Chapter Text
A week has passed since that encounter, yet Kitty still hasn’t forgotten it. When she got back to the group a week ago, she simply stated that they “lost it” and that she “didn’t find it” despite searching. Of course, Kitty didn’t necessarily have to lie; however, Kitty knew Puss had so much on his plate as is given his near Death (literally) experience and his life-changing epiphany. If she told him that he had almost sent an innocent woman to him then he would surely be destroyed. Perrito on the other hand, well, he is too young to be hearing that kind of stuff anyways. What he doesn’t know won’t kill him.
The group, now known as “Team Friendship” (despite the disapproval of Puss and Kitty), were pretty popular at Far, Far away. Of course, Puss had most of the glory and popularity since he had already made himself known for a while. Kitty and Perrito were the new ones, though many like Kitty for her stoic attitude (along with the fact that for a cat she was absolutely jacked) and Perrito his adorableness.
Despite what people may think, Puss did not absolutely ADORE Far, Far Away. Yes, he did like the place as it was where he met Shrek and everyone else, but when you stay there for a while it gets repetitive, predictable, and sometimes kind of sad and depressing given all the catnip addicts on the streets from time to time (well, he has had his fair share of catnip but that is a thought for another day). Kitty absolutely hated the place at first but kind of grew used to it, despite the nauseating colors and noises. Oh, and Perrito loved Far, Far away instantly. There was a time where he had tea time with sleeping beauty, though it was really just him drinking tea since the princess was sleeping and dozing on the table.
Kitty sits on the edge of a balcony, gazing at the sunset and watching the sun go down. She sighs, quiet for a moment.
”I know you’re there, boots.” Kitty whispers from the edge. Little footsteps can be heard, growing in volume, as a certain little feline climbed his way up to the edge and flopped right beside her.
”I suppose, I am not as stealthy as you. Hehe.” Puss says beside her.
Puss gazes at the sunset, with the lights starting to outshine the sun as the sun gradually descended into the horizon. Music playing, people shouting and singing and dancing and doing all kinds of things. A music festival is coming up to celebrate the 10 year wedding anniversary of (formally King) Shrek and Princess Fiona. King Arthur thought that a lively celebration would be in order to celebrate their love. Charming little man, Puss thought, as it reminded him of him and Kitty. Err, well, besides the whole not-showing-up-for-the-wedding and leaving-her-at-the-altar part.
Puss looks at Kitty, where Kitty looks at Puss back. Puss opens his mouth, wanting to say something but not having the voice to do so.
Kitty notices this. “What happened, the cat got your tongue?”
Puss looks away shamefully, with a hint of guilt ridden over his face.
Kitty’s expression softened as she places a paw on Puss’s. “Hey, what’s going on?”
Puss peeks at Kitty for a brief moment, then closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He looks back at Kitty. “Kitty, at that moment inside the Wishing Star, where we both stood at the top of that ginormous, beautiful pink tree… I meant what I said.”
Kitty can only be silent and listen. Puss continues.
”You were right. I was a man of pride and arrogance, who thought very little of how much I was hurting the people I loved, the people who loved me, due to my careless actions. Who knows, maybe I still am that person.” Puss chuckles awkwardly, looking back now at the sky once again.
”Point is, you never deserved to be left like that. I should’ve never hurt you like that back at the altar because of my fear. Kitty, I really am sorry.”
Kitty looks at Puss once more as Puss silently waits for a response.
…
Puss could feel being pulled against something… soft.
Kitty embraced him in a hug, with Puss hugging her back shortly after. Kitty smiles, Puss can feel it.
”As I have stated before, at the ‘ginormous, beautiful pink tree,’ I forgive you.”
Puss can only smile in relief, rubbing her back with his right paw.
”Hey Puss?” Kitty whispers.
”Yeah?” Puss responds.
”I.. Uhm, what happened to De-.. him?” Kitty asks.
Puss frowns a bit.
”Honestly, I don’t know. That guy is fucking weird, let me tell you. I don’t know why, but I feel like even after our fight at the Wishing Star he still stalks and creeps around me like a hawk. Just some predator waiting to pounce on me.”
Kitty raises a brow, clicking her tongue. “I mean, isn’t that just a way of saying we’re all gonna die someday? Also I don’t get it, I thought he left you alone after you had your ‘Road to Damascus’ moment?”
Puss grabs Kitty's right shoulder with his left paw. “You see, that is what I do not understand! Yes, I get that he is after all of us and will have us eventually, but why is he so fixated on me specifically?”
Kitty gives him a deadpan ‘are you serious’ expression. “Puss, you basically told him to go ‘suck it’ all throughout your eight former lives. Obviously he is going to have a grudge towards you.”
Puss scoffs, rolling his eyes at the comment. “Okay, fine. But seriously, he doesn’t have to climb along the walls and sneak into any crevice the guy can find! He is desperate to kill me!”
Kitty hums in response. “Maybe he’s just watching to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, like keeping that hideous beard you had when I saw you again back at Little Jack’s big ol’ pie factory.”
Puss chuckles at the comment. She was right, the beard was really ugly.
Kitty sighs. “You know, there’s something I have been meaning to tell you too.”
Puss looks at her attentively. “What is it?”
Kitty looks back. “Okay, don’t freak out, but when I went to look for that machete you flung the other day-“
”Kitty, Puss!” Shouting can be heard from below. Perrito can be seen with Donkey and Gingy.
”Hey guys, we need your help organizing jobs for the music festival! Are you guys busy?”
”No worries, Perrito! We’ll be right down!” Puss shouts from above as he and Kitty gets themselves off the edge and onto the floor in which the balcony is connected to.
“You were saying?” Puss asks as he adjusts his hat.
Kitty adjusts her left boot as she looks away from Puss, unsure to tell him about the encounter now.
”Eh, I’ll tell you later.” Kitty says, as she makes her way to the door. Puss shortly follows after, hopping on his right foot as he adjusts the boot on his left.
“Hey, did Gingy lose weight?” Puss remarks, earning a snicker from Kitty and a slap on the chest as a response. Soon after, they both leave the room they were in through the door, closing it behind them.
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…
Death didn’t consider himself a stalker, but more a watcher. Before Puss, very few mortals have really struck an interest in him.
Sure, there was this one drunk, who bet 10 coins to his other drunk buddy that he would survive, who managed to dodge every single arrow being shot at him when he trespassed a castle’s grounds thirty-six years ago that mildly amused him. There was another who had half his face blown up because he wanted to prove that he can eat a lit firework and come out unscathed, but still managed to form coherent thoughts and gestures despite missing some of his brain matter. Oh, and that woman who chugged ten whole bottles of Venom Viper? She still managed to live up to five hours, what a trouper.
Oh, but alas, they all still died. They still died to live up to fantasy and self-pride, doing anything to do wonders for their ego.
Puss should not feel that different. I mean, his former eight lives just screams arrogance. Yet, he isn’t. Him and even.. Kitty? He didn’t pay much attention to Kitty at first, but seeing as he acts as almost a polar opposite of Puss intrigues him. How is it that Puss managed to find someone like Kitty? Honestly, what a blessing it was. She kept him grounded, kept him calm.. to a certain extent.
Even after his encounter with Puss, making him scared shitless even after the fact that he now learned to appreciate his remaining life, he still thought about him. He went to him, but of course he wouldn’t show himself. Atleast, not yet anyways. ‘Oh well, whatever he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,’ he thought.
…Perhaps Death can pay him another visit, but this time face-to-face. Just to keep Puss in check.
Finding Puss was not that hard. The sun went down and it was already night. He was talking to King Arthur and Donkey right beside a lit lamp post regarding gathering up a band for the.. What was it?
”A band for the music festival! Seems like common sense to have one but regardless it's a good idea!” Puss says out loud.
Ah, right. A music festival. He eavesdropped a bit more and found out that Shrek’s and Princess Fiona’s ten year wedding anniversary was coming up. How lovely, though he really didn’t care. Puss was parting ways with the two and so he went on his way. He saw how Puss didn’t take the route of the castle or his room, but into the forest where he eventually found himself at a rundown bar. ‘Old habits die hard,’ Death thought as he smirked to himself. How fun this will be, just the two catching up.
Puss sat on the high stool at the bar, drinking a shot of old wine he found on the shelf as he grimaced at the horrible taste of it.
”Agh, qué ascó mierda!” He said in a loud whisper, as he put down the shot and started to rub his head. He took a big sigh, appreciating the silence for a moment.
…
A familiar tune can be heard whistling within the room.
Puss’s fur stood up, his eyes widened, as he quickly placed his right paw on his rapier ready to attack.
He doesn’t, however, as his panic takes over. Only this time, he is more.. collected. More ready, but still anxious. He takes another deep breath, shutting his eyes close, before finally opening them and looking to his right.
There he was, the wolf himself, as he took Puss’s shot of old wine and took a sip. He doesn’t show the same grimace as Puss, but his distaste is evident.
Death smacks his lips as he places the shot down. “You have a point,” Death speaks up. “This does taste really bad. Who would’ve known?” Death flashes a grin at Puss, where he only receives a silent frown in response.
“Lobo.” Puss says. “What the hell do you want? Couldn’t get enough of me?” He shoots Death an angry glare. Death can only scoff and laugh at the audacity. Death pulls down his hood.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Death says as he grabs another wine bottle on the shelf as he pours himself a cup. “I just wanted to see with my very own eyes if you winded up doing something stupid again, as usual.”
Puss rolls his eyes at Death’s comment. “Do you seriously still think so low of me, even after the Wishing Star?!”
Death stares at Puss, slowly forming a smile on his face. “Correct.”
Puss can only scoff at the confirmation, doing a ‘what the hell’ kind of gesture with his arms and hands.
”Lobo, we made peace!”
Death laughs out loud at the mere statement. “Peace? That was not peace, it was me letting you live because you finally had your ‘Road to Damascus’ thing. I let you live because you finally understood how stupid it was to waste your former eight lives and how important your last one is.”
Puss stomps his right foot on the table surface, with his left foot standing on the stool, as he points at Death with his finger.
”You let me live because we had an agreement that I learned my lesson; hence, peace! So, you should back off and leave me alone!”
”Don’t point your fucking finger at me, gato.-” Death displayed a sour expression.
”Or what? You gonna kill me?” Puss blurts out loud.
…
Silence filled the room.
…
Death gets up from the stool, keeping eye contact with Puss as he takes a step closer.
Puss is starting to sweat, his rapier now in his right paw. His heart thumping so hard and loud in his chest you’d think he was moments away from cardiac arrest.
Puss keeps eye contact with Death, but paralyzed in the same stance and position. Unmoving.
Death inches closer to his face…
Puss shuts his eyes closed.
…
Puss’s neck tingles as he feels Death take a whiff of Puss’s scent. Huh?
Puss opens his eyes in confusion, raising a brow as Death pulls back. Death looks at him with a grin, his chuckles gradually increasing in volume but not to the point where it would wake an ant.
”Ah, just like old times.” Death flashes a menacing, toothy smile.
Puss’s mouth is agape. “I..”
Just as he was about to say something, Death cuts him off.
”I gotta go, a soul is yearning for my touch,” Death says as he exchanges a chuckle. He makes his way to the door. He exchanges one last look at Puss.
”I’ll be watching you, Puss. Waiting for you. Don’t ever forget that.”
Puss can only look at Death befundled as Death disappears into the night.
…
Puss smacks his lips as he swallows his spit. He is silent for a moment, placing a paw on his still thumping chest.
God, what is happening to me?
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