"Eva, my little darling!" Griddlebone squealed as she ran forward, scooping the little midnight black kitten into her arms.
"Aunty Gwiddle!" Eva squealed as she nuzzled her face against Griddle's white cheek.
"How are you my little angel?" Griddlebone cooed as she bounced the kitten.
"Good!" Griddle kissed Eva's cheek before looking at the three Toms.
"And…why has it taken you so long to come back?" Griddle demanded to know. "And where is Ronan, Regan, Tantomile and Viola?!"
"They're staying at the yard."
"…what?" Griddle asked, eyes wide. Macavity looked at Griddle softly.
"Come on, my dear friend." Macavity murmured, taking her arm and leading her away to talk, Eva still clutched in her arms.
"I…I actually feel bad for Macavity having to break that news to her." Cori murmured as he and Munkus slowly followed. Munkustrap nodded in agreement.
"WHAT?!" The two flinched at the screech. Munkustrap walked to the room Macavity was in and pushed open the door. Griddlebone was clutching Eva close, staring at Macavity in shock.
"Old Deuteronomy says you're welcome to come by as you wish, as long as no trouble is stirred up."
"B-But…" Griddle whispered. Munkustrap walked over to her, gently putting his paw on her shoulder.
"Any time, Griddle." Munkustrap murmured softly to her, before smiling. "I mean, how could we cope without having you running around and mothering everyone?" Griddle gave a weak smile. Cori took Eva as Griddle passed her to him, before she hugged Munkustrap tightly. Munkus hugged her back, smiling.
"Ugh, Eva." Munkus, Macavity and Griddle looked around to find that Eva had climbed onto Cori's shoulders and was now chewing happily on his small ear, much to the mystic's dismay.
"She likes you." Griddle laughed as she detached the squirming kitten from Cori's ear.
"Nooo, Cowi!" Eva whined, arms outreached. Eva wriggled and squirmed until Cori took her back, holding her. Eva purred as she cuddled against him.
"So, Grids, think you can control the hench-cats when I'm not around?" Macavity questioned. Griddle looked at him, unamused.
"Excuse me?" She asked. "What do you think I've been doing all of these years?!" Macavity chuckled.
"That's my Grids."
A few hours later, they were heading back to the yard after Macavity had told the hench-cats and Stein. Munkustrap glanced at Macavity as they walked. Cori walked a few paces behind them, carrying the napping Eva as she entwined her paws into his fur, refusing to let go.
"Are you okay?" Munkus asked softly. Macavity looked to him and gave a small nod.
"Yeah, just feels…weird." He replied. Munkus purred softly as he nuzzled Macavity reassuringly. Macavity purred softly in response.
When they got back to the yard, they found it abuzz. Munkustrap frowned at Macavity, who looked confused, before they headed towards the group of Jellicles. They were crowded around Ronan and Tantomile.
"Ro?" Munkustrap called worriedly, moving through the crowd. Ronan just smiled up at him.
"Her eyes opened." Tantomile explained, beaming happily. Munkustrap and Macavity grinned, quickly moving to look. Vivi looked up at them, her eyes dark green with spots of hazel within them.
"Oh, those eyes." Coricopat breathed as he saw them. Eva stirred in Cori's arms. Cori quickly hushed her, lulling her back to sleep. Macavity smiled thankfully before he detached Eva's paws from Cori's fur, gently taking her into his arms instead. Cori smiled, tired. Eva had been full of energy today.
"Not to mention Griddlebone." Macavity laughed as he caught Cori's thoughts. Cori glared at him. Tantomile looked up, confused.
"What happened with Griddle?"
"Oh, she just kissed Cori."
"Macavity!" Cori groaned, paws on his face as the other Jellicles turned to look. Munkustrap was laughing as he took his grand-daughter from Ronan. Vivi purred as she caught his scent.
"Hello, my Vivi." Munkus purred, rubbing his nose against hers. Vivi squeaked in response. Deuteronomy smiled from where he was watching with Viola.
"Come to Daddy, Vivi." Ronan purred as Munkus handed her back.
"Da-da." Ronan's eyes went wide as she said her first word. Tantomile wiped her eyes, crying happily.
"Da-da!" Viola mewled happily, arms raised to her dad. Ronan cuddled her close, nuzzling her neck as she giggled, wrapping her small arms around his neck. Munkustrap smiled and laughed as he was suddenly grabbed in a bone crushing hug by his grinning brother. Tugger purred as he nuzzled his brother's ears.
"I'm glad you're home."
"I'm glad I am too." Munkustrap murmured back, hugging him. Tantomile lifted Eva into her arms, cuddling her and allowing her to see her niece closer. Eva purred as she leaned over her little cousin, Vivi reaching up towards her, giggling. Tugger let go of Munkustrap to go and tease Regan, who was talking to Jemima.
A paw slipped into Munkustrap's and gave a small squeeze.
Munkustrap smiled and turned to look at Macavity. From the corner of his eye he could see Tugger's eyes narrowing as he stared at Macavity. Tugger wasn't the only one. Some of the others were giving Macavity weird looks.
Munkus didn't blame them. He knew what they thought of him and in some ways he agreed. He knew Macavity could go from calm and kind to murderous in a twitch of a whisker, though he had settled after the kittens had been born…even more so when he had been reunited with his mother.
Macavity's gold eyes glanced at his mother and Old Deuteronomy, both who were talking animatedly to one another, quite excited by their great-granddaughter's eyes opening.
"Our parents seem to be getting along well." Macavity murmured. Munkustrap nodded in agreement.
"Well, they did know each other from when they were kittens." Munkustrap replied. Macavity gave a thoughtful nod.
"I never saw her smile like that when she was with my father." He admitted.
"What happened to your father?" Munkustrap asked suddenly as that thought crossed his mind.
"I don't know." Macavity shrugged. "After I overthrew him for power, I threw him out."
"What?!"
"I hated him, so when I was old enough and powerful enough, I overthrew him…to overpower him, to humiliate him…I just wanted him gone." Macavity explained. "It was the best thing in the end, he wasn't just treating me horribly, he was treating the hench-cats terribly as well. I take care of them now…they're family."
"What do you think's happened to him?"
"I don't care." Macavity said shortly, signalling that was the end of that discussion. Munkustrap gave a small nod, sighing.
Later that night, when all the others had retreated to their dens, a small gathering sat on the tyre, watching the night sky.
"I can't believe you did that, Uncle Tugger!" Regan growled. "She's never gonna speak to me again!"
"I'm your uncle, it's what I do." Tugger replied cheekily.
"That's not funny!" Regan whined.
"It is."
"It's not, she hates me now!"
"C'mon, kitten, she likes you."
"Really?"
"How am I meant to know?" Tugger asked. Regan snarled and Tugger held up his paws in surrender.
"Hey, I know she blushed when I told her you thought she was gorgeous." Tugger told him. "And I know Jem, she would never stop talking to you. She's too kind."
"That doesn't mean anything." Regan growled. Cori opened his eyes from where he had been lying on the tyre, lifting his head to look at Regan.
"She does not hate you."
"How do you know?"
"Mystic." Cori answered, grinning.
"H-How does she feel about me?" Regan asked. "Does she feel the same?"
"I can not tell you that, you just have to wait and see." Cori answered, smiling, his green eyes shimmering before he lay back down, green eyes watching the stars.
"But…but…"
"Don't try, Reg, Cori's not going to tell you." Ronan said, looking up from where he had been stroking Eva's ears, his little sister fast asleep in his lap. Regan pouted.
"Why not?"
"Mystic." Cori, Tantomile and Ronan answered at the same time, making Munkus, Macavity, Misto, Viola, Deuteronomy and Tugger laugh.
Misto produced a pack of playing cards from thin air, getting Tugger's and Regan's attention and stopping them from further bickering.
Deuteronomy and Viola were in deep conversation; both were staring at the night sky as they pointed out the constellations, each telling a story behind it.
Munkustrap smiled as he watched the group interact. He leaned back, watching the stars as he sighed contently.
"Are you alright?" Macavity asked from where he sat beside him. Munkustrap smiled as he leaned against him.
"Perfect." Munkustrap replied. "I love this."
"Mm?"
"Dad, Tugger and I used to watch the night skies all the time when we were younger…and even as we got older and Dad came to visit." Munkustrap sighed happily.
"Well, maybe every couple of nights we could do this with Eva…and maybe the boys." Macavity suggested as he pulled Munkus into his embrace, hugging him close. Munkustrap purred.
"That would be perfect." He answered. Macavity smiled.
"Then that's what we'll do." Munkustrap smiled as he relaxed against Macavity, watching the stars.
He looked back as he heard an outbreak of laughter.
He smiled as he watched Regan, Ronan, Coricopat and Tantomile laugh as Misto managed to stump Tugger with his card trick, leaving Tugger with a dumfounded look on his face.
Munkus purred as Macavity nuzzled his cheek.
Watching the group, watching his boys laughing with his brother, Tantomile, Cori and Misto, all of whom were his family…Misto was like an adopted little brother, and watching his dad talk with Viola, it made him realise how happy he was.
He had a loving family, even though the ways his boys and Eva were conceived was odd, he would do it all again.
"I would as well." Macavity whispered in his ear, having read Munkus's thoughts to see why he was so quiet. Munkustrap smiled, purring.
He was lucky to have this family…and he wouldn't trade any of it.
End
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Soo, because I've had a really crap day…and may have failed my entire course due to a stupid, evil teacher…I decided to give you the last chapter and hope this makes you guys happy :)
Thanks for sticking with this story through all of these chapters through this very long story, my longest one yet!
Plus for sticking with the m-preg, which not many people do 3
So my next story is a different story-telling of how Munkus came to be in the yard…when Old Deuteronomy spots a young, malnourished, dirty, abused silver kitten being sold as a slave at a local market…and goes through Munkus's struggle to be normal…and as he finds that his beginnings may not completely be behind him
I'll try start uploading this story soon :)
Also, I mayyyy have a sequel planned for this...focusing a bit more on Ronan and Regan and their brother-bond :)
So please read and review for the very last chapter of Genetically Perfect
Thanks to all those who have reviewed through all of these chapters!
Luv always,
HGP