Mittens Has Class

Chapter 14 - Boobs Are the Best Cat Toys

**Characters and text are protected under copyright law

The early morning chill, forming a misty haze in the pre-dawn light, made Mittens' skin goose-pimple as she lazily twirled and danced about the back yard, waiting for the sun to rise and greet her. She could feel an invisible draw pulling at her to slip back into bed with her two friends and return to snuggling, but she felt an equal desire to do one of her morning frolics. It always made her feel so much better when she said a proper good morning to the first rays of sun.

And, this morning, she needed that little extra dose of feeling good. She kept thinking about the strange little breakdown in Krystal as they were going to bed. It had started her little kitty brain spinning and whirling, combing over details from the time she'd known the shy and enigmatic girl. While she'd often seen a deep melancholy etched in her heavily made up face, she'd always usually been stoic in manner.

Seeing her friend cry and not knowing the reasons for it bothered Mittens. She'd been wanting to help her, by bringing her out of her shell, but it seemed that Krystal had much more she needed help with than just bullying and shyness. And so, she'd tried to think about any possible clues she'd seen that might help explain.

However, she still lacked enough context to be able to separate Krystal's general depressive introversion from something more specific. Something that might be a clue could also be nothing more than just one of her eccentricities. Just as something she attributed to just social anxiety could be a symptom of something deeper. Mittens had always had a knack for reading people, but Krystal had a way of keeping her guessing that was both amazing and crazy-making.

The girl was definitely a cat.

As she leapt and bounced, mind quietly turning her friend over and over, she noticed a light come on in the sun room. After a moment, the patio doors opened and someone stepped out into the muted morning gloom. It was Krystal, still clad in the gym shorts she'd changed into before bed, but now also wearing a red hoodie and a pair of Ugg boots. Unlike Valli, she'd brought a bag with some extra clothes.

As she crossed the yard towards Mittens, she wrapped her arms about herself against the chill. While it had been too dark in the room when she'd slipped into bed with them to really see her face without all the make-up, Mittens could now better make out the real face beneath all the base-powder and heavy mascara. She practically looked like another person.

Mittens already knew that Krystal's mother had been three-fourths Comanche, but had never realized just how much of her mother's heritage had passed on to her daughter. All that make-up changed her face completely, altering the look of her facial lines and making her deep blue eyes so much more prominent. It masked not only her, but her ancestry.

Without it all, the mixture of Native American and Polish roots was much more clear and read beautifully across her features. Though she looked a little strange with a clean face, Mittens could still see the beautiful soul that she felt so blessed to have gotten to know. It also made Mittens feel honored that she was getting to see this unprotected side of her friend, as though she'd earned some new layer of trust.

"How are you naked out here?" Krystal asked with a chuckle as she came up. "It's freezing!"

Mittens waved dismissively with a paw. "Meh. It jus' chilly. Once ya start dancin' ya doesn't even notice." She did a few spins and bounces in illustration. "Give it a try!" She grabbed a hold of Krystal's hand and began pulling her along behind her as she bounded along.

Though it took a moment for Krystal to give in and start dancing, before long, both of them were twirling and frolicking about the yard together. As Mittens had said, Krystal didn't appear to be chilled for long, once she started dancing in greeting of the sun. She even unzipped the front of the hoodie, revealing the sports bra beneath, though she still kept it on.

"Do you do this every morning?" Krystal asked after a bit, a little breathless from all the leaping around.

"When I can." Mittens replied with a little shrug. "Lately, I's drivin' ta learnin' 'round this time." She gave a giggle. "So, I gets it in whens I can."

Krystal gave a chuckle. "I'm starting to understand how you stay so thin all the time. You're not even winded."

Mittens gave her a toothy grin. "It a cat thing. We gots down tha whole 'run ta rest ratio'. It's why we sometimes jus' up an' ZOOM out a room. It's ta balance tha ratio."

Krystal laughed at the explanation, seeming almost amazed at how almost logical it actually sounded. "I wish I had your boundless energy. Or just your awesome, insane, mind."

Mittens spared her another broad grin. "Jus' start dancin' all the time! Anytime ya gotta wait fer somefin', jus' dance whiles ya wait. Before long, you'll be both full o' energy an' half crazy."

Krystal laughed again, but had a look that suggested she might just take the advice to heart. "It is so amazing how you make everything always seem just so...simple." She said after a moment. "As if nothing ever really bothers you."

Mittens gave a flap of her paws. "Eh, I has ma own emotional luggage. I's jus' smurt 'nuff ta put wheels on it!"

This made Krystal laugh again, obviously picturing the metaphor as a comical scene. "I need some of those wheels!"

"I'll trade ya a set fer...a quick flash!" Mittens offered, waggling her eyebrows.

Krystal gave her head a shake and chuckled. "What is with you and always trying to get me to show you my boobs?"

"I likes bewbies!" Mittens replied, holding up her paws and pretending to fondle an invisible pair of breasts. "An' ya gots some nice ones!"

Krystal gave another shake of her head, still chuckling at her friend. However, she also reached down and pulled up her sports bra. Her very full breasts plopped out into view, the nipples of which were erect from the cool air. Her face blushed a deep crimson at her own daring, but didn't look as though she was regretting the decision. "There! You owe me some wheels for my mental baggage."

Mittens took in the sight with awe and wonder, delighted by how natural and beautiful they were. "Can's I play wif 'em?" She asked mischievously.

Krystal let out a bark like laugh. "Always pushing those boundaries!" She sighed. "You're not going to do anything...weird, right?"

Mittens smiled. "I just wants ta grope them. I likes givin' nice bewbies a good gropin'."

"Okay." Krystal said after a moment, though she winced at her own agreement.

Mittens stepped up and took one breast in each paw, giving them a playful squeeze and wiggle. "Ohhhh...these is nice! I likes these."

Krystal's face somehow got brighter red, but didn't pull away. "I can't believe I'm standing here, outside in the open, letting you grope me." She whined, but in an amused tone.

"I can't believe you are either." Mittens agreed, though she continued to gently mash and juggle her boobs as if they were a pair of cat toys.

For a moment, Krystal seemed to be having fun with it. However, as though some switch had suddenly been flipped, her expression changed and a terrible sadness filled her face. Her body flinched, as if she was fighting not to pull away.

Luckily, Mittens was observant enough to recognize that something was going wrong and quickly let go herself. "I'm sorry." She said quickly, uncertain if she'd pushed too far.

Krystal pulled the bra back down, tucking herself away, but didn't retreat away. "No. No, it wasn't anything with you." She said quickly, head dropping down and looking apologetic. "I'm the one who's sorry. I just..."

Mittens pulled her into a hug, her instincts telling her that it was what Krystal needed in that moment. To her relief, Krystal's reaction of throwing her arms around Mittens' own torso and nestling her head into her shoulder told her that she'd assumed correctly. She could feel the tremble in her friend's body, a shiver that had nothing to do with the morning cold.

For a few moments, they stayed like that, Mittens giving Krystal some time, in case she needed to let out some of her bottled up feelings with tears, as she did last night, but they never came. Instead, Krystal just withdrew from the hug after a few minutes, but maintained some degree of contact by taking hold of Mittens' paws.

"I don't mean to keep getting so weird on you." Krystal said, eyes cast down at where she was holding onto Mittens. "I think last night just refreshed someon--...some

thing

in my head. Something that hurt someone. Someone...that I hurt."

Mittens stayed quiet, not wanting to push her, but also hoping that it would also allow her the space to be able to talk about whatever it was that was bothering her. Mittens felt she knew Krystal well enough to assume that, if she hurt someone in a way she regretted, that it wasn't likely done with intention. Krystal was so docile that she didn't even fight back against people who deserved a punch in face.

After several moments of silence, Krystal finally spoke again. "I know I said I'd tell you about it last night, but..." She faltered, a fresh shake coming into her hands. "I'm kind of afraid to."

Mittens peered at her. "Why? I know people make mistakes and you obviously see it as being a mistake."

Krystal grimaced. "It was. More than one, really. There are just some parts that makes me look...kind of bad. Especially to, well, someone like you."

"A weird cat-girl?" Mittens asked incredulously.

This made Krystal laugh, despite herself, but the mirth was only brief. "As someone who is LGBTQ." She said softly, a pained look in her face.

Mittens paused, mulling over that statement. "Huh. I guess I am. Never actually thought about it that way."

Krystal shot her a surprised look. "You never considered yourself LGBTQ?"

Mittens gave a shrug. "Well, usually when someone calls me 'queer' they aren't talking about my orientation." She gave her a wink. "Seriously though, I just enjoy sex and I love who I love. I don't really worry too much about what that makes me in that whole scale. Still, if your point is that you're afraid I'm going to assume you of being homophobic, I could technically remind you that I was just fondling your breasticles with your consent a minute ago." She gave her a smirk. "And used you as a body pillow last night too. Probably humped your leg in my sleep."

Krystal snorted a little. "I guess that is true. Still, it makes me nervous to talk to you about this. It's been kind of amazing making friends with you. I don't...want to lose that again."

Mittens gave her hands a squeeze. "Let's go inside and sit down. I'm going to listen to whatever you need to tell me and then, no matter what it is you said, I'm going to tell you that we're still friends and I still like you. That way, you can stop worrying about that part and just focus on getting out what you need to get out. Deal?"

Krystal looked at her with an expression equal parts grateful and dubious. However, she gave a nod and let Mittens lead her back inside and to the living room. Settling into the couch, Mittens got comfortable and gave Krystal her full attention. For her part, Krystal seemed to need a moment to sort through what she wanted to say, but eventually began talking.

"So, I've told you about Sasha and Danielle being, pretty much, my only friends throughout school. At least, the only ones who really showed up for me as friends." Krystal began, little fidgets of her body showing that, despite all Mittens' reassurances, she was still very anxious about what she was about to reveal. "And that, after we all graduated, I lost touch with both of them."

Mittens gave her a little nod, but said nothing, not wanting to interrupt.

"What I haven't told you is that I had another friend in between them moving on and when I met you. Her name was Erin." Krystal stopped a moment, after saying the name, as if it had been a very long time since she'd spoken it out loud and was overwhelmed by the power it still held over her.

"We first met on Halloween night. She was dressed up as a witch or something, but I was just wearing my usual stuff." She gave a little chuckle. "I think she was either headed to or returning from some party, but I was just kind of...out and about. Kind of like you, she just came up and started talking to me, asking about my 'costume'. When I told her it was just how I normally dressed, she thought that was awesome." She chuckled. "Again, kind of like you."

Mittens noticed that despite the still evident anxiety and stress in her features, talking about this girl also added a look of real happiness to her expression. It was obvious that she'd liked her very much. Which was obviously why it pained her so much now that she'd messed it up somehow.

"We actually ended up talking for hours about...I don't even remember what all." Krystal continued, her gaze now far away and long ago. "What mattered was that we became friends almost instantly and I felt I'd truly found my best friend for life. I went from being always alone to it being always her and me. She was a kind of weirdo herself, really alternative and independent."

She grinned at Mittens. "I think you would have really liked her. Confident in her own individuality and unafraid to express herself. She was constantly trying to help me be less shy, but was also cool with it mostly just being me and her, doing stuff at the house like watching movies. She'd stay over all the time, both of us just bunking in my bed together."

"Did you know she was gay at the time?" Mittens asked.

Krystal looked momentarily surprised by the question. "Um...yeah. Came up that very first night we met." She answered, blinking a little. "How did you know she...?"

Mittens giggled. "Kitty-detective. Keep going, I'm pretty sure I know where this is going, but I think you still need to get this out. Note, by the way, I'm still here being your friend and thinking the world of you."

Krystal heaved a deep breath, but did seem to relax a little more. "Anyway, yeah, I knew she was a lesbian, but she also knew I wasn't and we both seemed okay with that. In a way, it made me feel kind of comfortable with being clingy with her sometimes. My friend Danielle had been one of those people who had no bubble and was really affectionate with people she liked. While most people were put off by it, I actually liked it when Danielle would cuddle with me. So, I had missed having someone I felt comfortable snuggling up with or being able to hug without having to think too deeply about it. I think, in my head, Erin being a lesbian read as 'she won't be weirded out if I want to cuddle'."

She shook her head, sighing at herself, as if that now sounded stupid to her. "Being a 'kitty detective', I'm sure you already see where this is going. Me stupidly giving her wrong signals, oblivious to it completely. For me, it was just part of being close friends. I just wish I'd...wish we'd..."

"She tried to take it past friendship." Mittens said softly. "Mistook your openness as you being 'bi-curious' or whatever." There was no question to it. It was kind of obvious. Just as it was that what bothered her wasn't that Erin had tried something, but over her own guilt thinking she'd lead her best friend on.

"By the time February came around, she and I had become so close that I'd given her a key to the house and an open invitation to just come over anytime she wanted." Krystal's voice was a bit quieter now, a slight quake in it. "She'd apparently decided to shoot her shot on Valentine's Day. Probably thought it would make it more romantic or...I don't know. I didn't know she was coming, but I remember... I remember being so elated when I heard her in the hall."

For a brief moment, she struggled to continue, as if not really wanting to relive this. A tear escaped one of her eyes. Mittens quickly scooted closer and took one of her hands, showing support, silently encouraging her to go on.

"When I opened the door of my room, she was just standing there in this frilly pink dress, one of those big heart-shaped candy boxes in her hands. Some roses. Ironically, it was the dress that confused me, not the candy or flowers. She never wore anything like that. It was just so...I don't know, Normal Rockwell-esque." She winced again, as if she could feel physical pain from the memory. "Maybe I gave her a weird look and that made her panic... or she was just trying to make some big gesture, but she suddenly grabbed me and kissed me. This awkward, too-much effort, thing that was more like a painful mashing of faces. Even more awkward, she immediately tried to make it something...more passionate, I guess?"

Mittens could feel her hands quacking, her face as red as she'd ever seen it. Her eyes were locked downwards, as if afraid to look up and see the expression on Mittens' face. "I...I just reacted without really thinking, like a knee jerk. Just shoved her backwards, back into the hall, an...and...s-slammed my door shut." Tears were falling from her eyes, face crumpled in up. Her voice was cracking, fighting to keep going.

"She started crying, b-beating on the door. I'm not even sure...sure w-what all she said. Begging me to open the door, I think." Her voice caught for a moment, but she was at a point where she needed to push through. "I wanted to open it, talk to her, but I couldn't...my mind was...just spinning out of control. I wanted to...to say...SOMETHING, but I was just so...so shocked and c-confused." She gave a sharp jitter, her voice catching a moment. She looked as though she desperately wanted to look up at Mittens, but was afraid to.

"It w-wasn't even her trying to kiss m-me that was freaking me out." Her voice was shaky, laden with emotion from the memory of then and fear of judgement now. "I just k-kept beating myself u-up. Realizing t-that I must have... given her the w-wrong impression... I was so ashamed. At h-having obviously led her on... how b-badly I was handling it... I really wanted to...s-something..." She swallowed a lump in her throat. "But I just...froze."

Mittens weighed whether to let her keep struggling through, purging herself of this, or to pull her into a hug, show her that she wasn't being judged and try to convey some comfort. It was obvious that she had been holding onto this for a while, letting it stew and fester in her soul. She had been caught off guard and reacted out of surprise and shock. Krystal had difficulty with social situations in the best of conditions, so it wasn't a surprise that she'd not known how to handle something so tangled.

Perhaps it hadn't been the best reaction, but she was obviously taking all the blame on herself. While Erin may have gotten her hopes up based on Krystal not being guarded around her, Mittens wagered she hadn't actually been that certain Krystal would reciprocate. The sudden, awkward, kiss suggested that much.

Either way, it would have been better for Erin to have tried broaching the subject more casually. Talk about her budding feelings. While what she did could be seen as an attempt at being spontaneous and romantic, it could also be seen as her trying to put Krystal on the spot and take advantage of her passive nature by hoping that she wouldn't fight it. Even if it wasn't conscious, that meant it was a faux-pas that they had made together.

In the end, she decided to let Krystal try and finish. Despite all the turmoil it was putting her through, Mittens could also see that it was doing her some good to finally expel it. Like vomiting out poison, the act of just bringing it all out would be the best way for her to start to heal.