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“While the Lights Were Out” by Brathor Cyr (read by Dirt, part 1 of 2)
Diego and Fay were together for eight years before things ended in a messy breakup. When Fay is stranded in a blizzard, he reaches out to his ex for help. Now, the pair must confront their complicated history and lingering feelings.
Today’s story is the first of two parts of “While the Lights Were Out” by Brathor Cyr, who recently completed the regional anthropomorphic writers retreat and has been writing furry fiction for almost two decades. You can find more of his stories on SoFurry, FurAffinity, and more.
Read by Dirt Coyote, formerly of twitter dot com.
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https://thevoice.dog/episode/while-the-lights-were-out-by-brathor-cyr-part-1-of-2
Transcript
You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.
Speaker:This is Rob MacWolf,
Speaker:your fellow traveler,
Speaker:and Today’s story is the first of two parts of “While the
Speaker:Lights Were Out”
Speaker:by Brathor Cyr,
Speaker:who recently completed the regional anthropomorphic writers retreat
Speaker:and has been writing furry fiction for almost two decades.
Speaker:You can find more of his stories on SoFurry,
Speaker:FurAffinity, and more.
Speaker:Read by Dirt Coyote,
Speaker:formerly of twitter dot com.
Speaker:Please enjoy “While the Lights Were Out”
Speaker:by Brathor Cyr, Part 1 of 2 The car forged a lonely path down the unplowed street,
Speaker:the crunch of tires on snow muffled by the foot of powder that had accumulated over the last few hours.
Speaker:The car's headlights illuminated
Speaker:bright cones of thick flakes still falling from the dark sky,
Speaker:making it difficult to see much of anything.
Speaker:Diego hated driving in snow.
Speaker:The Sonoran coyote still wasn't used to these Midwestern winters,
Speaker:and even with snow tires and all wheel drive,
Speaker:the occasional loss of traction,
Speaker:even fleeting, caused his heart to skip a beat and his grip on the wheel to tighten.
Speaker:If it were anyone other than Fay,
Speaker:he would have already turned back.
Speaker:He ignored the doubt in the back of his mind that reminded him that they were no longer a couple,
Speaker:and that they hadn't spoken in the six months since breaking up.
Speaker:They'd been friends long before they'd been a couple,
Speaker:and even though Diego was still furious at how their years together had ended,
Speaker:some sense of obligation pushed him onward.
Speaker:Harder to ignore was the worry about why Fay had called
Speaker:him for help. The marten had no shortage of friends.
Speaker:Diego did live near Fay's work, so it may have been simple convenience.
Speaker:But, what if Fay had
Speaker:an ulterior motive?
Speaker:What if this was his attempt to reconnect so they could finally repair
Speaker:some of what had been broken all those months ago?
Speaker:What if he wanted to get back together?
Speaker:By the time he pulled into the lot,
Speaker:the defogger was struggling to keep up with condensation creeping up the windows.
Speaker:Fay worked at one of those massive pharmacy chains where every building looked the same no matter what corner they occupied.
Speaker:Diego pulled up next to the only other car in the lot.
Speaker:Before he'd even finished putting the vehicle in park,
Speaker:a diminutive marten, bundled in a bulky white coat and knitted hat
Speaker:rushed from the darker car,
Speaker:a cloud of condensation briefly obscuring his features,
Speaker:before he climbed into Diego's passenger seat
Speaker:and let out a relieved sigh.
Speaker:The other male's scent -
Speaker:a mingling of floral deodorant,
Speaker:a breath mint,
Speaker:and the natural musk accumulated through a workday -
Speaker:reminded the coyote of nights spent curled up together,
Speaker:his nose buried in the marten's chest
Speaker:or the back of his neck.
Speaker:Fay had reddish-brown fur covering most of his body,
Speaker:with an alluring patch of creamy orange across his throat and chest.
Speaker:He had bright green eyes that were
Speaker:deceptively innocent,
Speaker:large and kind, concealing a sharp wit.
Speaker:Next to Diego, Fay shivered and rubbed his delicate paws in front of the middle vent.
Speaker:The coyote cranked the heat,
Speaker:though the windshield began to quickly fog.
Speaker:"You all right?" the coyote said,
Speaker:unsure what else to say.
Speaker:Fay glanced at him from the side.
Speaker:"Not really. But I'm glad you came.
Speaker:came." He hesitated, then gestured to the pharmacy.
Speaker:"Why are you even working in this? Most of the city's been shut down for hours."
Speaker:Fay blew into his paws and rubbed them together for warmth before moving them back to the vent.
Speaker:"It's not like I set the hours.
Speaker:Corporate keeps us open as long as they think we can make money.
Speaker:The only reason we're closed now is because the power went out
Speaker:and the pharmacist went home."
Speaker:"It's hard to imagine you putting up with that,"
Speaker:he said after several beats of silence.
Speaker:When they were teenagers,
Speaker:Fay had made a habit of walking out on jobs with little provocation.
Speaker:To help ends meet,
Speaker:he'd shoved some of that rebellious streak aside while Diego worked on his degree,
Speaker:but he'd still gone through three jobs in as many years.
Speaker:Fay shrugged. "Can't lose the money.
Speaker:Fuck knows what this is gonna cost," he gestured at his car through the window.
Speaker:Most of it was obscured by a blanket of snow.
Speaker:"From what you said on the phone, it sounds like a bad alternator.
Speaker:That's not so bad. I'd guess around
Speaker:400, give or take."
Speaker:Fay leaned against the car window and let out another f-bomb.
Speaker:"That's... still a lot for me.
Speaker:Most of a week's pay."
Speaker:A silence lingered between them as Diego checked his phone.
Speaker:"We're not going to get a tow truck out here any time soon,
Speaker:and I don't think it would be worth trying to jump you right now.
Speaker:If you break down on the road
Speaker:it'll be a lot more dangerous.
Speaker:dangerous." More silence. As a teen, Diego
Speaker:had spent a few sweltering summers working at his uncle's garage by the highway.
Speaker:He'd mostly answered phones and run errands,
Speaker:but he'd still learned how to do a lot of basic repairs.
Speaker:Fay knew that, and Diego wondered again if this was all a performance.
Speaker:Not that it mattered.
Speaker:This was Fay. He would help if he could.
Speaker:"I'll... give my uncle a call.
Speaker:He might know a place where I can get the parts for cheap,
Speaker:and I can probably do most of the work in my garage."
Speaker:Fay's transparent reflection on the passenger window lowered its eyes.
Speaker:He looked tired, older than he was.
Speaker:"That'd be really sweet of you.
Speaker:I'm sorry for making you drive in this."
Speaker:Guilt tugged at Diego.
Speaker:He'd expected bubbly excitement or flirtatious teasing from the marten.
Speaker:This... this was a shadow of the Fay Diego had grown up with.
Speaker:It reminded him of the time they'd spent in this car during the move.
Speaker:The drive had taken three days, and Diego had been anxious and uptight most of the way.
Speaker:Neither of them had traveled far from home,
Speaker:and the further they got from the familiar scenery,
Speaker:the more certain the coyote grew that they were making a terrible mistake.
Speaker:He'd gotten through that,
Speaker:in part, because of Fay's energy and optimism.
Speaker:The entire thing had been an adventure for him,
Speaker:and Diego had been able to lean on that.
Speaker:This felt like a reversal.
Speaker:He forced a smile and put a paw on his friend's shoulder.
Speaker:"It's not like I was gonna let you freeze out here.
Speaker:Ten bucks an hour isn't worth it."
Speaker:Fay's half-chuckle was darker than Diego was hoping for.
Speaker:"I'm up to thirteen,
Speaker:but... yeah." He tugged his hat off and ran a few fingers through his disheveled headfur.
Speaker:It was jarring to see the natural reddish-brown color
Speaker:after he'd been dyeing it for so long.
Speaker:"If we're not going to be able to get the car running tonight,
Speaker:would you mind taking me home?
Speaker:It's been a long day."
Speaker:Diego considered.
Speaker:"You still in Taylor's old apartment downtown?"
Speaker:Fay nodded. "Where's he, anyway?
Speaker:I assume you would have tried calling him first."
Speaker:"Oh. I suppose I would have,
Speaker:but Tay's down in Cedar Key visiting his mom.
Speaker:mom." Clawed fingers poked at a cracked phone screen until a picture appeared.
Speaker:He held the device up for Diego,
Speaker:showing an athletic, cheery racoon with perfect teeth on a sunny beach,
Speaker:wearing nothing but
Speaker:too-short swim trunks.
Speaker:He had some kind of tropical drink in one paw
Speaker:and wore the kind of practiced grin of someone who spent a lot of time posting to social media.
Speaker:"Ninety degrees and sunny!" The faux excitement in Fay's tone made for a passable impression of the raccoon.
Speaker:Diego regarded the image for a moment.
Speaker:He'd nearly forgotten how attractive Taylor was.
Speaker:He wasn't a professional athlete,
Speaker:but he'd gotten close and he still had the body to show for it.
Speaker:Beyond that, he had a way of carrying himself that just made you want to be around him,
Speaker:like the warmth of a fire on a cold night.
Speaker:"By himself?" Fay tucked the phone back into his pocket and looked outside again.
Speaker:"His mom would only pay for one ticket.
Speaker:Not that I could have gotten the time off anyway."
Speaker:Diego ignored a slight churning in his stomach and instead focused on the conversation.
Speaker:"Well, from what I heard on the radio,
Speaker:the power is out through most of the city.
Speaker:Not sure heading into the center of all that is a good idea."
Speaker:Fay had curled his long thin tail around his thigh
Speaker:and was plucking at some of the longer strands of fur.
Speaker:"I know you've got room at your place, but I didn't want to suggest it."
Speaker:"That doesn't sound like you,"
Speaker:Diego said, half-teasing.
Speaker:"Think we need a chaperone?"
Speaker:Fay forced a smile.
Speaker:"Taylor gets jealous when I spend time with guys I used to sleep with.
Speaker:Even if it's just hanging out."
Speaker:"Really?" He didn't quite restrain the bitterness in his tone.
Speaker:Their relationship had always been open.
Speaker:Growing up in the desert, more than half an hour from the nearest city,
Speaker:hooking up was more of a rare adventure than a regular part of their lives.
Speaker:After the move, that had all changed.
Speaker:Available sexual partners were no longer a rare commodity and Fay.
Speaker:Fay... indulged. Tall and handsome, with striking yellow eyes and fur that looked almost golden in the right light,
Speaker:Diego got plenty of interested looks,
Speaker:but he was more of an introvert.
Speaker:He struggled to meet people and not feel awkward.
Speaker:Fay's popularity helped him to overcome that,
Speaker:and it hadn't taken Diego long to appreciate those benefits.
Speaker:At the time, he'd been satisfied by that dynamic.
Speaker:Now, as with many aspects of the last two years,
Speaker:he wondered if he should have been more cautious.
Speaker:"Diego..." Fay's eyes shined and Diego forced himself to look away.
Speaker:He almost apologized, but stopped himself because he doubted it would sound sincere.
Speaker:"Well, it's your call then.
Speaker:There's plenty of room,
Speaker:and I can get a fire going to keep us warm if you want to stay with me.
Speaker:Or I can also drop you off at a hotel,
Speaker:if you're worried.
Speaker:About Taylor, I mean.
Speaker:mean." Fay considered for a moment, putting a paw back in front of a
Speaker:heat vent. "No, we're adults. We can handle being together in the same house for a few hours."
Speaker:Diego paused to let Fay change his mind.
Speaker:When nothing more was said,
Speaker:he put the car in reverse and pulled away from the pharmacy.
Speaker:"Fair enough. It's not like anyone needs to know.
Speaker:know." Fay was uncharacteristically quiet as they slowly pulled onto the road,
Speaker:and he said nothing more for the fifteen minute drive.
Speaker:Diego didn't blame him for the silence.
Speaker:If they spoke, they would have to address what had happened.
Speaker:And while Diego wanted to have that discussion,
Speaker:he also dreaded it.
Speaker:Given the conditions they were driving in,
Speaker:he thought it best to let the conversation wait.
Speaker:As they turned into the neighborhood,
Speaker:Fay watched the houses pass with more interest than he'd ever shown while living near them.
Speaker:Not much had changed,
Speaker:but a few homes had been painted or re-sided,
Speaker:and even in the dark and snow,
Speaker:those differences seemed to catch his attention.
Speaker:Despite the cold,
Speaker:Deigo's pawpads felt sweaty against the steering wheel.
Speaker:As they got closer to home,
Speaker:that only got worse.
Speaker:He let out a slow breath, hoping some of the anxiety would go with it.
Speaker:That didn't work,
Speaker:but he felt some sense of control,
Speaker:at least. They pulled into the driveway of the modest bungalow
Speaker:they'd shared before the breakup,
Speaker:and the coyote opened the garage with a click of a button.
Speaker:The door opener beeped loudly as he pulled in,
Speaker:letting him know the battery backup was still operating.
Speaker:The power was still out.
Speaker:A moment later, the silent chill of the house was broken by the click of the coyote's claws on ceramic tile.
Speaker:He held the door open with one paw,
Speaker:his phone held in the other for light.
Speaker:Besides the phone, the only illumination came from a battery powered lantern he'd raided from his camping supplies.
Speaker:It now sat on the counter,
Speaker:casting long shadows made eerie by the howls of the ongoing blizzard.
Speaker:His sensitive ears lowered as if to protect him from the absence of noise.
Speaker:Fay entered with the careful movements of a child trying not to be noticed sneaking into the back pew after church services had already started.
Speaker:His gaze lingered briefly on the dirty dishes in the sink,
Speaker:the scattered clothing left in the living room,
Speaker:and the cardboard boxes piled on the back half of the dining table.
Speaker:Diego hadn't let the place go,
Speaker:exactly, but he hadn't been diligent either.
Speaker:The marten draped his coat over the back of a chair.
Speaker:The light blue polo shirt he wore looked a size too big
Speaker:and the plastic name tag on the left side of his chest had his given name,
Speaker:Lafayette, written out in all caps.
Speaker:"The place smells nice,"
Speaker:Fay said after a moment of awkward silence passed.
Speaker:"I was baking when the power went out.
Speaker:Didn't quite finish."
Speaker:Fay didn't do a good job of hiding the lewd comment on the tip of his tongue,
Speaker:but he held it back.
Speaker:"I'm glad you're still doing that kind of thing.
Speaker:I miss your cooking."
Speaker:Diego didn't know what to say to that,
Speaker:and, like a sudden sneeze,
Speaker:the snark was out of his muzzle before he'd realized it was coming.
Speaker:"Oh? It's nice to know there's something I was good for."
Speaker:Fay's faint smile faltered and he looked down and to the side,
Speaker:tugging on his loosely tucked shirt.
Speaker:A part of Diego was satisfied that he'd landed a blow.
Speaker:Fay had the sharper tongue,
Speaker:and was generally better at hiding his feelings.
Speaker:Still, Diego had invited him to come back here.
Speaker:He shouldn't have let his anger get the better of him.
Speaker:He sighed. "I'm sorry, Fay.
Speaker:Fay." He faltered as the marten made eye contact.
Speaker:"Listen, I know this is awkward.
Speaker:I can still just take you to a hotel,
Speaker:it's not a big deal."
Speaker:The marten's eyes dropped again,
Speaker:but not as deeply.
Speaker:"I told you, I can't really spend money on something like that."
Speaker:Diego shrugged. "You can pay me back."
Speaker:Now the marten frowned.
Speaker:"Puchica. I'm trying to make this less awkward.
Speaker:Work with me." "Then how about you stop pretending.
Speaker:I know you're trying to be...
Speaker:a good friend or something,
Speaker:but it's just making me feel worse.
Speaker:Can we just talk about it so we can get it out in the open.
Speaker:If that's too much,
Speaker:then fine, I guess a hotel is probably best."
Speaker:Diego glanced across the room to the large front window,
Speaker:curtains still open.
Speaker:Other than the furrows his tires had left through snow,
Speaker:everything was covered in white powder so deep it was hard to discern where the driveway ended
Speaker:and the street started.
Speaker:Even with snow tires and all wheel drive,
Speaker:it would be dangerous to go back out for even a short distance.
Speaker:Feeling trapped, he forced himself to make eye contact.
Speaker:"Fine. You really want me to say it? You're a pinche idiot. An asshole." Fay regarded him with an almost dead expression that just made all the pent up emotion of the last six months boil to the surface,
Speaker:and Diego was laying it all out before he could second guess himself.
Speaker:"After everything we've been through together -
Speaker:fourteen years as friends, eight of them as a couple - you dumped me to be with a guy you'd known for all of three months.
Speaker:And rather than give me a chance to talk to you,
Speaker:or to even understand why this was happening,
Speaker:you ghosted me and left me to figure it all out on my own."
Speaker:Fay didn't flinch at Diego's temper.
Speaker:If anyone was used to seeing it like this, the marten was.
Speaker:His lack of reaction just stoked the heat Diego felt in the pit of his stomach.
Speaker:"And, you know what, yeah,
Speaker:I'm still fucking mad!
Speaker:I mean," He gestured around the room.
Speaker:"After months of ignoring me,
Speaker:the first text I receive from you
Speaker:is asking for a favor."
Speaker:Fay did look away then,
Speaker:eyes shining in the reflection cast by the lantern.
Speaker:"Then there's this.
Speaker:this." Diego stepped around the table and pulled a piece of mail from where it was poking out under a stack of boxes.
Speaker:A few of them tumbled to the floor.
Speaker:The embossed ivory envelope had his name written in calligraphy across the front.
Speaker:He waved it in Fay's direction as he spoke.
Speaker:"I mean, what the fuck was this?
Speaker:One last kick to the huevos,
Speaker:just to make sure I knew?"
Speaker:Fay shifted, slightly,
Speaker:then forced himself to look back at Diego.
Speaker:"You really think I'd send that
Speaker:to be cruel?" Diego threw his paws up, pacing across the kitchen.
Speaker:"I don't fucking know, Fay.
Speaker:I didn't think you'd leave me either.
Speaker:If not to hurt me,
Speaker:then why? I mean, you always said you didn't want to get married.
Speaker:And you'd been with Taylor
Speaker:for what, eight weeks,
Speaker:and suddenly you changed your mind?"
Speaker:He didn't even realize he was breathing so heavily until he found himself panting,
Speaker:waiting for Fay's response.
Speaker:His ex-boyfriend stood in stoic silence for nearly a full minute while Diego waited for something.
Speaker:The coyote couldn't read his ex's expression,
Speaker:and that bothered him.
Speaker:He'd known this marten for most of his life,
Speaker:and he felt like he was looking at a stranger.
Speaker:Finally, Fay spoke again.
Speaker:"I'm... sorry, D," he said,
Speaker:voice low. "I've been wanting to talk to you for a long time.
Speaker:I wrote letters and emails and texts
Speaker:I could never bring myself to send.
Speaker:I thought about just coming by or calling.
Speaker:I just... I didn't know what to say."
Speaker:"So you decided to ignore me instead?"
Speaker:"I..." He swallowed, shadows flickering across his muzzle as he dropped his gaze.
Speaker:"I was embarrassed by how badly I fucked things up.
Speaker:I knew you were pissed,
Speaker:but you were so calm about all of it.
Speaker:Even when I told you...
Speaker:that I was with Taylor.
Speaker:Taylor." He sighed, "At first,
Speaker:I just thought I should give it some time before we tried to...
Speaker:you know, talk again.
Speaker:Then Tay started getting suspicious of all our old friends.
Speaker:And given our history,
Speaker:I worried he'd get the wrong idea
Speaker:if I started talking to you again out of nowhere."
Speaker:In hindsight, the breakup shouldn't have blindsided him like it had.
Speaker:Diego had been focusing on a new job and trying to ignore the lingering issues in their relationship.
Speaker:His parents had argued constantly,
Speaker:but they were still together.
Speaker:He figured that these kinds of things were just normal
Speaker:and that the key to a good long term relationship
Speaker:was to learn to live with the problems.
Speaker:The end of their relationship had come after Diego had been away on a work trip for a full week. When
Speaker:he'd finally gotten home,
Speaker:near midnight on a Saturday,
Speaker:he didn't notice that most of Fay's things had already been taken out. Diego had found Taylor and Fay sitting quietly together in a mostly dark living room,
Speaker:holding paws. That didn't concern him.
Speaker:The two had gotten close since they'd met a few months earlier,
Speaker:and it was clear Fay enjoyed the intimacy of that relationship.
Speaker:But until that day,
Speaker:Diego had thought of it as a fling.
Speaker:He'd had his own such relationships over the years, after all.
Speaker:They were fun, but he'd never felt as close to one of them as he had Fay.
Speaker:What scared him in that moment was the tired but frightened expression Fay wore when he and Diego made eye contact.
Speaker:There was a palpable atmosphere of death.
Speaker:He immediately thought about his parents and close friends, and feared for their lives.
Speaker:How could he have known that it was their relationship
Speaker:that Fay was mourning?
Speaker:"Oh, I'm so sorry I kept my temper,"
Speaker:he said, voice backed by another squall from the storm.
Speaker:"Should I have been throwing things?"
Speaker:"Maybe! At least it would have been a reaction!"
Speaker:"I was exhausted! And stunned.
Speaker:You ambushed me at the worst possible time.
Speaker:Should I have punched your new chichifo?
Speaker:Perhaps if he'd lost a few teeth
Speaker:you'd have changed your mind?"
Speaker:"For fuck's sake, Diego.
Speaker:It was like you didn't even care!"
Speaker:Diego swallowed down another spiteful retort
Speaker:and softened his voice.
Speaker:"You know me better than that.
Speaker:that." Fay looked away again,
Speaker:absently picking at his tail while staying quiet.
Speaker:He always brooded when arguments didn't go his way.
Speaker:After a moment, Diego sighed and decided to ask about something else.
Speaker:"You mentioned Taylor getting jealous about your friends.
Speaker:What do you mean?"
Speaker:Fay shrugged, but didn't look at him.
Speaker:"It's just a little complicated right now.
Speaker:He's dealing with a lot and I've been
Speaker:having a hard time with..." he trailed off and didn't finish the sentence.
Speaker:"Anyway, if he finds out I came here,
Speaker:it will start some drama that neither of us needs right now,
Speaker:and it's not like we're going to have sex.
Speaker:sex." Diego felt a dueling sense of relief and disappointment at that last sentence.
Speaker:"So you and Taylor are closed?"
Speaker:"For now, anyway. He says he wants to just enjoy being a couple for a while."
Speaker:"And you're OK with it?"
Speaker:Fay did look at him then,
Speaker:a ghost of mirth in his expression.
Speaker:"Why? Are you disappointed?"
Speaker:Diego rolled his eyes, mostly to keep Fay from seeing the truth in them.
Speaker:"I'm surprised you would agree to that."
Speaker:"Are you implying something, Diego?"
Speaker:The coyote folded his arms.
Speaker:"Remember last year
Speaker:when you got sad because you only got to blow five of the six guys you invited over for our New Year's party?"
Speaker:Fay blinked as if he was surprised Diego would remember that.
Speaker:"He teased me all night,
Speaker:then hooked up with Trisha,"
Speaker:Fay murmured. "Dick."
Speaker:"So, yeah. I guess I am implying something."
Speaker:"Fine," Fay said, though his t one suggested he wasn't.
Speaker:After a brief pause, he spoke in a more conciliatory tone.
Speaker:"I'll admit that I leaned into my...
Speaker:slut phase." "And that's over?"
Speaker:The marten shrugged.
Speaker:"For now. To be honest,
Speaker:I wasn't in the mood as often after.
Speaker:after..." he swept a paw in front of him as a way of finishing his sentence.
Speaker:The quiet that passed between them was punctuated by the steady ticking of the kitchen clock.
Speaker:Finally, Fay spoke again.
Speaker:"Listen, do you mind if I take a shower?
Speaker:I probably smell."
Speaker:"We all have our talents,"
Speaker:Diego said, turning away to pull a bottle of beer from the dark fridge.
Speaker:If he'd ever needed a drink
Speaker:it was now. "If you want them,
Speaker:I put a box of some of your old clothes in the guest room closet,
Speaker:and I'm pretty sure you left some of your musk spray
Speaker:in the medicine cabinet."
Speaker:"Really? I know I forgot a few things but I assumed you threw it all out.
Speaker:out." Diego shrugged. "Never got around to it."
Speaker:"So... the shower?" "You know where the bathroom is.
Speaker:The water might be cold."
Speaker:Fay started to turn,
Speaker:but his eyes drifted to the beer in Diego's paw,
Speaker:then looked at him as if he was disappointed.
Speaker:He'd always looked down on Diego's preference for cheap domestic brews.
Speaker:As a concession, the coyote mostly bought expensive craft beers while they were together.
Speaker:It had been fun to try the different types together
Speaker:and to find the ones that tasted best,
Speaker:but sometimes he just wanted something simple.
Speaker:Now that he was on his own, Diego had
Speaker:reverted to buying his father's brand.
Speaker:"You're a real snob, sometimes.
Speaker:sometimes." Fay smirked, then directed his gaze towards the liquor cabinet on the far end of the living room.
Speaker:Three shelves behind glass doors held a dozen bottles, most of them slightly dusty after months of being ignored.
Speaker:Diego didn't drink much besides the beer.
Speaker:"Looks like you still have most of the basics," the smaller male said.
Speaker:"Why don't I make us something a little more exciting when I get back.
Speaker:Maybe a hot toddy?"
Speaker:Diego stared at him with a slight smile.
Speaker:"What?" "Power's still out.
Speaker:Not sure how you're going to boil water."
Speaker:"Oh." The marten didn't say anything for a moment, and Diego sighed.
Speaker:"I was going to get a fire going anyway.
Speaker:I'll see if I can find my camp kettle.
Speaker:I might want some coffee later anyway.
Speaker:anyway." Fay's smile was self-satisfied.
Speaker:"Thanks, D. It'll be worth it."
Speaker:This was the first of two parts of
Speaker:“While the Lights Were Out”
Speaker:by Brathor Cyr, read for you by Dirt Coyote, formerly
Speaker:of twitter dot com.
Speaker:Tune in next time to find out how Diego and Fay
Speaker:reconcile their relationship
Speaker:and what the future may have in store for them.
Speaker:As always, you can find more stories on the web at thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker:Thank you for listening to The Voice of Dog.
