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It was only a few days before the beginning of Winter Break, and Cater was resisting the urge to cry. He had just gotten off the phone with his family, and told him his plans… And suffice to say they weren’t happy.
Sure, he had friends before. Especially in his last few years at Night Raven College. But… He never felt right inviting himself to his friends’ homes. And he never really wanted to acknowledge how he felt about his family. It took his new friends, his true friends, to really give him perspective…
But even then, as he got off the phone with his family, he was about to cry. He told them that his girlfriend, Leona Kingscholar, had invited him back to the Sunset Savanna for winter break. His mother called him ungrateful for missing Christmas with he family, one of his sisters went off on him for going after some tomboy jock and not an actually “pretty” girl like he (read: the family) deserved, and his other sister asked if Cater could get them into the palace, since he was dating a princess.
…Maybe his mom was right… Maybe he was ungrateful… Running away to his girlfriend instead of spending time with his family… He wished he could go to Leona’s room right now, just sit next to her and cuddle for the rest of the day until Riddle dragged him back to Heartslabyul for curfew.
Too bad a royal emergency meant she had to go back to the Palace ASAP. Apparently the queen got sick at the same time as Farena was out negotiating about converting an abandoned research laboratory just outside the city into a housing district, meaning someone needed to be there for extra leadership.
Instead he sat down on his bed, knees pulled up to his chest as he dialed Leona. It only took a few rings before Leona picked up the phone.
“Mmmm, hey Cater… Thought you’d be packing instead of callin’ me…” Leona’s tired, grumbly voice came through the speaker.
“No, I just… Need to hear from you…” Cater said. “I just told my family about our plans…” Leona’s grumble turned into a full growl.
“Let me guess. They’re not fans?” Leona said.
“No… If they’re not complaining about me abandoning them, they’re trying to get free tickets into royalty…” Cater muttered and stared at his own feet, trying to just look at something instead of crying.
“Well, you’re not spending winter with them, so what’s the problem?” Leona asked.
“I mean, what if they’re right?” Cater whispered. “We’ve spent years together. They were all I had and…” He fully laid back and covered his eyes with his free arm. He just wanted to disappear.
“Honestly, fuck ‘em.” Leona said casually. Cater let out a gasp, a little shocked at the answer… Of course he knew that Leona was dismissive of their problems, and wouldn’t put up with anyone’s crap.
“I can’t say that… They’re my family…” Cater muttered.
“That doesn’t mean anything… I hate my family and they don’t treat me anywhere as horrible as yours does… The fact that you’re not looking for a way out– You’re an idiot, Cater…”
“Well, I-I am coming to visit you and your family… How is everyone doing…?”
“Well, my sister in law is sick, but… For once she’s grateful that I’m around. Cheka is Cheka and I’m fine… Just really hot…”
“I mean, you’re usually hot–”
“Ha, it’s just not as cold as it is back at school… And I’ve got your hoodie so…”
“I’m pretty sure you’ve got three. But I’ll get them back once I get there.” Cater finally laughed, actually cheering up.
“You are still coming, right?” Leona’s voice was soft after the insults directed at her boyfriend’s family.
“Yeah, I am. Don’t worry about that.” Cater smiled at his phone. “At least to get my hoodies back.”
“Good… Cheka really wants to meet you.” Leona laughed. “Maybe you can get him off my back for once.”
“Nah, I’ll make you hang out with him.” Cater said. “...Thank you. I feel a lot better now.”
“And I hope you’ll feel better when you’re here.” Leona whispered. “...i love you…”
“Love you too, Leona.” Cater said. “I’m going to go get some dinner and then get packing to leave tomorrow. See you then.”
“See ya.”
With that, the two hung up the call. Cater took a moment to smile to himself and think about Leona, and how much he loved his princess.
With food eaten, Cater decided to take a little stop by the Ramshackle guest room before he finished packing. He knocked on the open door to get everyone’s attention as he looked over to see just who was hanging out.
Yuu (with Grim on his shoulder) was sitting at a table designed to look like it was from Savanaclaw, but sat in Ignihyde couches, while the walls and floor decorations looked like some weird combination of Pomefiore and Heartslabyul.
Sitting with him was Jill Howl, Ace Trappola, and Ace’s girlfriend Idia Shroud.
“Hey hey everyone! You guys havin’ a party without me?” Cater teased as he came in, smiling wide.
“Nah, just… Playing some cards since everyone is done packing. Jill came to chill, I invited Ace and Ace invited Idia.” Yuu explained over his shoulder. “Come on, pull up a chair. We’re just finishing the first round of Shanghai.”
“Never played it, but I’m just here to say hi before I finish packing. No need to deal me in.” Cater said as he took a free seat. Idia grabbed a bag of chips the group had been sharing and offered it to Cater, who took a handful.
“You’re nya-t packed up yet, KayKay?” Grim asked as he fluttered over to Cater’s armrest.
“No, I just had to finish up planning.” Cater explained as he nibbled on his chips. “I’m hanging out with Leona for the vacation instead of heading back home.”
“Sounds romantic.” Jill said. She placed down a card, which Idia picked up.
“Hah, everyone knows you’re just looking for an excuse to go where the nice weather is.” Yuu joked.
“Nah, I’m actually planning a heist.” Cater wiggled his fingers at Yuu.
“O-Oh? W-What’re you stealing?” Idia asked. She struggled in thought a bit before she put down a card.
“You gonna take that?” Jill asked Ace, who waved her off. Jill drew the card Idia put down and took some from the deck. Cater wasn’t sure he understood this game.
“I’m just stealing my hoodies back from Leona. She’s stolen at least three of them.” Cater laughed again.
“Ah, right. I’m sure the whole stealing the hoodie to sniff it thing is probably more intense for beasts…” Ace said as he drew a card.
“...What are you talking about?” Cater asked. He looked confused at Ace, who looked just as confused back. The ginger wondered if his lack of serious dating experience meant he didn’t know a common thing.
“Yeah, I don’t get it either, but apparently part of the whole hoodie stealing thing has to do with pheromones and stuff.” Ace shrugged and put a card down. “Girls like the smells of the boys they like… I still never got my hoodie back from my ex…”
“Is this really a thing?” Cater asked as he looked over at Yuu.
“...The hell should I know?” Yuu asked. “Hoodie stealing is just a joke in relationships.”
“It’s true for us beasts, just a bit… Enhanced senses, scent marking and tracing… Don’t know if that’s why Leona did it.” Jill said. Yuu drew a card, put down a card, and Jill picked that card up.
“It’s a meme for normal humans… Or as normal as I am…” Idia whispered. She pulled out her phone and typed a bit before bringing up an imageboard of her phone. She turned her phone to Cater who saw an image of an anime girl with some text rambling about ‘boysmell.’
“...What the hell?” Cater muttered. He looked down at Grim. “...So, what does the most powerful mage at NRC have to say about this?”
“...I like the smell of tuna?” Grim gave a kitty cat shrug in return. Behind him, Jill put a set of cards on the table, then put down two sets of cards.
“I should have expected that.” Cater laughed. “You know what, if this’ll go quick, I’ll join in on the next round.”
“It might not be fair, since you won’t have any points, but-” Jill started, before Idia put down all her cards on the table.
“Two books and out. No points.” Idia said.
“...Well, we’ve got an opening now.” Yuu smiled.
The rest of the day came and went, and travel day arrived. Cater stepped through the Dark Mirror with his suitcase rolling behind him, and found himself in the Sunset Savanna palace, being awaited by some sort of advisor… He remembered Leona mentioning Kifaji.
The bird welcomed Cater, and escorted him to the room he would be staying in, with a small advisory comment that Leona’s room was just down the hall.
Once he had put his bag down and made sure that Kifaji had disappeared back down the hall, Cater snuck down the hall to Leona’s room and gently turned the handle, trying to sneak in…
On the other side, Cater found the princess’s room, messy as her room at NRC. And curled up on the bed, wearing one of Cater’s hoodies and another pulled up to her face like a pillow, Leona herself. She breathed softly, asleep and smiling gently.
Cater walked across the room and sat on the edge of the bed… Leona was so pretty… He reached down and caressed her cheek. At the touch, Leona started to rouse. Her voice was grumbly again, and her eyes opened… Only to look in shock at Cater as she woke up.
“Cater…” She whispered and clung a little tighter to the hoodie in her hands.
“Cozy, huh?” Cater asked as he ran his fingers through her hair. “You know, the girls were teasing me about how you stole my hoodies to do things like this…”
“...Yeah…” Leona purred at the pets from Cater. “You know I love you… You smell really nice…” She sat up and pulled him into a hug, and the two just held each other for a moment.
“...Why don’t we…” Cater grinned and started to kiss Leona’s neck. “Make this Winter break warmer and make sure you’ll never forget my scent…”
Leona pulled Cater down on top of her, and the two started to kiss and caress each other. Slow moments of intimacy, wrapped up in their affection and love for each other, the first step before their Winter of romance…
And then suddenly Cater felt a weight on his back and heard the laughter of a child.
“Auntie Leona! Is this Cater!?”
Maybe this trip would be better, different than Cater thought it would.