~ Randall’s Bungalow -- Near Apachtka Lake; New Kiev, February 14th . . . . ~

Spring was weeks away, but its warmth had come early to the countryside, and it filled the air over the sprawling grounds surrounding the glacier-fed lake that bordered Randall’s home.

The sun seemed to smile with fond radiance on the flora and fauna alike, and amid the lingering sprigs of snow, the fount of blossoming green -- early but hardly unwelcome! -- could be seen reaching skyward. As if to embrace the gentle touch of the day-star’s caress.

Cheska could feel that touch on her shoulders; exposed as they were by the dropped shoulders of her favorite sweater dress. The fabric moved against her skin with a sensation that was nearly sensuous, as she walked side-by-side with the tall, golden-haired fellow through the grassy sward just beyond his backyard.

Kitteh has something in mind. she thought to herself. He’d called ahead from work, saying she needed to make herself extra “presentable”, has he had something in mind when he got home that afternoon. Knowing how much he -- and by extension their mutual lover, Clover -- loved to spring surprises on her, the purple-haired mouse merely chuckled in resignation, before taking a leisurely shower (in Randall’s personal bath!), then getting herself attired, with her waist-length tresses twined into a lose, heavy braid.

He himself only just got home; entering from the back door, and giving her a brief smooch before hustling himself into the bath. A short time after, he himself presented in his trademark dark shirt and clean denim slacks, before he bid her to follow him out the back, past the in-ground hot tub and onwards into the copse of trees that bordered his property.

“Pooshok . . . where, exactly are we going to?” she asked, as they passed under the canopy of leafy branches overhead.

Randall had taken her by the hand, leading her with care over root and rock and grass; clearly headed for some destination beyond. “Trust me.” he told her. “You’re going to love this!”.

“Hmm. I recall that being said, many times . . . right before the Rabbit popped out to ‘surprise’ me!” She smiled when he looked back at her, and the answering look of fond memory on his face made her giggle slightly. “It is only truth, Pooshok!”.

“I know,” Randall said, shaking his shaggy head. “But I should let you know, Clover’s not around right now.” He grinned all the more at the surprised expression flickering across her face. “She’s helping Sharly at her place, to show some new ‘recruits’ the ropes.”.

Cheska’s face brightened with understanding. Charly was the ‘madame’ who ran the ‘show’ at the SOKOL -- the restaurant-slash-adult club -- where Randall was employed as a short-order cook. Charly and some of the more skilled dancers -- like Clover -- often held training classes to show newer girls how to best ‘work the floor’; through burlesque, dance and performance skills.

“So, she will not be joining us?” Cheska asked.

“Later,” Randall promised. “Right now, this is something . . . well, just for the two of us.”.

“I see.” Cheska nodded. To call their relationship, well . . . it was a complex thing, even as simple as it was. Randall had met Clover through the SOKOL, where the red-haired rabbit had practically seduced him at figurative ‘gun-point’. Due to his poor self-image problems, he nearly repulsed her advances. But he’d eventually come around to acceptance, and love after a fashion. Though it was still a shock to the system to learn that Clover was pansexual. As well, she was clearly a believer in polymory too. Which is why Cheska -- who’d only know them by association with the SOKOL’s owner, Pavel -- found herself the focus of Clover’s Machiavellian-if-honestly-pointed attentions.

What had started as Clover’s cunningly used ploys to woo the striped mouse, along with aid from Randall, ended up in Cheska not only falling in love for the Rabbit, but also for the burly Sun-Leopard ‘boyfriend’ as well.

Thus, the three had become a trio. A Throuple, if truth be told. And for all of that, Cheska couldn’t have been happier to be the ‘mouse in the middle’ of this loving menage-a-trois.

However, the fact that she and Randall were going off together . . . well, it did make one wonder what was exactly up the big Sun-Leopard’s short sleeves, after all.

Suddenly, he stepped through a gap in the grassy underbrush, and paused. “Here, we’ve arrived, myska!”. He guided her through, holding back a couple of branches, and smiled when she came to a stop and stared at what was before them. Next to a low tree in the center of a small clearing, a multi-colored quilt had been spread out; a basket filled with a thermos and packed items sat on it, with Randall’s white Fedora propped against its side. Thanks to openings in the canopy of the surrounding trees, sunlight beamed down, giving the place an inviting and welcome air.

Gasping, Cheska turned and looked up at Randall. “A picnic lunch?! That . . . is very different, Randall,” she admitted.

“What, you were expecting to see Clover, laying there naked with a rose in her teeth?” Randall chuckled.

Cheska bopped his arm. “Well,” she drawled teasingly. “Is what I should have expected. Knowing the Rabbit!”. She giggled, then added, “Still . . . am very surprised, Pooshok.”.

Randall just smiled, then stepped around her to gesture to the quilt. “Shall we?”. He held out his hand.

With a nod, Cheska took his hand. “Yes. Let us, please.”

# #

The lunch was quickly finished, and the two sat next to each other on the quilt; enjoying the cooling breezes drifting through the trees, and relishing the close-company between them.

“Was good?” Randall asked, leaning in close as he propped himself on one hand. “You liked my surprise?”.

Leaning back, Cheska sighed and said with a content smile, “Yesh. Kitteh did very good. I loved it all, Randall.”

With a chuckle, Randall dipped his head to nuzzle against her ear, making her twitch with the soft breath he exhaled against it. “Well . . . it’s not exactly over. Yet.”.

Cheska turned and gazed at him. “It isn’t?”

“Nope.”. With a grin, Randall turned and reached behind the trunk of the tree that was sheltering them. As she watched with curious eyes, He made a soft sound of triumph, then turned back to present her with a wrapped bouquet of red and burgandy roses. “Here, love . . . something from one of the two people in the world who love you the most!”.

Gasping, Cheska’s face lit up with unabashed glee at the sight of the flowers. “Pooshok! They’re beautiful!”. She reached out to touch them, and another flicker of surprise crossed her face. “Oh . . . they’re not real!?”.

“Well, I know how much you’d hate to see real roses go to waste,” Randall said gently. “So, I got Mimsy to help me find a crafter who made these.” He gave the bouquet a small shake. “Smell. Go on.”.

With a bit of an arched look, Cheska dipped her head to take a sniff, and her cheeks colored as she recognized the familiar scent drifting up from the silk petals. “My favorite perfume?! Randall! You really thought this through, I see?”

With a nod, Randall smiled and leaned closer to her. His eyes were wreathed with laugh-crinkles, but there was no mistaking the warmth and intent in his blue eyes. “What else could I do, for one of the most important women in my life, hm?”. He lowered the flowers and his eyes became hooded as he stared deep into Cheska’s own. “Myska, you cannot imaging how much you’ve changed my life, just by being here, and sharing it with me. I really don’t have the words to say it with eloquence . . . but, simply put, while I really don’t need a day like today to express it, I just want you to know that I will always love you, Cheska.”.

The low rumble of his voice, paired with the straight truth of his words made Cheska feel like melting into the ground with joy. “Oh, Pooshok . . . .”. She reached out to gently touch his face; her smile tender and bright as she felt him nuzzle her palm. “You don’t need such fancy words . . . if just to tell me your feelings. I know you love me, and . . . I will always love you, Randall St. John. More than any words can say.”.

“Aww, myska,” Randall rumbled.

With those two words, he leaned further in, and she met him the rest of the way. The two pressed their lips together, and there was nothing more to be said when two hearts were so in tune with each other. . . .

Happy Valentine’s Day! -- SRS