After Midnight

[DrStein]

Shadow drifted along in peace. The night passed as it always did before, and as if the whole evening had been a dream he found himself tightening his eyes against the invading rays of the sun as they washed over his face. He turned around to avoid it before realizing that something felt different. It wasn't his bed he was sleeping in. And there was a heavenly scent all around him.

Trying to stir his mind out of sleep, Shadow began to recall the night before. Every detail soon came flooding back. His eyes still unaccustomed to the light, he slowly blinked them open to see if Champagne was still here. On the one hand, he couldn't fault her for leaving. He had gone against his word, made her feel awkward, and ruined the night they had together. But he still hoped she could forgive him enough to stay and let him atone for his wrongs.

 

[InnerKitty]

She'd dozed just a bit, the light of the day started her journey toward full wakefulness and Shadows movement as he began to awaken pulled her the rest of the way out of sleep. She opened her eyes and looked down at his face as his eyes began to flutter open.
Gently she stroked his face. "Good morning sunshine." she whispered, smiling down at him.

 

[DrStein]

He just stared up at her, amazed that she had stayed with him through the night. She was exhausted but smiling nevertheless. Did she really stay up all night to watch over him?

Shadow sat up slowly, his eyes never once leaving hers. He took her hand in his gently. "Did you get any sleep last night?" He knew it was silly, but he felt the stirrings of guilt. He had gotten through nights like this before. Why did he let her do this to herself?

 

[InnerKitty]

She smiled at him sleepily, "a little, luckily I don't have to go in 'till six or so," she moved to a more comfortable position and yawned. "mmh!" she blinked covering her mouth, "I'mh sorra!" she said mumbling through another yawn. "I think I need a cup of coffee," she said wiping tears from her eyes laughing.

"Did you get any rest?" she asked and then broke into another bout of yawning, which became giggles the more she yawned.

 

[DrStein]

"Go get some sleep," Shadow said softly. It sounded like more of an order than anything else. She was exhausted and he was well-rested. It wasn't right. He glanced over at the clock and sighed. He had work to do.

He went into his own bedroom to get changed. "You need your rest more than I do," he called out. "Suffice to say I'm used to it. Go get some sleep and I'll be back in a couple hours."

 

[InnerKitty]

She stood and streched, and headed for the room he'd assigned her, "No, no, I'll go too, just let me get my things. Can you dr..." the rest of her sentence became a mumble as she yawned again and went into the room.

Yawn!
"ah I am tired." she sat on the end of the bed, her dress was on the floor off the side, she streched across the corner of the bed. "It feels good to lie down, I think I'll just relax a bit. just a second won't hurt." she whispered to no one.

and she fell asleep in that position, hanging over the edge of her bed... dreaming

 

[DrStein]

Shadow lifted her legs up onto the bed and draped a blanket over her. He stood for a moment watching her. She was so peaceful and serene...

He turned on his heel and moved back to the kitchen to grab up his wallet and keys. He had some thinking to do.

The drive really went nowhere, just aimlessly wandering through town. Whenever he got tired of driving, he parked where ever was convenient and started walking before getting back in the car and repeating the whole process. Last night he had brooded over his mistakes... his loneliness... his inner demons... But with the sun up his mind couldn't focus on any such thing. Those thought could only exist after midnight.

Demons could only thrive in darkness and the margins of the unexplained. In the light they became objectified and thus rendered powerless. As an illusionist Shadow thought he should know this better than anyone. He created entertainment by playing with mystery and obfuscation. He had the power to thrill, to charm, to delight, to horrify, to shock, to move... Yet he had so little power over his own demons.

The clock on the dashboard said it was just past 11. Shadow's stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since last night. Champagne, is she was still asleep, had been out for a few hours now. Hopefully that would be enough. In the meantime, he had an idea.

He drove back to the apartment and stepped softly into the bedroom. He gave her shoulder a gentle nudge. "You hungry?"

 

[InnerKitty]

she felt someone nudge her shoulder.
"hmm?" she opened her eyes a little. it was shadow.

she smiled sleepily, "time to go? 'kay" she sat up rubbing her eyes with the heal of her hand, her hair mussed and tangled. "Did I fall asleep?" she yawned wide, then realized she was being rude, covering her mouth, "Oh, sowwy... yawn... I'm sorry. I just shut my eyes for a moment. Is the taxi here?" She finally could focus enough to look at shadows eyes, " you look like you are wide awake, do you feel better?"
she smiled a dreamy smile at him, leaning into him in a soft hug.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow was a little surprised by the hug, but returned it anyway.

"Do you need a few more minutes?" he asked softly. "I was going to take you out for breakfast, but if you'd prefer to sleep in..."

 

[InnerKitty]

"mmm.. no... just let me get dressed.. no.. um (yawn) breakfast sound GREAT.. I just need up five minutes." she looked around the floor and gathered her dress up. "Just let me get dressed."
She got up from the bed, shook out the dress and turned her back on Shadow and pulled the T-shirt she'd been sleeping in over her head. Her strong shapely back moved gracefully as she untied the knot in the sweats she'd been wearing. She pulled them down, to the floor and kicked them off, revealing black lacy boyshort underwear.

Champagne stretched and reached for the dress she's been wearing the night before, she looked up to find Shadow still there. "Ahh!" she jumped pulling the dress over her breasts.. "Um Shadow? I-I guess I didn't ask you to leave huh?" Um.."

Figuring he'd pretty much seen everything, she turned her back to him and slid the dress over her head. She adjusted her tail through the dress, fluffing it out, stalling as she tried to stop her blushing.
She turned and smiled at him sheepishly, "Uh, sorry about that ... um.. Just let me brush my teeth and hair and... um.. I'll be ready to go." she laughed nervously as she slid her shoes on her feet.
"yeah.. um... well... let me just go get my brush out of .. of my purse... ahem" she slipped out of the room and retrieved her purse, went into the bathroom and shut the door. Leaning against the door she caught her breath.
"Oh dear lord! I can't believe that just happened!" She looked at herself in the mirror, and burst out laughing at herself. After she'd laughed off some nerves, she went about getting ready.
What a day this has started out as...

 

[DrStein]

Shadow wondered why she would be so self-conscious around him, but then again after last night she had every reason to be. He'd really screwed the pooch on that one.

He went to his room and decided to get changed. A pair of broken in jeans, cowboy boots, an old white T-shirt with a drive-in movie poster print, and a black blazer. He replaced the usual earrings and the feathers in his hair and on a whim put in his eyebrow piercing. He'd gotten it on his trip to Japan after a night of drinking. He seldom wore it during his shows, but on a casual ocassion such as this he thought it added a nice little twist to his outfit.

He stepped back out into the living room and looked out over the balcony at the city below as he waited for Champagne.

 

[InnerKitty]

Champange exited the bathroom door.
"Ready!" she smiled, all teeth.
She waited for shadow. Watching him turn. He was a handsome beast.

"oooh, i like the rugged look." she purred, smiling and taking his arm, "and is that an eyebrow piecing? looks cool. did it hurt when they did it?" She grabbed her bag and followed him.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow supressed a laugh at the sudden return of her energy. "I was a little drunk, I honestly don't remember. I was hanging out with a couple of Japanese TV stars, we went to a bar, and the next thing I know I'm waking up on Tetsuo's couch with a hangover and my eyebrow hurting. I thought it was a good look though, so I kept it."

They came downstairs and climbed into his car, but he hesitated before starting the engine. "I want to apologize again. I should have been more honest with you when we met. My last three relationships ended in disaster because of my condition. My brother is the only one who really has any idea..."

 

[InnerKitty]

Leaning across the seat of the car, Champaigne kissed him lightly on the cheek and caressed his jaw with her fingertips. Looking him in the eye, she said, "Don't worry about it, okay? I had a great time last night, and today is a beautiful day... now lets go eat some breakfast.. or lunch.. or whatever! 'kay?"

She sat back in her seat and put on her seatbelt, then turned and watched him as he started the car.

Her stomach growled.... "yeah.. lets go eat!" she laughed.

 

[DrStein]

Before pulling out of the parking lot, Shadow went through a small collention of CDs in the compartment behind the gear shift. He pulled out a crystal case that showed a stylized album cover of six men in leather outfits and war paint standing atop cyclones that stretched down to the earth below.

He took out the CD, placed it in the player and skipped ahead to a particular track that opened with a falsetto scream from the singer and a bombastic, melodic instrumental intro. Clearly a heavy metal band, but they song was obviously written in a major key.

Shadow smiled slightly and pulled out into the streets which still had comparatively little traffic despite the fact that it was past eleven o'clock. "I actually use this one in my stage show. Think Not Forever by Lost Horizon." The lyrics were an anthem of self-empowerment and overcoming hardship, and the coyote seemed to take great pleasure in rolling down the windows and playing it nice and loud.

In contrast to the restaurant from last night, the place that Shadow chose this time was a small 50's retro diner called Shecky's. Chrome, red, and black and white dominated the coor scheme. An old-fashioned soda machine sat behind the bar at the far end by the kitchen while a miniature jukebox sat at each table with a list of doo-wop and rockabilly hits.

 

[InnerKitty]

The music startled her, but the expression on Shadows face warmed her to it.
As the wind blew her hair all around her face and shoulders she laughed out loud and smiled into the sun.

Shadow's pic for a resturant delighted Champagne, "I LOVE this place Shadow!" she looked around and saw her favorie place was open, "Hey! Let's sit over here!" she grasped his hand tightly and pulled him over to a seat with a great view of the downtown park. she smiled brightly at him, "Isn't it just great? and look!," she pointed to the jukebox on their table, "It has Bunny Holly! Got a quarter?"
she began digging through her purse for a coin. "mmm, have you ever had the double mushroom belly buster cheeseburger from here?.... Ah ha!" She held up a quarter triumphantly! She inserted the coin in to the jukebox and made her selection. She smiled up at Shadow as "Piggy Sue" began playing out of the little speaker.

"mmmm, I'm in the mood for a chocolate malt! What are you getting?"

 

[DrStein]

"You're adorable," Shadow remarked off-handedly. He produced a quarter from the jukebox as if by magic just as a tigress server came by. She blinked twice in surprise before Shadow grinned to himself. He held the quarter between his middle finger and thumb, and waved his hand over it causing it to instantly transform into a coin 3 inches in diameter, which he then dropped onto the table with a loud clang. He gave a little wink at Champagne. "Let's see how many songs that'll get me."

He then looked up at the tigress who was now a little bug-eyed. "Hi," he beamed as if nothing had happened.