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Xanther’s eyes shone with quiet contentment as he helped me from the sleigh into a flurry of excited greetings from the gathered crowds. His stoic mask remained, but I knew his tender heart overflowed with the same joyous warmth flooding my own.
The hubbub followed us all the way to our secluded icy cottage on the city’s fringe. Only once inside with the door sealed did we simultaneously heave tired yet fulfilled sighs and let the events of the extraordinary night wash over us.
“Come, you must rest,” Xanther urged, lifting me as easily as a doll to carry to the frosted bedchamber. I was too drained to even protest being treated like sleepy child.
He tucked the shimmering quilts around me snugly then pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Sleep well, my brave explorer,” he rumbled fondly. “We can share every detail soon.”
My eyelids already drooped heavily, but I managed to catch his hand as he turned to go. “Thank you,” I murmured sincerely. “For reminding me where I truly belong.”
Xanther’s smile held all the radiance of Yule’s most dazzling auroras. Then I slipped gratefully into well-deserved slumber, where we danced once more between the stars.
The next several days passed lazily. Xanther and I slept, ate and reminisced at our leisure, recharging our depleted reserves. Our cozy chambers became our own private world where we revisited every joyous moment together.
But as wonderful as my Yule life now was, thoughts of my loving family drew me more and more. Their absence left a Xanther-shaped hole in my heart despite our joyful reunion. I longed to see them again soon, for more than a stolen holiday visit.
One evening while admiring the crimson sunset from our icy porch, I gathered the courage to broach my hopes with Xanther.
“Would it be possible for us to...spend more time on Earth?” I ventured tentatively. “It was so wonderful being with my family again at Christmas.”
I held my breath, uncertain if this wish overstepped some invisible boundary between his world and mine.
But Xanther merely smiled and drew me close beneath his strong arm. “Of course, my dear. Your family is important to you, so I shall make time to visit them regularly.” His eyes took on a teasing gleam. “And I confess, those mince pies your mother made were irresistible.”
I laughed joyfully and hugged him tight, emotion threatening to choke me. “Maybe you’ll have her teach you how she makes them,” I suggested impishly once I could speak again.
“An excellent notion.” Xanther laughed, the sound rumbling pleasantly beneath my ear. The sound filled me with hope that our two worlds could be bridged. My family would be as delighted as I was by the prospect of more frequent visits.
My grin faltered slightly as another thought occurred to me. “Only issue is, they still believe you’re a human named Nick. We’ll have to decide when to reveal the whole truth about you, and Yule...everything.”
Xanther considered me thoughtfully, absently smoothing his fingers through my hair. “That is your decision to make when the time seems right. I know your family possesses open minds and hearts. When you feel prepared for them to know, I trust your judgment.”
Chapter Eighteen
Xanther
In the days after our Christmas visit with Noelle’s family, I noticed traces of melancholy in her bearing, despite our joyful reunion. She clearly missed her loved ones after being apart for so long. Knowing I was the reason for her sacrifice weighed on me.
I contemplated ways we might see her family more often, despite the risks. Noelle had given up everything familiar to be with me. How could I deny her this simple comfort?
One crystalline evening beneath the shimmering auroras, I tentatively broached the idea. “Would visiting your family more often bring you happiness?”
Noelle hesitated, likely unsure if such a wish overstepped some boundary between our worlds. I drew her close beneath my sheltering arm to reassure her.
“It’s just...being with them at Christmas reminded me how much I miss everyone,” she admitted softly.
Her words sparked an emotion in me - sadness at being the source of her loneliness, but also determination to remedy the situation.
“Then we shall visit as frequently as you wish,” I declared. Noelle’s eyes shone brighter than Yule’s glittering sky.
“Truly?” At my nod, she embraced me tightly. I marveled that one could feel such joy simply being the source of another’s happiness.
Later, practical concerns resurfaced. “We’ll have to tell them the truth eventually,” Noelle fretted. “About everything...”
I considered her intently, reading the unspoken worries - that her family would reject us, or that keeping the tremendous secret would prove too much.
“We can share as much or as little as you deem fit,” I soothed her. “I know their open minds and hearts. When the time is right, I trust your wisdom.”
Noelle relaxed, taking comfort in my steadfast confidence. Soon we lost ourselves in happy speculation about introducing new traditions. Laughter flowed freely, dispelling worries beneath the alien sky.
