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"Straps!"
The Rum Tum Tugger cried as he barged into his brother's den, wet from the rain. Munkustrap startled awake at Tugger's cry. With a sigh, he sat up and turned to face his brother.
"What is it this time Tug-"
He stopped as he noticed the tears. It seemed like Tugger was having one of his bad nights. Adopting a softer tone to his voice he spoke again.
"Hey Tuggsie, what's up? Did you have another nightmare?"
After a nod of his head, Tugger launched himself at his brother, who just barely caught him. As Munkustrap steadied the both of them, Tugger buried his face in the fluff of his chest. With a sob Tugger began to tell Munkustrap about his nightmare.
"It was when mom left us,"
Munkustrap remembers that day vividly. The day Grizabella left them. He remembers thinking how childish Tugger had acted when he asked, "Are you coming back, mommy?". He had thought it was silly of Tugger to ask that question, of course mom would come back! As the years passed, however, he began to wonder what his brother had sensed that day.
"Mom left, but this time she said it was all my fault! And you agreed with her!
Munkustrap felt his heart break. Sure, Tugger had his annoying moments, but Munkustrap could never hate him, let alone blame him for Grizabella leaving.
"Oh, kitten, I would never! I love you too much to ever even want to hurt you like that."
Munkustrap nuzzled against his brother's head and licked his tears away. He bumped his head against Tugger's and took stock of his coat, understandably messy from running through the rain.
"Kitten, your mane is all matted and dirty, let me clean it."
Tugger scrunched his nose up in disgust. Munkustrap chuckled, remembering how his brother, who sets aside at least an hour each day just to groom himself, used to hate being cleaned.
"We need to get your mane all sorted out. What will all your admiring fans think if they see you so dirty?"
"Don't care 'bout what they think. They're nasty, queen's have cooties!"
Munkustrap laughed.
"Of course, how could I forget! You only have eyes for a certain tuxedo tom."
Tugger blushed and mumbled something about Mister Mistoffelees being cool before shoving his face back into his brother's chest fluff.
Munkustrap began grooming Tugger's mane, the soothing, repetitive motions lulling the fluffier tom to sleep. Munkustrap didn't know why his little brother acted like this sometimes, but honestly? He didn't care. It was a return of the sweet little kitten his brother had been before the false bravado Tugger put up nowadays. Either way his brother acted, Munkustrap loved him no matter what.