And In the Dark Were August and
Butterscotch
By and ã Eric Chambers
Butterscotch ã Michelle Moore
August ã his player
"Verdi Cries" by 10,000 Maniacs
"Gardening at Night (slow version)" by R.E.M.
No redistribution or alteration without permission.
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In the dark, there was movement.
Shuffle...shuffle...
Then, a masculine voice, softly, "You awake?"
There’s a sigh, someone startled, then a feminine grunt, softly.
"I can’t sleep", the masculine voice starts again.
"Mmmrrpxlx...Hm?", an orange glow from the streetlights outside brighten the dark through a window on the side wall, a female figure rolls over, slipping a paw around a male figure laying beside her.
"I can’t sleep.", he reaches over, turning a small knob on the floor-lamp next to his side of the bed – white, unforgiving light floods the room suddenly with two clicks.
"Nnn!", the female, now a vixen, winces back, shielding her eyes, "August, it’s...", she glances over him, the green, digital numbers blink over to 3:02, "...three a.m. – can’t this wait?"
The fruit bat next to her shifts over, sitting up against the headboard, "I’m sorry, Butterscotch", he paused, fingers, some his, some hers, ran through his hair, "So much...just...on my mind – as morbid as it sounds, death is one of them."
The vixen’s ears perked, worry showering her face. She sat up with him, he flinched – not expecting the warm muzzle on his chest, "Now why would you think about that?", she asked, the concern from her face spilling out in her soft voice.
"Why does anyone? One day it just hits you – for one reason or none. It’ll pass though, soon."
"But you’re all right though, right? And you would tell me if something was wrong, right?", she closed her eyes as his paw gently brushed her hair back.
"Yes and yes", he nodded shallowly, sighing. He looked down at his paw, his black fur starkly contrasting her red, and held his breath.
"I’d be alarmed but I can hear your heart beating."
He let out, his chest visibly falling and rising, "Sorry". He tucked his claws into his palm, running the backs oh his fingers across her cheek, "I love you".
"I love you too."
"I’m sorry if I don’t say that enough. I want you to know I love you – I want to melt into you", illustrating his point, he rolled over on his side, gently taking her with him. Not an inch between them and one paw presses on her lower back, the other softly behind her head.
"I don’t know what to say...", Butterscotch whispered into the fur on August’s throat. He said nothing, only resting his muzzle on the pillow, just above her head, inhaling a mixture of her scent and the smell of the shampoo she used. "Just...August, love?"
"Yes...", he sounded in a daze, more asleep than awake.
"Could you turn out the light?"
There was a pause, then a stir as the fruit bat picked himself up by his arms and shifted over, looking down and the sleepy vixen looking up at him. He smiled, just barely turning the corners of his muzzle, as his arm reached out for the lamp switch, fumbling the first few tries. Light shone through the translucent membrane under his arm as he reached out, he smiled again, hearing giggling beside him as Butterscotch’s paw slowly reached out, her fingertips pressing into the flap of skin, stretching it back – both finding simple amusement watching it dimple in five places and bounce back until she gently pressed into the wing again.
Click, click.
"You never let me have any fun", the vixen’s voice was lighthearted, muffled in the dark.
In the slight orange light, he shifted, settling back into his warm groove next to Butterscotch, his paws finding just the right crevasses on her back to slip over. "Tell you what, I’ll make it up to you tomorrow. Will that make you happy?"
"I think you know the answer to that", she said, kissing his cheek.
They nuzzled, she sighed, and the clock blinked over to 3:34.
9:21am – The next morning...
The birds were singing, loudly – that was until a pillow was thrown hard enough to rattle the window. August rolled over, searching for something warmer to sleep against; opening an eye when all he came up with was another pillow. "Butterscotch?", he propped himself up, looking around, "Butterscotch?" The smell of something cooking hit him just before the door clicked and opened, forcing his head up.
"Oh! Good morning. I didn’t know if you were awake yet...Why is your pillow against the wall?"
August grinned as the vixen’s head popped around the door, even wider when she stepped through – black lace clinging to her in all the right places, "Morning. Where’d you get that?"
"Oh, just bought it last week. Thought it would be a nice surprise", she smirked. "Would you like some?"
August broke off his stare, a little shocked and smiling, "What?"
She raised the tray she had been holding at waist level; his attention had been focused a little higher. "Oh.", he said, still obviously happy.
"I’ll just put it on the night-stand ‘til you want it, in case you want to shower first", she slowly padded over towards the bed, content in knowing full well her power at this moment. Bending over, she slid the tray back on the small, wooden table, looking up slowly, giggling to herself as she noticed August wasn’t exactly staring into her eyes.
"Butterscotch, dear?", he said, slightly vacant.
"Yes, August, honey?"
"You might want to take a step back from that tray."
"Oh?", she asked, taking a step to the side.
"3...2...1...", he slowly counted out loud, getting a raised eyebrow from Butterscotch. He balanced himself on all fours, making a short jump to the other side of the bed, an excited, happy scream coming from the vixen as his paws wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards the bed and on top of him. "You’ve got to be cold in that", he said, overlapping the membranes of his wings around her.
"Not so much anymore", she said, nuzzling her cheek to his.
They kissed, and kissed again.
"So I can tell."
"August, could you turn on the radio?", she rested her head on his chest, crossing her arm under his neck, supporting his head.
"Sure", August fumbled over the night-stand, pawing for the small, rectangular box; finding the small buttons on the side, he flipped a switch, turned a knob, and a commercial for some department store broke through the speakers. They waited patiently. Butterscotch’s ears perked after the station identification, partly because she recognized the song that was starting, and August whispering, "Would you sing to me?", in her ear – after licking it, of course.
"You sure? I don’t think I’m that good..."
"You are to me", he said, smiling warmly, "Go on..."
She prepared herself mentally, sighing, before sweetly, quietly starting, "’The man in one-nineteen takes his tea on the lawn...
"Mornings we all rise...to wireless Verdi cries.
"I’m hearing opera through the dooooor...
"The souls of men and women...impassioned all.
"Their voices climb and fall, battle trumpets call...
"I fill the bath and climb insiiiiide...singing...
"La la la la la la laaaa
"He will not touch their pastry, but every day they bring him more.
"Gold from the breakfast tray...I steal them all away...
"And then go eat them on the shoooore...
"La la la la la la laaaa
"I draw a jackal-headed woman in the sand...
"Sing of lover’s fate...sealed by jealous hate,
"Then wash my hand in the sea.
"With just three days more, I’ve just about learned the entire score
"To Aida.
"Hoooolidays must end as you know.
"All is memory, taken home with me:
"The opera, the stolen tea, the sand drawing,
"The verging sea...all years ago...
"La la la la la la laaaa’"
August kissed her forehead, resulting in another contented sigh from the nuzzling vixen. "Your turn...", she said.
"But...", he started.
"Uh uh, I’m not taking no as an answer", she playfully toyed with the fur on his chest, smiling, "Besides, you’re cute when you sing."
"Only to you", he smiled back.
"Was there someone else you needed to be cute for?"
"Good point."
"Just the next song you know...please?", she coaxed.
August nodded, waiting as the current song ended, "You know that might take awh...heh...nevermind, the gods of radio are with you today." He cleared his throat and sighed himself, waiting for the vocal cue, and softly, slowly sang, "’I see your money on the floor.
"I felt the pocket change through all, the feelings that broke through that door
"Just didn’t seem to beee too real...
"The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts our eyes, somewhere
"Must be time for penitence, gardening at night is never when.
"Gardening at niiiight...gardening at niiiight....gardening at niiiight...
"Sister says that you’re too young...
"She should know, she’s been there twiiice...
"The charge is two and fifty one...
"They said it couldn’t be arraaaaanged.
"We ankled up the garbage sound, but they were busy in the rows.
"We fell up not to see the sun, gardening at night just didn’t grow.
"I see your money on the floor.
"I felt the pocket change through all, the feelings that broke through that door
"Just didn’t seem to be too real.
"Gardening at niiiight...gardening at niiiight...
"The neighbors go to bed at ten...
"Call the prayer-line for a change...
"The charge is changing every month...
"They said it couldn’t be arraaaaanged.
"I see your money on the floor.
"I felt the pocket change through all, the feelings that broke through that door
"Just didn’t seem to be too real.
"The yard is nothing but a fence, the sun just hurts our eyes, somewhere
"Must be time for penitence, gardening at night is never when.
"Gardening at niiiight...gardening at niiiight....gardening at niiiight...’"
"You were good, August", Butterscotch quickly pecked him on the lips.
"You were better", he returned her kiss, deeper.
Later –
"What time do you think it is?", Butterscotch stirred, still laying out on top of August.
"Mmm", he grunted, "Does it matter?", and squeezed her gently to him.
"We’ve been in bed all day."
"Yes, we have."
"Your breakfast is cold."
"But you’re warm."
Her ears perked, "The phone’s ringing."
He shrugged, "Let it", and kissed her.
They lay still for quiet awhile after that – her with a head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat and breathing, and him with his wings and paws wrapped around her, holding her as close as possible; in unison, they sighed contentedly. "August?", she shifted, bringing herself up a little, looking straight into his eyes.
"Yes?", he responded, brushing a lock of hair out of her eyes.
"We’ve been here all day...and I’m a little restless...and...", she paused.
"And?"
"No sense wasting my new outfit...", she smirked. August smiled back, caressing her cheek softly. They kissed again, lightly but holding until she broke off, just far enough to whisper, "Make love to me, August." They kissed again, deeper.
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The room was lit up in a slight orange glow as the streetlight turned on, casting every fold and curve into shadow. The sheets rustled, rose, and fell - two panting, exhausted figures rolled to the side, pressing against each other in the dark.
"I love you, Butterscotch."
"I love you, August."
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