Crushed
By. Bento Box
11/12/01
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The laughter bubbled up in an effortless flow. It spilled forth from between red-stained lips, parted in a wide smile. There was no sun shining behind this vision, no cloudless blue sky to drink up the image.
I watched in silence from my perch, watched as the crushed berries rose to those perfect lips.
Perhaps there was no cloudless blue sky, but I would suffice in its place, willingly drinking up the sight, a self-forced drowning in this memory of which I will imprint forever in my brain.
Beautiful.
I hadn't realized that the word had been whispered until the graceful neck arched in my direction, confronting me with that pinning gaze. It penetrated me, and I could feel the heat rise to my face. To my surprise, it was his eye that slid downwards first.
He made no movement, no sound or expression that told of his discomfort or annoyance at having my presence. So here I sit, for over half an hour, drinking in the sight of him. It was enough to make me feel lightheaded, drunk and giddy just on his image alone. It wasn't entirely outré either, to feel so intoxicated. Everything about him was enough to make me feel as if I'd consumed an entire bottle of red wine.
It wasn't entirely inappropriate either, those crushed berries, those stained lips...it all reminded me of a glass of red wine.
The hours ticked by in the clock parallel to me. My perch on the edge of the couch was precarious, but I could keep my balance even if I were perched on it on my hands and feet only. The balance of a cat.
The thought brought a small smile to my lips.
Slowly the muscles in my back began to protest. If I had been on a mission, I could have easily ignored it. Here in the living room though, where there was only the ticking of the clock and the soft murmuring of delight from the object of my affection, I let the tension ease as I slid from my frozen perch on the edge of the couch.
I settled myself into the plump cushions, and from underneath half-lidded eyes, I watched as the hand methodically crushed the red berries, the thick juice oozing like blood over the pale, delicate fingers.
I don't know when I started to doze off, not into a deep sleep, but just enough drowsiness filled me that I found my eyelashes fluttering and my breathing shallow.
Just enough that I didn't notice the object of my affection move closer to my body. I was in a place between the world of the waking and the world of the dreaming, so the light touch that I felt against my cheek seemed to be part of the long running dream I wished was true.
That also meant the light feathery caress against my lips were part of that dream. It tasted of crushed berries, of sweet wine and a lingering taste of metal and blood.
I gave a soft sigh and felt again that touch against my cheek.
I drifted off deeper into sleep and everything was blanketed in a comfortable darkness.
I dreamt of crushed berries and red wine.
Notes: ^^; Okay, that was really weird. A definite one-shot (vignette) fan fic. Heh. Nice and mellow though, ne? o.o A lot nicer than my typical angst-o-rama stuff. ^_~ Definitely inspired by Deena's Smushed Grapes. I LOVE that story. XD I hope Deena doesn't mind being the inspiration to this story. @_@;