Work Text:
it was another Christmas Day in Whoville and what better way to spend it than with friends, family, and people you love. That’s what The Grinch thought anyway.
After everything that happened a couple of Christmases ago he’s been on cloud nine, I mean why wouldn’t he with a beautiful girlfriend by his side and the cutest little girl as his best friend and of course he had max, He always had max.
But this Christmas was a different story he had no Martha May, she had ended things with him a few weeks prior. Something about “not wanting any commitments with a lazy grouch for the rest of her life”. He didn’t know what to do without her she had been his rock—his light. She was the one to help him open up more and try to communicate with people in a more nicer tone...he had always had trouble with that, after being praised as the savior of Christmas that didn’t automatically mean he could change over night even if his heart did grow a little bit more every day. but losing her made him feel like it was shriveling up all over again.
—
The grinch sat in his old recliner that squeaked when he sat in it, yeah it was old and run down and smelt bad his whole cave did but that’s just who he was, it was home, and if she couldn’t except that then..then.
The grinch had started to break down sobbing, he looked around at all the good memories he used to share with her now just faded into bad ones. “Hmmf how s-stupid are you-u falling for her...” “hick” “you s-should have seen this coming” his sobs slowed down a bit, “Arrg” he threw the glass bottle sitting on the table by the chair. “It’s stupid all so stupid, she would never love anyone like you-“ he was cut off by a loud bang echoing from somewhere deep in his cave.
Startled he got up in a hurry, whipping his tears in the process and running to get the nearest weapon available. Maybe it was just Sidney Lou coming to check up on him, but he could always tell when it was her coming down the shoot, so no definitely not her. It was certainly a much bigger bang than usual and not even in the spot of the regular drop off.
There he was The Cat laying on top of a bunch of broker piece of wood from a crate on his back (hmm weren’t cats supposed to land on there feet). Oh great, just what he needed right now another annoying thing to add to his list of bothered and pissed off today.
The Grinch threw whatever was in his hand on the ground and it made a clatter clanking again the concrete floors. He bent down to take The Cats hand to help him stand right side up.
“what. The. Hell. Are. You. Doing. Here” he said each word like he had venom oozing out of his mouth.
“Whoa calm down buddy I’m just here to check up on you, ya know the old buddy system.” The Grinch still just stood and stared at him like he was the stupidest thing he had ever laid eyes on.
“Okay- anyway my point is a little birdy of yours, quite adorable actually, told me about you break up with the misses.” “I’m really-“
“Don’t, just save it please...I know what you going to say I don’t need your pity.” The Grinch sighed as he started walking back to his recliner, he didn’t have time for this, he just wanted to sit and wallow in self pity.
“Ohh come on” The Cat tagged alongside side him, bumping him in the shoulder in the process.
“Everyone needs someone to comfort them even you ya big grouch” He smiled brightly, you could see his fangs poking out as he did so...cute.
“No first of all you need to leave me the hell alone, and second of all how the hell did you even get here this time.” This time, because this hade happed on multiple occasions before, one more bizarre than the last.
“Uhmm that’s not important...what’s important now is you.” The Grinch sighed loudly as he plopped down onto the recliner winching when it makes a snap, probably just another spring broke, great.
“Uhg fine ya know what fine lay it on me, tell me how much I deserved it, how pathetic I am for actually believing she would love me for who I am, and how much of a horrible who I am.”
Silence rang threw the cave only the sound of wind whistleing, mice scurrying, and lights buzzing.
Finally The Cat spoke up softly “oh no please don’t say they about yourself-“
“Why, why shouldn’t I, It’s true right!!”
“No it’s not-“
“Yes it is or she wouldn’t have left me, she...she” the grinch inhaled trying to not make himself cry again.
“You know what it doesn’t even matter, it’s not like I was good at the whole love thing anyway”
“...”
“Ya know-“ suddenly The Grinch was cut off, The Cat had picked him up now dragging him towards the bedroom.
“Hey what the hell do you think your doing”
“Shhhh it’s okay we’re just going to lay down The Cat led them to the old bed that had dust all over it.
“You not bothered by all this” the grinch said sniffing.
“Nope.” The Cat said popping the p.
“Trust me when I tell you I’ve seen a lot worse haha” his laugh echoed through the cave.
Why was he doing this, why did he care. The Grinch didn’t even like this stupid feline, yet he seemed to be his only source of comfort.
The cat plopped down onto the bed, springs bouncing and squeaking in the process.
“Come here” the cat patted the space beside him.
“Now way-“ The Grinch was cut off by The Cat dragging him down to lay on top of him.
“Uhhhh”
“Shhhh it’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.” The cat wrapped his arms around the Grinch as he was talking in a hushed voice that sounded so calming, so safe.
“I know you think your worthless and stupid, but your not, trust me I know stupid when I see it. The only way your being stupid right now is beating yourself up over it.” The Cat ran his hands up and down the fur of the Grinches back to soothe him.
The Grinches face was smashed against The Cats chest soft fur meeting his tangled mess.
“You might not be the nicest person or the most handsome, but in the short time that I’ve known you, I know your heart is in the right place and you have good intentions.”
The Grinch wanted to cry all over again, not because of the heart break of it all, no, he wanted to cry because that was the nicest things anyone had ever said to him in his whole miserable existence.
He buried his now relaxed face deeper into the chest of The Cat. Maybe this wasn’t all bad and maybe this was exactly what he needed to hear.
Well Merry Christmas to him...smh.
—
He doesn't quite remember when this started being a regular thing
The Cat would come over they would talk, cuddle, play dress up. Anything to pass the time. He has started to feel a lot better about the whole thing since The Cat stared coming around more often. He was grateful that The Cat was doing all this, he could tell he was genuine, even tho The Cat could be a little off his rocker.
The were both lying down on the bed facing each other having a heart to heart, even more than the usual.
“So your parents just left you” The Cat said sniffing and wiping his tears away.
“Heh yeah I guess, not a big deal tho I mean it’s not like I even knew them so...” the grinch trailed off thinking about how different life would have been if he was with his real parents.
“So uh what about you, your family I mean” the grinch said not wanting to reminisce any longer.
“Oh my old folks well they...the kinds gave up on me as I got older tried to send me away a lot, so one day I just left, end of story.” The Cat said like it meant nothing to him.
“But in a way it made me happier more free to be me, myself, and I.” The Cat chuckled.
“And of course I miss them sometimes, and I do think about them but I know there fine.” The Cat sounded exhausted talking about it.
“I get thing one and thing two two regularly check on them, I don’t think I have the heart to see them again I might try running back home.”
“But who knows maybe one day I’ll fix it” The Cat smiled sadly.
The Grinch took The Cats Hand into his and held it to his chest.
“You have me now and so that counts for something right?”
“...” The cat remains silent as he stared at him, The Grinch couldn’t quite place the look on The Cats face.
Oh no what if he messed up, what if he said the wrong thing, “err...Um, well I didn’t mean it like that we might not even be friends so-“
The Grinch was cut off by a pair of furry lips pressing to his.
Wait what was The Cat actually kissing him right now, no way, I mean yes way, I mean what?. He was confused, so so confused, he didn’t know how to feel or what to do should he pull away or kiss back.
He wasn’t thinking about these things long cause shortly after The Cat pulled away looking at him.
“I’m sorry, I don’t-“ the cat stopped him self.
“No ya know what I’m not sorry, I’m not sorry I like you okay like, like really like you more than..a..a friend.” The Cars pupils were dilated looking straight at my red ones.
The Cat liked me..more than a friend?, what does. Ohh no..that means The Cat loved him or well was close to anyway.
“I..uhm-“ The Grinch struggled with something to say, was he shocked?, happy?, scared?...
“Hey don’t fret it I you don’t have to say anything, I’ll leave if your want me to” The Cat looked calm like he was expecting the rejection.
“NO!!” The Grinch shouted quickly.
“No I mean stay, stay...please”
“I’m not mad okay, I do like you back, so much, you make me happy and..maybe I just need some time to figure this all out, but I want you to stay.”
The Cat looked happy, now squeezing The Grinches hand that was still in his.
“Take all the time you need, I’ll be right here waiting for you.”
“ha..ha..hahahah” The Grinch was laughing now wiping his tears he didn’t know were the crying started and the laughing began.
“What are you…are okay?…why are you-“
The grinches laughing calmed down, a single tear streaming down his green face.
“I’m just happy is all”
The cat started smiling wide cute teeth showing scutching his nose as his whiskers twitched.
“And who would have thought The Crazy Cat and The Grouch of Whoville would fall in love.” The Cat started laughing.
sweet laughter echoed through the cave.
Both of them feeling like they could do anything and face anyone with the other by their side.
Yeah, The Grinch Thought, next Christmas is going to be amazing.