aoiremart:

“It was very kind of you to invite me here, Colonel.” Jack slightly bowed his head, then looked around with discretion. “I have to say you have a nice mansion.”

“Don’t be so formal, my boy.” Gregory Kohle gave him a firm, yet kind smile as he closed the door. “Today you’re here as a guest, so relax and enjoy your stay.”

“Yes sir” Jack said, then he corrected himself: “I mean… yes, thank you for the opportunity.”

“Jack…” the dog sighed, “is this the first you got invited to someone’s house?”

The hare nodded.

“Ok, so here’s a tip: don’t look like you’re inspecting the scene of a crime. It’s kind of… awkward.”

“Oh. Oh.” Jack slightly scratched his neck, now unsure of where he was supposed to look… and how. “I apologize for my rude behavior.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Colonel shook his head, sighing again. “Now, let me show the house” he said, and began to walk.

“With pleasure.” Jack followed him, and the two mammals left the entrance.

“Come to think of it” started the dog, “I never introduced my wife to you.”

“I don’t know her, sir” he confirmed.

“She’s the most beautiful creature in the world” Gregory continued. “My most precious and inestimable treasure.”

“I see” Jack replied. But, to be honest, it was extremely difficult for him to conceive such a deep and strong feeling. However, he knew – by hearsay – that mammals fall in love with each other, and that’s how babies come from. So, his understanding of the matter was, if anything, academically correct.

“Oh, also: there is another mammal that you should meet. However, she…” At that moment, they were close enough to the salon for the voice coming from the inside being audible in the corridor.

Or, more correctly… the voices.

Jack, who was walking behind the colonel, suddenly stopped moving. Gregory noticed it and stopped too. “That voice…” Jack murmured. His ears involuntarily reacted to the sounds coming from the salon and he moved toward them, almost pushed by an invisible force. Behind him, the colonel merely followed him without saying a word.

“… Here” a voice was speaking; one Jack didn’t know. “Here’s the difficult part. Do you want me to play it again?”

“No, I guess I got it” said the other voice – this time, it sounded so familiar to him. So incredibly familiar. Yet, at the same time, incredibly distant. Whose voice was that? Jack stepped forward, but he didn’t enter the salon.

“You know, you can come in.”

“Ah…” Jack sighed and turned to the Colonel. “I’m sorry, I was… huh?” He found himself listening, for the familiar voice had started talking again.

“Well, let’s see…” Those words were followed by the sound of some notes played on the piano. The tune was pretty, but then it stumbled and the voice protested: “Ugh, I played it wrong again.”

“It’s all right, don’t worry.”

“But…”

“Don’t rush, Cynthia. I’m sure that with a little practice you’ll be able to play it in no time.”

‘Cynthia…?’ That name rang a bell in Jack’s head, and he quietly whispered: “She wouldn’t happen to be…?”

“Yup.” Colonel’s big, brown paw gently rested on his shoulder, but the hare still jumped a bit when he felt his touch. “So, you still remember her.”

“… How couldn’t I remember?” Jack asked, after a moment of hesitation. It was really her, then. The vixen he had met in that camp. The vixen he had saved in that camp. A sincere smile slowly appeared on his lips. “She seems to be fine, I’m glad.”

“Why don’t you go and say hello?” The dog asked, nodding to him towards the salon. “C’mon, don’t be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid” Jack replied, promptly. “It’s just… I don’t think she remembers who I am. It’s not like we talked a lot or anything, so…”

“Oh, such pain and sorrow” Gregory claimed, but the laughter that was coming out of his mouth was neither painful nor sorrowful. “Well then, why don’t you stay hidden behind the wall while I go inside and congratulate with Cynthia?”

“Wait—!” Jack tried to reach Gregory’s sleeve, but the dog had already stalked into the salon with two powerful footsteps. He followed Colonel’s movements until his eyes caught a glimpse of a white silhouette and he completely hid behind the wall. ‘But why am I hiding?’ He asked to himself, feeling stupid for some reasons. He then tried to join Gregory, naturally… but his feet were suddenly glued to the floor and he couldn’t take one single step into the room.

Meanwhile, Cynthia was saying: “Oh, were you listening, Gregory? Sorry, the song didn’t come out very… well.”

“Really? It sounded perfect to me. What’s your opinion, Professor Northwood?”

“She was playing just fine, until this point. But it’s okay, it’s a complicated melody, and that passage is pretty tricky.”

“You see? If Cecilia says so…”

“What nonsense” replied Cynthia, dryly. “You shouldn’t never give up just because someone says it’s difficult.”

‘Very well said!’ Jack agreed, delighted, inside his head… and that sudden brain activity reminded him that he was basically eavesdropping a conversation behind a wall for no better-identified reasons, and a sense of deep and distressing discomfort hit him like a speeding train.

“With your current experience, darling, it would be virtually impossible to play this piece with no mistakes” said the gentle voice of Colonel’s wife.

“Hey, I got an idea. If you have difficulties in playing that specific part, why don’t you try to sing it?”

“Sing… it?” Cynthia asked. “But, hum…”

“Gregory could be right. If you try to sing the tricky part, you could get acquainted with the melody itself and play it on the piano more smoothly.”

“I’m not sure this is a good idea, to be honest.” Her voice had become uncertain – now it was very different from the one that just a minute ago had spoken of courage and bravery. “I don’t even know the lyrics…”

“I’ll teach you. Honey, would you please get me the book on my bedside table? The one with the green binding.”

“Of course.” Jack heard Colonel’s steps approaching him and flattened – in vain – against the wall.

When Gregory saw him, he just laughed. “Are you still looking for a good reason to come in, Jack?”

“Well, I…”

“Don’t worry” the dog interrupted him, “you’ll find a valid one very soon.” Then he moved away, humming the motive that Cynthia was playing before.

He came back a little later, holding what looked like a quite old book. The binding was a bit ruined, but it must have been of a beautiful emerald green in the past. Gregory glanced at him and winked, then disappeared into the salon.

“Here it is.”

“Thank you, darling. So, let’s see…” Jack heard the sound of thick paper pages being flipped. “Found it! As for the tricky part…”

“It should be this.”

“Right, good girl. So, I play the part of the right paw, which is the most complicated, and you play the left one as you sing. Is it okay with you?”

“I’m still not convinced…” the fox mumbled, sulking.

“Now, now” Gregory said, “the audience wants to hear you sing!”

“And the audience would be… you two?”

“Who knows.” Gregory laughed, shortly followed by his wife.

“… Whatever.” Cynthia sighed, then said: “Shall we play?”

“Whenever you’re ready.” Cecilia replied.

Cynthia cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and then… she began to sing.

You are not the fool, no

You’re a beautiful one

You’re like the sun

‘Cause this one river flows in you

You are not the no one

You just look for more here

Who does care because you are the one

With it inside…

It was the most beautiful song Jack had ever heard in his life. Not that he had heard so many people singing, but he was positively sure that very few voices could match that beauty.

The melody she was chanting danced inside his ears, leaving a warm sensation, like a kind caress. Jack relaxed and slowly sat on the floor, eyes closed, concentrating all his senses on the vixen’s voice. There were no words that could explain the emotion he was feeling – something between pure bliss and melancholy, something that reminded him of memories of a long time ago. Joyful memories, sad memories, even angry memories. But everything was blended just so perfectly that he couldn’t figure out what kind of feeling was the one ultimately blazing inside his chest. But he didn’t care, because his only desire was to listen to Cynthia’s beautiful voice as long as he could.

Then, the song came to an end. Jack opened his eyes as if he had awakened from a dream and stared at the wall in front of him with an empty expression… that slowly filled up with the only emotion he could feel after listening to Cynthia’s singing: wonderment.

He suddenly got up and, without even indulging in a single change of heart, rushed into the room.

… Well, actually, just the first three steps were fast. Because, when he noticed the look on the three mammals’ faces – each one showing a different emotion – his pace slowed down to the point he eventually stopped… and barely held back the urge to turn around and go on the run.

And so, since he lacked the courage to move on as much as he lacked the courage to run away, he just stayed there, his mind trying to come up with an effective way to start the conversation and his throat shrinking in the meantime; in the end, when he tried to start his unrehearsed speech, the only thing which came out of his lips was a pitiful rattle.

“Oh, Jack, you finally decided to show up!” Gregory laughed and came towards him, perhaps perceiving his temporary disability. The dog put an arm around his thin shoulders and asked: “Cynthia, do you remember him?”

A part of Jack really wanted to scream. Another part questioned that uncool urge and requested a diagnosis on Jack’s brain, but the recesses of his mind didn’t return any positive feedback.

“…” Cynthia, still sitting on the piano stool, stared at him with astonished eyes. “You… you are…” She slowly raised a finger and pointed at herself; then, she pointed at him. “You were… there.”

Jack instantly figured out what she was talking about and nodded. “Yeah, that’s right. I was… there” he repeated, finding no better way to articulate the sentence.

The two looked at each other for a while, until Cynthia blinked, slightly shook his head and… “Wait, were you hiding behind the wall all this time?”

“Huh? N-no, I wasn’t hiding!” Jack replied, realizing on which subject the conversation had just been steered. “I was just, you know… waiting.”

Cynthia looked at him with suspicion. “For what?”

“Well…” Jack scratched his cheek. “For the right moment… I suppose?”

“To…?”

“To…” he coughed, feeling his throat clogged. “… Come and greet you.”

For a moment – a long, looong moment – Jack feared further objections from the vixen. But Cynthia, after giving him a final, penetrating glance from head to toe, just replied “Okay” and turned to the piano again.

Jack looked at her back, confused, then turned his gaze to Cecilia Northwood, who shrugged with a smile. “Jack, would you like something to drink?” she asked.

“A tea… would be perfect” he said, still a little stunned.

“Oh, just like a true-born Englishmammal!” She giggled, then proceeded to leave the salon.

Next to him, Greg gave him a small pat on his shoulder and winked. “It went well, didn’t it?” He whispered.

“I… have my doubts, Colonel.”

“Nah, I think she likes you.”

“What?” Jack raised his head and looked at the dog with horror. “I-In what sense?” He realized he had raised the tone of his voice because Cynthia was glancing at him with questioning eyes. He gave her a half smile, then went back to Gregory: “What… what do you mean?”

The colonel laughed. “Just kidding, my boy. Don’t worry!” He gave him another pat and walked away from him, towards Cynthia. “Why don’t you start going in the living room for the tea? We’ll reach you soon.”

Jack saw him approaching the vixen and murmur something in her ear. At first, she shook her head, but then she dropped her shoulders and started to rise from the stool. At that moment, Jack jumped away, to the living room, with a speed that actually surprised himself.

___________________________________

I must thank Rem for the concept of this story; it was her who told me: “I want to read the first time Jack heard Cynthia playing the piano!”. “Say no more, girl”. So, that’s how Wordement was born. 💕

Actually, I believe Cycy is not very good at playing the piano, even now during the current events of the BJ timeline. Mostly because she stopped practicing when she entered the GSD. But singing… is definitely a talent of her. Cynthia’s lung capacity is amazing, which surely helps her achieving good results in this field.

For the other stories and comics, please visit this page: AoiRemArt comics & stories!

aoiremart:

Suddenly, Gregory had hugged her from behind.

It was the first time he did something like that. Cecilia’s heart skipped a beat; she wasn’t expecting it at all. “Greg—”

 “I love you” he claimed, his voice so sweet in her ear. “I love you so much, Cecilia.”

Many thoughts crowded in Cecilia’s head when she heard those words. Her stomach was burning just like a blast furnace. “G-Gregory…” she murmured. “What are you doing…?”

“Just listen to me for now” he begged. “I have something I need to tell you.”

Cecilia nodded; then, Gregory began: “I know you don’t want to be tied to someone as busy and influential as me. We’ve already talked about it, and at that time I assured you that I would’ve respected your will. But, Cecilia” – the grip around her waist became tighter – “the thought of living a life without you is just unbearable. I couldn’t survive that.” His voice had slowly become a little painful. He concealed his muzzle in the groove of her shoulder, then said: “I’m going to give up the CEO’s position at the GSD. I’ll move down in hierarchy, to have more free time for you, for us.”

“You can’t do that!” Cecilia claimed. “I won’t let you do it. Not for me.”

“After that” he continued, ignoring her protests, “I want to ask you to marry me. I actually want to propose here and now, but I know you wouldn’t accept my feelings, and I know your refusal, although reasonable, would break my heart.”

“I’m not going to marry you, Gregory. I will refuse even after that, if it means talking some sense into you. You absolutely ca—” she didn’t finish the sentence, because Gregory had just taken her chin with his paw and was gently turning her muzzle towards his. “Stop, I…”

But Gregory didn’t stop. He reached her lips with his own and gave her a tender kiss. Cecilia wasn’t able to resist him; indeed, the more he kissed her, the more she couldn’t bring herself to refuse his affection.

When the kiss ended, Gregory smiled at her. “I didn’t stop. Can you forgive me?”

“I… want to hit you” Cecilia admitted, then sighed, with the taste of Gregory’s lips still torturing her mind. “We already talked about this, Greg… you’ll just make things even more complicated than they already are.”

“Love is complicated” he replied, “But at the same time, it can be really simple. As long as my heart skips a beat whenever I think of you, as long as this body of mine desires yours with all its might… I don’t need anything else, Cecilia.”

“You are an important figure” she replied. “You’re Gregory Kohle, and I can’t include myself in the reality you live in. There’s no room for me.”

“Then, I’ll change the reality in one we can share together.”

Cecilia didn’t understand. “Why are you doing this?” she asked. “Why do you want to throw away all the efforts you made in the past twenty years?” ‘For me? It doesn’t make sense…’

“Because I found something more important.” Gregory gently broke the embrace, then walked in front of her. And knelt. “I didn’t know I needed you until the day I met you. And when it happened, I realized that you were all I’ve always unconsciously desired. I’d be willing to kill, if it meant being with you for the rest of our life.” A bitter smile appeared on his face and he laughed. “Did it sound too creepy?”

“… You’re a fool” Cecilia murmured, covering her muzzle with both paws. Tears had formed at the corners of her eyes. “I won’t allow you to ruin your career for me. I have to…”

“The only thing you have to do is trust me.” Gregory stretched a paw toward. “And marry me, if it’s not too much to ask.”

“And what about Jean?” she asked. “How are you going to explain it to Jean?”

The confidence Gregory had shown up to that moment finally wavered. ‘He hasn’t spoken to him yet’ Cecilia thought. “You see, my love” she continued, shaking her head, “it’s not just about us. You can’t be so selfish, and you know that, don’t you?” Cecilia knew how many sacrifices Gregory Kohle and Jean de la Cour had done to start the GSD; such a majestic project had required an enormous amount of dedication, and they eventually did it because they had believed in each other from the bottom of their heart. She couldn’t simply ignore that, neither Greg could. “So, please… stop talking about marriage, we can’t—”

“I don’t have to explain myself to Jean.” Gregory stood up and looked at her. There was uncertainty nestled in his dark eyes; nonetheless he said: “I’m not abandoning the GSD, planning to disappear in some remote, tropical island. I will always be there with him, just not at the same level as before.”

“I don’t want you to choose between love and friendship, Gregory.”

“I’m not choosing over them. But, anyway… it would be a fairly obvious choice.”

“It’s friendship that brought you where you are now” she reminded him. “Will you pretend it’s not true?”

Gregory closed his eyes for a moment, then she called her name. “Cecilia.”

“Yes?”

“Can I…” he scratched the back of his head, looking unsure all sudden.

“What? Will you finally go back on your words?” She felt a pain piercing her heart. In the end, there was no way she could ignore her own feelings. Just conceal them, but never deny them. That was the reason why they were hurting her so much.

Gregory’s expression slowly became very kind. He took her face between her paws and she almost winced. “Cecilia… Jean will always be my dear friend. You mustn’t doubt this fact.”

“But…?”

He smiled. “But… you are, and will always be, the love of my life. You are the one I want to dedicate myself to, forever and ever.” Then, he looked sad for some reason. “Can you understand my feelings? Maybe there’re too deep, after all… maybe I just scared you.” He let her go, but Cecilia caught his paw before he could move it away from her face.

“Stupid Greg.” She kissed his paw one, two, three times. “There’s no way I can’t understand your feelings. I just… can’t figure out why you’re doing this for someone like me. I’m not special, I’m not a goddess. I’m just… me?”

“And I’d love nothing more.” Gregory’s face was glowing with pure love. “I want to marry you. I want to go on our honeymoon right now. I want to make—”

“Stop right here!” She covered his mouth. “There’s no need to say that loud.”

Gregory smirked, before removing her paw from his lips. “Oh, you’re so pure, Cecilia.”

“You embarrass me” she pouted. “Some things would better remain unsaid. Doing them is… already enough.”

“Oh, my love!” He tried to catch her in his arms, but Cecilia managed to dodge him. “C’mon, don’t be shy now.”

“You… won’t change your mind, will you?” Her voice had become serious again. “Are you sure, Gregory?”

He did feel the change in the mood, because he said: “I wouldn’t be here today, if I didn’t already make up my mind, Cecilia. I’ll stop being the CEO and marry you as soon as possible. We’ll live in a magnificent house and you’ll be the piano teacher you’ve always wanted to be.” He was so sure, as if he could already see that blissful future.

 “… Presumptuous” Cecilia murmured, but she loved that part of Gregory. “Full of yourself.”

“I’m not full of myself” he grunted – oh, did she hurt his pride? “I’m just promising my wife…”

“I’m not your wife yet.”

“But… you will be…” Gregory insisted, but maybe he was losing confidence in his own ideas. “Don’t you want to marry me, Cecilia?”

“Oh, so you’re finally realizing you didn’t ask my opinion about this.” Cecilia crossed her arms over her chest and questioned: “What if I don’t love you enough to want to become your wife, Gregory?”

She was bluffing, of course, but Gregory take her words seriously. “I… Is that so?” he seated on the bench and looked at her with a painful expression. “I suppose I can’t force you, but… in case, I’d do anything to make myself more lovable!” he eventually stated.

Cecilia made a huge effort to not laugh and keep pretending she was scolding him. “You talk big, Gregory Kohle” she said. Her voice sounded gravelly. “You can’t control others’ heart.”

Gregory lowered his ears, then raised them, but eventually lowered them again. He was like a big, insecure puppy. “I can’t control your heart neither I want to, but I can still try to win it!” he claimed.

“Greg…” but the schnauzer was already in a brooding mood and kept mumbling to himself, so Cecilia walked towards him and waved a paw in front of his muzzle. “Greg, can I say a thing?”

He blinked for a moment. “Uh, sure… what is it?”

“You know, when I told you I didn’t want a phantom husband, I didn’t expect you to come up with such an important decision.”

“I know” he replied, “but that’s the path I personally chose for me. For us.”

“A path inevitably influenced by what I said.”

“Cecilia, every decision we make is somehow influenced by someone or something.”

“You’re right, but imagine for a moment how I could feel about this.” Cecilia replied, then sighed. “Gregory, you say your love for me is immeasurable, but then you clearly underestimate mine.” She kissed his nose. “I love you just as much as you love me.”

Gregory’s eyes widened a bit; he was totally blushing. “Aren’t you a bit… unfair?” he whispered, his breath hot and moist. “This is the first time you…”

“Yes” she nodded, “just like today was the first time you hugged me. From behind, no less.”

“B-but!” he insisted, “It’s different!”

“How so, my dear?” Cecilia smiled. “You can do and say the most embarrassing things ever but when I do the same it’s different?”

“You said you love me!” Gregory claimed – actually, shouted. “You don’t understand! My heart just exploded!”

‘And so did my eardrums…’ “Oh, let me say one more thing, then.” She moved her mouth closer to his ear and murmured: “I love you so much that I would be happy just knowing you are happy, even if you weren’t mine. And if you’d be mine… I’d make sure to remind you of this fact every day… and every night.” Then, she walked away from him with a playful smile and asked: “How does it sound?”

“Y-you…” he blabbered, “you come here, now. I need to— I have to punish you for your boldness. You can’t possibly say such arousing things, turn me on like a lamp and just walk away like nothing happened.”

She laughed. “It’s not my fault you have a dirty mind.”

Gregory’s tail began to waver. “I so much want to jump on you, it’s almost painful.”

“Too bad we are in a public place, hu?” Cecilia stuck her tongue out. “But seriously now, Greg… I don’t want you to regret anything, I could never forgive myself. That’s what I was trying to tell you all along… if only you’d have let me speak.”

“I won’t regret anything” he immediately replied. “The more we talk, the more I just want to take you to my place and hold you in my arms forever. You can trust me, Cecilia. I’ve already made my decision.”

“Is it definitive?”

“It is.”

“…” Why couldn’t she just trust him? It was so difficult… and she was so scared. “But you worked so hard to achieve your position…”

“Cecilia, now we’re just repeating ourselves over and over again.” Gregory shook his head, looking terribly serious. “The only way to escape from this loop is…” he stretched a finger and pointed to a grove about 50 meters away from them. “To settle things there. Me and you.”

“… In a grove?”

“Yes.”

“And… how are you exactly planning to settle things in a grove, Gregory?”

“Well, for starters we could take our clothes off—”

“Gregory.”

“What? I’m barely holding back the urge to—”

“Gre. Go. Ry.”

“You could never imagine what I want to do with you. Even here and now, I’m just…”

“Okay, I don’t want to talk with you anymore.” Cecilia turned her back to him and covered her ears. Then, Gregory appeared in front of her and smiled like he was the happiest mammal on heart. “Don’t look at me like that” she grumped.

“Can I at least kiss you?”

“No.” But he took her chin anyway. “I said no.”

“Are you completely sure?” He was so close… she could already feel his breath over her nose and a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine.

“Uh…” she softly whined. Her resistance was so futile, after all. How could she resist the one she loved? “You really are full of yourself…”

“Yes” he replied, “and it’s all your fault. You make me feel like I can do anything. When I am with you, my heart flutters and my stomach burns with desire.” He touched her nose with his own and continued: “And what else can make someone so strong and determined?”

Cecilia understood. And because she did, there was no room left for her doubts and concerns. A single tear shone in her eye and she held on him with all her might. “Do with me what you want” she whimpered, “I’m yours.”

Gregory hugged her, kissed her, and Cecilia couldn’t help but just sunk down in that deep, warm love, her arousal becoming more and more strong to the point she barely managed to not faint in his arms. “Hey, hey… if you pass away with just a kiss, what will you do when we’ll make love?”

“I… want to hit you” she somehow managed to say. “Did I already say that…?”

“Yes, you did. Would you like to hit me right here, right now? We could play hide-and-seek in the grove first…”

“Greg… you’re an idiot.”

He laughed wholeheartedly. “I love you, Cecilia.”

“… I love you too, stupid Greg.”

___________________________________

The timeline of the BJ universe – actually, I’ll eventually stop referring to this project by the name of BJ saga, since we’re planning to publish a sequel with another name – starts many, many years ago. The time here is 1999-2000 and the main protagonists of this little story are Gregory Kohle and Cecilia Northwood (they appear together in this episode of BJ). Probably the only positive couple of this project, at least for now.
I love them so much.