Looking over the papers in front of him, Sonya Vlask sighed heavily, glancing around the station for his partner.

Munkustrap Hollister made his way through the station, sidestepping around a couple of other officers as he skimmed through a file in his paws. He came to a stop by Sonya's desk, "Good day."

"Which part is good?" Sonya asked, glancing up at him.

"It arrived?" The slender tabby offered.

"I might give you that," Sonya said, shifting his weight back and leaning against the chair. "Any luck?"

"Not really, nothing new anyhow. I can't even begin to trace where the goods are being fenced."

"And without the fence..." Sonya sighed again, running a paw through his light grey headfur. "Wonderful."

"Exactly. If they took something distinguishable it would help, but so far there haven't even been jewelry with unique settings taken, and when they are I can guarantee they're parted out."

"So they're smart in other words," Sonya replied.

"Exactly. Just what we need. Smart thieves. We don't even know if we're dealing with one, two, or half a dozen."

"Or more," Sonya added.

"Exactly. Though the thefts seem staggered enough that we can likely assume a smaller crew. Otherwise we'd see more at closer intervals is my guess."

"We're reduced to guessing," Sonya considered throwing something across the room to express how annoyed he was at that. "So, no progress with the series of thefts. Are we progressing on any other fronts?"

"We have other fronts?" Munkus sighed, shaking his head, "Not really."

"Well at least we're not dealing with homicides," Sonya sighed, tilting the legs of his chair back.

"This is true.." Munkus settled into another chair.

"Well, if we're making no progress with this," Sonya considered the files. "How goes life? We'll call life our other front."

"Well enough I suppose. I stopped by my younger brother's flat the other day, which is always an adventure in and of itself. And you?"

"Much the same. I'm not sure I've heard about your younger brother before," Sonya remarked, picking up a sheet of useless paper and folding it.

Munkus opened his mouth and then closed it again, trying to figure out what to say to that, "Well, I don't typically talk about him."

"Oh, any reason?"

He glanced around, "Do you know that flier that ends up blanketing the lower class areas of the city?"

"Yeah, I've seen it before. Read it a couple time. Why?"

The silver tabby shook his head, "That's his publication."

Sonya blinked and blinked again. "Oh. How... charming."

Munkustrap smiled thinly, "My thoughts exactly."

"So, you don't quite get along then?"

"We get along well enough, as long as we avoid politics and professions."

"Well, that's good." Sonya considered.

"I suppose so. I tend to get along better with my elder brother."

"Must be interesting, having so many brothers," Sonya remarked, being the only child of fairly wealthy parents.

"Infuriating half the time actually."

Sonya laughed. "Well, yes, I could imagine that as well. I have no siblings though so that's as far as my imagination gets me."

Munkus shook his head, "Pros and cons to both sides I'm sure."

"Well, probably," he replied, nodding. Personally, he might have taken the siblings.

"What was it like growing up an only kit?"

"Lonely, for the most part. I had one close friend though... you have heard of Growltiger, yes?"

"The member of Parliament who's trying to pass that law to give us more work? Yes, I've heard of him," Munkustrap managed not to roll his eyes.

"Right, well, it's not him. His fiancée though and I were close growing up. Since she's been engaged... we've seen each other less. Especially since her politician is trying to get us so much more work."

"I think I've vaguely heard of her. How long have they been engaged now?"

"A few years," Sonya sighed.

Munkus' brow rose at the sigh, "You don't approve?"

"I don't have to approve," Sonya replied with a shrug. "But... it is a very long engagement."

"It really is rather."

Shrugging again, Sonya considered the paper in front of him intently. "So, that at least I do not approve of."

Munkus looked him over for a moment and then nodded, "Fair enough. Now, as to the case at hand, we've done a general sweep over the docks area a couple of times, correct?"

"Several times, yes," Sonya replied.

"Damn. What else can we possibly do?"

"At this point? Hope they steal again and mess up this time," Sonya said, only half joking.

The silver tabby sighed, nodding, "Sounds about right. Though they haven't done so thus far."

"Hope springs eternal," Sonya murmured.

v.v.v.v

Coricopat approached the hotel room door, pausing before knocking on it.

Bounding to the door, Mistoffelees yanked it open a little too eagerly. "Mr. Zimmerman. Did you bring those papers I asked to go over?"

The lawyer blinked at him for a moment before nodding slightly and stepping inside with a smile, "They're in my briefcase."

"Excellent," he replied with a smile, closing the door.

Coricopat set the briefcase down, his smile turning fond, "How are you?"

"Good," he replied, stepping forward, wrapping his paws in Coricopat's lapels and pulling him down into a kiss. The taller cat startled slightly, but his arms moved to wrap around Mistoffelees' waist and pull him closer as he deepened the kiss. "Doing better now," Mistoffelees murmured. "I've wanted to do that for a while."

The solicitor rested his forehead agianst the other's, "I missed you."

"Kept thinking about you," Mistoffelees replied, tilting up into the simple touch.

"You could have called sooner," Coricopat murmured.

"It's only been a few days," Mistoffelees swallowed. "I wanted to."

Coricopat's ears flickered, "I suppose that's true. God, it feels longer than that."

"It does," Mistoffelees agreed, kissing him again softly.

The mottled tom leaned down into the kiss for a moment, "We're going to have to actually do a bit of work before I leave as well, simply so I can show my employer if he asks for confirmation."

"Yes," Mistoffelees nodded. "Some work. It's a tiny matter, really..."

"It really is, shouldn't take more than a pawful of minutes."

"Should we expend that pawful now or later?" Mistoffelees asked, smiling into the kiss.

"Later I think..."

Mistoffelees laughed. "I can live with later." He leaned against the taller hard.

Coricopat chuckled, a purr rumbling in his chest as his tail wrapped around Mistoffelees' leg, "Good to know."

Shifting at that, still a little unused to it, Mistoffelees offered him a grin, twining his fingers in Coricopat's headfur. He got a smirk in response as Coricopat ran his paw down the smaller cat's spine, bringing it to rest at the base of his tail.

Mistoffelees arched into that touch. "Not used to that yet," he murmured.

"Is it a good thing to adjust to?" Coricopat asked softly as he massaged small circles at the base of the other's tail.

"I think so? It would be nice not to jump every time," Mistoffelees replied, leaning harder against him.

That garnered a chuckle, "Yes that would be rather nice."

"Hmmmm," the smaller hummed. "Feels nice though."

"I'm glad, it's supposed to."

Mistoffelees titled his head back, offering him a smile as his paws drifted down along Coricopat's back. "Really now?"

The taller made a soft sound in the back of his throat at that, arching at the touch, "Mhm..."

"I would never have guessed it was supposed to feel good," Mistoffelees teased.

Coricopat purred, but gave him a singularly unimpressed look, "Glad that's cleared up then."

Mistoffelees couldn't help but laugh softly at that. "Clear as a sunny day."

Coricopat leaned down and kissed him gently again. Feeling a purr rising in his throat, Mistoffelees pressed up into the kiss.

"I love you," Coricopat said.

Mistoffelees let out a half strangled laugh. "God, I love you too."

Coricopat offered him a gentle smile, resting a paw on his cheek.

"I..." Mistoffelees paused for a long moment. "Someone knows, by the way."

The mottled tom's ears flickered a bit at that, "Two cats, if you mean you told someone."

"Two?" Mistoffelees asked, arching his brow.

"...Macavity's seen me through a lot and I have no hope of managing to lie to him."

For a second Mistoffelees looked like he did not know how to react before finally just nodding. "Right. Good to know."

"I know you don't much care for him, but in matters like this I trust his discretion."

"If you trust him, I'm alright with it," he said. "He just... sets my fur on end."

"He tends to have the effect."

"Good to know it's not just me," Mistoffelees said with a faint smile and a quick kiss.

Coricopat smiled softly, "Who else knows?"

"Tumblebrutus, my friend from school."

A brow arched at that, "Ah, alright."

"He's sensible," Mistoffelees returned. "And... I felt like I was going to go insane as it was. He invited me over for dinner afterwards though so it was a better reaction than I could have hoped for."

Coricopat's brows both rose, "Well, that is quite a bit better than one would expect."

Mistoffelees nodded, the motion small. "He's a good sort. And... possibly in the same situation, though I think he's taken with the idea of running the other direction. We'll probably run for office together this year."

"In the same situation? How so?"

"Possibly in love with someone he shouldn't be," Mistoffelees replied.

"I see." His curiosity was piqued, but he refrained from inquiring further.

"Actually," Mistoffelees considered asking if Cori knew Tugger at all. "It's his own business I suppose." He hesitated and leaned up to kiss the mottled tom hard.

Coricopat considered pursuing that pause, but found himself cut off with the kiss. He returned it with equal fervor. Shifting, Mistoffelees pressed up against it, paws firmly on his back. The mottled tom purred, leaning down to make it less of a stretch for Mistoffelees.

"I miss you too much when you're gone," Mistoffelees said, leaning back for a breath and kissing Coricopat's jaw.

"And I you. G-god…"

Curling his paws around the other's shoulders, Mistoffelees continued kissing wherever he could reach.

Coricopat purred, his eyes half-lidded, "We have got to figure this out."

"We aren't?" Mistoffelees asked.

"If it's been less than a week and we're feeling like this...then no, not really."

"Point," he managed, swallowing and stepping back slightly.

The mottled tom ran a paw through his headfur, "I...we will figure this out, but God…"

"But god it's going to be hard," Mistoffelees finished, kissing him again.

Coricopat returned the kiss briefly, "Well, there's always the excuse of business, after all."

"It is a good excuse," he murmured. "Though, I talked to my uncle recently..."

"O-oh?" The mottled tom's ears flickered at that, "What did he say?"

"I had to agree to run for the House of Commons for him to allow me to move back," Mistoffelees replied quietly.

"But he's allowing you back?"

Mistoffelees nodded, sighing softly and leaning against Coricopat's chest. "Yes. I suppose it's not even on bad terms."

"Not really, no. It certainly could be worse."

"It's just... I never wanted to have to go into politics," Mistoffelees sighed. "Though I suppose I really do have no backups."

"At least it gives you a vocation."

He nodded against the chest he was leaning against. "It will keep me busy I'm sure..."

Coricopat ran his paw gently over Mistoffelees' headfur, "It will, which could be a blessing."

Mistoffelees laughed softly. "So long as I get to claim long hours at your house I suppose."

The solicitor smiled at that, "I can live with that plan."

"Good," Mistoffelees tilted his head back to look at the other. "Of course, campaigning means I'll have to travel, but it'll give me an excuse to stay in the town house over winter."

"There are worse things than travel, and we can claim letters of friendship or business correspondence."

Mistoffelees grinned at him. "You're actually not bad at this."

"Well, I've done this before," came the quiet response.

Mistoffelees reached up and ran a paw over the other's face. "Still. I suppose I really don't want to know what happened."

Coricopat tilted his head into the touch, "Nothing damning, just what I told you."

"Alright," was the quiet response.

"But it's in the past now."

"Well, I'm certain I can approve of that," Mistoffelees laughed softly.

Coricopat chuckled, leaning down to gently kiss the other again, "Good."

Mistoffelees pressed into the kiss. The mottled tom's arm wrapped around his waist drawing him closer.

Pausing a moment, his tail flickered out and twined around the back of Coricopat's leg.

Coricopat startled slightly at that, but his own tail wrapped around Mistoffelees' calf.

"I love you," Mistoffelees said, twining his paws through the mottled tom's headfur.

"I love you too, so very much."

"How much more time do you think we have?" Mistoffelees asked, tilting his head.

"I might be able to stay another thirty minutes."

Mistoffelees let out a frustrated breath and kissed him hard again.

Coricopat pressed into the kiss, "Well, you know where my flat is, too."

"I do," Mistoffelees said and couldn't help but smile. "This time when I end up on your doorstep though, I vote it has nothing to do with my uncle."

"I am completely in agreement."

Laughing again Mistoffelees leaned up to kiss him.

Sonya Vlask is an OC from Felidae 1925. His introduction here is somewhat short, but he'll play a more major role as the story progresses. Hope everyone enjoyed the story, and remember, reviews make your authors glad!