“What do you want tonight,” He asked, sitting across from them as the kits curled up with Rumpelteazer.
“A story; tell us about that big ball,” Tynan said, “Is it red like ours or is it made out of yarn?”
Mungojerrie laughed, seeing the excited look on the kit’s face, “Neither; it’s not that kind of ball. This Ball is where all the Jellicles go – they dance and sing and celebrate.”
“What do they celebrate, Daddy,” Wynne asked as her whiskers twitched.
“Being Jellicle of course. There you’ll meet cats of all kind – shape, size, and race. Some are funny, some are very serious,” he paused as he coughed ‘Munkustrap’; sending Rumpelteazer into a wave of giggles that the kittens couldn’t understand. “Some are magical, the rest of us aren’t. There’s tumblers; jumpers; thespians; matrons; storytellers... knock-about clowns, quick change comedians, tightrope walkers and acrobats. They all come to the same spot and there,” he looked up at Rumpel, who was still trying to stifle her laugh. The kittens were beginning to drift off, the toll of night catching up with them while Rumpel paid attention to his rant; remembering her memories of the Ball from the few times she had attended. “There I found the prettiest queen I ever laid eyes on. She could dance with the best of them, flitting about gracefully from group to group – catching up on ‘old times’, she had the best laugh ever; everything about her was, for lack of better word, attractive.”
“Victoria,” Rumpelteazer asked with a smirk as the twins blinked sleepily.
Mungo’s eyes met hers and kept the gaze, “No. She was prettier then her.” Rumpel blinked in confusion, trying to decipher who it was he was talking about. “She has kittens.” Rumpel’s eyes went from the sleeping cats in her lap and snapped back up to him, “You’re... you’re beautiful, Tea.”
She carefully moved the kittens to the cushion and walked a few feet away, “What brought that on?”
“What do you mean,” he asked, following her across the room.
“Saying all that,” she said, waving her paw casually, “I mean, shouldn’t you be saying that stuff to Olav?”
“We broke up a few weeks ago,” he confessed as Rumpel nudged him sympathetically. “The thing is that I felt no remorse when we did. She said, and asked, some things that really made sense.”
“Like what,” Rumpel asked, looking under the washer for the mouse.
“She asked me if I loved you,” he said quietly. She froze for a moment, waiting for him to continue. After a moment of silence passed she slowly stood up, turning to face him. “Teazer, I lo-”
“No, Mungojerrie,” she said, cutting him off with a shake of her head, “We can’t.”
“Why not,” he asked, taking another step closer to her.
“I mean the kits-”
“They’re my kittens, Tea,” he pointed out, taking another step towards her, “Why can’t I love you?”
She took a breath, searching her brain for the knowledge. She sat down on the step in defeat, “I don’t know... We just can’t.”
He sat next to her, placing his paw on her knee, “It’s alright.” The two calicos stayed like that for a few moments, a tense silence between them. Mungo looked up and around the room, his eyes falling in the small window that allowed a beam of moon light to filter though the night’s darkness. Lately he found himself drawn to moonlight; it held so many memories for him. The best moment of his life seemed to be linked to it one way or another. “Moonlight,” he said gently. He was told that there was meaning to that song, he could never quite figure out what it was. “Turn your face to the moonlight...” He always did feel at peace when he looked at it. “Let your memory lead you...” His memory; which? Must be one to do with moonlight; the first one that came to his head was the last Ball. He was with Rumpel – in the moonlight; does that mean that they should return there? “Open up,” he did that once already tonight, didn’t go as planned. “Enter in,” was he suppose to enter or let someone else? “If you find there the meaning of what happiness is, then a new life will begin.” A new life... One where Rumpel loved him? “...Dance with me.”
Rumpelteazer shook her head, bringing herself out of her contemplation, “What?”
Mungo stood up, offering her a paw, “Dance with me.” Rumpel looked away, a little apprehensive, “Please... my friend.” That seemed to calm her, placing her paw in his with a slight smile. He led her to the light the window gave them, putting one of his paws on her back. He noticed that there was a gap between them, like there was the first time they shared a dance. Each of them were so scared and nervous; unsure of how to dance as well as the older Jellicles. He drew her closer, making sure to go slow enough that she could stop him if she wanted. She allowed herself to be pressed up against him lightly before she began to resist his pull. The two revolved on the spot, swaying slightly, casting a long shadow across the floor.
“It’s so quiet,” Rumpelteazer remarked, closing her eyes and resting her head on his shoulder. He refused the urge to purr as she slightly nuzzled him, obviously at ease, remembering the countless hours they’d spend dancing together when they were still young.
“No you don’t know the one,” Mungo began softly, singing. He had heard the humans play it many times; he listened to it enough to know the lyrics. “Who dreams of you at night; who longs to kiss your lips, and longs to hold you tight. Oh, I’m just a friend, that’s all I ever been, ‘cause you don’t know me.
“I never knew the art of making love, thought my heart aches with love for you. Afraid and shy, I let my chance go by, a chance that you might love me too... ”
“Mungojerrie,” Rumpelteazer moaned, breaking away from him, “Please stop this.”
“I’m sorry, Tea, it’s just that I want to be with you; I love you.”
“You’re using me as a rebound,” she corrected, “You’re still getting over you and Olav breaking it off.”
“How can you be so sure,” he asked, “Do you know what I’m thinking or what I feel?”
“I know because when Lavvy and I broke up I wanted-” she cut herself short, turning away from him.
“You wanted what,” Mungo asked tenderly, placing a paw on her shoulder.
“Nothing; it’s late. We should get to bed,” she said, quickly walking back to the bed.
Mungo sighed, watching her leave as he stayed in the moonlight, “Oh, you’ll never know, the one who loves you so; well, you don’t know me...”
\//\\//\\//\
Mungojerrie tried to stay a safe distance away from Rumpelteazer the next few days, allowing her to become at ease with the recent turns of events – grasping the knowledge that her childhood friend has a rather large crush on her. It seemed to be working out well enough; mind you Rumpelteazer was focusing more on the kittens then ever. So you could only imagine the shock he had when she kerplunkered herself next to him one day. “What’s going on?”
“The kittens are eating... right now,” she added with a big grin, resting her head on his shoulder.
“Without you being there; so, they’re weaned now,” he asked as she nodded. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been three months already.”
“I know,” she agreed, “It seems like just the other day we were naming them. I feel like celebrating.”
Mungo watched as she pulled out a dead mouse that she carried over with her and recoiled in horror, “Please don’t tell me that that’s Steve French.”
“Steve... French,” she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“He lived under the washer, we’d... we’d play at night. He was my confidant,” he said sensing a pang of sadness, at seeing his fallen comrade.
“Mungo, weren’t you ever taught to not play with your food? And you knew that I was hunting him... Would you feel better if we bring him outside instead and burry him,” she sighed, looking longingly at the plump rodent. He gave her a feeble nod, feeling foolish that he was fighting off tears over the mouse. Rumpelteazer picked him up by his tail and walked out the cat door with Mungo in tow. “Where should we burry him? The ground’s frozen over.”
Mungo scrunched up his face, thinking that over. He’d have to dig through the snow to get to the ground... if there was somewhere where he didn’t have to big much to get at. “Follow me,” he said, leading her through the hole that led under the steps. They had spent several days underneath the porch in their childhood – it’s where the best dirt – and bugs – were. The humans never looked underneath it too, so it was wonderful for stashing random things; or in this case, burying a friend. He found the dryer vent and began to dig next to it – the heat being expelled from it kept the ground from freezing. After making a fair sized hole, he let Rumpelteazer lay him inside the small crater. Mungo pushed the dirt back over it, “Good bye, Steve French.”
“Are you going to be okay,” she asked, rubbing her shoulder against his.
“In a bit,” he nodded, “Thank you for not eating him.”
She giggled, “It was nothing, anything for you.”
“Anything... what about a hug,” he asked, opening his arms.
“Of course,” Rumpelteazer smiled, closing the gap and embracing him.
Mungo picked her up, causing her to squeal and clutch on to him in fear. Mungojerrie couldn’t help but laugh, and ended up loosing his footing, sending them tumbling into the ground. They kept laughing, Mungojerrie rolled over so that he was on top of Rumpelteazer, “You aren’t mad at me are you?”
“For lifting me up?”
“No... The other night.”
“Oh,” the smile left her face, “No... I’m not. If that’s how you feel then... so be it. I’d rather know that you felt that way then you keeping it in secret.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes I’m sure, Jerrie,” she swore. Mungo couldn’t help but smile, glad that everything was back to normal – for now at least. Rumpel smile soon faded in a wince. “Can we up now? I’m laying on a rock.”
“Sure, Teazer - anything for you.”