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Chatter filled the large food court, one that Noelle had no real knowledge of—She'd never have a reason to shop around a mall unless Berdly had pushed her to get a new console—maybe a new game? and anyway, she could probably get something like that from a grocery store.
her hooves clicked through a long hall of clothing stores, searching for one with the big purple sign out front. Maybe it would've been better to leave her confidence at the aquarium.
just as she stood infront of this peculiar store, filled with these chokers and bat wings which made her heart flutter—she found Susie; back on and talking to a cashier—was that.. Catty?!
Noelle blushed—fidgeting with her sweater. She was dressed as if it were a date, or well her standards. Snow white top that sat right below her shoulders and a black skirt, much too dressy. but she deemed it appropriate to look pretty for Susie.
"Catty," Noelle nodded as she stopped next to Susie, earning a purr.
"Whats up bambi?"
"Bambi?" Susie's gruff voice started before she cleared her throat—she almost choked on her spit right there when her eyes found Noelle, she was practically glowing.. so pretty.
"Cause she's like, a deer." Catty hummed. tilting her head. "Sick, right?"
"..Y-yep!" Noelle paused and tried to keep her eyes away from Susie. "S-so, what's.. going on?"
"Susie was talking about that Cd." Catty hummed, playing with this knit blanket on the counter. "Said she wanted a co—"
Susie slammed her hand down on the table and laughed stiffly. "Ahaha!! So funny. Just asking Catty here—" she growled it out, glaring at her as if she'd just rip her apart. "For directions."
Catty stepped back and looked down at her feet. "u-uh-huh.." She nodded.
Susie scratched the back of her neck, suddenly very interested in the ceiling tiles. Her tail flicked behind her, like it had a mind of its own. She *was* going to buy the CD. That was true. But not right now. Not with Noelle looking like... *that.*
"You found the place alright?" she asked, her voice lower now, maybe a little more serious. Still gruff. Always gruff.
Noelle nodded quickly, her hands locked around the strap of her shoulder bag. "Y-yeah. I almost went into the bath bomb store by accident, but then I remembered you said—uh, purple sign." She rocked slightly on her heels, her ears twitching like they were trying to fold down. “I, um, didn’t expect it to be so... goth?”
Susie snorted. “Yeah. Catty’s been working here a while. Says it’s good for her ‘vampire aesthetic.’” She threw the last part in finger quotes. “Honestly, I think she just likes the discount on eyeliner.”
Catty gave a dramatic bow, like she’d been praised instead of teased. “That’s showbiz, baby.” She vanished into the back room with a little swish of her tail and a sing-song, “Have fuuun~!”
And then it was quiet. Or, well—quiet *around* them. Outside the store, the mall still buzzed with chatter and music and someone’s crying toddler. But inside the strange little shop, it was just the two of them, under dim purple lights and shelves full of skull purses and fishnet gloves.
Noelle tucked a strand of fur behind her ear. "S-so... this is your favorite store?"
Susie shrugged, stepping closer to the display of chain necklaces. "Kinda. I mean, I don’t *shop* here a lot. Just—when I need stuff. Y’know. For shows. Or whatever.”
Noelle tilted her head. “What shows?”
That earned her a blink. “Like… band gigs?” Susie coughed into her sleeve. “Didn’t I say I drum?”
“You said you hit things until they sound cool,” Noelle said softly, smiling now.
“Same thing,” Susie muttered, but her shoulders relaxed a little.
There was a pause, thick and buzzing with all the things they weren’t sure how to say yet.
“So,” Noelle finally said, “I guess this makes two... hangouts?”
Susie looked up. Her eyes flicked down to Noelle’s shoes, then her outfit—like she was trying not to look too long, but couldn't help it. “...Yeah. Second one.”
“Not counting school,” Noelle added quickly.
Susie nodded. “Right. Not school.”
“And the aquarium wasn’t *really* a date, right?” Noelle’s voice was small now. She was trying to sound casual, but her hands fidgeted with her sweater sleeve like it might give her courage. “I mean, it was just... we got assigned to each other. And then we stayed together. And then you bought me those little santa otter earrings after— which you didn’t *have* to do, but—”
“It *was* kinda a date,” Susie said.
Noelle froze. “W-what?”
“I mean,” Susie said, rubbing her arm, “I didn’t *have* to buy the earrings. But I *wanted* to. You liked the otters. You looked... happy.”
Noelle’s cheeks burned. “I *was* happy...”
They stood there for a moment, both staring at a shelf of holographic bat stickers like they might hold the secrets of the universe.
Then, Susie scratched her cheek and said, not quite looking at her, “This could be one too. Like. A real one. If you want.”
Noelle looked at her, wide-eyed. Her heart thudded hard, and she nearly dropped her bag.
“Oh. Um. I—I do want.”
“Cool,” Susie said quickly, almost tripping over the word. “Coolcoolcool.”
Noelle giggled—barely more than a sound under her breath. “So what do you... do on a mall date?”
Susie looked helpless for a second. Then she shoved her hands in her jacket pockets. “I dunno. Walk around. Look at dumb stuff. Get food court noodles. Make fun of weird hats. Maybe... find a photo booth?”
Noelle smiled so wide it made her feel light. “That sounds perfect.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
Outside, the mall continued as usual—kids screamed, announcements crackled, something in the distance beeped—but in that little bubble of purple light and awkward laughter, it really did feel like something had started.
Maybe it was a second date.
The pair drifted out of the goth store a few minutes later, after Catty waved goodbye with a fake vampire cape thrown over her shoulders and a wink so exaggerated it nearly gave Susie a headache.
The mall’s central hall sprawled out in all directions, food court smells thick in the air—pretzels, fried noodles, cinnamon sugar, the kind of chaotic blend that should’ve been gross but wasn’t. Susie stuffed her hands deep in her jacket pockets, trying not to walk too close to Noelle, but also not not close.
“So…” Noelle started, glancing up at the neon signs above. “Food court first?”
“Could,” Susie said. “But we just left a store full of snacks. You didn’t wanna try the… uh, coffin-shaped lollipops?”
Noelle laughed behind her hand. “They looked dusty.”
“Vintage, apparently,” Susie snorted. “Catty said they were aged like fine wine.”
“Oh no,” Noelle giggled, bumping her shoulder against Susie’s for just a second before stepping nervously back like she hadn’t meant to.
And then they heard it—the bright, 8-bit blarp of something being destroyed. Followed by another, higher-pitched ding of victory.
Susie’s head turned like a hawk spotting prey. “Hold on. That’s—”
Noelle was already peeking past her. Down the side hallway near the old bookstore sign, the dim glow of blue and pink lights flickered through an open archway. The blinking, chiming chaos of an arcade pulsed from within.
“Oh,” Noelle said softly. “I’ve never been in there.”
Susie blinked at her. “Seriously?”
“I mean—” She fiddled with her sleeve again. “I always thought they were for, you know. Loud people.”
Susie grinned wide. “Then we’ll fit right in.”
She took a step, then paused—holding her hand out halfway behind her, fingers curled like she was unsure what she was even offering. Noelle hesitated too, then gently slipped her fingers around Susie’s, and just like that, they stepped inside.
It was everything a mall arcade should be—old carpet, sticky air, lights flickering like they were about to burn out. Music came in strange overlapping layers. Someone shouted in triumph near the racing machines.
Susie dragged Noelle over to a cabinet game with glowing controls. “Alright, this one’s simple. Smash stuff. No thinking.”
Noelle raised her hands like she was preparing to defuse a bomb. “That’s exactly the kind of thinking I try to avoid.”
Two rounds later, she was wiping the floor with Susie.
“What the hell?!” Susie shouted as her game character flailed and exploded into pixels. “You said you were bad at this!”
“I said I never played in an arcade,” Noelle corrected, cheeks pink with excitement. “We do own a console, remember?”
“Oh my god.” Susie pointed dramatically. “You hustled me.”
“I didn’t hustle!” Noelle’s voice was light with laughter. “You just assumed I’d be bad!”
Susie grumbled, but there was no real anger there—just a grin she couldn't quite wipe off her face. “Rematch.”
But as they moved from one game to the next, the air around them shifted. Somewhere between the basketball hoops and the fake claw machine full of stuffed ghosts, they weren’t so nervous anymore. Their hands brushed more than once. Noelle’s laugh came easier. Susie stopped pretending she wasn’t blushing.
And then, near the back of the arcade, tucked between an out-of-order air hockey table and a row of sticker machines, they found it.
The photo booth.
Its curtain hung crooked, one side stapled to keep it up. A faded sign read "Snapshots: Make a Memory!" in bubbly font.
They both stared.
“We could... skip it,” Susie muttered. “It’s probably broken.”
“...Maybe just one?” Noelle said, eyes wide. “We could... I don’t know. Commemorate?”
“Right. Commemorate.” Susie’s voice cracked halfway through the word.
They slid inside the cramped booth, shoulders awkwardly squished, knees touching.
“I think you press that?” Noelle pointed.
Susie did, and a countdown started.
3.
Noelle looked at her.
2.
Really looked.
And Susie, who could usually handle being stared at—who made it a point to scowl when people dared—felt like her lungs stopped working.
Noelle’s eyes were wide and soft, glowing just a little under the booth’s flickering light. She was still smiling, but it was quieter now. Almost nervous. Like she didn’t know if she should be looking at Susie this way, but did it anyway.
Susie’s brain fumbled for something cool to do. Maybe stick out her tongue, or make a face—something dumb to break the moment before she actually melted.
**1.**
She didn’t move.
And neither did Noelle.
**FLASH.**
The first photo caught them staring at each other—Susie’s eyes wide, surprised, and Noelle’s gentle and fond, her fingers twitching like she wanted to reach out.
There was a pause before the countdown started again.
**3.**
“I, um,” Noelle whispered, barely audible over the arcade noise, “wanted to do this with you.”
Susie blinked. “What, like—the photo? Or… this?”
“All of it.” Noelle’s voice was trembling, but not from fear. “Even if it’s weird. Even if we don’t know what we’re doing.”
Susie swallowed. Her heart beat so loud it could’ve powered the booth. “It’s not weird.”
“It’s not?” Noelle tilted her head.
“Not with you.” Her voice cracked again. “I—I like hanging out. Like this.”
Noelle’s smile bloomed.
**2.**
They were still close—closer now, almost shoulder to shoulder.
Noelle leaned her head slightly. “You’re not gonna make a face this time?”
Susie scoffed, cheeks blazing. “What, like a dumb one?”
Noelle nodded, eyes playful. “Something chaotic.”
“Alright, Deer Girl. You asked for it.”
**1.**
Susie threw her tongue out and crossed her eyes while Noelle burst into laughter, trying to mirror her but only managing to go bug-eyed in the blur of it.
**FLASH.**
Their laughter echoed inside the small booth.
**3.**
They shifted again—Susie still grinning, Noelle still laughing breathlessly. Their knees touched again, but neither moved away this time.
“Okay,” Susie said, nudging her. “Last one. What kind of vibe we going for?”
Noelle was quiet for a second.
Then, boldly—so soft Susie almost missed it—she said, “Try... serious.”
Susie blinked. “Serious?”
Noelle nodded. Her expression was shy but steady. “Like... if you wanted this to be a memory.”
**2.**
Something in Susie’s chest flipped sideways.
She didn’t know what her face looked like, but she hoped it wasn’t too dorky. Noelle was so close now she could count the freckles across her cheek.
Susie took a breath.
Then, gently, she rested her forehead against Noelle’s.
**1.**
Noelle’s breath hitched—but she didn’t pull away.
**FLASH.**
The final photo clicked into place.
And when the machine spit out the strip a few seconds later—four tiny snapshots, bent slightly at the edges—Susie took it without a word. Noelle leaned over her shoulder to peek.
First: surprise.
Second: chaos.
Third: laughter.
Fourth: quiet, close, something blooming.
“...Huh,” Susie muttered, flipping the strip over like it might reveal secret instructions on the back.
Noelle giggled softly. “We look...”
“Cool?” Susie offered.
“Happy.”
Susie blinked. Then, awkwardly but earnestly, she folded the photo strip in half and handed it to Noelle. “You keep it.”
“What? But—”
“I already memorized it,” Susie mumbled. “Anyway, I’ll just... steal a copy from you later.”
Noelle’s fingers curled around the strip. “Okay.”
They stepped out of the booth together, and the arcade noise hit them again—but this time, it felt far away.
Like the real memory had already been made.
The arcade's lights faded behind them as they stepped back into the mall’s main stretch—brighter now, less chaotic, though the echoes of machines still rang faintly in their ears. Noelle held the photo strip between her fingers like it was some delicate artifact, her thumb brushing the edge without thinking.
Susie tried not to stare.
(But she was definitely staring.)
“So...” Noelle murmured, still looking at the strip, “do we, um, eat now? Or was that enough excitement for one day?”
Susie snorted. “I mean, unless you’re full of pixels and soda fumes—yeah, I vote food.”
Noelle smiled, tucking the photo carefully into her bag like she was placing it in a memory box. “Okay. Food sounds nice.”
They walked side-by-side, and this time, they didn’t bother pretending it was accidental when their arms bumped. Susie didn’t move her hand back to her pocket right away, either.
The food court was buzzing—some kid crying over spilled fries, a flock of teens in matching hoodies arguing about chicken nuggets, an older couple quietly sharing a cinnamon roll. Susie hovered near the entrance for a second, scanning the options.
“Alright,” she said, tilting her head, “if today’s a date—which it might be,” she added quickly, glancing at Noelle, “then you get to pick.”
Noelle pretended to think deeply, tapping her chin. “Hmm… I could go for something adventurous.”
Susie raised an eyebrow. “Like...?”
“Greasy mall pizza,” Noelle said dramatically, pointing like it was a destiny.
Susie cackled. “The riskiest choice of all.”
They ordered a single slice each—enormous, floppy, and almost offensively orange. Noelle tried to eat neatly, but cheese clung to her like it had a vendetta. Susie had to hold back a laugh when a long stretch of mozzarella draped from Noelle’s chin like a tragic noodle.
“You have…” Susie gestured vaguely.
Noelle blinked. “Oh no.”
Susie reached over before she could stop herself—thumb brushing just under Noelle’s lip to get it, gentle, careful. Her hand hovered there a moment too long.
Noelle didn’t move. Just stared at her.
Susie swallowed. “Got it.”
“Thanks,” Noelle said, and smiled in that way that made Susie feel like she was standing too close to the sun.
They finished their pizza slowly, letting the moment settle around them like warm light. Neither said much, but the silence felt full of everything they were still working up the courage to say.
When they finally got up to leave, it was quieter in the mall. The crowd had thinned, lights dimming slightly toward closing time. They walked toward the exit without speaking, just the occasional soft shuffle of shoes and the click of Noelle’s hooves on tile.
Outside, the parking lot glowed under yellow lamps. It smelled like pavement and cooling concrete, the last breath of a warm day.
“So,” Noelle said, fidgeting with her bag strap. “I had a good time.”
Susie nodded. “Yeah. Me too.”
There was a pause.
A long one.
Then: “So was this like... an official second date?” Noelle asked, voice shy, teasing.
Susie glanced sideways at her. “I mean, yeah. Unless you wanna argue technicalities.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Noelle whispered, suddenly nervous again. Her eyes flicked down to her feet, then up. “I—I wanna do this again.”
Susie looked at her for a second too long. Then she nodded, firm. “Yeah. Yeah, me too.”
They stood there for a moment, both waiting for something they weren’t sure how to ask for.
Then Noelle stepped forward, just slightly. Close enough that her bag brushed against Susie’s jacket.
“Um,” she said, breath catching. “Can I…?”
She didn’t finish.
She didn’t have to.
Susie leaned down, and Noelle leaned up—and it was just the softest thing. Barely more than a press of lips, warm and a little shaky, both of them holding their breath like it might not work if they let it go too fast.
When they pulled apart, it wasn’t dramatic. Just quiet. Honest. Real.
Noelle’s eyes were wide, but glowing.
Susie scratched the back of her neck, suddenly unsure of what to *do* with herself. “So... uh. I’ll message you?”
Noelle nodded, smiling, small and full of light. “You better.”
And then she turned and walked off toward her dad’s car waiting by the curb, waving once over her shoulder. Susie stood there a moment longer, watching her go, hand still tingling.
She grinned.
Definitely a date.