Remember When (Thundercats, Tygra/Cheetara/Panthro, PG)
Title: Remember When
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Rating: PG
Warnings: no sex, but possible lead up
Word count: 1,440
Prompt: Thundercats, Tygra/Cheetara/Panthro: grooming - On this strange new world, it was comforting to fall back on old habits forged as cubs.
A/N: This is late. Sorry
Summary: Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro remember ThunDERa.
Cheetara woke to a crash of thunder and the drumming of rain on the high windows. There was still an hour before her watch so she settled beneath the covers, hoping to catch a little more sleep. Thunder boomed again, rattling the windows, and Cheetara flinched.
Rolling onto her side, she watched the night sky outside light over and over and wondered how much flooding they’d have to deal with the next day. Though she'd grown to appreciate the strange creatures inhabiting the planet they now called home, she wondered how they'd managed to survive without someone to watch over them all this time.
Could be why the planet never completely recovered from destruction. She'd never heard exactly how it had happened, only that it had happened twice before. Now that the Thundercats were on hand, they'd vowed to never let the destruction happen again.
Her eyes drooped, but never closed, her mind unable to slow long enough to allow her peace. How long had they been on Third Earth? She’d lost track, tried not to look at the calendar every day or count each passing season. Almost a year, she thought. When the rains stopped, then she’d know for sure.
The ache at the passing of their king and their planet had lessened as time marched on, though she’d begun to wonder if it would ever go away for good. A part of her hoped not. She didn’t want to forget the good because of the bad. But, they’d lost their way of life, their culture, and their people. There wasn’t much--other than grieve--they could do about that.
Uncurling, she slid from bed. Maybe a glass of warm milk would do the trick. She cast a sidelong glance at her clothing and then abandoned it, easing into the dark hall naked. Nobody would see her and, if they did, only Lion-O would care. There were no dangers she needed to protect herself from in Cat’s Lair and, besides, she liked the feel of the cool air against her sleek fur.
When she passed the ramp leading down beneath the Lair to the hangars, she noticed the lights on and stopped, wondering what business Panthro had being up so late that night. Curiosity piqued, she abandoned her quest for milk in favor of satisfying her inquisitive nature.
She crept down quietly, crouching against the wall at the sound of voices.
"Couldn't sleep," Tygra said with a yawn.
"You sound tired enough," Panthro laughed.
"True."
Tygra's voice was drowned out by the groaning of metal, the cat's paw rising, unless she missed her guess. The sound of pounding rain confirmed her suspicions. There was something peaceful about the drumming, in spite of the raw fury of the storm.
“Did you hear something?” Tygra asked.
“Nah. Just the wind.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
The two fell silent and Cheetara could almost imagine them, side by side, watching the rain fall. Pressing her check against the cool wall, she sighed. They were lucky to have each other. As the only adult female of the group, there were times she felt so alone.
“Gotcha!” Panthro sprang out to grab her when she turned to go. He clamped a hand over her mouth when she screamed, whispered in her ear, “Don’t want to wake the others.”
“You scared a life out of me,” she grumbled when he released her.
“Since when,” Tygra asked, peeking around the curve in the hall, “do you spy on other people’s conversations?”
“I wasn't spying," she protested. I just..." She shrugged. What could she tell them? "I didn’t want to bother you. I just…the storm woke me…”
“Afraid of a little thunder and lightning, are we?” Panthro teased.
She smacked his arm. “I couldn’t get back to sleep so I got up for some warm milk.”
“A likely story,” Tygra said.
“Would you please shut up and let me explain?” she demanded in frustration.
“Sorry.” Tygra’s eyes dropped.
“Sorry,” Panthro echoed.
“I was just going to say I saw the light and heard voices and I suddenly felt like I didn’t want to be alone.” A flush crept into her cheeks and she was thankful for her fur. “But, when I got down here, I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Never an intrusion,” Panthro declared.
“I could grab us that warm milk,” Tygra suggested, “and we could watch some holos from ThunDERa.”
“You got them working?” Suddenly, she'd do anything to see home one more time.
Tygra grinned. “More or less, though there are a few that defy repair.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we could take a peek at the ones I’ve managed to clean up.”
“That would be wonderful.” A glimpse of home! What more could a lonely cat ask for?
#
Curled up with her head on Tygra’s knee and her butt pressed up against Panthro’s leg, Cheetara lost herself in the holos the tiger proudly displayed. They watched scenes from their youth, some special occasions involving their parents--the former nobles of their world--others involving celebrations and ceremonies Cheetara had only vague memories of.
Tygra's right hand smoothed the fur on her shoulder and then trailed down her back. She shuddered beneath the light touch of his claws, snuggled closer to his warm body.
Panthro chuckled, his own hand caressing her side, dropping down over her bottom. "Looks like you're getting comfortable there."
Cheetera's sigh dissolved into an instinctive purr. "We haven't done this in so long." At each breath, the purr deepened. She rolled onto her back, threw her feet across Panthro's legs, and settled down between the two males, eyes closed.
Hands lifted her hair from around her face and splayed it across Tygra's lap. A rough tongue took to her forehead, lapping from there down her nose and across her lips. She nipped at it lightly, caught it gently between her teeth.
It was Tygra's turn to purr. "I wouldn't go there," he warned, stealing his tongue away, "unless it's more than grooming you want."
She'd considered both of them as mates. Lion-O was far too young to be anything more than a passing interest. Tygra and Panthro, on the other hand, each held charms all their own. Still, tonight, she wanted comfort more than she wanted to mate, and they certainly didn't need a litter to raise on this cold, cruel world...not until they'd breathed a little warmth into it and civilized it some.
"All right, all right."
"You can put those teeth to good use when it's my turn," he laughed.
Cheetara opened one eye to peer at his upside down face. "In your wildest dreams."
Panthro laughed and his mouth dropped to her inner thigh. Warm breath stirred the fur there and drove a tingling into the pit of Cheetara's stomach. She knew they wouldn't go any further than she wanted and it was kind of exciting being here with them both, but if they got caught, they'd have a lot of explaining to do.
The holo cube viewer groaned, drawing Tygra's attention away. The third cube dropped into its slot and flared to life with holos of the three of them as older cubs being ordained into the ThunDERian court.
"That seems like so long ago," she said, her voice distant.
"Too long," Tygra said, his own voice flat.
"Sometimes I think I've forgotten what ThunDERa was all about," Panthro admitted, still crouched low over Cheetara, "but then I look at everything we do for those around us and I realize it's a part of us. The planet may be gone, but its hopes and dreams live inside us...all of us."
Tears filled Cheetara's eyes. Tygra brushed them away, leaned down to kiss her forehead. "As long as we're alive, Panthro, ThunDERa lives. We should all try to remember that."
The panther swiped at his own eyes and sniffled. A grin split his face. "There's one thing I do remember."
His grin was contagious and Cheetara found herself smiling. "What's that?"
"You're ticklish." His fingers dug into her sides.
"Stop it!" she shrieked, writhing. She laughed until it hurt.
"Now that you mention it..." Tygra's fingers attacked her neck and worked their way beneath her arm pits. "You're very ticklish."
Cheetara laughed until she couldn't breathe, then slipped out of their grasp and whipped around them so fast they didn't see her coming. "One thing I remember," she taunted, jabbing as she passed, "is that both of you are ticklish, too."
On this strange new world, it was comforting to fall back on old habits forged as cubs.
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Rating: PG
Warnings: no sex, but possible lead up
Word count: 1,440
Prompt: Thundercats, Tygra/Cheetara/Panthro: grooming - On this strange new world, it was comforting to fall back on old habits forged as cubs.
A/N: This is late. Sorry
Summary: Tygra, Cheetara, and Panthro remember ThunDERa.
Cheetara woke to a crash of thunder and the drumming of rain on the high windows. There was still an hour before her watch so she settled beneath the covers, hoping to catch a little more sleep. Thunder boomed again, rattling the windows, and Cheetara flinched.
Rolling onto her side, she watched the night sky outside light over and over and wondered how much flooding they’d have to deal with the next day. Though she'd grown to appreciate the strange creatures inhabiting the planet they now called home, she wondered how they'd managed to survive without someone to watch over them all this time.
Could be why the planet never completely recovered from destruction. She'd never heard exactly how it had happened, only that it had happened twice before. Now that the Thundercats were on hand, they'd vowed to never let the destruction happen again.
Her eyes drooped, but never closed, her mind unable to slow long enough to allow her peace. How long had they been on Third Earth? She’d lost track, tried not to look at the calendar every day or count each passing season. Almost a year, she thought. When the rains stopped, then she’d know for sure.
The ache at the passing of their king and their planet had lessened as time marched on, though she’d begun to wonder if it would ever go away for good. A part of her hoped not. She didn’t want to forget the good because of the bad. But, they’d lost their way of life, their culture, and their people. There wasn’t much--other than grieve--they could do about that.
Uncurling, she slid from bed. Maybe a glass of warm milk would do the trick. She cast a sidelong glance at her clothing and then abandoned it, easing into the dark hall naked. Nobody would see her and, if they did, only Lion-O would care. There were no dangers she needed to protect herself from in Cat’s Lair and, besides, she liked the feel of the cool air against her sleek fur.
When she passed the ramp leading down beneath the Lair to the hangars, she noticed the lights on and stopped, wondering what business Panthro had being up so late that night. Curiosity piqued, she abandoned her quest for milk in favor of satisfying her inquisitive nature.
She crept down quietly, crouching against the wall at the sound of voices.
"Couldn't sleep," Tygra said with a yawn.
"You sound tired enough," Panthro laughed.
"True."
Tygra's voice was drowned out by the groaning of metal, the cat's paw rising, unless she missed her guess. The sound of pounding rain confirmed her suspicions. There was something peaceful about the drumming, in spite of the raw fury of the storm.
“Did you hear something?” Tygra asked.
“Nah. Just the wind.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
The two fell silent and Cheetara could almost imagine them, side by side, watching the rain fall. Pressing her check against the cool wall, she sighed. They were lucky to have each other. As the only adult female of the group, there were times she felt so alone.
“Gotcha!” Panthro sprang out to grab her when she turned to go. He clamped a hand over her mouth when she screamed, whispered in her ear, “Don’t want to wake the others.”
“You scared a life out of me,” she grumbled when he released her.
“Since when,” Tygra asked, peeking around the curve in the hall, “do you spy on other people’s conversations?”
“I wasn't spying," she protested. I just..." She shrugged. What could she tell them? "I didn’t want to bother you. I just…the storm woke me…”
“Afraid of a little thunder and lightning, are we?” Panthro teased.
She smacked his arm. “I couldn’t get back to sleep so I got up for some warm milk.”
“A likely story,” Tygra said.
“Would you please shut up and let me explain?” she demanded in frustration.
“Sorry.” Tygra’s eyes dropped.
“Sorry,” Panthro echoed.
“I was just going to say I saw the light and heard voices and I suddenly felt like I didn’t want to be alone.” A flush crept into her cheeks and she was thankful for her fur. “But, when I got down here, I didn’t want to intrude.”
“Never an intrusion,” Panthro declared.
“I could grab us that warm milk,” Tygra suggested, “and we could watch some holos from ThunDERa.”
“You got them working?” Suddenly, she'd do anything to see home one more time.
Tygra grinned. “More or less, though there are a few that defy repair.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we could take a peek at the ones I’ve managed to clean up.”
“That would be wonderful.” A glimpse of home! What more could a lonely cat ask for?
#
Curled up with her head on Tygra’s knee and her butt pressed up against Panthro’s leg, Cheetara lost herself in the holos the tiger proudly displayed. They watched scenes from their youth, some special occasions involving their parents--the former nobles of their world--others involving celebrations and ceremonies Cheetara had only vague memories of.
Tygra's right hand smoothed the fur on her shoulder and then trailed down her back. She shuddered beneath the light touch of his claws, snuggled closer to his warm body.
Panthro chuckled, his own hand caressing her side, dropping down over her bottom. "Looks like you're getting comfortable there."
Cheetera's sigh dissolved into an instinctive purr. "We haven't done this in so long." At each breath, the purr deepened. She rolled onto her back, threw her feet across Panthro's legs, and settled down between the two males, eyes closed.
Hands lifted her hair from around her face and splayed it across Tygra's lap. A rough tongue took to her forehead, lapping from there down her nose and across her lips. She nipped at it lightly, caught it gently between her teeth.
It was Tygra's turn to purr. "I wouldn't go there," he warned, stealing his tongue away, "unless it's more than grooming you want."
She'd considered both of them as mates. Lion-O was far too young to be anything more than a passing interest. Tygra and Panthro, on the other hand, each held charms all their own. Still, tonight, she wanted comfort more than she wanted to mate, and they certainly didn't need a litter to raise on this cold, cruel world...not until they'd breathed a little warmth into it and civilized it some.
"All right, all right."
"You can put those teeth to good use when it's my turn," he laughed.
Cheetara opened one eye to peer at his upside down face. "In your wildest dreams."
Panthro laughed and his mouth dropped to her inner thigh. Warm breath stirred the fur there and drove a tingling into the pit of Cheetara's stomach. She knew they wouldn't go any further than she wanted and it was kind of exciting being here with them both, but if they got caught, they'd have a lot of explaining to do.
The holo cube viewer groaned, drawing Tygra's attention away. The third cube dropped into its slot and flared to life with holos of the three of them as older cubs being ordained into the ThunDERian court.
"That seems like so long ago," she said, her voice distant.
"Too long," Tygra said, his own voice flat.
"Sometimes I think I've forgotten what ThunDERa was all about," Panthro admitted, still crouched low over Cheetara, "but then I look at everything we do for those around us and I realize it's a part of us. The planet may be gone, but its hopes and dreams live inside us...all of us."
Tears filled Cheetara's eyes. Tygra brushed them away, leaned down to kiss her forehead. "As long as we're alive, Panthro, ThunDERa lives. We should all try to remember that."
The panther swiped at his own eyes and sniffled. A grin split his face. "There's one thing I do remember."
His grin was contagious and Cheetara found herself smiling. "What's that?"
"You're ticklish." His fingers dug into her sides.
"Stop it!" she shrieked, writhing. She laughed until it hurt.
"Now that you mention it..." Tygra's fingers attacked her neck and worked their way beneath her arm pits. "You're very ticklish."
Cheetara laughed until she couldn't breathe, then slipped out of their grasp and whipped around them so fast they didn't see her coming. "One thing I remember," she taunted, jabbing as she passed, "is that both of you are ticklish, too."
On this strange new world, it was comforting to fall back on old habits forged as cubs.