared frown.

"Scram."

Alonzo showed off his claws; face inches away from the small kittens. Pounce yelped loudly and skidded away from both older cats glancing back only momentarily. As he turned the corner, Alonzo shouted once again through cupped paws.

"Yeah, and don't you dare come near us again, kit!" He yelled, smirking and narrowing his brows. Not looking away from the spot, he spoke to Misto, "That'll teach that adolescent."

Mistoffelees didn't answer.

Alonzo turned his head to his friend, smile disappearing. His shoulders dropped since his attempt to make his friend better along with the hope in his eyes.

Mistoffelees turned away, head hanging down after a sigh. His paws made their way over to the back of his neck and rubbed it gently as he sat down, back facing Alonzo. He followed his friend, crawling on his knees.

"Hey," He said, barely audible, "You okay?"

Generosity was one thing Mistoffelees appreciated very much. But generosity wasn't really something that could help in a time like this. He buckled down and flicked his tail away in despair-eyes glancing down. His small paws rubbed his smooth jaw line to sooth himself, which did almost nothing.

"Man," Alonzo sighed and looked away and back, "just ignore that juvenile kit. He's just trying to get under your fur."

"It's not that that's getting me," Mistoffelees raised his voice slightly, furrowing his brows. Alonzo backed off one step, concerned for his friend. Help of course was the thing offered here from Alonzo to Misto. Unfortunately, this didn't register quite well to Misto, "It's the fact that he's right."-He rubbed his forehead gingerly- "Oh, sweet Heavyside I have a headache."

"It's probably that sickness that's been going around that's affecting you," Alonzo murmured, "Rumpleteazer, Electra, and Asparagus have all come down with it. It's a wonder why you have been so unenthusiastic about things anymore. The Misto I knew used to be all for and everything towards stuff like…,"

"Like what," Misto's voice cracked as he turned to his zebra patterned friend, "Like finding a mate? You know I never talked about them before like the rest of the toms. Chasing after the new kittens, sweet talking them, it's kind of sickening."

He lay down onto his side and curled into an awkward C. Burying itself lightly, his head tucked itself into a small crook by his stomach; a small, aggravated purr escaping from his vocal cords.

If sympathy could be put simply into words, Alonzo would've possibly already blurted them out, and as sympathetic as he felt towards his feline friend he found absolutely no words to sympathize his friend with.

Realization took over the older cat and his mouth formed an understanding circular shape. A small sound came from his mouth as he looked away from his friend and back. If this was what he thought it was about, he would definitely have to stifle back a laugh.

Being the good friend he was, though, he didn't even feel a tickle touch his throat.

"It's Victoria, isn't it?" He asked, knowing the answer before the smaller cat replied.

"It is obvious."

He shifted to get more comfortable with eyes still closed.

"Misto," Alonzo said, more groaning.

A few moments passed b with just pure silence, Alonzo leaning back on a trash can while Mistoffelees slept in a corner huddled up. His eyes trailed over to his friend whose back rose up and down as he breathed lightly in his sleep.

Mate-less himself, the poor cat didn't know what he could do for his friend at all. If he would if could, but if he messed up, he wouldn't want to mess with an angry magical cat. Keyword; Magical.

He cocked his head to look towards his friend, blinking. His jaw dropped slightly as his chest swelled up highly, as if to sing. Of course, he did.

"Remark, the cat"

"Who hesitates to hold her"

"In the dark of the night"

"Which opens two hearts"

"Like two mates would"

Mistoffelees flicked his ears lightening fast, still asleep. His torso moved around to get comfortable making his legs rub against each other. He smacked his lips silently and fell back into pure silence, away from the Jellicle world he lived in. Peaceful, free from the pressure of mates for a few hours.

Alonzo half-smiled at his friend, eyelids shutting as well. His arms fell limp at his side and his paws curled. He did the same motions as Misto, and then finally shut his eyes, ready to sleep. Maybe tomorrow Mistoffelees would wake up and get the guts to tell Victoria.

Maybe.

●●●

"Tugger," Victoria whispered, pushing away a potato sack flap out of her way, "Are you positive this will work?"

The confident tom smiled brightly at the Queen with the straight pearly whites he had, assuring her he was.

"Kit, have you ever seen me not positive on something not working," He asked it as if he had never heard the phrase, "Don't worry, it has a one-hundred percent chance of him saying yes."

Victoria smiled gingerly with a pair of blue eyes that were filled with innocent hope. She continued to prowl through piles of trash with Tugger pushing her forward, there for moral support. Leave it to the Rum Tum Tugger to spark good ideas. Well, either very good ones…or very bad ones.

Jemima and Etcetera were told to stay back by the broken down car's trunk by Tugger himself, as requested by Victoria. The last thing she needed was both kittens screaming for her to do what she was about to attempt. At least Etcetera would do so. Of course, Tugger said a reward would be for both kits if they stayed patiently there, alone with each other. Hopefully, well, knowingly, they were going to stay.

A peek of moonlight shone through a thin piece of paper, or what appeared to be paper. Slowly, Victoria peeked her delicate head out of it, and looked both sides, Tugger right above her. He brought his cheek down by her ear, almost making it seem like they were doing some sort of a caress. Thank Heavyside, they weren't.

"Go on," Tugger whispered, "Check the place out for him."

Victoria glanced back at the flirtatious tom quickly. She opened her mouth in protest, but was immediately pushed out by Tugger's paws. She yelped silently in her throat and scampered out into the open, shuffling to a stop. She looked back over her shoulder, with furrowed back eyebrows. She mouthed out his name and he motioned his hands around the open area for her to check out for Misto.

"Why did I agree to this?" Victoria asked herself, mumbling low enough so that Tugger couldn't hear. She smoothened out the fur on her arms and prowled around, almost too angelically.

Her light footsteps hit the ground lightly as she skidded across the ground, careful to not step on any unwanted object. This time, though, walking back without being cautious actually helped her.

A small brush of fur rubbed against her back paw, causing her to jump up and yelp again in her throat. She fell to her paws with ears matted down in pure fright. Her breath was caught suddenly as her eyes connected by what, or who, was in front of her, causing her shoulders to tense.

Mistoffelees lay there on the ground, asleep still. His face was angled so that Victoria could still see the left part of his face, moonlight reflecting off it. His eyes were closed lightly as his front paws supported up his right cheek. His right leg was held up to his stomach and his left leg was stretched out longer. Slowly, his chest swelled and then extracted letting the smooth Jellicle air swim through him.

Victoria unevenly let herself breath again after staring at him for a good couple of seconds. Her eyes lost their sudden fright and turned into a magical twinkle that she loved having. Ever so quietly, she crawled up to him, hoping not to wake him for even a second. She sat by his side on her knees, eyes all over him, especially on the face. His handsome way of entrancing her took its toll as she smiled sweetly at his twisted figure. The smile evaporated away into the atmosphere as she raised her paws.

Should I?

Her head lowered along with her paws toward the unconscious Misto, still trying to not wake him. Her right paw gently skipped across his strong torso as her other one did the same on his shoulder. She brought her cheek down to his, brushing it gently to caress him affectionately and lovingly.

Misto darted up as he felt the Queen's fur against his, immediately crawling to his knees. Victoria screamed lightly and scampered off, afraid of being seen. She shot out through a small crack by a barrel, hoping she wasn't seen for even the briefest second.

Mistoffelees looked around, eyes wide and alert. His tail flicked in the air as he searched around with back relaxed. His jaw dropped so that his teeth were visible.

A scent lingered the air, one that was the exact opposite of trash. It was the smell of something sweet, like a newly bloomed rose. He turned his head over his shoulder, sniffing it with interest. He stopped and closed his eyes, also stopping his breathing.

The scent of his beautiful Queen, Victoria, flowed all around our Magical Mr. Mistoffelees.