Silent and Soft as a Cloud

It was Valentine’s day. A day that divides the masses more than many others. The lonely ones at home, the desperate ones at bars and in clubs, and the romantic ones living on a budget filling the diner Alex worked at. It was certainly not a classy restaurant. With how she and her colleagues had decorated the place during the day, it was easy to forget that, though. The lights were dimmed, candles were lit on every table. Even the simple dishes they served looked spectacular with the classy napkins next to them. It had been one of the busiest evenings Alex had her shift on since she started working at this place. Not one empty table, couples having their romantic dinner together everywhere. When one of them left arm in arm, the staff quickly had to clean the table and prepare it for the next pair of lovebirds to fly in.

Finally, things were slowing down, though. The booths were emptying out. The kitchen shut down for the night and the cook went home, leaving the place to only the tigress and one of her colleagues. In the last hour of her shift, all that was left to do was to refill a cup of coffee here and there. Just a few stubborn couples remained and a lonely guy in the corner whose girlfriend broke up with him earlier that night. When Alex started putting the chairs up on the empty tables, they got the message and asked for the bill and quickly paid. It was time to blow out the candles and close the place down for the night.

The tigress said goodnight to her colleague, went through her notebook one last time, counted the money, took out what she got in tips, and finally locked down the cash register as well. Once she turned off the lights and looked over at the door, she saw a tall figure standing there. But even before she recognized the shy smile on the person’s face, she already knew there was no reason to be concerned about the late surprise visitor. It was Tashi, her stallion boyfriend, who stood there in front of the building, in the dim light of the street lantern. He was holding a beautifully bound bouquet of flowers up in front of him along with a heart-shaped box of chocolates like the perfect manifestation of the first date stereotype. Only that it was 2 am in the morning and he had come all the way here to pick her up.

The bell at the entrance rang one last time when Alex shut the door behind herself. Patiently, her boyfriend waited until she had locked the place down and stowed the keys away in her pocket. Trying to sound as innocent as a young schoolboy, he asked her then: “I guess… we are a little late… but will you be my Valentine, Alex?” She was clearly so tired, about ready to fall into bed and pass out. Tashi could also barely keep his eyes open, but there was still that wide proud smile on his lips that didn’t fade away. “Silly horsey, of course!” She replied as she took the box of chocolates off his hands, accepted the flowers, and leaned against him, fell right into his strong embrace.

Tashi kissed her forehead, bumped his nose against hers gently, and kissed her passionately. Her sabre teeth pushed into his thick upper lip as they stood there together in the quiet city night. Finally, the stallion broke the kiss to speak. “Couldn’t just come pick you up like it’s any other day, my little tiger. Not after you’ve had to serve couple after couple throughout the evening. Next year, I’ll take you out to a fancy restaurant myself, I promise.” – “It’s okay. People were really nice today. I’m just tired. Let’s go home and sleep.” The tigress replied before holding a hand up in front of her face. She yawned tiredly before sniffing the flowers her boyfriend had gotten for her. “Oh, we’re not going home…” He teased her and chuckled when she looked at him and was about to open her mouth to protest. “I rented a room for us… the hotel we talked about… the weekend is all ours. No chores… just relaxing. Breakfast in bed tomorrow. And we don’t even have to clean up the crumbs we leave behind!” As he spoke, he slowly moved his hands down along her arms until he was touching her hands that were still holding her Valentine’s day gifts. The light anger and surprise on her face faded away until she was just shaking her head.

She realized that this was just another one of the stallion’s schemes playing out and it was best to just go along with it. “But I need to get my things!” She didn’t get any further, her boyfriend cut her off. “I packed your favorite clothes and everything you might need in the bathroom. It’s all in the trunk.” She chuckled and smiled as she looked into her stallion’s eyes. “You’re incredible, horsey.” Tashi snorted and shook his head. “Just taking any excuse I can to make you smile.”

He gently took her by the hand, guided her over to his car, and opened the door for her. “Darn… should have asked you for a coffee to go before you locked the door.” He said as she got in and tightened the seatbelt. “You know I already had to clean the coffee machines an hour ago…” – “Just joking, I got one at the gas station before I came here. Can’t fall asleep while driving… but you go have a little nap, yes, Alex?” He smiled at her and closed the door carefully, making sure not to catch her tail in its way by accident. After he got into the car, he strapped himself in with the seatbelt and turned to his side to look at his girlfriend. She had already dozed off, was breathing calmly. He kissed her cheek and smiled, then started the engine. There was an hour’s drive ahead of him, but with how excited he was, time passed quickly.

“Wake up, Alex….” Was the first thing the tigress heard when her boyfriend nudged her gently. She had dropped the flowers and chocolates; they were lying near her paws that felt a little sore after standing and serving customers the whole evening. Slowly, she opened her gorgeous emerald green eyes, was still all sleepy when she looked at Tashi. “Already brought our things up into the room… Receptionist was a little angry we checked in so late but hey… they’re not getting away without giving us the room that is already paid for!” The stallion explained and chuckled happily. “Maybe he was hoping to score the romantic suite for himself… but that isn’t happening…” He kept teasing as Alex was still waking up and rubbing her eyes. “Silly horsey… you shouldn’t have.” The tigress said, but he just brought his index finger down to her lip to shush her, and then kissed her lovingly. “First Valentine’s day together… how could it be anything less than the best.” He replied and winked at her. “Thank you… my horsey…” She finally whispered in defeat. Tashi smiled, picked up her gifts, and handed them back to her. “You know I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.” He kissed her cheek, picked her up from the seat, closed and locked the car door, and carried her towards the hotel. 

The hotel lobby was deserted at this late hour. Only the brave receptionist was still manning his post as the loving stallion carried his tigress girlfriend over to the elevator. “Please push the button for us, Alex… Third floor inside.” He whispered and watched as Alex rested her box of chocolates on her chest and reached out to push the button. A moment later, the elevator arrived, Tashi stepped inside, and Alex pushed the button to select their desired floor. The stallion was getting a little weak on his hooves and yawned softly as they got carried up to their room.

“It’s late… but… you still get your paw massage after your work shift.” The stallion whispered. “You’re so tired….” The tigress replied, looking up into her boyfriend’s eyes, and she sighed. “But it’s not worth arguing with my stubborn stallion, is it?” They arrived on the third floor and got out of the elevator once more. Tashi chuckled and shook his head. “No… never too tired to show you how much I love your paws.” Only a few more steps and they were at the door to their room. Carefully, Tashi set Alex back down onto her paws and pulled the keycard to the room out. He unlocked the door and pushed it open to let Alex step inside.

Only the moonlight was illuminating the room and it took even the tigress a moment to adjust to the dim light.  Already, she could pick up the scent of flowers, a lot more intensely than the smell that was coming from her lovely little bouquet. Then she could see them everywhere on the floor and the bed. Countless rose petals were spread out on the carpet and bedsheets. There on the head end of the bed were fresh vibrant red orchids. A tiny mountain of pillows was piled up on the bed. Their suitcases were stowed away in the corner of the room. “Red is your color, isn’t it, my little tiger?” The stallion asked as if he needed an answer. Clearly, he just wanted to brag a little as Alex stumbled towards the bed speechlessly. Tashi followed closely behind her. “This is lovely… thank you so much… you’re crazy…” The tigress finally said as she put her gifts down on a nearby table and turned around to face her boyfriend again.

“Crazy in love… and you know it…” The stallion replied and chuckled. He had to crane his neck down to kiss her, to make up for the difference in height between the two. They stood there in the moonlight making out for a few minutes. There was a gorgeous landscape just outside the window. A river going right by the hotel, mountains and forests off in the distance. It was beautiful even on a cold winter night. Finally, their kiss broke. Tashi’s fingers were entangled in Alex’s silken hair as he held her cheeks. The tigress had her hands on his strong shoulders.

They didn’t need any words or any further signal. Tashi slowly opened the blouse she had to wear for her job, button after button. When he was done, the tigress raised her arms so he could take it off her. She in turn then took his shirt off him, even though he had to get on his knees for Alex to pull the shirt over his head. The stallion didn’t even get up again. He just opened her bra, and a second later, they were facing each other completely topless. The tigress had not gotten used to wearing pants at her job, yet, but those tight-fitting jeans looked gorgeous on her regardless. With a smile on his face, the stallion unbuckled her belt and pulled them down to her ankles, took her panties right along with them. “You’re so gorgeous…” He whispered as he kissed her belly, small kisses down to her belly button, then over to her paw print tattoo. “Go lie down…” He said as he nudged her towards the bed.

The tired tigress didn’t need to be asked twice. “Alright!” She said and let herself fall back onto the mattress and the pile of pillows that was waiting for her. “Come join me, horsey. I can be the big spoon tonight. You can still massage my paws tomorrow.” Tashi had gotten back up onto his hooves and just got done taking off his own pants. His heavy large balls were swinging lightly as he walked on over to the bed. But he didn’t join his girlfriend. He went back on his knees in front of the bed and picked up one of her paws off the mattress. He didn’t say a word to her. There was just this look he gave her. He was so tired, yet he was smiling. “I love you, Alex…” He whispered before he kissed her paw and then began massaging it. One hand on her heel, the other near the paw pad.

Alex could only sigh and smile at him as he kept stroking her paw gently, pushed against every toe, massaged each bean carefully. The tigress lifted her other paw and put it down onto Tashi’s muzzle carefully. He snorted softly and rubbed his muzzle back against her paw. With how much he adored giving her those little massages, he didn’t even need to look down at his hands to keep squeezing her paw gently in just the right way. “Silent… and soft as a cloud…. Your paws are so amazing.” Tashi whispered. “Yess… and this one can wait until tomorrow. Come sleep, my big strong horsey.” Alex said before she wiggled her other paw free from his hands and patted the mattress right next to herself.

On his knees, his hands all empty, only the recent memory of his girlfriend’s soft paw in them, the stallion had no more reason to resist and argue. He climbed into bed and lied down next to the tigress. She purred, put her arms around him from behind, wrapped her tail around his leg, and kissed his neck. “Good night, my horsey.” – “Good night, my little tiger.” Tashi whispered in turn. Before he closed his eyes, he grabbed Alex’s right hand, guided it up to his lips and kissed it gently, then brought it back down to his chest. He held her hands gently and closed his eyes.

It early in the morning, the day after Valentine’s day, when they fell asleep next to each other, sharing their warmth, accompanied by the scent of roses and orchids all around them, resting on a soft nest of pillows. 

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Art by Vallhund 

Tashi by TashiGibson