More Than Darkness
29
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This is a crossover smutty story featuring the character of
Tess/Salida ie Tess' Voice in Neon Dasies' OUATIM fics on ff.net, More Than
Eyes Alone Can See, and More Than Life,
and Sands/Jeffrey from Merrie's OUATIM fic on ff.net, Darkness Rising. This story
will make some sense, probably, if you read it without having read either of
our stories, but it'll make a hell of a lot if if you just read them. They're
all worth reading, we promise. Anyway, on with the show.
Rated for what has happened, and what might happen.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeffrey stirred, but didn’t wake up.
– probably vixen if he forced himself to think about it – calling him, but
he paid it no mind and buried his nose into the warm but slightly moving pillow
under his head.
Salida sighed, and
shook Jeffrey’s shoulder with more enthusiasm.
By all means, she normally liked being trapped underneath her husband,
but at the moment it was simply making her feel claustrophobic.
Jeffrey’s brow
furrowed as that someone seemed to be trying to shake him out of a warm dream
of his wife floating in a sea of whipped cream – naked, beautiful, and waiting
for him – and he resented it. He
muttered something unintelligible under his breath and moved off of her stomach
to bury his face against her side, wanting to drift back to the dream.
“This is
ridiculous,” she muttered. “I love you,
but I need to get out of bed.” So
saying, she rolled out of bed, ignoring the groan of protest as Jeffrey’s head
slipped of her hip to thump into the bed.
“Fuck,” Jeffrey
cursed, at the rude awakening, holding out a hand to her.
She had to suppress
the irrational need to snap at him. He
wasn’t asking any more of her than he ever had.
It was just too much at the moment.
“I’ll be right back,” she promised.
“I just . . . I’ll be back.”
“Where are you
going?” he asked wearily, rolling over on his back to look up at her, a
confused frown on his face.
“Well, it was
either get up or wet the bed,” she almost snapped.
be every moment of the day.”
“What the fuck is
wrong with you?” Jeffrey asked with a slight scowl, raising himself up on his
elbows. “I just asked a simple fucking
question, vixen. You don’t have to
fucking bite my head off. I fucking
expect this kind of shit from Sands, not from you.”
Salida turned to
look at him, hurt by his harsh words.
She stared at him for a long minute, then her eyes filled, and her
bottom lip started to tremble, and she swiftly retreated to the bathroom.
back on the bed and running his left hand over his face in a weary gesture,
ignoring the pain. Are all fucking marriages supposed to be like this?
followed Salida’s path, stopping at the bathroom door.
never fixed the broken lock after he had broken the door down – but he leaned
up against the doorjamb instead. “Vixen,
I’m fucking sorry alright? I didn’t
fucking mean to yell at you.”
Salida didn’t
answer. Instead, she dried her hands on
a nearby towel and got their bottle of Aspirin out of the cabinet.
and then opened the door, offering her husband both.
is kept down.”
Jeffrey stared at
her for a minute as if she had sprouted wings right in front of him before
taking the Aspirin without another word.
off the water he just looked at her for a long moment before speaking softly.
that’s all. Fucking forget about it,” he
said with a small shrug.
“I told you,” she
replied, her voice softer. “I needed to
use the restroom.” With ep sep sigh she
leaned against him, closing her eyes.
Jeffrey waved his
free hand absently in the air, dismissing everything and nothing.
glass down on the nightstand and sitting down on the bed.
I’m sure Sands’ll fucking want to go get
kitty from wherever the hell she ended up yesterday.”
“Don’t go yet,” she
whispered, moving with him. “Let’s go
get an early breakfast or something.”
She tilted her head back so she could meet his eyes, and immediately
smiled at the way her husband’s hair was sticking out in any and all
directions.
“You don’t have to
fucking ask me twice,” he said with a nod.
with raised eyebrow.
“Your hair.”
have much success. “You’re going to have
to comb it or something, because I’m noing ing out in public with you like
this.”
“You do realize,
that because you said that I’m not going to do a thing to it?” he asked with a
smirk.
As abruptly as the
words left his mouth, the teasing look on Salida’s face turned into a glare.
Jeffrey evaluated
that glare ancidecided it wasn’t worth fighting over.
mine,” he said with another smirk, his eyes alight with mischief.
scout’s honor,” he said with an innocent face, holding up three fingers of his
right hand.
She rolled her eyes
and turned away to get dressed, almost regretting waking up in the first place.
Jeffrey grinned at
her reaction and laid back on the bed, stretching languidly and yawning wide
enough that his jaw cracked. “Fuck, that
hurt,” he muttered, getting up off the bed and pulling out a pair of black
cotton pants and a black t-shirt. He
didn’t really feel like wearing Sands’ combination of colors, but the shirt had
been on top and he was feeling lazy. “Do
you realize that I don’t own a single pair of shorts?” he muttered absently
after pulling the pants on carefully, not bothering with underwear.
She made an
indeterminate noise of acknowledgement, but didn’t otherwise reply.
shorts, she rummaged through her drawers for a baggy t-shirt.
husband. If I don’t lose some weight soon, none of my clothes are going to fit
right anymore.
Jeffrey made a face
at that, but didn’t otherwise argue as he pulled his shirt over his head and
dug out a clean pair of socks and sat down on the bed to put on his shoes.
he managed. “Fine, if we’re walking, we’re
walking,” he muttered, attaching the knife the belt he had put on and grabbing
his cigarettes and lighter off of the table and put them in his pockets.
“There’s a little place a few blocks over that we can go to, I
think. It’s not too far away, but enough
to get the blood flowing.”
Jeffrey smirked at
her choice of words, but didn’t comment on them.
******************************
******************************
Their waitress had come by and collected their empty plates,
and Jeffrey had paid the bill, but the couple refused to move.
and enjoyed the feeling of sun on her face.
Unfortunately, she knew this wouldn’t last long, so she stood,
stretching as she did so. “I guess I’ll
see you at the house later. I’m going to
go ahead and move all our stuff over, and put sheets on our bed and such.
Jeffrey cut her off before she could continue.
“Wait a fucking
minute, vixen. What do you mean you
guess you’ll fucking see me at the house later on?
smoke out through his nose as he looked at her, his eyes slightly narrowed and
his brow furrowed.
“Sands?
right over earlier. I’ll be fine.
“I wasn’t going to
too fucking early for Sands to be up anyway.
hotel.”
Salida cocked her
head as if she’d forgotten that little point, but she discarded it as
irrelevant. “It’d be the nice thing to
do,” she said, having made up her mind. “Sands
was nice and backed off so you could go to my appointment with me, so you
should be nice and let him see his wife.”
And having said that, she turned to go, hesitating briefly to look at
him over her shoulder.
Jeffrey rose to his
feet with a mixture of a scowl a gape on his face, following behind her
quickly. “So what, just because it’d be
a fucking nice thing to do, you expect me to just go and do it without a word,
letting you just walk off like this?”
“I’ve been walking
around for years, lover. I think I know
how to get back to the hotel while keeping my feet under me.
senior citizens who were throwing dirty glances in their direction.
on the cheek.
He grabbed her
around the waist when she moved in to kiss him, not caring about the other
people in the restaurant. “Fuck this.
you and when I don’t? Maybe I want to go
back to the hotel with you? You ever
fucking think of that?”
“For what?” she
asked.
Jeffrey let out a
sound of compete exasperation. “It doesn’t
fucking matter what for! Maybe I just
fucking wanted to be with you!”
“Oh.”
minute, her eyes focused on Jeffrey’s chest, before once again meeting his gaze.
“
exasperatedly. “Good fucking Christ you
drive me fucking insane sometimes, vixen.
be tempted to kill you.”
“That was uncalled
for,” she muttered, trying to move away from him.
time, I’d much rather have you go see Grant.”
Jeffrey both pulled
and pushed her out of the auraaurant, reaching the end of his fucking tether.
you’re ready to fucking dump me off on someone else’s fucking wife.
he asked coldly. A voice was screaming
at him to calm down, to think about what he was fucking saying, but her words
had pissed him off too much to pay any attention to it.
Salida’s face
turned into a mask. “If that’s what you
want. But if it is, why don’t you just
stick a knife in my chest first?” She
pulled away and stalked down the street.
Jeffrey let out a
yell of pure rage and frustration but he didn’t fucking follow her.
– and not be resolved – but he had to take a minute to calm down or else he’d
be tempted to take her up on her offer just to fucking shut her up.
whom he loved – sickened him. He slumped
down on a nearby park bench and buried his face in his hands, not wanting to
watch her stalk off.
Salida’s stalking
slowed as she turned the corner and her husband didn’t come after her.
coming after her – he always followed her and he never just let fights go – but
resisted. If he followed, he
followed. If he didn’t . . . she’d deal
with that later. But even as she
resolved to put the fight out of her mind, she had a hard time continuing
on. Her feet felt like they’d been
weighted with lead, and tension made her stomach roll.
“Fuck this,”
Jeffrey muttered to himself, looking up to notice a few curious faces staring
out at him through the windows of the restaurant.
shown some of the dark mood he was now in, because they all turned away
quickly. “Sands, wake up you fucking
bastard.” Sands didn’t stir, and Jeffrey’s
temper flared a little. “I said, wake up
you fucking bastard,” he repeated between clenched teeth.
“What the fuck do
you want?” Sands asked with a scowl, pissed off to be woken up.
“I want to fucking
go back to bed and start this fucked up morning over again, but since that isn’t
going to fucking happen, I’m waking you up so that you can have the fucking day
to yourself. The fucking hotel’s straight
that way, make a fucking right at the corner, and it’s on that street.
I’m not fucking here.” With that,
Jeffrey left, leaving Sands to sit and wonder what the hell was going on before
taking off in the direction of Salida and the hotel to get some fucking
answers.
Salida had had
enough and was ready to swallow her pride and go back to apologize – although
it was beyond her why Jeffrey had reacted so strongly in the first place.
into someone coming from the other direction.
She tottered and almost fell, but a hand around her arm held her
up. She raised her head to see that it was
her husband d cod collided with.
Scratch that. Shit.
“You going to tell
me what the fuck is going on?” he
asked with a scowl, not letting go of her arm.
responsible.”
She jerked away
from him. “I didn’t do anything.
definitely fucking overreacting. He
fucking told me to tell you that he wasn’t here.
although he could feel the anger leaking out of him.
first place. Why should he care if
Jeffrey and sunrise fought? It wasn’t
his problem. He could feel what had to
be Jeffrey’s rage settle into mere annoyance.
feeling this pissed when he’s not here,” he muttered.
“How could you have
missed that we fight?” she asked tiredly.
“It’s practically all we do anymore.
Fight and fuck.” What had
happened to them? “I guess you could say
that I woke up in an odd mood this morning,” she tried to explain.
moment we got out of bed. Before that
even. And then he said that I was
driving him insane and that if I were anyone else, he’d kill me.
snit the entire time we were together, then he should go bother Grant.”
disgusted to stick around, and two, because she need get get used to him
anyway.” Salida shrugged.
and kill me because it’d be more pleasant than the fight we were having.
Sands frowned
thoughtfully. “Whatever.
two of you, especially not together, but I guess. . .”
on the planet, but you understand each other in a way that most other people
don’t.” He shrugged.
he’d had making Aida understand just who and what he was with her. He’d
said all he’d had to say.
“But most normal
people don’t have to worry about dying every time they get in an argument, do
they?” She laughed and shook her
head. But here I am anyway. “Look,
Sands, can I talk to Jeffrey? I don’t
want to let him leave while we’ve got this fight between us.”
Sands shrugged.
head.”
but it was the best he could describe it.
“Better that than
on my grave,” she muttered, waiting for her husband to surface.
out, so don’t go telling me that you’re upset about what I said about Grant.”
Jeffrey just
grunted, and began to pace back and forth in short strides.
Salida watched him
for several seconds before saying, “Did you hear anything I just said?”
she didn’t appreciate the fact that he’d just ignored hers.
Jeffrey stopped his
pacing with an effort and sighed. “I
heard what you fucking said. I’m sorry
too. I’ve said it fucking before and I
know that I’ll unfortunately have to say it again – I don’t like fucking
fighting with you. I fucking hate it, as
a matter of fact.”
“Not enough,” shetomatomatically muttered, immediately realizing her mist
“You think I
fucking like to fight with you?
a low voice. “You think I like the way
we so cheerfully tear chunks out each other?
not do it literally, the way Sands and I do, but fuck me if it’s all that
different. Maybe that’s all that’s
fucking left for me. To fucking fight
with everyone around me until I can’t fucking take it anymore and blow my
fucking brains out,” he laughed bitterly.
quitting and I’m too fucking pissed off to do that.
the one who likes to fucking argue. You
ever consider that? Maybe you don’t
think you deserve to be happy, maybe you don’t believe any of this is fucking
real, maybe I’m fucking full of shit. Who
knows? I just know that lately all we
seem to do is fight. And I’m fucking
tired of it, Salida. I don’t know what
to do to fix it, but I fight enough with Sands without you adding to it.”
realized some horrible truth. “Maybe all
we can do is fight. Maybe this fucking
marriage was doomed from the start. I
mean, come on. Who would have really
believed that two fucking schizophrenics could ever make it work?
vixen.” Tell me not to doubt. Don’t give
me any reason to doubt any longer, he silently pleaded with her.
wanted her to snap him out of it. It was
selfish, but who else did he have to turn to?
“I can’t believe on
my own, Jeffrey,” she whispered, suddenly near tears.
this alone. I’m sorry for today – I didn’t
mean to incite any of this – and I hate fighting just as much as you do.
rid of us. It’s normal.
I don’t want to fight you, it
hurts, but I don’t know how to make myself stop any more than you do.
hope? I never apologize Tes Tess, but I
was coming back to apologize to you. I
never meant that I found you to be a problem that I could foist on someone
else. I just meant I was feeling
overwhelmed. And that I need you more
than I need to fight. That I need your
help to stop fighting. And that you
probably need mine.”
Jeffrey didn’t
really trust himself to speak at the moment.
they had reestablished would be shattered by one wrong word from him so he didn’t
say any words. He just pulled her close
and held her tight, his arms around her back and his head tilted against hers.
“I love you,
Jeffrey. I will always love you.
to breathe.” Her breath was a whisper.
you. And I know that you love me even in
the midst of our biggest fights. I vowed
that only death would separate us, and that’s a vow I intend to keep.”
“I love you too,
vixen,” he said softly into her hair. “I
love you so fucking much that I can’t imagine not being with you.
And I do need your help.
loosening his grip and pulling away to look at her.
opera,” he said with a light laugh, doing his best to lighten the feeling of
heavy tension that had seemed to settle on his shoulders when he looked at her.
“We are.
scripted by demented writers with nothing but time on their hands.”
of her arms around him betrayed her. “Just
promise me that you’ll never walk out in the middle of a fight.
“I promise.
he said sternly, the grip he had on her shoulders tightening a little.
“Good.
think we need to.”
Jeffrey sighed, but
nodded and followed her lead.
******************************
******************************
When Sands was finally able to escape to Aida, he found her
sitting on the steps of her apartment building, watching the neighborhood and
sipping on a Diet Coke.
Sands just stood
there in front of her for a minute and gaped.
again. “Your hair.
knew how stupid and obvious they must have sounded, but in truth he was
completely floored.
Aida ran one hand
over her cropped locks ruefully. “Yeah,
it’s gone alright.” At the length of one
inch or so, her curls laid tamely on hcalpcalp.
“Now come over her and give me a kiss or I’ll think you hate it.”
“I don’t . . . hate
it. I’m just kind of shocked.
cut short, but I didn’t imagine it being that short,” he murmured, moving in tive ive her a long kiss on the lips before sitting down next to her, running a
hand through her shorn locks. “It’s not
that I don’t like it . . . it’ll just take a little while to get used to.”
there,” he said with a smirk.
“That’s good.”
shoulder. “Besides, if I left it longer
than this, it would have looked like a bush was sprouting from my head.
ass.” She switched her drink to her left
hand and wrapped her right around Sands’ waist.
“How are you feeling this morning?”
“Alright, I guess.
stitches yesterday. Well, Jeffrey did at
any rate. I’d show you, but they’re
wrapped up at the moment and I don’t really think you’d want to see them
anyway.” He shrugged.
this morning. That was fun,” he drawled
with a scowl. “Although they must have
worked out because I’m here.” He
shrugged again.
“Well that’s
good. It’s bad enough having roomies
without having two that are mad at each other.”
She drained the last of her soda from the can, then playfully crushed
it. “I am one buff woman.”
style='mso-spacerun:yes'> You’re buff alright.
“You bet I
could. You look like a man who’d be
ticklish.”
Sands’ eyes
narrowed. “Don’t even think about it,
spitfire. I’m pricklier than I look.”
“You know that by
saying that, you’re just asking to be tickled, right?”
walked indoors. If they were going to go
for it, she wanted to be inside.
Sands narrowed his
eyes again but wouldn’t be daunted. He
followed her inside without a word.
Aida considered her
strategy on her way uprs.
Sands was suspicious, it’d be difficult to get into a position where she could
attack without tipping him off. He’d
suspect any moves of affection to be decoys, and he wouldn’t fall for it.
Opening the door to
her apartment, Aida stepped inside with Sands following at a cautious
distance. “I need to pack up the rest of
my clothes and stuff, my love. Are you
going to help?”
“If you want,” he
said cautiously, not wanted to be caught off guard.
“Oh stop it,” she
huffed, flapping a hand at him. “I know
what unwanted physical contact is.
Besides, you’re at something of a disadvantage at the moment.
Sands gave her one
more considering look, but nodded. “What
do you need help with?”
“Getting my
suitcase shut? You’re going to have to
sit on it or something while I tie some rope around it.
time ago.”
Sands couldn’t help
it. He laughed.
another wave of laughter threatening him.
She pretended to
glare at him. “My clothes may not cost a
fortune, but there’s a lot of them. And
it’s hard to sit on something and tie
ropes around it.”
Sands snorted.
letting out another short laugh. “Anything
else?”
“No, that’s it.”
now. Pointing at the empty case on
her bed, Aida left the room and returned swiftly with several hanks of nylon
rope. “Just let me get these under the
case once or twice, and then you can have a seat.”
Sands shook his
head and laughed again but nodded. “This
has got to be the strangest thing I’ve ever done, let me tell you.”
playfully, “Well, maybe not the stest
but itefinefinitely on the list.”
“I’d better be at
the top of that list,” she muttered, pretending to take her rope trying very
seriously. “Now sit your butt down so I
can do this. I’d like to perhaps look
through the house before Salida gets there.”
“When is the
furniture supposed to be delivered?” he asked, taking a seat atop the bulging
suitcase, snickering all the while.
“Snickering is not
attractive in a man,” she informed him, “and I’m not sure that anyone said when
exactly they’d come by. ‘In the
afternoon,’ whatever that means. Move
your leg please.”
He rolled his eyes
at her comment but did as she asked. “‘In
the afternoon. . .’ What the hell is that supposed to mean?
arrive in plenty of time. And can we get
a pizza on our way over? I don’t want to
cook at the moment, although tonight I might have to torture you.”
forgotten her little threat.
“What do you mean
by that?” he asked with his eyes narrowed again.
you?” he asked warily.
“I’m going to make
you cook a lot, my love,” she replied, letting her knuckles brushinstinst the
inside of his thigh as she pretended to have a hard time with a knot.
Sands groaned.
“You’re not going
to poison anyone if I’m there to watch,” she pointed out reasonably.
you move backwards a little?” Aida knew
that if he did, he’d be in danger of falling off the suitcase and the the bed.
“Fine,” he said
absently, doing as she asked. “Oh come
on. Make Jeffrey cook,” he practically
whined. He did not want to cook again.
“Salida can make
Jeffrey cook, not me. s'> And why would I
want him cooking for me in the first place?
I don’t exactly trust him.”
Finished, she stood up, and purposefully caught her foot in the
sheets. Tripping, she fell into Sands,
knocking him onto the bed.
Sands let out a
grunt as the back of his head connected with the floor through the mess ess as
he was knocked over. “Ouch,” he
muttered. “Thanks, spitfire,” he
drawled, then looked up at her. “Are you
alright?” he asked, raising himself up on his elbows.
“Sure.
along his sides, searching for a ticklish rib or something.
“What are you
doing?” he asked, flinching as she ran her hands up his sides slowly.
places that were extremely . . . sensitive.
She noticed his
flinch, having been watching for it. “I’m
just trying to get up,” she said, not bothering to sound innocent.
darted under the hem of Sands’ shirt and started searching for those ticklish
spots in earnest.
“Come on now, stop
it. Let me up,” he said between short
laughs as her fingers found a particularly ticklish spot under his armpit.
“Don’t complain to
me,” she said, not pausing for a second.
She knew that if she did, Sands would be on her, and there’d be no
escape for some time. “You’re the one
that practically dared me to do it.”
“I can’t breathe,
spitfire,” he wheezed in-between laughter.
was push at her ineffectually, he was laughing so hard.
Aida paused for a
split second, before continuing her torture.
“Very dangerous sexual predator, remember?” she teased as her fingers
continued to dance over his skin. “
“You’re evil,”
Sands managed to get out between laughs.
but she had him securely pinned. She
probably knew just what he would do er oer once he got up and was therefore
taking precautions so that wouldn’t happen.
girl. “Fine, I’ll fucking cook.
“That’s not what
this is about, my love. I already knew
you would cook.” She let her hands pause
for another splicondcond before starting again.
“Then what is it
about?” he gasped, still squirming ineffectually.
– the psychotic, schizophrenic murderer bested by his hundred pound wife, by
That was a good
question. What was this about?
possible to have fun without getting naked first.
interact. This is about showing you that
your wife – as tiny as she is – is still not someone to be messed with.”
“I can see that,”
Sands said breathlessly, happy that she had stopped for the moment at least.
with a raised eyebrow, not trying to move out from under her as long as her
hands remained still.
“Well, we could
always have another cooking class,” she grinned down at him.
a mistake. She reached up a hand to
scratch her nose.
It was just the
opportunity Sands had been waiting for.
off of him, straddling her waist as she was now the one laying on the bed.
be one to mess with, neither am I,” he said
with a wicked smirk, having finally caught his breath.
wickedly, slipping his own hands underneath her shirt to her sides, searching
for her ticklish spots as she had on him.
effectively as she had given his current difficulties with his hands, but he
would be damned before he let that daunt him.
Aida just stared up
at him solemnly and let him search.
Sooner or later he’d figure out she wasn’t ticklish, and then she wasn’t
sure what he’d do.
Sands frowned at
her lack of reaction. “Fuck, you’re not
ticklish, are you?” he asked, stilling his hands.
She just shook her
head.
“Well that’s no
fucking fair.” He slumped somewhat on
top of her and shook his head. “Fine.
“Where do you want
to go?” she asked, twining her arms around his neck.
“I don’t know.
awhile,” he said with a shrug. In truth,
he didn’t really know where he wanted to go or what he wanted to do, he just
knew that he was beginning to feel a little stir-crazy for some reason.
“Let’s go to a pet
shop,” she said suddenly.
“A
kind?”
“A cat.
Salida.”
“A cat,” Sands
repeated, going over the idea in his head.
“Will . . . um,
will anyone else have a problem with it?”
Sands shrugged.
actually likes cats.
“Okay, then let’s
go.” Aida shoved ineffectively at Sands’
shoulders.
“No more tickling?”
he asked with a raised eyebrow.
now.
“Not good enough,
spitfire. Promise me.
with Sands,” he drawled, rolling his eyes a little.
She>She glared, but
gave in. And I can always tickle more once he’s learned how to cook reasonably
well.
Sands seemed to
guess what she was thinking, but didn’t comment on it for now.
said with a smirk.
******************************
******************************
An excited Aida pulled Sands into ‘Happy Tails’ – one of the
city’s more reputable pet shops. For a
moment she looked around, lost amid the barks, squawks, cries, meows, and bubbling
fish tanks that filled the store. She’d
loved pet stores since she was a little girl, and being in this one brought
back some good memories.
“You’re having fun,
aren’t you?” Sands asked with a shake of his head and a laugh.
“We had a lot of
strays and whatever animals might be injured,” she replied.
people happened to be on hand.”
“I’ve never had any
pets,” Sands said with a shrug. “Come to
think of it, this is probably the first time I’ve ever been in a pet store
before. It smells,” he commented
offhandedly.
“That’s because
there’s dozens of animals in here. And
it’s not even close to how a barn smells.”
She took his arm again. “Let’s go
find my cat.”
Sands just laughed
at her phrase and followed her to the back of the store where they kept the
cats and kittens. “So, which one is
the wall of cages.
“Mine is the female
named Agatha.” Aida was totally serious
when she said that.
“Uh huh,” Sands
said with a wry look. “And which one is
that?” he asked, walking up to the cages and peering inside.
seemingly wanting the attention. Sands
absently petted the head of a small kitten who had rubbed itself up against the
bars. The kitten licked the tip of his
finger and a small smile found its way to his face.
either way its got spirit,” he said, not looking at her, his eyes fixed on the
entirely black cat. “And its even my
color,” he joked with a smirk.
Aida looked at
it. “Must be stupidity.
Sands rolled his
eyes. “Don’t listen to her.
so Aida wouldn’t overhear. He followed
behind Aida, trailing his hand along the cages, petting the ones that wanted to
be petted, and ignoring the ones who didn’t.
“I think so.”
in it. The kitten had been watchinr
or
out of wide eyes, perfectly content to be picked up and passed around.
Sands gave the cat
a considering look and decided it didn’t seem so bad.
pulled it away with a hiss as the nat sat saw fit to dig its fangs into his
finger. “That little demon bit me!”
“Aww, that was just
a love bite. She likes you.
Sands looked wary,
but did give the small grey cat a quick little pat.
while purring louder, he nodded. “Alright,
fine. I’ll let that one slide.
at the moment without having to deal with temperamental felines, so just tell
her to watch it. Oh, and I’m getting the
other cat as well. The black one.”
“What are you
naming it?” she asked, walking back to the cage of the black cat with him.
Sands shrugged. “I
don’t know. Like I said, I’ve never had
a pet before. Maybe I’ll just call him
cat.”
“You can’t call him
‘Cat’,” Aida argued. “He needs a proper
name.”
“Who says?
smirk.
“Because that’s
what you call a cat you don’t know.
Strays are called ‘cat’. This isn’t
a stray. It’s a pet.”
“Alright.
mischievous grin.
“Sands.
confusion. You’re not going to name it ‘Dog.’”
“I’m not?” Sands
asked innocently.
“
Now pick a real name. And at
least take it out of the cage.”
“Fine,” Sands took
the small cat out of the cage and held it securely, but awkwardly, half worried
that he was going to drop it. “This is
Sid. As in Obsidian.
Aida refrained from
mentioning that ‘Sid’ sounded like a name for a dog.
him. “Alright.
meet Sid. Sid, this is Agatha.”
The two cats
sniffed at each other, but otherwise didn’t do much of anything.
shifting Obsidian in his arms.
“Well, food dishes,
a litter box until they’re trained to go outside, food, litter, collars, toys,
and I think that’s it.”
“That sounds like a
lot,” Sands muttered, looking down at the black bundle of fur in his arms that
seemed to disappear amongst his dark clothing save for a pair of sleepy-looking
golden eyes.
“Well, there’s a
lot involved in getting pets. And we
should take these two into the vet to be checked up, to get their shots, and to
be fixed.”
asked with a curious look. “And what’s
that supposed to mean?” He thought about
it for a second and the answer came to him.
Aida rolled her
eyes. “I think the city has enough of a
stray cat problem without your cat adding to it.
“We’ll see about
that,” he muttered as they walked down thele fle for cat and dog supplies,
picking out a pair of food and water dishes, collars and a few toys.
began to knead his claws into his arm and motioned up to the scratching posts.
make merry hell on the furniture. Am I
right? You tell me.
“Well, young ones
do I suppose. But all you have to do is
line the bottom half of the furniture with aluminum foil and they’ll stop.
should get a post for them. Cats need
sharp claws now and then.”
“Who doesn’t?”
Sands joked wryly, grabbing one of the posts from the shelf and carrying under
his left arm, Obsidian in his right against his chest.
thingies? Are we going to need one of
those?”
“Well, since you’re
refusing to take your pet to the vet, we only need one.
“I don’t refuse him
to take him to the vet, I just refuse to get him . . . fixed.” He said the word
with an air of distaste, and if he had had a hand free he probably would have
covered Obsidian’s ears so the cat wouldn’t have to hear about it.
Aida dropped the
subject for the time being. “Anyway, we
don’t need them now. Let’s pay for this
stuff, and then we can go to the house?”
“Did you get the
food and litter stuff?” Sands asked, walking in the direction of the checkout
counter.
Barely.”
“Barely?”
“I’ve got the cat
food in the crook of my arm, and I’m holding on to the litter
fingers. Not to mention the bowls in the
crook of my other arm. So please walk
faster.”
“I’m walking,” Sands
said with slightly widening eyes as he took in her load.
anything, paid for the cats and their stuff and took everything out to the car.
Fortunately, it all fit.
little difficult, but by putting some of it on Aida’s lap and at her feet they
managed. “I shouldn’t have taken the
Porsche,” Sands muttered to himself, getting in and turning to Aida who was
practically wedged in the small car. “You
alright?” he asked, giving each of the cats a small pat on the head and Aida a
kiss on the cheek.
“I’m fine.
significantly larger?”
“Hmm . . . how much
more is significantly?”
“A compact instead
of a coupe.”
Sands thought about
it. “I don’t know.
Aida didn't ask how
he couldn’t know what type of cars he had.
She did ask, “Can we even get into the house?”
“Yeah, I’ve still
got a set of keys. Now . . . if I can
remember where it was. . .” he muttered to himself.
“Search for them
once we’re there, love. You’re making
the cats nervous.”
“Oh, I was talking
about the house. The keys I’m sure I’ve
got them somewhere. And how am I making
the cats nervous? I’m a safe driver.
“I’m telling you
the truth; the cats are nervous. They’ve
probably never been inside a car before.”
“Just don’t let
them piss on my seats. I’ll never get
the fucking smell out. Fine.
glancing at her and the cats briefly.
“Nothing.
Aida almost laughed. “You’re
going to spoil these two rotten, aren’t you?”
“Relax . . . yeah,
I might be able to do that,” he muttered.
“And who have you
spoiled besides yourself?” she murmured, her amusement tinting her voice.
spoiled than they are by nature?”
“I’d spoil you if you
let me,” he muttered with a smirk. “I
do. I say spoil them rotten.
“The cats. . . ok,
I’ll believe you can spoil them. But you
don’t know what it would take to spoil
me rotten.” As she spoke, Aida tried to
discourage Obsidian from climbing down her shirt.
“Well, why don’t
you tell me then? I already know you
like dark chocolate,” Sands said with a smirk as he noticed what Obsidian was
doing.
“If I have to tell
you, then are you really spoiling
me? And who says I want to be spoiled in
the first place? Perhaps I just want a
considerate husband who tries to find what I like through trial and error.”
“Trial and error,
huh?” he asked, turning on to the street the new house was on.
said wryly.
“It’s how mostopleople learn,” Aida said wryly, looking out the window.
Stop that, you crazy cat!”
“What’s he doing
now?” Sands asked with a raised eyebrow, pulling up in front of the new house
and turning off the car.
“Your cat has been
trying – and finally succeeded – in climbing down my shirt,” she grumbled,
fishing after him. “Ouch,” she
cried. “Keep those claws to yourself.”
“I can’t say I
blame him,” Sands said, reaching a hand under her shirt not to help, but to pet
the small bundle of fur for a job well done.
said, gently pulling the cat out from under her shirt.
And you need
to learn to keep your,” she looked at him evilly, “your dignity under control.”
Sands rolled his
eyes. “What would be the fun in that?”
he asked with a short shake of his head.
stepping out, still carrying Obsidian in one hand against his chest.
Aida got out of the
car as well, her own pet cradled in her arms.
While Obsidian had been exploring, Agatha had quietly fallen asleep and
was completely content to stay
asleep.
Looking around her,
Aida took in the large, two storey house.
It was deceptively quaint; the wooden siding was painted white and it
had actual shudders that were a deep forest green.
was open, and the brick path had flower beds to either side.
asked uncertainly. It certainly didn’tem lem like something he’d choose.
“No, I didn’t.
did. None of us could agree on one
thing, so this is what she chose,” he said with a shrug, shifting Obsidian to
his left so he could use his right to pat down his pockets for the set of keys
to open up the house. “Found them,” he
said, pulling out a set of keys from his left pocket.
morning.”
Sands unlocked the
door and allowed Aida to step inside.
She looked around curiously; the entryway branched off into the living
room on the left and a coat room on the right.
Light colored furniture and an entertainment center took most of the
room in the living room, but it was the large, vibrant watercolors that
dominated the room.
Cuddling her cat,
Aida moved into the room to examine them more closely.
paintings. And while the scenes they
depicted could have been taken from anywhere in the city, they had a distinctly
Latin feel.
Salida has poor taste,” Aida said slowly, looking around.
“No, I suppose not,”
Sands commented, glancing at the paintings.
furniture. It was still pretty empty
when I was last here. Although
apparently there’s a pool table upstairs.
“And where are we
staying?” she asked, finally turning back to her husband.
“Let’s go find out,
shall we? I’m pretty sure it’s the
larger room upstairs, but I’m not positive.
empty. I don’t think sunrise was going
to do any decorating for us.”
The couple walked
up the stairs, Aida absently noticing the lack of photographs anywhere.
group we are. None of us is close to our
family. Or at least I don’t think Salida
is. Maybe I’ll ask later.
The stairs
dead-ended in front of what appeared to be the laundry room while the hall
continued to the right and left. “Which
way?” she asked.
“Uh, right.
direction as any,” he said with a shrug, still carrying the now purring
Obsidian against his chest.
“Okay,” she
drawled, heading in that direction. They
passed the rec room – complete with pool table – before reaching a closed
door. Aida glanced at her husband before
knocking and slowly opening the door.
“This must be it,”
she observed, her voice ringing in the empty room.
gotten a rug.”
The room was
obviously the master bedroom. It was
large, the windows were curtain-less, and a bathroom branched off to the right.
“We still c
the bright sunlight coming in from the back of the house which had the southern
exposure. “Especially for those windows,”
he said, setting Obsidian down on the floor so that he could walk around and
check the place out.
“If we’re going to
get a carpet or something, we should do it before the movers get here with the
furniture,” she pointed out. “I don’t
want to have to try to get a rug under a bed, and dressers, and whatever else
we’ve got.” Aida sighed as Aggie climbed
up her arm to balance precariously on her shoulder.
“Definitely wait,”
Sands said without hesitation. “Just get
a nice thick rug. I have a feeling these
hardwood floors get pretty cold,” Sands muttered, following Obsidian’s
movements across the room. “Do you want
to take the Porsche?” he asked with a smirk.
“Umm, I’d better
not. I can call a taxi.
“It’s up to you.
watching Obsidian chase after a dust bunny.
“I’d better
not. The last thing I drove was barely
able to break 35 mph, and I haven’t driven stick in years.”
want? And I might as well buy sheets
while I’m out.” And food for dinner.
“As for the rug,
get a pattered one. I don’t care what
colors. And as for the sheets, I’d say
black, but feel free to surprise me. Despite
what Jeffrey may think, I don’t just
like black. I simply prefer it,” he said
with a shrug, corralling Obsidian and picking him up again.
the car.”
******************************
******************************
Salida pulled up in a taxi minutes after Aida had left.
with her. She was going to plant the
beds in front of the house before getting to work on the mess that was the back
yard. But first she went inside to get a
bottle of water from the fridge.
Stepping inside,
she slammed the door kinda loudly behind her.
“Hello?” Sands
called out, trying without much luck to keep the two cats from climbing on top
of him as he lay on the couch.
Salida froze.
Sands’ car parked out front. “It’s just
me,” she called cautiously. “I wanted to
get something to drink before getting to work on the front flowerbeds.”
“Flowerbeds?” Sands
repeated incredulously, rubbing Agatha’s chin as she curled up on his stomach.
know what to do. He didn’t want to get
up and wake them, but he didn’t feel likeing ing to yell to talk to sunrise
either.
“Yeah.
Something about bare dirt doesn’t appeal to me.
Jeffrey, Salida wasn’t really keen about being around either man.
She quickly walked
to the kitchen, and just as quickly walked back.
house made her pause for a minute. “What
are you doing here all alone?” she asked from the doorway to the living room.
“Aida’s out buying
curtains and a rug for our room. I’m
here waiting in case the furniture movers show up.
from Obsidian.
At the sound of the
sleepy cat, Salida practically froze. “What
was that?”
“That?
a pat on the head and rolling his eyes when he saw that Agatha had begun to
bite at his shirt a little.
“Obsidian is a
rock,” Salida observed. “And I’m pretty
sure that rocks don’t make sounds.”
Curiosity got the better of her, and she took several steps into the
living room. The back of the couch still
blocked her view, but at least she was closer.
“That’s true.
pointed out, lifting his head up a little to look at her.
“You got a cat?”
almost like she was intrigued despite herself but not willing to come any
closer.
“Two kittens
actually. Aida wanted a cat, so we went
and got one. I decided I wanted this
one, so that’s how we ended up with two.”
unwillingness to come into the room. “You
can come in, you know. So far only one
of them bit me, and supposedly it was only some kind of a ‘love bite,’” Sands
said dryly, giving Agatha a stern look. The
cat only yawned in response.
Salida walked
closer, even more skittish than some of the cats back at the pet shop.
looking at the two kittens curiously.
She’d never been this close to a cat before, much less petted one.
“They’re not so
bad,” Sands said with a shrug. “I’ve
never had a cat before,” he volunteered, not entirely knowing why he was being
so helpful. Perhaps it was the way she
was acting around them – almost as if she thought the were going to spring up
and claw her eyes out the moment she let her guard down.
sat up on the couch, Agatha sliding down to his lap as he did so.
falling back asleep. Obsidian, on the
other hand, sniffed the air in Salida’s direction.
Salida fought the
sudden urge to run away. She’d never
been good with live things – she and Tess had killed countless goldfish and
houseplants – and she didn’t want to hurt something that was so cute.
her sides.
“Yeah.
Salida over and pursing his lips thoughtfully.
ventured slowly, not knowing what she would do.
meowing softly.
She wanted to, but
she also felt an urge not to. That if
she were going to pet a kitten, that she’d like it to be hers.
that need to get in the ground.” Having
said that, Salida slowly backed away, not quite escaping before the doorbell
rang. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“Aida wouldn’t ring
I don’t think,” Sands said with a frown, setting Obsidian down on the floor at
his feet before moving Agatha off of his lap and onto the couch.
off of his shirt and pants before looking at Salida.
“I didn’t hear a
truck,” Salida observed. Trying to
regain her composure, she joked, “Cover me . . . I’m going in.”
Sands just shook
his head with a short laugh and made his way to the front door behind Salida,
Obsidian following behind him.
Salida opened the
door to find a young, somewhat droopy couple on their doorstep.
“Hi!
Edward. We’re your next door neighbors!
so we brought this bunt cake to welcome you to the neighborhood!”
enthusiastic, the husband looked as he had been dragged.
“Oh,” Salida said,
making a move to take the cake. “That
was . . . thoughtful . . . of you. Thank
you.” She didn’t make any introductions
because she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to introduce herself.
living with one man?
“Is this your
husband?” Martha asked noticing Sands hovering back behind Salida’s shoulder,
both trying not to be noticed and trying to keep Obsidian from getting out.
introductions Salida hadn’t given.
“Uh,”ds
ds
started, not knowing what to say.
“Cousin,” she
supplied. “My husband is . . . away, and
I came to help him and his wife out. My
name is Salida,” she said, reluctantly offering her hand.
“A pleasure,”
Martha said, shaking Salida’s hand firmly.
practically elbowing her husband to offer his hand as well.
peaked her head around Salida’s shoulder and addressed Sands.
“I didn’t catch
your name,” she said with a smile.
“Sands,” Sands said
warily, just wanting these people to leave.
in the doorway. “I’d shake your hand,
but forgive me, I’ve cut it on something,” he explained when Martha offered her
hand and he didn’t take it.
“Goodness me.
“I’m fine.
“You said he was
your cousin?” Martha addressed Salida.
“By marriage,”
Salida supplied. “He and my husband are
. . . cousins.”
Sands sent Salida a
perplexed look before responding. “That’s
right . . . cousins.”
“Well I’d very much
like to meet you all. Perhaps you’d like
to join us for dinner?” Martha proposed, ignoring the slightly wide-eyed look
of her husband in response. He covered
it quickly with a small smile however.
“Well . . . umm . .
. I’m sorry. I don’t think we’re quite
collected enough to meet for dinner.
Just moving and all – I’m sure you understand.”
“Thank you for the
offer, however,” Sands said after a moment’s hesitation.
excuse us, we’ve got a lot more unpacking to do.
“You’re very welcome.
Perhaps we can have dinner another time.
Have a good day.
they walked back to their house.