My Personal Star Part 7
#8 of My Personal Star
Ah Christmas, the wonderful time of year where cuddling is almost necessary as well as enjoyable.
Silence filled the small dormitory as the door swung open. Martin stepped in, followed by Valin, who shut the door. As the two started thawing back out, the wolf smirked faintly and stepped forward, putting himself right up against the otter. "Well, we should probably get out of these clothes before we wreck them. And I hear some warm blankets calling us from down the hall..."
Martin needed no more encouragement. Letting Valin guide him by the hand, the otter soon found himself slowly undressing Valin until the wolf wore nothing but his boxers. Martin drank in the sight, blushing fiercely and thankful the room was dark enough to hide it. Valin soon returned the favor, leaving the otter just as bare. A shiver, made from a mix of chill and nervous tension, passed through them both until Valin ran his hand through Martin's chest fur. "The necklace looks good on you." A small silence settled between them, before Valin broke down laughing. "And no, that's not some lead-up to 'I'd like to see you wearing only it' or 'you'd look better with nothing on.' I promise."
Martin chuckled and turned away slightly, eyeing the bed. "I know. I can't say I didn't expect it, or how I would have responded, but..." Taking a step forward, Martin crawled under the blankets and popped his head back out. "Tonight's been wonderful. I'm glad we can have this time together." As soon as Martin popped his head back up, Valin climbed in and pulled the otter to his side. With a gentle kiss goodnight, and a soft sigh of utter contentment, the two passed out, Valin with his arm around the otter, and Martin using the wolf as a pillow.
Valin sat alone at the table in the kitchen, looking stressed and running his hands through his hair as he stared down at the book in front of him. Occasionally he glanced at the bedroom door where soft grunts and moans were emerging. 'Had to be at our place. Two in the morning and they're still going at it,' he thought to himself, shaking his head. Sighing in exasperation, Valin stood up, shoved his book into a bag, and threw on a coat.
As the wolf stepped outside, the haunting strains of a beautiful violin melody filled the air, with a soft tenor voice accompanying it in musical Italian. Ears twitching, Valin slowed down and walked down the stairs, following the enchanting sound around the building and shivering against the cold. Sitting on a bench outside the dormitory with a violin in hand, Martin had his eyes closed as he sang. He seemed immune to the cold, wearing only a light jacket and hat.
Valin listened for a while, getting lost in the music until the cold winds sent a twinge of pain through his hand. Shaking his head, he approached the otter and touched his shoulder, making him jump slightly and stop playing. As Martin looked up at Valin, surprised, he spoke. "Oh, I didn't think you'd still be up. Just thought that some music might help you sleep better, give you sweet dreams." At Valin's questioning look, Martin chuckled. "Couldn't sleep. Finals stress."
"Same. Well, except I was studying...and my roommate was testing the limits of his bed with his recent acquisition. Couldn't take them STILL going at it after this long, so I thought I'd go to the library to get some studying done. Care to join me before you freeze to pieces?" Valin held out a hand, smiling. "I'll even buy you coffee or something from a vending machine. Real high-class stuff."
Martin grinned and took Valin's hand, standing up and putting his instrument away. "It's finals week. I don't think the library will be very quiet or cozy. But we could...always go to my place. My roommate was kicked out of school a couple weeks ago, so I have the whole place to myself. You can use it as a sanctuary from...overly friendly roommate and his beau...any time this week. Even spend the night, if you need it." Martin blushed until Valin hugged him close.
"That sounds wonderful. And don't forget: you're coming home with me for the holidays. You host me this week, and I'll make sure that you're well-cared for afterwards." Martin grinned back at Valin, tugging him down the sidewalk towards the otter's building. As they entered the silent room, looking both far cozier and a fair bit emptier than Valin's dorm. Martin sat the violin case off to the side before he turned and tugged the wolf's coat and scarf off to get him more comfortable.
"Go ahead and get settled. I'll put some coffee on and join you." Martin kissed Valin quickly...or what was supposed to be quickly but turned into a slow, hesitant lingering before they broke apart with a soft moan. "Um...yeah...I'll try not to distract you too much tonight." Letting his gaze linger on the wolf, Martin finally turned away and hung the coat up before starting the coffee pot to brewing.
As the night passed, Martin curled up with Valin on the couch, resting his head on the wolf's shoulder, and then his lap, as Valin poured over his books. Unnoticed by the distracted and sleepy otter, though, Valin seemed to spend more time studying him than the books. As dawn brought the sun into the sky, Valin stretched and picked up his sweet boyfriend, carrying him into the bedroom and tucking him into bed. As he tried to move back into the living room, Martin woke up enough to grab the wolf's hand and hold on tight. Chuckling, Valin climbed into bed next to the otter, making sure he set an alarm for the both of them to wake up to later.
Valin was all grins as he pulled into the driveway. Finals over, his boyfriend excitedly bouncing in the seat next to him, and Christmas on the way. As they got out of the car, Kriv walked out the door with a wide smile as he helped the boys get their luggage out. "Glad to see you made it safe. Courin's just getting lunch ready." Turning to Martin, Kriv laughed. "I hope you're ready to get fat. My darling tends to go a little overboard with cooking around the holidays. On the plus side, that means plenty of leftovers for the months to come. And he makes the best cookies."
Martin blushed a little, still unused to being so accepted. Valin pulled him into a tight hug as they walked inside, getting hit with the blast of heat and smell of many dishes being prepared. In between pans clanging, water bubbling, and fans running, the sound of Courin singing Christmas carols with a twist, ala his own lyrics that bordered on the absurd, could be heard. He shouted a greeting to the new arrivals as they started to head upstairs to deposit their luggage.
Walking into his room, Valin blushed a little as he remembered just how messy he had left it last time he was home. He started to apologize to Martin, but the otter started laughing over him at the sight of the drawings on the wall. "Aww, did you make these? They are amazing. Why didn't you tell me you could draw so well?" Valin started to explain, but Martin kept talking. "Oh well. I'll just have to interrogate you to find out what else you haven't told me. So, where will I be staying?"
Kriv raised an eyebrow at Valin, chuckling at the wolf's reaction. Giving him a look as if to remind him to be careful, Kriv left the room to invade the kitchen. Valin walked over to Martin and hugged him from behind, resting his head on the otter's shoulder. "Well, I talked to my parents and...if you're not opposed to it, you're more than welcome to stay in here with me. We just can't get too crazy, or else they'll respond in kind and they can be pretty loud." Martin froze, blushing and looking shocked at the answer. "They thought it easier on both of us, and...I didn't really give them any choice." Valin chuckled as Martin turned around in the wolf's embrace.
"So you...want me to share your bed all break?" At Valin's nod, Martin relaxed. "I'd love to. I was planning out ways to sneak in here at night anyways, but I didn't know how the rooms were set up." Martin laughed as Valin guided the two towards the bed and pushed the otter down, laying on top of him. "Mmmm, such a nice bed too. This will probably be the best Christmas yet. Good food, great company, and a bed just big enough. Who could ask for more?"
Valin nuzzled into Martin's neck, giving it gentle kisses. "So you don't want the gifts I got you? Okay, I'll take them back." Martin playfully smacked Valin, attempting to attack or tickle him while the wolf held him down and responded in kind. The fight was interrupted as Courin's singsong voice called up the stairs to let them know that the food was ready. Grinning at each other, the two started fighting to get up, each one trying to beat the other down the stairs in a playful race.
Over the break, Valin and Martin started relaxing more around each other. They spent lots of time together in front of the fireplace, had snowball fights, and frosted cookies together. Christmas morning made Martin realize just what his life had been, and how much better it would be with this new family. Gifts were exchanged, and Martin was overwhelmed, but not moreso than when he opened Valin's gift. A leather charm bracelet with violins and snowflakes, a few CDs, and a sketchbook.
At Martin's questioning look, Valin opened it up. As the otter flipped through the pages, filled from cover to cover with sketches of him. His mummy outfit, at his swim meet, in his tux, and even just walking around or laying on a couch. Each picture showed a depth of emotion that Valin usually kept hidden away. Martin started to tear up with utter delight, dropping the sketchbook and tackling Valin, hugging him tight. Kriv pulled Courin into his own hug as they watched the pair, grinning. After the holidays passed by way too fast, the two said farewell to the dragons before heading back to college.