What's Wrong With Me? (Tugstoffelees) Cats the Musical

He Likes to Get About

Tugger continued to walk back to his den to get Misto to rest for a little bit. Anyone would be exhausted after that. Although, he knew it wouldn't take much. As he looked down at his friend, he found that Misto had fallen asleep in his arms. It was really easy for Tugger to get Misto to take a cat nap, especially if he was being held. He was glad it helped Misto feel safe, but understood why this would make him feel like a kitten. Tugger didn't much understand the deal with it. Who cares if people think that's kitten behavior, as long as it helped him, other people should just shut their meowers.
Tugger got back to his den and set Misto on some scrap fabric he set by the back wall away from the entrance. Tugger took this time to just look at Misto and consume his peacefulness. The way his nose twitched with the dust falling from the different surfaces, the way his ears would convulse and move in his sleep, and especially the slow rising and falling of his friend's stomach. This was the kind of slow and thoughtless movement you could never get out of Misto when he was awake and fearful. It was an extraordinary rarity.
But, given Tugger's nature, after being there for a little less than a half hour, he was getting restless and wanted to move about, but he still didn't want to completely leave his friend there at his den alone. So, he moved to the other side of the den and started rearranging his hoarded piles of junk. He moved all his fabric scraps over to where he had laid Misto, all of his cassette tapes were in a pile in the middle of his den, some newspapers and shoe laces over by the wall, and rubber scraps over by the entrance. Nothing was truly neat, but Tugger leaned in the direction of organized chaos.
Once everything was to his liking, Tugger paced back and forth in a circle, trying to distract him from how enclosed his environment was. He never liked staying in his den for long, in a lot of ways it was small enough to bounce every thought he had back to him. As soon as he was home, he wanted to go back out to where he couldn't hear himself as clearly. Whether it was the open air or the screams of kittens that made his head less loud was beyond him, but either way it worked.
Tugger continued, but was getting overly restless for his own good. He didn't want to be snappy at Misto when he woke up if he was too shaky from being inside, so figured it would be best to go out and try to get something to eat for the both of them. Taking one last look at Misto, Tugger shook his shoulders and bolted out the door like he's never been outside before.
From growing up with him, Tugger knew that Misto had a harder time with a lot of food. The texture, temperature, consistency, what noise it made when you chewed it; these were all factors that went into Misto's qualifications for cuisine. With that being said, he knew just what Misto liked, things that crunched and, in his own words, "made his skull feel more real to him". Tugger didn't quite understand it, but he didn't need to understand it because it made Mr.Mistoffelees happy, and that's all that mattered to him.
Tugger knew Demeter would know where some rodents were at the time, so dropped by her den to ask if she's seen any stock around. When he arrived, he found Demeter laying down in tears. Tugger immediately felt a rush of concern flourish into his stomach as he raced towards his sister in-law. "Hey, what's going on?" He bent down, sitting criss-cross at her side. Demeter sniffled, "Munk has just been so stressed since the return of Macavity at the Jellicle Ball. He keeps putting more on himself as a distraction, but when he finally does get a moment of peace, he's been staring off into space so bad that you have to shake him just to get him to speak. He keeps jumping at the smallest noises and he seems constantly distracted even if there's nothing going on to distract him. I don't want to add to his worry."
Tugger saw the guilt she was feeling from how Misto felt earlier that day. "You're not a burden to him. You're the love of his life and he would do anything for you. Our brother has always put Munky into a bad place, but once his brain catches up to the reality that he's safe, he'll be just fine. None of this is your fault, DeeDee." Demeter lifted her back to look at Tugger better. "Well, before the ball, he was already working to the 9s since he was preparing for his father to make the Jellicle choice. He was stressed out of his mind and then I went into heat. I think we both kinda panicked and just took the opportunity. Tugger, how do I tell him I'm pregnant?"
He was taken aback by this statement. How to tell Munkustrap while in one of his funks about Macavity that he's going to be a dad? That's a tricky question. Clearly, even while being close and loving with Munkustrap for most of her life, Demeter didn't know how to approach this. Rum Tum Tugger had also lived with him his whole life on account of being brother's and he was just as unsure. "Dee, I'm going to give it to ya straight. This will either pull him right out of his funk and he'll be ecstatic to be a father, or freak him out even more that he's going to have kittens when Macavity was just around." Demeter started sobbing again, "That's what I'm afraid of! He's going to freak out." Tugger swooped in, petting her head.
"He might panic, sure, but you two will get through this. He loves you a whole lot. Before you two got together, he had this silly little crush on you for years before. Every year for Valentine's Day, or the Jellicle Ball, or your birthday, he would constantly go on about how this was finally it and he was going to take you home his girlfriend. This went on and on until he finally caught you. He has never wavered. You're the only cat he has ever loved and he wouldn't take that back for a second."
This made Demeter giggle, "For him being our heroic next leader, he can be the most anxious cat I ever met when it comes to it." Tugger followed with his own laughter, "He worries because he cares. He doesn't want to see you hurt. No matter what he feels in the moment, he's going to take care of you and then protect those kittens with all nine of his lives. He's going to love them as much as he loves you. He's a protector and caregiver if nothing else. That's why, despite everything, I'm glad he's taking dad's place and not Macavity. Even if Macavity didn't turn to using dark magic, Munkustrap always had the qualities of a great leader."
Demeter sighed out of her nose. "He's going to be a great father. I just hope he gives himself enough time to rest to make that happen. I want him to be there for our kitten's youth, I'd hate for him to work through it and miss it." "I'll help you make sure he doesn't. He's going to want to keep them safe. Though, one of your kitten's might have the magic gene from Old Duet. Probably your oldest since from what I've seen the oldest cats get the magic from the litters around here. Mr.Mistoffelees has been hanging with me a lot recently, so I'm sure I can get him to help your magical kit, if there is one. You nor Munk has to worry about another Macavity getting loose. If we're lucky, we'll get a second bumbly Misto."
Just then, they heard footsteps approaching the den and sat up a bit, Demeter wiping her tears from her face, showing no signs of crying. She knew all too well from the ball that Munkustrap would destroy himself to keep her happy. Munkustrap came through the door trodding from exhaustion, but with a soft smile on his face when he made eye contact with his lovely Demeter. He sat down next to her, leaving her soft kisses before sitting back up. "Hey Tugger, thank you for the other night. I haven't had a chance to talk to you after the night of the ball, but thank you." Tugger took his brother's paw. "Don't think about it any more. I'm happy to help you."
Demeter took Munkustrap's paw from Tugger, running her claw over the top gently with affection. "Sweets, I have something important to tell you." Tugger clenched his abs, not expecting for Demeter to go into it right away, but ripping off the bandaid is necessary sometimes. He would've tried to get out but he didn't know if Demeter wanted him there for her own comfort. Munkustrap got visibly worried, putting the rest of his energy into his focus on his wife against how much he wanted to collapse.
"I'm pregnant, we're having kittens together." Munkustrap, who was squatting when his wife got his attention, dropped to his knees,  bending down to put the top of his head to Demeter's chest. You could see his back rise and fall, occasionally his back vibrated with him catching his breath, but then back to the rising and falling. Demeter, clearly shocked from his silent response, just held his head and cried into his neck.
Very soon, Munkustrap sat up, holding his lover's shoulders to steady himself. "We're a family- I love you so much." Demeter gotta a sparkle in her eye looking at the father of her children be so proud of the both of them. "I love you too. Are you ready to be a father?" Munk's stomach bounced like he was laughing, though no sound came out but the pulsation of his breath. "I kinda have to be, don't I?" Demeter grew more serious, "But seriously. Before you take care of the kitten's, you have to take care of yourself. You have to be a good example for the kittens and I want you to be there for them without exhausting yourself. There are other responsible cats in the junk yard that could handle things, at least for a little bit. I want you around more during the pregnancy, I want you to be here to help me and the kits when I can't take care of myself after labor. Can you do that for me Munk? Take a break?"
They could see the wheels turning in Munk's head, but it was a good thing that Tugger was there. "As third in command for Jellicle leader, I'd be more than happy to fill in the gaps that my brother leaves behind. You do more than what's expected regardless, I don't think dad ever did this much, you are more than okay." The couple jumped, presumably forgetting that Tugger was even in the room with them. Munk nodded his head once in solidarity. "Thank you, Tug. You're amazing."
Tugger stood up, thrusting his hips in the process. "Of course I am! Although, I better be off. I have Misto in my den right now and I know he can't nap long. Oh! On that note, Demeter, do you know the area the rodents are in?" She concentrated for a moment, "Probably over by the compost. Thank you so much for your help, Tugger. Please swing by more often when you can." All Tugger did was wink and scurry out the door, but before officially leaving, he poked his head back in and looked to Munkustrap. "Munk, listen to that wife of yours and chill out. You're doing too much. Toodles!" And then with that, he was off to get some food and return to his Mr.Mistoffelees.