Screamland redux

Early in the morning, every morning, just before dawn hits, they like to hold each other so tight, and kiss.

Popee demands to be held longer than a dew drop is held by a blade of grass, a new rose petal, a silky green leaf in spring.

“Kedamono, don’t let go of me, don’t you even dare leave this bed!”

“Popee, my dear lily pad, I can’t let go—-” Kedamono groaned, “because you have a death grip on me!”

Indeed, he did. He had his arms wrapped tightly around Kedamono’s neck, his legs wrapped around his waist, and though it felt so warm and sweet, Popee was extremely clingy.

“Baby? You can’t breathe?”

Kedamono nods.

Popee let’s go of his grip a bit.

“If I’m your lily pad, does that make you my frog?”

Kedamono frowns. “No.”

“Oh yea. Frogs are not welcome here. No worries, Keda, dear,” Popee says, snuggling closer to him. “You are more like a dragonfly. You perch upon my lily pad. So elegant and beautiful.”

Kedamono smiles, “That’s better.”

“Kiss me, Keda, with all your messy hair all over the place,” Popee says with a wry grin, playing with Kedamono’s unruly hair in the front of his face, “it makes me feel things to look at your messy hair all over that face.”

“Things? Feel what things?”

“I don’t know. Dumb things. Stupid, gross things in the pit of my stomach that travel down. You know? Sex.”

Kedamono’s eyes widen. “What?!”

“Cool it, bud. If we went there, even if we went there, just know I’m a virgin. So cool it!”

Kedamono nods, sighing softly. “I’m not a virgin.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not.”

“When?! Who? Where?”

Kedamono blushes. “This lady who was at our circus once, last year. We had a bit of a connection. But, she left one night after one of our shows.”

“What a load! She left you after watching you trapeze?! Her loss!” Popee growls. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!”

“Sorry. I think I kind of realized she wasn’t the one for me. She was too rough around the edges.”

“Like me?” Popee challenges.

“You are rough in all areas. But sweet where it counts.”

“Aww, Keda.” Popee plays with Kedamono’s hair more. “Are ya gonna kiss me or not?”

Kedamono leans in a bit and kisses his cheek. “What’s your plans for the day?”

“I’m almost done with my robot, as you know. So I’m finishing up that. His name will be Phaeton.” Popee sighs in a flustered way, his face flushed. “I said kiss me, man!” He suddenly grabs Kedamono by the face and pulls their faces together, smooshing them closely in a claustrophobic manner.

Kedamono kisses him roughly back and then moves back a bit for air.

“Popee, what about school?”

“Hmm. Yes. Soon. In summer.”

“Okay. Good. Anyway, you want breakfast?”

Popee shakes his head. “No.”

“You want to cuddle?”

“Yes. Today is Saturday! We have all day. I don’t have to work on Phaeton unless I’m inspired to do so.” Popee grins deviously. “As it seems… I’m inspired to kiss you again…”

Kedamono laughs and kisses Popee on the nose and then on the mouth, gently.

“Did you like to kiss that girl more than me?” Popee says suddenly, making Kedamono frown.

“No. She didn’t kiss me. She wasn’t sweet. You are. And I love you. I didn’t love her.”

Popee smiles, satisfied with the response.

“Popee?”

“Yea?”

“Do you love me too?”

Popee leans into the crook of Kedamono’s neck. He breathes in softly, leaving a trail of kisses.

“I love you more than anything.”

Kedamono blushes deeply, not expecting such a passionate answer.

“Anything? Your robot? Your dad? The circus? Everyone and everything?”

Popee blows out hot air at the side of his mouth in a whistling sound, a bit annoyed. “Yes. Everyone and everything.”

“Why?”

“Because…” Popee sits up, but still holds unto Kedamono tightly. “Our circus was a nightmare. We almost got killed or character assassinated every other day by stunts, scorpions, annoying frogs or by my own immature and dumb actions. Or by my dad’s stupid plans.”

“Maybe I blocked it all out.”

“You did.”

“You wanted to set the world on fire, Popee. You were so crazy back then.”

“Keda… no excuses, and you’re absolutely right. I think whenever I was near you… it was the only time I didn’t feel alone. I didn’t know how to express that to you. You put a fire in my soul. Or… like that song says, in my heart.”

“Oh, that old Inkspots song?”

“Yeah. That one.”

“Your dad listened to that. And Momma Cass.”

“The only good memories.”

“Well, we had good times.”

“True. We certainly did. Even if most of them are mared by my old shitty actions and attitude.” Popee sits up straighter. “Baby, where are my glasses?”

“Not yet. Let’s stay here longer.”

“You didn’t have any nightmares last night, Keda. I’m glad.”

“How did you know?”

“You slept so soundly, that’s why.”

“Well, my nightmares used to be so bad. You remember? I would be up most of the night after I would have one. And you’d hold me…”

“Yeah. You aren’t that heavy. And I knew what those nightmares were.”

Kedamono’s eyes widen. “Huh?”

Popee holds him close, their faces touching. “They were like mine. About fearing who you are deep down inside. Your mom. Being abandoned. Feeling lost.”

Kedamono’s mouth opens in shock, “Popee… you know me so well.”

“The only real difference between you and I is that you are actually a good person,” Popee says in a solemn way. “You have always been good.”

“You are good too, Popee. You have changed so much.”

“Yeah. My circumstances have caused me to change. What if I were to have remained at my father’s circus? Never learning respect or responsibility?”

Kedamono looks at him thoughtfully, “That’s a very interesting question.”

“With a very difficult answer. Right?”

“No, maybe not. Maybe you would’ve stayed the same. Maybe not. Maybe living day in and day out in that same crazy pattern would’ve made you wake up in a cold sweat as I did—making you realize how sick you were. In daylight, you were never really awake. But, whatever the case may be—-the cracks healed, you finally saw reality and didn’t shrik away from really improving yourself,” Kedamono says gently. The words hit Popee slowly but once it gets to his chest and his brain, it is so expert, like surgeon precision marking.

“Holy moly, Keda. That was too on the nose. You’re smarter than I give you credit for.”

“Too on the noose? That’s morbid, even for you, dear.”

“No. On the nose! Ugh. It was very accurate. You were accurate!”

Kedamono laughs in a bit of a ironic tone. “Oh, sorry. I misheard you. Anyway…. we really need to get a bigger bed.”

“Yeah, yeah. Ah, is that boss of yours treating you better?”

Kedamono sighs. “Slightly. Not much.”

“Instead of a bigger bed, let’s save up enough to move out of here. I hate that jerk that you work for.”

Kedamono puts on the radio near their bed.

“I know you do. Okay, let’s save and get out of here.”

“This song makes me wanna stay in bed all day.”

Kedamono laughs but blushes again. “Um, what’s that mean?”

“Fool around!”

“You are so silly.”

“I’m not silly!” Popee yells. “I’m a scientist.”

“Baby, calm down. Let’s just relax.”

“Okay. I will. Hold me tight.”

Kedamono does hold him tightly, and they are suddenly very quiet, listening to Etta James as her soaring, dulcet notes carry their collective heartbeats until the last beat.

Then, they kiss each other and talk more about their future. It is so early in the morning and feels better than physical love to trust someone so easily this way.

The song changes and their hands roam, hearts colliding, the soft sun is here.