Kittens

“Chander! Alakana! Get back here!” a tired Jemima called from across the clearing in the junkyard. Her toddler kittens were running around on the other side, chasing each other through tunnels and broken stoves, over boxes and under chairs. The calico queen worried that her children might get hurt. She also wanted them back where she could keep an eye on them and get their attention without having to scream at the top of her delicate lungs.
“I’ll go get them, love,” Alonzo offered before dashing off to the corner of the junkyard that his kittens were playing in. Jemima breathed a sigh. Thank the Everlasting Cat for the father of her kittens being athletic. She’d never be able to keep up with them like Alonzo could. It didn’t bother her, though – she was the housewife, so to speak, with the cooking and the cleaning and the tender affection. And she loved it.
A minute or two later, her mate returned with her rambunctious toddlers.
“What can I do to keep you two in one place?” Jemima asked, exasperated. She hadn’t realized how tiring it would be chasing after two kittens. Maybe she should have paid more attention to the adults.
“Tell us a story!” Chander requested. Alakana gave an excited nod in agreement.
Alonzo chuckled. “What kind of story would you like to hear?”
“Tell us how you two got together!” Alakana suggested.
“Yeah!” Chander agreed.
Jemima giggled and turned to Alonzo, who grinned.
“Well. . .” the angelic queen began.

Jemima sat on the hood of the broken car reading a human book. It had been one of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer’s latest finds, and they’d assumed the calico would enjoy it.
Said calico was so involved in the romance and plot that she hadn’t noticed that the guard had changed. Munkustrap had gone home for the night, and it was now Alonzo’s turn to watch over the yard.
“Whatcha reading?” the patched tom asked.
Jemima jumped a bit, her head snapping up towards the direction of his voice. “I’m sorry?”
Alonzo laughed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you. I asked what you were reading.”
“Oh, I didn’t notice you were here.” A blush crept across the queen’s cheeks. “It’s a human romance book Teazer found.”
“A romance book, huh? Is it any good?”
“I like it. Then again, I’ll read just about anything.”
Alonzo nodded, quickly scanning the yard to make sure nothing was out of place. He then turned his attention back to the adorable queen beside him.
“I’ve seen you out here before, but you’re always so involved in a book or your friends that I’ve never gotten the chance to talk to you,” he told her.
“Yeah, those girls can be quite the handful,” Jemima agreed quietly, before realizing what the tom had said. “You wanted to talk to me?”
“Very much so. You’re very interesting, Jemima.”
The calico blushed again. “I’m not that interesting.”
Alonzo smiled and moved to sit next to Jemima. “So what do you like to do other than read?”
Jemima thought for a moment. “I mostly read or hang out with the girls. I like to dance sometimes, too.”
“You like dancing?” Alonzo questioned, raising a brow. Jemima nodded. Alonzo smiled again and stood up, extending a paw to the calico. “May I have this dance?”
Jemima bit her lip shyly, looking up at the older tom. “Don’t you have to guard the junkyard?”
“Yeah, but there’s no one here right now. Besides, if we stay in the clearing, I can see everything that goes on,” Alonzo reasoned.
Jemima smiled and stood, setting her book on the old car and taking hold of Alonzo’s paw. The tom continued to smile as he led her away from the old tire and over to the clearing where majority of the Jellicle Ball was held. He kept their joined paws together, wrapping his free arm around her waist. Jemima shyly rested her free paw on Alonzo’s shoulder and looked up at him. Alonzo began twirling them around in a smooth, comfortable dance. After some time, Jemima fell into the rhythm and rested her head on the black patch on the tom’s chest. Alonzo’s smiled softened as he looked at the queen in his arms. He slowed the dance to a halt and looked at her, noticing how calm and content she looked. He led her back to the tire and sat her down before sitting beside her.
“Thank you,” Jemima said with a smile. “That was nice.”
Alonzo chuckled and kissed her ear, causing the blood to rush to her cheeks once again. “I enjoyed it as well.”
Jemima looked around shyly, nibbling her lip. Alonzo took a deep breath before gently hooking his paw under the calico’s chin, causing her to look at him.
“I know we just met, but I have to ask anyway,” Alonzo said gently. “Will you go out with me?”
Jemima briefly held her breath, looking up at the patched tom. She gave a small smile and nodded. “Yes.”

“And that’s how I first asked your mother out,” Alonzo concluded with a fond smile. Jemima giggled and wrapped her arms around her mate’s waist. Alakana and Chander cheered for their parents’ happiness before rushing up to hug them both.

Again, so sorry for the lack of update! I’ve had severe writer’s block on this story!