The Snooze Store [Snow Leopard; Cuddling, Softness]

The Snooze Store [Snow Leopard; Cuddling, Softness]: Some people like to window shop, and others like to go a little further. Anon takes a friend to a furniture store, of all places, and finds some quality bonding time with her in the process.

>If someone asked you what the oddest place you’ve been on a date was, “furniture store” would probably be up there
>Puroma has always been a close acquaintance, but ever since the passing of her grandmother she’s needed a shoulder to cry on
>You offered one to her, and she’s been warming up to you even more since then
>She’s shown you pictures of her grandmother before, and it’s hard to believe how old she was with how graceful and regal she looked up until the end
>Then again, it’s probably a lot harder for snow leopards to “gray” as they age
>Good looks obviously run in the family, because they were clearly passed on to Puroma
>Her coat is a flawless white with crisp black rosettes and a lengthy, lively tail she is proud of more than anything else
>Her face has a slightly scrunched-up cuteness as though she’s constantly expecting to be bopped on the nose
>She’s pretty shapely as well, though a lot of that can be attributed to the extra “floof” from her fur
>Another thing passed down to her was part of her grandmother’s inheritance
>There was a good chunk of money left to Puroma in the will, but the young snow leopard is not the type of girl to be so materialistic, so it sat unused for months
>But recently she thought of how she could use the money for a little self-indulgence
>Specifically, to furnish her pretty sparse, one-bedroom apartment
>So now you’re driving her to a massive furniture gallery just on the edge of the city
>”Grams would always take me to these kinds of stores with her,” she says quietly
>”I loved running around all the chairs and hiding under the tables.”
>It’s relatable in a way
>Can’t say you’ve never been dragged along on an errand and had to find some way to entertain yourself
>She gets a little teary eyed on the way over, but you suppose it’s best for her to let it out
>You’re coming along primarily for emotional support, but also to be her financial conscious of sorts
>Her main goal is to get a new mattress, and you’ve been asked to keep her from “going nuts” with the money
>From the moment the two of you enter the furniture store, you don’t think that will be an issue

>Puroma is stricken by nostalgia from her casual outings with her grandmother
>Rather than being concerned with home decoration, she’s skipping through the place as if it were a playground
>She’s hurdling over every ottoman in a line as you walk by the couches
>Each time you try one out she comes tumbling over the back onto the cushions next to you
>Eventually she lands directly onto your lap, then dashes off in embarrassment
>You find her sneaking inside the racks of hanging rugs, which look like pages of an oversized book
>You peel apart one rug after another, and just when you think you’ve found her she’s gone
>Though clumps of her fur are stuck to each one
>She manages to lose you for a while, but the confused glances of other shoppers point you in the right direction
>Amongst the floor lamps is Puroma, standing perfectly still with a lampshade on her head
>If the round ears poking out the top aren’t a dead giveaway, the whipping of her tail certainly is
>Well, there's one way you know how to turn a lamp on...
>You give her tail a playful tug
>”Rrrwww-OW!”
>Before you know it, the shade’s on YOUR head and Puroma runs off once more to get a head start for her new hiding spot
>It’s endearing in a way, but you have to tell Puroma to tone it down at times
>You’re here for a mattress, and you can’t get one if you’re kicked out
>”Alright, fine,” she sighs.
>Her pouty face almost makes you want to give in and join her
>You also feel a little guilty about it
>This whole trip is pretty much for her and coping with her loss, so you're not trying to ruin her fun
>When she gets serious about shopping, she steers you toward all the dining furniture
>There are a few really nice table and chair sets, and Puroma is absolutely charmed by their craftsmanship
>”I like this one a lot!” she says, gliding her paws over the mahogany surface of a pretty simply four-chair round table
>Of course a lot of furniture for has to have a good sealant over it to prevent scratches from anthros
>And “good” here means the price is a little bit more than you’d ever be willing to pay
>But there’s really only so much you can say to a girl who recently gained some extra cash
>Still, you have your reservations about her particular choice
>The chair backs have elegantly carved spindles, but they’re so close together there’d be no place for her tail to slide through rather than just be bent the whole time
>”Of course there is!” she says. “Watch!”
>The snow leopard plops her rump down on the edge of the seat and tries to feed her tail between the spindles
>It’s like watching someone try to thread a needle
>If the needle were a garden hose
>She manages to get the tip in and proceeds to slowly pull the rest through
>You can tell she’s in a bit of discomfort, but her stubbornness won’t admit it
>Eventually she gets the whole thing through and sits back in satisfaction
>Great, now she just needs to get up
>There’s some worry in her eyes as she tries to stand
>The chair is pulled along with her, hanging off her tail heavily
>Her lip quivers a bit in shame, though also from the pain
>After a little bit of careful prying you manage to get her free
>She’s stroking her tail as if it were a pet someone had just stepped on
>Mattress time?

>On the lower level is a floor devoted mostly to bedroom furniture
>You head to the rear section that’s in its own separate room
>”NO EMPLOYEES ALLOWED”
>Wait, what?
>”This is the best part!” Puroma whispers. “Dozens of beds, and no salesmen breathing down your neck. You can try them out as long as you want!”
>Indeed, there’s an older bear lying on one of them who looks like he’s been fast asleep for quite some time
>The rest of the visit is devoted to the mattress hunt
>There are quite a number to sample, and Puroma wastes no time
>Some of them she flops on top of and immediately rolls off before you have a chance to feel for yourself
>You’d think after a good half dozen of identical ones she would know which ones to avoid, but half the fun for her is giving them all a try anyway
>The more unique ones she gives a little extra time to, if only for the novelty of the design
>For example, there’s a waterbed she hops on top of and spends the next several minutes trying to get comfortable on
>Her body bobs with the churning water, and she grips what she can tightly
>You’re more than a little worried about her claws on the bed, even though it guarantees “puncture-resistant”
>Although many mattresses are left unfurnished, several are decorated with pillows and sheets for designer ideas
>One bed in particular has the biggest, most voluminous duvet you’ve ever seen
>It’s like looking at a mound of perfectly undisturbed snow
>Or a slightly deflated, but colossal marshmallow
>Puroma vaults onto the center of the bed, limbs splayed out
>She has a happy grin on her face as the air escapes and the stuffing settles in
>That is, until she realizes just how much air was trapped inside
>The duvet caves in around her, sinking the snow leopard until she’s no longer visible
>”Anon, help! It’s eating me!” she cries out
>You really didn’t think a trip to a furniture store would result in TWO rescue missions
>At least the commotion didn’t wake the bear
>There aren’t many choices left, but Puroma hones in on one in the back
>It’s one of those crazy foam ones, shock absorbent and extremely comfortable
>Not cheap in the slightest, but it’s her money…
>”You have to try this one!”
>You climb on top and lie next to her
>It really DOES feel better than anything you’ve ever slept on
>And it delivers on its promise of being “disturb proof”, as you don’t feel Puroma inch over until she’s pressed up against you
>She pretends to be asleep as she nuzzles your chest
>Her tail holds your legs down while her own rub against you vigorously, like trying to start a fire
>”Thanks for bringing me out here,” she purrs
>Your arm burrows under her neck and you pull her snugly against you
>She melts at your touch, and soon you can barely tell her body apart from the foam surface
>You think back to her little hiding stunt with the lampshade, and those little round ears
>You scratch behind them, her head turning so you can get every spot
>It soon turns into a contest of how much affection you can get away with in public
>And Puroma doesn’t play fair
>You feel your shirt ride up as her arm slides underneath
>The fur tickles your chest as it glides across your skin, and her paw comes out your collar to caress your face
>You’re enveloped by softness from every angle
>It saps you of your energy and you can feel your eyelids growing heavy
>You fight to stay awake, but the image of that cozy bear urges you to be at peace just like him
>You give in, fully relaxed for a nap with Puroma

>Consciousness comes and goes, giving you brief glimpses at what life would be like if you could spend every night just like this
>Puroma’s recent sadness made you worry for her being alone all those nights
>You know she can take care of herself, but nobody should have to go to sleep upset AND alone
>When you’re finally awake enough to check the time you feel as though you’ve had the most pleasurable rest ever
>Puroma stirs along with you
>”Mmmm, it’s perfect…” she says
>Sure is
>And you suppose she’s going to be heading home with a brand new mattress
>But does she really need such a large one all for herself?
>”You’re right” she hums.
>“Anon, I would love to share this with you. Every night….”
>Her plush head nestles into your face, as though stifling any answer from you except “yes”
>Not that she needs to convince you
>”Might need to test this one some more, just to be safe….”
>Well, they haven’t kick you out after all that’s happened so far, and at this point they’re not likely to
>You doze off in Puroma’s arms for just another ten minutes