𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 (𝙵𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙱𝚡𝙱)

Track 65 | 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗠𝗲

Explicit NSFW Content Warning

⏮

June

A low, patient drumbeat pulses from the back of my head. 

The rhythm surrounds me, fighting through a thick fog to get to my ears. The more it approaches, the more impatient it becomes, gaining volume and haste until it reaches a breaking point.

I wake up, discovering the beat is coming from my bedroom window.

It takes my eyes a moment to readjust to the darkness. The familiar smell of my blankets remind me that I'm safe. A quick shot of adrenaline races through my body the moment I realize the sound is of conscious autonomy—someone is knocking at my window.

I sit up in a frantic hurry, spinning my head, a little dizzy from the sudden jolt into action. The blinds pulled up, I am faced with the silhouette of a considerably large coyote, looming from the other side of the glass. My sudden rush of panic is soothed instantly.

I haven't been alone for very long, but every time I lay my eyes on Harvey, I'm reminded of how painful it is to be without him—and, more devastatingly, to miss him. It hasn't even been twelve hours since I last said goodnight to him, and yet, being in his presence feels like a once in a lifetime occurrence.

Rubbing my eyes as I simultaneously stretch my elbows, I toss the covers off of me, dressed loosely in underwear and an oversized tee—branded with the NYTA logo that I received from the recent college visit. I quickly crawl out of bed, making haste to ensure that Harvey isn't left outside for too long, and I obtain the hearing aid from my shelf, placing it in my right ear as it whistles at a high frequency. Everything miraculously sounds clearer on the right side of life: the whirring air machine, the creak of my bed as I leap back onto it, Harvey's paws against the glass.

And, most importantly, the sound of his voice.

The frame squeaks as I pull the window open, allowing Harvey to crouch down and poke his head through. His perfect, handsome face is, to say the least, a soothing sight.

"Hey..." he whispers, in the sweetest tone imaginable... "do you think I can sleep over tonight?"

Is that even a question?

"Of course, you can," I answer immediately, like a robot, as if his presence didn't bother me in the slightest. And it didn't. He could come over every night and I'd let him in every time, he wouldn't even have to ask.

I rarely lock my window, anyway. If he wanted to, he could very well sneak in while I'm asleep and I wouldn't have a problem with it.

Taking his hands in mine, I help him inside. He's careful with his footing, ensuring that the dirty soles of his shoes don't touch the blankets, considerate of my space of hibernation. 

Sitting at the edge of my mattress, Harvey begins to untie his shoelaces. I push the window closed. He takes off his shirt and pants, getting comfortable. I slide under the covers, making room for him. He joins me, resting his head on my chest and wrapping his arm around my waist. We come together so easily. It's all so natural.

"Are you okay?" I ask him as I pull the warm blankets over him, taking good care of my coyote. Harvey nods quietly, closing his eyes and digging his snout into the cotton material of my shirt, taking in the combined scent of both me and laundry detergent. "...What happened?"

"Nothing. Just missed you," he mumbles, his entire face fully submerged into my chest. It's a warm but ticklish feeling. My palm rests on his skull, soaking up the fair touch of his chestnut hair between my claws and paw pads.