Caught somewhere in the line between wakefulness and sleep, Kimbra felt an arm around her waist.
Mentally, she frowned. She was in her bed, right? She had always slept alone. There shouldn't be an arm around her waist.
Oh no, you probably went to Frollie's and drank far too much and brought some random guy back home and—
Kimbra stopped herself. She didn't go to the bar last night. She stayed home. Her mind was still partly asleep, so it took an idea and ran too far with it.
You're ridiculous. Ridiculous.
Soft breathing that was not her own enveloped the surrounding air.
Kimbra opened her eyes to a darkened version of her room. Moonlight spilled through it from the window and into darkness. It cast unrecognizable shadows along the walls. The rain had tapered off to a light drizzle, pattering against the roof of the apartment complex.
Her eyes finally drifted over to the figure to her right. The figure whose arm draped over her waist. The dark hair and long ears were immediately recognizable.
Oh right, Bud. Bud Flud. Her boyfriend. The sleazy businessman who sold overpriced water and smelled of tacky cologne. He had stayed the night due to the rain. Well, more like she pestered him into staying because she was horribly afraid of him catching a cold.
If he had, she would have never heard the end of it.
She snuggled closer against him. She felt safe there.
The events of the summer now felt silly. Her insistence on having him thrown off the project. All the bickering and arguing they had done. At times, she felt guilty for tormenting him. Other times she'd remembered he had been just as bad and forgave herself.
Kimbra pressed herself closer to him. "I love you," she whispered, hoping not to wake him (yet also hoping he could hear her).
When Bud said nothing, it reassured her that he was sound asleep. His eyes were shut, but he turned over to face her, and hold her.
And a soft smile formed on his face.
Now, Bud didn't think Kimbra was the type of person to snore. Yet, here she was, filling the room with her soft snoring. He didn't want to wake her, in spite of how obnoxious (not that he would ever tell her) he found it to be.
The light of the morning sun peeked through the bedroom window, covering the two in a warm hue. He didn't make a sound. Didn't want to wake her, not yet. For a bit, he wanted to watch her chest rise and fall softly in sync with her breathing. She looked peaceful. Her features soft, instead of the usual stern expression she held most days.
He liked how she fit perfectly against his side. His larger frame overshadowed her smaller one.
If you asked him five years ago, he'd say that his lifestyle didn't involve this. Bud usually woke early, to grab a coffee before work or finish paperwork on his days off. He liked to stay busy. It kept him from overthinking.
This moment, right now, he didn't want to get out of bed for once. Partly because of the woman in his arms. Bud knew he couldn't stay, he had things to do. A business to run. Things to wrap up before the holidays. He should go. And yet, he did not move from her side.
Bud blinked for a second to rid himself of any lingering sleep.
Kimbra continued to softly snore, a bit of drool dripped from her mouth and onto the pillow. He found it oddly enchanting. In a weird sort of way.
Bud's mouth brushed against her cheek, teasingly close. "Good morning." He didn't want to leave without a word, it would be rude.
She stirred. "Mmm, shhh, don't ruin the moment."
"I'm not."
"You're talking ." She stroked his arm gently. Hoping he'd stop talking.
"I can't talk?"
"Not right now."
"What about now?"
"No."
"Now?"
Kimbra groaned. "You can't grasp the concept of sleeping in, can you?"
"Nope."
Those blue eyes of hers finally opened. "Ew, you're not a morning person, are you?"
The reaction almost made him laugh aloud. Almost.
He absently played with her hair. Running his fingers through the long purple strands. "So what if I am?"
Kimbra let out another groan. "This thing between us isn't going to work if you're a morning person." She gestured between them, frowning softly.
"I happen to like the thing between us." His words were soft. She could hear the love in his voice. It made teasing him hard.
"I do too."
"What are you doing for the holidays?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbow to look at her. He assumed she'd go visit her family. Still, it didn't hurt to ask. He partially hoped she'd stay in the city and spend it with him.
Selfish, I know.
Kimbra stretched her arms out, not thinking much of his question. "Going to Alaska to see my family until New Years."
Of course.
"Sounds fun."
"Yeah, it is." She dropped her arms at her side, and looked over to the hound. "Are you spending Christmas with your family?"
Bud grimaced slightly at the question. He hated the holidays. Christmas. The whole season. All the joyful singing and cheer. He despised it, ever since he had walked away from his family to be on his own.
"You know I'm not close to my family."
"Oh, right . Sorry." A quiet beat. Then she leaned in and whispered. "Do you want to go to Alaska with me?"
The timing was perfect. Flud Water would be closed for the holiday season. Which meant Bud wouldn't have to work. It'd give him a chance to meet her family. After all, he'd have to eventually, right ?
Bud stiffened, taken aback by that. "Alaska?"
"Yeah."
"Bitter cold Alaska?"
"Yes."
"Snow-covered Alaska?"
She nodded, sitting up on the bed with her legs crossed. Her face looked hopeful. That he would say yes.
Now, usually, he'd argue. He'd make up some excuse on why he couldn't go because frankly, Bud didn't want to. He didn't like cold climates. He wasn't built for it. Truth be told, he had no idea what was so special about winter. Kimbra passionately spoke about it and Alaska. She enjoyed the bitter cold hitting her face when she stepped out of the door. The snow that drifted down from the sky excited her. She was an entirely different person from the one during summer.
No, Bud failed to understand what was so special about winter that Kimbra made it the center of her attention.
"I'd have to take care of a few things before we go…" He sounded a little unsure.
Kimbra squeaked in excitement. "They're going to love you," she began pressing kisses onto his face over and over.
She then slid out of bed, rambling on about having to cancel her flight and reschedule it, so they can sit together.
Bud sat up fully, still in a bit of disbelief that he was going to Alaska for the holidays. He hated the bitter cold. All the snow and whatnot. Most years he worked or escaped off to some tropical climate, like an island, for the holidays. He wasn't close with his family, so he had no obligations to stay in St. Canard.
But no, this year he found himself going to Alaska. Freezing, cold , Alaska.
Realization rushed into his face. It meant he'd be meeting Kimbra's family for the first time. She'd introduce him as her boyfriend.
Heaven help me.
"Wait, I'll go call my dad right now," Kimbra glanced around the room, trying to find her phone.
"Right now?" He straightened his back up, which cracked a bit.
She finally spotted it on the dresser, picking it up as she began dialing her father's number. "Yeah, right now."
"I'll make breakfast while you do that." Bud slid off the bed to stand behind her. He kissed her cheek before leaving the room to give her privacy. The door shut gently behind him.
Kimbra held the phone up to her ear after dialing the number.
It rang.
And rang.
And rang.
After what felt like an eternity, someone on the other end answered. "Hello?"
"Papa?"
His voice became cheerful upon hearing his youngest. "My darling! What do I owe the pleasure?"
"I felt bad for not calling lately, you know…things have been hectic at work."
"I understand. I'm so proud of you, by the way. I heard your project did well."
"Thank you," Kimbra immediately shifted the topic before her father could ask anything else. "I also have to tell you something."
"You're moving back home?" Loren sounded hopeful. Too hopeful. It made a tinge of guilt creep up against her for moving so far away.
"No," Kimbra laughed. "I'm sort of seeing someone right now."
"Is that lingo for just hooking up or whatever you kids are doing these days?"
Ohmygod.
"Papa, no!" She shook her head. "I have a boyfriend, that's all."
" Really? "
"Yes, really."
He went silent, and spoke in a genuine tone. "Kimbra, I find it hard to believe. It's been so long since you had one of those."
Wow, okay, thanks for bringing that up.
"Thanks for reminding me." Kimbra decided not to tell her father about Ross Spector. It'd only lead to trouble.
"Who is he?"
"Bud Flud. The water bottle CEO."
"Kimbra, you don't just go from hating a man to now calling him your boyfriend."
She smiled. Her father knew her too well. She'd have to tell him all about it later.
"I'll explain it later. Do you mind if Bud joins us for the holidays? Pretty please?"
There was a tense silence on the other end of the phone.
Please say something. Anything. Please!
Finally, the author spoke. "Here? To Brittleburg?"
"Would it be a problem?"
Please say no. Please say no.
"Well…no I'm just surprised, is all. You haven't brought anyone to the house since Derek…"
A sigh. "Can we please not talk about him?"
"Alright dear," Loren chuckled. "So, Bud Flud? I'll make sure your brothers don't embarrass you too much in front of him. I can't wait to meet the man."
"I bet she's making him come against his will." The phone mic barely picked up Adam's voice, but Kimbra understood what he had said.
"Adam, shut up!" She barked through the phone, already knowing his train of thought.
"Dad, give me the phone." His impatient voice was now clearer, which meant he had to be right beside their father.
" Don't give him the phone." Kimbra objected.
Adam's voice responded, much to her dismay. "I got the phone."
She didn't hide her lack of enthusiasm. "I'm hanging up, I don't want to talk to you."
"But I'm your favorite brother!"
"No, Al is my favorite."
"He's the meanest one!"
"Yeah, to you ."
"When you were a baby, he used you to scrape snow off his car windshield."
"He did not."
"He did! You waddled up to him making these dumb baby noises, and he picked you up and just used you to brush the snow off."
To be fair, he's probably right. It sounds like an Al thing to do.
"I still don't want to talk to you." She said, not really caring.
"Whyyy?"
"Because I'm going to see you in a few days. I can only handle so much of you."
"Maybe you've gotten less ugly since last time you were here."
"Jerk."
"C'mon, it's a compliment."
"A backhanded one, maybe."
"See you soon, Kimmie," Adam snickered. "I'll go fix your old room up for you, you know…with those old unicorn bedsheets you like so much."
Kimbra scowled and hung up the phone.
She already regretted the idea of letting Bud meet her family.
You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Your family will love Bud. Adore him even. Things will go according to plan. Nothing can go wrong.
"Okay, I called them and let them know you're coming with me." Kimbra said, stepping into the living room. She sniffed the air, tilting her head slightly in wonder of what he was making.
It smelled like…blueberries? Blueberry muffins? Pancakes? Either way, it smelled delicious.
Bud watched her as he leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "Are they surprised?"
"Well, Papa is. Adam just wants to torture me already." She made a face before stepping into the kitchen. "He's so annoying. It's hard to believe he's two years older than me, he acts like he's fourteen most of the time."
"Sounds like someone I know."
A quick frown flashed on Kimbra's face. Bud laughed and leaned towards her, lightly kissing her nose.
Kimbra brushed off the comment fairly quickly. "If you don't want to go, you don't have to. I know it's sudden…meeting them and all…"
She was giving him a way out. He didn't want it.
"I want to."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure." Bud said, taking her hand and pressing it to his heart. "I want to, for you."
Kimbra smiled. Still, she couldn't ignore the relief that flooded through her. It'd be embarrassing if she told her family she was seeing someone, only for the guy to back out and make her look like a liar. Adam would tease her. Their grandmother would pity her. And their father would worry even more about her, and beg her to move back home.
But in the back of Bud's mind, there's a selfish motive. He wanted to avoid spending another Christmas season alone. Moping in his own self-pity. He did that every year since he had turned eighteen. He worked constantly to chase the thoughts out of his mind. Thoughts of his younger brother he left behind. The life he left before his falling out with their father. It made things easier when you couldn't think.
This year was time for a change. A fresh start.
As he held Kimbra once more in his arms, Bud vaguely wondered what Kimbra's family was like. If her father was stuck in his head due to being a best-selling author. Perhaps Loren was like his own father. Obsessed over his public image and reputation.
The CEO cringed inwardly at the thought of anyone comparing to his father. Harrison Flud was a cold, cruel man on his worst days. Uncaring on his best. Neglectful of his children, yet always having the time to criticize them. Remind them they would never be enough.
He definitely didn't want to think about that.
Surely, Loren and Harrison weren't the same. Kimbra would have said something by now if her father was that horrible. She wouldn't have bothered to call him. The way she acted about going back to see him, he sounded wonderful.
Bud wondered if the Wulfes were kind and loving like a family should be. If they were everything he ever dreamed of as a child. If they'd accept him with open arms. If he'd actually feel like he belonged somewhere for once.
Not that he deserved it.