Don't Poke the Sleeping Beast

[amanika]

Despite being tired after a day that had definitely been a shock to the system, Tugger was feeling distinctly triumphant as he entered the house, letting the front door bang loudly behind him. He didn't give a thought to the fact that his father might be home, he wasn't often in this late if he went out in the day, and had useually holed up in his room by the time Deuteronomy got back, else gone out again for the night.

[victoriousscarf]

Old D's head whipped around when he heard the door bang. His eyes narrowed upon seeing his youngest son. "Well," he said, voice low enough to nearly be a growl. "I heard you even went out looking for a job today."

[amanika]

Tugger's high spirits evaporated in an instant. He slowed his pace across the front room, suddenly not all that keen to enter the kitchen. But it was rather too late to slope off upstairs now. In the end he came as far as the doorway, ready to make a quick getaway if he needed to, glad his day's earnings were safe in his pocket, no way was he letting Deuteronomy get his hands on his hard-earned money.

"Since when did you care about what I do?" Tugger also refused to pussyfoot around his father in the way Munkustrap did.

[Meadowlark]

Munkus muttered under his breath about timing, but stayed quiet otherwise, hoping he wouldn't have to intervene.

[victoriousscarf]

Deuteronomy stood up so abruptly that his chair clattered to the ground behind him. "You ungrateful little sod," he snarled. "What did you just say to me?"

[Meadowlark]

Munkus froze at the severe tone and shook his head frantically at his brother.

[amanika]

Tugger shrank back just a little when Deuteronomy stood up, despite his age and Tugger's own height, there was still an intimidating figure there. All the same, his pride and annoyance at having his day's triumph snatched away from him wouldn't back down so easily. "Well you never took an interest before," he reasoned back, at least attempting to keep his tone level, despite the feeling he would probably regret this, "you always told me I'd never get a job."

Well the fat was in the fire now, that was for sure.

[victoriousscarf]

Old D reached forward, pulling Tugger up by the lapels of his shirt. "Never took an interest?" he thundered. "When have I ever done anything but. Do you not appreciate how hard I worked for years for you, you ungrateful simpleton?"

[Meadowlark]

Munkustrap was on his feet, his tail twitching as he steeled himself for any potential reaction. "Dad. I'm sure he didn't mean it like that. We know exactly what you've done for us." His blue gaze darted to his brother, silently asking him to go along with this and lie for once in his damn life.

[amanika]

Tugger gave a sharp intake of breath as his father grabbed him, he'd not been expecting the old tomcat to move so quickly. He gritted his teeth slightly, because of the way he wore his shirts Deuteronomy had managed to grab a good fistful of Tugger's mane as well as his clothing, it was hardly pain in relation to what else he'd had in his life, but it was enough of a twinge to make him think twice about how to react further.

After a second however, Tugger's hands came up in his own defence, gripping his father's wrists and squeezing in an attempt to break Deuteronomy's grip as well as trying to push him backwards. He knew even attempting to grapple with his father was the complete opposite of what Munkustrap would have done, but Tugger was having a little bit of a revelation. For the first time today he'd done something that truly made him feel good about himself, and he wasn't going to let his miserable excuse for a father make him think otherwise. A low growl rose in Tugger's throat as he tried to remember an occation where he'd ever seen Munkustrap or Macavity fight back against their father.

"What you did for us? That's rich, all you ever did for me was tell me I was useless and you still do, you very nearly made me believe it too!"

[victoriousscarf]

"You are useless!" Deuteronomy thundered, shaking his son hard and then throwing him against the wall. He turned to look at Munkustrap, eyes narrowed, and then turned back to Tugger. "You've both always been useless. Just like your goddamn mother was." He scowled at the both of them, and then reached over to grab his brown coat, looking like he was going to leave. He needed more beer to deal with these two ingrates living under his roof.

[Meadowlark]

Munksutrap's ears laced back at the reference to their mother, but he chose to keep his mouth shut, best that at least one of them got out of this mostly unscathed. He glanced toward his brother, considering going to check on him, but decided it put him just a little to close to his father for his liking. Tugger would have to wait.

[amanika]

Tugger growled deeply as his father spoke, the words fuelling his need to lash back out again, unfortunately, if not by so much these days, Deuteronomy was still the stronger cat and Tugger not a particularly clever fighter; the force from his own attempt at retaliation only increasing the power in Deuteronomy's shove and Tugger gritted his teeth as his head slammed back against the wall, almost sure, amidst the explosion of pain from the back of his skull, that he could feel some of the plaster raining down on him.

Almost immidiately, despite the fact that he was now seeing stars, Tugger pulled himself upright again, now swaying slightly.

"And you wonder why when you're the one who dragged us up! Like for like," Tugger spat, pain and years of resentment fuelling his anger, "you're pretty damn useless yourself when it comes to being a father!"

[Meadowlark]

Munkustrap swore, was his brother trying to ge himself killed. "Damn it, Tugger, leave off!"

[victoriousscarf]

Deuteronomy turned slowly, his coat still in his hands. "You..." he growled, his eyes narrowing at his youngest son. He took a step toward his still slightly swaying son. "You ungrateful ingrate, I gave you life, I fed you I clothed you, I put a roof over your head!"