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Noelle grips the steering wheel tight to keep from crying. Her jacket was clinging to her body in all the wrong places and it was the last thing she needed right now, especially since it was about the only sensory input she could register.
Feel the texture of the steering wheel on your hooves. Listen to the shitty pop music on the radio, pay attention to that. Something, something, something-
She slams on the brakes before she can drive past their house. She sighs, haphazardly turning into their driveway and quickly getting out of the car and slamming the door behind her. She’s vaguely aware of herself going up the front steps, unlocking the door, clicking it shut, falling back against it and staring off into the distance.
She’s unaware of how long she was standing like that.
“ ‘s that you, Elly?” A voice calls. She lets out a shriek and jumps before she registers who it is. Susie. Thank the Angel, Susie.
She walks into their living room, her movements feeling stiff and unnatural. Her eyes find Susie, splayed out on their couch with her head propped up on her arm. She gives her a big, toothy grin, which would’ve made her smile immediately on a better day. But not today.
Susie notices the lack of response. Her gaze softens.
“You alright, baby?” She asks, her voice dropping to its natural lower register. Distantly, Noelle feels her heart flutter at the sound. She doesn’t notice herself respond, but Susie speaks again. “C’mere.” She beckons.
She walks over to the couch, steps feeling like they’re being taken by someone else, and allows herself to collapse next to Susie. She faintly feels the cold, smooth texture of the leather, but it only makes her cringe as it rubs against her suit jacket. She clenches her eyes.
“Bad day?” Susie asks. Noelle gives a singular nod, the first thing she’s done all day that she was sure she did. She makes a sad grunting noise in sympathy. “Here, let’s get you out that stupid fuckin’ uniform…” She grumbles, grabbing her by the shoulders and yanking off her top. Noelle holds her arms out to the side to help her.
She lets out a long sigh as the sweaty, horrifically uncomfortable fabric is peeled off her fur. Susie tosses it carelessly on the floor and hooks her arms around Noelle’s waist. Noelle closes her eyes, feels Susie’s rough scales press into her skin.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” She says, delicately, her voice low. Her claws gently scratch her lower back, moving in slow, careful circles.
“Mm… I dunno.” She sighs. Noelle thinks how lucky she is, that Susie is so good to her. She feels her lips weakly form a smile. “The jacket wasn’t helping, though. Thank you.” Susie barks out a short laugh.
“Yeah, of course. I know you hate that damn thing.” She knows without being told. She remembers, she always remembers. She’s so kind.
Susie takes a hand off her back and taps her on the cheek. Noelle opens one eye. Susie places her hand on her shoulder, nods toward her body.
“Can I…?” She closes her eye again.
“Always.” She whispers. Susie reaches forward and scoops her up, Noelle allows herself to fall limp in her arms. Her head drops against her body like a ragdoll’s. She holds her tightly, just barely squeezing. The pressure is soothing. Her breath is hot on the top of her head.
She presses a long kiss to her hair as Noelle nestles herself against her chest. She runs her hand along her shirt. The fabric is soft. Her scales are warm underneath. Her ear is squashed against her sternum so that her heartbeat pounds into her eardrums. Her claws poke lightly against her back. They’re cold.
After a few minutes Susie’s tail starts to thwap against the couch. Noelle smiles.
“You’re so pretty.” She whispers. Noelle gasps and laughs. Susie snorts. “Don’t laugh at me…” She mutters, placing her hand flat against her back. Noelle looks up at her, grinning wide. She kisses her on the lips. Susie re-tightens her grip. Noelle sighs against her mouth.
Noelle pulls back. Susie shoves her snout against her neck, resting against her shoulder. Noelle giggles and lets her head lie on her snout. Susie squints at her.
“Are you feeling better?” She whispers. Noelle gasps quietly as the vibrations from her voice tickle her neck.
“I think so.” Susie squeezes her again.
“I’m keeping you here until you know so.” Noelle giggles under her breath. She feels Susie smile before she pulls her head back and starts kissing all over her throat, her shoulders, her jaw. She laughs louder, grabbing at her hair. It’s warm and thick and so, so soft.
“Susie—!” She protests in a sing-songy voice. Susie stops.
Noelle looks visibly disappointed, even with the big dumb grin on her face. She boops her on the nose and she flinches slightly.
“Your nose is glowing.” Susie kisses her on the nose. “It’s so fuckin cute when it does that.” Her face flushes brighter. She retaliates by kissing Susie on the snout. She breathes out harshly before pushing her down onto the couch, making her squeal.
They both lie still. Noelle runs her fingers through Susie’s hair as she lies on top of her. The weight on her is relaxing, even if it almost borders on suffocating. Susie slowly rubs her waist, messing her fur up and smoothing it back down. Noelle idly clacks a finger against her cheek, listening to the sound of her hoof hitting her scales.
An unknown amount of time passes. Noelle thinks she may have fallen asleep, because she doesn’t remember Susie adjusting again and nuzzling her nose back in the crook of her neck; but that’s how they’re lying when Susie whispers something against her fur so quietly she can’t make out the words.
“What?” She slurs, sliding back against the arm of the couch. Susie lies limp as she moves. Her head plops onto Noelle’s stomach. She stares up at her lovingly, like a dog lying at her feet.
“Will you be okay if I get up to make dinner?” One of her hands reaches up to grip Noelle’s arm, squeezing tenderly. She smiles, feeling the familiar warmth in her stomach.
“Don’t burn the house down.” She says, letting her eyes close. Susie pulls herself up and gives her a rough, brief kiss that feels more like a headbutt than anything else.
“No promises.”
Noelle feels Susie get off the couch, hears her heavy footsteps as she leaves the room. She sighs contentedly. Noelle feels so happy, so lucky. She has a nice house, a hot, scary, unbelievably sweet girlfriend, and a job she doesn’t hate, most of the time.
“If you guys are gonna fuck on the couch, can you at least pick up after yourselves?” Noelle squeals and jumps, again. She quickly covers her body with her arms before she realizes who’s there. It’s Kris holding up her suit jacket that she forgot she had even taken off.
She has a Kris, too. Of course. How could she forget her Kris?
She snickers and glares at them.
“Kris! That’s not what we were doing!” They roll their eyes and throw the jacket over their shoulder.
“Whatever you say.” They mumble, blowing her a kiss before sauntering out of the room. She pretends to catch it and presses it to her cheek out of habit.
She hears Kris and Susie explosively greeting each other from the other room. She shakes her head and laughs quietly to herself. All things considered, after the miserable chaos of work, she was more than happy to experience the endless ridiculous chaos of her two favorite people, in the comfort of her own home.