Everything I Couldn't Do Today ((72))

[victoriousscarf]

Shoes clicking on the tile floor, Macavity glanced around the ballroom. It wasn't nearly as done up as it tended to be for one of his actual galas, but there was a small table on the far side, which he figured would be enough. It was supposed to be a small gathering after all, and he left instructions not to have the ballroom area disturbed. Whether Smith would abide by that or not was the other tom's hide.

[qualapec]

Tugger paused on the street outside the Demoniaque. He was bouncing on his feet with nervous energy. He'd gotten up early that morning, as much from anxiety as anything else. There were a lot of things he needed to make up for. Misto had started to forgive him a little bit...but he knew it would be a long time before they were okay. And he had a lot of other things to make up for. The whole thing was doing a number on his pride, but he didn't want to go into it alone, and mostly he wanted to show Mac that he could make something of himself.

He wasn't sure what would happen or how Mac would take it...but there was some damage, and the more he thought about it, the best way to get his brother's attention was to do something drastic. It would either work out well and he and Mac would be on the way back to being family, or it would hit the fan. At least he'd know.

He crushed his third cig on the ground. It was now or never.

He strode into the Demoniaque with a giant grin on his face, his new Police dress uniform settled comfortably on his shoulders.

[victoriousscarf]

Martin looked up and froze, giving Tugger a long drawn out look at the sight of the uniform. Whether than say anything and risk Hollister's ire, he simply pointed the larger tomup the stairs to where his brother was waiting.

[qualapec]

His ears flickered as he walked past, wondering if he should take it as a bad sign that Martin was being noncombative. "What?" he said quietly to the hallway as he entered, a lazy smile on his face, "I don't get a blindfold and a cigarette?"

There was a part of him that wasn't even sure he still wanted this. He'd born witness to a different side of his brother that night at the docks, and the look on Mac's face still chilled him to the bone. He was worried for his brother, worried about his lifestyle and where it would lead him. He wasn't sure if Mac would self-destruct or if he wanted to be there for it...

But ever since he'd gotten his job, he thought about everything his brother had done for him when he was little, and it hurt to think you could care about somecat so much one day and just...lose it the next. He had to try, and if Mac rejected it, then he rejected it.

By the time he got to the ballroom, his broad grin had returned. He stepped inside with all the outward confidence of Allied troops on the heels of the Kaiser. "Ooooh Danny boy..."

[victoriousscarf]

Turning, Macavity froze when he saw his brother. Slowly, his eyes tracked over his appearance and he froze. "What are you doin'?"

[qualapec]

Tugger's throat was constricting dangerously in time to the pounding in his heart. He did a twirl in his uniform, spinning in a complete circle before he stopped and faced his brother again, arms stretched wide, grin stretched wide out of his own anxiety. "I'm a law-abidin' citizen now. I passed a test and everything."

[victoriousscarf]

"Because apparently you forgot the bit about runnin' a gan'?" Macavity got out before his brain caught up. "Besides, a test proves nothin', let alone the fact sayin' cops are law abidin' is the biggest laugh in town." Any other reactions were running far behind his mouth.

[qualapec]

Tugger took it as a good sign that his brother was opting for sarcasm. He held up his paws in the universal gesture of 'don't make a catskin rug out of me'. "Look, I know it's a bit of a shock...but there's a reason. An' it's not because I'm just pickin' the other side to be difficult."

[victoriousscarf]

His brother spread out his paws. "Do enlighten me then."

[qualapec]

"It's a couple things," Tugger replied. "I needed a job --- a real one, can't have a fine specimen like myself doin' grunge work 'till Judgement Day. I wanted a job and I wanted to do it myself."

He shot a smile entirely meant to make himself feel better. "Mostly, it's because I wanna help cats that can't help themselves." There was a beat between words and Tugger took a risk. "Ya understand that, right?"

[victoriousscarf]

Macavity blinked slowly at his brother. "You wanted a job," he managed finally, filling the phrase with disgust. "Did somethin' hit you on the damn head? Was that what it took? For ten years you've refused ta do exactly that. And you want ta help cats. You, who's never done more than a decent's day work in his life, suddenly want to spread around help? What the hell do you think that's goin' ta 'et you, besides shot for your trouble? Cats don't want ta be helped." As he was speaking, his voice rose slightly in anger.

[qualapec]

It took everything Tugger had to not let his brother see how much those words hurt and stung.

He laughed. "You won the argument. I thought ya'd be happy about that, if nothin' else." He shrugged. "And you're no cat to talk about dangerous jobs."

[victoriousscarf]

"You're right, I won the argument. That doesn't mean you aren't out of your damn mind," Macavity replied, tail swishing behind him.

[qualapec]

Tugger cackled. "Yeah, a little." He fingered his badge. "But I'm all right with it. 'Sides, my job's still safer than Cori's. If you think people hate cops..."

[victoriousscarf]

Macavity's eyes narrowed. "You never did understand did you?" he just about snapped. Years and years of trying to keep Tugger safe and off the streets, and he steps into the most dangerous job in a town run more by the gangs. There was a reason Sonya was the youngest commish the city had ever seen, and it was that all his superiors were dead.