This is a songfic by Rainy. Part of the Kiss collection.The OA is Carly Rae Jepsen. Special thanks to Strike for Lightningblaze's name.
Firestrike & Beechwhisker Deersoul & Coaldust Lightningblaze & Moonpetal Sweetie |
We were both headed different ways
Both in a rush, trying to get away
I ran into you-ou-ou
Like a crash of thunder
"Moonpetal!" Russetmoon's shriek cuts through my reverie; I'm trying to decide between a pink flower or a blue flower to tuck behind my hear.
Turning towards my friend, I open my mouth to ask her what's wrong, when a fat raindrop splats right onto my nose. Another one hammers me between the ears, and the next thing I know, it's pouring outside. Instantly, I break into a trot; I have to get to shelter fast without scuffing my claws, which I spent all afternoon polishing on a shard of rock. If I stay out here, the wetness will do horrors to my newly-groomed pelt. Just the thought propels me faster.
I'm almost to the warrior's den when I slam into a faceless shape. "Hey! Watch where you're going!" I yell indignantly, my paws skidding on the fastly-forming mud under my paws.
"Sorry about that. Here, let me help you." The cat pulls me back to my feet, steadying me before taking a step back.
Blinking raindrops off my lashes, I glance up at the tom. My eyes travel over a thick mane of tabby fur the color of smoke - a blend of silvers and blacks and everything in between - until I reach a pair of startling navy eyes with a jagged white lightning-shaped streak between them. I recognize the tom as Lightningblaze, a popular and kind warrior of RainClan; Russetmoon has fawned over him countless times.
"You okay?" Lightningblaze asks.
I nod hastily, knowing I should head back inside, but something stops me.
Out in the rain waiting for the bus
We started talking 'bout different stuff
And it's true-ue-ue
There's an eight world wonder
And from now on
Pulling the "shy, sweet she-cat" trick, one I've perfected over the moons, I mew, "You're sweet for helping me up. Not many toms would've done that."
With a swift nod, he says, "No problem." He has a nice smile. It goes all the way to his eyes, lighting them up like fireflies.
Still reluctant to leave, I say, "You know, usually I don't stay out in the rain because it messes up my fur, but I really do like it. I played outside in the rain and mud all the time when I was little."
It's such a ridiculous and crazy thing to say that I almost bury my face in the dirt with embarrassment. What was I thinking? Talking to a tom like that - especially a cute one - is social suicide. However, instead of staring at me like I'm insane, Lightningblaze merely nods. "I know. There's something beautiful and precious about the rain. Others find it annoying, but I find it cleansing."
As he says this, the rain intensifies around us. Water runs down our pelts in rivulets and small streams, dripping off my ears and whiskers. It feels like fate.
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
Breaking the spell, Lightningblaze says, "We should probably go inside, much as we love the rain."
I can't stifle a laugh. It's not fake or a forced giggle. It's real and flowing, and it comes from deep within me. Sure, Lightningblaze isn't the type of tom Russetmoon and I usually flirt with. He's quieter, and tends to keep to himself. Whenever we tease some of the other cats - we try not to go too far, but it is fun sometimes; I can't help it - he always stays out of it, or sticks up for them.
In short, a loner.
Not anymore, though. As we pad into the warrior's den side-by-side, I resolve to make this tom my next target. I'm going to show him a piece of my world.
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie
Lightningblaze heads towards his nest, which is in a secluded corner of the den. I flop down next to Russetmoon.
At first, she's too busy preening and licking her fur to notice me. When she does, her eyes bug out of her head. "What happened to you?"
"I got stuck out in the rain," I say nonchalantly, starting to brush out my thick fur.
Obviously, Russetmoon has more to say, but thankfully she keeps her mouth shut for now, leaving me plenty of time to daydream about Lightningblaze and I. We would make the cutest couple. I know it. He's handsome, I'm pretty. I could be the social one, and he could be my escort everywhere. There's something extremely appealing about him caring for me and protecting me, even moreso then usual with other toms.
With me by his side, Lightningblaze could be one of the most popular toms in the Clan. And who wouldn't like that?
Anytime of day boy
I'll be your distraction
We can make it happen
I could be your sweetie, sweetie
A plan starts to form in my mind. Lightningblaze can't possibly like doing everything for the Clan without being recognized, could he? With me, he could recieve the glory he deserves. We'd be doing each other a favor.
Sure, I never like to keep a tom by my side for too long, but who knows? If all that rubbish about true love turns out to be true...
Anyway, I continue in my train of thoughts, pushing away all silly notions of sentiment. Surely the tom is sick of dreary, ordinary warrior life. Surely he wants something more, someone more. I could be that someone. I could relieve him of the dullness of his life and together, we could be the star couple of RainClan, outshining even Russetmoon's ever-dramatic, on-again, off-again relationship with Specklenose.
Glancing over at the unsuspecting Lightningblaze, who's busy wringing water out of his thick fur, I curve my lips into a smile. He has no idea. Yet.
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
Laughter and voices herald the arrival of the hunting patrol. They stomp in - three toms and that tomboy, Beechwhisker - shaking mud and water off their pelts. I give a girlish shriek and shrink away from the droplets, then flush as I catch Lightningblaze's gaze. His eyebrows go up at my silliness. I long to explain that I really do like rain, that it was all an act, but there's no chance for that.
The toms, Specklenose, Coaldust, and Oakflight - all adorable and handsome - flop down in their nests side-by-side. The joking and banter begins, with Russetmoon loudly complaining about the wet-cat smell. My friend glances at me, obviously expecting me to join in.
I open my mouth to do so, but then I see Lightningblaze watching the huddle of toms. The expression in his eyes is both tender and wistful, as if he wishes he could be like that but doesn't know how. It reminds me a lot of a certain little she-kit who dreamed and aspired to popularity and romance, who worked and slaved and practiced ladylike purring and tip-pawing all day. That little kit was me. I didn't get to my position as "it-girl" through no work at all.
Ignoring Russetmoon's plea for backup in the toms vs. she-cats battle, I get up and pad towards Lightningblaze. Flirting is no big deal, I tell myself. And yet, I'm still more nervous then I've ever been.
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie, sweetie
As I approach, my heart thumps crazily inside my chest. Stop that, I tell myself. You were made for this. No tom can say no to you.
Despite the fact that my fur was soaked, and probably frizzier then it's ever been, I feel strangely beautiful as Lightningblaze looks up at me. It's like he doesn't see me the way everyone else sees me. It's like he's seeing something completely different, a completely different Moonpetal. We're definitely made for each other.
"Hey," I say as I sit down beside him. Gesturing to the noisy mob of cats laughing in the middle of the den, I say, "It's too loud for me."
He looks puzzled. "Really? Because I see you over there all the time."
Shoot. Flushing, I mew, "I know, but sometimes I just want to get away from it all."
As the words leave my mouth, I realize that they really are true. I do want to spend some time away from the trappings of my life as a "popular". And maybe Lightningblaze will be the tom I can do that with.
A dinner date and a glass of wine
We stayed up late and lost track of time
Nodding understandingly, Lightningblaze murmurs, "I get that. I mean, I never hang out with them but..."
I give him an easy smile to show I understand what he means. "Do you mind if I stay here for a while?"
Gently, he moves over to make room for me. I lie down beside him so that our flanks just barely touch. For some reason, I don't want to flirt like I usually do; I just want to stay here, next to him. Absently, I say, "Rainy days like this are good for spending inside. It makes you value having a Clan."
"That it does," Lightningblaze agrees. Our conversation meanders along this path slowly, with none of it really making sense in any true light. And yet it's probably the most meaningful conversation I've ever had. We talk about the weather, hunting, cats, Clans, and everything else under the sun.
When I look around, I'm shocked to see that everyone else has dozed off. Outside, the rain continues to fall in a silky, fine drizzle. "I- It must be late," I say in shock.
Blinking, Lightningblaze stretches and stands up. "Yeah. Wow, I completely lost track of time there."
"Me too. But... that was nice." Please agree.
"Yeah. It was." He gives me a shy smile.
When I'm with you-ou-ou
I feel a different hunger
My stomach rumbles, and I realize I haven't eaten since the afternoon; the rain drove me inside before I had a chance. And yet it hadn't even mattered to me all this time, I'd been so engrossed in our conversation.
As if reading my mind, Lightningblaze says, "Do you want to grab something to eat?"
"This late?" I ask, surprised. Then I smile and lead the way out of the den. "Sure."
You held my hand and you didn't let go
I'm gonna kiss you now
I thought you should know
Stepping out of the warrior's den, I find that Lightningblaze has caught up to me. He stays by my side as we trot over to the fresh-kill pile. The rain is almost like a mist against our fur, cool and damp. I don't mind it at all.
I stoop to pick up a tiny chaffinch, but Lightningblaze picks up a giant squirrel instead. Raising my eyebrows, I say, "You're going to eat all that?"
"I thought we could share."
Every ounce of drilling I've ever had in the art of being a flirt vanishes. How sweet! "Thanks," I whisper, leaning in closer. He's mine now. He has to be. A tom like this, I can't let go. At least, not for a long time.
If only he knew what I was thinking...
And it's true-ue-ue
There's an eighth world wonder
And from now on
There's something miraculous about this night. Somehow, everything beautiful is amplified in the ethereal glow of Lightningblaze's navy eyes. Constantly, I remind myself that this is nothing special. I've spent time together with dozens of different toms, all cute and worthy of my attentions. This one is just slightly cuter, ten times politer, a million times more charming...
Okay, he is special. But that doesn't make a difference. I'm still going to dump him when the time comes. Staying with one tom for too long is a great way to spell L-O-S-E-R.
Still, for now I think I'll stay with him and enjoy our relationship. It might be cheesy, but he really does seem to bring out the best in me.
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie
Anytime of day boy
I'll be your distraction
We can make it happen
I could be your sweetie, sweetie
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie
Anything you want boy
Anything you need
Anything you want boy
Anything you need
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie
Anytime of day boy
I'll be your distraction
We can make it happen
I could be your sweetie, sweetie
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
Anything you want boy
I can make it happen
We could fall in love and I could be your sweetie
Anytime of day boy
I'll be your distraction
We can make it happen
I could be your sweetie, sweetie
You're not as lonely as you think you are
I'm trying to tell you
That all I wanna do, is just be true to you
And give you satisfaction
Sweetie, sweetie