Ralsei and Anon go camping, Day 2 (Mildly Suggestive)

>You awaken, only to be greeted by the blinding light of the sun.
>Groaning, you squeeze your eyes shut and bury your face into the nearby pillow.
>Ah, so soft and fluffy, you love this pillow…
>As you nuzzle into its fuzzy comfort, you hear a soft giggle, and what sounds like sleepy mumbling.
>Anon, nooo… supposed to… other way…”
>That voice sounds awfully familiar…
>As the haze of sleep washes from your mind and you grow more lucid, you realize you've been nuzzling into the soft fur of Ralsei's midriff this whole time.
>Not that you mind, but you're definitely grateful your lover isn't capable of reading minds.
>As you sit up to stretch out the kinks of sleep, your lucidity also grants you another insight.
>Your back is sore as hell, and your joints are somewhat stiff.
>Guess sleeping on the rock hard earth wasn't your brightest idea.
>Even so, it's not as though the bed roll you had in the tent was going to be any better.
>Besides, you'd sleep anywhere if it was with him.
>Speaking of which, Ralsei seems to be waking up as well, judging by that squeaky yawn of his.
>”Oh, g'mornin’ Anon,” he mumbles, rubbing the morning out of his eyes before smiling sleepily up at you.
>You don't think you'll ever get tired of that look.
>Smiling back, you lean down and give him a kiss on the cheek, one that he returns before you pull back up.
>After both getting to your feet, you notice that Ralsei doesn't seem to be going through the same morning pains as you.
>”Lucky,” you tease, poking your tongue out as you go through all your sore muscles, stretching them out as best you can.
>Ralsei tilts his head at you, a confused look on his face.
>”What do you mean?”
>”You don't get sore from sleeping on the ground like I do,” you explain as you finish your stretch with a grunt.
>Feels better now, but it's probably best if you don't strain those muscles too much for the day.
>Ralsei offers you a sympathetic smile, before you see his eyes light up and hear a soft “Oh!” from his lips.
>”What's up, hon?”
>“N-nothing.”
>You squint your eyes and smirk slightly at him, clearly unconvinced.
>Ralsei seems to blush just a bit,but he shakes his head and stays resolute.
>”Alright then,” you relent, letting off a dramatic sigh.
>Ralsei giggles at your theatrics, but rewards your compliance with some insider info.
>”Just… Wait until tonight, okay honey?”
>He had your curiosity, but now he has your attention.
>Your fluffy prince apparently could see your eyes light up from that, since he giggles again and shakes his head, placing a finger to his lips and smirking at you.
>Well, if you weren't awake already, you certainly were now.
>After washing up for the morning and having a breakfast of campfire-cooked eggs, you and Ralsei find yourselves studying one of the ranger-posted campground maps, encased in one of those wooden stands.
>”Hmm, we could go fishing at the nearby pond,” you hear Ralsei suggest.
>Not a half bad idea, but as you scan over the landmarks, you think of a better one.
>”What do you think about hiking up the mountain?”
>Ralsei smirks at that, “Aren't you sore or something?”
>You snort with amusement and fold your arms in mock incredulity.
>”Are you saying I couldn't walk up a mountain after just one night of sleeping on the ground?”
>Ralsei giggles and wraps an arm around you, nuzzling into your shoulder and gazing up at you with those beautiful, sparkling eyes of his.
>Damn this goat and his ability to bore right through your defenses.
>”No, of course not, honey. I just wouldn’t want you to really hurt yourself, you know?”
>That, combined with the physical affection, was enough to tug your lips from a mock pout into a loving smile.
>”Don’t worry, Rals, I won’t hurt myself.”
>”Besides, I worked out my arms yesterday, so it’s only right that I work out my legs today.”
>You deliver that line with a bit of a smirk, and the implication hits home as Ralsei starts blushing and hiding his face in your arm.
>”W-well, alright, I suppose we can go hiking…” he relents, voice slightly muffled from talking into you.
>You respond by ruffling his head and leaning over to kiss your gote between the horns.
>Your schedule set, you head back to camp and change out of your sleeping clothes.
>You’re decked in a pair of jeans that slightly hug your figure, a simple logo tee and light jacket, along with the work boots you still had from last night.
>Ralsei’s dressed in his cute overalls and wearing that breezy shirt with the heart print on it, along with his new sun hat and his own pair of boots, though they didn’t seem rugged enough for hiking.
>You’d probably have to take it slow so Ralsei didn’t end up injuring himself, but you were alright with that.
>”Oh hey, what do you think about having a picnic while we’re up on the mountain?”
>Ralsei’s brows raise slightly at that, but after a moment he smiles and nods.
>”That sounds like fun! I’ll get the backpack.”
>As he goes to fetch the backpack with all the food in it, another idea strikes you as you wander out and away from the campsite a little bit.
>”Huh? Anon, wait for me!”
>A hurried shuffling of feet later and Ralsei’s caught back up to you.
>”Sorry, Rals, I was just looking for some dead wood.”
>”Uh, why would you need that?”
>”Well, if we find some, you’ll see why.”
>Ralsei rolls his eyes but giggles a bit, he’s come to trust in your silly little surprises over the years you’ve been together.
>After a few minutes of searching, you come across a suitable patch of wood.
>”Ah, here we go,” you say decisively, kneeling down and brushing aside all the worthless bits.
>After a moment longer, you come up with what you were looking for - a walking stick.
>Ralsei can’t help but giggle again as he sees you standing there, stick proudly planted in the earth.
>”That’s what you were so anxious to find?”
>”Yes! You can’t go hiking without a proper walking stick, Rals, it’s just common sense.”
>”Well, in that case..”
>After looking over the brush pile with a curious expression, Ralsei finally bends down and comes up with his own stick, smiling at you.
>It’s got a gnarled end, making it almost look like some kind of spell-staff.
>You suspect that’s why Ralsei picked it out.
>”Onward we march, then!” You exclaim, pointing boldly forward and marching off with your stick in the air like some kind of parade leader.
>Ralsei laughs a bit at your theatrics, but eventually falls into step beside you, proclaiming “Yes, onward!”
>It’s the simple things like humoring your goofy antics that really make you love this goat.
>After a while, you’ve made it onto the hiking trail, and its steady incline adds some challenge to your ascent, but not so much that it becomes tiresome.
>For you, at any rate - Ralsei starts to lag behind you after a time, and you can hear his breathing getting a bit heavier.
>”You alright, Rals?” You ask, slowing down to fall into step beside him.
>”I’m… I’m fine, hun… Don’t worry about me…”
>You’re still going to, as you slow your pace so that Ralsei can more easily keep up.
>Despite his earlier protest, he seems to be genuinely thankful for the milder pace.
>You share a smile with your prince - you both understand each other perfectly in that moment.
>A while longer, and you’ve finally reached one of the overlooks on the mountain.
>Even you’re starting to tire out a little, so you decide this is a good enough spot to rest for a moment.
>As you both take a seat on one of the flatter boulders on the outcrop, Ralsei seems preoccupied with gazing out over the treetops.
>”Wow, we’re already this high up?”
>”Yeah,” you chuckle after taking a swig from your water bottle, “it’s amazing what you can accomplish when you buckle down and put your mind to it, eh?”
>”Are we going to reach the top?”
>”Of course. I don’t make a habit of leaving things unfinished.”
>Ralsei giggles at that, before hopping back up on his feet, seemingly filled with a new reserve of energy.
>”Well, we’d better get going then, shouldn’t we?”
>Seeing your prince so excited for something you’d considered so out of his comfort zone warms your heart over.
>You use your stick as leverage to get back up on your feet with a grunt, and smile over at Ralsei.
>As you continue along, you notice Ralsei starting to lag behind a little again.
>”Hey, we’re almost at the top, don’t start slacking on me now!”
>You glance over your shoulder not to see a tired gote, but a flustered one.
>Your concerned glance turns into a teasing smirk as you return to look straight ahead.
>You make a point of pretending to trip a bit, dropping your walking stick in the process.
>”Oh, whoops~”
>You can practically feel Ralsei’s bashful gaze fixed squarely on you as you bend over quickly to pick it back up.
>Sure enough, when you glance over your shoulder again, you see the fluffy cutie rapidly averting his gaze and blushing.
>”Everything alright back there?” you ask, giving him a pointed smirk.
>All you get in response is Ralsei poking his tongue out at you, but you’ve got him and he knows it, so you just laugh it off.
>Eventually you crest the mountain, and there’s a cleared area with some picnic tables and even one of those barbecue pits.
>Seems hiking up the mountain and eating is a popular enough idea that the park authority decided to cater to it.
>Ralsei immediately skips over to one of the tables and slings the backpack down onto it, leaning his walking-stick against the end as well.
>”Good job, Rals. I’m proud of you, hun,” you say, approaching your boyfriend and going in for a short, sweet kiss.
>Ralsei giggles but returns it with a blush, before sliding into the seat and breathing out a soft sigh of relief.
>You set your own stick against his, and unzip the backpack to look inside for food.
>It was mostly snacks, but there was at least some bread and zipper-bags with lunch meats and cheese.
>Might not be the grandest picnic you’ve ever had, but it still counts for something.
>After settling in beside Ralsei, he immediately scoots closer to you and nuzzles pointedly into your shoulder.
>Getting the hint, you smile down at him and open up your arm, allowing him to snuggle in closer and wrap an arm around you.
>Though it’d mean you would have to make the sandwiches with one hand, you decide to wrap an arm around him as well, consequences be damned.
>As your hand lands on his side, Ralsei’s own free paw comes up and nudges it, prompting you to entwine your fingers with his.
>You hear a soft, contented sigh as you rub your thumb along his fur, and you fail to suppress a warm smile of your own.
>”Thank you, Anon.”
>You arch an eyebrow and look down at Ralsei, who has a contented look of happiness written on his face.
>”For everything, I’m just… so happy when I’m with you.”
>You can see his eyes start to glisten, and you squeeze his paw affectionately, smiling down at him.
>”I should say the same, I don’t even want to think about the place I was in before I met you.”
>”Why is that?” An innocent enough question, but even just thinking about it dredges up some painful memories.
>”I… wasn’t in the best way back in those days. Some days didn’t even feel real, like I was stuck in a loop or something.”
>Ralsei listens attentively, but you notice the tinge of concern on his face as you explain.
>”Heh, well, all that changed once I met you, Ral-ral.” The nickname does its job as Ralsei begins to blush with a cute smile.
>”I started to appreciate what I had more and more, instead of worrying about what I didn’t.”
>”You taught me how to see the beauty in the small and simple things.”
>”Even in my darkest days, my relapses, you were always so, so supportive. Still are.”
>”Honestly, I’d say I didn’t deserve you if it didn’t sound like something from one of those schlocky romance movies you love so much.”
>You playfully nudge Ralsei’s side with your entwined hands with that, grinning down at him.
>Your grin fades as you notice the tears, and the hitched breath indicative of sobbing.
>”Ralsei..?” you ask tentatively, worried that you’d somehow upset your lover.
>Instead, he looks up at you with a watery smile, sniffs, and lets out a short, breathy laugh as he reads the concern on your face.
>Relieved, you slide your hand out of his paw and bring it up to stroke idly at the fur on his head.
>”A-anon… I’m s-sorry, I just…”
>”Shh, it’s alright, Ral-ral. I understand.”
>”No, it’s j-just, I never knew just how much I… meant to you.”
>He pauses, before starting once more as though trying to overwrite something he’d said.
>”I-I mean, I knew I meant something to you, I just… I just…”
>You chuckle softly and lean down, brushing aside a tuft of fur so you can smooch him between the horns.
>”You mean the world to me and more, Ralsei. Never forget that.”
>As he wipes the tears from his face, he looks up and you share a smile as you gaze into each other’s eyes.
>A brief moment later, and the two of you are sharing a long, loving kiss, locked in full embrace at this point.
>After a dizzying moment that felt like forever, you slowly break apart and look at each other once again.
>No words need to be shared here, the moment and the act were enough.
>You can’t help but feel as though you’ve crossed a major threshold in your relationship with Ralsei.
>The moment is interrupted, however, when you hear and feel a gurgling in your stomach.
>Ralsei seems to have noticed too, as he sniffles a bit before giggling.
>”I suppose that means it’s lunchtime, then?”
>”Heh, I suppose so,” you reply, turning to complete the sandwiches you had been neglecting during that shared tender moment.
>The two of you eat in peaceful silence, sounds of the wind and wildlife the only accompaniment to this moment.
>Once finished, you take a swig from your water bottle, with Ralsei doing the same from his, and just linger for a moment, watching the sun begin to dip in the sky with a sense of satisfied contentment.
>After a bit, though, you scoot off the bench and stretch out a bit before taking your stick in hand.
>”Alright, well, we should probably head back down before it gets too dark to navigate.”
>Ralsei nods, gathering up the loose bits that were left out and returning them to the backpack.
>As you make your way down the mountain, you notice Ralsei start to lag behind again.
>With a knowing smirk, you turn around and start walking backwards.
>Just as you thought, Ralsei looks surprised and flustered when you turn to face him.
>”What’s wrong, Rals? Can’t keep up?”
>Ralsei scrunches his face at you in a pout.
>”Can’t I just admire your… figure in peace, Anon?”
>You laugh at that, but hearing him say it out loud and so directly causes your face to pull into a smug expression.
>Ralsei seems to be preoccupied with averting his eyes downward, trying to hide his embarrassment.
>In a moment that almost seems to pass over several minutes, you see Ralsei’s eye go wide as he reaches out for you.
>”Anon, look out!”
>Confused at first, you turn to try and see what Ralsei was warning you of.
>However, as your boot lands wrong on a protruding stone, you lose your footing.
>Caught in mid-turn, your weight causes your ankle to roll, and the pain shooting up your leg makes you instinctively buckle at the knees.
>Just enough for you to tumble into the dirt, and your momentum scrapes you along the path a little as well.
>You’re just thankful you didn’t start tumbling down further.
>As you sit back up, your ankle twinges with pain again, and you inhale sharply.
>Ralsei’s at your side in an instant, kneeling down with his paws hovering over you to ensure you’re all right.
>”Anon, are you okay?! I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have distracted you…”
>You chuckle and give him a reassuring smile, but your ankle throbs again, causing you to wince slightly.
>You’re used to pain, but damn if a sprained ankle doesn’t still hurt.
>”Where does it hurt, Anon?”
>You open your mouth to protest, but Ralsei already sees it coming.
>”Oh, save the machismo, Anon! If you’re hurt, I need to know so I can heal you, dummy!”
>He seems really distraught about this, so you sigh and relent.
>”Just sprained my ankle, is all. Nothing to worry about, Rals.”
>You give him a soft smile, one that seems to calm him down considerably as he returns it.
>”Really, that’s it? It looked a lot worse from where I was…”
>You chuckle again and shake your head.
>”You just worry too much, is all.”
>Ralsei fails to stifle a giggle of his own as he rises to his feet and offers a paw to help you up.
>A paw that you gladly accept, making sure not to put too much pressure on your bad foot.
>Ralsei hands you the walking-stick you dropped, and you use it as a makeshift crutch to lean your weight on instead.
>Even still, your gote prince remains close by your side, ready to make sure you don’t fuck yourself up any further.
>With the slowed pace and Ralsei’s dutiful guidance, you both manage to make it the rest of the way back to camp without further fanfare.
>It was a little embarrassing, honestly, but you know as well as anyone that even a sprained ankle can get worse if not treated properly.
>By the time you’d made it to camp, the sun had already begun to sink close to the horizon.
>Almost as soon as you’ve made it, Ralsei rushes ahead and starts frantically gathering materials from the tent and his own satchel.
>As a healer by nature, it was only expected that your lover would have brought along first aid supplies.
>His magic does wonders but it puts a strain on him, so you’ve insisted on using human methods if the injury isn’t serious.
>Even so, he still sometimes uses small bursts of magic to ease your suffering as he can, and you’re always grateful for it.
>You lean on your thankfully sturdy walking stick, watching Ralsei flit to and fro as he sets up a comfy little nest-like area that you can only imagine he intends to have you rest in.
>Your guess proves true, as he approaches you and helps you lie down in the jumble of blankets and pillows.
>After a bit of fluffing and adjustment, the little nest is actually surprisingly comfortable for being what it is.
>You set to work on removing your boots, and once you’ve freed your feet Ralsei’s already there with one of the folding lawn chairs for you to prop your leg up on.
>He takes over from there as you lie back, wrapping your ankle firmly with a fabric bandage so it sets properly.
>It also helps to dull the pain just a little.
>Next, he places a makeshift ice pack against it, no doubt crafted with some of the ice from your cooler.
>An idea seems to strike him, however, as he ties the ice pack to your foot with some extra bandage material.
>”Clever,” you comment, eliciting a small smile from your boyfriend.
>”It’s so I can do this,” he replies, causing you to lift an eyebrow curiously.
>You’re not left in the dark for long, as Ralsei plops down and snuggles up beside you.
>A smile pulls at your lips, and you gaze over at your lover as he drapes his arm across your chest.
>”You know, I had a different plan for tonight,” he says, gazing back at you with those sparkling eyes of his.
>”Yeah, I did too. Unfortunately it seems that nature cares not for even the best laid plans of gotes and men.”
>Ralsei giggles a bit at that, before leaning in and planting a soft kiss on your jawline, so soft that you almost didn’t feel it.
>”I’m really sorry you got hurt, Anon…”
>You shake your head at that, reaching up and squeezing Ralsei’s paw reassuringly.
>”Nah, it was my own dumbass fault. I shouldn’t have started walking backwards to tease you like that.”
>Ralsei fails to hide a bit of a cheeky smirk as you reveal this info.
>”Well, in that case I suppose this is karma.”
>”Hah, I suppose it is.”
>You lie there together like that for a time, before you look over at your lover.
>”By the way, what was that plan you were talking about earlier?”
>Ralsei blushes a bit as he recalls what he was thinking, but doesn’t shy away from saying.
>”Well, when I learned how stiff and sore you were feeling, I was going to give you a massage before we went to sleep.”
>Damn, that actually sounds like it’d hit the spot right about now, too.
>”I can… still do that, if you want me to,” Ralsei says, almost seeming to read your mind.
>You briefly wonder if he actually did know what you were thinking that morning, but quickly banish the thought to the bowels of stupidity.
>”Might be a bit difficult, considering.”
>As you say that, Ralsei seems to hesitate a moment before getting up to his feet.
>You follow his movement with a curious eye, wondering what was going on in that fluffy head of his.
>As he closes his eyes and clasps his paws together in a prayer-like fashion, you alight with recognition.
>The familiar glow of his magic sparks to life beneath his feet, and blows a gentle breeze as it travels up his body.
>However, rather than casting it outward as you’ve seen him so often do, Ralsei instead focuses the power into his paws.
>Once the invocation ends, the magical wind dies down and leaves Ralsei with his glowing hands.
>You’re starting to think you might understand what he’s going for, here.
>As if to confirm your suspicion, Ralsei moves to unwrap your ankle, tenderly wrapping his paws around it and very gently pressing against the skin.
>Rather than pain however, you feel a tingly warmth that you recognize as the sensation of Ralsei’s magic doing its job.
>He doesn’t linger long, though, as once he’s healed your ankle, he slowly lowers your foot from the chair onto the ground.
>”Could you… could you take off your clothes, please? At least down to your… underwear.”
>You consider teasing Ralsei about it, but decide against doing so and comply, stripping off your jacket and tee and dropping them to the side, before slipping out of your jeans and similarly placing them to the side.
>You notice Ralsei giving your body a once-over look before realizing you’re watching him and starting a bit.
>”O-okay, now roll onto your stomach.”
>You do so, winging out your arms a bit and folding your hands under your head.
>You hear the sound of shuffling clothing and then a light pressure on your lower back.
>Shortly after, you feel the unmistakable fluff and pad of Ralsei’s paws kneading into your shoulder muscles.
>More than just the massage, though, you feel that tingling warmth of his magic seep into your skin from where he touches you.
>He closes inward, pressing into the center of your back before moving up to your neck.
>His paws move with a steady, methodical poise, as though trying not to mess up.
>After rolling away the tension in your neck, leaving behind only the sensation of his magic, Ralsei hesitates for a moment.
>”Left or right?” he asks, and you think on it for a second.
>”Right,” you reply, and almost immediately you feel his paws get to work on your right bicep.
>You extend your arm out, leaning to the left slightly to give him an easier time of it.
>The familiar tingle seems to press itself into your muscles from his paws, his little pads only enhancing the effect.
>You notice that he seems to be taking his time with your arm muscles, and you think you have an inkling as to why.
>”Isn't it bad practice to feel up your client during a massage?”
>Ralsei eeps cutely, caught in the act as he was, and draws back his hands.
>”I'm only teasing, hun, you're doing fine.”
>Even so, your gote finishes up with your arm and moves to work on the other.
>You note that he also takes his time with your left arm, despite the teasing.
>After finishing with your arms, he slides down your body a little so that he's straddling your upper legs.
>Then, he kneads his magic into your back and sides, taking his time there just as he did with your arms.
>You smile a bit as your prince admires your body.
>It was a nice feeling, though you'd never admit it outright.
>As he reaches your lower body, he hesitates again.
>You can probably guess why.
>After a moment, though, he's moved down to your feet.
>The massage begins anew, with his magic hands pressing into the back of your thigh.
>As these muscles were the ones most recently in use, his minor healing magic takes a more noticeable effect here.
>That, and the warm tingling sensation seems to linger for longer.
>He moves down to your calf, making sure to work out all the tension from the day.
>After a moment, he's working his way down your other leg, paying the same care and attention to it as the first.
>Once he’s finished, you feel him turn around and massage out the tension in your feet.
>Thankfully you’re not very ticklish, otherwise the feeling of his paw pads pressing into your soles would probably have made things difficult.
>Another moment later, and you feel Ralsei’s weight lift away from you.
>”Alright, n-now on your back.”
>You could tell just from his voice that your fluffy prince was trying not to get too flustered over what’s supposed to be a simple massage.
>As you roll over, you can still feel the warmth from his healing magic within you, though it’s very faint now.
>Now able to see Ralsei for the first time in a while, you smile slightly at him before leaning back and folding your hands under your head again.
>Ralsei begins where he ended previously, working back up your legs.
>As he reaches your upper thigh, he hesitates before deciding to at least iron out the kinks.
>While it might’ve been fun, you have to share the sentiment for tonight.
>Besides, there was always plenty of other opportunities if you wanted to get frisky after a massage.
>Even so, you can’t help but smirk suggestively at your lover as he scoots up to straddle your waist.
>Like you’d thought, even just giving you this massage was likely more than Ralsei had bargained for.
>His cheeks are a bashful pink, but you see the determination in his eyes to see this through.
>Paws still aglow, he leans down slightly and works his magic on your abdomen first, moving his way up your torso until he’s massaged what little tension you had left out of your pectorals.
>With the massage concluded, an idea sparks in your head that forces your lips into a devilish grin.
>While Ralsei was still off-balance from leaning forward to massage your chest, you bump your knee into his rear.
>”Anon, wh-oomph!”
>As expected, this tips the gote even further so that he’s falling on top of you.
>With a quick motion, you lock him in an embrace and meet his lips with your own.
>He squirms a little at first, but after getting over the initial shock he’s melted into your kiss like all other times.
>As you break apart, you give Ralsei a cheeky smirk that causes him to roll his eyes and giggle a little.
>”A-Anon, you goof.”
>Even so, he leans back in and gives you a quick peck on the cheek before rising to his feet.
>If the sun was setting when you first started this whole session, then it was absolutely gone by now.
>As you get up, you note that your ankle still feels a little tender, but Ralsei’s magic did wonders for it.
>Speaking of which…
>”Feeling alright, Rals?” you ask from the tent as you pull on your sleepwear.
>”Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” comes his somewhat confused response.
>”Well, you were using your magic for quite a bit there.”
>”Oh! Well, you see, I’ve actually been kind of practicing with it!”
>You emerge from the tent with a cocked eyebrow. “Oh?”
>”Yeah! Now it doesn’t tire me out as much, so I can use it more often!”
>Seeing him so excited about something warms your heart over, and the smile on your face reflects that.
>”That’s pretty great, actually. I’m proud of you, hun!”
>Ralsei positively radiates with the praise, giving a short little giggle as he smiles back.
>”I was gonna do this anyway, but I feel like you deserve it even more after all the work you’ve been putting in, Rals.”
>Your prince tilts his head curiously, eyes following your movements as he tries to figure out what you mean.
>”There’s a special treat I’ve been wanting to share with you, but there really wasn’t a good time for it until now.”
>As you say this, you re-light the campfire, moving the cooking grate away so it doesn’t get in the way.
>You had Ralsei’s curiosity before, but hearing you talk about a treat captures his attention.
>”I think you’ll really like it, too.”
>”Anon, c’mon, are you really building up suspense for food?”
>He says that, but you can tell from the tone of his voice that he’s just anxious to try it out.
>You chuckle, reaching inside the backpack and unzipping the “hidden” pouch along the inner lining to pull out the three key ingredients.
>Graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows.
>Ralsei’s eyes light up as he sees the third ingredient, and an eager gasp escapes from his mouth.
>”Wait, it has marshmallows in it?!”
>Bingo. You chuckle at his enthusiasm and nod, popping open the bag of mallow and setting it aside.
>”Yep, they’re called s’mores, and they’re really good if you like sweets.”
>”Of course, it’s a bit of a human tradition to only make them while camping, since the most popular way to prepare them is to roast the marshmallows over an open fire.”
>”Really, it’s the only way to do it, if you ask me.”
>Ralsei hangs on to your every word, as though you were opening up a mystical new gate of sugary wonder for the fluffy boy.
>After opening the graham cracker packaging, you pick up a couple of nearby sticks and pull out a pair of plump, fluffy marshmallows.
>Spearing one on each stick, you hand one of them over to Ralsei, who seems almost like he has to physically restrain himself from just munching the marshmallow on its own.
>”Trust me, it’ll taste much better with the other stuff, Rals,” you assure him, holding your marshmallow right at the edge of the campfire’s flame.
>”The trick is in the timing,” you instruct as you slowly turn the marshmallow over in the flame.
>”Hold it in one spot for too long and it’ll char, but turn it too quickly and you’ll get an uneven toasting.”
>Ralsei nods before placing his own marshmallow over the fire, its edges licking around the puffy white confection.
>A few moments later, and your mallow is toasted to gooey, golden perfection, so you pull out a graham cracker and scrape it off of the stick.
>You wait until Ralsei’s is also finished, even if slightly charred in one spot, and hand him a cracker to do the same with.
>You then rip open one of the chocolate bars and crack it clean in half, placing each half on another graham cracker.
>”Now’s the best part: eating it!”
>As you say this, you smoosh the two halves together to finalize the process, and then watch as Ralsei does the same.
>”Ready? On three then. One, two…”
>You both take a bite, and the combination of flavors hits you immediately.
>You’ve already tasted s’mores before, but every time is like you’re trying them again for the first time.
>Probably has something to do with only eating them while camping.
>You hear Ralsei swallow, and promptly breathe out a little squeal of delight.
>”Mmm, this is delicious! Why haven’t you told me about these yet?!”
>You can’t help but laugh a little. Ralsei’s passion for sweets has always been rather endearing, especially when you get to see him so happy from it.
>”Like I said, it’s human tradition to only make them while camping.”
>”Then we should go camping more often, Anon!”
>You both share a light-hearted laugh at that, and after a while you’ve both finished off your s’mores.
>Ralsei decided to make another on his own, and actually managed to toast the marshmallow just right this time.
>You, however, decided that one was enough and opted to instead lean back in your folding chair, putting your hands behind your head as you gaze up into the sky.
>Once Ralsei had finished his second, he decided to join you in the starwatching.
>”I still think it’s really amazing, you know?”
>”Yeah, I’ve lived in the Light World my whole life and even I’ve never really had much opportunity to see anything like this.”
>”Well, it’s like you said, isn’t it? You have to be out and away from civilization for it to show up in the night sky.”
>”True. I guess I just never really made the time to come out this far. Not until I met you, anyway.”
>You break your gaze from the dusty swirl of the skylights to smile over at Ralsei.
>The flickering flames of the campfire send enough light dancing across his face to reveal that he’s blushing again, that cute little smile pulling at his lips.
>”Anon, you always talk about how much better you’ve become after meeting me…”
>”Well, it’s because it’s true.”
>”No, I mean… I don’t think I really deserve all the credit there, you know?”
>You chuckle a bit, shrugging as you take his meaning.
>”Well, I suppose you’re not wrong, but I’m still going to give you all the credit.”
>”W-why?”
>”Because I love you, my sweet little prince.”
>Ralsei giggles in that way that lets you know you’ve definitely flustered him.
>”A-anon, please... “
>He hesitates for a moment, before smiling his soft, loving smile at you.
>”I love you too.”