Okeydoke, Chapter 7. Hope you like it.
Munk continues to try and find Alonzo a present.
Side note: I don't write the way Mungo and Teazer write phonetically because it's hard to read. Just imagine their thick cockney accents.
By the way, I've realised why it takes me more than a day to write these. This chapter alone is over 7800 words long. I'll see if I can break 8000 next time.
WARNING: There is a short scene of abuse in this chapter involving violent sexual themes. There are also scenes with sexual themes which do not involve violence.
Chapter 7
Christmas
The snow stayed on the ground for many days and provided the kittens with many hours of enjoyment. Several dustings more provided Tugger with plenty of material to begin sculpting again and as such had created a small army of snowcats. He had made sure Tumble stayed at a great distance much to the dismay of the kitten in order to protect his snow family. He would spend hours tweaking his design and would stand on the snow-covered tyre surveying his creations once he'd finished. He felt very proud with what he'd done and began to explore other Christmassy options. From visiting Munk at his human's home during previous Christmases he had formed – in his mind – a good idea of what the celebration was meant to be about and as such he rounded up the kittens to do his bidding. He reluctantly allowed Tumble to join in but warned him not to go near his snowcats. Bomba from time to time watched him become a most unlikely father figure and found the concept rather funny. Tugger instructed the kittens to find anything that shone or sparkled from the junk piles and bring it back to the clearing. Within the hour he was presented with a considerable amount of what he'd asked for and began to thread the items onto lengths of string. When he'd completed this he enlisted Misto to help him rope them across the clearing so they hung above the Jellicles' heads. Everyone watched as Tugger's impromptu decorations added a sparkle to the junkyard that was rarely seen outside the Jellicle Ball. The maned tom smiled up at them, happy with himself. How was it that Christmas always made him loose his cool and yet for some reason he didn't care?
Munk and Alonzo had watched Tugger lead the kittens from their perch on top of the big tyre and they kept very close as they did so. The air was very cold if one wasn't moving too much so they snuggled into each other's think winter coat to keep warm. Munk held Alonzo tenderly and the patched tom produced a soft purr to let his boyfriend know he loved his closeness.
"Your brother is quite the character, isn't he?"
Munk chuckled, "I always thought he was more of a moron"
"That too. Do you think he would make a good father?"
"What an interesting question. I know what I'd normally say but seeing him like this you have to wonder…"
"I know what you mean"
"Can you really imagine Tugger with a kitten, though? Or in his case it would probably be more like ten kittens" laughed Munk
"No, probably not. It's nice to wonder, though"
"Yeah, it is"
"Have you ever thought about kittens, Munk?"
Such a question might have made Munk freak out about six weeks beforehand but their conversations had become far deeper in their time as boyfriends. They spoke about personal things and such a topic as each other's plans for kittens certainly fit within their plethora of playful banter and discussion. Munk barely reacted to the question as he replied,
"From time to time I have but I never really thought I would get the chance"
"Why's that?"
"I never thought I would have time for a queen with whom I could make kittens what with my obligations to the tribe. I rather think that my very being in a relationship with you is a massive advance on any plans I ever had for a family. Even if it will always just be you and I, I'll be happy"
Alonzo didn't think a response was necessary to that statement, he quietly mulled it over as they continued to watch the Jellicles frolic in the snow. Munk eventually returned the question,
"How about you?"
"Well I never expected to settle down with a queen so I suppose not. I'd love to have kittens but I guess it's just not on the cards for me"
Munk rubbed the patched tom's arm as he spoke,
"I suppose I have the same problem, come to think of it"
"Hmm?"
"The queen issue. Unless I'm very much mistaken, Alonzo, you're a tom and I'm pretty sure toms don't have kittens"
Alonzo looked at his tom confusedly, "What are you talking about?"
"If I'm dating you then I must, of course, be gay"
Alonzo laughed, "You mean you've only just figured it out?"
Munk laughed as well, "Of course not. It's just whenever I thought of kittens there was a queen somewhere in there just for the purpose of facilitating the kittens' production"
Alonzo nearly fell over from laughing at Munk's intense but silly logic. Munk chuckled as he watched his boyfriend crack up and scooped him back into his arms.
"I don't need kittens, 'Lonz, I have you" Munk said, smiling.
"And I have you" replied Alonzo. They shared a kiss before nuzzling each other affectionately.
Their special moment was cut short by Munk's thought process hijacking his mind: He hadn't yet found Alonzo a Christmas present and he knew it had to be a good one. Their first Christmas as partners was only about a week and a half away and he hadn't come up with an idea. He pulled himself away from Alonzo and asked him to watch the yard while he said he was going on patrol. The patched tom offered to go with him but the tabby who really needed the time to think fobbed him off. Munk soon found himself away from the Jellicles and began to ponder what on earth he could get for his boyfriend. Every now and then he stopped and pawed through the junk if he saw something that caught his eye but nothing really seemed good enough. He managed to find a rather nice wristwatch some silly human must have thrown away by mistake but decided Alonzo would have no practical use for it. Munk – having spent a large part of his life living in a human's home – had picked up a few human tendencies such as keeping an eye on the time and practicing organizational skills. He realised Alonzo - having spent most of his life outdoors, so to speak - would not have any use for knowing the time of day. A little while later Munk found a lovely looking hairbrush. He knew Alonzo always liked to look his best and keep his fur in perfect order so maybe he would like this. The tabby tried using the instrument on himself but found it rather cumbersome due to it's size. He began to get frustrated as he tried to make it work but eventually managed to tangle and pull on his own fur. He decided that maybe the brush was not so great either.
Munk plonked himself down on the junk wondering what on earth he was going to do. He had given Alonzo plenty of gifts before as friends but this one for some reason seemed more important than all of those put together. This present had to be special to show Alonzo how much he loved him but for the life of him Munk couldn't figure out what that could be. A few more ideas flittered through but he found them quite mediocre and ultimately not right. He knew he had to get a move on with finding this gift but for now he would just have to keep up the act for Alonzo. He wandered back after a while to see what else Tugger had gotten up to.
Alonzo remained on the tyre after Munk had left and watched over everything for his boyfriend. He'd done the job many times before but for some reason it felt better now. His mind was kept occupied with thoughts of Christmas with Munk and he wondered what they might do. Would Munk invite him to stay at his humans' house? It would be nice but would they even let a strange cat into their home? Probably not. They would probably stay at his den although now it was pretty much just as much Munk's as it was his. It felt nice to be living with someone after he'd lived alone for so long and he enjoyed teasing Munk about his living habits. There wasn't much to tease about since Munk was incredibly organized and very tidy but Alonzo always found something to irritate him with. He enjoyed seeing his boyfriend roll his eyes at him or pout or stand confused or whatever reaction was apt for his little games. Munk knew it was all in good fun and even managed to get a few tricks in himself from time to time. That was a great thing about them: they could be deadly serious or wildly immature, two characteristics that had previously defined Munk and Alonzo respectively. They seemed to have blended since they'd been together and enjoyed the new sides they were discovering about themselves.
Alonzo watched Tugger try and direct Mistoffelees into making something equivalent to Christmas lights. Misto didn't really understand what it was that Tugger was asking but seemed to enjoy the odd results he came up with. Tugger just got more and more huffy as the black and white tom's attempts proved wrong time after time. Alonzo didn't notice Bomba sneak and place herself down beside him.
"You look happy" she said brightly
Alonzo turned his head in surprise but then softened as he realised who it was,
"Just enjoying Christmas, I suppose"
"Do you understand any of this?" she asked gesturing around the clearing
"Not in the least but Tugger seems to know"
"He thinks he does"
"You're probably right"
"Where's Munk?"
"He's off patrolling. His mind seemed to be elsewhere though"
"Head over heels in love, I suspect"
Alonzo just giggled embarrassedly,
"How are you two?" asked the red queen
"Oh, you know…good" replied Alonzo containing his happiness
"Just good?"
"Fantastic. Absolutely wonderful. He's amazing, isn't he?"
Bomba smiled as she listened to Alonzo daydream about his tom,
"Meh, I've seen better" she teased
Alonzo shot her an icy glare but soon realised it was just Bomba being Bomba,
"I think I got the right brother" he retorted
"Speak for yourself. Munk's good and proper if you like that sort of thing but I prefer my toms with a wild side and packing a power tool downstairs" she said plainly and eliciting a blush with a grimace from Alonzo. She knew all too well how to make him squirm,
"Don't hold back, Bomba, say what you really like" he said sarcastically
"If you want. Tugger may not be a gentletom but I've got no problem with that. He's an acrobat in the sack and he knows just how just what I need"
Alonzo felt a bit dizzy at the thought, he decided to try and play her at her own game even though he had no ammunition,
"Well, I'm sure Munk must have some of the same moves. I've managed to unearth a devilish side to him if you can believe that and I reckon he's got what it takes to make me scream." Alonzo felt silly at what he'd said but he wanted to make Bomba think his boyfriend wasn't as by the book as he seemed. His argument was quickly unpicked,
"Wait, you reckon? Everlasting, Alonzo! You've been going out for nearly six weeks and you haven't even slept with him?" asked Bomba surprised
Alonzo shuffled a little and tried to regain some control,
"We've been having loads of fun, Bomba. There's no need to rush things"
"But it's you"
"What do you mean?"
"You're a regular Tugger behind those patches"
"I wouldn't go that far"
"Well you know what I mean. You love to have a good time with a sexy tom and Munk certainly fits into that category, if you don't mind my saying so."
"You think Munk is sexy?"
"Duh. I can't believe you haven't enticed him yet"
Alonzo shuffled even more and felt a little embarrassed. She was right, usually it didn't take him this long to bed a tom so why was he taking his time?
"It's not that I don't want to, Bomba. It's just…I don't know…"
"Are you sure?"
"What?"
"That you don't know?
Alonzo thought for a moment,
"I suppose I just don't want to rush things, you know? Munk's really special and I don't want him to think I'm some whore"
"He's gonna have to find out sooner or later" she said with a smirk. Alonzo shoved her as she giggled
"Seriously, Bomba, I don't want to mess this up"
"Why do you think you would just by mating with him?"
Alonzo stopped to think again. He supposed it couldn't hurt to give it a shot, but what if Munk wasn't ready?
"You really think it's time?" Alonzo asked
"Well, do you?" replied Bomba
"I don't know. I want to but I don't know if he does"
"He's a tom, 'Lonz. You guys are always after a bit of a tumble under the covers"
"Could you be any less appropriate?"
"You love it!" she said with an evil grin. Alonzo just responded with a sarcastic smile. "I'd say give it a go, what's the worst that could happen?"
"I might scare him away"
"Nah. You two seem pretty solid. You've been seeing each other for years, kinda."
"We were just friends before"
"Well now you've got all that getting to know each other out of the way why not jump straight into the perks of a relationship?" she said seeing Alonzo starting to come around to her way of thinking.
"I don't know"
"You know you want to…"
"But still, I don't thin-"
"I bet he'd love it…"
"Well how can you kno-"
"You know I reckon he probably does have a few of Tugger's tricks up his sleeve, you know, embedded in the genes" she said with a wink
"Bomba!" said Alonzo giggling. She had managed to win him over now, "Alright! I'll see how he feels but don't think I'll tell you anything if something happens"
"Oh come on, 'Lonz! You can't keep me in the dark now!" she said with fake frustration, "Pleeeease!"
"Nope, sorry" he said with a smile. A small explosion of sparkling dust and a very startled Tugger sitting on a pile of snow drew their attention away. It seemed that Misto had tried to accomplish something Tugger had described but had gotten the wrong idea for what seemed like the hundredth time – probably due to Tugger's poor explanations. The bigger tom had fallen back at Misto's bang and had landed on one of his snowcats. He took a moment to comprehend what he had done and then started wailing,
"Nooooo!" he cried into the air, "Misto I'm gonna kill you!"
"What did I do?" replied the magical tom
"You destroyed one of my snowcats!"
"I think you did that!"
"Well you made me fall!"
"Hey if you'd described what you wanted properly then none of this would have happened!"
The row escalated and pretty soon they were yelling like spoilt kittens. It was at that point Munk returned to the clearing and jumped in to break up the furore. Alonzo and Bomba just sat and laughed at the display and found it hilarious as Munk tried to calm his brother down. Tugger really was such a kitten at Christmastime.
The day passed with it's usual glee hanging in the air. The kittens of course got overexcited and eventually fell asleep wherever they dropped as kittens tend to do. They were soon scooped up by Jenny and placed in their respective homes with Munk's help. As he carried a tuckered out Electra back to the den she shared he thought about the conversation he'd had earlier with Alonzo about kittens. He liked the thought of being able to pick up someone so small and take care of them like he was doing now but moreover he liked the idea of bringing up a kitten with Alonzo. He sighed as he placed the sleeping kit on her bed as he realised it probably wasn't a likely option for him but cheered himself up again when he thought of how he had Alonzo to make up for it. It was that very tom he found patiently waiting for him from his vantage point on top of the big tyre. Alonzo rose and extended a paw as he did so,
"Shall we?" he asked suggesting they go to bed. Munk took his paw and was lead home by his boyfriend. The two snuggled down facing each other on the blankets and nuzzled gently in the darkness. Munk scratched at the back of his tom's head eliciting a small purr and receiving a gentle rub.
"Goodnight, patches" said Munk quietly
"Goodnight, stripes" replied Alonzo kissing his tom on the lips. It didn't take long for their kiss to become more passionate and pretty soon they were making out like they had been doing a lot recently. Perhaps inappropriately timed, Bomba's voice began to echo in Alonzo's mind. He remembered what it was she had been saying about taking things a little further with Munk and he debated whether or not to try it now. On the one paw he felt a bit embarrassed at the idea but on the other he really was desperate for a release. His libido eventually got the better of him and he started rubbing Munk's back suggestively and moaning into the kiss. Munk just enjoyed the feeling and let his tom be passionate and copied his actions. Alonzo took Munk's imitation as a sign that he liked what he was doing and began rubbing at Munk's lower back just above his tail. The patched tom began to play with the tabby's tail and thread it suggestively through his fingers while stroking it. Munk kept his paws where they were and didn't seem to change his expression as he continued to kiss Alonzo. They carried on this way for a few moments more before Alonzo couldn't wait any longer. He decided to go for it and placed his paws on Munk's behind, grabbing it firmly. At the same time he slipped his tongue further into Munk's mouth and began exploring. Munk hadn't known the sudden turning up of the heat was coming and flinched at Alonzo's actions. As a result of Munk's reaction Alonzo jerked as well and through an unknown series of fumbling and jumping the silver tabby fell off of the bed and landed on the floor with a bump. He looked up at the ceiling in a daze and wondered how he had ended up there while Alonzo puzzled at the now missing tom. The patched tom slowly scrambled to the edge of the bed and looked down at the confused Munk who just stared back. They didn't know what to do so they just stayed gazing at each other until Munk finally broke the silence,
"What was that?"
Alonzo swallowed hard and feigned ignorance,
"What was what?"
"That. You know…the grabbing…and the tongue…"
Alonzo blushed through his fur and looked away,
"I, uh…thought maybe…you know…"
Munk puzzled, "You thought what?"
"Well, do I really need to spell it out?" asked Alonzo sounding frustrated but really just embarrassed. The two locked eyes and Munk eventually got it,
"Oh" he said simply, "you wanted to…"
Alonzo felt like he was shrinking, "Well, yes…" he said quietly looking away. Munk stayed quiet as he tried to think of a response.
"It hasn't – so far - gone the way I'd hoped we first might…you know"
"Certainly not" replied Alonzo
The tension and embarrassment that hung in the air was unbearable. The silence between them made it worse and pretty soon Munk couldn't handle the pressure anymore,
"Maybe I should sleep at mine tonight…"
Alonzo looked at him disappointedly but really was relieved as he just wanted to die,
"If you want…"
"Is that what you want, though?"
"I dunno…"
"Do you want to talk about it?" asked the tabby putting on his authoritative voice as an attempt to escape the tension. It didn't work.
"I, uh…do you?"
"I dunno"
They stood again in silence for a moment wondering how to salvage the conversation. Clearly it was already beyond rescue.
"I think, maybe, I'll just get some air" said Munk turning to leave
"Okay" replied Alonzo meekly. As Munk left Alonzo's paws flew to his face and flattened across it. He rolled around in mortification and felt like a complete idiot.
Munk stood outside the den and went through the preceding few minutes in his head. He went a bit dizzy when the memory of the fall came and he screwed up his eyes in humiliation. He had thought that his first time with Alonzo would be really great and memorable but so far it was a catastrophe. Perhaps tonight wasn't the night.
A minute or two later Munk re-entered the den and Alonzo jumped off of the bed to stand bolt upright. They looked at each other with blank expressions waiting for the other to react. In the silence their bodies began to shake slightly and the unmistakeable sound of muffled laughter greeted both their ears. They began to laugh more and more and soon they clung to each other for support as they roared with hilarity. Alonzo's attempt to have sex with Munk had really gone all wrong and they both found it so funny that the tabby had actually fallen out of the bed as a result. They soon found their way back to lying positions and calmed their laughter.
"Is that how you treat all your toms?" chuckled Munk
"First time someone's ever fallen out of bed" replied Alonzo in a similar state.
"You know, I thought our first time would be more romantic and less painful"
"I'd hoped as much"
"Shall we try again another night?" asked Munk smiling.
Alonzo sniggered, "Alright, I'd prefer not to try and save this train wreck"
They kissed through some more laughter and eventually found their way to sleep. They slept with smiles on their faces, glad that their mishap hadn't turned out as horribly as it could have done.
In the backstreets of London an evil cat toyed with his prey. He certainly didn't intend to eat what he had caught but he certainly was going to enjoy it. A pretty looking young queen had her wrists bound and chained above her head. Her legs were also chained to the floor so she was forced to stand with her arms extended above her. Had she been just a little bit shorter she would be hanging by the metal that bound her strained wrists. As she suffered through her imprisonment she shook with fear and despaired at what her captor was going to do to her. The poor queen struggled and thrashed as she tried to break free but it was no use, Macavity had made sure his toy wasn't going to get away. In complete silence the tom entered the area he had chained the queen up in and circled her a few times while looking at her with hunger in his eyes and an evil grin. The petrified queen stared back as she felt his eyes explore her body and flinched when he extended his paws to touch her soft fur.
"Please…" she sobbed, "Please don't hurt me"
Macavity's chuckling echoed in the silent warehouse and he revelled in the fear that emanated from the small queen. He slowly extended his claws and grazed up and down her body concentrating on her lower back and chest. She sobbed as he slowly took advantage of her immobile state and let out a small cry as he scratched at her skin forcing it to shed a few drops of blood. The small queen looked into the psycho's eyes and pleaded with him to let her go. Every move or sound she made seemed to make him look even more maniacal.
"What is your name?" asked Macavity in a low, lustful voice.
"G-…G-…Georgina" the queen stuttered feeling the red, ginger and black tom get far too close to her from behind.
"Well, Georgina, you should be very glad…"
The queen looked up at him again hoping he might have mercy. She waited silently for a few moments for him to continue,
"…Yes. You're about to make me very happy" he said with fire in his eyes and began to laugh, filling the warehouse with the evil sound. The queen screamed and thrashed as Macavity proceeded to violate her. She had never mated with a tom before and Macavity's violent and fervent actions were agonizing. She screamed and screamed until her voice ran out and in the end she resigned to her awful situation. She cried as the evil tom did his evil business and when he was finished he withdrew and looked at what he'd accomplished. Georgina hung limp in the chains as it seemed she had fainted from the shock and pain. Perhaps this was best as Macavity extended his claws to her throat and quickly sliced through.
With his early Christmas present to himself thoroughly enjoyed he sauntered over to his living area feeling very pleased. He fell down on his bed and slowly let sleep take hold of him. As he slowly went off the image of one particular cat crossed his mind. He smiled as he thought of the black and white tom and relaxed knowing soon he'd have him. In the seconds before he went under he released a few soft words into the air,
"See you soon, Alonzo"
Another week came and went and Munk and Alonzo didn't attempt any more bedroom play. They had found it funny but it was still quite embarrassing and they preferred not to think about it. Other things were on Munk's mind at the moment though, he was still having no luck in finding Alonzo the perfect present and he began to get worried that he would have nothing to give him. Alonzo began to wonder where Munk kept sneaking off to at strange moments without even so much as an 'I'll be right back'. He had seen the tabby get more restless over the last week or so and it worried him. As the evening arrived he welcomed Munk into his den affectionately and asked him what was bothering him. Munk quickly deferred the conversation and began to talk about other things. The patched tom could see it was a touchy subject for his boyfriend and it only made him more curious. That evening he attempted to bring it up several more times but still got nothing. He was desperate to know the secret and he barely got any sleep that night from wondering. He hoped everything was okay.
Christmas Eve arrived and all the Jellicles were settling down to enjoy their night. Old Deuteronomy had arrived and was telling the kittens Christmas stories as they gathered around him. Tugger - of course - was sat right at the front, cross-legged and staring intently up at his father with wonder on his face. Many of the Jellicles found it adorable where as others found it somewhat pitiful. The maned tom didn't care what they thought, he had loved listening to these stories ever since he was a kitten and no cat was ever going to take that away from him. That's not to say some didn't try, Bomba attempted to entice him away from the leader with promises of a good time but she had no success. Tugger was too engrossed. She might have felt annoyed at him but knew there was no way to grasp his attention now he had locked onto his father. She resigned to this and waited patiently for Old Deuteronomy to finish his tales. As the night fell the other Jellicles all gathered around and snuggled together in the cold air as Old Deuteronomy spoke. They all felt a little wonder and detected a sparkle of magic in the air. Perhaps this is what Christmas was about.
Munk, on the other hand, was far from serene. He had spent all day trying his hardest to find a gift for his tom but still nothing. He grew frantic now as Christmas was merely hours away. His desperation to please Alonzo began to take it's toll on his upstanding character. As the Jellicles listened he quietly made his way over to a very notorious pair of cats: Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer. These two had similar markings of orange, white, black and yellow in striped patterns and in a way their coats seemed to match their characters. They were the greatest cat burglars in town and they had managed a few massive jobs in their time. Munk took them out of earshot of everyone else and began to relate his predicament,
"Guys, I need a favour"
"What's that then?" asked Mungo in his thick cockney
"Well, let me explain. I have to get Alonzo a really great present for Christmas this year because I really want our first one to be special. The problem is it's Christmas Eve and I've not found anything good"
Mungo and Teazer knew what he was getting at and cheeky smiles graced their faces as they looked at each other.
"What do you need us for?" asked Teazer
"I was hoping you might have some…merchandise that might be right?"
"Sorry, Munk. Ain't got nothing at the moment"
The tabby seemed to go from hopeful to crushed in no time at all, what was he going to do now?
"However" said Mungo making Munk perk up again in anticipation, "We might be able to do something for you"
Munk knew he should never trust these two but couldn't think of an alternative at this moment in time.
"Go on…" he said curiously
"We happen to know of a little place not too far from here that might have what you're looking for"
"Yes?" Munk said with anticipation
"Follow us" the pair said scampering towards the entrance of the junkyard. Munk just followed them, blinded by his desperation to find a present.
After twenty minutes of running Munk found himself looking up at a pet shop amongst a row of closed stores. The inside was dark as it was now late on Christmas Eve and the only light came from the pub at the end of the street filled with joyful humans. Munk continued to look up until Teazer snatched his attention.
"What d'you think?" she asked smiling
"Depends what you're suggesting" the tabby replied
"Think there's something in there that Alonzo might like?"
"Well probably but I don't know if-"
"Great! Go for it Mungo!" she called
Munk barely had time to think as he heard a small crash in front of him. It appeared that Mungo had taken a stone and used it to break a small hole through the shop's front window. As quick as a flash the two robbers jumped inside and beckoned for Munk to follow them.
"Guys! What are you doing?" yelled the protector
"Shhh!" they both hissed, "Come in, quick!"
"What if someone's in there?"
"There ain't no one! It's fine, come on!"
"Of for Everlasting's sake…" huffed Munk as he climbed through the glass. His reservations were quickly dashed as he looked around at the shop's contents. To his left were stacks of bagged pet food, to his right were a bunch of plastic toys for rodents and in front was a little aisle filled with all sorts of things. Munk knew what he was doing was wrong but couldn't quite make his sensibility see that.
"Oi, Munk! 'Round here!" called Mungo. Munk followed the voice around a corner and found the pair gesturing up to a series of racks above them, "Anything take your fancy?"
The tabby looked up and noticed a great many shiny objects. There were leads for Pollicles and muzzles too, there were small plastic toys and little furry things but above all there were collars. Many of them. Munk seemed to brighten up as he looked at the little things and jumped up to see them more clearly. There were collars of many different colours and designs and they all had shining silver or gold buckles making them stand out. Some even had bells on which made Munk laugh as he tinkled them. Alonzo would surely love one of these, after all he'd been after Munk's for years. Maybe if Munk got him one of these then the perfect present would be found. He continued to look and found the perfect one, it was made of black leather and was bedazzled with shining silver studs which Munk knew would look great on his boyfriend. He was absolutely sure this was what to get him and he began to reach out to take it.
Something stopped his paw in mid-air and he hesitated as the implications of what he was about to do circulated. He had always lectured Mungo and Teazer over how wrong it was to steal things yet here he was about to do exactly what he had given them such a hard time about. And what if the Jellicles found out? How could he begin to explain this?
Mungo and Teazer were confused at the delay. Eventually the tom spoke,
"Go on, Munk. Take it!" he encouraged
Munk continued to stare at the garment he was reaching for.
"He'd love it, Munk! Just take it, no one will know!" called Teazer
Still, the tabby stood.
"Just do it now!" they both yelled together.
Munk looked down at the two who were gazing back with anticipant smiles and wide eyes. He looked back at the collar and very slowly lowered his paw.
"I won't do it" he said sadly
The other two cats looked at each other with confusion and then back at their protector,
"What are you on about?" asked Mungo
Munk climbed down to their level and looked at the ground as he explained himself,
"Stealing is wrong, guys. It's not something I want hanging over my head"
"Oh don't worry, I'll get it for you!" said Teazer getting ready to jump up. Munk stopped her as she bent down to leap and looked her in the eye,
"No, Rumpleteazer." She knew he was serious, when did he ever use her full name?
"But Munk, Alonzo…"
"Not like this"
"But it's right there, all it would take is…"
"I said no, Teazer, that's the end of it. Now come on, let's go home. Everyone will be waiting for us"
The trio climbed back through the broken glass and walked home in silence. Munk felt awful that he now had to go and face Alonzo with nothing. He had tried, really he had, but there was nothing he had found which was right. The tabby plodded along sadly as he tried to think of an excuse but his thoughts just made him feel lower. How can he have messed this up?
Old Deuteronomy finished his last story and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. It was very late now and the kittens were dropping off as they tried to listen. Tugger also looked a little drowsy from his position and was the first to rise up and return to his den. Slowly, the Jellicles began to wander back to their homes leaving Alonzo looking around through the dissipating cats for his boyfriend. Old Deuteronomy saw the tom wondering where his boyfriend had gotten to and went to join him.
"Lost something, Alonzo?"
"Just Munk" replied the patched tom
"Yes, I noticed he wasn't here. Did he say anything about where he might have gone?"
"Nothing at all, sir"
"Well, will you wish him a Merry Christmas for me? I must go now if I want to be back here early in the morning"
"Of course, sir. Merry Christmas to you" he said bowing
"Merry Christmas" said Old Deuteronomy returning the gesture before walking home. Alonzo was left alone puzzling at his tom's disappearance. A few minutes passed before he noticed Munk together with Mungo and Rumple shuffle through the entrance. The tom and the queen spoke to him inaudibly and seemed sympathetic before they scampered away. Munk didn't look right at all and barely reacted when he saw Alonzo smiling and waving from across the yard. This was the moment he had been dreading but he had to face it. Very slowly he went to join his boyfriend,
"Hi, 'Lonz" he said quietly as he approached
"Hello, Munk. Is everything alright?" the patched tom asked grazing Munk's cheek with his lips whilst hugging him.
"Well, I'm better having seen you" Munk said hoping to salvage what he could.
"You big softy!" Alonzo said nuzzling his fur
Munk smiled at his boyfriend's affection, it always felt good when they were together. A feeling of dread began to fill him as he tried to summon up the courage to break the news,
"Um, 'Lonz?"
"Yeah?" replied Alonzo brightly. Munk hated himself for having to disappoint his tom.
"I need to tell you something"
"What is it?"
"Well…you know I've been sneaking off these past few weeks?"
"Yes?" questioned Alonzo
"Well, it's because I've been trying to find you a Christmas present"
"Aww, that's so sweet of you" said Alonzo kissing him again. This was it, no going back now,
"Well, I…I mean I haven't…I tried really hard but I…well…"
"Go on"
Munk took a deep breath, "I wasn't able to find the perfect gift. I'm really sorry"
Alonzo looked at him blankly for a moment before smiling weakly, "It's alright. I didn't want anything anyway"
Munk could see he'd disappointed his tom and felt absolutely awful, "I mean it, 'Lonz. I'm really, really sorry. I wanted this Christmas to be perfect but I just couldn't find anything good enough, and you're so amazing that I wanted to wow you. I'm just so sorry" rambled Munk. Alonzo silenced him by outing his finger to the tom's lips.
"It's fine. Don't worry about it, I still have you" he said before kissing him.
"You're so great" said Munk ashamedly
"Come on, let's go to bed" said Alonzo turning away. Munk watched the tom go and felt really stupid. He rubbed the back of his neck as he felt the awkwardness well up inside him. It was then that he felt something. Munk's eyes shot open as he pressed harder onto his neck feeling something hard. How had he been so blind?
"Alonzo, wait!" called Munk with cheer. Alonzo turned around to see Munk bounding towards him and fiddling with both paws behind his head.
"Are you alright?" the patched tom asked. Munk managed to pull what he'd found free and hold it out to Alonzo.
"Merry Christmas!" Munk beamed. In his hands he held his own collar with it's black leather band and shining silver studs – just like the one he'd found in the pet shop. He suddenly felt warm inside as he'd figured out what to give Alonzo for Christmas. The patched tom just stared back in amazement as he realised what the gesture meant. Munk loved his collar, he'd always loved it. It had been a symbol of him since before Alonzo could remember and he'd always been jealous of the garment. He had tried to convince Munk to give it to him many times in the past but the protector had never relinquished it, not even for a second. He had guarded the collar with his life and it was his single most important possession. Besides it looking good it also showed that he had a human's home to live in and by removing it he was essentially giving up that right – something he never thought he would consider. Now, though, he was offering it to Alonzo as a gift. Was this really happening?
Alonzo continued to stare in shock and didn't know what to do.
"Hey! Silly puss! Wake up!" called Munk joyfully
Alonzo shook his head and looked his tom in the eye,
"I couldn't…" he said breathily
"Of course you could, Merry Christmas!"
"But it's your collar, Munk. You love your collar."
"I love you more, 'Lonz. Besides, I know you've always wanted it. Well, now I'm giving it to you"
Alonzo took the strap from Munk's paws and held it in front of him. After a few moments he spoke again only more quietly this time,
"I don't know what to say." He was utterly amazed and Munk smiled at his shock
"Do you like it?" the tabby asked
Alonzo gave him an almost vacant stare and tried to speak. Only a choked squeak managed to come out as he clasped his paw to his mouth and let a small tear stream down his cheek. Munk smiled wider and pulled his tom into a hug, he'd really hit the nail on the head with this idea. He was pleased that his boyfriend liked it so much. After a moment he pulled away and took his tom into the den. He took the collar from Alonzo and pointed him at a fragment of mirror. Slowly, he placed the item around the tom's neck and buckled it so it stayed there. Alonzo gazed at his reflection and gently touched the leather strap. It looked amazing against his black and white fur and he absolutely loved it. He spun turned slowly to face Munk – who incidentally now felt naked. The tabby didn't care though, all he could think about was Alonzo's expression.
"Thank you" whispered Alonzo
Munk put his arms around him and kissed him lightly. Alonzo stood there feeling the love they shared cradle him, it was a spectacular feeling.
"This means so much" said Alonzo quietly, "You're amazing"
"You're amazing" replied Munk leaning back and looking into his tom's eyes. They gazed at each other for a few moments before Alonzo pulled away. He gently took Munk's paw and lead him over to the bed. They both lay down and held each other tenderly in the soft moonlight that came in from outside. Alonzo whispered softly to his tom, "I love you" before kissing him lightly.
"I love you too" replied Munk and went in for another kiss. Their lips pressed together sweetly as they expressed their love for each other and Alonzo shifted pulling Munk's body on top of his. Passion began to fill them both and soon Munk's grey fur and Alonzo's black and white blended as they pressed against each other. Munk took control and began to rub and grind against Alonzo's body making the patched tom responded with soft moans of pleasure. Munk began kissing the tom's neck around his new collar and began to nip at his skin under the fur. Alonzo smiled at the sharp little bites and loved the feeling, he responded by pulling Munk closer to his body and they shared each other's wonderful warmth as they lay together. Munk then began to explore with his paws, he moved them down to Alonzo's arms, feeling the strong muscles within and then moved onto his chest feeling the power that lied beneath. He moved his head down and began kissing that firm chest and eliciting little whimpers from the black and white tom. Soon he had made his way down to Alonzo's naval and placed tiny kisses on the shorter fur that graced it. In this position he was in a perfect place to hold Alonzo's legs and as he worked his way up the other tom's body he lifted the tom's left. He placed his hips against Alonzo's and moved into position while the patched tom began to tremble in anticipation. He felt safe as the big, strong tom holding him moved but nervous towards what was coming. He had, of course, done this many times before but now it felt like the first time again. And it was in a way, after all he'd never slept with anyone he'd been in love with. Munk kissed Alonzo's lips as he entered him and they moaned together as they bonded. They proceeded to make love in the dim light of the den as the snow once again began to fall outside. Their love for each other escalated and multiplied many times over as they expressed it physically. The world seemed perfect in that moment of bliss and there was nothing that could ruin the beauty of their lovemaking and the bond they both felt so strongly for each other.
Hours later, the two toms lay side by side. They had both reached the height of their pleasure a while ago now and had curled up in each other's arms letting the comfort of having one another keep them warm. Munk held Alonzo with his head above the black and white tom's and gently stroked his back. He was so in love with Alonzo he had no idea how anything before could have seemed more important. He smiled as he felt his tom breathe gently in the darkness.
There was something Alonzo wanted to tell Munk and now that they had made love he felt it was the right time to say it. Very gently he pulled his head back and looked up at his tom. Munk looked back with dreamy eyes and a soft smile.
"Munk" he whispered
"Yes?"
"I'm ready"
"What for, dear?"
"To be mates"
Munk felt his heart jump head over heels and he smiled widely
"You're sure?"
"I've never been more certain of anything. I love you"
Munk felt his eyes sting a little as tears gathered, this had to be the greatest moment of his entire life. He managed to hold them back as he spoke with such incredible happiness,
"I love you too. Promise you'll stay with me for ever"
"I promise" replied Alonzo as he reached up to kiss his mate.
Awwwwww! Munk and 'Zo are finally proper mates, and at Christmas! How romantic!
You are gonna hate me for what I've got planned coming up. Everything's gonna change so be warned.
Thanks so much for reading, I'd love to hear what you think.