When I Was Your Man
#8 of Musical Muse
Hope you all enjoy the story. Hope it is alright.
When I Was Your Man
The dark lights of the club hallway barely illuminated the steps for Barry, the panther panting in nerves as the music hummed in his ears. The stage was not far away at all now, and the tension in the panther's chest from his nervousness confirmed that. He know he could do this, he rehearsed for hours just for this one moment. He know he could.
Double checking that his white suit looked good, Barry adjusted himself as he got to the backstage door. He could still back down now, he didn't have to do this. His paw shook as he brought it to the knob, slowly turning it. No backing down now.
The busy ambiance filled the panther's flicking circular ears as he looked at the brighter lights of the change room for the club, seeing some of the dancers and performers, and a quickly rushing fennec coming up to the panther.
"Barry! Just in time buddy, you are on in five. Remember, good posture all that stuff, the ladies will love you don't worry! You got this!" The fennec clapped his paws, giving Barry a confident point before dashing away, or trying as Barry grasped his shoulder.
"Listen...Steven...thanks for this. I-" Steven just smiled to him, clasping Barry's shoulder.
"You got this Barry. Best of luck." The fennec truly darted away this time. Barry knew that he was probably in a rush for the act after him, or just general business, so he let him go.
The background noise somehow manage to almost calm Barry as he made it to the stage steps, looking for the cue from a grizzly stallion standing near the stairs. Must have been doing this job for years. Barry just hoped that he wouldn't screw this one up. The act on stage seemed to be wrapping up.
"You got this, don't choke. You need this, you got this..." Barry muttered to himself. Especially with the noise of the club, no one would have heard. As he looked up, the stallion patted his back.
"All ready for you kid, knock 'em dead." His baritone voice soothed Barry's nerves mildly, a faint smile given to the stallion before he walked up onto the stage, a deep breath being finally released.
The audience was just a black blob for the panther, the spotlight glaring down on his black fur and white suit as his dress shoes clicked against the wood of the stage, walking towards a grand piano. His nerves heightened as he took a seat in front of the piano. This was it, an he knew it.
He contemplated having a little introduction small talk with the audience or going straight into it, before the fingers of his paws made up his mind for him. The soft piano ringing in his ears pleasantly as he perfectly played the song he had played so many times. His emotions running high, Barry began to sing.
"Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now..." His throat vibrated as he began, the piano perfectly complimenting his voice, his tension completely gone as he strode into his routine and his performance.
The crowd was silent as Barry continued, the spotlight like one giant eye glaring at him, but not phasing him as he played masterfully. "I should have bought you flowers...And held your hand..." Barry's body gently rocked to the beat as he contiued to play, facing the audience for a moment, scanning, hoping...
"Although it hurts...I'll be the first to admit, I was wrong!" Putting all his effort, all his finesse into the climax of the song, Barry continued to rock his body, before slowly reaching the end.
"Do all the things I should have done...when I was your man..." The soft chord of the last notes echoed for a moment through the club, before applause and whistles broke out, an uncontrollable smile gently breaking the panther's features as he stood, taking his bow, though his eyes caught someone in the audience, his smile faltering slightly, seeing the leopardess's face.
Before Barry could think too heavily on it, he strode off the stage, with one last toast of his glass for the audience, his eyes giving his true emotions a gateway to shine through.
"Good work kid, told ya you could do it." The stallion gave him another shoulder pat. Barry gave the stallion a polite smile, quickly darting back in the change room. Quickly undoing his bow tie, the panther pressed through the back door of the club into the crisp cold winter air.
Smoke left his muzzle as he rubbed his brow, breathing out softly. She was there, as Steven said she would be. He may have believed the fox but, god, seeing for himself was certainly believing.
Hopefully the song really struck through to her. The words that he never had the guts to say straight to her. He still loved her, the pang of pain reaching the panther's chest at the memories. In the end, he just felt ashamed. And he hoped the words would somehow...
His thought was interrupted as the back alley door creaked open, turning his body to the door, his jaw dropped. It was her, Eve. Her red dress highlighted her yellow fur and spots perfectly and the fabric scarf around her shoulders was beautiful as well. She looked just as beautiful as the day she...she left.
"Eve..." Barry whispered, his eyes unable to look straight at her as he fidgeted with his suit in anxiety. "H..hey."
"Barry..." her voice was just as lovely as he remembered, hearing it again was great for the panther. He couldn't help but look straight at her, though his ears pinned against his head as he saw her look. It was one of concern, one of emotion.
"Barry, I'm sorry for everything. That it had to happen that way but...you...you need to get over me hon." She said, her paws holding her waist as she looked at him. "Everything that happened, had to. And...I'm sorry. Your singing was...it was fantastic. It really showed just how much you loved me." She continued, Barry's eyes glistening with hope.
"But Barry. It is over, and will remain that way. It has been a year Barry. I..." she tried to continue, before the door opened again, a wolf walking out into the cold with them. "Hey baby I was...oh." he said, looking at Barry.
Of course Barry recognized him...Carl. The man that was now dating Eve, and, judging by the rings on both their fingers, engaged with her too. "Eve, I know you want to just leave right now, come on." The wolf tried to haste them down the alley, Barry reacting the only way he knew how.
"Eve! Please, just...hear me out." He pleaded, looking to her. She glanced at the floor for a moment, before giving a soft nod. "This whole thing wasn't to try to...to win you back or something. It wasn't just a stunt for attention..." he sighed, looking with his true sincerity at the couple.
"It was just...to say that I understand. It hurt me, still does, but I understand. And I hope you are both very happy, and Carl..." he looked to the wolf. "I, I hope you do all you can for her."
"I assure you, I do all I can for her. Unlike your pathetic ass. Come on babe." Carl growled, walking down the alley with Eve beside him. Eve's look gave the setting stone in his heart, both of them striding away happily and confident. Barry rubbing his eyes quickly dry as he nodded, his breaths shaky, all of them highlighted in the winter conditions.
Barry reached down into his pocket, pulling out a gold ring and holding it out in his palm. The diamond of the feminine ring gently sparkling as Barry sighed, his tears hidden in his black fur as he gently kissed it.
As he dropped the ring into the snowbank beside him, he muttered the only words he could. "Goodbye Eve...I hope he treats you right. Much better than I ever could..." Barry hung his head for a moment, before opening the alley door. With one last look at the ring shining in the snow, he closed the door behind him.
Song this story was based off of:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekzHIouo8Q4
TCF