[SOLO RP-FIN] Hard Goodbyes [Duchess x Princeton]

[NatiStorm]

Dark ears twitched towards the window as Duchess came to her senses. After her bath, she had been left to her own devices and decided to nap on the sunny window seal. She had been sleeping soundly until her ears had picked up the sound of a familiar monster pulling up to her twolegs nest. The high pitched squeal of that particular monster could only mean one thing; Princeton was coming to visit.

Excitement coursed through her as she bolted upright on the window seal. Her tail flicked along the wall as she watched a twoleg get out of the monster and pull out a small box that she knew contained her favorite playmate, her best friend, Princeton. As the twolegs carried her friend across the lawn she made excited chirps and pawed at the glass, alerting her own twolegs that they had company. After she recieved her head pat of praise, she jumped off the seal and dashed to the door where she knew Princeton's twoleg would be coming through any moment now. She anxiously paced in front of the door for a moment before reaching up to tap the round knob to remind her twolegs once again how to open the door. Ugh, these twolegs moved so slow! It was agony to wait!

"Hurry up!" She whined at her twolegs who merely laughed and gave her another praising head pat before opening the door. "Princeton!" She meowed loudly while trying to block the path of her twolegs. The twolegs could pet each other after releasing her friend. "Hey! Princeton! I wasn't expecting you to visit! I'm so happy to see you!" Her mews grew louder until she was nearly yowling at the other twoleg holding the box.

"Ugh, hurry up and let him oooouuut!" The moment the latch clicked and the door opened, duchess sprang. She had her faced pressed against his neck, nuzzling into his thick fur as soon as he stepped out of the box. His fur was so soft and he smelled wonderful. The deep rumble of his purr sent waves of happiness through her and she instantly relaxed. "I've missed you." She spoke into his fur, still nuzzling his side.

 

[NatiStorm]

Excitement and dread battled for the dominant emotion inside him as his twolegs carried his box into the familiar nest that was not his home. They were taking him to see Duchess again and while normally he loved visiting the she-cat, having to say goodbye to her for the last time was already weighing heavily on his heart. This was going to be their last meeting and once he left, he was never going to see her beautiful fur and gorgeous smile ever again.

Princeton nervously flexed his claws into the soft towels in his box. Duchess was the only reason he hadn't run away yet. Getting to spend time in her twolegs nest had kept him content to stay a kittypet for the most part. Lately however, the kittypet life had become to tedious and he could take it no longer. After this meeting, he was going to run away and never look back. Even if that meant saying goodbye to his best friend.

The moment the his cage entered the twolegs nest, he hear her voice, full of excitement, calling to him. His heart fluttered in his chest as it always did when he heard her bright meow. "Hey Duchess!" He called through the small holes in his box. "We do this so often, you'd think they'd be faster at letting me out." His fluffy tail lashed against the box while he waited impatiently for his twolegs to open the front. He pawed at the strange contraption that kept the door in place and earned a chuckle from both his twolegs and duchess' twolegs.

Finally the door swung open and he was free to roam his friends nest. He had barely made it out of the box before Duchess was nuzzling her face into his fur. A smile spread across his maw and a deep purr rumbled through him as he licked the top of her head. "I've missed you too." And he would miss her everyday once he left. If only things could have been different. If they could have lived together, would he still be trying to run away? If he asked her to go with him, would she say yes? Could he condemn her to that life? No. Duchess was happy here and he would never ask her to leave her pampered life behind just for him. What would he be able to offer her anyway? Company? Would that ever be enough?

Shaking the thoughts from his head, Princeton settled down into a loaf position and began grooming his favorite she-cat. "How have you been since the last time I saw you?"

 

[NatiStorm]

As Princeton began to groom her, Duchess started a loud purr of her own. There were few things she loved more in this world than Princeton's company. The feel of his tongue running over her fur soothed her in a way that nothing else could even close to. There was nothing she wouldn't give, nothing she wouldn't do, to keep him in her life forever.

"I've been good, but I'm better now that you're here." She happily purred to him. How often did she dream about the handsome Tom before her staying with her forever? Only every time she dreamed. It was wonderful that the twolegs would bring him over for a visit but would it really be so hard to just let him stay for awhile and not take him away? It was for this reason only that Duchess hadn't admitted her feelings to him.

What good would it do either of them to know she was madly in love with him when he couldn't stay and they never knew when they would next see each other? Not only that but what if he didn't feel the same way about her? Then the next time he came over would be so awkward. So she had vowed to keep her feelings to herself and just bask in his friendship instead.

"I caught a mouse the other day! My twolegs scream so I went to investigate and found a mouse so fat it could barely run!" Duchess chuckled at the memory as she made small talk. "They gave me the most delicious wet fish tasting food that night in praise of my skill." She boasted proudly. Honestly it hadn't been much of a challenge. The mouse was slow and though she wanted to play with it, she didn't care for the screams her twolegs made so she had ended it quickly.

"How about you? Still being taken to all those cat gatherings?" Neither of them knew what cat shows were called but they had both been to plenty of them. Luckily Duchess had stopped being forced to go awhile ago after trying to attack one of the judges. As Princeton took his turn talking, Duchess shifted positions so that she could groom him for awhile.

 

[NatiStorm]

Princeton continued his deep rumbling purr as he groomed Duchess and listened to her speak. Although he was dreading having to say goodbye to her, it was hard to be sad when he was by her side. She was always so full of warmth and joy. When she spoke, she made boring everyday things seem like grand adventures and he absolutely loved that about her. He wanted to laugh at her mouse adventure but it had only reinforced his belief that the beautiful she-cat could never make it living in the rough wilds of the outside world.

There would be no one to feed her delicious wet fish flavored food if she ran away with him. Honestly he wasn't even sure what he was going to eat once he left. Regardless, he knew he couldn't stay with his twolegs another day or he would go insane. Of course he would miss some of the comforts of his twoleg home but he knew he would miss Duchess most of all. Would he ever be able to forget her? Was it possible for him to find a wild she-cat that could replace Duchess?

He was lost in his thoughts when Duchess shifted to groom him. "Hm?" Princeton asked, realizing that she had asked him a question. After she asked him a second time, he sighed and shifted on his paws so he could better face her. "Yes, I've been to a few recently." His voice was quiet and his purr had stopped. "Listen, Duchess... I..." He tried and failed to explain his plan. This was it, the moment he'd been dreading for moons now.

Looking away from her, he tried again. "I can't live like this anymore - in a twoleg nest that is. I... I'm going to run away. I've already got it all planned out. I was waiting until after I saw you again because, well, I wanted to say goodbye." Princeton said in a rush. "Know that I never wanted to leave you behind but... I just can't take it anymore. Being trapped inside, in the box, going to the gatherings, it's all just too much. I want to be free. Please understand. I care about you so much and I don't want to hurt you but I have to leave."

And I won't ask you to come with me, he left unsaid.

 

[NatiStorm]

It took Duchess a moment to realize what Princeton was saying. When she finally did comprehend his words, it felt like a slap to her face. Did he really just say he was running away? Meaning that she would never see him again? No! He couldn't do that! But... he did seem unhappy with his life with the twolegs... was it fair to ask him to stay and endure that just for her?

The room felt as if it were spinning out of control. She couldn't just let this happen, could she? Duchess opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. What could she say? I'm going with you? Could she really do that - leave her twoleg nest and live out in the wilds? Did he even want her to go with him or was he also trying to escape her? Duchess shook the thought from her head. That was silly, of course he wasn't escaping her. They were best friends. He'd waited to say goodbye to her.

"I..." Duchess took a deep breath to steady herself. "I understand." She kneaded the soft carpet beneath her paws. "I don't want you to go." Her mew cracked as she choked out the words. "But I understand why you need to leave. Thank you for waiting until you saw me again. I'm going to miss you so much."

Once again, she buried her face in his fluffy fur, breathing in his scent and feeling his warmth. "I refuse to believe this is goodbye forever though. I love you too much to never see you again." She said quietly, her mew muffled by Princeton's thick fur. "I'll find you again some day. Out in the wilds. No matter how far away you travel, one day.... I'll find you again."

She wasn't sure at what point she had started crying but it wasn't long before Princeton's side was soaked with her tears.

 

[NatiStorm]

Princeton had been so sure of his decision to leave... until Duchess said she loved him to much to never see him again. His heart felt like it cracked in two. How could he leave her like this? Never in his life had he felt so cruel as he did in this moment. Duchess was joy and sunlight and he had just smashed her hopes and dreams. But was it even possible for them to have a life together? Not as it currently was, no.

Maybe he should ask her to come with him... If she was set on finding him one day then maybe she was willing to run away with him. No, Duchess wasn't suited for the wilds, she was just saying that because the hurt was fresh. She didn't want to accept that they would never see each other again and Princeton could understand that. He wouldn't hold her hopeful lies against her.

"I love you too, Duchess." He said softly as he licked her cheek. There was nothing left to say. It didn't feel like an appropriate time to purr but Princeton couldn't stop himself. As his purr rumbled through both of him he licked away the tears from Duchess' beautiful face. If he had his way, she would never shed another tear. But there was nothing to be done about it. It's not like they had a future together here anyway.

Normally Princeton and Duchess would spend his visits playing, pouncing and chasing each other but today they just cuddled, holding each other for the last time. Once it was finally time to leave, Princeton gave Duchess a final lick on her head.

"Goodbye for now. See you out there in the wilds someday Duchess." He said trying to smile, daring to hope that she would find him again as she had promised. As he was ushered into the travel box, he looked back at her one last time. Then the door closed and she was gone.

 

[NatiStorm]

Hearing Princeton say he loved her solidified her plans to one day runaway and join him wherever he may be. Though she wasn't ready to leave now, Duchess swore that she would leave soon. With Princeton by her side, there was nothing she couldn't face. Of course, she wasn't sure how exactly she would find him once she ran away but she would! Her love for him was strong and she would find him, no matter how far he traveled.

For the time being, Duchess was content to just sit curled up at his side, reveling in their last moments together. The time to separate came all too soon and Duchess found herself wanting to protest to the twolegs taking her lover away from her.

"Goodbye for now, Princeton." She mewed weakly at him as he was stuffed into the box and taken from her nest. "I will find you again, I promise." Then he was gone and she had never felt more alone.