shadow 5
#5 of shadow
Shadow
5
Shadow's thoughts once again turned to Vincent as he sat in the locker room of the gym after his workout. Thinking back to the unfamiliar world that he was able to glimpse. He was surprised at how much he enjoyed it. He let out a sigh as he heard the familiar laughs of his coworkers, knowing that they would want all the details. He began to get dressed as they approached from the showers and made their way to nearby lockers.
James opened the locker to Shadow's right and pulled out his deodorant. "So Jag, you put on quite the show Saturday."
"Yeah I never knew you could dance like that." Bruno added as he slipped into his boxers.
"Who would have thought someone as serious as you could dance like a stripper?" James added swishing his hips as he slid off his towel.
Shadow shook his head as he pulled up his pants. "It's not like you guys haven't ever let loose before."
"When did Jag dance" a lion asked as he sat down on the bench.
Bruno laughed as he slid into his shirt. "Oh John you should have been there, Jag totally got wasted on Saturday."
John looked shocked as he dried off. "No way. I would never have thought that would happen."
James sat down to put on his shoes. "Yeah and we thought he was going to get broken in half when he jumped that stallion."
Bruno closed his locker and sat down to tie his shoes. "Oh man did you see how small he made Jag look."
James stood turning to Shadow with a grin. "What we want to know is did you get to bed him? And don't you dare skimp on the details."
Their conversation was interrupted as Boris slammed his locker closed before picking up his bag and leaving.
They all watched curiously as he left. A few moments of silence followed before John asked, "What's wrong with him."
Bruno picked up his bag and leaned against the lockers. "Well he had his eye on that stallion. Guess he's still upset that Jag got him."
Shadow put his paw to his head. "That's just great."
James put his paw on Shadow's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You know how he is; he'll have his eye on another hot stud tonight and forget all about the stallion." He turned picking up his bag and began to walk towards the door. "Well I got my own stud to get to."
As the locker room cleared out Shadow checked the time to make sure he wasn't running late for his lunch date with Vincent.
Shadow made his way to the front desk at the museum, placing his paws on the counter as he waited for the clerk to finish with a husky couple.
"Can I help you sir?" the clerk asked as she moved towards him.
Before Shadow could reply Vincent placed his hands on his waist. "He's looking for me Claire."
Claire smiled as Vincent gave Shadow's neck a kiss. "Alright sir, have a good lunch." She gave Shadow a challenging look before the two headed for elevator.
As the elevator door closed Vincent chuckled. "Don't worry about Claire. She's just overprotective of me."
Shadow looked up at Vincent with a grin. "Overprotective huh? I'm pretty sure she has nothing to worry about. Who would ever try to attack you?"
Vincent frowned as he looked to the floor. "Well I've been hurt before, she just doesn't what me to have to go through that again."
They moved out of the elevator as Shadow took in what he just heard. "So you got you're heart broken then?"
Vincent remained silent as they made their way to his office. As he closed the door behind him he let out a sigh. "Claire and I grew up together so she knows me better than anyone. She is the only one that I can share everything with, and she's the only one that knows about my last love endeavor." He moved over to his desk and sat down before he continued. "It was a few years ago before you moved here. There was this bull you see...He was so attractive, and even though he was arrogant I started to fall for him. Claire tried to warn me about him but I wouldn't listen. One day I came home early to find him in bed with some ram. When I asked him why he would do that to me he just laughed." He paused as he wiped a tear from his face. "He told me that I was just a play toy. That our relationship was nothing more than guaranteed sex." He smiled after a few moments of silence as he tried to regain his composure. "With Claire's help I managed to get over him. When you moved here I began to feel the same way about you, but every time I tried to talk to you my thoughts would jump back to the bull. Then Saturday night I just couldn't take it any longer so I decided to dance with you."
Shadow let out a sigh, "And I ruined it when I threw myself on you."
"No...' Vincent said grabbing Shadow's paws, 'I knew you were drunk so I figured that I could find out how you really felt. I guess I did take advantage of you a bit, but if you had rejected me...it would have been easier knowing that you were drunk."
Shadow sat on the edge of the desk and squeezed Vincent's hands. "So why did you take me home with you?"
Vincent smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I wanted to take care of you. Maybe I was just...tired of being lonely."
Shadow slid into Vincent's lap wrapping his arms around the stallion's neck. "Well you don't have to be lonely anymore." He slid his paws up to pull Vincent's head down and gave him a long kiss.
Their embrace was interrupted by a knock on the door. Vincent lifted Shadow off him as he stood. "That will be our lunch."
Shadow moved to sit in front of the desk as Vincent' paid for their food and returned to his chair. Their moods picked up as they talked and ate. Soon they were laughing and joking with each other. After they finished Vincent offered to give Shadow a tour of the museum. Shadow declined as he needed to get ready for work.
Shadow entered the club through the employee's entrance and made his way to the security office to get his gear. When he passed the managers office he heard Boris arguing with the manager. He couldn't help but pause to listen.
Boris' voice grew louder as his temper grew. "You can't fire me. I'm the best bouncer you have."
"Calm down boy. You know the rules you cannot engage the patrons while on duty." the manager snapped back.
"Oh come on, I was on break for heavens sake." Boris replied slamming his fist on the desk.
The manager's patient was beginning to run thin. "That may be but you had no business getting a blowjob in the back alley. Now turn in your things and get off the property."
Shadow started to continue to the security office as Boris slammed his thing down and emerged into the hall.
Boris looked over to Shadow remembering him throwing himself on the stallion. His anger grew into a rage as he began to charge.
Shadow's ears twitched at the sound on heavy footsteps rushing towards him. As Boris drew close Shadow quickly spun around bringing up his leg. His boot caught the rhino's chest knocking him back. As Boris landed with a thud to the ground other employees emerged from the offices and the lounge.
Shadow looked around at his coworkers gathering. "You all have work to do." he bellowed causing them to retreat back to where they came from.
Boris sat up still in a daze from the hit. He struggled as he got up and sneered at Shadow. "You'll get yours." he said before storming out.
The manager stepped towards Shadow crossing his arms. "Anything you want to tell me?"
Shadow kept his eyes on Boris making sure he left. "No sir."
The manager frowned moving his paws to his hips. "Well get ready for work then."
Shadow gathered his equipment from the security office as he checked in with the surveillance team then made his rounds before the club opened.
The staff grew tenser as the evening progressed. They all expected Boris to make an appearance and try to cause trouble. Shadow couldn't relax either even when Vincent showed up. He managed to steal a few moments with the stallion but had to focus on his work.
Vincent decided not to stay long, the club wasn't that busy but he sensed Shadow was distracted.
After the last call at the bar the tension began to ease and the staff relaxed as best they could. As it drew nearer to close Shadow signaled the bouncers to start rounding everyone out.
Finally the doors were locked and the staff let out unanimous sigh. They busied themselves with cleaning up the club as Shadow made his last rounds.
After completing his rounds Shadow began to leave saying his goodnights to those that remained, not stopping to give them time to ask about Boris.
On the way home Shadow's mind replayed the events of the night. The look in Boris' eyes was that of pure hatred, he had never seen the rhino this mad before. He went over as many possibility's as he could trying to figure out what he meant by you'll get yours.
As Shadow opened his front door he didn't notice that Nathan and Victor sat on the couch. They spoke to him but he just continued upstairs and got ready for bed.
It wasn't long after he lay down in bed that be begun to fall asleep. As he drifted to sleep he heard a familiar lullaby be hummed by a gently female voice. He took a deep breath as his mind wandered into a dream.
As the darkness of his mind gave way to the dream Shadow found himself on the darkened bank of a river deep in the woods. The full moon reflected off the water. He looked around as the lullaby could still be heard. Turning he saw his mother sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree placing a log onto the campfire.
She smiled as she stood raising her hands as Shadow approached. They hugged for a moment before she took his paw and brought him over to sit beside her on the tree trunk. They sat in silence watching the fire as rubbed her paw on his back.
As they watched the fire it flared up causing Shadow to stiffen his back. He relaxed as his mother reached over to hold his paw. He turned to see her smile as she placed her paws on his shoulders. He started to speak but she stopped him by placing a paw on his mouth. She slid her paw to his cheek as she leaned in to kiss his forehead before she faded into the night.
Shadow watched as the scene changed to see his younger self stand in the doorway of his father's study holding a book. His sad eyes watching his father flip through the pages of old books stopping only as he made notes.
"Father...' the young Shadow spoke in a soft voice, 'will you read to me?" He stood there for a moment waiting for a reply before moving closer to the desk. "Father will you come tuck me in?" After he still didn't get a response he moved to his father's side. "Father..."
"What is it boy?" his father said in a loud tone that startled the young Shadow, causing him to drop the book he held and back away.
Grams voice was heard from the doorway. "Shadow child come along your father is busy."
Shadow turned and hurried to his grandmother and clung to her skirt. She smiled down at him patting him on the head. "Why don't you go up to bed and I'll come tuck you in shortly."
Shadow looked back at his father to see he had returned to his books. A tear fell down his cheek as he turned to go to his room.
Grams watched as he made his way to the stairs before she entered the study closing the door behind her. Shadow continued to watch as grams moved to the desk placing her paw over the book his father read. "Why do you push him away Xavier?"
Xavier looked up at the lioness with a frown. "I'm busy trying to figure this out."
Grams hit her paw onto the desk. "What's there to figure out your wife is dead and your son needs you. It's been over a year and you've hardly spoken to him, and when you do it's with a harsh tone."
Xavier leaned back crossing his arms as he stared the lioness down. Before he could speak the young Shadow called from the stairs, "Grams I need you."
Grams pointed to Xavier saying "One day you're going to loose him too." before she turned and moved to the door. "I'm on my way child."
As grams left the room and closed the door Shadow continued to watch his father for what seemed like hours. I hate you old man, you were never there for me he thought as his father finally closed his books and rubbed his eyes.
Xavier looked down beside him. "What's this?' he bent to pickup the book that the young Shadow had dropped flipping it over to read the cover, 'Huckleberry Finn." he remembered what Grams had said about loosing Shadow. He stood and moved to the door taking the book with him.
Shadow followed his father up to where the young Shadow lay sleeping.
Xavier quietly opened the door and looked in before making his way in. He watched the young Shadow sleep for a while before sitting on the bed beside him. He ran his fingers through his cubs mane as he gently said, "You have so much of you're mother in you boy." He let out a sigh and Shadow thought he saw him tear up as he opened the book and began to read aloud in a hushed voice.
Shadow watched his father read to his younger self before drifting back into an empty darkness as he fell deeper into sleep.