Mistoffelees considered his pocket watch from where he was still wrapped around Coricopat. The mottled tom lazily traced a paw down Mistoffelees' arm, "When do you have to leave?"

"Soon," he replied, setting the pocket watch down on the side of the bed and nuzzling up against Coricopat's chest.

Coricopat grimaced, "I suppose that means I'm going to eventually have to release you, hm?"

"Eventually," Mistoffelees said quietly, kissing his collarbone instead of moving to get up.

The lawyer tilted his head enough to kiss the tip of Mistoffelees' ear.

The black ear flickered, batting Coricopat in the face and the cat it was attached to let out a huff of breath. Coricopat chuckled, repeating the action. Shifting around it, Mistoffelees drew his head back finally. "I'm not going to be able to convince myself to leave if you keep doing that."

"I...should stop then?"

"Probably," he said softly but leaned in to kiss Coricopat anyway.

The older cat purred, pressing gently into the kiss, "I love you."

Paws on either side of Coricopat's head, Mistoffelees just leaned further into the kiss for the moment. The mottled tom wrapped his arms around the other, pulling him closer, one paw trailing up his back.

Shifting into that touch, Mistoffelees purred faintly. "I need to go..." he said, pulling back enough that their breath was still mingled though he could speak.

The solicitor sighed, but nodded, "I know."

"It's getting harder," Mistoffelees said quietly.

"It is...but we can't do anything about that," his lover murmured.

"I'm a dreamer, remember?" he said, voice still soft. "I just wish somedays..."

"I know. I know." Coricopat sighed again, "We have to make do with what we have."

"Yes," he said softly, kissing the mottled tom again.

"You do need to be going..."

With a long sigh, Mistoffelees finally pushed himself up and off the bed, stretching. "I wouldn't give this up though," he murmured, almost more to himself. "Even if it is hard."

"I'm glad. I know I couldn't bring myself to."

Mistoffelees glanced back at him as he worked on his cravat and smiled. "Life seems different, with you around."

"Good different?" Coricopat asked quietly as he rose, starting to get dressed as well.

"Which sort of different do you think I could possibly mean?" Mistoffelees asked softly, smiling at him. "Of course good."

The lawyer smiled, working on the buttons of his shirt, "I just wanted to make certain."

Moving over, Mistoffelees batted his paws away and buttoned the shift instead. "Well, you can be certain of that then."

Coricopat brushed a lock of Mistoffelees' headfur back affectionately, "We'll make it."

"I hope so," he said, glancing up quickly and back down to what he was doing.

"I do wish we had a better way to meet, though."

"Longer was what I was thinking," he replied quietly. Finishing with the buttons, he didn't step back, leaving his paws were he could feel the other's heartbeat. "In public it might be easier if I actually hired you. It's a legitimate excuse."

Coricopat's ears flickered, "We would have to speak with Bailey. Or I would..."

There was a pause and Mistoffelees couldn't help but laugh a little helpless, burying his face in Coricopat's chest. "Oh, that's what started all of this wasn't it?"

The solicitor smiled a bit, "Yes, that's what started all of this."

"What excuse did you give him anyway? I remember it was enough to anger my uncle but you could hardly have been honest with him."

"I told him that I was having personal difficulty working with you and I couldn't seem to refrain from saying what was on my mind."

"Well that later part was entirely true. Tell him I am eccentric and prefer that in an employee. That's honest too."

Coricopat kissed him lightly, "I'll give that a try."

"Alright. I do need some legal advice after all but it would be..." he paused. "An excuse."

"And could certainly give us more time together..."

"Yes," Mistoffelees said, finally stepping back with a swallow. "More time." It never felt like there was enough and this had barely even started.

"I should let you go now..."

Getting his vest and jacket on, Mistoffelees paused another moment before all but plastering himself against the other cat, kissing him hard. Coricopat's arms wrapped around him and he purred, pressing into the kiss for a moment before backing up a bit, "I love you."

"Yeah, I love you too," Mistoffelees murmured, tracing a paw across his cheekbone.

Coricopat leaned into the touch, "I'll speak with Bailey tomorrow."

"Alright," he said quietly. "H-have a good day then. I'll see you soon?"

"As soon as we can both viably make the excuse."

Mistoffelees nodded, once more kissing the mottled tom, lightly this time. Then he finally drew back enough to turn for the door. Coricopat sighed, watching him go, "Take care."

"You too," he said softly before heading out the door.

v.v.v.v

Coricopat entered the office the next day, glancing toward Bailey's office door as he hung up his coat and hat. He hesitated for a long moment before moving over and knocking on the closed door. Macavity brow's shot up, but he remained quiet. Inside the office Bill Bailey's own brows rose as he called for the door to be open.

The mottled tom slipped inside, closing the door behind himself, "Sir?"

"What can I do for you, Mr. Zimmerman?"

"Mistoffelees Quaxo approached me yesterday and asked to hire me as his personal lawyer." He got right to the point, knowing he had other things that needed to be done that day.

Getting to the point however had the side effect of leaving his employer blinking in shock for several long moments."Excuse me? Mr. Quaxo as in the Baron Jones' nephew?"

Coricopat nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Asked you to work for him," Bailey continued. "Did you agree to his proposition?"

"I was considering doing so, yes."

"Despite in fact changing from being one of Jones' clients expressly because of issues you had with the tom in question?"

"I...at the time I feared my tendency to honesty around him being indecorous. He...is apparently eccentric and liked that aspect of our exchanges."

Bailey still didn't look entirely impressed. "You believe you will be able to work with him then?"

Coricopat nodded once, "Yes, sir. I believe it will be possible."

"Well, I can hardly say no to a client like that. But you had better be very sure about your ability to handle his business first."

"I give you my word, sir, that I have Mr. Quaxo's interests in mind and I shall handle his business with the expertise you know I possess."

"Good. Carry on then," Bailey said, waving a paw to dismiss his employee. Coricopat offered him a bow before slipping out of the office and heading to his desk.

"That went well?" Macavity offered, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation.

He nodded, "Quite well, yes."

"Working for him now?" Macavity asked, keeping his voice rather neutral.

"You were listening at the door again."

"Not entirely," Macavity replied. "Well, alright, for the most part yes. Are you?"

"I am, yes," Coricopat answered.

"How's that going to go then?" Macavity asked, voice low.

"Well, hopefully. It gives us a legitimate reason to meet."

"Suppose that's something," Macavity said after a moment, leaning back and looking like he was considering something quite seriously.

"What?"

"What do you mean by what?" Macavity asked, glancing up.

"I mean there was a pause there and you've usually a reason behind them."

"Well," he shrugged. "It just seems like you're walking on a tightwire that's going to break while you're halfway across is all."

Coricopat's ears flickered a bit at that, thinking of Franklin, "Well, here's hoping it doesn't." Macavity nodded, looking down. "Everything alright with you?" Coricopat attempted after another second.

"Sure," he replied. "Me? Why would there be an issue there?"

"I didn't say there was, I asked if everything was going alright."

"Yeah," he replied, just a little rough around the edges. "Everything is going alright."

Coricopat's brow rose, and he considered not pressing it, "Have you seen Miss Jones lately?"

"Yeah?" Macavity glanced up. "Why?"

"Mistoffelees mentioned the date's been set."

Something tightened in Macavity's face and he nodded. "Well, at least that takes away the uncertainty."

Coricopat looked his partner over, "What do you think of her?"

"What do you mean?" Macavity asked, finally glancing up at him.

"What do you mean what do I mean? It's a simple enough question."

"She's a noble, who has been recently engaged," Macavity replied with a shrug. "She's a client. Rather she's sweet and maybe with a bit of humor is of little consequence."

"She's not the client, her father is," Cori corrected. "Her aunt seems to think the two of you are taken with one another," he finally came out and said it.

Macavity blinked at him. "Maybe she's taken to flights of fancy."

"Perhaps so," Coricopat returned, but clearly didn't look like he believed that.

Macavity shrugged. "Nothing could come of it anyway"

"That doesn't mean you're doing alright, though."

"But I am," Macavity insisted.

"Alright, very well. If you ever find yourself not you know where to find me, and I'm more than willing to listen."

"Thank you," Macavity replied, looking like he already planned on never taking the offer up.

Coricopat sighed, nodding, "Of course."

v.v.v.v

Munkustrap had talked the cat at the stage door into letting him backstage before the performance, he slipped through the nearly empty theatre, seeking out Bombalurina.

The red queen was mostly dressed for the performance, a shawl over her shoulders even in the summer, looking at her hair in a mirror when she heard the paw steps, turning in some surprise to see Munkustrap there. He offered her a faint smile, "Good afternoon, Miss Harris."

"Mr. Hollister," she greeted. "May I help you with something?"

"I...actually I had a question regarding Tugger..."

Bomba's brows just rose. "Dare I ask what that question may be?"

"I give you my word that this is out of concern for him. I assume you've read his latest editorial?"

There was a pause and then she nodded. "Yes, I did."

"I..." He drew a deep breath, "I was wondering if there was a who that he might possibly be considering violating said laws with? He came asking me about them recently, and I haven't been able to stop worrying about it since."

Bombalurina blinked once, slowly. "You mean the laws against sodomy?"

He winced at that, nodding, "Yes, those ones."

"I, well," she paused a long moment and glanced over at where Jemima was just coming out of her own room. "Jemi, darling," she called out, and eyes widening the younger queen made her way over.

Munkustrap glanced in the direction of the ingénue, inclining his head to her.

"Yes?" the smaller queen asked.

"Jemi, this is Munkustrap, Tugger's older brother."

"Oh," Jemi said, eyes widening and bobbing a curtsy. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine, Miss," The silver tabby offered her a bow

"Jemi," Bomba turned to the younger queen who returned the look with wide eyes.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember that patched tom, the one who came in with your own patched tom?" Bomba asked.

"You mean Lord Tumblebrutus Carpenter?" Jemi asked.

"Yes, that one," Bomba nodded. Munkustrap's ears lay back and he glanced at Bomba in alarm, a Lord's son?

Bomba frowned. "Well, did he ever come back?"

Jemi blushed. "Yes."

"May I ask if anything happened?" Munkus finally spoke again.

"Well, he," she blushed worse at being addressed by Munkustrap. Her ears flickered slightly. "Well, you know that dance he's learned, the one from the sailors?" Bomba nodded. "He taught that to Lord Carpenter."

Munkustrap paled at that, narrowly avoiding swearing in front of the two queens. Bomba gaped at her. "And Carpenter let him?"

She nodded quietly. "Yes."

"Oh heavens..." Munkustrap breathed, his mind tracking what he knew of the legal system and where this could easily end up.

Bomba ran a paw over her face before turning back to Munkustrap. "Did that answer your question?"

"Unfortunately yes...How likely is this that it's mere infatuation? Or a rebellion on my brother's part?" The questions sounded as though he was uncertain both of the answer and of the asking itself.

Bomba paused and shrugged, Jemima still blushing. "I don't know," she said, having been the one to see them the most together.

He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as he nodded, "Thank you. Both of you."

"Of course," Jemi murmured, bobbing another curtsy and scurrying away.

Munkustrap watched her go, before turning to look at Bomba, "Do you have any suggestions?"

"About what to do with them?" she asked. "It might be nothing. It might be a phase. But it is Tugger."

"That's what concerns me." He shook his head, his ears lowering, "I don't know what to do. Beyond pray that he's careful."

"Yes," she replied. "Well, banging him upside the head or locking him in the house might work but..."

"But I can't viably do either of those either. I'll talk to Mac, see if he has any suggestions..."

"Your oldest brother?"

Munkus nodded, "Yes, also known as the other one I have no idea what to do with..."

She laughed quietly. "At least he's charming. What has he done lately?"

"Lately? I can't say for certain. I can never say for certain, but there are a half dozen things I suspect him of doing that concern me enough," Munkus smiled wryly, "And charming is entirely depending on who he's interacting with."

Bomba smiled faintly and nodded. "Well, he's quite charming with the queens then." She did not press on what he did that was concerning.

The silver tabby chuckled, shaking his head again, "I will grant you that." His gaze swept around, "I should let you finish getting ready..."

"It would probably be wise," she replied. "Unless you would like to stay for the play."

He considered that offer, "I think this evening I should go speak with Mac, but perhaps I might come tomorrow?"

"You're welcome any time," she assured and questioned why she had the next moment.

He offered her a smile and a bow, "In that case...break a leg, I believe is the term?"

"Yes," she said, voice warming. "It is." Inclining her head, she glanced at the mirror again, making sure her hair was correct. "Have a good evening, Mr. Hollister."

"And you, Miss Harris." He offered her a gentle smile in the mirror before slipping out. She stood there a while after he left, just considering her reflection in the mirror before scowling slightly and turning away to finish preparations for the performance.

Thank you everyone who has been reading this story! It very much echoes Victorian novels in for how much it meanders but we hope it's still enjoyable to you. Please leave a review on the way off the page, it really does mean a lot to us to hear from people!