(Goth)

With Palette being more relaxed in our relationship, I found it easier to let my feelings go. No longer did they scream out not to trust him. Admittedly, sometimes fevers ran high and we'd snap at each other, but it was our nature.

I told Raven about our relationship and he was a bit upset about Palette being my boyfriend-Oh, I loved that word-but he accepted it in his own reluctant way. When I told him about our snappish tendencies and the passion we often displayed, he laughed.

"What, is our relationship not normal?" I pouted at him.

"No, it's normal," he said, "You guys just operate at a higher intensity than most."

Having it put that way made me laugh too.

Though I certainly wasn't laughing when Palette asked me to spend the weekend with him, ALONE. His parents, Ink and Marvul, would be out of town until Tuesday. So it would just be me, and him, for two whole days.

"I'm not sure my dads would let me, Pal," I said, blushing. He walked forward, backing me into the wall of the ally we were in. He leaned on his arm above me, smirking down.

"Who said they have to know?" he said softly.

"But how will I explain where I'm going?" I countered. His smirk faltered a moment, then he grinned.

"Tell them you're spending the weekend with Raven," he said easily.

"Easy for you to say!" I crossed my arms, looking away, "I tell them that and they call Raven and I'm not there-"

"You're saying Raven never asked you to keep something secret?"

"What do you mean?"

"If he asked you to keep a secret, then call on that debt," Palette suggested.

"You're telling me to ask him to lie for me?"

"It's what brothers are for, right?"

I thought for a moment, then nodded, "Okay, I'll do it. I'll ask him."

---

The speed and certainty Raven agreed to my request made me falter. We were eating lunch together at some diner near his college.

"Wh-what?" I said, dumbstruck.

"I said sure, I'll do it," he said, continuing to eat. I couldn't even pick up my drink. I just sat there, staring at him.

"You'll lie, to our dads, for me?" I asked incredulously.

"Hey, you never told on me for the cigarettes you found in my room," he shrugged, "or the time I busted the car mirror, or the time I got in a fight, or the-"

"I get it, I get it," I cut him off.

"All I'm saying is I owe you, and not just this once," he went on, "You've got a good four or five debts you can call in on me, maybe more if I really thought about it. As much as I hate that guy," his eye twitched, "I can put it aside for you, little brother."

I sighed, feeling relieved, "Thank you, Raven, for this."

"Hey, if it goes south," he grinned at me as he popped a fry in his mouth, "It's your neck, not mine."

He leaned across the table, his eyes dark, "But if that jerk does anything you don't want or aren't ready for, he will answer to me."

"I know, Raven," I sighed, "That is, he will if there's anything left of him..."

Raven smirked, sitting up, "That's the Goth I know..."

---

It was with a guilty conscience that I hefted my backpack on my shoulder and left the house on Friday afternoon. "See ya, dad! Later, father!"

"Say hi to Raven for us, will you?" Reaper called.

"Sure will," I replied.

"Be back by six on Sunday," Geno growled from the living room.

"Will do, sir!" I said, shutting the door behind me. Sighing, I made my way to the end of the street before spotting Palette's truck, out of sight of my house. Grinning a little, I sped up and hopped in the passenger seat.

I leaned over and kissed him once my door was shut. There was a look of surprise on his face, but he smirked. I blushed and looked out the window.

Normally, Palette was the forward one in the relationship. I rarely did anything like that.

The truck shifted into gear, driving off towards Palette's house. Although, he took a different turn than I was expecting and I looked up at him, confused.

"I thought we were spending the weekend at your place," I said.

"I never said we were spending it at my house," he grinned slyly at me, "Just at my place."

"What other place do you have?"

"You'll see," was all he answered. Sighing, resigned to his teasing, I leaned on the window again.

I must have fallen asleep during the drive because I felt a gentle prodding on my side.

"We're here," Palette grinned at me before getting out of his truck. Looking up, I saw a log cabin surrounded by woodlands. Glancing out the back window, I saw a beautiful view up high on the mountain.

Getting out of the truck I turned to see Palette pulling a cooler out of the back of his pick-up. "Where are we?" I asked him, giving him a hand. He set the cooler down with a grunt, then looked up.

"My dads bought a lot up here and put this cabin on it. They normally spend weekends up here, and used to take me with when I was little. Once I could fend for myself they left me down there and came up here. But they're out of town and said I could use it."

"Do Ink and Marvul, uh, know about us?" I asked him, looking apprehensively at the tall dark wood cabin. Palette just grinned at me and hauled the cooler inside the cabin, the door swinging with a loud creak as he opened it.

"That's not an answer, asshole!" I called angrily after him.

"Grab that suitcase and get in here," he called back.

Growling, I grabbed the suitcase covered in travel stickers and made my way into the cabin. Palette looked up as I entered, smirking at my pouty snarl. He continued loading the food into the small fridge. I tossed the suitcase on an empty chair and sat down on the couch, crossing my arms.

"I swear if you told Ink and Marvul your plans for the weekend..." I grumbled, quietly and more to myself than to him. I jumped a little when his hands wrapped around me from behind, pinning me to the couch.

"Aw, is the wittle Gothy all pouty-wouty?" he babied as I looked up at him, annoyed.

"I thought we were staying at your house, and we're here," I snapped at him, "Then you won't even tell me if your parents know that we're up here alone!"

"Seems like wittle Gothy needs a nap," he went on, using that annoying baby voice.

"I don't need a nap," I said, trying to push him off.

"I think wittle Gothy needs help going to sleep!" he cooed, "How to help, hmm..."

Suddenly he threw himself over the back of the couch, landing on me and pinning me to the couch. He leaned in close, pinning my arms to my side and straddling me.

"How about, a snuggle and a kiss goodnight?" he said, grinning widely, "That will help wittle Gothy take a wittle nappy!"

"Palette, I don't need a-mm!" Palette leaned into an open kiss, cutting off my words as his tongue slid into my mouth. My resistance waned as he massaged a familiar pattern in my mouth, wrapping his tongue around my own as he did so. He pulled his head up, exposing our intertwined tongues to the cool air.

He untangled them and grinned down at me, "Or maybe the kiss first..."

"You're awful," I pouted up at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I like to think it's part of my charm," he grinned. He scooped up my arms and flipped us around, so he was laying on his back while I rested on him. It was surprisingly comfortable, and I had a hard time not laying my head down and resting.

Palette waved his hand and placed a blanket over the top of us, scooting himself up to lay on a couch pillow.

"I'm serious, Goth," he said softly, cupping my chin, "You should sleep. This week has been rough on you, what with finals and all."

"What about ya-you?" I asked him, fighting off a yawn.

"You take advanced science and all that stuff," he chuckled, "I take basic math and history."

"What about your art final?" I asked him, setting my head down and giving into the comfort.

"As if art is difficult for me," he scoffed, "I finished that thing in two days. Marty's been working on it for weeks and still isn't finished."

"Whatever you say," I yawned and snuggled into him. He slowly stroked my skull under my hood, lulling me to sleep. A small part of me warned me not to be so vulnerable next to him, but I didn't care. I really was tired...

"Sleep well, Goth," Palette whispered softly.