Chapter 3: Sleep Patterns
She opened the door and trudged inside, dazed. Her glazed eyes focused solely on the path to her couch. Bee shuffled forward as Puppycat closed the door behind them with a frown. The apartment was quiet except for the young woman flopping tiredly onto the sofa cushions. Puppycat wiped his face and looked at the floor. What had started out as a fine evening of eating dinner with the neighbors, had turned slowly into an exasperating and awkward night.
He looked to where Bee was. The human had promptly fallen asleep, and he wasn't surprised by that. She had defended their strange platonic relationship of cohabitation to her friends, despite Cass's protests. At first they weren't taken seriously, but after Bee sincerely stated that he was really staying with her, Cass immediately refused that. After a couple of hours of deliberation, Cass gave up. Deckard, who had mostly been silent, told Bee that he accepted her decision.
Puppycat knew they didn't understand really. They drew conclusions that were easy for them to comprehend. Even though he and Bee hadn't informed them of all the details pertaining to their predicament, whatever they wanted to agree upon, as long as it didn't interfere with how they had been living till now, was fine with him. The alien walked to the couch.
Gazing at the mass of brown hair that poofed under Bee like a second pillow, he let his eyes take on a softer, kinder look. Puppycat glanced at her ankle then back to her face. Drool was starting to slip past the edge of her bottom lip, which made him crack a smile and almost snicker. He kneeled down though and took on a sterner look. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep breath and focused. It was time to start his nightly routine. Yet this time, he would tell her.
Bee's eyes fluttered open. She smiled.
"Oh!" she noised when Red Puppycat brushed against her and ran away.
Not hesitating, she quickly treaded after him. The sparkling glass floor clinked and clicked under her soft footfalls. A deep rainbow of pastel hues were the background to nothing and everything. She followed the bouncing doggy tail of the familiar angry cat further and further away from where she had awoken, even though it looked as if they hadn't moved at all. Then Red Puppycat stopped and jumped up into the air. Bee reached out to catch him, but tripped and fell upward.
When she righted herself, she was able to again stretch her arms out to him, but he sniffed and turned his head away, floating out of reach. When she began to pout, Orange Puppycat bounded into her vision, landing in her empty embrace. She smiled and was about to hug the cuddly creature, when Purple Puppycat nuzzled through her hair to lean his paws and muzzle on her shoulder affectionately. Green and Blue Puppycat appeared as well and soon Bee happily found herself surrounded by all the different Puppycats in midair.
Then she scrunched her brows and turned her head to look around. Blue Puppycat immediately knew what she was doing. He booped to his comrades and alerted them that their time was up. Bee's eyes widened when Orange Puppycat leapt from her hold and joined the others in the offbeat march circling around her. Spinning around, she closed her eyes when things got too dizzy for her and opened them with a shock when she found herself grabbed and stilled by two large hands.
"Ah, Puppycat…"
He slid his hands from her upper arms to wrap his arms around her in a hug. Bee stilled for a moment, not sure what to make of this gesture from the tall alien. After feeling his warmth against her body though, she gave in and closed her eyes, returning the hug.
/Bee./ She opened her eyes again and realized that she was no longer hugging Puppycat, but was alone, in a completely different environment.
"Puppycat? Hey, where'd you go?"
/Hey, who're you?/
Bee turned around and found herself in a beautiful meadow filled with flowers that sparkled like tiny little stars. Each were different colors, shimmering and glowing in the night; reminding her of the latest mission to the castle of Royal Space. Bee turned again when she heard steps to her right. There before her, was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.
She was glowing with ethereal beauty. Her skin was the palest pink, her hair, a shining white silver. Bee found herself staring and couldn't believe that this gorgeous creature was staring at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't form the words. The woman's eyebrows niched and her mouth turned down to a frown. Even then, her show of irritation was a thing to behold.
Bee tried again to say her name. "I-"
/I am no one. No one, in comparison to such majesty as yourself./
Bee whipped around to see who had responded and saw that it was Puppycat. He now wore, she noticed, a deep blue and silver suit instead of the ridiculously short white shirt and brown pants he had on before.
/Hmph,/ the woman with floor length hair noised. /Flattery is not a true response./
Puppycat smiled and stepped forward, Bee realized he was walking right towards her, but before she could move, he stepped through her like air. Bee's mouth dropped in horror and she immediately checked herself over, freaking out that she might be a ghost. She stilled though, when the two aliens' conversation continued on.
/Princess _^-^, you truly are a treasure amongst the stars./
/Treasure you say?/
/More beautiful and precious than this universe and all within it./
The Princess laughed. /You'vephrased your words quite interestingly, I'll give you that! It isn'tunwelcome to hear such compliments. I must digress though, you can't have put me at the center of the universe when surely there is one better than I./
/No, my lady. I can, and will. After a journey, even to the end of the universe, I would still find no other to compare you to./
She smiled and tilted her head cutely to the side.
/What is your name?/
Puppycat let his eyes side away from her form for an instant, but she immediately knew that he was reserved and hesitant to tell her this information.
/Don't tell me./ He blinked and gave her a confused look. /I'll give you a name…/
/Princess,/ he sighed enthralled.
/Hmm,/ she thought mischievously. /How about… Puppycat?/
/…Eh?/
She grinned widely and laughed. /A mysterious cat that you are, yet you openly come like a dog. It's an adorable name!/
Puppycat said nothing, as no words could describe how he felt. He just watched as the Princess laughed and smiled at her own expense.
Then, he smiled too.
Bee rolled over and threw her arm over Puppycat's neck. His head laid against her side on the couch, while the rest of his body still sat slouched on the floor. He made a worried face but then relaxed as he breathed deeply again. Bee snored and spoke soft words of gibberish, completely trapped in the state of strange dreams.
/Puppycat,/ the Princess whispered softly to him.
Bee watched intently as the Princess grabbed Puppycat's coat and she stood up on the tips of her toes, trying to bring him down to her level in a slow, sensual way. The two grew closer, and just as their lips were about to touch, the Princess drew away.
/I'm sorry./
He shook his head. /Don't be. There will be time for that and other touches./ He caressed her cheek in an adoring way. /We have an entire lifetime./
She did not meet his eyes, but smiled softly.
/Even if you are an outcast, I still love you./
/Princess…/
/Puppycat, my darling, let's leave this place!/
He drew in a sharp breath. /Princess, you mean-?/
/I mean to run away with you! Let's go together! To the end of the universe where to no one can keep us apart!/
Puppycat smiled and nodded, /Yes!/ He hugged her fiercely and told her that he would give her everything she desired of him.
Bee made a grossed expression at their blatant PDA, even though she was the only public to witness this. She rocked her legs together and waited for the two to separate and go their ways again. When they broke apart, she blinked and the Princess was gone. Bee looked around wondering if this was a new night again. Puppycat seemed a bit nervous, and she began to think that it really was a new night and that the Princess was late.
"Huh, where is she?"
As the words fell from her mouth, the figures of darkness appeared in flames of evil fire. Bee's eyes grew wide and her mouth fell open. The Space King's warlocks were here in the meadow.
"No!"
Puppycat was surrounded. Distressed he looked for an escape, but was met with the deep guttural voices of the dark magic wielders.
You, conspirator against the crown, you are sentenced to an eternity in prison by the King for attempting to kidnap his daughter.
/You're wrong! The Princess does not want to be here! We're leaving together!/
The warlocks enclosed him further and the one in front of Puppycat raised his staff.
The Princess alerted her father to your indiscretions and the King has labeled you as an outlaw. Your seductions did not succeed. Face your sentence!
Puppycat's face fell and he stared shocked as the staff was angled to his face. When the all the mages began to chant, and their respective staves glowed their stones with green fire, Bee saw the change in her friend. His eyebrows knitted tight and his mouth drew into a deep frown. His teeth clenched and he fisted his hands. Bee stared as sorrow and anger passed over him. She watched, unable to do a thing as his glaring eyes slipped a tear and he was yet again enveloped in bright flames before her eyes.
The flames shaped into a cage, but then began to fall apart and distort when the anguished cry of the broken hearted filled the space meadow. The warlocks stepped back as the flames grew wild and out of their control, then in a burst of light, she saw him. Puppycat, as she knew him, strange, cute creature in all, stood on all fours in fury. He looked at the confused warlocks, and taking the chance, ran off.
Bee shook her head in disbelief. Her legs gave out from beneath her and she began to slide down ungracefully. Two hands caught her by the waist and returned her to back to stand on uneasy feet, supported.
/…/
Bee looked over her shoulder and gazed at the tanned alien.
/…You had asked once before. The answer is yes, the story is true./
She let her head fall against his chest. "I'm sorry."
/Don't be. It was a long time ago./
"But why did you show me? You could've just told me what happened."
He pursed his lips and looked away for a moment. Then, locking eyes again, stated, /Because, I needed to tell you… I needed to tell you this./
She turned around in his hold and he loosened his grasp on her sweater shirt. Puppycat swallowed and fisted his hands.
/I have to leave this place. I need to go./
"What? What're you talking about leaving?! You kind of just got here!"
/Yeah, but-/
"You're not going anywhere! You're my Puppycat!"
He grimaced at that sentence and grabbed her shoulders to bring her close to him. Startled, Bee was about to push him away, but stopped when he brought his lips close to her ear and began to whisper in a low voice.
/You think of me as a beast, a pet, something of possession. I can't be yours Bee, if you cannot even say my name./
She blushed at her poor choice of words. Bee fisted her hands against his sleeveless shirt again and gave an apology.
"I never asked you for your name. I just assumed it was Puppycat since everyone called you that," she replied, referring to Tempbot.
He sighed and asked her, /Would you like to know my name?/
"Well, yeah," she responded when he pulled away.
/… ^_-_./
"H-huhlast-huhlastinn? Helystn?"
Helystn nodded.
"…Puppycat sounds cuter."
/I'm not cute,/ he told her.
"Yeah, not anymore. You're tall."
He didn't respond to her lightheartedness, but instead seemed to become focused. Bee raised a brow and was about to ask him what it was now, but he interrupted her with a simple statement.
/Let's leave./
She stared at him puzzled. "Leave? Here? The dream?"
He shook his head. /Let's leave Earth./
[AN: Updates once a month. Not entirely sure if i want to go the darker/M rated route or keep it at the fluffy T rated route... We'll see where this takes us in like three or four chapters. See you guys in May.]