Scary noise? COVER THAT KITTEN then check in with her to make sure she's ok
Mia Dabkowski-Chandler as Bombalurina, Ella Fitzpatrick covering Victoria, Todd McKenney as Bustopher, Leigh Archer as Jennyanydots, and Olivia Carniato as Demeter. Australia tour, 8 October 2025 (my footage).
Presto! Show me the gay cats Rachel show it to me please /ref
Somehow, Bustopher Jones managed to squeeze the remainder of his great bulk through the bakery cat flap, popping out the other end like like a cork and sliding ungracefully across the kitchen tile. Grumbling, he shook out his rumpled fur and hauled himself to his paws.
He had to wait until the bakery had closed for his visit, but he was woe to have done so; he had wanted to be there to support his beloved Jenny, but he doubted the baker and his wife would have appreciated a second rotund feline making its temporary home in a bustling kitchen. He'd even skipped his usual rounds at the clubs in order to watch the windows of the bakery, entering as soon as the lights had been switched off. Caution be damned.
A ripple of nerves passed through Buster. The idea of fatherhood was so foreign to him; for the longest time he hadn't considered himself a family tom, and yet here he stood, a sire to his very first litter. He hoped he was decent enough at the job. The thought of ruining his kittens based on personality alone wasn't very nice, despite all of his wit and banter.
"Jenny?" His voice was a low whisper. "Jenny, my love, are you awake?"
I love her! Don’t think about her that much, but I associate her with @lagomxrph which means only positive associations and so much love 🖤🖤🖤
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Jennyanydots. Lesbian aunts pls yes
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Jelly and Asparagus. I can see them as former mates who eventually split up and ended up becoming close friends
My unpopular opinion about this character
Not sure if it’s unpopular, but I love Susan Jane Tanner’s portrayal of her in the 1998 movie! It largely shaped my idea of her
One I thing I wish would happen/happened with this character in canon
More of her and Jenny together 🖤
Bustopher Jones
How I feel about this character
He amuses me! Fancy cat 🖤
All the people I ship romantically with this character
Jennyanydots, though I hc Bustopher as greyromantic. Jenny was in love with him, he did like her, but wasn’t really that invested in having an actual relationship
My non-romantic OTP for this character
Bustopherdots lmaoooo. But like fr, I would see then become good friends after Jenny finally moved on
My unpopular opinion about this character
I don’t think I have one. I hate his 2019 incarnation with a passion, but I think a lot of people do
One I thing I wish would happen/happened with this character in canon
It would have been fun to see him more than just his own song! See his background reactions, interactions with other cats, vibing to other songs, etc.
I'm generally starting to settle on bustopherdots as a couple who mutually, knowingly, agreed to kinda "settle" for each other once their relationships with other respective partners didn't seem to be coming back. They're a mostly-platonic partnership and coparent misto and vic, and there's kind of a tacit understanding if someone they fancy comes along they can pursue that option if they want.
I'm still trying to figure these guys out gjdjtnejr bc for a long time (as a requited thing) this was my ship for each of them, but then I got really into Bustophershanks and Jennybella, but specifically as relationships when they were younger that just. Ended.
But also like. They are Misto and Vic's parents to me in my main (London/Revival) hc verse.
I'm kinda stuck between the together as a romantic couple. But I'm also kinda really vibing with the idea of platonic coparents??
But then still to that point ive never really entertained a one-sided read? Like to me they're either both reciprocating the romance, or they're reciprocal platonic partners. But I'm also not against it.
So I will. Do both?
Ship It
What made you ship it?
I do like your takes on it! Something v cute abt the structured, regimented, disciplined Jenny just losing it to gush over Bustopher who smiles and nods.
What are your favorite things about the ship?
That Jenny having a one-sided crush is. Not some kinda source of conflict? Like it's not about discomfort or anything it's just not a thing bustopher's interested in.
Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?
I don't think so? 😅
Don't ship it
Why don’t you ship it?
Part of the appeal to these 2 for me, romantic or no, is the idea of them being on the same page? Like obviously just my personal preference, but yeah I just. I like my Bustopher ships reciprocated, especially because like. If you've seen the Mexico revival productions he is such an equally bashful lovestruck idiot I love them lots.
What would have made you like it?
More Bustopher in the show, I think? When his time to define relationships is isolated to the one song, and as a result he mainly gets to be buddy-buddy and cute with Jenny across productions, with Skimble and/or Misto as usual seconds for that. If he was a role who could build more moments with the full cast I'd probably be more willing if not likely to be like "yeah its one-sided".
Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?
This is from a work that I've mentioned before, one where it explores Mistoffelees' life growing up as the very magical son of two very non-magical parents. As of right now it's just titled "Presto!".
For context, I actually took a fair amount of inspiration from CATS 2019 in terms of Jenny's home. She and Bustopher don't live together despite being mates; Bustopher lives with an old university professor and Jenny lives in a bakery, sleeping underneath the sink pipes.
Somehow, Bustopher Jones managed to squeeze the remainder of his great bulk through the bakery cat flap, popping out the other end like like a cork and sliding ungracefully across the kitchen tile. Grumbling, he shook out his rumpled fur and hauled himself to his paws.
He had to wait until the bakery had closed for his visit, but he was woe to have done so; he had wanted to be there to support his beloved Jenny, but he doubted the baker and his wife would have appreciated a second rotund feline making its temporary home in a bustling kitchen. He'd even skipped his usual rounds at the clubs in order to watch the windows of the bakery, entering as soon as the lights had been switched off. Caution be damned.
A ripple of nerves passed through Buster. The idea of fatherhood was so foreign to him; for the longest time he hadn't considered himself a family tom, and yet here he stood, a sire to his very first litter. He hoped he was decent enough at the job. The thought of ruining his kittens based on personality alone wasn't very nice, despite all of his wit and banter.
"Jenny?" His voice was a low whisper. "Jenny, my love, are you awake?"
A disgruntled mewl answered him, from underneath the sink. His ears standing straight, Buster carefully (to avoid slipping) padded across the tile to the floral curtain that sheltered the warm pipes. He nosed the fabric out of the way. "Jenny?"
The ginger molly was settled in her usual wicker basket. She had obviously taken the time to clean herself since the ordeal; despite knowing Buster rather intimately, she was in no way undignified enough not to appear well-groomed whilst in front of him. Despite her neatened pelt, Buster could see the quiet exhaustion etched into her face.
"I was beginning to think you'd never show up," she teased, as she attempted to blink away some of her sleepiness. "Did you have trouble getting through the door? You made quiet the racket."
"Never mind that," Buster shook his broad head. "Of course I came to see you. I'm sorry I couldn't be here..."
"I understand." Jenny's purr was softer than normal, but still full of loving warmth. "Well! I shan't keep you waiting."
She lifted her thick tail out of the way, revealing a single, unassuming black fuzzball nestled into the fur of her belly. He was tiny compared to both of his parents -- no bigger than Buster's front paws. The tuxedo tom's eyes searched the basket, and for a moment he felt his heart sink.
"... you didn't have... did the others...?"
"What? No, goodness no. This little mite was the only one," Jenny sighed. "He gave me a good old run-around, didn't you?" She jostled their son slightly with a hind leg. The coal-black lump detached himself from his mother's milk just long enough to squeak indignantly.
"Well, he certainly has your love for the finer foods in life," Jenny commented, a little dryly. Buster didn't even think to take offense as he sat, enthralled, by this tiny blind creature kneading into his mate's underside.
"We have a son..." he managed, as if he couldn't quite believe it. His pale eyes shone with an emotion he wasn't used to.
Jenny purred deeply. "And he will be as handsome as his father when he's grown."
