whoaugh, fireflies

“Don’t get too excited,” Latte hums, watching Vale wobble determinedly around the room.

“I’m not too excited!” they protest, before pausing. “No… no wait, of course I’m excited! Aren’t you?” they counter, looking back at the man with a pout.

“Of course I am,” he hums, pulling himself off the couch to join Vale in the middle of the room. “But if you want to stay up that late, you should probably take it easy~”

“I’ve got it!” they reply. “Besides, it’s not a party without… the accoutrements!” 

Latte looks around. “The room looks plenty decorated to me.”

Vale shakes their head. “There’s still some spots!”

“Of what, empty space?”

They pout. “Latte!”

The man laughs, wrapping his arms around the smaller Cosset and planting a kiss on their forehead. “Relax. She’ll love it.” He scoops his arms up underneath them, carrying them back over to the couch. “And she will be very impressed.”

“You haven’t even met her yet,” Vale pouts, flushing a bit from the attention as they’re returned to the cushions. Latte is mean - in that anytime he touches them, they lose all will to fight, obediently letting him tuck them in. The cushions were still warm from his bodyheat…

“No, but I’ve heard plenty, and I already like her,” he winks, before straightening up. “Why don’t you have a nap in the meantime?”

“You’re bullying me,” Vale pouts, shifting a bit in the cushions.

“Clearly someone has to,” he hums, kneeling down. “I’ll get started on your snacks. And we’ll wake you up if you oversleep.”

“I won’t!” they reply, shaking their head. “I’m too excited!”

Latte laughs and plants a kiss on Vale’s lips, quickly shutting them up as they flush again, hands over their mouth as Latte gets up and heads to the kitchen.

Alone in the livingroom now, Vale reflects on how much their life has improved. A best friend… an actual honest-to-god boyfriend too… It felt like only last week they were doing their best to hobble out to the town message board to leave notes and their number in the hopes that maybe someone would call and talk to them - break up the dull existence of their lonely lifestyle and bring some colour into their day.

Now there were two people who loved them! 

Going to bed was getting harder - it kept feeling like they’d wake up and find out it was all just a dream. All the souvenirs Ivory had brought them would be gone - all traces of Latte missing from their house, empty and cold once more. Like it was a reality they were avoiding returning to - content to dream just a little longer.

Content to dream…

They hadn’t even realised they’d managed to nod off until a hand gently shakes them awake, blearily opening their eyes, rubbing them, until white hair and dark skin faded into their field of view.

Their face lights up. “Ivory!”

Ivory looks down at them, grinning. “Vale, wake up! There’s heaps of fireflies outside!”

Huh? What time is it? They push themselves weakly up onto their elbows, trying to crane their neck to look behind them. “Are there?”
Ivory scoops them up into her arms, a small squeak coming from Vale as she does so. “Come on!”

Vale looks up at her and pouts. “How long have you been here?”

She laughs. “You looked so comfortable, Vale, neither of us had the heart! Besides, I came for you for the best part, right?”

The best part… The door opens and Vale feels the cool air as they step outside.
The sun had just started to set… the valley bathed in dark blue light. Glittering through the dim lighting were hundreds of fireflies, blinking around and flashing their faint yellow glow through the air like stars come down to earth to say hello. Vale’s face lights up.

Latte calls out and they glance over, seeing him sitting in the grass. Ivory quickly closes the gap and sits Vale down beside him, sitting on the other side of the Cosset to look up at the fireflies.

Squished between his two favourite people, sitting in the grass, observing the display, Vale beams a little. If it is all just a meaningless dream, it has to be the best one they’ve ever had…

They rest their head on Latte’s shoulder. “I love you guys,” they hum.

The two wrap their arms around them and laugh. “We love you too!”