HAT: After suffering through writer's block this entire chapter... I finally got it done! Now... enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing other than the plot... and Lyon.
"You can't stay out here forever," a certain black and brown stripped queen says, bending forward so that she can meet a glass-green gaze that stays on the ground.
Currently they are standing outside a large entertainment center that is housing the party with Skimbleshanks stubbornly facing off with Electra in hopes of not having to go inside and have food brought out to him... needless to say he's fighting a losing battle.
"I don't know why I can't," he mutters stubbornly. "There's plenty of prey out here."
"None cooked like Jenny's. We all know that when she cooks them, there's something special about it and she doesn't do it often."
Briefly Skimbleshanks glances up at her and then looks away. "I dunno..."
She takes his paw and smiles reassuringly. "Come on, I'll be right with you the whole time. I promise."
"Lass-"
"C'mon, please," she begs quietly.
He glances up at her to see her hopeful look and bends. "Only for the food."
"Only for food," she agrees and gently pulls him into the entrance of the large den.
Skimble's unsure of himself and grabs her paw as a sort of reassurance for himself that he has an anchor since his red anchor's currently flirting hard with Tugger who flirts with all the other queens as well, but pays special attention to her. Already more than a few eyes are on him and he quickly keeps his gaze down- not because he's shy, but because he can't bear to look at familiar eyes that look at him like they don't know him like he does them.
"Don't worry, I'm right here," Electra assures.
"I know, lass," he chuckles quietly and allows her to lead him through the crowd to where the food has been placed and where Jennyanydots and Jellylorum are standing around and gossiping. "H-hello. I heard that there was food?"
"Have you taken your herbs?" Jenny asks.
"Yes, ma'am, a full leaf," he assures with a firm nod and licks his lips hungrily while gazing at all the food. "May I?"
"Only if you promise to interact with cats outside of your comfort zone."
He pouts. "Why? It's not like I'm emotionally stunted, I'll get to know them on my own time."
"It's been months Skimble. Quiet frankly I believe this is also a reason as to why you aren't gaining much weight even though you're taking the herbs like ordered."
Skimble stares at her for a moment before dropping his gaze. "Fine... how many?"
"Two at least. The more you talk to, the more you get to eat."
"Yes, ma'am," he nods, "you've got a deal."
"Now shoo. First talk to cats, then come get food. Besides, the mice aren't done anyway," Jenny says and when the orange tom turns to the silvery white queen beside her she snaps her fingers. "Oi! Jelly doesn't count!"
The marmalade tom resists the urge to roll his eyes and merely turns around and walks toward a wall. He doesn't eat that much, but he can always make room for Jenny's cooked food, which is something that is so rare that one would have to smite themselves for missing it.
"Are... are you really eating in front of me?! When I'm hungry?!" Skimble demands of his companion when he notices her eating beside him.
"Well, I didn't expect her to hold you up, but I couldn't go hungry," she shrugs.
"Unbelievable," he grumbles as he crosses his arms angrily. After several seconds of listening to her eat he turns and stares at her plate longingly before pointing suggestively to her plate. "Want to share?"
One of her eyebrows quirks up and the corners of her lips downturn slightly. "Really?"
"C'mon, lass! I'm skin'n'bones! You've got to have mercy on me!" Insists the tabby. "Just this once."
Finally with a sigh she hands him a bit of chicken- one of the delicacies that are most lusted after by the tongue and stomach in the Jellicle junkyard- and a bit of mint grass to go with it. "Here."
"Thank you!" Skimble replies earnestly before digging into the food. "I owe you one."
"Yeah, which is why you're getting me another leg of chicken," she informs.
With a shrug of acceptance he finishes off the food handed to him and glances around for cats that he might be willing to interact with. When he spots a dark brown queen in the corner, dark brown eyes flashing to him curiously, he finds that this kind, shy queen may be one that he can find himself to interact with, but to find another may prove to be difficult for him because he doesn't know any of these cats anymore. He figures meeting her will make Coricopat happy so he walks over slowly, trying to stay casual, but he can't help the stiffness in his movements.
"H-hello, lass," Skimble stutters, making him internally curse.
"Hello. You're Skimbleshanks," she states, an amusement in her dark eyes.
"Yes," he confirms with a slow, but firm nod. "You can just call me Skimble, though. The entire thing is a mouthful... um, what's your name?"
"Exotica," she answers, holding out her paw and Skimble automatically brushes his against her. "Nice to meet you at last Cori talks a lot about you."
Glass-green eyes blink and widen in genuine surprise. "Really? I wouldn't have expected that... all good things?"
"Yes," she assures. "He said that you had trouble with getting to know cats and that you're very... shy in a way."
He chuckles. "Yeah, well... it's difficult sometimes."
Her head tilts and a sympathetic and understanding look presents itself. "It'll get easier."
"I hope so," he murmurs.
Soon she sends him away to meet new cats after learning abut his deal with Jenny with a reminder that her food is usually taken quickly.
Now he stands there looking around for a cat to meet that won't send him to the deep end with their overbearing personality. He glances at Plato and sees him dancing with Etcetera and tosses that idea out of the window. He then spots Jemima and decides against it when her brother- Mistoffelees- joins her. If he'd gone over there he's sure that it'd come off as flirting and then that would be three toms he'd have to deal with. His glass-green gaze sweeps the crowd of cats again and lands on a particular tom that he's sure will be nice enough to talk to for a moment.
Slowly the orange tom pads over to the grey-brown tom with similar colored eyes that lock on him with no small amount of surprise as an orange paw reaches out in greeting. "H-hello. I'm Skimble."
"Admetus," the tom replies quickly, holding out his own paw in greeting.
Skimble cannot help the smile that comes onto his face after seeing the effect he has on the young tom- his godson in another life. "I take it you're shocked that of all the cats I would choose to talk to tonight it'd be you?"
Sheepishly the adolescent- who is decidedly in his upper adolescence- ducks his head and rubs the back of his neck with his right paw. "Y-yeah. What made you want to talk to me?"
"Well... you seem like a cat that's easier to talk to than others," Skimble answers honestly.
(A/N: *peers at words* ... am I making them flirt?... Nah!)
With a nod Admetus accepts this answer. "I'm glad I seem... approachable to you."
Skimble chuckles. "Yes. I hope you're not offended when I tell you that I'm only meeting cats so Jenny will let me have food. She says I'm too shy and so I decided on her minimal of two cats to be cats that seem like I can become friends with- and I hope we can be friends."
Admetus swallows that pill and seems to react just as his father would- graciously. "I would be happy to be your friend."
This earns a grin on Skimble's part. "Hw about we go eat? I don't want to have taken a bitter leaf for nothing."
The two go to the buffet table and Skimble listens to Admetus' chatter with an amused smile as he gets his food. He finds this tom to be as relaxing to be near as Electra- who he spots scolding her brother- Pouncival- for probably being clumsy again (one thing that Macavity wasn't exaggerating).
He had a decent time talking and developing inside jokes as they watch cats from the outskirts of the dancing against the wall. Soon enough Electra starts walking over with a smile on her face.
And then all hell breaks loose.
HAT: Ooooh, what's gonna happen? Party crasher like Rumpus? Macavity showing up? Best song ever coming on (Uptown Funk)?!
Plato: Knowing her it's gonna be all of the above.
HAT: *opens mouth and closes it* Okay... so? Actually I'm having only two of them happen and you know what you can do to help? Vote (by review only)! It'll really help me out with what I'm gonna do for the next few chapters... Please? Just choose two of them by reviewing and I won't write anymore until I get at least five different people's votes (because the even numbers are might make a tie which is counter productive and three makes me feel like there are judges so I thought fives was a good number). So please do this OTHERWISE THIS STORY WON'T BE UPDATED... I've also realized I don't have a clear idea who I'm gonna put with Skimble either so you can also vote on that if you want otherwise it's probably gonna be the random pairing generator again.
Plato: *rolls eyes* I'd do what she says and review/vote so the story will be updated.