Phoenix's story of him appearing as a ghost at night to retrieve his lamb chop

As the credits begin to roll after watching the movie, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Warez’s husband, Eddie, turns himself over to his dragon and embraces him.

“Now wasn’t that a great movie?” Eddie asked before snuggling up to Warez, “Better than you thought right?”

But in contrast, Warez’s eyes seemed to have glazed over before coming back to reality from the sudden affection. “Huh, oh… umm, it was ok… I guess.”

Eddie only slightly appalled by Warez’s answer, looked him square in the eyes, “Just. Ok?! But it was so good. The visuals, the acting, the music, the—“

But before Eddie could say more, Warez butted in, “You lost me at the music. It was a little too cheesy for my tastes.”

Eddie would pout and fold his arms in disgust before uttering, “Of course, you’d think that.”

Warez sticks out his tongue, “Oh come on, you know musicals aren’t my thing. Having people break into a song every few minutes gets old after a while, and I think it breaks the flow of the plot.” The dragon looks over to plant a kiss on the cross fox’s cheek, “Just be happy that I put myself through torture to watch this with you,” he said before chuckling.

“Torture!?” Eddie gasps before placing his fists on his hips, “I have you know you’re insulting one of my favorite classics of all time. I demand you show it some respect!”

Warez rolls his eyes with a smile, “Hmmm, denied.”

“Why I oughta—“ Eddie couldn't resist the temptation to tease his husband. With a mischievous grin, Eddie nuzzled into the sensitive skin of Warez's neck, his soft fur tickling the dragon's scales. Warez shuddered at the sensation, a mix of fear and annoyance coursing through his body.

Before Warez could react, Eddie's nimble fingers found their mark, poking and gently clawing at the dragon's sides. The ticklish touches sent electric jolts through Warez's body, making him squirm and wriggle uncontrollably.

"No, no, no!" Warez cried out, his voice a mix of laughter and desperation. "Stop, you monster! Hon, please!"

Eddie's grin widened, his tail wagging with delight at Warez's reaction. Suddenly, the playful torment was interrupted by an unexpected sound. Scratching sounds would be heard at their door. Eddie froze, his paw hovering midair, and Warez's ticklish writhing ceased abruptly. The couple exchanged a puzzled glance, their hearts pounding in sync.

Eddie sitting up says, “Saved by the bell. Now who could that be?”

Warez wanting to get away from the ticklish onslaught, volunteers and quickly walks to the door before taking a peek through the peephole. But to his surprise, he saw nothing. “Did we order anything?”

“Not that I can think of,” Eddie responds.

The dragon slowly opens the door, being cautious not knowing what to expect, but again sees nothing. He opens the door completely and peeks his head out before looking left and right to see no one around.

“Uhhh, no one’s here,” Warez says scratching his head before feeling a sudden chill course through his for a quick second. But he brushes it off like it’s nothing before closing the door, looking back at Eddie, and shrugging his shoulders.

Then, the couple's ears perk up, hearing the all-too-familiar sound of a squeaky toy coming down the hall from another room. Eddie stands up from the couch and looks in the direction of the noise now being more cautious.

“We didn’t get another dog…right?” Warez asks trying to lighten up the mood from the suspense.

The squeaky toy would be heard again and again as if it was being played with while the two watched on, not wanting to move a muscle.

Eddie found the courage to speak up, “N—no, I didn’t surprise you with a puppy,” he said before slowly making his way down the hall, “but come on, let’s check it out.”

Warez being more cautious of the two knew this was how horror movies begin and tried to whisper for Eddie to come back, but Eddie was unbothered and kept advancing. Not wanting to leave his husband to whatever fate he was destined alone, quickly tiptoes to catch up.

As Eddie and Warez cautiously peered around the corner, their eyes widened in disbelief at the scene before them. There, in the center of Eddie's room, sat a familiar figure, their old dog, Phoenix. But this was no ordinary Phoenix as he seemed to shimmer and glow with an ethereal light, like a ghostly apparition. The once familiar canine played with a squeaky lamb chop toy, his tail wagging happily as he chewed on it.

Eddie gasped, his paw covering his mouth in shock. "Phoenix? Is that really you?" he whispered, his voice trembling with a mix of joy and disbelief. Warez, equally stunned, blinked rapidly, trying to process the spectral sight.

Phoenix, hearing his name, looked up, his eyes locking on Eddie and Warez. A warm, familiar smile spread across his translucent face seeing his master in the flesh. He bolted over to Eddie, jumped up, and stood on his back legs to greet him by licking the fox in the face.

Without hesitation, he scooped up the ethereal Phoenix, lifting him as he would have when the German Shepherd was a puppy. Phoenix reveled in the affection, his tail wagging happily and his tongue lolling out in a canine grin.

Warez, meanwhile, struggled to wrap his mind around the impossible scene unfolding before him. His eyebrow raised as he tried to comprehend how their beloved pet could be standing before them, albeit transformed into a spectral being. But as he watched Eddie's unbridled happiness, Warez's confusion gave way to a warm, nostalgic smile.

"Eddie," Warez began, his voice gentle, "we should capture this moment. We don't know how long Phoenix will be with us." He pulled out his phone, setting it up for a timed photograph.

Eddie nodded eagerly, carefully kneeling beside Phoenix as the ghostly shepherd still clutching his lamb chop toy in his mouth. Warez knelt beside them, his arm wrapping around Eddie's shoulders. With a soft beep, the camera captured the surreal moment while Eddie and Warez smiling broadly, their bodies illuminated by the ethereal glow of Phoenix sitting proudly before them.

As the photo snapped, Phoenix's ghostly form began to flicker, the edges of his silhouette growing hazy. Eddie's heart sank as he realized their time with their beloved pet was slipping away once more. "Phoenix," he whispered, his voice trembling, "wait! Please don't go."

Phoenix gazed at Eddie and Warez, his ghostly eyes filled with love and understanding placed his ghostly paw gently on Eddie's chest, his touch warm and comforting despite his ethereal nature. Eddie's eyes welled up with tears as he gazed into Phoenix's eyes, knowing that their time together was coming to an end once more.

Warez, sensing the heaviness of the moment, gently patted Phoenix's head, his fingers sinking into the shepherd's soft, spectral fur. “Goodbye buddy, it was nice seeing you again.”

Phoenix turned and walked towards the door, his form growing increasingly translucent with each step. Just before disappearing, he paused and looked back at Eddie and Warez, his ghostly eyes shining with love and gratitude. "Thanks for everything," he whispered, and with those final words, Phoenix vanished.

Eddie's heart shattered into a million pieces as he watched Phoenix fade away. A choked sob escaped Eddie's throat as he collapsed onto the ground, tears streaming down his face. Warez quickly moved to his husband's side, wrapping his strong arms around Eddie and holding him tightly.

"It's gonna be alright, my love," Warez whispered, his own tears falling onto Eddie's fur. "At least he came back to say goodbye one more time. And he'll always remember us, even in the afterlife, with his favorite toy."

Eddie clung to Warez, burying his face in his husband's chest as the weight of his grief consumed him.

Though the pain of loss lingered, Eddie and Warez knew that Phoenix's spirit would forever remain with them, a comforting presence in the quiet moments and a cherished memory to be shared for years to come. And so, with heavy hearts but hopeful spirits, they carried on, knowing that their loyal friend was never truly gone, but rather, eternally by their side.

🎨   Wolfydub 🎨