#not knowing what is a jellicle cat (and pollicle dog) and getting an explanation of it

[moldygreenblue]

a meeting with a man in white spats

(In which two men meet each other a pub, and conversation occurs.)

I was lunching one day at The Princess Louise,

When I passed some remark to a man in white spats

Who had ordered a plate of fried gammon and peas,

So we soon fell to talking of thisses and thats—

“May I ask why you’re searching for a new flat?”

Mr. Faber sets down his fork and knife onto his plate, and dabs the napkin onto his mouth. Once his face is clean, Mr. Faber picks up his glass of port wine, swirls it around, and takes a small sip. He then gives out a refreshing sigh, and set his glass down.

“Not at all,” replies Thomas, picking up his own gin and tonic from the coaster. He takes a long slip before continuing. “Something you need to know right away is that I quite like my flat mate. I’m not searching for a new flat because I despise him. We knew each other since our university days, and we remained friends since graduation. But we never lived together until six years back. We weren’t in relationships at the time, and two people paying rent makes thing easier, you know? 50/50 split payment of everything.”

“Completely understandable of an arrangement.”

“A year ago, my friend met someone. The girl of his dreams, if I have to describe her. Even the way they met came can be describe as love at first sight. But I digress. A few weeks back, he proposed to her. I even help set up the proposal.”

“Sounds like you are a candidate on being the best man.”

Thomas laughs, and sets his gin and tonic down back on the coaster. “Very likely candidate. Now, even though she spent a night or two at the flat —and vice versa with him at her place— the idea of them living together never crossed their minds until recently. It’s a good thing that our flat has two bedrooms, and not one.”

“But you have your own bedroom, and your friend and his fiancée have theirs. What is the problem?” Mr. Faber leans back against his chair, his curled-up hand underneath his chin.

“The problem is that I’m a third wheel,” says Thomas. “They don’t want to admit it, especially my flat mate, but I know that they know that I’m disrupting their new lifestyle. I freshen up at times when she needs to freshen up, or I accidentally use the food they bought to make my meals. I won’t even start on the time I barge into my flat mate’s room and interrupt…activities.”

Thomas gives a sigh, and places his elbow on the table. He then rests his head onto his hand. “Pardon my impolite table manners, but my search for a flat within my price range is worser than it was six years ago. And I can’t ask my sister to let me live with her. Her flat is big enough only for herself and her pet cat. If it was bigger, I would consider her as a potential option.”

“Your sister having a cat is not an issue to your dilemma?” Mr. Faber raises an eyebrow.

“No issue at all. I quite like cats.”

Mr. Faber doesn’t say anything. Instead, the old man drops his hand, and smiles. Thomas can see a twinkle in Mr. Faber’s eyes.

Thomas isn’t sure how he should interpret it.

“Well Mr. Stephens,” says Mr. Faber as he smiles, and it’s very feline of a smile, “I confide right now to being a jack of all trades, but I am at present an agent for small furnished flats. And I do think I can help you out, in fact…”

[skimblyshanks]

might i interest anyone in a playlist for what started as a crackship but is now uh...not that, really? asiludhfl CW for harsh language, some sexual themes, mention of drugs, and general toxic vibes.

anyway this is for Macavigus, AKA my ship between Gus the Theatre Cat and Macavity 🙈

Explanation under the cut. Because it’s me and this is how I enjoy fandom, warning that it’s long. The Indented/Block Quoted segments are like. the need-to-know info.

To explain this, because that is necessary, Macavity’s on the wacky dramatic end of my interpretation of him, which. heh. Began bc the first time i watched 98, I saw the Griz/Mac idea instead of the Munk-Mac brothers idea, but I also saw Griz as a peer of Gus and Deut, which would mean Mac had to be around their age group as well. Which works with his written description of a balding, domed head with deeply furrowed brows, matted fur, and uncombed whiskers. However, when he appears onstage, I mean. Come on. Especially in recent revival redesigns, he actually looks kinda hot.

So that was an idea of him that I’ve had for 5 years.

An idea that came in 2020 was that of Macavity as Rumpus Cat ( I , II ) (Extra)

To try and summarize that quickly, since Pekes and Pollicles is a show-within-a-show, and one that is put on for Deut as a spectator in most stagings, but also one put on for Gus with him playing the Rumpus Cat in the US Revival Staging, I wanted to poke around a little. And since US Revival Mac’s costume suggests the Rumpus costume to me, the hc was born.

And long story short; when Deut, Gus, old!Griz, and Mac were all about the age of Munk, Deme, Bomba, and Tugger, Mac was the Rumpus Cat, and he had a different song. He was a lot more ethically dubious than the character is presented like, even then. And one night his attempt to break up a dog fight goes very wrong and he’s dying. Then like. through a mix of magic, desperation, spite, and some other assistance, he’s been keeping himself animated, without seeming a day older than he was when he died. But also it’s been corroding him so his moral center is like. just about non-existent by the time of the Ball we see.

And there was a whole thing where for a good while Mac was assumed dead by the tribe, and since the song abt Rumpus Cat has been shown to be important to Gus and to Deut, the hc also became that they created the show-within-a-show as a memorial. And then since Gus is sometimes the Rumpus Cat it also became “What if Gus and Mac were together before Mac ‘died’?”

And tbh they were probably kinda healthy at that point. where it gets interesting is after Mac “dies”.

Bc Gus moves on at first with a cat actress (I’ve been calling her Queenie bc references but i still dk if i wanna keep it that) and they have Asparagus Jr and Skimble and it’s gucci. but then she dies (no one is asking but. Renal failure).

Mac’s been aware of this the whole time and he’s not happy abt being moved on from; not at all that upset that his lover’s current love died. And he makes his move back in. And Gus is like. Weirded out but also his wife just died and now his other lover is back from the dead and he’ll take what he can get dammit. So he’s the first Jellicle to know Mac never truly died but he keeps it secret like he’s been told to. And they meet in secret for a while and Gus definitely notices the changes in Mac as he loses any genuine kindness or charm but he doesn’t want this to stop so he doesn’t bring it up. But Mac is getting like. much more controlling. Does not appreciate the thought of losing to Queenie in any aspect, including Gus’ kids. And shit starts getting tense but Gus does not want to be alone so he puts up with it.  The Playlist mainly exists in this whole span of time. A little bit into the breakup

Until one night something i’m not sure on the details of happens and Jr + Skimble aren’t hurt but they were definitely supposed to be and Gus can tell so then it’s over. and Mac is pissed but turns out Young Gus was good at actual fighting if he felt the need and eventually Mac realized there were plenty of other cats in London.  Gus still doesn’t tell Deut abt Mac still being Animate so that doesn’t enter the Tribe’s awareness until way later.

Next time they interact at all is quite a jump in the future, some time after Mac kills Victor, bc this time he brings li’l Tugger to Gus bc he’s too stubborn to be Mac’s protege so maybe Gus can do something with him. Gus takes li’l Tugger in but also kinda. Pushes him to Deut when he can bc at this point his sons are independent and he’s far out of practice with tiny kittens and did he mention he wants nothing to do with Mac?

And then yeah. Deut doesn’t learn Mac is still alive, and by extension the tribe doesn’t learn that Mac exists, until Tugger, Deme, Bomba, and Platometus confirm it, and by that point Rumpus Cat as a character has become separate from Macavity so that specific connection just. doesn’t get made for any of the younger cats.

When I’m feeling lighthearted they also start something again after Mac runs away from Munk and Alonzo with his ego bruised. And in that case Gus is putting up with none of his shit and it’s just a lowkey “I should’ve left you on that street corner where you were standing.” “...but ya didn’t!” type thing. only macavity is visibly into this relationship but in all honesty gus likes having him around as long as he behaves. Probably not really healthy but also not canon or serious in any way so lasiuhfl.