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It was an icy winter night. North of Hometown, deep in the mountains, the purr of an engine was the only sound for miles. A pair of headlights pierced through the darkness of the seemingly endless forest, reflecting off of the glittering snow that had blanketed the sides of the road.
The air outside was nearly freezing, a snappy chill penetrating the minivan's windows. Inside, four friends were thanking god for heated A/C. Even with the cold nipping at their extremities, they were all eagerly excited for their first winter getaway together.
There was Noelle, who was in the driver's seat. She had volunteered to drive, as she gets car sick otherwise. Plus, they were taking her family's old minivan, so she knew the vehicle better than her friends did. Next to her, in the passenger's seat, there was Noelle's girlfriend, Catti. The two had been dating for about a year, and obviously wouldn't pass up their first opportunity to vacation as a couple.
In the backseat, there was Ralsei and Susie. The others didn't know it yet, but they were dating too. They'd started going out only a few weeks ago when Susie finally confessed her feelings to Ralsei (after countless pep talks and conversation rehearsals with Kris). Since then, they'd been spending nearly all their time together, completely awash in the flood of adrenaline and excitement that accompanies a blossoming love.
Their relationship was a secret to almost everybody in Hometown, including Noelle and Catti, mostly because Ralsei and Susie just... didn't really know how to broach the topic. Neither the goat nor the dragon were particularly well-versed in love, and had no idea how to tell their friends they were dating. I mean, Ralsei, the affectionate, cuddly, rule-abiding scholar was dating Susie , the... well, she was pretty much none of those things. They got embarrassed even thinking about how their friends would react when they found out.
Under a wool blanket, the secret lovebirds had stealthily interlocked hands, Ralsei's fluffy paw cradled in Susie's much larger grip. They were both looking out their respective side's window, playing it cool, pretending like they weren't both blushing like mad from the clandestine physical contact. Their hearts were beating rapidly in their chests, butterflies flapping wildly in their stomachs.
"There it is!" Noelle exclaimed.
A short distance away, a warm glow appeared from within the darkened forest.
Ralsei instantly shot up in his seat, leaning over the driver's seat to get a better look out the front windshield. All the while, his hand remained in Susie's.
Susie wasn't focused on what was in front of the car, but was instead transfixed on Ralsei. It never got old seeing his excitement at something as simple as a cabin in the woods. She couldn't help but marvel at how his face lit up in genuine, unfiltered amazement whenever he discovered a new wonder of the Light World.
The cabin slowly came into clearer view. It was sizable, much bigger than any of the houses in Hometown, and much bigger that what Ralsei was expecting. Snow had piled on top, icicles hanging from the sides of the A-frame roof.
"Oh my goodness Noelle, it's amazing!" Ralsei said, his face alight with astonishment.
Catti reached over and hugged Noelle, nuzzling into her shoulder. "Yeah, it looks awesome. Thanks for driving us, babe," the cat said.
"I told you guys this place is great!" Noelle said triumphantly. "Just wait til you guys get inside."
"Man, first thing I'm gonna do is curl up by that fireplace and warm up," Catti said, jamming her paws further into her jacket to keep warm.
Ralsei's excitement didn't let up. "There's a fireplace here!?"
"Uh, yeah dude, that's why we brought a whole backpack fulla marshmallows," Susie reminded him. "Now let's get in there, 'cuz I'm freezing my ass off."
Ralsei nodded affirmatively in response, and the gang began the daunting process of loading their bags into the cabin - made much less daunting by Susie being able to carry everyone's bags in one trip.
Once the gang was all inside, they realized the true level of coziness that this cabin offered. It was Holiday top to bottom; stockings and decorative candy canes lined the walls, huge red and green knit quilts were draped over the couches and reclining chairs. A massive, ornate wreath hung above the fireplace.
"Welllll, what do you guys think?" Noelle asked, clearly in her element.
"I think you Holidays are kinda insane," Susie replied. "But I gotta admit, this place is pretty damn comfy," she said as she flopped onto the couch and kicked her feet up.
"I think we broke Ralsei," Catti said, gesturing toward the stunned goat.
"Oh!" Ralsei said as he snapped out of his daze. He'd been staring at the decor, mouth agape, from the moment he stepped inside. "It's okay, I'm not broken! It's just... this place is so beautiful!"
"I'm so happy you guys like it!" Noelle responded. "Well, make yourselves at home, okay?"
"Already on it," Susie confirmed, sinking deeper into the plush couch cushions by the minute.
Noelle made her way over to Catti, who was already standing in the kitchen, unloading the communal ice chest into the fridge. The deer hugged her girlfriend from behind. "I'm so excited to spend the weekend with you, hon," Noelle cooed blissfully into her ear.
Leaning back into Noelle's embrace, Catti reached behind her to run her paw through the deer's hair. "Me too, babe."
Meanwhile, Ralsei had walked over to the living room where Susie was lounging about.
"Heh, look at those two freaks over there," Susie sneered jokingly. "Bein' gross n' stuff."
"Hmmm," Ralsei hummed, a faint hint of mischievousness growing in his eyes. "I dunno Susie, are you sure you don't want to do anything like that with me this weekend?" the goat whispered, leaning over to make sure the others couldn't hear his flirting.
A flush immediately painted Susie's cheeks red. "U-uhhhh..." was all the flustered dragon could muster. Despite her tough and cool exterior, Susie somehow always short circuited whenever Ralsei teased her like this. The two had kissed a few times and held hands, but all this lovey dovey business was still pretty much uncharted territory for Susie.
"I-I mean, I guess... I'd be down to like, kiss, 'n whatever..." the dragon admitted sheepishly. She didn't even realize that her claws were twiddling furiously out of nervousness. "And like, cuddle. And stuff."
Now Ralsei was blushing a bit, just barely able to maintain his suave front. "W-well, maybe we can do some of that," he said, still doing his best to tease the flustered dragon. "If you're lucky that is," he added.
That blush on Susie's cheeks had only grown redder. "Gahhh, you fluffy frickin' bastard," she hissed, burying her face in her claws to hide her complete and utter befuddlement.
Later that night, the gang was all huddled by the fireplace, watching a movie. They had all enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner that Catti, and her sous-chef Ralsei, had prepared. After gorging themselves on pasta, they assembled a huge pile of blankets on the floor where they could sprawl out and enjoy the film together.
Once the movie was done, Noelle let out a big yawn.
"Man, I'm so pooped," the deer said, stretching her arms. "I think I gotta go sleep."
"You've earned a good sleep after driving us all the way here, Noelle!" Ralsei said.
"Oh, please, I had the easy job! You and Catti are the ones who slaved over that gourmet dinner," Noelle responded.
"Dude, for real, that shit was so good. I'm gonna be dreaming about that pasta for, like, months," Susie added.
Catti looked very pleased with her and her cooking partner's prowess. "Hear that Ralsei? Looks like we make a pretty good team," the cat said, reaching out a paw to give Ralsei a high-five.
"Hmm," Ralsei began, partway through returning Catti's high-five. "Maybe you and I can prepare something for breakfast tomorrow? Perhaps some cinnamon rolls, or eggs benedict?"
Susie's eyes widened in excitement. "UH, fuck yeah!?" she blurted out, seemingly uncontrollably.
"Alright, well then we should both go to sleep, if you guys're gonna be up early cooking," Noelle said to her girlfriend.
Catti nodded. "Yeah, you're right. Okay, g'night guys," she said as she picked up her pillow from the floor and made her way to her and Noelle's bedroom. Ralsei and Susie both said 'goodnight' in return.
"Oh, and did you guys get the chance to check out your bedrooms? Is there anything else you need, like extra blankets or anything?" Noelle asked the goat and the dragon.
The two shook their heads. "No, my room looked perfect! Thanks, Noelle," Ralsei responded.
"Mhm, I'm good," Susie added.
"Okayyy, goodnight you two!" the deer said before flicking one of the lights and walking down the hall.
Suddenly, the whole vibe of the living room shifted. Without the presence of their friends, Ralsei and Susie both instinctively relaxed a bit. Neither of them really realized it, but they'd both been a bit tense all night, afraid that they might accidentally slip up and reveal their secret. Ralsei might reflexively rest his head on Susie's shoulder, or she might snuggle up a bit too close to him.
Really, it was a bit silly, wasn't it? It's not like Catti and Noelle would judge them. If anything, they'd be overjoyed that their two friends got together. But the inexperienced lovers were still too embarrassed to admit their relationship to their friends. So for now, their love would remain secret.
The only sound was the gentle crackle of the now-smoldering fire. The emptiness of the living room seemed to weigh down on both Ralsei and Susie, making the small distance between them feel much larger than it actually was.
Unsure of what to do or say, they sat completely still for several maddeningly long seconds. Finally, Ralsei broke the silence.
"Um, that sure was a fun night, huh Susie?" he remarked timidly.
Susie looked relieved that he was the first to break the silence. "Uh, y-yeah," she said, before coughing into the elbow of her sweater to mask the awkward silence.
"I, ah... the fire sure felt nice," the goat added. "It's just a shame it's out now, because I'm... kind of cold," he said, bringing his knees slightly closer to his body to show his need for warmth.
At first, Susie was unsure of how to respond. But then, a flash of realization struck her. She was far from an expert in the ways of flirting, but even she was able to pick up Ralsei's not-so-subtle hint.
"Do... you wanna sit closer?" she asked, adrenaline flooding her chest. Hearing these words spoken out loud, and realizing she was the one saying them... it left her dizzy.
"I'd like to," Ralsei said, his voice small, nearly a whisper.
He slid a few inches closer to Susie, turning slightly to face her. Susie angled her body to allow her boyfriend room to cuddle up against her.
Ralsei curled up and fit himself snugly into the cavity that Susie had created. He snuggled up against the soft fabric of her sweater, as she reached a trembling claw across his body to cradle him. Her talons landed softly on his flank, and it almost felt like he was melting under her touch.
"This feels a lot better," he whispered tenderly into Susie's chest.
"Yeah," Susie agreed. Despite her somewhat mild response, inside, she was anything but lukewarm. This didn't feel a lot better, this felt amazing . She knew that she had to find a better way to communicate the way that she felt.
"Hey, uh, Ral..." she began, trepidation running through every fiber of her being. "Y'know, uh..." she continued.
And then, silence again. The dragon had frozen up.
Ralsei looked up at his partner's chin, a look of concern on his face. "What is it, Susie?" he asked. He could feel Susie's heart beating faster and faster in her chest. "Do you... want to stop?"
"N-no!" Susie was quick to stutter out.
A few more seconds passed as she steeled herself for what she was about to say. The goat kept his gaze on her, eager to find out what was going on.
"Fuck, I dunno how to say this shit," Susie said.
"I just..." she began again. "W-well. My mouth is kinda cold too... Do you wanna warm it up?"
A delighted smile grew on Ralsei's lips. He backed up from his partner just enough so that he could see her face, obscured as it was by the dark. Only the faint light of the last few remaining embers lit their faces now.
Ralsei reached a paw up to Susie's face, cupping her cheek delicately. Her scales had grown red-hot. She looked back down at him, trying to read the emotions on his face. Was he happy? Sad? This was her first time ever trying something flirty like that, and honestly, she had no idea how her boyfriend would react. Honestly, he was probably cringing in embarrassment right now.
Suddenly, Susie felt a sensation of fullness on her lips. Then, the soft bristle of fur.
Ralsei's kiss was gentle but firm. There was no hesitation in it. Susie, on the other hand, found herself unsure of what to do with her lips. But after a few moments, she pursed her lips and pressed them deeply into Ralsei's. She angled her head, pressing her lips just a bit harder, and involuntarily letting out a husky hum.
Almost in response, Ralsei let out a quiet hum of his own. But his was closer to a squeak, as if the deepening of Susie's kiss had pushed the air out of him. He slowly brought his paw from Susie's face down to her side, where he gently clutched onto her sweater. He could feel the shape and warmth of her midriff through her clothes.
Their kiss went unbroken for several minutes, though neither of them had any conception of time at this point. The passage of time, their physical surroundings... these things were well outside of their perception, wholly replaced by the magic of their kiss.
Ralsei depressed his lips, slowly breaking away from Susie's. Opening his eyes for the first time since their embrace, he saw that Susie had been left somewhat disheveled; her hair had fallen haphazardly, half-covering her eyes.
"So, um..." he began, speaking slowly as he caught his breath. His breath smelled sweet. "Is your mouth warm enough now, Susie?"
Susie gripped her partner just a bit tighter. "No," she groaned, as she pulled him into another, deeper, kiss.
The next morning, the gang woke up to the morning light reflecting into their rooms from the bright, white snow. Catti and Ralsei made breakfast (which was, of course, a hit), and everybody loaded into Noelle's van to go find a good spot for sledding. Susie, naturally, always sought out the tallest hills, flying out of the sled when she reached the bottom and crashing violently into the snow. She was just built for that kind of mayhem. Ralsei always picked smaller slopes, but his lighter weight meant that he glided quickly and gracefully down them.
After everyone had gotten their fill, they headed back to the cabin and Noelle made hot cocoa for them. The warm, sweet, drink soothed their tired (and slightly bruised) bodies.
"Did everybody sleep okay last night?" Noelle asked the group. "I dunno why, but everytime I'm here, I sleep like a baby," she said.
"Yeah, I slept like a rock, shit was awesome," Susie responded, leaving out the detail that she spent a good half hour mentally replaying the makeout session before finally falling asleep.
"Same," both Catti and Ralsei agreed.
"Oh, that's wonderful! The magic of the Holiday cabin, I guess," Noelle said.
Ralsei nodded. "That fire last night was awfully magical," he said, blushing.
"It was! I hope you guys didn't get cold when it went out," Noelle said. "Good thing you guys were hugging so tightly-WAIT I MEAN-"
Ralsei and Susie's eyes shot open with shock. Ralsei nearly spat out his hot cocoa. Susie assumed a defensive position like a feral animal ready to strike.
"W-WHAT?" Susie blurted out. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"
Noelle stumbled over her words, desperately trying to explain herself.
"I swear, you guys, I didn't mean to!" she began. "I got up to get a glass of water last night, and when I walked into the living room, I just accidentally saw, uh..."
"Wait, hold on, are you guys... dating?" Catti asked. "Holy shit. Holy shit."
Ralsei's face couldn't have been any redder. He attempted to hide it by burying himself in his scarf.
At first, Susie was stunned, unable to speak. After a few moments, though, she knew that it was time to be honest with her friends. She put an arm around her boyfriend's shoulder, pulling him closer to her.
"That's right we're dating, so frickin' what!?" Susie said proudly, holding her goatboy close.
"Oh my god. You're dating. What the hell. That's so cute," Catti said. "But... Why didn't you tell us?"
"Uh, well... I... I don't frickin' know!" Susie said. "But we're goin' out, so you're just gonna have to deal with it!"
"Um, I think that..." Ralsei began, pulling himself out from Susie's side. "We just... didn't know how to tell you about it. And we didn't want to make things awkward, or uncomfortable for you guys."
"Awkward? Are you kidding me?" Noelle responded. "Our best friends are going out, how could we not be totally excited for you two!?"
A feeling of relief washed over Ralsei and Susie.
"Thanks Noelle, that... that makes sense," Ralsei said, smiling. He hugged Susie tightly, proud to be hers.