Bitter Feelings

by Leki

Courage the Cowardly Dog. Courage, Muriel, Eustace.

"She likes you the best." Eustace grumbled as he turned away from that wretched dog and went back to his business. *oneshot*

Disclaimer - Don't own Courage the Cowardly Dog, I just wanted to put him some faux background for 'em.

- "Stupid dog, you make me look bad!" "Stupid dog, get out of the way!" "Stupid dog..." "Stupid dog!"-

Gradually, as the farmer got older, his verbal abuse of the dog grew more and more common. Whether or not the dog deserved it, which he usually didn't, didn't matter. Nor did it matter if it was mumbled under his breath or if he was screaming at him. Some of his bitterness must be aimed at making that dog as uncomfortable as possible. Seemed to tip the scales, somehow, when Eustace felt so bitter. Felt right to make that pup jumpy and uncomfortable in his own skin. Although all it really seemed to do was make Muriel angry at him... But every time he decided to keep his trap shut, that pup would come around and he'd just find himself yelling at it or snarling at it, and there Muriel would come with her rolling pin again.

When they first got the pup, it seemed like the right thing to do. He was just a wee little thing, curled up in an alley way. Eustace had stood back and watched, his beedy eyes watchful for any city person that would try to mug him or his wife, as she crouched down and picked up the pup. He had a diaper on, as if someone had tried to keep him from piddling everywhere, maybe in the car they'd used to drop him off. Didn't matter now, of course, but maybe it had kept him covered and warm and alive long enough to be found. Poor thing had been spattered with the remains of red sauce, probably spaghetti. No one realized that there was a pup out there, and just threw out their meal, leaving it for the rats, probably big and hungry enough to drag the pup off eventually. Not Muriel though. Eustace's heart had warmed at the sight of her picking him up and using her own hanky to wipe the little guy off. His wife was a real keeper.

She'd walked back to him, he'd put his arm around her waist- his arms were too stiff to raise to her shoulders anymore- and they walked back to their car to begin their new life of a family of three.

Muriel had quickly found that a doting life suited her. They'd never talked about kids, they'd always been happy just being two, but she found that bathing, feeding and loving on that little pup was something that just tickled her fancy. And if Muriel spent more time on the pups food, cooking and cutting up bits of chicken for him, than she really spent on his scrambled eggs and toast in the morning, then that was okay. She had a puppy and she was just tickled over something new and sweet and cute and good natured. With a grin, Eustace had to remember that he wasn't so sweet natured himself and she probably deserved something young and innocent and unmindful of the world to dote on.

The only problem was that it just didn't seem to quit there. Pretty soon she'd be outside in the garden with the company of the pup. He could always hear her giggling or scolding the pup to quit digging at her vegetables, and he always learned quickly. The pup did everything she said, adoring every step and looking at her everytime she so much as breathed. He'd go inside, and she wouldn't say anything, and he'd be inside waiting for dinner. So he started yelling at her for dinner, and she didn't like that, even if she did come inside and fix his dinner after all the fuss. But it had never been a problem before, she'd always just been happy to take care of him. And when they watched the television, now she'd have that pup in her lap. She'd sometimes sat with Eustace before the arrival of the pup, holding his hand like they were sweethearts barely in their teenage years, and now her hands were full. He'd really gotten mad when she'd put Courage's rug in their bedroom, and he'd put his foot down and thrown the pup out, probably with more force than needed. And that had just flat out ruined the night, they'd gone to bed angry after a quick, mean spat. They'd woken up and never really forgiven each other since.

He'd lost his wife to a damned dog. He felt stupid saying it, it was just an animal. But his wife wasn't taking care of him anymore. She wasn't doting on him. She wasn't feeding him, or petting on him, or holding him. Her hands were always full with that pup. And that's why he couldn't bare to spare even one word of nicity on that pup. He hated that pup. And his wife kinda hated him for hating that pup. He grimly wondered if she realized how much she'd changed with something so tiny. They were getting old, and he hoped that the dog died before they did, so she'd go back to caring for him again.

Author Note - It always struck me as kinda sad whenever Eustace said, "She likes you best." Eustace is supposed to be comic relief, but I dunno, I just find it kinda sad.