"Keep up!"
"You're the one who was lagging behind earlier," Guntz huffed, rolling his eyes. Klonoa smiled at him, taking his gloved paws in his own. The kitten pulled the wolf along.
"I don't want you to miss the surprise!" Klonoa smiled. The snow crunched under their boots as the younger led the older up Bell Hill. Klonoa was wrapped up in multiple layers, Guntz in one. The wolf didn't need it; his fur thicker than Klonoa's.
"Listen, Klo'oa," Guntz sighed, stopping his walking, "I have to tell you something before you take me any further." Klonoa stopped and looked at his boyfriend.
"What's the matter?" he asked, tilting his head. Guntz's sapphire eyes darted down.
"The holidays," he began slowly, "They aren't easy for me. Especially with it being my birthday, too. I don't want to get your hopes up on me magically getting excited." He paused, realizing how that sounded. His ears laid back as his eyes widened, him quickly thinking of what next to say. "I-I mean.. i-it's not like that exactly. I-it's just, I never had a family to celebrate with. Not for long. This is my first year with you." Klonoa smiled sympathetically. He took his paws gently again.
"I know," the cat said. "That's why I don't want you to be alone even more this year. You shouldn't have been all those years before." He hugged Guntz, smiling for him. "So I'm making up for all of them. Starting this year." He looked up at the wolf, before smirking. "Now will you come up the hill to see your surprise? It can't wait for forever!" Guntz blinked, before giving a somewhat curious smile.
"What's a surprise so special it can't wait?" he asked as Klonoa ran up. Klonoa stopped, smirking down at Guntz, slightly more elevated than him.
"It's special because it's for you," the floppy eared cat grinned. He started running again, his long ears flopping behind him. Guntz smirked, running after Klonoa. Though the cat was more agile, snow wasn't the easiest for him to travel in. Guntz easily caught up to Klonoa.
Their competitive natures peaked out in that little moment.
The two teenagers began racing each other, Guntz's black ponytail floating behind him, Klonoa's black and white, rabbit-like ears doing the same. Snow started drifting down, getting on their clothes and heads. The two neared the edge, before they both hit the tip of Bell Hill in a tie. They panted, smiling and Klonoa giggling between his breaths. Their breath could be seen in front of them with how cold it was. Guntz sat in the snow.
"I beat you," he smirked. Klonoa pouted and crossed his arms.
"What makes you so sure? I bet it was a tie," he huffed. Their interactions weren't to be confused by any means as fighting, it was just them being competitive. They had both been known to have that trait in them, and it always lead to little challenges every so often, intentional or not. It was a toss up at times, both having their own sets of skills that were vastly different at times. But it was fun for them to compete, no matter who won.
"It was fun, either way," Guntz shrugged, trying to keep his cool and cocky attitude. Klonoa flopped back in the snow. Guntz blinked, confused, but a smile on his face. "What're you doing?"
"Just laying back here," Klonoa smiled. He grabbed Guntz's arm and pulled him down, both flopped back in the snow. Klonoa smiled up at the sky as the snow stopped, some clouds clearing. He sat up, and meowed loudly.
"Klo'oa?" Guntz looked at the kitten worried, sitting up himself. "What's the matter?"
"Look!" Klonoa grinned, "It's a shooting star!" Guntz looked up at the sky and smiled. "Make a wish!" Guntz blinked and looked at Klonoa again.
"I don't have a wish to make," he spoke simply, "I have you here with me. That's all I could wish for." Klonoa blushed before blinking and smiling shyly.
"I almost forgot to give you your Christmas present," he said. He opened his coat, and held out a present with red wrapping paper and silver bow. Guntz reached into his winter coat and pulled out his own gift to Klonoa, present wrapped in blue and a yellow bow. Klonoa and him traded the boxes.
"Open yours first," Klonoa smiled. Guntz's golden cheeks turned a light orange from his blush. He opened the box, before smiling at what was inside.
It was a new gun, pack of special bullets alongside it. The handle had their last names engraved on it, a heart in between. The gun was Guntz's signature colors with his symbol on the side. The hunter held it in his hand, examining it.
"Klonoa," he could barely speak above a whisper, "Th-this is the exact one I wanted! I can't believe you got it for me." Klonoa smiled.
"That's not the end of your present," he said. "But I wanna open mine now! The wrapping is so pretty!"
"Did it myself," Guntz smiled shyly. Klonoa opened up his gift, gasping and smiling at what he saw.
It was a bracelet, a simple but still pretty, silver one with little blue gems decorating it, blue being Klonoa's signature color. But under it, was the first picture of Klonoa and Guntz together on their first real date. Klonoa slid the bracelet on, before he hugged Guntz tightly.
"I love it," the cat smiled. "Thank you, so much! It's beautiful." Guntz hugged Klonoa back, before kissing Klonoa's forehead.
"Now what's the last of my surprise?" he smiled. Klonoa stood up in the snow, pulling Guntz up. He pointed down at the town below.
"Look!" he giggled. Guntz held Klonoa by the waist as they looked down, before smiling himself.
The town was all aglow, with lights and Christmas decorations. The snow began to fall again, before the wolf and cat held each other's gloved paws. Guntz chuckled to himself.
"I was never much for the decorations," he began, "But it looks beautiful from up here. And when you're not looking at it alone." Klonoa smiled and nuzzled himself close to Guntz.
"Merry Christmas and happy birthday, Guntz," Klonoa smiled. "I love you." Guntz hugged Klonoa, close but gentle to him.
"I love you, too, Klonoa."