Title: Conjuring Pain
Author: Ailendolin
Rating: T (PG-13) … just to be sure.
Disclaimer: I do not own cats and do not make any money with this story. I only own the little plot bunny.
Summary: Everyone thinks to be able to conjure would be great, but Quaxo cannot confirm that. To him magic only means pain, loss and loneliness. It started ruining his life since he was a kitten. Will his broken spirit be mended when Tugger and Munk stumble upon him?
Word Count: 1376
Warning: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, but mainly Fluff – a lot of it.
Author's Notes: Hey guys! Thanks so much for your nice reviews! It's great to know that people still like this story years after I first published it. I can't promise you weekly updates since university life is keeping me fairly busy (the next field trip is in two days, for example) but I plan on finishing this story and there's still a long way to go =) Chapter 9 is already halfway written so it should be up in a week or two, depending on uni. But first of all, chapter 8. I originally wanted to add it tomorrow but seeing as I've written an exam today which went pretty well and am planning to book another ticket for a Cats show next month, I thought I'd treat you to a new chapter a day early. I hope you enjoy it as much as the previous chapters and will take the time to share your thoughts with me in a review ;-)
Chapter 08: Clumsily Elegant
They were sitting side by side when Tugger returned carrying various blankets and one of Quaxo's bowls. He flashed them a grin and turned back around, calling over his shoulder, "Be right back. Have fun decorating!"
Munkustrap watched him round the corner with an amused smile while Quaxo grasped the edge of one particularly fluffy orange blanket and tried to pull it into their new home.
"Here, let me help you," Munkustrap offered and together they manoeuvred the blanket into the wardrobe. They did the same with the second and third blankets and even though Munkustrap knew that it would go faster if he did it on his own he did not prevent Quaxo from helping. The young tom clearly enjoyed decorating their home, as Tugger had put it, and Munkustrap had no intentions of telling Quaxo to stop. He was glad for every little thing the small kitten did on his own.
Tugger came back carrying more blankets and pillows just as Munkustrap put Quaxo's bowl in the corner across from their sleeping place. The ladies' cat dropped them in front of the wardrobe, ruffled the black fur on Quaxo's head briefly and said, "One more run, then everything's here. By the way, Munk, you have way more blankets than any other cat in the junkyard, did you know that?"
Munkustrap shrugged, trying not to look embarrassed. "I like being comfortable."
Tugger gave him a look. "Even Gus doesn't have that many blankets and pillows, and you know his back pains him. You're such a wuss."
He stuck out his tongue playfully at Munkustrap and was gone again before the tabby could say anything to defend himself. Munkustrap shook his head and handed Quaxo the new blankets and pillows so that the black-and-white tom could arrange them to his liking in the wardrobe. After the last pillow he stepped inside and took a look at their sleeping corner. It looked almost exactly like it had in Munkustrap's old den. Everything was lying in the same order and Munkustrap was astonished that Quaxo had apparently loved it in the dishwasher so much that he had memorised the arrangement of the pillows and blankets. He wondered what other surprises the little tom held.
Quaxo though was looking at the floor again, obviously uncomfortable and afraid of Munkustrap's reaction. "I can do it differently, if you want," he said and scratched his ear nervously with one bandaged paw.
Munkustrap smiled at him. "Why?" he asked. "It looks very comfortable. You did great."
Quaxo looked up and smiled, and for a moment Munkustrap was taken aback by how different his protégé looked. 'Not different,' he thought. 'Just happy.' He knew in that moment that he would do anything to keep that shy uplift of lips on Quaxo's white face. With a playful grin, Munkustrap nudged the kitten onto the many soft blankets and started tickling him. Quaxo shrieked with laughter and tried to bat the tabby's paws away.
Munkustrap stopped a moment later when Quaxo had all but buried himself into the blankets while trying to escape the tickling, not wanting to exhaust the young tom. He sat down next to Quaxo who was trying to catch his breath and seemed unable to stop smiling. The small kitten grinned happily at Munkustrap and even though he knew that the tickling had not hurt Quaxo the tabby found himself asking, "Are you alright?" He nuzzled Quaxo's fur affectionately.
Quaxo nodded. "Are you ticklish, too?" he asked curiously, dark eyes wide.
"Oh yes," Munkustrap said. He winked before he continued in a hushed tone, "But don't tell anyone."
Tugger chose that moment to stick his head inside their home.
"Nice," he said appreciatively when he saw Quaxo's arrangement of the numerous blankets and pillows. He put the kitten's second bowl down next to the other and tossed one more blanket at Munkustrap. It hit him squarely in the face.
"That was the last one," Tugger declared smugly. "I am never ever helping you move your stuff again, Munk. Just so we're clear." He smirked and turned to Quaxo who was trying not to laugh as Munkustrap peeled himself out of the blanket. "There's someone waiting for you outside, kiddo."
"Who?" the black-and-white kitten asked. The smile was gone from his face, replaced by an apprehensive frown.
"How about you go outside and find out for yourself?" Tugger suggested. His head vanished and Munkustrap nudged Quaxo forward gently but encouragingly. Together, they stepped outside. A brown-and-white kitten was waiting nervously for them. He was slightly older than Quaxo and looked up at them with an unsure smile the moment they appeared.
Munkustrap smiled back at him. "Young Tumblebrutus," he said, "now that's a surprise."
Tumblebrutus blushed and waved shyly. "Hello, Munkustrap."
Tugger rolled his eyes. The kittens always got nervous around Munkustrap. It was clear to all the older cats that their young ones thought he was hero and idolized him. Not that they had ever seen him fight Macavity with their own eyes but they had certainly heard and made up stories that showed Munkustrap as an even greater hero than the Great Rumpus Cat. Tugger knew that Munkustrap hated those stories, so naturally he loved to tease his brother about them. Not this day, though.
"Tumble here wanted to meet Quaxo," Tugger explained when it was clear that Tumblebrutus would not say more. "I thought it a good idea."
Munkustrap nodded and, for the first time, noticed the small brown plush mouse between Tumble's paws. He smiled at the brownish kitten before he turned to Quaxo. "Why don't you say hello?"
He stepped aside so that Quaxo could no longer hide behind him. His young protégé looked uncomfortable but took a deep breath anyway.
"H-hello, Tum-" He stopped and furrowed his brow. "Hello, Tumbleblu- no. Tumble-" he tried again but after a moment he gave up. Quaxo looked down at his paws in embarrassment. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.
"That's okay," Tumble said immediately with a bright smile. "My name is kind of long. You can just call me Tumble. Everyone does."
Quaxo looked up, relieved, and Tugger and Munkustrap shared an amused look.
"Hello, T-tumble," the black-and-white kitten said shyly. "I'm Quaxo."
"I know." Tumble laughed. "Here," he held out his paws, "I brought you your mouse."
Quaxo stared at the mouse but did not take it. Tumble frowned.
"What's wrong?" he asked, head tilted to the side. "Don't you like it?"
Quaxo shook his small head quickly. "I do. I really do," he assured. "But, it's your favourite. Don't you want it back?"
Tumble looked at him for a moment, then he laughed. "You're funny," he declared. "It was a present, so it's yours. Besides, I have other mice I can play with. You don't." With that he thrust the mouse into Quaxo's paws.
"Thank you," the younger kitten said earnestly and pressed the plush mouse close to his fluffy white chest.
"You're welcome." Tumble grinned. "Want to play?"
Quaxo looked uncertainly at Munkustrap.
"You can, if you want to," the tabby said with a smile. When Tugger nodded as well, Quaxo made his way slowly over to Tumble.
"How?" he asked after he had placed the mouse down.
"How what?" Tumble said, perplexed. "How to play?"
Quaxo nodded.
"Are you telling me you don't know how to play?" Tumble asked, not quite believing what he had just heard. Quaxo seemed to become smaller in front of him, so he hurriedly added, "That's no problem, I'll show you."
And he did. He spent the whole afternoon in front of Munkustrap's new den showing Quaxo how to pounce onto the mouse in different ways, trying and sometimes failing to look graceful which always resulted in Quaxo laughing and Tumble grumbling half-heartedly, but smiling as well. Tugger and Munkustrap watched them play the whole time. They lounged in the warm afternoon sun and felt very much like proud parents whenever Quaxo smiled or tried to mimic Tumble's movements. Even with his bandaged paws his pounces were elegant in a clumsy way and Munkustrap knew that, with a bit of practice and more self-esteem, Quaxo would steal the show from them all when he was older.
He already looked forward to it.
TBC