Chapter 1 ~ For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night
#1 of Romeo & Romeo?
No Yiffing in this, it is just intro to some of the main characters, but I promise you there will be some next chapter... maybe, we'll just see how it turns out.
Romeo & Romeo?
Chapter 1 ~ For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night
"You guys go have fun, and remember, use your manners." I hugged my twin brothers, Joshua and Caleb as the got out of my beep up Volkswagen van. I had just dropped them off at their friend's house where they, along with several other pups would be staying the night for a birthday party. Josh and Caleb were ten year old Dalmatian pups that were born pretty close to identical, so much so that they even had several matching spots.
However, it was still easy to tell them apart, at least for me. Josh had a spade shaped spot on his right ear while Caleb had a heart shaped spot on his left. It was also easy to tell them apart because even though they looked very similar, they were two totally different pups. Josh was the more aggressive and mischievous pup while Caleb was more shy and withdrawn.
"Ok Danny! See ya later." The twins both said in unison as they ran out of my van. My name is Daniel, I am seventeen years old and unlike my brothers, I am half Dalmatian and half husky. I have the physical build and body structure as a normal husky boy, but I have the fur colouration of a dalmatian.
I shouted out the open window at them. "Wait guys!" They both turned to me. "You guys almost forgot your gifts." Caleb ran back to grabbed the presents for himself and his twin. "You two have fun." I said to them. "I will be back to pick you up at noon tomorrow."
"Ok Danny. Bye." They both said, running to the door. I waited in my van for someone to come to the house door and let them in. When the mother of the child whose birthday it was came to the door, she looked at me, waved and smile, and let them puts in before closing the door behind her.
I put my car into drive and was now on my way to work. I worked at a little coffee shop in town called Caffeine Fix It wasn't what anyone would call a glamour job, but the pay was okay and the hours were great. But the best part about it was the people who worked there with me. Working in the same coffee shop for over five years now, you tend to develop relationships with your fellow workers and your regular costumers. They all made going into work worthwhile.
The owner of the shop, a big old teddy bear named Burt, was well aware of my situation at home and acted almost like a father to me. He made sure that I had enough hours and if I couldn't make a shift because of homework he would take my shifts personally. Also, if I asked him for a favour, such as watching my kid brothers, he was always willing to lend a paw. For this reason, my brothers and I always referred to him as Papa Burt. Having no pups of his own, this always seemed to put a smile on his face.
When I arrived at the coffee shop, I parked around back and made my way through the back door. On my way through the back, I greeted the kitchen staff, punched in and went about serving the tables in the dinning area. Like I have already said, this wasn't a big coffee shop, but it did attract a lot of business because of its warm servers and comfy setting. It looked like your typical 80's dinner complete with black and white checker tiles on the floor, long bar with many stools and plastic red booths for large groups of furs.
I approached my first booth of the night, where an elderly pair of golden retriever sat. Like many others in the coffee shop, they were regulars. "Good evening Mister and Misses King."
Mrs. King gave me a kind look "You have been serving us for how many years now, Daniel?"
"Six years, Mrs. King" I replied.
"And for at least five of those years, have we not asked you to call us by our first names?" She asked.
"Yes I'm sorry, Mrs... I mean Gertrude." I managed to struggle out. This made the older couple laugh a little.
"It's alright dear, just makes us feel older than we want to." She laughed, along with her husband and me.
"Ha-ha, Alright Gertrude, what can I get for you tonight?"
"I'll get a coffee and a couple oatmeal cookies please."
"And for you, Claudius"
"I will just have a tea please."
"Okay, I sill be right back with your order." I left the two elderly dogs to fetch their order. A few minutes later, I returned to their table with their order. I placed the coffee out front of Gertrude "A coffee with two creams and one sugar for you.", the tea in front of Claudius "A plain black tea for you.", and the cookies in between the two. "and your cookies."
"Thank you, Daniel" Claudius said with a smile spreading from ear to ear.
"You're welcome, if you two need anything else, just give me a shout." I gave a polite smile before skipping away to my next table, my tail swaying from side to side with each click my foot paws made on the tiled floor.
I made my way to a booth, a couple a booths over from the King's booth. There a lion boy, looking about my age, sat alone, reading a decently thick book. He had a full brown mane, a muscular figure. He was wearing a pair of baggy green sweat pants and an equally baggy navy hoody. In my eyes, he was one of the most beautiful males I had ever seen. I nervously approached him "H-hello, what can I get for you tonight?" I asked the boy. He lifted his head from the book, looking me over with his bright green eyes.
"Can I have a coffee please, with two milks and two sugars?" He asked in a voice that almost didn't match his appearance. I was expecting a deep rough voice. However his voice was still deep, but very soft.
"Can I get you anything else tonight?" I asked.
"Maybe just a just a chat with someone like yourself. I'm new in town and wouldn't mind getting to know someone around here." he said as a coy smile crossed his beautiful face.
"I ummm, well you see umm," I stuttered, looking like a fool in front of this beautiful boy.
"Hey Danny" Burt shouted from the kitchen window.
‘Saved by the big teddy' I thought to myself.
"Go for your break, after you get that boy his order." He winked to me.
Now there I was, standing in the middle of the coffee shop, with no excuse to escape the awkward moments that would no doubt come from the encounter with this boy. I went to fetch the boy his coffee, sitting it down in front of him and then taking the seat across from him. "So... hello there."
The lion sat down his book, looking to me, smiling. "So... your name is Danny?"
"Yup, that's my name."
"It's nice to meet you Danny, I'm Rolland. So what is there to do here, in the great big town of Pelham?"
"There really isn't that much to do. We go an ice rink in the winter, pools in the summer, and a really bad mall with not much in it."
"Sounds pretty exciting, if you ask me." Rolland said laughing a deep, yet very sweet laugh.
"Oh yes, a blast." I replied in a sarcastic tone. "Well what kind of things are you into, I may be able to suggest something fun for you."
"I am into act, I saw posters around town saying that there was going to be a production of Romeo and Juliet at the school, but I don't know if I would make the cuts."
‘He's an actor?' I thought ‘He doesn't look like much of an actor.' "Well when are the auditions?"
"Tomorrow at 1:00."
"Do you think you're ready for it?"
"I think I will mange, but I'm still really nervous."
"You'll be fine." I gave him a reassuring smile. "If you want, you can perform for me quick."
"Here?"
"Yup"
"Now?" He said nervously. I nodded. He let out a deep sigh. "Alright, if you really want to see it." He stood from his seat, in front of the table, preparing himself for his monologue. He drew in a deep breath before he began. "Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear, Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."
I was awestruck. I have never heard any works of Shakespeare expressed with such brilliance. We all had probably just witnessed the most beautiful rendition of a beautiful soliloquy. I had hung off of each and every word that passed through that boy's lips.
Rolland gave a quick bow, returning to his seat. The blush that spread across his face was so adorable. "That was just so... my god, you're amazing." I said to him.
The blush on his cheeks only grew deeper. "You really think so?"
"Yes, that was great. You could definitely get any part you wanted!"
"Thank you, Danny."
"You're welcome." I guess blushing was contagious, because I was now blushing. We sat in an awkward silence for a minute or so that was broken by Burt.
"Eh pup!" I looked back to the kitchen window. "Don cha think it's time ta get back ta work? I ain't payin ya ta sit on your butt."
I sighed "Ya, ya, coming. Anyways, I have to go, but if you need directions to the school, I can get you there."
Rolland's face lit up. "Really? Thanks a lot."
"No problem, just meet me back here tomorrow at 12:30."
"Ok," Rolland reached into his pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill. He pick up his book and started to head for the door.
"One second, you need your change."
"Just keep it." He said, smiling as he left the coffee shop.
I made the change from the ten dollar bill and put the rest in the tip bowl. Burt came out from the kitchen and laid his big strong paw on my shoulder. I turned to him, a smile on my face. Burt was huge compared to me, and many of his other employees, but could not harm a fly, even if his life depended on it. His fur was a dark brown and his goatee was greying a little. A large t-shirt, that had the shops logo on it, draped over his massive frame and he wore a pair of blue denim jeans.
"Hey Papa Burt, I got a favour to ask you."
"What up lil buddeh?"
"Could you pick up the twins tomorrow? They're staying at their friend's house."
"Ya, nota problem. Where is it?" I drew out direction from the dinner to the house on a napkin and handed it to Burt.
"Thanks so much, Papa Burt."
"Like I said, nota problem. Ya just ave fun on ya date."
A blush crept across my face. "I-it's not a d-date!"
"Don go lyin to me boy." He just laughed, even though I really didn't think it was funny. "What eva, do you wan me ta bring em back ere?"
"No, bring them back to my house."
"I don like bringin em back there, all lone."
"I know, and I don't like leaving them alone with her either, but she is their mother and that's just how it goes. Plus I shouldn't be that long."
"Ight, if ya promise ta hurry home, I will stay with em."
"Alright. Thanks a lot Papa Burt."
"Nota problem, Danneh Boy."