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December 15th, Friday
Noelle was through with it, unable to take her mother's ire any longer. Since she’d fallen into the dark world, her mother's crap was much easier to identify, and Noelle was finally going to do something about it. Of course, the girl couldn’t actually scold her mother. At least, not in the same way that she stood up to the Queen in Cybercity.
But standing up in small, near-inconsequential ways wasn’t cutting it. Noelle had tried dressing messier, studying less, and even staying out late with Kris and Susie. Her mother reprimanded and scolded her, but it was never enough. Noelle had enjoyed everything she’d done, but she never felt truly defiant. Not like Dess was defiant. Noelle decided she needed to make a big move, something her mother couldn’t stand. And she knew just the human to ask .
As the last day of school before winter break ended, Noelle looked back to Kris’s desk to see the human dozed off, head tucked into their arms as a makeshift pillow. Susie sat behind them, waiting for the classroom to clear before scaring the human awake. Noelle got up and approached the back of the class, “Hi, Susie.” She said.
“Hey, Noelle,”
“Would it be alright if Kris and I talked alone?” Susie looked confused for a moment, then shrugged and got up. “Alright, I’ll be in Castle Town if you guys wanna hang out later or whatever.”
As Susie exited the classroom, Noelle took a deep breath and looked at her human friend. There was something so peaceful about the way they slept, even if it meant longer study sessions with her. (although that would not be unwelcome ). After so long apart, the last few months of reconnecting had been some of the best in recent memory. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed her old friend.
The doe lightly tapped the human’s shoulder, “Hey, Kris-mas, ” she said in a singsong voice. Kris didn’t react. Noelle tapped them with a bit more force. “ Krissy ,” the human remained stationary but offered a soft mumble, and the deer grew annoyed. She placed the tip of her hoof on Kris’s shoe, quickly applying more pressure, causing Kris to awake to the sharp pain.
“Ow ow ow! Geez, Sooz. ” Kris grabbed and rubbed their foot, then looked up to see their assailant . Quickly trying to change their demeanor, they slouched to a more casual position. “Oh hey, Noelle, what’s up?”
“I have a, uh, a favor to ask. I-it’s kinda like a prank, I guess.”
“Done.” The human answered stoically. Noelle could only blink in perplexity.
“Done?”
“Yep, I’ll do it.”
“But I haven’t told you what it is.”
“Yeah, I’m not missing this. Who’s the target?” The doe sighed. She shouldn’t have been surprised.
“My… my mom.”
“Your mom?”
Noelle did not respond.
“Alright, I got a few ideas right off the bat, mess with her work desk, potato in her car exhaust,”
“Actually, I've got a plan. But it’s, um, a little embarrassing.” Noelle timidly mumbled.
“I am fully willing to put my body and dignity on the line for this,” Kris said, dead serious.
“Heh, okay, well I-I… Ineedmeandyoutopretendtobedating .”
Noelle hid her head behind her hands, wishing she hadn’t said anything at all. This is too much. I’m just weirding Kris out. Oh angel, back out, just tell them you were kidding…
“I can do that.” Noelle looked to see the human had a snarky smile and, possibly, a red hue on their cheeks.
“R-really?” Noelle stuttered nervously.
“Yeah, she barely tolerates us hanging out. It’s a great idea. ”
“Fahaha, oh thank you Krismas!” She cheered, grabbing the human's hands into hers. The human snickered and smiled softly.
December 16th Saturday
The entrance bell rang as Kris held the door to Qc’s Diner open for their fake girlfriend. “Faha, how polite.” Noelle chirped.
The pair took a booth seat next to the window, and Kris took out a notebook from their backpack. School had been out for only a day, and Kris had knocked on her door this morning, requesting a diner breakfast to “plan.”
Flipping through pages, the human finds what they’re looking for and puts it on the table. “Alright, step one: spread the word. It’ll hit harder if your mom finds through word of mouth rather directly through you.”
“Whew, okay, when do we start?”
“Right now.”
“W-what?”
“Follow along,” Kris reaches out their hand, motioning for her to take it. Noelle takes it into her grasp, hand shivering with nerves. If Kris noticed, they didn’t say. Noelle didn’t know why she was so nervous; they’d held hands before, but this felt different. Not worse, but different. Kris placed their elbow on the table and laid their chin into their hand. They flicked their bangs slightly, just enough for their eyes to slip through.
Noelle could get lost in those eyes, crimson, with a little bit of eyeshadow. She felt so lucky she got to see those eyes as much as she did. It was a privilege that not many had. The doe hardly noticed Catti coming to take their order.
After Catti left, Kris pulled away and flipped down their hair, leaving Noelle longing. “And just like that,” the human said with gusto, “We’re a happy couple.”
“What? How?”
“Catti will tell Jockington. Jockington will talk too loud, and someone else will hear. That someone might say it a little differently, and by tomorrow morning, your mom will know.” Kris all-too-casually explained, hands behind their head.
“Oh, that was… fast,” Noelle half mumbled, more than a little disappointed. She probably should have been glad to not work too hard on this ruse, yet she didn't realize how much she enjoyed the excuse to spend a lot of extra time with Kris. “We ain't done yet, mistletoe!”
Noelle snickered at the ridiculous pet name yet felt an odd flutter in her chest. Kris continued, “This is all gonna lead up to the big event.”
“And what would that be?” the doe asked as she was handed her sandwich and Kris their cocoa.
“It'll be my Christmas present for you,” the human said with a sly grin.
December 18th Monday, Morning
Noelle trudged through the snow, determined to make it to the clinic. Since her dad had been placed into around-the-clock care, the young deer hadn't missed her daily visit once. Today, however, a horrid snowstorm impeded her trip, the snow stinging her face as she tried to shrink into her scarf. Her mother would have killed her if she knew Noelle was out.
Pushing open the door to the clinic and receiving a slightly confused glance from the nurse at the front desk, Noelle embraced the heat of the clinic and wiped the snow off of herself. The nurse gave her a polite smile, knowing more than well the reason for Noelle's visit. The doe returned the smile and stepped through the doors to her father's room. What she saw left her completely confused as she pushed open the door. “Kris?”
The human slouched on a chair next to the girl's bedridden father, who was in the middle of a hearty chuckle. The laughing buck looked at his perplexed daughter. “Oh hey, sugarplum , look who decided to pay a visit.” Rudy had a soft and supportive smile that comforted the girl, and Kris had a smile that filled her with joy and anguish for what they may have said to her father. “H-hey, dad!” she chirped, full of nerves. Noelle acknowledged the human with a sharp glare. The human had not informed her they'd be here today.
“Sorry, Dad, could I talk to Kris privately for a hot second?” She said, trying not to look too frustrated. The older man looked at Kris, who only shrugged. Rudy's smile widened. “Alright, don't take too long,” he said in a knowing voice that made her blush and cringe simultaneously. She grabbed Kris’s arm tightly and pulled them into the hall. “Kris, what the sauerkraut are you doing?!” She said in a whispered scream that made Kris chuckle.
“Advertising,” they said more than a little smugly. Noelle would've strangled them if she didn't find it so endearing. “It’ll make an impact on your mom if Rudy approves of me, not that he wouldn't already.” The human continued. “News already made it to him as well. Nurse both has and is, a big mouth.”
“Kris, you didn't even tell me about this. Couldn't you have at least texted me?” She pleaded, receiving only a shrug in response. Noelle sighed and rubbed her eyes, “Kris, I really appreciate you helping me with this, but I have to be…” she stopped to consider her phrasing, “Active, in this, ya know.”
Kris looked at her for a while in consideration, “Alright, do you have any ideas?” Noelle searched through her mental list but then looked back to her friend. They weren't wearing their signature sweater, which they sometimes wore for days at a time. Kris wore a clean, newer-looking blue sweater and a brown Jacket. Along with that, something was different about their hair, it remained thick and covered their eyes, but it was less unruly and tangled, and Noelle could smell the apple shampoo. She knew Kris had to be coaxed into doing anything besides the bare minimum of teeth brushing, much to Toriel's ire. Was Kris trying to look good when seeing Dad? Were they trying to impress him?!
The thought made Noelle warm. It was a small, unmentioned gesture from the human, but it made her terribly happy. “Yeah, I have an idea.”
December 19th, Tuesday, midday
“Seriously, what's in the bag El?”
The two phony partners made their way through the near ankle-high snow left from the previous day's storm. Noelle and Kris had spent most of the day together, so the human was surprised when their friend knocked on their front door so early with a bag she refused to disclose the contents of, quickly convincing the human to join her in a walk-in the forest.
She turned back to the human and said, “I can have surprises for you too, Krismas.” with a wink, causing Kris’s heart to do a summersault. Kris tried to avoid eye contact to hide the blush growing on their face. It's just a favor, they reminded themself. She only wants you to help prank her mom. Looking around, Kris began to recognize their surroundings, so they weren't too shocked when Noelle led them to the woodland pond. However, they were surprised to see the lake had been entirely cleared of snow, its exposed icy surface glaring at the morning sun's reflection.
“Yo,” said a voice. Kris looked to see the large lizard Susie standing near the ice edge with a snow shovel. Kris cocked an eyebrow suspiciously. Hearing a rustle, they turned back to see Noelle pulling something out of her bag. She revealed two pairs of ice skates, one pair explicitly made for hooves. “Thanks for the help, Susie!” The doe chirped, putting on her pair and leaving Kris’s side to step onto the ice, beginning to skate gracefully.
“Yeah, no problem,” She responded with a sharp grin. “I'm off to mess with Bird brain, s’more, if you need me.” Susie started to walk past Kris before tapping them on the shoulder. “ Good luck, dude,” she said with a snark-ridden chuckle, only deepening Kris’s confusion.
“Good luck?”
“Yeah, probably won't need it, though, heh,” She sauntered off into the woods, snickering to herself.
“Coming, Kris?” the doe called out, “or have you still not learned to skate? Faha.”
The playground teasing got more of a rise out of Kris than they’d care to admit, filling them with the determination to keep any of the little dignity they had in their friend's eyes. Putting on the skates, they went onto the ice with a slide, figuring they could impress the doe. But Kris’s confidence was shown to be misplaced. During t heir slide, their legs slipped out from under them, and they fell backward, flipping around to try and catch themselves, but only hitting the ice facefirst, t h e bitter cold of the ice stinging their now sore cheek. The human grimaced as they heard the sharp noise of blades on ice approach them, snickering along with it.
Kris turned themselves over to be sitting, looking up to see their tall friend barely keeping in a gut laugh, putting a hand over her mouth to prevent breaking upon seeing the human’s beat red face. “Okay, I never did learn to skate,” they said in mock defeat, a small plan in their head.
“Faha, that's okay, Kris, come on,” Noelle said, holding out her hands to help the human up. Kris grabbed her hands but moved to kick her skates out from under her, toppling the girl over with a yelp. Kris began to laugh before she landed right on top of them. The doe was able to barely catch herself before crashing into the human, but they found themselves with faces inches apart, close enough to feel each other's hot breath contrast with the chilled air. The two went silent. Kris’s face grew an even deeper red than before, and Noelle's nose glowed so bright it nearly blinded the human pinned under her.
Noelle's breathing quickly grew heavier before pulling away from her friend, noticeably shaking a little. Both she and Kris promptly tried to apologize.
“S-S-sorry Kris, I didn't mean to-.” “No, I was the one who-” “ But I-I could've and tried landing in another-” “You were just trying to help me up, and I thought it would- would… Sorry, Kris.” she finished weakly, facing away from the human, both still lying on the cold ice floor. Kris cursed themselves, possibly making the rest of their time here brutally awkward.
The human began to scooch themselves across the ice, making their way to the doe’s other side. She looked at Kris, confused for a few moments, before starting to laugh, “ Faha, what the heck are you doing?”
The human eventually reached their destination, dropping to their side and propping up their head with their hand. “Hey,” Kris said casually, their faces quite close once again. Noelle's eyes widened, and nose began to glow again. “H-hey,” she said, looking almost hypnotized by the human's fiery red eyes. Kris smiled sweetly, seeing their pseudo-suave moves were enjoyed by their old friend, making the human feel overwhelmingly warm inside.
“Did you and Susie clear the snow off the ice so you could teach me to skate?” The human asked, already knowing there was more to it than that. Noelle averted her eyes, muttering something to herself in an attempt to calm herself. “I-I, I thought maybe if we went on a more, r-romantic fake date… w-we could be more believable for my mom.” She said with a cadence, like she was asking a question.
“That's it?”
The girl looked to her friend, fear and desire in her eyes. Before she sighed, looked to the ground, and nodded her head.
Kris wanted desperately to make another move, nearly certain Noelle shared the feelings they’d had for her since the human could remember. But they held themselves back. Their job was to anger Noelle's mom, and if the Christmas plan went well, she’d be angry for a while. “Well then, teach me how to skate,” The human said in their best attempt to cheer up their friend.
Noelle looked back to Kris, a soft glow from her nose and a gentle smile that filled Kris with unending want. Just get to Christmas Eve.
December 24th, Sunday, mid-afternoon,
Noelle hurried home excitedly, baking supplies from Sans’ store in hand. The many townies waved to her merrily . The fresh snow, blinking lights, and inflatable Santas spread pure Christmas cheer throughout Hometown. Christmas in Hometown was one of the most extraordinary times of year for the young doe, partially so she could wear one of her hundreds of Christmas sweaters. The one she had on currently was littered with many reindeer with noses a similar color to hers.
Her hooves clicked on the recently shoveled sidewalk as she bound towards home , cursing herself for not having baked these goodies sooner. Upon arriving at her home's gate, she realized her folly, unable to grab her key from her sweater's breast pocket. Noelle lifts one shopping bag, hangs it on one of her antlers, and pulls out her key.
Rushing through the door, her fluffy ears were filled with the sound of laughs and radio Christmas tunes. Noelle goes to make her way to the source of the laughter but stops as she sees her mother sitting in her large armchair, reading a newspaper without a hint of emotion on her face. The older doe glances up to her daughter. “Your father and… friend… are in the kitchen.” She said dryly.
An unending wave of confidence, her weeks-long plan finally paying off. Finally, she was properly getting under her mom's skin. “ Thanks, Mom!” She said in an overly gleeful voice, then trotted towards the kitchen.
She found Rudy, Kris, and Mr. Asgore playing a form of ring toss, but with Kris trying to throw the rings onto Rudy and Asgore's horns. The stag and goat nearly doubled over with prolonged laughter, and Kris smiled wildly . The sight caused overwhelming joy in Noelle, and only partially because her mother hates it when the house gets too loud.
With no small effort from Rudy, Noelle’s mother had allowed Kris to join them for Christmas Eve dinner. And even more impressively, Rudy had convinced Kris's dad to join them as well . Kris knew that Asriel would be visiting home and spending most of Christmas Eve with their mother, and the human didn’t want Asgore to be alone for the holiday. The old stag had to pull out all of his charisma on his wife, considering the mayor’s and Asgore's strained relationship.
After a while, Kris and Noelle began to bake cookies in a plethora of holiday shapes as the parents talked for a long time about their college years. Even Noelle's mother began to relax, joining in after a few drinks of what the parents claimed to be “eggnog.”
Memories flooded into Noelle's thoughts. The Christmas was so similar to the ones before their families had grown apart before Kris had hidden away in isolation. When she thought her lingering anxiety that Kris had never truly liked her, that she was just a friend by convenience, was proven true.
Noelle felt a pressure around her back that made her jolt and nearly caused her to drop the mixing bowl she was carrying. She looked down to see the shorter human had slipped their arm around her, the crook of her back. The deer's nose flashed brightly, and Noelle felt as if she could melt into a blushing puddle. All her anxieties didn’t matter to her at that moment, she had Kris back as a friend, and that’s more she could ever ask for. And even if she craved more, she could be okay with just pretending, at least for the time being. She’d have to be okay with that.
The bellowing voice of Asgore interrupted Noelle's thoughts, “How are things going, kiddos?” Noelle thought she might now be melting into an embarrassed puddle while Kris barely reacted, remaining clung to their fake girlfriend's side. She found herself pissed yet charmed by the arrogant look she spotted on the human’s face.
Later on, as the evening drew darker and as more eggnog was consumed, the two families were gathered around the holiday's large fireplace. Noelle's father lounged on their colossal leather couch, leaning against her mom, who sat ever so slightly more casual than usua l. The two friends sat close on the floor, and the goat patriarch sat on an old velvet chair that creaked when he shuffled to find comfort. The human looked over to their father, then lightly tapped him with their foot.
“Huh? Oh, right!” Asgore laughed, “You can go… do your uh, thing, my child.” Without a word, Kris stood up and walked away, confusing the doe they previously sat beside. But her attention was quickly caught by her father. “We oughta do this more often with Asgore, right hun?” the stag said to his indifferent spouse. She sighed, “The wreath you brought was… elegant. Thank you, Asgore.”
The hulking monster struggled to respond for a moment, stupefied by a seemingly genuine compliment from the mayor. “Of course, the least I could do. And may I say your home is as wonderful as the last time I’ve been.”
Rudy laughed and leaned forward with a grin, his wide dimples accentuated. “It’s always great seeing you, Gorey! Feel free to visit whenever you’d want,’ specially now that the kids have… well, reconnected. '' The buck said as if he’d forgotten the daughter he was referring to sat five feet away.
Rudy continued to grin while his wife shot a few daggers at him with her eyes . Asgore laughed nervously in response, trying to avoid stepping on the mayor's hooves. Rudy, despite common sense, made a statement to his wife. “Wasn’t much of a surprise anyhow, right Carol?” He glanced over at Noelle with knowing eyes.
The holiday matriarch sighed in annoyance before taking a long sip from her drink. Noelle watched intensely, waiting for the moment of truth to arrive, whether her gambit had paid off. Yet as Carol finished her drink and looked as if she was going to respond, the young human flung themselves down beside the now startled doe. “Kris? Where’d you go?”
The human smirked but didn’t answer before Noelle heard a barely muffled snicker from her father. Turning to look, she saw her dad trying to hold in laughter and Asgore with a wide smile. Her mother looked on, facing the fire with indifference. “ Oh Ho, I quite like your new… Headwear, Noelle!” Asgore said a little too statically as if he’d rehearsed it.
The doe glanced up, seeing a small flower had been taped to one of her antlers. It was a mistletoe. Noelle squeaked in shock and nerves, eyes darting to her friend sitting beside her. They were glaring at their father, frustrated with his unnatural delivery. Kris looked back to her, flicking their bangs to the side to expose their red eyes, Noelle's nose glowing redder in turn.
Kris scooched closer to the deer, and Noelle's heart skipped a beat. They put a hand on her leg, and her breathing hitched. The rest of the room fell away from her. Noelle didn’t feel the heat of the fire, the chuckle of her father, or the itch of her sweater. She only saw Kris. Their rowdy brown hair. Their round, blushing faces and eyes filled with a fire she’d never seen before. Their pursed, slender lips.
Noelle felt an uncontrollable urge stir inside her. A desire the girl felt for years but couldn’t name. A desire to break away from what was meant for her, from any future her mother or anyone else had planned for her. For once, she’d be able to take something for herself, something that wasn’t handed to her on a preordained platter. She would get what she truly wanted, what she needed, the person she needed.
With a defiant and somewhat crazed look in her eyes, she grabbed her human by the collar of their sweater and pulled them in close.
The old friends' lips met in a tender embrace, and Noelle found herself calmed by the connection. The kiss was a bit too hard, a bit too short, and altogether filled with the inexperience of a first-time lip lock. But it couldn’t have been more perfect for Noelle, a climatic release of emotions she’d left hidden away for far too long.
She looked to Kris, who looked flustered beyond belief. Shocked by Noelle's sudden advancement but nowhere near against it. The human laughed softly to themselves and sank into the girl's side. Noelle could have stayed with Kris there until the stars imploded and the universe started anew had she not been roused from her blissful state by Asgore and her father's hearty laugh and a declaration of “Took 'em long enough!”.
The night continued on as if one of the best moments of the young girl's life hadn't just occurred. The Dreemurrs revealed they had gifts to give, and to not so much of a surprise, the Holidays announced they did as well. With the gifts and Asgore having too much eggnog to drive Kris or himself home, it was decided the two would spend the night, and gifts would be given in the morning.
The Holiday home had more than enough guest rooms for Kris to have their own space, and even Rudy wasn’t lenient enough for it to be anywhere but the other side of the house from Noelle's room . After the two friends bid each other a slightly awkward and tension-filled goodnight. Noelle found herself passing her parents' room and suddenly recalled why any of this was happening in the first place. She knocked on the door with trepidation and received a “You can enter.” in response.
She peeked her head inside and saw her mother in bed, donning a pair of reading glasses and flipping through a novella with an oily-looking vampire monster on the cover. “Yes, Noelle?” She said with only a glance at her daughter.
“Hey, Mom, you never told me what you thought of me and Kris being together.” She asked with snark, satisfied with finally resisting her mother's will.
“Oh yes, I approve.”
The world caved in on the young doe for a few moments, unable to fully process what she’d heard. “Y-you do?”
“Mmmhmm,” Carol responded, half listening.
“B-b-but Kris is hardly p-proper, right?” She pleaded, looking for some sign her mother was simply saving face.
“Yes, Kris does have a reputation for being a hoodlum. I feel like your relationship will reduce those habits. You’re a good influence on them.”
“Aren’t you worried about my future? Our family’s reputation?”
“Nonsense, dear, Kris is quite a smart person. I inquired with Ms. Alphys when I learned of your… involvement, And Kris has some of the best, even if they spend the vast majority of their school time asleep. I believe if given proper motivation to apply themselves, they can go far in life.”
Noelle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Half a month of effort is rendered pointless by a few sentences. Her mother continued,
“As for our reputation, a human involved with the family will be good for the town. A sign for more Humans to move into Hometown, new voter base for reelection.”
A wave of disgust washed over Noelle to hear Kris, her Kris, reduced to nothing but an avenue for her mother's politics. Noelle hadn’t defied her mother, hadnt finally stood up to her. She’d acted directly for her benefit. Noelle trudged to her room without a word.
December 25th, Monday, 1:43 am
Noelle tossed and turned in her bed, the fluffy comforter weighing heavy upon her. Her body yelled in exhaustion, but her brain was racing too fast to sleep. She looked at her clock, disappointed and relieved with how she’d have to wait for the morning to arrive.
Anxiety filled the young girl's heart, not knowing what the next morning would bring. Her mother didn’t disapprove of her relationship with Kris. Hell, she benefited from it. Logically, that means they can stop pretending. There's no more point to it. The very thought filled Noelle with aching loneliness.
She still had Kris in her life, and they weren’t losing them again. However, now that she’d gotten a taste, a friendship wouldn’t be the same.
“Gosh damn it,” Noelle mumbled to herself, throwing aside her sheets and clambering out of bed with a soft thud of hooves on the carpet. She crept her way to the bedroom door, unable to wait to see her old friend.
Before she could reach her door, she saw the handle turn fast and the door open swiftly yet silently. The doe would’ve screamed in surprise had she suppressed it by covering her mouth with her hand. She saw Kris on the other side of the doorway, eyes wide in shock that the girl was awake. The human recovered fast, creeping inside and shutting the door without a word.
“Kris? What are you doing here?” She whispered, feigning concern that barely covered up the glee of their presence. The human shrugged, “Probably the same reason you're still up.” The human walked past her and flopped down on Noelle's bed carelessly.
She looked long at her friend, a debate storming inside her. She knew she had to tell Kris, but she never wanted this to end. “K-kris?”
The human propped themselves up onto their elbows and looked at her intensely, waiting for her to continue. “M-my mom, she said she… approved of us.”
Noelle felt her insides crack as a disappointed frown appeared on Kris’s face. She tried to take deep breaths, but she was unable to stop the tears that silently streamed down her face, matting down the fur on her cheeks.
Kris sighed and sat upright on the bed's edge. They patted the spot next to them, motioning for the girl to join them. Noelle sat fast, nearly stumbling on her way. She pulled the human into a tight hug, which they reciprocated softly. The pair stayed in the embrace for a while, with the brutal truth that once they departed, they wouldn't be able to pretend anymore.
“What if she lied?”
Noelle pulled away just enough to see Kris’s face. “Wh-what do you mean?” She asked,
“What if she was just… saving face? She couldn’t be okay with us.” Kris said confidently as if no other explanation could work.
Noelle could live with that.
“I-I think you’r e right.” She smiled, wiping tears from now matted fur. “I think she was real peeved.” She couldn't help but laugh a little as it occurred to her how ridiculous this all w as. How easy the two of them could have the start of this relationship. She made an attempt to point out how unnecessary this had become.
“Kris, could we-“ Noelle felt Kris’s hand press lightly on her chin, and she froze, overwhelmed by emotion. She was only able to relay a gleeful squeak to their human. The doe felt she may implode into a thousand hearts as her friend put a hand on her thigh, propping themselves even closer to her face, giving her a pleasant whiff of their apple shampoo.
“So,” Kris whispered, their breath sending her fur on edge, “we’d need to pretend to be a couple for a… loooong while, huh?”
Noelle could only nod in response as she’d gained a heavy shake. Kris hummed with a satisfied, loving smile. “Great, maybe we could… appall her with some more… lip action. Want to practice?”
Noelle lunged onto them, pulling her new lover's body close to her own. Kris made a noise Noelle couldn’t quite discern, but she knew confidently it was one of pleasure.
They stayed there “practicing” for a long while, uncaring to whether or not Noelle's mother cared about them whatsoever. They cared for each other, and that’s all they needed.