Mistoffelees jogged in an attempt to catch up to Pounce's long stride. "Pounce, wait!"

Pouncival shortened his stride, finally stopping to let the other catch up, "What?"

"I'm sorry," he said, shoulders hunched. "I'm, I really didn't mean..." he stammered into silence for a moment.

"Who is he?"

"He," Mistoffelees paused again, swallowing. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Pounce swallowed, trying not to visibly react to that.

"No," he said faintly, shrinking down. "No, I... I didn't mean to..."

"Well, that does a lot of good, no?"

"Pounce, please," Mistoffelees tried. "I don't know what happened in there. I certainly didn't plan it."

"Which makes it all better," Pouncival couldn't seem to pull his gaze away from the direction they were walking in to look at his date.

Reaching his arm forward, Mistoffelees caught Pounce's. "I'm sorry. I messed the entire evening up, just please..."

"Please what?" Pounce stopped, turning to face hte other, hurt and betrayal in his dark eyes.

"W-well, I was going to say look at me but," he swallowed. "Never mind. Saying I didn't mean to isn't going to help, is it?"

Pounce let out a mirthless half-laugh, "No. It really isn't."

"I'm sorry," Mistoffelees repeated.

"Give me a little while to work up to forgiving you. All you had to do was tell me you wanted to go as friends. Or even that you did not want to go with me." He shook his head, "I should get you home."

"But that," he caught Pounce's hands. "That's not what it was! I, I did want to go with you, but he, and there..."

Pounce shook his head, "No. You didn't. I knew that this afternoon. I didn't know /why/, but I knew."

"I," Mistoffelees swallowed and looked down, dropping Pounce's hands. "I never meant..."

"I...I know. You never mean to hurt anyone," he sighed. "That's what makes you you. A bright spot. I should have just asked if we could go as friends. It might have hurt less."

"I wish," he raised a hand and let it drop before looking down. "I'm sorry. But god, you say how my brother reacted. I won't ever see him again so it doesn't matter."

Pounce looked at the other boy for a long moment, "I...don't know if I'm quite able to say I'm sorry about that at this point."

Still looking down, the edges of Mistoffelees' mouth pulled up. "I know."

"We...had better get you home before your brother beats us there and has my hide for not having you there."

Nodding, Mistoffelees stepped up next to him, walking toward the apartment building where so many of the Sharks lived.

Upon reaching home and sending Pounce back to his own apartment, Mistoffelees looked around the small rooms before stepping out into the fire escape, sinking down on the edge of it and leaning his arms against the railing.

Coricopat had been wandering the area for a while by the time he spotted the other on the fire escape. He paused, calling up softly, "Mistoffelees?"

Freezing, Mistoffelees looked down. "O-oh," he said, scrambling to his feet and leaning over. "What are you doing here? If you're found..."

"The dance lasts for another hour."

"They could be home any minute," Mistoffelees said. "Considering how angry my brother was..."

"They'll do their planning there where they won't be interrupted. Neutral territory and everything," Coricopat insisted. "Come down for a few minutes?"

"I can't come down," Mistoffelees said, unable to help himself from smiling though.

Coricopat was halfway up the ladder before the other finished speaking, "Then I'll come up."

Eyes widening, Mistoffelees' breath caught. "Oh. Okay."

He pulled himself up over the last railing, "I...you know I almost didn't' go tonight?"

"To the dance?" Mistoffelees asked, taking a step back to allow him room on the fire escape.

Coricopat nodded, leaning against the railing, "To the dance."

"Then why did you?" Mistoffelees asked, leaning back toward him.

"Because..." he sighed, "I originally told myself it was because Mac's right, he's the only real family I've got. Honestly, though? It's because I hoped I'd find the thing I've been looking for for the last while."

"What are you looking for?" Mistoffelees asked, moving again. "Y-you know I recognize Macavity, but I never heard your name..."

"I...don't really know, but something's been missing." He paused for a moment, "You...oh, Coricopat."

"Coricopat," he tested the name out and stepped forward, putting a hand over the taller teen's chest. "No idea what's been missing then?"

Cor smiled faintly down at the other, his hand coming up to cover the other's, "Not really. I've just known something was."

"So, what are you doing here then?"

"Because I think I found it."

Mistoffelees' breath caught. "O-oh? Where is it then?"

"I...Well, I think it's you. God, I know how that sounds, but it's like there was a missing part of me and I found it when we kissed."

"That's a hell of a thing to find there," Mistoffelees said, breath catching. "I mean, with, in me..."

Coricopat looked at him for a long moment, "Is it really so hard to believe?"

"It," he paused and smiled. "I don't know?"

He received a smile in response, "All I know is I feel like I could fly right now."

"Where would you fly to?" Mistoffelees asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Away. Maybe the country. Somewhere where this battle over a little stretch of pavement doesn't get people killed."

Leaning up, rather than respond, Mistoffelees just kissed him for the sentiment. Coricopat's arm curled around the other's waist, drawing him nearer as he returned the kiss gently.

Pressing deeper into the kiss, Mistoffelees wrapped his arms around the other, drawing back slightly. "My brother. He could be home any minute..."

"The door to your building is around the corner from here."

"Others could come, it's a crowded building and we all know each other," he said, pressing in for another kiss anyway.

Coricopat smiled against the kiss before pulling away, "I'm not sure I much care at the moment."

A door could be heard closing inside the apartment.

Mistoffelees nearly jumped back. "Wait here," he said softly, glancing back. "Is someone there?"

"It's just me, brother," Munkustrap answered in rapid Spanish. "Come inside, it's cold and we need to talk."

Mistoffelees sent a panicked look at Coricopat, kissing him quickly before pushing him back down. "Go, go, go go go," he said before calling. "A moment, brother!"

Coricopat paused for a moment, "Will I see you again?"

"We go to the same school," Mistoffelees chided. "Tomorrow, after class, flagpole. We'll work something out then. Go now."

He grinned up at Mistoffelees, levering up for a brief kiss before scurrying down the ladder and away. There was a knocking on Misto's bedroom door, "Mistoffelees?"

"Yes, brother," Mistoffelees said, climbing back inside quickly. "The cool air was soothing," he said, opening the door. "I needed that tonight."

Munkustrap looked unimpressed, his expression dark, "The Jets' lieutenant?"

"I did not know that's what he was," Mistoffelees replied, defensive.

"And that's supposed to somehow make this better? He's one of them!"

Taking half a step back, Mistoffelees crossed his arms over his chest. "Who's them?"

"The Americans. The ones who shoot at us, who ask for war councils at public dances. The ones who wish to drive us from what little we have here."

Dropping his eyes, Mistoffelees bit his lip. "Not all of them are like that."

"Oh really? So you know a few of them then?"

"We go to school with them, don't we? We have to interact with them at some point! Brother, which bothers you more, that he's an American or that he's a boy?"

"One or the other is more than enough. Isn't it enough I don't approve?" Munksutrap's tone was rising again. "Did you know the boy at the dance?"

"I," Mistoffelees looked down again.

"Answer me. Because the way I see it there are two options here, and I'm not certain I like either of them," the elder brother dropped into their native tongue.

Shifting back, and not looking up, Mistoffelees shifted back into Spanish as well. "I'd never met him before," he said.

"Which I suppose is fractionally better than seeing him behind my back! You are to stay in this apartment unless you are at school or work, and you are to walk with Bombalurina to and from work, do I make myself clear?"

His younger brother snapped his eyes up. "W-what? You cannot be serious!"

"No?" Munkustrap's tone was calming, but cold

"You aren't my parents!" Mistoffelees snapped and took a step back as soon as the words were out.

His brother froze, something pained flickering over his expression briefly, "No. I'm not them. I can't replace them, but damn it, I'm trying to keep you safe!"

"Brother, I know," Mistoffelees said, stepping forward and putting a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

Munkustrap looked down at his younger brother, sighing, "I'm trying. But seeing that...and you..." He drew a deep breath, "I don't want you getting hurt."

Mistoffelees nodded, stepping forward again to embrace his brother. "I know. I'll try not to. But if there's going to be a war council, be careful."

"No weapons, neutral meeting, even the Jets won't risk destroying a war council," he hugged his little brother. "I do not want you seeing him. He is trouble."

Mistoffelees scowled slightly at the abrupt reminder. "You think he is. But," he sighed. "You're probably right."

Munkustrap stepped back, looking down at the other, "Get some sleep, Mistoffelees. We have school in the morning."

"Good night," Mistoffelees said, stepping back.

"Good night," the elder brother made his way to his room, hoping to be able to calm down enough to actually consider sleeping.

Sighing as he watched his brother leave, Mistoffelees finally plopped down on the bed, hands behind his head. "Coricopat," he tested the name out and tried to suppress a grin, even in the dark.

w-w-w-w

The next day found Mistoffelees by the flagpole anyway, looking both ways and hoping no one was going to show up besides Coricopat. Coricopat arrived a couple of moments later, "Hey..."

"Hey," Mistoffelees said, turning toward him and offering him a half frightened smile. "You showed up."

"Of course I did," Cori returned the smile uncertainly.

"Sorry, that might have sounded odd," he said, with another smile and a shrug, looking around again. "Come," he said, taking Coricopat's arm and pulling away from the central area into a nook.

Once they were safely out of sight, Coricopat smiled genuinely, "We haven't much time here, but...where can we meet? Ice cream outside the territories maybe?"

"Yes," Mistoffelees returned promptly. "God, yes. I'm supposed to be escorted to and from school and work now but, I should be able to get around it."

That earned a long blink, "You're supposed to be what?"

"Walked to and from places," Mistoffelees said and blushed. "My brother is over protective. But my escort on at least some of these occasions is Bomba, and while she may love my brother she has never been very good at obeying him."

"So she might be willing to let you slip away?"

"If I wheedle, beg, and possibly bribe her," he replied with a soft smile. "I should manage."

"Great, so there's an ice cream place about three blocks from the territories, tomorrow?"

"When?"

"After school?"

"I have work," he reminded softly. "Right afterwards, for a couple hours."

Cori sighed, "Right. What time does your brother get home?"

"Late, usually," Mistoffelees shrugged. "He has gang business and Bomba to worry about first."

"So, if I was to meet you after work?"

"We could see about something," Mistoffelees said, shifting forward.

Coricopat glanced around before leaning down to kiss the other lightly.

"Always so light," Mistoffelees murmured, smiling faintly.

"Testing the waters," Coricopat murmured in response.

Mistoffelees offered him a smile. "I think they've been tested..."

That earned a grin as the taller teen leaned down and pressed into a kiss.

Wrapping his arms around the other's neck, Mistoffelees arched into the kiss, pushing as close as he could get. Coricopat deepened the kiss, his arms tightening around the other, not wanting to let go.

Hands slipping down to his chest, Mistoffelees twined his fingers in Coricopat's shirt, holding him there. "God, what are we even...?"

"Don't ask. Don't think it, please. Not now?" He rested his forehead against the other's, murmuring.

"We," Mistoffelees started, out of breath. "We're insane, we," he shook his head. "I should care. I should care what my brother says, what Pounce says, but I don't..."

"We'll figure this out. We'll...I don't know, but we'll make it."

He let out a breathless laugh. "Kiss me again so I stop thinking about it?"

"Gladly," Coricopat leaned down to capture the other's lips, brushing his own concerns aside as well.

Pressing into the kiss Mistoffelees nearly jumped back when he heard his name called by a confused Bomba. "Tonight or tomorrow night?" he asked rapidly.

"Tomorrow night, I have to be at the council to stop them doing anything stupid tonight."

"Yes," Mistoffelees nodded. "The more you can stop them from being stupid the better. He pressed in for another quick kiss. "I don't want to wait that long." When Bomba called his name again he stepped back finally.

"You...had better go before she actually comes looking for you. We'll see each other at school tomorrow, yes?"

"Briefly," Mistoffelees managed. "Screw it," and he kissed him again. "Tomorrow then," before turning to scamper out to Bomba, who gave him a long searching look.

Coricopat leaned against the wall smiling faintly. He waited about five minutes before leaving the nook as well, in the hopes that it wouldn't be supposed they had been together.

w-w-w-w

That evening, after seeing Mistoffelees safely back to his room after work-he was looking dreamy and it was concerning her-Bomba stamped her high heels up to the ceiling of the building, where the Sharks and their girls tended to spend their evenings.

Munkustrap narrowly avoided the door as she swung it open, one of his eyebrows going up, "Where's Mistoffelees?"

"In his room," she replied. "He seemed tired today. Pounce, how was he last night?"

Pounce shrugged, "Well enough. Apologetic."

Munkus didn't seem impressed with that, "Tired. Apologetic." He shook his head, "This is hardly a good thing. What do you mean by 'tired'?"

"What do you mean what do I mean by tired," Bomba asked on her hips. "Tired! How many other words do you think you are for it? Listless then, unmotivated. Usually he joins us up here."

"Exactly. There are the words that describe it better than 'tired'. Did he say why he stayed downstairs?"

"He was tired," Bomba deadpanned.

Munkustrap gave her a long look, "How was work?"

"Long," she said, ruffling her shirt and sitting down. "There were a few annoying costumers that we had to deal with and he once again got the brunt of the owner's annoyance for it."

Munkustrap considered that and appeared to accept it as enough of a justification. He nodded slightly, "I don't care much for your employer."

His lover huffed. "None of us do."

That garnered an eye roll as he turned to the Sharks, "Alonzo, Pounce, the rest of you, are you set? We head out shortly."

"Set, boss," Alonzo said with a nod.

Bomba rolled her eyes. "You're really going through with this?"

He turned to her again, "It is just a council, Bomba."

"Just a council!" she declared, rising and waving to some of the other girls. "Which leads to what, a fight? Then our lovers come home with their heads bashed in. That's appealing, isn't it girls?"

There was rather a unanimous negative response from the other girls. Munkustrap sighed, rolling his eyes again, "You are exaggerating, Bombalurina."

"Please," she said, crossing her arms. "You really think I am? What did we move to this country for then? If all you're going to do is bash in heads and come home bleeding."

"We moved here for a lie!" he snapped.

"And what would that lie be?" she asked, spreading her arms out.

"We came here, like naive children, thinking we could make a better life. And what do we have here? Nothing! Only a more expensive nothing."

"We came with our hearts open!" she mocked him. "Besides, I like what we can find here," and swirled her skirt for emphasis.

His eyes narrowed, "And what is that? Jobs where we get paid half what the Americans do simply because it was their parents who came to this country before they were born?"

"So then our children should do just fine, no?" she asked, cocking her hip to one side and giving him a long look. "What, would you rather go back?"

"Better than being little more than a slave and a punching bag for those here. Do you really think our children would have a better chance? Look around you, Bomba, we not only speak different, we look different."

"So do the Chinese," she said with a shrug. "You don't mind hitting people, but it's the big battles you can't fight, is that it?"

His eyes narrowed at that, "And how would you go about fighting those big battles, since you seem to know all about it?"

She shook her head. "You don't cry like a scared boy in some alley way about how unfair it is for starters. You don't run home like a dog with its tail between its legs.

Munkustrap's entire body tensed, "I do neither. We can hardly go to the people in charge, though, can we?"

"Who's in charge? The police? The mayor, the president?" She shook her head. "What we need to do is fight for our place here by making one, not by pissing off every person who passes through.

"And how do we do this when every time we turn around they are trying to shove us out of it? We do not belong here, Bomba, maybe in time we can get a foothold, but how when the streets are not safe for us, when the streets are not safe for you?"

"I can take of myself," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulders. "For that matter, so can Misto."

"But you shouldn't have to. It was supposed to be a better life here. And here we are, second class citizens of the second class citizens."

She scowled at him. "So what, do you want to go back to Puerto Rico?"

"I did not say that. I would not go back there, but what are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to find a place here if not in the way I am trying?"

"I don't know! But I do know you're just continuing this cycle of hate!" she snapped. The rest of the gang had gone silent, watching the exchange.

He snarled, "Then give me an alternative! I am doing the best I know how! I go to school, I work a job, and still nothing."

She looked down. "And the moment it looks like someone might be reaching across the divide you do everything you can to stop it!"

"If you are talking about Mistoffelees, that was not 'reaching across the divide' that was necking with the lieutenant of the gang who's tried their damndest to run us off of this block since we came here!"

"And if it could be more?" Bomba demanded, unsure whether she believed what she was saying or if she was just arguing to argue at that point.

Her lover froze, "What do you mean 'more'?"

"I don't know!" she threw up her hands. "What if it could be more? What if we could actually make peace here?"

"We..." He shook his head, "We need to go. If the opportunity is presented we will look at it. But, that does not mean I want my little brother involved with one of them, understand?"

"Understood," she said stiffly, angry.

Munkustrap looked at her for a long moment, stone-faced, "Buenos noches, Bombalurina." He glanced toward the Sharks, jerking his head toward the door to the stairwell, "I'll be home later."

"You had better be," she said, crossing her arms but a sliver of fear in her stomach. "Come home safely."

He finally managed a faint smile, "It isn't a fight, Bomba. I'll be home."

"Good," she said, nodding but still stiff. "Make sure it stays that way."

Munkustrap opened his mouth to promise that, but closed it again, turning and leaving the roof. The only reason the door didn't slam behind him was because Pounce caught it to follow him down.

Sighing, Bomba sank down on one of the benches, rubbing a hand over her face.


Here we are at the second chapter! Thank you very much to the few that have reviewed, it means ever so much to us. Due to school and work, it means a lot to take a moment to drop us that line and let us know what you think in our stressful lives. We also like to remind readers we allow annon. reviews so you don't even have to log in. Cheers all, and thank you ever so much for reading!