A/N: The Celestial Sky Dragon brings you the First story of the year. I worked really hard for this one, it took me about three days, and its 54 pages long. Its a Nekopara story, involving my oc Nate and Coconut..I hope all of you are having a great new year and I hope you enjoy this one-shot. Its actually a part of my one-shots of the year. I have several lined up, with this being the first, the next one will also be Nekopara, and it shall be about one of my favorite characters named Nick and his love interest Maple. Happy New Year to all of you...
Nekopara Cat Paradise
Coconut x Oc
Another day, another chance to do something with my life, another day I'm gonna stay in bed.
These were the thoughts of a young man, currently laying on his bed. The curtains were closed, so it was relatively dark inside the room. One could faintly see the posters on the walls. He also had shelves around his room, displaying his figurines and rare comic books. There were also pictures of famous Cosplayers from conventions he had gone too. This boy was named Nate, and he was Twenty years old. He had short black hair, all messed up from his bedhead. He wasn't wearing a shirt, leaving his slightly toned chest uncovered. He was wearing basketball shorts and black socks. He had a bored expression on his face.
Nate was a high school graduate, well..it had been three years since he had graduated. He now spent his time at home, having nothing to do. His older sister Peppermint was always bugging him. As you may have guessed from the name, she was a catgirl. He didn't understand it yet, but in his world, catgirls were a thing. They were born like humans but were more cat than human. Humanoid was the closest thing to labeling them. Thing was, they had normal human life spans as well, so they could live longer than the average cat. Before he was born, his mother had adopted her, so she was around two years older than he was. His mother wasn't home, luckily being at work, and his scum bag father had left them after he was born. He knew that if he ever saw or met him, he'd beat the shit out of him. He sighed and rolled over, looking at the picture on his night table. It was of himself when he was just starting middle school. His older sister was hugging him tightly, her tail swaying around. He didn't know what breed of cat she was, but he knew that she had a light gray tail, along with long gray hair and pointed gray ears. A golden bell hung from her neck, allowing her to attend school with him. Her light blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight. He smiled slightly at the memories. That was until he heard his door open. He groaned as the lights turned on.
"Seriously? You're still in bed? What the hell little brother?" a feminine voice called out. He looked at the doorway, seeing his pissed off sister glaring at him. Peppermint had matured early in life, so most of the traits she had now were ones she had gained around her late teens. She still had her long gray hair, which reached down to her mid back. She was wearing a light pink top, which left her midriff exposed, along with matching black skinny jeans and brown boots. She had a decently sized chest, which got her a lot of attention from the male population. She had her hands at her hips.
"Pepper, I don't feel like doing anything, so just chill out and let me wallow in my room." He replied. She walked further into the room and threw the curtains open, letting in the sunlight and causing the teen visible pain.
"You are hopeless. You graduated high school with amazing grades, better than me and yet I have the high end job. Is that really what you plan on doing for the rest of your life?" she asked. Her Golden bell jingled a bit as she walked.
"I plan on doing it for a few hours." he said. She grabbed a fresh shirt from his closet, along with a pair of blue jeans and his leather cowboy boots.
"Get dressed, we're going out." she said firmly, leaving the room. He sighed angrily and sat up. He pulled off his basketball shorts and grabbed his jeans, putting them on one leg at a time. He grabbed his shirt, noticing he paw print on it. He rolled his eyes and put on his body. He walked over to his vanity mirror and grabbed a brush, brushing his hair a bit, though no matter what he did, it would be forever spiky. He put on his boots and grabbed his jacket, putting it on but leaving it unzipped. He headed downstairs, finding his sister drinking a glass of milk.
"You know, if you keep drinking milk like that you'll get chubby."
"Ha ha, very funny." she said. She looked him over, nodding to herself.
"So, where exactly are we going?"
"Around. Its a bit cold out today, but we can make the most of it. Its Christmas Eve after all." she said with a smile. She washed the glass she had used and set it on the dish rack. Nate grabbed his house keys and slipped them in his pocket, along with his phone, charger and wallet. He followed his sister outside, firmly closing the door behind him.
His front yard was covered in the receding snow. It had snowed a few days prior, nothing major, but it had been enough to cover the now dried grass. The trees around him were all bare, save for a few shrubs and Evergreen trees that stayed green year round. A few brown leaves from fall flew in the cold breeze. He shivered a bit and headed to the passenger side of his sisters car. She unlocked the door and let him inside.
"I still can't believe mom bought you a car." He said, closing the door. He settled into the seat, shivering a bit.
"That's because I'm a mature bell holding catgirl...this was my reward for getting my certification. I was just to young at the time, and I have a high end job as a model." she said.
"Yes Peppermint, remind me of the fact that you are a fashion model and are swimming in millions of dollars." he said. She jabbed his ribs, earning a small cry of pain from him. She slipped the key into the ignition and turned the car, on, the engine roared to life, making her smile a bit. Nate quickly turned the heat on, rubbing his hands together.
"Sissy."
"Screw you." he said, blowing a rhaspberry at her. She shook her head and shifted into reverse, slowly pulling out of the driveway.
"So sis, where are you modeling next? Milan? London?" he asked curiously.
"I'm going to Las Vegas actually. The Spring Line for my boss is about ready and they want us to start practicing. Luckily were all catgirls so we don't have to worry about the mean remarks we get. Mom is gonna be there too...for once I'd actually like it if you'd show up to one." she said.
"You know I feel awkward at those types of things, especially around your friends." he said.
"Aw, you're embarrassed because my friends adore you...but seriously, I'd love it if you came with me to Las Vegas this year. It would mean a lot to me if my favorite brother attended one."
"I'm your only brother." he said. They stopped at a red light, enough time for her to pinch his arm, though his jacket prevented her from inflicting any pain.
"Asshole. You're lucky that is a fluffy jacket." she said firmly. The light turned green and she drove off.
"Man, I'm surprised the streets are this dead. Its Christmas eve." he said, glancing out the window.
"Well, we haven't made it to the inner city yet." Peppermint said, glancing at him for a second. She noticed his phone in his hands, seeing that he was texting someone.
"Who are you texting?" she asked.
"My girlfriend Britney. She says hi by the way." he said. Peppermint scoffed and kept looking at the road in front of her. If she hated anyone in life, it was definitely Britney. She was a girl a year younger than her brother, and very good looking. She had a body to die for, with perfect breasts and ass. She had long blonde hair, which she usually dyed the ends of in some stupid color. She had a decent fashion sense, but since she was a fashion model, it took a lot to impress her with regular clothes. She didn't get a bachelors degree in Fashion design for nothing after all. She had a pretty face, which allured many in the past, she guessed so anyway, but her most noticeable features were her bright blue eyes.
However, as beautiful a girl Britney was, she was equally as condescending. She was self absorbed, manipulative and self centered. She had never met anyone as hypocritical as her. She and her had argued countless times in the past, mostly about the well being of her brother, but he always told her off for getting involved, even when she wanted nothing more than to protect him.
"Is something wrong sis? You've been awfully quiet."
"Nothing's wrong...you know I don't like you talking to that girl." she said. He sighed, returning his gaze out the window.
"Don't start with me again sis..you know I love Brit, its gonna be our first year anniversary soon. I'm actually happy that you got me out of the house, I need to buy her a Christmas gift." he said happily.
"I'm not stopping you...I want you to have a nice Christmas, even if its with her of all people...where do you wanna go?"
"The mall? I wanna check out the jewelry store." he said. She nodded and took a left turn, heading towards the shopping mall. They remained quiet after that. Nate noticed the sunlight had disappeared, being replaced with light gray clouds. He sighed, hoping it wasn't gonna snow. After about thirty minutes, he and his sister arrived at the mall. She parked near the food court, and both got out of the car. Peppermint made sure her bell was visible, in case anyone decided to be a douche bag and call her out on it. Theft by catgirls was increasing, so if you didn't have a bell, it wasn't going to be a fun time. A few people waved at her, recognizing her from Make up commercials and what not.
"Do you know any of them?" he asked.
"No, but when your face is plastered on beauty products, you get around." she said simply.
"Ever wonder if any horny teens are using your pictures to wack off?" he asked, brow raised.
"You know I've never kicked a man in the balls before. My boots are steel toed, and there's a chance I will grind my heel into them as well."
"Okay point taken." he said, taking a few steps away from her.
The mall was unsurprisingly filled with people, most of them doing last minute shopping for their friends and loved ones. Several decorations had been laid out, and in the center of the food court was a beautiful Christmas tree, decorated with bright lights and beautiful ornaments. Nate admired it for a few minutes, snapping a few pictures before heading off toward the Jewelry store.
"So, what do you think she'd...Pepper? Peppermint?" he stopped and turned around, looking for his sister. He found her at one of the restaurants, which was serving a special on seafood. She was watching the chef prepare all of the food, staring at the food hungrily. He sighed and took her hand.
"Pepper, come on we can't have you acting like this in public." he said, pulling her away.
"Can we have some before we go? Please?" she asked. He sighed.
"Two orders of seafood medley please." he said. The man smiled widely.
"Coming right up." he said.
The siblings ended up getting a table near the center of the food court. Peppermint had dug in way before he had even sat down. He was actually amazed at how fast she inhaled her food. If there was anything that catgirls couldn't avoid, it was their love of fish and seafood in general. At least he liked seafood himself, so it wasn't a problem for him to indulge her sometimes.
"So, you are clearly enjoying your food." he said, poking a few items with his fork.
"If course I am. Thanks for this little brother, since you bought me lunch, I'll help you pick out something Britney will absolutely adore. If anything, be glad that I'm here, because no one knows jewelry like a woman." she said.
"I'm happy to have your help sis..truly." he said with a smile.
They finished their lunch and threw their trash away, before heading towards the first store. Peppermint actually ended up buying a few shirts that would go great in any season. It was a bit embarrassing for Nate, being that he was in a girl store with his sister and most of the girls there recognized her from her work in fashion. A few catgirls felt the need to hug him, and Peppermint seemed to enjoy it, seeing as she was filming the whole time.
He bought a few things of his own, some articles of clothes, which his sister had picked out for him, as well as a few games. He snuck away from her for a few minutes to buy her something for Christmas, something that he knew she'd love. Finally they made it to the jewelry store, which was loaded with people. He felt a bit nervous, but he felt his sisters hand on his shoulder.
"Don't get cold feet now. This is your woman we're talking about, lets go find her something." she said excitedly. He nodded and walked deeper into the store. He looked at some necklaces, but felt that they wouldn't suit his purpose. Rings weren't something he wanted to buy, lest she get the wrong message. A watch wasn't something he wanted to spend money on, especially if she'd use her phone to check the time. He finally stopped by the bracelet display, seeing a few golden ones that looked good.
"What about a bracelet? Think she'd like it?" he asked, turning to his sister. Her ears wiggled a bit, lost in thought.
"A charm bracelet works, get her some charms of places you've been, or of things you've done. Every single time you do something special, you can buy her a new charm." she said.
"That's a great idea. Thanks sis." he said, giving her a hug. He walked off, trying to find one of the attendants. Peppermint sighed, shaking her head.
"I swear, that girl better appreciate what my brother is doing for her. She won't understand what she has until she's lost it." she thought firmly.
Finally, after a few minutes, Nate walked out with a gift wrapped box in his hand. He was smiling brightly, feeling extremely happy with his overall choice.
"She's gonna love it, and its all thanks to you sis." he said.
"Sure." she muttered quietly. He fished his phone out of his pocket and and dialed Britney's number, bring it to his ear. After a few seconds, he heard her pick up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hey sweetie, just calling to see how you're doing."
"I'm doing great, though I'm a little busy, Christmas and all...did you need something?" She asked curiously.
"I was wondering if you had some free time? Maybe come out for a quick date at Patisserie La Soleil? I have a little surprise for you." she said.
"O-oh..um...I...well...sure I have some time. Its three now...so how about we meet there in an hour?"
"That works for me. I'll go get us a table and everything, I gotta give Kashou his gift anyway." he said.
"Okay, I'll see you there."
He hung up the call and looked at his sister, a smile on his face.
"Think you can drop me off at La Soleil? I have a date with Brit."
"Yeah I heard...I dunno..I have a few things to do so I might not be able to pick you up later, and its supposed to snow." she said.
"Aw come on Pepper...please?" he asked. She sighed and gave him a nod.
"I'll drive you there, but like I said, I may not be able to pick you up." she said firmly.
"That's okay, I can take the bus home. Worse comes to worse I can always just walk." he said.
They headed back to her car, a bunch of gifts in their hands. After stepping inside the car. His sister didn't say much during the drive back into town. He knew what she was thinking about, she always thought Britney was a bad person for him to associate with. But he'd been with her for over a year, and he knew he could trust her. His sister would just have to suck it up. He really didn't want his Christmas to be like this, with his sister thinking ill things about who he loved.
"Pepper, we need to talk." he said.
"What about?" she asked, not tearing her eyes from the road.
"My love life." he said firmly. She looked at him oddly, before pressing the brakes, almost slamming into the car in front of her. She grit her teeth.
"What the fuck asshole? I almost crashed." she said.
"Well I want to have a serious conversation about this. Ever since I started dating Britney, you've been a bit distant. I know you hate her but you have to respect my choice." he said.
"I do respect your choice..but that doesn't mean I have to respect the person your dating. I don't like Britney, not her personality and not her attitude. That's my personal thoughts of her."
"Why is that?" he asked.
"Because, she's a brat, a condescending little tramp and self absorbed as hell. You deserve much better than her, someone who actually appreciates you for you, not someone who just loves being around you because you have money." she said firmly.
"She's not with me because I have money." he said.
"Oh, then why is she with you? And be honest?" Peppermint asked firmly.
"She's with me because she loves me, why else?" he asked.
"That's not a reason. Just because someone loves doesn't mean they want to be with you, there must be another reason why she's with you." she said firmly.
"I know why she's with me, I don't have to explain it to you..just get used to her, because we're not breaking up any time soon." he said firmly, looking out the window. She sighed, feeling her heart break a bit. It felt like she was being driven further away from her brother. They arrived at the local cafe, and he grabbed all of his things, opening the door and stepping outside. A few flurries were starting to come down, but nothing to serious.
"Uh...thanks for the ride Pepper..here I got you this earlier, don't open it until tomorrow." he said, handing her his gift. She looked at it oddly, before accepting it. She fished her own gift from a bag and handed it to him.
"Here, Merry Christmas little brother. I love you with all my heart, just remember that okay?" she asked. He nodded before closing the door. He watched her drive off, before heading inside.
He was immediately greeted by the warm atmosphere of the cafe. The bright walls and beautiful decorations gave the place a nice homey look to it. A few people were chatting amicably with friends, enjoying themselves quite a lot. He shivered a bit as he felt the door close behind him. He took a single step forward before he was tackled into a hug, almost dropping his bags.
"Nya, its Nate...Chocola missed you nya." a familiar voice cried out. He chuckled and tried hugging the girl back.
"Hey Chocola, I missed you too." he said. The girl pulled away from him, and he was able to take in her outfit.
Chocola was like his sister, a catgirl. She had long brown hair, tied into long twin tails with black ribbons. Two brown pointed cat ears sat atop her head. She had a cute face, with big brown eyes anyone would die for. She was wearing a black and red maid outfit, with a white undershirt. She had a few red bows on the skirt and her sleeves. She was wearing white stockings, with cat ears on them, as well as black shoes. She wore a heart shaped name tag on her right breast. Her bell was nestled in the center of a pink bow.
"What are you doing here nya? Its Christmas eve." she asked.
"Me and Britney have a date tonight for Christmas. Think you can get me my regular table?" he asked.
"Sure thing. Follow me...our specials for the day are Sugar Cookies, Hot Chocolate is free when you by a dozen, nya." she said, leading him to his table.
"That sounds great actually. Its really cold outside...is Kashou busy? I'd actually like to say hi to him."
"I'll go check to see if he is...Vanilla will be out here to take your order soon." she replied. He set his bags down beside him and took a seat at his usual booth by the back. Chocola curtsied politely and left to get her "Master". He pulled out his phone and shot a text off to his girlfriend, asking her where she was.
"Huh, not even a reply back..she must be really busy then..wonder if Toshio is up..I'll give him a quick call." he muttered to himself. He dialed his best friends number and brought the phone to his ear. After a few rings, he heard him pick up.
"Hello?"
"Yo, what's up Toshio, Merry Christmas." he said excitedly.
"Uh..yeah right..Merry Christmas to you too."
"Hey is something wrong? You sound pissed off?"
"I am pissed off, you just woke me up you dick. I got out of work about an hour ago, and I was working since Three AM."
"Well sorry for wanting to be festive you piece of shit. You can go fuck yourself." he said, hanging up the call. He looked up, seeing another one of the cafe's workers.
This girl had long white hair, with pointed white ears atop her head. She was wearing a matching dress to Chocola, though hers was blue in the areas hers was red. She had several blue bows in her hair. She usually had it tied half way down, but she left it down for today. She was wearing matching stockings, with black shoes. She had a blue heart shaped name tag on her left breast, the name Vanilla written in black pen. Her blue eyes scanned him over, a bored look on her face.
"Let me guess, Toshio is being a douche as always nya?" she asked.
"Pretty much. Your sister said something about some cookies?" he asked.
"Yes, we're having a special, get a dozen sugar cookies and the hot chocolate is free. I take it that's what you want?"
"For now, I'm waiting from Britney." he said. She nodded, still uninterested as always. She wrote his order down.
"I'll be back. Sit tight okay?" she asked.
He smiled and watched her go. He remembered the first time he had met her and her twin sister. They weren't as focused as they are now. Chocola was still as excitable, though she was a bit more bouncy than she was before. Vanilla almost didn't talk to him, unless Kashou was around, now she looked like a completely different person. She was still a Kuudere though. He sighed looking at his phone.
"Jeez, what was up his ass?" he thought. He sighed and tried messaging Britney again, only to get nothing as a reply. Getting a little desperate, he decided to give her a call. He brought the phone to this ear. After a few rings, he got her voice box.
"Damn it...hey Brit, its me...its almost four and you haven't answered my texts..I talked to Toshio and he was a bit of a prune today..weird huh? Well, I'll see you soon."
With that he hung up. Set his phone down on the table top and pulled out one of the notebooks he had bought at the mall. He turned to the first clean page, and brought out a spare pencil. He hummed to himself for a few seconds before he started writing.
"It was a Sunny day in the city of Wellington. The skies were clear and bright blue, the birds were chirping their morning songs. The breeze was light and airy, filled with the scent of blooming flowers and freshly cut grass. The smell of barbecues also drifted in the air, further cementing the summer season."
"Hey Nate, wasn't expecting to see you here."
He looked up, seeing the owner of the establishment. He was a man of twenty two, with light brown hair that was kept under a chef's hat. He had a light tan complexion, and dark brown eyes. He was wearing a white shirt, with an apron over it. He had matching white pants and shoes. If you looked closer you could see a bit of his muscles, though his baggy clothes made it harder to see. This was Kashou Minaduki, the owner of La Soleil and friend of Nate. The teen smiled and stood up, giving him a friendly hug.
"Hey man, I wasn't gonna be here either, but I wanted to have a Christmas date with Brit so I could hand her the gift I bought her. Chocola was rather excited I did show up though." He said with a little smirk.
"Well, it had been around a month since you last showed up. Peppermint was in Australia remember? You spent Thanksgiving with us."
"Oh right...I forgot that." he said, scratching his cheek.
"You tend to forget a lot of things. So how's it been?" he asked, taking a seat across from him. Nate shrugged, returning to his own seat.
"Its been the same as always. Peppermint is always away on some fashion things, mom is somewhere else and I'm stuck home alone..well I'm with Britney on most days. Other than that I'm in my little love nest, writing music or some new story." he said with a shrug.
"Really? You must have a full book by now. Any thing original yet?" he asked.
"Actually, I started something original just a few minutes ago..its gonna be about this Kitsune who falls in love with her best friend, but he's to busy trying to get the attention of the Head Cheerleader to pay attention. She decides to help him, just to spend time with him."
"Sounds like an interesting story. I'll be sure to buy a copy once its out, you know I've been reading your material since we were still in school." he said.
"Thats true. I've been working on writing since my Freshman year." he admitted.
"Why is it that you didn't go to college? I'm sure you could have gotten a degree in Literature." Kashou said.
"I know I could have, but it just annoys me, the fact that I have to continue in school just because I want to Publish something. I'd rather do self publishing, its much easier that way." he said with a shrug.
"That's true, that way, you could write what you want and not what the company wants. And you can keep the money for yourself." he said.
Chocola and Vanilla returned, each of them holding a tray. Chocola was set a steaming cup of Hot Chocolate down on the table, topped with mini marshmallows. Vanilla similarly did the same, setting down a tray of Sugar cookies, each being in the shape of either a snowman, a snowflake or a little man.
"Thanks girls, you can go ahead and have a few if you want." he said, grabbing one of the snowflakes.
"Nya, yay free cookies." Chocola cried out, grabbing two snowmen from the tray. Vanilla grabbed a snowflake for herself, staying quiet the entire time.
"You get free cookies all the time Chocola. This shouldn't be a surprise to you." Kashou said, crossing his arms. Nate chuckled, taking a sip from his Chocolate.
"Man, you out did yourself again. This chocolate is amazing." he said.
"That's imported. We usually charge a pretty penny for a cup of it, but seeing as its the Holidays, we decided to give it out for free. With a purchase of twelve cookies of course." he said, snagging one for himself. Chocola and Vanilla sat beside him, quietly eating their cookies.
"I can see why. Its Belgian isn't it?" he asked.
"Yup. I love how you can tell just by the taste."
"Eh, my sister brought back three boxes of Belgian chocolate from the time she went to Belgium. She ended up eating two of them on the way though, so all I got was one box and two empty ones. It was still the best thing I ever tasted. Second to your Peach cobbler of course." he said.
"So, where's Pepper going now?" Vanilla asked.
"Las Vegas. Apparently she's being called a bit early to practice for her Spring Line of modeling. She wants me to go see one, since I've never been to one...I don't know though."
"Chocola thinks you should go nya...it would mean a lot to Pepper if you showed up." the brown haired girl said.
"I agree with her. You could have been to a lot of cool places you know. She went to Paris last year, I'd die to go there, seeing as my cafe is based on a typical French setting." Kashou said.
"I might...though Vegas really isn't the place I'd like to go to. I'm scared to lose myself in the Gambling, seeing as I'll be twenty one by that point." he said, taking another sip from his chocolate.
"I trust you won't blow your life savings on gambling. That wouldn't really be good for your finances." Vanilla replied. Nate rose a brow.
"Alright you two, back to work..we have tons of orders to fulfill for Christmas eve, and besides, Britney is set to be here soon and we wouldn't want to mess up Nate's date right?" Kashou said.
"Yes Master. If you need anything else, do call us." Chocola said, giving him a half hug before grabbing her tray, and another cookie. Vanilla rolled her eyes and excused herself, following her Master toward the front desk. Nate was left alone once more, writing in his notebook. He would glance at his phone every so often, waiting for a reply from Britney, but she wouldn't reply back. He'd had called her a few times too, none of those times she seemed to answer. He was starting to sound desperate but he didn't care, seeing as it was Christmas and all.
He stared at his empty cup of chocolate, almost wishing it was full again. He looked at his notebook, seeing that he had filled a quarter of it with writing. He set his pen down and rubbed his hand free of the pins and needles that had formed.
"Yo, if it isn't Nate."
He looked up, seeing one of his friends from school. It was a young man, with light brown hair. He had a boyish face, with a bit of acne, though it was covered by his bangs. He was wearing a black winter coat, with faux fur on the collar. He wore matching black pants and thick winter boots. He was holding a beanie in his hands, along with a scarf.
"Nick, what's up?" he asked.
"Nothing much dude. I wasn't expecting to see you here, I'm actually waiting for someone..I decided to say hey to Kashou and the girls. What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for Britney. I wanted to give her a gift for the holiday. Who are you here for, if I might ask?"
"Oh...um...you remember Maple?" he asked.
"Maple? As in Maple Minaduki?" He asked, earning a nod from his friend. Nate chuckled, shaking his head.
"So you finally admitted that you like her eh? Not a bad catch." he said with a smirk.
"Yeah, Shigure asked me to take her somewhere, and we ended up talking about food. We went to this American style place and she loved it. Next thing I know, we're at a movie watching a cheesy romance flick. We've been on a date every Friday since, and today is no exception. She wanted to pop in and say hi to her sisters before we left for the movies."
"Oh...well damn...what movie you catching now?"
"Krampus...I heard it was a good horror flick. I feel like its something she'd love, even if she's a scaredy cat..no pun intended." he said, wiggling his brows. Nate chuckled, taking a bite out of a cookie.
"You hungry? I can order something...I didn't really get you anything for the Holiday so I can at least do that." he said.
"Sure I guess. Hey Vanilla, I wanna order something." he called out.
"Ugh...why did my day have to be ruined by you." She replied, narrowing her eyes.
"Love you too sis. I love teasing her sometimes...I still can't believe she's changed so much. I remember how nervous she used to be around strangers. And that wasn't that long ago."
"Last year in fact." he said.
"I think this was a good change for both her and Chocola, though that brown little vixen hasn't changed a bit." he said, peeking at the brown haired girl, who was sneaking some candy canes out of the box near the register. When she caught both of them staring, she eeped and ducked behind the counter. Both let out a laugh. Nate checked his phone, seeing that it was half past six..he shot another text to Britney, asking her if something was wrong.
"Man, where is she? Its been two hours." he said. Nick didn't say anything, and just waited for Vanilla to come to his side.
"Alright, what'll it be idiot?" she asked.
"Um...let me get some Apple Fritters, a few Gingerbread Cookies, and some Churros, you still have those right?"
"Yes we still have those. We're having a special, buy a dozen cookies and the Hot Chocolate comes out free." she said, writing everything down.
"Oh..well I'm not paying, if not I'd get it." he said with a sheepish smile. She sighed.
"Fine, I'll give you one for free, seeing as you and my sister are going steady. Just don't make kittens too soon okay?" she asked.
"Catgirls can't give birth to human babies you know." Nick said.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean you can't take a sample of your...stuff and genetically make one...I'll be right back with your order." she said, finishing the order down. She walked off, humming to herself.
"Definitely changed." They both said.
"Thanks for this man...you didn't have too."
"No no, your a close friend so its no bother to me." he said firmly.
Just then, they heard the door to the cafe open, the little bell jingling. Nate smiled brightly, thinking it was Britney, but was disappointed when he saw that it was Maple. The cat girl shook off the snow that had gathered on her light brown coat. She shivered a bit, taking her beanie off.
"May-May, over here." Nick called out, her face brightened up and she ran over to her boyfriend, who caught her in a hug.
"Nyah...I missed you Nick." she said, kissing him on the lips. Nate sighed and looked away from the couple. They pulled apart, and the girl looked at Nate, a smirk on her face.
"Aw, no hug for me Nathan?"
"I hate it when you call me that May." he said, standing up regardless, he have the girl a tight hug. He took notice of her outfit. She was wearing a light brown winter coat, with white fur on the hood. She was wearing a plaid red skirt, with yoga pants underneath. She wore dark brown boots, with fluffy ball laces. He saw her brown tail flicking about.
"Its good to see you. Its been a while." she said, bright green eyes glittering in the light. She and Nick sat down, with her being on his lap. She unzipped her coat a bit, enough for her bell to be seen.
"Yeah, I've been a little busy working on a manuscript of sorts." he said...it wasn't a lie...he couldn't really tell anyone that he'd been sleeping on most days.
"Really? I'd love to read it sometime." she said, pulling out her phone. Nick sighed and took it from her hand, earning a cute pout from her.
"No phone. You promised."
"Aw, but Nicky, I have to text Cinnamon back. You know how she gets."
"You mean extremely aroused? She was watching us kiss last night and it was awkward as fuck." he said.
"Was she? I tend to ignore her. Coconut has her on a leash most of the time." She said with a shrug.
"Well, she should keep her on a leash all of the time. I don't need her flushing every time I see her." he deadpanned.
"Guys, could you quiet down for a sec, I'm gonna call Britney again." Nate said, about to dial her number.
"Don't bother, I saw her heading somewhere with that retard Toshio." Maple said, snagging the last cookie from the tray.
"Huh?" he asked.
"Didn't you know? They've been hanging out together for the last three weeks. I thought you told him Nick?" Maple said, looking at the brown haired teen who looked away from her.
"I was going too, but I didn't think it was my place." he said.
"Whoa, wait a minute, are you telling me my girlfriend is cheating on me? With one of my close friends?" Nate asked, rather incredulously.
"Well, I don't know, but they were pretty close last time I saw them. I was at the Grocery store with Coconut earlier and I saw them, she felt the need to tail them, but I had things to do so I didn't follow them. I don't know if she's still following them though, I doubt it. She probably lost interest." Maple replied. Nate grit his teeth, looking really pissed off. He dialed Toshio's number and brought the phone up to his ear. It went straight to voice mail, which pissed him off even more.
"Hey douche bag, I just heard from a friend of mine that you were seen with my girlfriend, call me back so we can have some words." he said, ending the call. He dialed Britney's number right after.
"Nate, maybe you shouldn't." Nick said.
"No, I need to know if this shit is true or not, so I don't waste my time." he said firmly. After a few rings, he heard Britney pick up.
"Hello?"
"Britney, I just got told that you were hanging out with Toshio and being rather friendly with him. Is that true or is that just a rumor?"
"Uh...of course its not true."
"You hesitated. Tell me now, have I been wasting my time waiting for you for the past three goddamn hours?"
"You have dumbass."
"What the...Toshio?"
"I'm telling you this now...I never really liked you. I only became your friend so I can take your girlfriend. She never loved you anyway, she just pretended so she could get a lot of cool shit from you. Now that you've heard the truth, stop bothering us."
With that, the call was ended. Nate sighed, setting his phone on the table. He didn't know what to think at the moment. Maple stood up, taking Nick's hand.
"We'll just...leave you alone..I'm sorry Nate." She said sadly, her brown ears flattening against her head.
"No...its okay Maple...you told me about it, it was better than having kept it to yourself." he said sadly. She walked off, pulling Nick with him who was also apologizing. Nate set his head down on the table, feeling a bit empty inside.
He didn't know how long it had been, but when he finally looked up, be caught the concerned look Chocola had given him. Apparently she had been sitting there for a while, because she had brought him another cup of chocolate, which was half drank. His face as a bit pale and his eyes were emotionless. He sighed and, rubbed away the visible tears. He didn't even realize he was crying.
"I'm sorry Nate." she said.
"Its okay...you did nothing wrong." he said, wiping his eyes with his shirt sleeve. He scratched her ears, earning a cute purr from her, he saw her tail flicking about.
"You tried cheering me up, even if I wasn't aware of it, so thank you...I actually have a gift for you. Here." he said, digging in his gift bag. He pulled out a small rectangular box, which was wrapped in red wrapping paper, which had little paw prints on it. There was also a bright blue ribbon tied to the top. He handed it to her, seeing her face light up.
"Nyah...you got Chocola a gift, but I didn't get you anything."
"Sure you did." he said with a small smile.
"I did?" she asked, tilting her head curiously.
"Yes...you gave me your friendship. I still remember when you were a little girl, back when Kashou found you two years ago. You were a handful, you and your sister both, but I saw you grow up into a wonderful young woman, a responsible bell holding cat girl. You are one of the best friends anyone can ask for." he said.
"Aw, thanks Nate." she said.
"Go ahead, you can open it if you want."
"I think I'll wait until tomorrow." she said, hugging the box tightly. He chuckled and shook his head.
"I have one for Vanilla too..and for Kashou." he said, pulling out two more boxes. One was wrapped in blue wrapping paper, with small snowflakes on it, wrapped with a red bow, the second was a rather large box, which he had actually carried into the store, though no one had noticed. He placed both boxes in front of her, and she adopted a curious look.
"What did you get for Master and Vanilla?" she asked.
"Uh uh, I can't tell you..or it'll ruin the surprise." he said.
"Nyah...I guess that's true." she said, leaning back into her seat. He chuckled and shook his head. He checked his phone, seeing that it was almost nine. He stood up, gathering his things.
"Well, I better go. I was supposed to be back home literally after my date with Brit, but since she skipped out on me, I have to walk home." he said. He pulled out his wallet and handed the girl a hundred, making her go wide eyed.
"Nate, this is way more than what you ordered. Even with big sis Maple and Nick's order, it only totals out to 36.74" she said.
"Keep the change...I am a strong believer of the phrase Tip your Waitress, or in this case Waitresses." he said, seeing Vanilla join them.
"What's that?" she asked, pointing to the box in Chocola's hands.
"Its my present from Nate, you got one too, so did Master." she said, pointing to the two boxes on the floor. Vanilla took hers, shaking a bit.
"Thanks for the gift, I think I'll wait for tomorrow though." she said, a smile on her face.
"You're welcome Vanilla. Both of you deserve it." he said, petting both of them. He took a look out the window, eyes widening.
"Crap...its snowing." he said.
"It started snowing like..an hour after Maple and Nick left. Its been coming down pretty hard..we're actually closing early." Kashou said, joining them by the window.
"Damn it...I gotta walk home." Nate muttered.
"Its not that deep. How far do you live?" he asked.
"On the outskirts..I moved a few months ago remember? Peppermint wanted a bigger closet." he said.
"That's an hour and a half walk from here...and since there's a good six inches of snow on the ground, I'd say around double that." the chef said, making the young man sigh in anger.
"Great...I feel like I wasted my time today. I wanna punch Toshio in his fucking lips for betraying me..fucking dick head." he said firmly. He looked at the three, a frown on his face.
"Sorry...I didn't mean to swear."
"No worries..I'd be in your place if that crap happened to me...why don't you call Peppermint? She may give you a ride." Kashou replied.
"Good idea." he said, grabbing his phone from the table. He unlocked it and dialed his sister's number, putting it on speaker because he was too lazy to hold it to his face.
"What's up little brother? How was your date?"
"Hey Pepper...I'd rather not talk about that right now..listen, I need a ride home, I'm still at La Soleil." he said.
"What happened? That cunt better not have stood up you little brother, I'll kick her ass."
"Like I said, I'd rather not talk about it, anyway think you can pick me up?" he asked. He heard her sigh over the phone.
"Sorry but I can't...I was invited to a party by a few colleagues and we're having a sleepover for Christmas. I don't think I can make it back until after Christmas...there's supposed to be a total of Eighteen inches at the end of this." she said.
"Shit...well alright..I'll figure something out."
"Sorry little brother...but I want details on what happened when I get home alright? Be safe and Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Pepper." he said, handing up.
"Well, that was a shame...how about a cab?" Vanilla suggested, earning a nod from him. He dialed the number for the local cab service, putting it on speaker.
"Taxi."
"Hey, I'm at La Soleil, do you think you could take me to 343 East Gardener Boulevard?"
"What? That's across town...in this weather?"
"Dude, I'll give you a Hundred bucks..come on man I'm desperate."
"Screw that kid, local residences only..tough luck."
"Fucking dick." he said, setting his phone down. He took another peek outside, seeing the snow was deeper than before. The plow had gone by not that long ago, keeping the streets mostly clear.
"Guess I'm walking home...this aught to be fun." he said, an emotionless tone in his voice.
"Um...Nate there might be someone who can take you home." Chocola said, earning a curious look from him.
"And that is?"
"Coconut...she was coming over to deliver some presents. She can take you back." the brown haired catgirl replied.
"I don't think Coconut would be willing to take me back home, its too far and too cold." he said firmly.
"She won't mind." she reassured.
"I guess I'll wait for her then. In the mean time, I'll help you three clean up." he said.
"You don't have to do that man. I can handle it." Kashou said.
"No no...it won't be any trouble..besides its the least I can do." he said with a small smile. He followed the store owner to the back room, grabbing some cleaning supplies.
"Seriously man, you don't have to do this."
"Like I said, its no problem...I'm actually curious about something...do you have any positions open? I want to get out of the house more..truth be told, I've actually just been sitting in my room wallowing in my boredom." he said. Kashou chuckled and shook his head.
"We have a barista opening available..if your interested, I can have you start on Monday."
"I like that. I'm sure you can teach me the ways of coffee making." he said with a chuckle.
"I'll have Coconut train you, she's the one that handles that stuff. She has a...natural affinity for it." he said.
Nate headed back into the main room, starting on all of the tables. Chocola and Vanilla had been busy cleaning out the display case in the front, so they hadn't spoken much. After a few minutes, he heard someone come in, thinking it was a customer, he walked over to them.
"Sorry, were closed." he said, glancing at the young woman. She brought her hood down, revealing a pair of pointed cat ears. Her blonde hair was a bit wet from the snowflakes. She was wearing a tan coat, which left a bit of her midriff exposed, how she was able to handle the cold was beyond him. She wore matching blue jeans, with a brown leather belt. She also wore matching boots, with a slight heel on them. She had a bright amber eye and an equally bright blue eye. A fluffy tail flicked behind her, shaking off the snow that had stuck to it.
"I can read idiot." she said.
"Oh, its just you Coco, I thought it was a customer." he said, shrugging it off. He continued to wash off the tables.
"Well hi to you too. What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Had a date with my cunt ex-girlfriend, got stood up..practically was told to my face that I was taken advantage of because of my money..how's your day going?" he asked.
"I spent three hours following that cunt ex-girlfriend of yours. I was gonna tell you but it wasn't my place." She said.
"Its alright...anyway I was wondering if you could give me a ride home? Its a bit of a far walk from here."
"I dunno...the snow is getting heavier as it is." She said.
"Its alright if you can't...I can just ask Kashou to use his spare room." he said with a shrug.
"Hmm...I'll go talk to them real quick, I brought their gifts so it won't take me long. Gather your things okay?" she asked, he nodded and finished up washing the tables. After he finished wiping them down, he set everything away. He gathered all of his things, and waited at one of the booths. He felt his phone ring and pulled it out of his pocket, answering the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey sweetie...how's your Christmas Eve?"
"Not good enough mom...me and Britney broke up...but I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh, baby...I wish I was there to comfort you...I was going to fly in but I got stuck in California...there's a big storm going on over there and I won't be able to fly in until next week."
"Yeah, I'm sort of stuck in that as we speak...I'm actually waiting for Coconut to give me a ride home. Peppermint is at a gathering with her coworkers."
"Yes, I gave her a call not that long ago..she asked me to get you a ticket to Las Vegas...does that mean you're actually going to one of her fashion shows?"
"Um...yeah...I am."
"That's wonderful. I'm sure it means a lot to her for you to show up to one. And don't worry, I know you'll be twenty one by that time, so I'm taking your credit cards, we don't need you blowing our small fortune."
"I'm not gonna gamble mom, honest. I don't even buy scratch tickets." he admitted.
"Regardless, I'm happy that you decided to come. Maybe we can explore a bit of Nevada together as a family. You can bring a friend if you want too."
"Okay...I'll find someone...I gotta go mom. I need to get home, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas sweetie, stay safe and warm."
He hung up the call, shoving his phone in his pocket. He looked up, seeing Coconut patiently waiting for him, he stood up, grabbing all of his left over gift boxes and bags.
"Shit, I forgot to give Maple and Nick their presents." he muttered dryly.
"I can give it to them, I'm going home right after, and Nick practically lives there now." she said.
"Alright then. Lets go." he said, putting his hat on. Coconut brought her hood up, she looked back to her little sisters.
"See ya girls later, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Coconut, you too Nate." Chocola cried, excited as always. Vanilla simply waved, a creepy smile on her face. He gave her an odd look before leaving the shop, immediately sinking into the snow. He muttered a swear and continued following Coconut, making sure to step in her footprints.
"Do you need me to open the trunk or something?" she asked, once they reached her car, a shiny red Mustang. It contrasted horribly with what she was wearing, but she didn't seem to care. That just added to her Cool persona, even though he knew she wanted to be called Cute by people. He shook his head.
"I'm sure I can't fit it all."
"You've got three boxes and six bags...how the hell are you even able to carry that all?" she asked. He grinned.
"When you live with a sister who's a fashion model, you get used to having to carry heavy shit." he said.
"Hmm, alright if you say so." she said, unlocking the door for him. He opened his side door and stepped into the car, shaking his snow covered boots off. He expertly set everything he was carrying in front him, closing the door behind him. Coconut got into the drivers seat a second later, slipping the key in the ignition, once the engine was one, she turned the heat on, shivering a bit.
"What? Can't handle the cold?" he teased. She glared at him, taking her hood down and smoothing her hair out.
"I'm not one to like the cold."
"But aren't Maine Coon's like...fluffy as shit? Their the ultimate winter cats." he said.
"You forget I'm a catgirl. The only fluffy thing about me is my tail." she said, using her tail to scratch his nose. He brushed it away, causing him to sneeze loudly.
"You suck..why do you always do that?" he asked, rubbing his nose with his jacket sleeve.
"I like seeing you sneeze. You make a funny face..anyway, lets get out of here. Its gonna be a long drive back." she said, shifting into first gear. Luckily, there was no one in front of them or behind them, so she just took off.
They remained awkwardly silent after that, something that was driving Coconut crazy. She wanted to talk to Nate about Britney, but she could tell he didn't want to talk to anyone about it. Just by his body language. He just stared at the snowflakes as they rained down on them.
"Hey uh...Nate..you okay? You seem quiet."
"I'm fine Coco...just a little saddened by the fact that the person I loved stabbed me in the chest with a dagger." he replied.
"Listen, I know you're hurting right now because of this, but just remember its her loss. You are a wonderful can caring person, Britney is just a little fucking whore who loves nothing more than to exploit her boyfriends. That douche bag Toshio is the same, none of them deserve to be associated with you." she said firmly.
"But it hurts Coco..it really does."
"I know it does. And trust me, when I see her, I'll claw her eyes out."
"No, don't do that...I don't want you to lose your bell over me. You're my friend, but I don't want you worrying over me." he said simply, giving her a heartwarming smile. She blushed a bit, returning her eyes to the road.
After about an hour and a half, they finally made it to his house. She pulled into the driveway, which wasn't shoveled whatsoever, making it that much harder for her to actually pull in. Nate gathered his things, and opened the door, looking at Coconut.
"Hey uh...thanks for the ride." he said.
"Sure thing." she replied. He stepped outside, slipping a bit. He looked around the snow covered area, sighing to himself.
"Hey, wanna come inside? The snow's too deep and I'd feel guilty leaving you to go home alone. I don't want anything to happen to you." he said.
"I've driven in worse conditions than this. Its nothing really." she said.
"I know, but...just for a few minutes?" he asked. She sighed, shutting her car off.
"Fine, but you better make me tea."
"Of course." he said with a chuckle. Both of them trudged through the snow, heading toward the front door. He slipped the key into the door, throwing it open. He set his stuff down, taking off his jacket. Coconut shook the snow off her boots and started taking them off.
"Man, its deeper than I thought." She muttered.
"Sis said that we were supposed to get close to if not over eighteen inches tonight." He said, taking his own boots off. He grabbed all of his presents and walked into the den, seeing his Christmas tree. It was a beautifully decorated fir tree, with different colored ornaments on it, most of which he couldn't name. His sister had left it on before they left, so it kept the den illuminated with differently colored lights. The star at the top of the tree was made of glass, which twinkled brightly against the ceiling. He knelt before it, placing all of his presents underneath it, next to the ones his sister had bought. The final present he pulled out was the one he had gotten for Britney...he looked at it longingly, before tossing it in the trash. Coconut looked at him curiously.
"What was that?" she asked.
"Nothing...I'll get the tea started." he said, heading into the kitchen, turning on the lights as he went. The blonde catgirl looked in the trash bin, pulling out the gently wrapped box. She wanted to open it, but felt it wasn't her place. She saw the name Britney written on it and understood why. Instead, she ripped the little tag off and and placed it under the tree. She took her coat off, placing it on the coat rack with the others. She was wearing a light pink top, which left her shoulders bare. She wore a dark purple bikini top, which tied around her neck. She had her light purple collar on, along with her bell. She glanced around the room, spotting the few pictures that were on the mantle and on the tables. She picked one up, looking at his closely. It was of him and Kashou, when they graduated from Highschool. Chocola and Vanilla were in it, when they were still just three months old. Vanilla was on the ground, holding Kashou's diploma, while Chocola was on Nate's shoulders, smiling brightly. She almost dropped it when she heard a few pots hitting the floor.
"Gah...Goddamn it."
"Nate? Are you alright?" She asked, setting the picture back on the mantle. She walked into the kitchen, seeing three large pots on the ground, along with Nate, who was rubbing his head. He was holding a tea kettle in his hands.
"Peppermint is a little taller than me so she feels the need to put this shit on the highest shelf. I just took a soup pot to the head." he said.
"Oh, you poor thing." she said, giggling a bit. He looked at her, glaring.
"This is your fault, you wanted tea."
"You asked me to stay here for a bit...so its your fault for inviting me." she said, sticking her tongue out at him.
"Well excuse me, I didn't want to be alone for Christmas." he said firmly, crossing his arms. He had a sad look on his face. She sighed and walked over to the fridge, pulling out an ice cube tray. She grabbed a spare rag and placed a few cubes inside, before placing the pack on his head.
"There, I'll make us tea..I think I can handle that." she said, a small smile on her face. He nodded and stood up, taking a seat at the table.
"Sorry for snapping at you Coco."
"No its fine. Did you really ask me to stay because you didn't want to stay here alone?" she asked. She grabbed the pots and placed them back in the cupboards, leaving the tea kettle out on the counter.
"Y-yeah." he said, not bothering to look up.
"I think I'll humor you and stay the night. Cinnamon and Azuki won't mind. Besides Nick and Maple were spending Christmas together." she said.
"Don't you have anyone to spend it with though?" he asked curiously. She looked at him after setting the kettle on the stove top, brow raised.
"What do you mean?"
"You know...someone special?"
"Oh..a boyfriend you mean?" she asked, earning a nod from him. She shook her head.
"Not many guys are willing to date a cat girl. Many say that only the weird ones who have fetishes with that date them, others just happen to fall in love with one. Hell, most hate the fact that we're more cat than girl, the fact that we can't bare children is also a major turn off." she said.
"So? That stops you from searching?"
"I just don't feel like wasting my time...I mean there is someone I like, but he may not like me back. So I'm not going to bother." she said with a shrug.
"Well...If I may give my honest opinion...I'd say go for it. You may find out that he's the one your searching for. If not, then he's not the one. If he appreciates you, and loves you, then its worth it. Besides, your extremely cute, if he denies you, then he's an ass hat." he said, leaning back in his seat. Her face flushed a bit, and she hid behind her hair.
"You...think I'm cute?" she asked.
"Well...yeah..your calm, cool and collected, and extremely cute. How this guy hasn't notice you is beyond me. He must be blind and stupid." he said with a chuckle. The kettle started whistling loudly, startling Coconut, who turned around and shut the heat off. She poured the hot water into two mugs, each having a tea bag inside. After she was done, she handed one of them to Nate, along with the tray of sugar cubes.
"Wanna go watch something?" he asked, standing up. He tossed the half melted ice cubes in the sink, and wrung out the rag, placing it on the counter to dry out.
"S-sure." she said, following him to the den. He sat down on the couch, setting the cup down on the table. He grabbed the remote and turned it on, he grabbed his PS4 controller and turned it on, waiting for the main menu to pop up. When it did, he went to his file and logged in, heading straight to Netflix. Coconut sat next to him, setting her mug down next to his.
"What do you wanna watch?" he asked.
"Anything is fine really...hey since I'm staying over, think I can borrow some of your sisters clothes?"
"Sure thing. You remember the way?" he asked.
"Mhmm, be right back."
He watched her go, seeing the apprensive look on her face as she headed up the stairs. He shrugged it off and continued sifting through the stuff that was on the flix. He shivered a bit and looked outside, seeing the winds had picked up a bit.
"I better get some wood from the garage, just in case." he muttered, standing up and heading to the garage. He opened the door and turned the light on, shivering as he stepped inside. He grabbed three bundles of wood and brought them inside, closing the door behind him. He carried the bundles back to the den, setting them in front of the fire place. Went back to the hallway, turning the heat up a bit.
"Man, this is gonna go through the roof this month." he muttered dryly. He stepped back into the den, taking his seat at the couch, he kept searching through the movies, taking a sip from his tea every other second. He got bored of all the choices, to he searched Titanic up. He had seen it at least 456 times, practically knew the damn thing by heart, but he had no ideas at the moment.
"Your sister has too many things to try on. If I didn't force myself back here, I would have tried everything in there." Coconut said. He looked up at her, eyes widening.
She had chosen a spaghetti strap shirt, which was green in color, and did little to hid her impressive chest. She was still wearing her bikini top underneath it, along with her collar and bell. The shirt had a few kittens on it. She had her midriff exposed, and her bellybutton ring glittered in the low lights. She was wearing matching running shorts, which were a little tight on her, and her bikini bottom could be seen. She was wearing ankle socks, which were light green in color, finishing off the outfit. She looked really cute, which made it that much harder for Nate. Her long hair fell perfectly, and her light tan skin glistened in the soft glow of the Christmas lights. He swallowed hard and looked away from her, feeling a bit hot.
"Uh...well I found us a movie. Have you seen Titanic?" he asked.
"No..my sister keeps badgering me about it. I guess I can sit down and actually watch it."
"Its a three and a half hour movie. Might as well make some popcorn while I'm at it." he said standing up.
"I'll go..why don't you change out of those jeans? Its a little hot in here." she said. He nodded sheepishly and headed up stairs. He locked himself in his room, breathing hard.
"What the hell? Why am I looking at Coconut like that? We're friends, I've never looked at her that way before. I'm...looking at her like I used to look Britney...damn it why did I have to bring that bitch back?" he muttered to himself. He sighed and unbuttoned his pants, kicked them off his legs. He walked over to his dresser and folded his pants, shoving them into one of the drawers. He grabbed some basketball shorts and put them on. He took his long sleeve shirt off and grabbed a wife beater, slipping it on. He changed his socks as well, tossing them into the clothes hamper. He nodded to himself and stepped out of his room, heading back downstairs. When he stepped into the den, he was greeted by Coconut, who was bent over the couch, her tail was flicking around. He took a deep breath, calming himself a bit.
"Coco, something wrong?" he asked. She looked up, a cute look on her face, her bangs were out of place and her ears were flat against her head.
"I dropped my phone under the couch, and my stylus fell between the cushions, so I can't find it." she said.
"Okay...I'll find it." he said, his face was flushed, though she couldn't tell due to the low lighting. He knelt down in front of the couch, looking around. He stuck his hand under it, looking around for it. He found a small mouse toy, raising a brow in curiosity before he continued searching. He finally felt the object he was looking for and pulled it out, a smile on his face.
"Here you go Coco. Nice case by the way." he said, glancing at the metallic purple phone case. She took it from his hand, a gentle smile on her face.
"Thanks Nate. Cinnamon was wondering if I was coming home, somehow it got under there." she replied. He noticed the Popcorn on the table, and the few cans of soda he had left. He finished his tea, reclaiming his spot on the couch.
"Okay, I guess we're ready." he said, hitting play on the movie. She sat next to him, tapping her phone screen. After a second, she shut it off and set it on the table.
"So, what's this movie about? All I know is that a ship sinks."
"Its a sappy romance flick...I just love it because of Leonardo DiCaprio. He's such a great actor, but they've never given him an Oscar...he really needs one." he said, leaning back into his seat. Coconut grabbed the popcorn bowl and leaned back as well, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Hope you don't mind."
"I-its okay." he stuttered. She giggled, shoving a few kernels into her mouth. She rested her tail on her lap, and she ran her fingers through the silky fur.
Nate was honestly getting bored of the movie. He had seen it so many times that he just knew the story by heart. But Coconut was into it, so he didn't say anything. Both of them had run out of popcorn half an hour in, and neither of them wanted to move. The wind outside had picked up, rattling the windows a bit. He expected her to jump or become a bit skittish, but she remained rather calm. He stretched his arms, cracking his joints before settling into his seat. He was gonna say something to Coconut but that's when the lights shut off. She screamed, jumping onto his lap.
"Oof, Coconut...ow."
"What's wrong? Why did the lights turn off?" she asked.
"I dunno...the storm must have knocked a branch into a transformer. Damn it. Would you mind getting off while I start a fire?" he asked. He felt her get off his lap, allowing him to stand up. He could see her eyes perfectly in the dark, which was cool yet creepy. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and turned the flashlight on, aiming it around the room.
"Here, hold this so I can start the fire." he said. She nodded and took the phone from his hand. He walked over to the fire place and started setting the logs in. He opened the damper, making sure it was clean and ready to go.
"Whoo, its a good thing Peppermint had that guy come out here, else we'd be fucked." he said. A few seconds later, he had a large roaring fire. Coconut shut off his flashlight and handed him his phone.
"This is gay...I was into that movie too." she said.
"Well, nothing we can do about it now. My heating is Electric, so we won't be able to sleep upstairs. There's enough wood in there to last us a few hours." he said, setting up the fire screen.
"At least we have a warm fire. I don't mind sleeping here." she said with a shrug.
"Me either...you can take the couch...I'll go get us some blankets." he said. She nodded, and sat down by the fire, staring at the flames as they burned the wood. She sighed.
"How come he hasn't noticed my advances? He's clearly noticed my clothing choice because he was blushing like crazy. You'd think that someone like him would take a hint." She thought. Truth be told, she'd had a crush on Nate ever since they had met a few years back. She had been nine months old at the time, and a bit nervous to meet new people, but now that it had been three full years, she was matured and capable of handling herself. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, and when she finally got the guts to ask him out, he introduced them to Britney. It tore her apart every time she saw them together, and she knew that it was bad to try and start a relationship with someone after a bad break up, but she couldn't help herself. She was that in love with him. She sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
"This is so hard." she muttered to herself. She looked at her fingernails, which had been painted with lavender polish. She had put a clear coat over them, making them shiny in the low light. If there was anything she prided herself with, it was her appearance, and yet Nate was too dense to notice her.
"Hey, I'm back. I brought you a fluffy one from Peppermint's room, she won't mind." he said, setting it down on the couch, along with a couple pillows. She nodded and grabbed her phone, swiping the screen. It was 1:34 in the morning. She giggled and looked up.
"Well, looks like Santa isn't coming down our Chimney tonight, unless he wants roasted chestnuts rest of his life." she said.
"Heh, yeah. He's gonna have a hard time...I think he'll understand though...Merry Christmas Coconut...I'm happy you decided to stay with me tonight." he said.
"Sure thing, It was the same for me. Shigure was going to be with her grandparents for the night, and her parents weren't in town. Azuki was busy with something, and Cinnamon was tagging along. Maple and Nick are spending the night together, and of course Chocola and Vanilla are with Kashou. I was gonna be by myself too...I figured I may as well spend it with a close friend." she said.
"Well, you got lucky because I got you a gift." he said, heading to the tree. He grabbed a box, wrapped in lavender wrapping paper, topped off with a two toned ribbon, which was blue and amber in color. She looked at it wide eyed.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"Open it up." he simply said. She rolled her eyes and carefully opened it, wanting to save the paper. She was one of those weird ones that saved the paper of every gift she got. She was greeted with a a brown box. She sliced the tape with her fingernails, allowing her to finally open the box. She looked inside, before looking back at Nate, who had a grin on his face.
"You didn't get me this...seriously?" she asked.
"I did." he said. She huffed, pulling the object from inside. It was a scratching post, topped off with a red fluffy ball, attached to it with a spring.
"Damn it. You know I can't hold myself back from moving things." she said, almost wanting to flick the red ball.
"That isn't the only thing, that one was for shits and giggles. There's more inside." he said. She rose a brow and looked back in the box, gasping a bit before pulling out what looked to be a dress. It was light pink in color, and made with a silky fabric. It had thin spaghetti straps, attached to the main part of the dress. The body of it was a bit frilly, and the area around the breasts was white, and had a few pink butterflies on it. The hem of the dress had a few flowers embroidered on it. The waist of the dress had violet sequins on it, which glittered in the firelight.
"Why...why would you get me something like this?"
"Hmm, I remember you once saying, I wish people called me cute instead of cool. I know I dress a bit slutty, but its because I honestly like these kinds of things...well, there you go. Summer is a few months away, but I can't wait to see you in it. Sis helped me pick it out." he said. She hugged it to herself, a few tears slipping from her eyes.
"Oh Nate, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me."
"You're my friend Coconut, I can't go half assed, especially during the holiday season."
"But...I didn't get you anything."
"It doesn't matter...I got all my friends something, even that douche bag Toshio..actually fuck him, I'm keeping his gift." he said firmly. She giggled and folded the dress up, placing it back in the box, along with that dreadful scratching post.
"Well...I can give you something. I don't know if you'd like it though."
"Coco, if its from you, then I'd I'm sure I'd like it." he said. She smiled and leaned toward him, eyes half lidded. His eyes widened a bit when he felt her lips on his own. Alarm bells started going off in his head, he didn't know how to react whatsoever, so he just sat there. She finally pulled away, a frown on her face.
"You didn't like it?" she asked, almost ready to cry.
"Coconut, why did you do that?" he asked.
"Because you idiot, I like you. I've liked you for a long time, but you were dating Britney...I couldn't do anything. Now that your not together, I was hoping you'd give me a chance, but you don't seem ready for a relationship at the moment." she said sadly. He remained silent, not really being able to say anything. He nodded to himself, almost as if him made a choice. He placed his hand under her chin, lifting her head up. Her eyes were glowing brightly in the firelight, making them look even more alluring.
"Nate?" she said softly.
He didn't say anything, he gave her a smile. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers. Her eyes widened a bit, before they softly closed. She kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. They pulled away for a few seconds, looking each other in the eye before kissing again. She leaned back, pulling him down with her. They pulled away, chuckling a bit.
"This is crazy...its a shame I didn't pay attention to you. If I had, I would have saved myself the trouble." He whispered.
"Are you willing to date me? I'm a catgirl."
"So? I don't see a cat girl in front of me, I see a beautiful young woman who's lonely. She sees a young man who can make her happy, and had enough courage to get his attention. If you'd let me, I'd be honored to date you and love you with all my heart." he said. Her lip quivered a bit and she pulled him in for another kiss.
After their little make out session, Nate and Coconut simply lay there, holding each other and sitting by the fire. They stared at the shapes that moved on the ceiling, simply enjoying each others company. Nate sat up, stretching a bit. He noticed Coconut had fallen asleep. He pulled a blanket over her and stood up, heading to the kitchen for a glass of water. When he came back, he sat down next to her, petting her tail which was poking out from underneath the blanket. He took a sip from his water, looking back at his Christmas tree. It didn't look the same in the dark, but it was still a really nice tree. He looked at each of the presents underneath it, imagining the faces of the people he'd gotten them for. He spotted one on the ground, a small rectangular box, wrapped in green and white paper, with a white ribbon. The tag was visibly missing. He reached for it, eyes widening.
"The hell? I thought I tossed this." he muttered.
"You did...I saw who it was for."
He looked over at Coconut, who was rubbing her eyes. She sat up, fixing her hair a bit, even with her disheveled appearance, she still looked cute.
"Oh...I didn't really want it. It spent too much money on it."
"Then why throw it away? If you spent a lot of money on it, why not give it to someone."
"That's true...I guess you can have it, since your my cute kitty." he said with a wink. She blushed a bit and took the box from his hand.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Just open it."
She rolled her eyes and tore the paper off. She opened the box, eyes widening like saucers. She pulled the trinket from inside the box, holding it in her hand.
"A bracelet, you bought her a bracelet?"
"Yeah...Peppermint suggested it. She said I could get her charms from places we went too. I got her a house and a half moon for her first two charms. Our first date was at the Planetarium, and we had our first kiss on her doorstep." he said. She held her hand out, giving him the bracelet.
"Well, now it can mean something else. The half moon can symbolize the night we got together and the house can symbolize us being together on a cold night. And I promise not to take it off, ever." she said firmly. He smiled, and slipped it on her wrist.
"I know you wont. I'm gonna add a few logs to the fire, and then we can snuggle a bit." he said standing up and walking toward the fire place. Coconut smiled a bit, looking at her new bracelet, her tail wagging back and forth. She watched as he added more logs to the fire, poking it with the with the poker.
"Don't burn yourself." she called out. He gave her a glare, before returning to his task. After he was down, he returned to her side, giving her a quick peck.
"Lets get some sleep. I have a lot of snow to shovel in the morning." he said. Both of them lay down, with Coconut laying her head over his heard. She was smiling contently, finally having her one true Christmas wish fulfilled.
Xxx
The next morning, Nate woke up to the smell of fresh coffee. He sat up, seeing that the power was still out. He yawned a bit and stood up, heading into the kitchen, where he saw his girlfriend making some breakfast. He smiled and walked up to her, hugging her from behind. She was startled a bit, but settled into his embrace.
"Morning sweetie." she said, kissing his lips.
"Morning. Its wonderful to wake up to some nice breakfast, especially fresh coffee." he said.
"It was a good thing your mother had a stove top coffee maker. It was easy...and your next door neighbor was nice enough to dig us out. His Son said something last night about his present and the punishment was to shovel the driveway of his neighbors, free of charge. He also added a very rude comment about my figure and was forced to clean off my car..it saved me the trouble at least."
"Ha, Thomas is always getting in trouble. He says that shit to Pepper all the time, the difference is she runs after his ass and punches the shit out of him. His mother laughs it off and even offers her milk right after." he said with a smirk on his face. She finished with the bacon and placed it on a plate, alongside some eggs.
"We still don't have power, and we won't for a few days..I think I'll stay here until then. I wouldn't mind keeping you company." she said.
"You can stay as long as you want. We have plenty of wood, and its cold as shit so nothing is gonna spoil." he said. They both sat down to eat their breakfast. Both their phones went off, and they shared a look. Nate swiped the screen, taking the call.
"Hello?"
"Uh...Nate, its Nick..how's it going?"
"Um...I'm doing fine..me and Coconut got together..and before you ask no we didn't have a Festive Christmas...what's the problem, you wouldn't be calling unless it was serious."
"Well...I sorta...got arrested last night. Me and Maple were waiting for the Midnight showing of Alvin and the Chipmunks and we got bored, so we got into a snowball fight, that turned into something else. Maple got a bit frisky after I tackled her into a snow bank and then we..."
"Okay, I don't need to know about your sexcapade with Maple. What the fuck man?"
"Please man, our bail is 1,300 bucks...I know you have that, please I don't want to piss off Mr. and Mrs. Minaduki. We didn't even call Cinnamon or Kashou either, we were too embarrassed."
"Ugh...fine. Consider it a Christmas bonus to your gifts..fuck." he said, handing up the call. He looked up at Coconut who had finished her own.
"Maple's in jail." she said simply.
"I know. Wanna go pick them up?" he asked.
"Sure...maybe they can tell us how frisky they got. Then we can come back here and snuggle up...maybe get frisky ourselves." she said.
"Coco..I don't know about that part."
"Aw come on, we've known each other for three years...I'm sure we know enough about each other to make a stupid decision." she said.
"I'll think about it. We can definitely kiss though." he replied. She giggled and nodded. Both continued to eat their breakfast, it was a going to be a Merry Christmas indeed.