A Christmas Tail

[Continuous Series, 12 Days of Christmas 2014]

":33 *ac is close to her den, gleefully unaware of the encroaching predator waiting very closeby*," Terezi read, with a giggle. "*GC 4W41TS TH3 1NCOM1NG PR3Y W1TH B4T3D BR34TH; SOON SH3 WOULD H4V3 A M34L F1T FOR 4 QU33N!*," she typed in response. She bit her nails, watching the flights display across the airport terminal's screen. Delta Airlines, Flight A612; estimated time: three minutes. She was pacing now. She'd talked to Nepeta TONS of times – they knew each other front and back. She'd even talked to her on Skype before, and had a few lengthy conversations.

But coming to visit – seeing her in person – was something very, very different. Terezi's mom had contacted Nepeta's parents and made the arrangements, offering the guest bedroom to the girl for the holiday season. Nepeta's family never really celebrated Christmas aside from the gifts, and they decided they'd do it once she came home. Terezi's mom, however, usually went all out decorating the house and generally making a big deal out of EVERYTHING Christmas related. It was pretty embarrassing, actually.

But she'd insisted she meet Terezi's new friend, whether she was from out of state or not. So here she was, pacing at the terminal, awaiting her longtime internet roleplaying friend. Her admittedly cute longtime roleplaying friend. Stop it, she chastised herself. Sure she's cute, but she's not going to be… not straight. She grimaced. Her last girlfriend sort of left her a bit broken – her mother had broken them up, the fickle bitch. Though Vriska was usually distant and cold without her mother's influence, she certainly didn't help the already turbulent relationship. Terezi considered herself out of the dating field at the moment.

But damn, she was cute. The few pictures she'd seen showed off Nepeta's freckles or toned abs and small, but perky, breasts. Never anything risky, but a few pictures of Nepeta in hunting gear or her workout attire. Terezi would never admit that she had them saved on her computer. …and her phone. She jumped as her phone buzzed and she opened the text.

":33 *ac can see her den now – and it's absolutely buzzing! There are tons of other people there, one of them wishes to ensnare her and take her back to her OWN lair!*," it read. Terezi shuddered, looking out one of the large glass windows. One of the circling airplanes was her friend's. One plane was dipping low and Terezi watched it, eyes wide.

"Flight A612 has just landed," the intercom spoke. "If you are waiting someone on flight A612, please make your way to Bay 5." She followed the instructions with shaky legs, moving to the luggage terminal, where already bags were appearing. Terezi smiled as she noticed a familiar olive suitcase, checking the tag before pulling it from the conveyer.

"Hey!"

"Huh?" Terezi spun to see the spunky, short girl, hands on her hips and grinning.

"You have my suitcase," she giggled, closing the gap quickly and nearly pouncing on Terezi, embracing her tight as Terezi hugged her back. "It's so good to see you in person!"

"You too," Terezi smiled, breaking the hug slowly, feeling heat blossom in her cheeks. "Wow, you look just like you do on Skype."

"Yeah, of course!" Nepeta said, scrunching up her face. "So do you! So, did your mom drive you?" she asked, peeking around Terezi.

"Oh, no, I drove."

"You drive?" Nepeta asked, surprised, cocking her head.

"Heheh, yeah?"

"That's so cool! Let's go see your car!" The two made their way through the crowd and out of the airport, to the large parking garage, finding Terezi's bright teal Taurus with only a bit of trouble. "Whoa! It's so colorful!"

"Heh, yeah, I got a custom paintjob," Terezi grinned, opening the door for her starstruck friend before jumping into the driver's seat. "So want to go straight home, or out to eat maybe?"

"Oh we could definitely go out to eat! I have some money, and I can pay for us both."

"No way, I'm paying for myself at least, if not you too."

"I guess we'll pay for ourselves then," Nepeta smiled, poking Terezi in the ribs.

"Hey, heheheh, stop that!" she giggled, playfully swatting her hand away as they left the airport. "So where to?"

"Hmmm," Nepeta said, tapping her lip. "Anything you suggest?"

"I dunno. I was probably gonna suggest like… Taco Bell or something."

"We could do that, if you wanna!"

"Heh, sure," Terezi chuckled, shaking her head as Nepeta messed with her phone. Terezi felt her phone buzz and frowned in confusion, stopping at the stoplight to check her phone.

":33 *ac was now in the grips of the mighty dragoness! She struggled, but could not escape! What was this mighty beast going to do with her, ac wondered?*," the text said. Terezi grinned, glancing at Nepeta, who was plastered to the window, taking in the city sights. She checked the light – still red – and responded: "*F1RST, GC WOULD T4K3 TH3 PR3C1OUS LOOK1NG PR3Y TO ON3 OF H3R HUNT1NG SPOTS TO B33F UP TH3 SCR4WNY L1TTL3 TH1NG B3FOR3 34T1NG H3R.* :D" As she was driving, Nepeta snorted and slugged her shoulder.

"I'm not scrawny!" she replied and Terezi giggled. It was strange to have her able to respond in the same room. By the time she'd looked over to the other girl, she was already furiously typing away at her phone again. They were pulling into the Taco Bell drive-through when she got the next text.

":33 *ac was a bit wary of the dragoness's actions, but she tentatively partook in the meal offered to her, watching the mighty beast the whole time*"

"*SH3 W4S R1GHT TO B3 SC4R3D. TH3 M1GHTY DR4GON3SS COULD H4RDLY W41T TO G3T H3R TOY B4CK TO H3R L41R TO B4T H3R 4ROUND B3FOR3 TH3 D33D*" Nepeta gave her a look when she got the text and Terezi just grinned, ordering their food and eating as they drove home.

"So this is where you live?" Nepeta asked, looking around.

"Yep!"

"It's so… crowded," she replied, head tilted.

"Is it?"

"Yeah! Like, back where I'm from it's all rural countryside and stuff. I've actually, like… never been to a big city before?" she chuckled. "I've never even had Taco Bell!"

"Wow. Really?"

"Mhm. But so far it's really good!" she smiled, biting into the burrito like an animal, causing Terezi to giggle.

"Glad you like it. Better wrap it up, though, we're here." Nepeta's eyes widened as she looked up at the house as they pulled into the driveway. "Hm, mom's not here."

"She's not?"

"Nope. Car's gone. She must be out shopping or something. We have the house to ourselves."

"Oh," Nepeta giggled. Terezi gave her a look but they got out of the car and she grabbed Nepeta's bags, hefting them out of the car and up the driveway.

"Yeah, uh, sorry if it's a little messy," Terezi apologized as she fumbled with the keys to the door. "Mom, like… really likes going all out with her Christmas decorating? It's kinda stupid."

"No it sounds cool!" Nepeta replied, beaming. "My family doesn't do anything so lots of decorations and trees and lights and stuff sounds awesome!" Terezi frowned, but shrugged and opened the door, Nepeta scurrying past inside. "Ooh, it's so pretty!"

"The house?" Terezi questioned, entering behind her. "Oh." Her mom had put up the tree. It was a massive, 9 foot fake tree with branches made of silver tinsel, decorated with glittering lights and tons of small gold ornaments at the bottom, like a hoard of little coins. "Yeah it's alright."

"Alright? It's beautiful!" Nepeta replied, breathlessly. "Like… wow!"

"Heheh, I've seen more beautiful things," Terezi replied, shutting the door behind them.

"Like what?" Nepeta asked, turning to her and looking up at her.

"H-huh?" Terezi asked, pausing to observe the girl. She was shorter by at least a head – maybe 5'4"? – and her tossled brown hair was hidden under her blue hat. Her pale face was dotted with freckles and her eyes were a glittering green, like emeralds.

"What have you seen that's more beautiful?" Nepeta asked, and Terezi could swear she was a bit pink in the face.

"Uh- I- I don't know," Terezi stammered.

"Okay," Nepeta replied softly, grinning. "Show me to my room?"

"Y-yeah." Terezi grabbed the suitcase, heaving it down the hall, Nepeta close behind as she opened the guest bedroom. "Oh boy."

"What?" Nepeta asked, peeking in and squealing. "Oh my god!" The guest room had been decorated in tinsel and lights and ornaments, with a few wrapped presents sitting in a neat pile on the bed. "It's terrific! It's so great!" she squealed again, wrapping her arms around Terezi. "Thank you, thank you!" She gave Terezi a small peck on the cheek, making her blush furiously. "I'm gonna get set up, 'kay?"

"Yeah," Terezi stammered quickly. "I, uh, I'm gonna go shower."

"Okay! I'll be in here when you get out!" Terezi nodded, rushing off to the bathroom and slamming the door shut, collapsing to her knees as the door was closed and clutching her face.

"Oh my god," she whined. "Oh my god." She looked at herself in the mirror, and she was blushing bright red. "Fuck, no, god," she said, splashing her face with cold water. "Stop it, face. Stupid, stupid. Stop being embarrassed." She groaned, stripping off her clothes and stepping into the shower, the cold water shocking her body with shivers and tightened muscles. "Yes, perfect, wash the gay away," she pleaded, though the water soon began to warm and her body relaxed. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "God, so stupid." She sighed, banging her forehead on the tiled wall a few times before resting it there.

"Terezi?" Nepeta's voice came and she jumped.

"Wh-what?"

"Are you okay? I heard banging. You didn't fall or anything?"

"N-no, I'm fine!"

"Okay, sorry, just making sure!" Terezi shuddered at the sound of her friend's voice, her hands moving down her sides and- NO, she scolded. NO NO NO DO NOT DO THAT NOT TO YOUR FRIEND'S VOICE, YOU STOP IT. She shuddered and restrained herself, hands balled into fists as she rinsed her body and stepped out of the shower, toweling off and stepping into the hall toward her room, and noticed the guest bedroom door was closed. She peeked in and froze, Nepeta lying out on the bed… naked.

Her eyes widened as she watched Nepeta texting on her phone, in the nude, the door cracked just slightly. Terezi felt her phone buzz and quickly opened the text to stop the vibration. ":33 *ac was in the dragoness's lair now – feeling a bit scared, and perhaps something else. Excited?*" Terezi froze, looking up toward the crack in the door and crying out, seeing Nepeta's grinning face at the crack.

"You don't have to peek," Nepeta giggled, opening the door, revealing herself. "If you wanted to look, you coulda asked!"

"Y-yeah, but," Terezi croaked, Nepeta pushing herself against Terezi with a kiss. Terezi tensed up, grabbing Nepeta's hips which let her towel fall as she watched Nepeta kiss her. Then, without really realizing it, she felt herself kiss Nepeta back, slowly letting her muscles relax, and her shoulders fall, the smaller girl's arms draped over them, on tip-toes to kiss the taller girl. Nepeta broke the kiss, giggling and skipping daintily into her room, jumping onto the present-free bed. Terezi pulled out her phone, tyipng "*GC 4PPRO4CH3D H3R PR3Y, L1CK1NG H3R L1PS 4ND PR3P4R1NG FOR TH3 MOST D3L1C1OUS M34L SH3'D 3V3R T4ST3D*" and shut the door behind her.