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Description
Gerry drifted blissfully on the cloud between sleep and waking. So soft, warm, and radiating with the candy-sweet scent of fruit. He filled his hands with that softness and squeezed gently. So nice. He snuggled closer. It must be a dream. That was okay, he'd gladly put off reality for a while.

"Since I know you aren't going to follow through, kindly remove your boner from my ass."

Gerry's eyes snapped open. Auburn frizz greeted his vision. He screamed shoving Al with all his might. She yelped as she tumbled off the bed and hit the floor with a thud. He scrambled to sit up.

"What the fuck!? Why are you in my bed?! Where's Pepper?!"

Al popped her head up. "This is my bed-" Her sentence cut short when Gerry's sole slammed into her mouth. He would have struck her again with the other foot had the first blow not knocked her out of his reach.

"Get away from me!" He screeched.

"Gerald!"

He turned in time to get a glimpse of Pepper before she forced his shoulder into the bed and wrenched his arm behind his back. He struggled to take a breath with his face mashed into the comforter. She pressed down on him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She gripped his arm tight. "You stay there you hear me?! You stay right fucking there!"

His eyes darted around as her weight lifted off of him. What the fuck. What the fuck...

"Al, are you alright? Oh, Jesus. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Gerry slowly pushed himself up. Pepper was kneeling in front of Al, her hands hovering just above her face as if she were scared to touch her, but desperately wanted to help. Al looked somewhat dazed, a small trail of blood ran from her nose to the larger stream flowing from her lip. Crimson dripped from her chin staining the saccharine bunny print of her camisole.

"It's not that bad." Al muttered.

"I can take you to the ER. You might need stitches, how's your nose?"

Al twisted around and found a tissue box. She collected a wad and dabbed at her face. She then tentatively examined the area with her tongue. "It's a little cut, must have just nicked a vein."

"Can I see?" Pepper asked.

Al turned her lip down.

"It's still bleeding a bit. What do you want to do? I can help you fill out a report. It's your choice."

"Report? For what?" Gerry asked his voice cracking.

Pepper whipped around, her face hard. "Assault, Gerald. That's what it's called when you stomp a woman in the face."

"No, I-"

Al reached out touching Pepper's arm softly. "It's not that big of a deal. He was startled. It was partly my fault. It's okay."

"No part of this is okay."

"I'm not going to press charges. I'm over it, okay. It was an accident. He probably doesn't even remember last night."

Pepper huffed. "I wish I had that luxury." She got to her feet. "Get up Gerry, find your fucking clothes. We're leaving. If you change your mind Al, let me know."

It was only then that he noticed that he was down to his boxers while the women were both fully dressed. Al in night clothes and Pepper in the clothes she'd arrived in. He crept out of the bed and looked over at Al. She was staring at the floor.

"I suspect they're still in the living-room."

He didn't say anything just slipped out of the room.

The apartment was strangely empty. No sign of stragglers like usual. Only Pepper stood by the door arms crossed. His mouth felt dry and he licked his lips nervously. He found his clothes by the couch and got dressed. He barely had his last shoe on when Pepper walked out the door. He had to trot to catch up to her. She was silent and stiff the entire way to the car. Gerry slunk just behind her.

She got into the car and stuck the keys in the ignition, but then just sat back in her seat gripping the steering wheel. Gerry tried his best to disappear into his own seat. The quiet was frightening. Finally she spoke.

"I'm tempted to leave you here, but I can't in good conscience."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"What the fuck was that, Gerry?"

"I don't know... I don't remember-"

She lowered her head in total frustration. "This was supposed to be fun! What the fuck happened?!"

"Pep, I-"

"What happened to you?! What happened to the nice guy I was dating? What happened to the sweet, wonderful person I invited into my home?"

"What did I do?"

She stared at him incredulous, eyes red, on the brink of tears. "You seriously don't remember any of it? Not a goddamned thing?"

"No, I remember meeting those girls and..." He frowned. "And..."

"Those girls had names, Gerry. Lissa and Cherri. Surely you remember Lissa, the cute lesbian you kept trying to get to blow you. Two bi girls right there and you kept harassing her."

"I don't... I wouldn't..."

She shook her head. "After that you were fine for a while. I though the night might end okay. You went to get a drink next fucking thing I know there's a big ruckus. I had to jump up buck naked to try and keep this behemoth from kicking your ass because for whatever fucking reason, you decided to literally yank Al off his dick and drag her into the other room. Thank God that guy was cool and I was able to talk him down." She rubbed her forehead. "I was feeling really exposed at that point so I got my clothes on before seeing what you were up to. Stupid me, still thinking there was a logical reason you'd do that. I get in there and, God, I've never seen anyone look as uncomfortable as Al did then. She's trying to get you to go lay back down and sleep it off and you... You wouldn't keep your hands off of her. You wouldn't even acknowledge my ass. I might as well have not even been there. She kept making excuses for you and finally got you to back off a bit, but not before your drunk ass puked all over her. You climbed in bed while she was in the shower and passed the fuck out." She took a shaking breath. "I should have drove you home then, but I was still tipsy. I was going to get in bed to keep an eye on you, but you sprawled out in such a way that I couldn't fit." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "I was scared you'd choke in your sleep or something. Al offered to do it and I just slept at the foot of the bed. She put on the pj's saying she didn't want to make you uncomfortable..." She wiped at her face with the heel of her hand.

Gerry kept his eyes on his lap. It didn't seem possible. I didn't seem real. Surly he hadn't really done those things. It was a mistake, a misunderstanding.

"Did you even apologize?"

Gerry slowly shook his head. "I couldn't remember anything... I didn't know what to say."

"I'm sorry! That's what you fucking say!"

He winced.

"I should leave you. I really should. It's the smart thing to do."

Gerry heart pounded, panic filling him.

Pepper turned to face him. "When we get home, every last drop of alcohol is gone. Every bit of it, because if anything like this ever happens again you're out. Do you understand that?"

He nodded.

They were still pouring liquor down the drain when Pepper received a call asking her to fill in at the station. She threw on her uniform and headed out the door, tell Gerry they'd talk more later. He finished pouring out the bottles alone.

He wandered into the living room and plopped down in front of the fire place. Kit was curled up on the hearth despite the lack of a fire.

"Hey buddy." Gerry said rubbing him on the head.

The fox's eye opened just a crack, he stood took a few steps away from Gerry, flopped onto his side, and curled up again.

"That sleepy, huh?" He sighed leaning back on his hands. "You were probably up all night worrying about me, weren't you?" He laid down nearer the hearth and reached out to Kit, stroking him gently. "I should have stayed here with you buddy. Maybe then I wouldn't have fucked up so much. I just don't understand. I'm not like that am I? I don't just go around hurting people do I? That's not me." He scratched behind Kit's ears. "I mean I don't think it is. I guess I don't know who I am really. I'm not even sure how much I've forgotten. So much of my life is just a big fucking, black, blank." He licked his lips. "Was that me? Was it Dark? Al? I know she can control people. I've seen her do it. She said she'd never do that to me, but can I believe that? Would I even know if she did. How would I know?" He pulled Kit to his chest and buried his face in his fur, the animal struggled slightly. "I'm sorry Kit, but I'm scared. I'm so scared." He choked on a sob. "How can I trust anybody when I don't know what's real? How can I trust people when they always want something? I don't know what to do... I don't know what to do..."

Kit whined and relaxed into Gerry's arms, giving his hand a lick.

Gerry sniffled. "Thanks, boy. I know you don't understand any of these, I just needed someone to listen..."

Al sighed to herself as she picked up the apartment. The party hadn't gone as long as she'd hoped. A few hours longer and she could have absorbed more than enough energy without anyone being the wiser. She'd have hell getting anyone to show for another party after that display, not without losing what she'd just gained. She shouldn't have invited Gerry, but she'd wanted so badly to check on him. All ruined.

The phone rang breaking her thoughts. She dropped the trash bag that she'd been dragging about and sat on the couch. She grabbed up the handset that had been left on the arm.

"Hello?" She arched an eyebrow when silence greeted her. "Hello?" Nothing. "If this is an obscene phone call, you're doing it wrong." She started to hang up when she finally heard something. Faint at first, but it quickly gained volume.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Her breath hung in her chest. Laughter rumbled from the speaker. She gasped slinging the phone away where it smacked hard against the wall. The laughter then filled the room instead, the voice thick and deep seemed to ooze from the walls. Al pulled her feet up onto the couch and hugged her knees.

"Are you scared Piglet?"

Al's teeth chattered , bumps raising on her skin as the heat was drained from the room.

"You should be."

Description
Gerry drifted blissfully on the cloud between sleep and waking. So soft, warm, and radiating with the candy-sweet scent of fruit. He filled his hands with that softness and squeezed gently. So nice. He snuggled closer. It must be a dream. That was okay, he'd gladly put off reality for a while.

"Since I know you aren't going to follow through, kindly remove your boner from my ass."

Gerry's eyes snapped open. Auburn frizz greeted his vision. He screamed shoving Al with all his might. She yelped as she tumbled off the bed and hit the floor with a thud. He scrambled to sit up.

"What the fuck!? Why are you in my bed?! Where's Pepper?!"

Al popped her head up. "This is my bed-" Her sentence cut short when Gerry's sole slammed into her mouth. He would have struck her again with the other foot had the first blow not knocked her out of his reach.

"Get away from me!" He screeched.

"Gerald!"

He turned in time to get a glimpse of Pepper before she forced his shoulder into the bed and wrenched his arm behind his back. He struggled to take a breath with his face mashed into the comforter. She pressed down on him. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" She gripped his arm tight. "You stay there you hear me?! You stay right fucking there!"

His eyes darted around as her weight lifted off of him. What the fuck. What the fuck...

"Al, are you alright? Oh, Jesus. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Gerry slowly pushed himself up. Pepper was kneeling in front of Al, her hands hovering just above her face as if she were scared to touch her, but desperately wanted to help. Al looked somewhat dazed, a small trail of blood ran from her nose to the larger stream flowing from her lip. Crimson dripped from her chin staining the saccharine bunny print of her camisole.

"It's not that bad." Al muttered.

"I can take you to the ER. You might need stitches, how's your nose?"

Al twisted around and found a tissue box. She collected a wad and dabbed at her face. She then tentatively examined the area with her tongue. "It's a little cut, must have just nicked a vein."

"Can I see?" Pepper asked.

Al turned her lip down.

"It's still bleeding a bit. What do you want to do? I can help you fill out a report. It's your choice."

"Report? For what?" Gerry asked his voice cracking.

Pepper whipped around, her face hard. "Assault, Gerald. That's what it's called when you stomp a woman in the face."

"No, I-"

Al reached out touching Pepper's arm softly. "It's not that big of a deal. He was startled. It was partly my fault. It's okay."

"No part of this is okay."

"I'm not going to press charges. I'm over it, okay. It was an accident. He probably doesn't even remember last night."

Pepper huffed. "I wish I had that luxury." She got to her feet. "Get up Gerry, find your fucking clothes. We're leaving. If you change your mind Al, let me know."

It was only then that he noticed that he was down to his boxers while the women were both fully dressed. Al in night clothes and Pepper in the clothes she'd arrived in. He crept out of the bed and looked over at Al. She was staring at the floor.

"I suspect they're still in the living-room."

He didn't say anything just slipped out of the room.

The apartment was strangely empty. No sign of stragglers like usual. Only Pepper stood by the door arms crossed. His mouth felt dry and he licked his lips nervously. He found his clothes by the couch and got dressed. He barely had his last shoe on when Pepper walked out the door. He had to trot to catch up to her. She was silent and stiff the entire way to the car. Gerry slunk just behind her.

She got into the car and stuck the keys in the ignition, but then just sat back in her seat gripping the steering wheel. Gerry tried his best to disappear into his own seat. The quiet was frightening. Finally she spoke.

"I'm tempted to leave you here, but I can't in good conscience."

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"What the fuck was that, Gerry?"

"I don't know... I don't remember-"

She lowered her head in total frustration. "This was supposed to be fun! What the fuck happened?!"

"Pep, I-"

"What happened to you?! What happened to the nice guy I was dating? What happened to the sweet, wonderful person I invited into my home?"

"What did I do?"

She stared at him incredulous, eyes red, on the brink of tears. "You seriously don't remember any of it? Not a goddamned thing?"

"No, I remember meeting those girls and..." He frowned. "And..."

"Those girls had names, Gerry. Lissa and Cherri. Surely you remember Lissa, the cute lesbian you kept trying to get to blow you. Two bi girls right there and you kept harassing her."

"I don't... I wouldn't..."

She shook her head. "After that you were fine for a while. I though the night might end okay. You went to get a drink next fucking thing I know there's a big ruckus. I had to jump up buck naked to try and keep this behemoth from kicking your ass because for whatever fucking reason, you decided to literally yank Al off his dick and drag her into the other room. Thank God that guy was cool and I was able to talk him down." She rubbed her forehead. "I was feeling really exposed at that point so I got my clothes on before seeing what you were up to. Stupid me, still thinking there was a logical reason you'd do that. I get in there and, God, I've never seen anyone look as uncomfortable as Al did then. She's trying to get you to go lay back down and sleep it off and you... You wouldn't keep your hands off of her. You wouldn't even acknowledge my ass. I might as well have not even been there. She kept making excuses for you and finally got you to back off a bit, but not before your drunk ass puked all over her. You climbed in bed while she was in the shower and passed the fuck out." She took a shaking breath. "I should have drove you home then, but I was still tipsy. I was going to get in bed to keep an eye on you, but you sprawled out in such a way that I couldn't fit." Tears began to run down her cheeks. "I was scared you'd choke in your sleep or something. Al offered to do it and I just slept at the foot of the bed. She put on the pj's saying she didn't want to make you uncomfortable..." She wiped at her face with the heel of her hand.

Gerry kept his eyes on his lap. It didn't seem possible. I didn't seem real. Surly he hadn't really done those things. It was a mistake, a misunderstanding.

"Did you even apologize?"

Gerry slowly shook his head. "I couldn't remember anything... I didn't know what to say."

"I'm sorry! That's what you fucking say!"

He winced.

"I should leave you. I really should. It's the smart thing to do."

Gerry heart pounded, panic filling him.

Pepper turned to face him. "When we get home, every last drop of alcohol is gone. Every bit of it, because if anything like this ever happens again you're out. Do you understand that?"

He nodded.

They were still pouring liquor down the drain when Pepper received a call asking her to fill in at the station. She threw on her uniform and headed out the door, tell Gerry they'd talk more later. He finished pouring out the bottles alone.

He wandered into the living room and plopped down in front of the fire place. Kit was curled up on the hearth despite the lack of a fire.

"Hey buddy." Gerry said rubbing him on the head.

The fox's eye opened just a crack, he stood took a few steps away from Gerry, flopped onto his side, and curled up again.

"That sleepy, huh?" He sighed leaning back on his hands. "You were probably up all night worrying about me, weren't you?" He laid down nearer the hearth and reached out to Kit, stroking him gently. "I should have stayed here with you buddy. Maybe then I wouldn't have fucked up so much. I just don't understand. I'm not like that am I? I don't just go around hurting people do I? That's not me." He scratched behind Kit's ears. "I mean I don't think it is. I guess I don't know who I am really. I'm not even sure how much I've forgotten. So much of my life is just a big fucking, black, blank." He licked his lips. "Was that me? Was it Dark? Al? I know she can control people. I've seen her do it. She said she'd never do that to me, but can I believe that? Would I even know if she did. How would I know?" He pulled Kit to his chest and buried his face in his fur, the animal struggled slightly. "I'm sorry Kit, but I'm scared. I'm so scared." He choked on a sob. "How can I trust anybody when I don't know what's real? How can I trust people when they always want something? I don't know what to do... I don't know what to do..."

Kit whined and relaxed into Gerry's arms, giving his hand a lick.

Gerry sniffled. "Thanks, boy. I know you don't understand any of these, I just needed someone to listen..."

Al sighed to herself as she picked up the apartment. The party hadn't gone as long as she'd hoped. A few hours longer and she could have absorbed more than enough energy without anyone being the wiser. She'd have hell getting anyone to show for another party after that display, not without losing what she'd just gained. She shouldn't have invited Gerry, but she'd wanted so badly to check on him. All ruined.

The phone rang breaking her thoughts. She dropped the trash bag that she'd been dragging about and sat on the couch. She grabbed up the handset that had been left on the arm.

"Hello?" She arched an eyebrow when silence greeted her. "Hello?" Nothing. "If this is an obscene phone call, you're doing it wrong." She started to hang up when she finally heard something. Faint at first, but it quickly gained volume.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

Her breath hung in her chest. Laughter rumbled from the speaker. She gasped slinging the phone away where it smacked hard against the wall. The laughter then filled the room instead, the voice thick and deep seemed to ooze from the walls. Al pulled her feet up onto the couch and hugged her knees.

"Are you scared Piglet?"

Al's teeth chattered , bumps raising on her skin as the heat was drained from the room.

"You should be."