After Midnight

[DrStein]

Shadow looked up with a small smile. "Nothing too fancy. Just a bit of cheesecake. Do you like white chocolate and raspberry?"

He pulled a wonderful looking cheesecake from the fridge. Not a single slice was disturbed, and it appeared the platic case hadn't yet been opened. "My personal favorite." He took out two plates and with a wave of his hands produced a pair of forks from thin air.

"We'll eat out at the coffee table. I've already got a DVD loaded in." After serving up the dessert, he went over to his flat-screen and switched everything on. Rather than one of those huge universal remotes, he had lashed all the individual ones together with a bunch of rubber bands.

The DVD is question was the live performance of Peter Gabriel's Secret World Tour.

 

[InnerKitty]

"ooh! I really love cheesecake.. any way you wanna serve it!" she turned and followed shadow to the couch.
She smiled at his "remote", but didn't say anything. "I've not seen this before, who is it?" she sat on the edge of the couch watching the screen.
"I am horrible at band names and players, I just like the songs... I never know who is singing them." she chuckled.

 

[DrStein]

"Peter Gabriel," Shadow explained. "Huge contributor to progressive rock and world music. Actually..." Shadow stood up and cued the DVD to a specific track. "Before we eat would you like to dance really quick? Just follow my lead."

He turned up the volume and took Champagne's hand, guiding her to the open space of the living room. The famous guitar melody of Solsbury Hill started up and Shadow couldn't contain his smile. His movements began mirroring those of the musicians as they danced on stage. It was all very simple, even a little silly. But in the context of the song it felt right.

By the end of the song, the two of them were jumping and twirling about the room like little kids before Shadow finally pulled Champagne down to the ground with him at the end, laughing like a small boy the whole time. Moments like this allowed him to forget for just a moment. He could forget why he had gone out tonight seeking company. He could forget why he didn't want to be alone tonight. He could just be happy for one precious moment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XtJdblm9tY

 

[InnerKitty]

She felt carefree and full of happiness as they danced around the room.
She laughed out loud as he pulled her to the floor. He really did have a beautiful smile. She laid on the floor, her head on his outstreched arm laughing and trying to catch her breath.

"That was great! That was just a wonderful song..." She panted the last words, "oh, I am so out of shape!" she laughed again, laying her arm across her eyes, smiling.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow poked her lightly in the ribs to tickle her. "Yeah, you've got guys like me spoiling you left and right," he teased.

"I love that song." He pulled himself up into a sitting position and smiled down at Champagne, offering her a hand up. "And you look like you were having fun, too."

 

[InnerKitty]

She laughed out loud when he tickled her.
"Yeah... I'm just spoiled rotten!" she laughed, "I, I was having fun! It is nice just to let loose like that!"
She took his proffered hand up. She looked at him smiling, "so, how about that cheesecake?"She winked, "Don't want to lose my girlish figure!"

 

[DrStein]

Shadow led her back to the couch and was content to finish desert in silence. The two of them just sat back and watched the DVD. Peter Grabriel's unique stage presence had been an inspiration to the coyote early on in his career. He had even included Solsbury Hill in his World of Rock show as a sort of tribute.

By the time the concert ended, he realized that he and Champagne were now leaning against one another. He breathed deeply of her scent and felt a calm spread over him. On the one hand, he wanted to pop in another DVD, but on the other he was loathe to move and spoil the moment. So for the time being, he just sat still and silent,

 

[InnerKitty]

In a quiet voice, she said, "that was really great." She didn't move from his shoulder, she didn't move at all. For some reason she felt at peace at this very moment. She listened to his breathing in the ensuing silence. He seemed more relaxed than he had been all night. It was nice. He had worked so hard to impress her, and she had been impressed, but right now he felt real.

 

[DrStein]

After a while, the silence became a little too much. Looking over at the vixen sitting beside him, Shadow brushed a lock of hair from her face and smiled. "You want me to put in another DVD, or shall we turn in for the night?"

 

[InnerKitty]

stifiling a yawn, Champaign turned her eyes to him, smiling embarrassedly."Um, if you want to put another one in, that'd be okay. I'm not tired" she giggled.

"You know, this has been really nice." She turned to face him,"You seem to be a really nice guy. You are very guarded, and," she touched the side of his face and looked deep into his eyes, "you have a secret.. something deep and it seems to rule your life. But you are a very nice man and I thought you should know."

Reaching up, she gave Shadow a quick kiss on the mouth and then turned back to the t.v. leaning her head on his shoulder.

Strangely she felt very comfortable here.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow knew being surprised was pointless. Hadn't he told her himself that he had a condition? She was going to find out sooner or later what was behind all of this. He just wasn't sure what he was going to tell her.

Unsure of what to say next, he simply stood up and put Seven Samurai in the DVD player. As soon as he hit play, he sat down on the sofa again next to Champagne.

"We both work the late shift tomorrow as it were. I just hope you can stick with me long enough to see the ending of the movie."

 

[InnerKitty]

He seemed confused, just a moment, but he recovered with what could only be assumed as practiced ease. He had said he had a condition, she shrugged inwardly, perhaps that was his deep dark secret, or was it something else? She knew several people with different conditions, she wouldn't let his detract from her opionion of him... or at least that was her plan, he hadn't told her what it was just yet. But she didn't feel afraid of him, at least he'd not given her a reason to.

As he sat by her, she smiled and stretched, "MMMmm, maybe coffee would help? All this rich food and wine has made me a little drowsy despite me being a night owl most the time." she looked up through her eyelashes at him smiling sweetly.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow smiled lightly and took her hand in his. "How does tea sound instead?" He stood up and retreated into the kitchen.

"I suppose I should let you in on a little more of the story," he called out. It was much easier when he was fixing them a pot of tea and he didn't have to make eye contact. "The truth is that I have clinical depression. My work keeps me busy, and a recent burglary that cost me several thousand dollars in stolen illusion equipment has left me completely tied up until recently."

He sighed and leaned back against the counter. "The symptoms of an episode are starting... That's why I asked you here tonight. You have a warmth about you that makes me... I can feel again."

Few people realized that depression wasn't about mere sadness. It was the inability to feel at all. It was a void of emotion and the warmth if life that made the very act of getting out of bed seem pointless and dreary. Though he couldn't feel it during an episode, his memories of those times horrified Shadow beyond words. This one vixen had managed to bring him back from that abyss faster than anyone else in his life had before. She had no idea how grateful he was to her.

 

[InnerKitty]

How to react correctly to that? She didn't want to dismiss his condition as trivial, nor did she want to make a big deal out of it and embarrass him.

What shoud she do? or say?

"Shadow... I-I sorta understand. I've known more than one person with that diagnoses and a few manic depressants as well. So I mean, well, I just understand, and you don't need to feel embarrassed or ashamed... or whatever, around me, that is all." She felt as if she'd sounded stupid... and took a deep breath and let it out.

She went to his side. "So, can I help you with the tea?" She looked up at him hopefully. She really did like him.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow reached over and took her hand with a soft smile. He kissed her hand slowly and opened his arms to her. He didn't know what else to say, he just wanted her to know how much this meant to him.

 

[InnerKitty]

Champagne walked into his open arms wrapping her own around his waist.

Smiling at him she asked, "So what other movies do you have? or are we gonna do something else tonight?"

 

[DrStein]

Shadow buried his muzzle in her hair and breathed deeply. He felt as if an incredible burden had been lifted from his chest. He leaned back and kissed her once more, this time on the cheek. "Are you always this forward?" he joked.

He really needed this.

 

[InnerKitty]

she smiled warmly at him tracing his neck with one fingernail. "I didn't realize I was being forward. I just wanted to, well, you know... make you feel at ease. And get you to talking. . . So, you think the tea is ready?"

She didn't pull away from his embrace, she simply played with his chest hair around the top of his shirt collar. He was very nice and considerate and she didn't mind standing there within the circle of his arms.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow ran his fingers through Champagne's hair a moment, losing himself in her eyes. In this moment he felt happier than he had in a long, long time. The absence of warmth and companionship had worn at him for so long, and now in this moment did he realize just how badly it had gotten to him. Perhaps she would even be the first person to hear the whole story... Someone he could trust enough to put his mind and heart on the line with...

He tilted her chin up slightly and smiled. "It can steep another couple minutes." With that, he slowly leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

 

[InnerKitty]

His kiss was soft and warm and caused her lips to tingle. She leaned into him as he kissed her, her breast pressing against him. His body felt good-his chest strong. She tightened her hug around his waist, yes his body was very nice...

 

[DrStein]

Shadow finally drew his head back and looked into her eyes. She was so beautiful... He could think of nothing more right now than wanting to make the night last. Tomorrow they would have only a short time together before their respective work.

He reluctantly stepped back and poured out the tea. He carried their cups out to the living room and rejoined the movie as the search for the seven samurai began.

 

[InnerKitty]

She enjoyed the movie, mostly because she liked watching it with Shadow-all wrapped around a hot cup of tea.

she sat shoulder to shoulder, half leaning on Shadow, her legs tucked up under her, her tail curled around her lap, her hands around the teacup.

suddenly she yawned! A loud full mouth yawn.. embarrassed she looked out of the corner of her eye to see if Shadow had noticed. She took a drink of tea to attempt to hide the movement...

 

[DrStein]

Shadow stifled a smile at Champagne's yawn. It was getting late, and they had just finished the first disc. "If you want, we can finish the movie during breakfast," he offered.

"After all, it's long after midnight. Past bed time even for big kids like us."

 

[InnerKitty]

She looked at him sheepishly, "I'm sorry Shadow, I-I'm okay. I don't know where that came from!" she touched his arm, "It is okay, go ahead and put the other disc in, I'm okay really.... Unless you are tired. But I am good, really. Um... tell you what, you point the way to the bathroom and I'll go freshen up, and you go ahead and cue up the next disc. ok?"

She stood trying to discern where the bathroom might be-she really needed to go.

 

[DrStein]

Shadow smiled softly. "It's okay. We can pick it up in the morning, I promise."

He put his hands on her shoulders gently and kissed her forehead. "I'll make us some breakfast then, okay?" He walked over to the door to the guest room and showed that it was connected to his own bedroom via the bathroom.

"I have some spare T-shirts and a pair of lounge pants you can borrow for the night," he offered. "We've both had a busy night."