The Flubug
Chapter 2
Cold Weather

* * * * *

Once we had resumed our stroll for the second time, it was then I noticed that the sky was gradually transforming. Where there were once a few bundles of cotton in the blue ocean of breezes and currents of wind, now there were a few large, grey and black monsters, crawling with a dogged determination towards us ever so slowly from the distance. I took a moment to observe the rapidly changing circumstances before a sweet voice that haunted my dreams called my name in wonder.

"Fuzzy? Are you okay?" I took a second glance at the sky far above the canopy of golden leaves before giving a reply. I had doubt about this new event, considering it was a good idea to call our fun to an end and head for home.

"Amy, the weather is acting up. Look at those thunderheads..." The rose lifted her emerald eyes to view the sight, after staring at me to make sure I was not on the bleak verge of insanity amidst our wonderful, sunny day. With perfect timing, as the lovely lass saw the raging heavens, a sharp gust of wind caused an ensemble of rattling leaves, sending hundreds of the delicate golden objects swirling all around us in a ballet with the wind. Perhaps this was our fair warning; the heavens were known to change on the flip of a dime without any previous alarm, wreaking havoc on entire fleets, on armies, and cavalry since the ancient times...

I heard a disappointed sigh leave the throat of my pink blossom, and turned to her and placed my hand firmly, yet gently on her forehead before stroking it as she turned to me in surprise. I massaged her quills and gave her a reassuring smile before grabbing her hand and starting off in a seemingly random direction.

"Wait. Shadow, what're you doing?" The female raised her voice in concern as we trudged forward.

"It's best if we head for home, Rose." My firm and stoic tone left no room for argument...

* * * * *

By the time we reached her house, the clouds had dominated the entire sky with impending doom, and a slight barrage of needles accompanied harsh gusts of wind. I decided to carry Rose in order to save time since she had slowed down in the cold, since the rain and weather wouldn't wait for us as the girl shivered away.

Not surprisingly, the girl decided to reply with a giggle and promptly proceeded to nuzzle my downy chest, cuddling to my body as she savored the warmth and her shivering subsided in the shelter of my arms. "Fuzzy, you're very cuddly..." Her comment teased my cheeks with a blush, yet Amy was too busy hugging me to notice the reaction of my tan muzzle.

Without warning, sharp gusts of wind caused a metallic crash to sound out from behind us as we both turned to face the commotion. A trash can fell over in the storm, spilling its contents onto its owner's driveway, sending a brown paper bag and a soda can rolling down into the street. I wish I had seen it sooner, but I hadn't. A used tissue landed with a flap right smack in the middle of my face, landing on my nose and waving in my eyes victoriously before I hesitantly pulled it off with my free hand.

"Shadow, are you alright?" A gentle voice called me as I wrinkled my nose in disgust. The offending item was hastily dropped as another gust of wind pulled it away and rustled our furry bodies, as if to remind us of the bad weather.

"Bleh. Stupid tissue..." I continued home as the rain started to pick up and doubled in moments. By now the houses around us were covered with rain, thin white gutters rattled and drummed as rainwater flowed through them from the rooftops onto the yards below. On instinct, I tightened my grip on Amy in an effort to conceal her from the rain's moisture.

One pastel pink house stood out in my mind. The house was a pleasant two-story, having a front porch that covered the left half of the house, stopping at a corner where the living room faced out the front yard with a large picture window. We passed by the few pleasant, but now rustling trees in her front yard as the rain started to pour. I was worried about her safety, so it was a relief to finally walk up the steps of the covered porch to her front door and reach out to give the white door three knocks. On that porch, the rain was stopped fast by the shingled roof and the wind was partially blocked from one side, giving both of us some much welcomed comfort. I gently placed the girl on her feet, making sure to hold her hand in case she tripped after our journey.

Rose turned around and watched me before laughing softly as she saw water dripping from my ears and nose, a result of my soaked fur. "Aw. Thank you, Fuzzy; your warm, soft belly kept me nice and dry!" I felt a soft pair of rose petals gently caress my cheek. Even though I was chilled by the rain, my muzzle started to burn from her affectionate display. I couldn't help wondering in the back of my mind where that heat came from, since I felt rather cold due to my fur being wet and exposed to the dancing wind provided by the storm...

* * * * *

After shaking myself violently in order to fling the extra water from my quills, we both entered the cozy house with a feeling of relief. Once we were inside I sat on the plush green armchair in the living room, silently observing the weather outside. The storm around the house became slowly, steadily angrier and colder as the thermometer dropped, winds picked up speed and the rain doubled intensity once more. The once constant patter of rain on the roof became a roar, and sheets of water rippled steadily down the window to the front yard. I was mesmerized by the flowing rain on the window and my thoughts drifted away somewhere. Amy's generous parents offered to let me spend the night, since they feared it was too rough to go outside and brave the weather to get back to Tails' place.

* * * * *

Amy has told me time and time again that her parents like me very much, and this invitation was an example of their softened feelings. They were more than satisfied by the way I treated Rose; putting my coat on her in the rain a few months ago at my expense, opening doors for her everywhere we went, not to mention the many times she has fussed over my compliments and the gentle manner in which I express affection to her.

Once she mentioned that the time I escorted her to high school, there was a profound reaction. I finally had managed to get my citizenship for the country before the school year had started, and since we both were going to the same place, I decided to myself "Why not? She'll love it!" That year was awkward since I was two years older than most of the seniors there. Many of the girls seemed to stare at me with awe and wonder, including popular ones that ruled the top rungs of the social ladder. Amy told me it was because of my pitch black fur and rich ruby eyes... But that was beside the point.

I carried my sweet little Rose to the school from her house, running with my characteristic speed that could outpace all of the traffic around us and I decided to take a secret shortcut through the deep woods to the edge of our campus. A moderate rain had fallen upon the town that morning and I wore my grey overcoat to keep the rain off me, although I couldn't run as fast since it covered my knees and slowed me down somewhat.

The surrounding pines and shrubbery of the nearby woods gave way to rolling hills of green grass and sidewalks surrounding a cluster of brick buildings full of classrooms and hallways, with occasional spots for planted shade trees and benches scattered throughout. And so I carried Amy as if she was the most precious treasure in the world -and she was- up the steps to the front entrance.

Step by step I rose to the top of the entrance and was within reach of the front doors, but once we got there about a dozen girls stopped dead in their tracks and stared at us. As I firmly clutched Amy in my arms, I set her down on the cement and unbuttoned my coat to fold it over my arm. The silence was awkward and heavy, pressing onto my mind and upsetting my formerly contented mood.

I couldn't shake off the tense feeling in my nerves as I tried to ignore the other girls and returned a loving hug from my pretty girlfriend. Opening the door for her, we waved to each other a last time before we walked our separate ways to class. Young, beautiful girls ogled over me the rest of the day. It seems hedgehogs, foxes, wolves, cats, bats, even human girls stared at me and gossiped fervently to their peers, babbling ceaselessly through class, lunch, during break; all day, and it continued on a milder scale the rest of the week.

Amy told me that Friday as we walked home that her friends gossiped and fussed about it the entire week. She couldn't hide the thrill in her eyes as she giggled excitedly. "I love you to death, Fuzzy! You made the most popular girls in school green in envy and fuss over you!" I couldn't withhold a laugh as Rose hugged me tight on our way home.

"I don't get it, Amy. I was only doing that because I love you so much," I replied honestly.

"Aw. Shadow, you're sweet!" A pair of soft lips pecked my cheek for an instant. I grinned bashfully as my cheeks flared up in the afternoon breeze...

* * * * *

Once my little daydream had ended, the smell of a delicious food filled the air from the nearby kitchen as Rose's mom prepared a hot dinner for the four of us to enjoy.

The kitchen was right behind the living room; a rather nice kitchen with finished wooden cabinets, a polished granite countertop, and appliances that all were shining, silvery stainless steel. A table was to the side of the cabinets right next to the kitchen area, the very place were the family would dine unless it was on an occasion, like Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, or with company around.

After fixing my hamburger to suit my desire, with all of the things available, Mrs. Rose was amused by my several compliments to her meal, as well as the fact I inhaled the entire thing in moments, causing Mrs. Rose and Amy to start laughing once I sighed in contentment and started to pat my belly. It was a good dinner, filling my hungry stomach with warm, meaty, hamburger, crisp lettuce, fleshy tomato, spicy onion, and sour pickle.

Afterwards, I decided to take a shower in the guest bathroom. For one reason or another I was tired and wanted to hit the hay pronto. I thought it was because I had such a big day, and it was, to a point. What I didn't know was that a certain crusty tissue had lended me something I wouldn't enjoy much...

A.N. You people don't seem to realize how inspiring a nice review would... nevermind.