Cuddle Buddies (Kveta and naga!Kenny)

    "C'mon, can't we just head back already? You've been out here for hours!"

    "The beach sounded like more fun, if you ask me."

    "Well, turn around and walk your sorry butts back! The whole reason I came out here was to get away from you two idiots in the first place!" 

    Kveta glared over her shoulder at the two young men that had chosen to, unfortunately, follow her on this impromptu hike. Tulio and Ricardo were two boys she'd known since her childhood, brothers from a family with Brazilian heritage. They seemed nice enough at first glance, but having known them for so many years, the young lady was all too familiar with their habit of complaining when things didn't follow their plans. The boys' griping got particularly worse when their plans happened to involve girls. Normally Kveta could put up with their whining, but when they didn't even allow her the option to avoid it, how else was she supposed to react?

    "But Kveta--"

    "Cut the crap, Tulio, I know the entire reason you and Ric wanted to head to the beach was to hit on women," she shot back, giving an indignant toss of her head to flip her dark bangs from her eyes. The rest of her hair was pulled into a braid that swept over her left shoulder. 

    "The idea of you in a bikini was pretty nice," Ricardo mused aloud. Kveta groaned and rolled her eyes; she could practically feel him giving a stupid wink from behind.

    "Tough luck, pal, because I'm not stripping down today, or tomorrow, or any other day! And if I did, it definitely wouldn't be for two irritante imbecil!"

    Tulio and Ricardo flinched to the insult, but more out of surprise than a sting to their ego. Ricardo elbowed his brother as a cheeky smirk came to his face.

    "And you thought she didn't speak the language, bro."

    "I have to at least know to insult you two properly!"

    "Damn, she hears well..."

    "Shut up already, Tulio! I'll kick you seven ways to Sunday if you keep it up!" 

    The girl managed to bite her tongue for a while longer, adjusting the strap of the small bag slung over her shoulder as she walked in and around the rich foliage. The tropical forests were beautiful here, perfect for taking the time to breathe and relax. That is, if two brothers weren't following her and badgering her with their idle chatter. Kveta was ready to crack their heads together; just because she was shorter than them didn't mean she couldn't pile-drive them into the dirt. She was tougher than she appeared. Tulio found that out the hard way after he'd tried grabbing her rear once. One swift kick to the groin had him whimpering for hours. 

    "So, what are you doing out here anyway?" Ricardo dared in asking, taking a stride or two to catch up. "You're not seriously going to spend all day just walking in the middle of nowhere, are you?"

    "That was the plan," she muttered. "And, maybe practice with the new camera I got over the holidays. But I don't have a hope in hell if you and Tulio are bugging me."

    "You can still take pictures if we're here," he protested.

    "Not the ones I was hoping for! This forest is supposed to be full of wildlife, but you're scaring it off because you can't shut up for five seconds!"

"Plants are wildlife, right?"

    "I meant the animals, you asshole," Kveta growled, teeth clenched tightly. "This is one of the best places for me to get some candid shots of the tropical species! I don't get these back in the Bronx, you know!"

    "So go to a zoo, then!"

    "I said candid! As in not from behind a wall of glass or netting!" She threw her hands up and groaned out of pure frustration. These two were dumber than a post, sometimes. God, she'd love to knock them around right now. 

    "What I really, really wanted was a nice photo or two of some snakes out here! This area is supposed to have a few tree boas hanging around!"

    "Wait, hold on. You said you want to see snakes? What kind of girl says that?!"

    "I own a snake, Tulio. My ball python back home, remember? The one I have a photo blog for? Ringing any bells?"

    "Well, yeah, but that tiny thing can't eat you!"

    Kveta slapped a hand to her forehead. "This area doesn't have snakes large enough to eat a human! I checked the local scientific researchers' websites; there's nothing out here that'll hurt you if you're not stupid about it!"

    Neither Tulio or Ricardo looked any less nervous. In fact, they looked like they were starting to ignore her altogether. The expressions of anxiety on their faces only annoyed the girl further.

    "Uh...A-About that..."

    "I'm telling you, nothing out here is gonna eat you!"

    "Well, you say that, but--"

    "Guys, I've got a biology minor in college! I know what I'm talking about, alright?"

    "Kveta--"

    "Look, if you're so worried about it, then turn around and--"

    "GIANT SNAKE!"

    "RUN FOR IT!"

    Kveta stopped mid-sentence as both boys stumbled over themselves and bolted in the direction they had just come. For a while she couldn't even register what had happened. She just stood there, hands hanging at her sides, face frozen in confusion. Eventually, Kveta gathered what was left of her exasperation and tried calling after them.

    "Guys, come on! There's no such thing as a giant snake! Not out here, at least! God..." She crossed her arms and shut her eyes, clearly vexed, and drummed the fingers of her right hand against her upper arm. "What a pair of idiots... It probably wasn't even a snake..."

    "Geez, I wonder what got into them?"

    "Hell if I know. Those two get worked up over absolutely noth--"

    ...Wait a minute. Kveta opened her eyes slowly, her shoulders easing as she suddenly lost her bout of annoyance. The last time she checked, she was now alone in the middle of this tropical forest. Tulio and Ricardo had just bolted back to civilization. And even if they hadn't, that wasn't the sound of one of their voices talking. And she knew she wasn't talking to herself just now. Slowly, she turned her head to look behind. 

    "...Oh my God..."

    Her hazel eyes widened, seeing what was perhaps the most bizarre and startling figure just a pace or two behind her. It certainly wasn't human, that was for sure. Something tall, broad, and muscular loomed over her comparatively tiny stature. The top half appeared to be that of a man's, but the rest... Everything from the waist down was a gigantic serpentine tail.

    "H-Holy--Ooooh boy," she gasped breathlessly, stumbling back several steps and putting a small bit of space between herself and this strange being. Her bag slipped off as she nearly tripped over an exposed root, but she righted herself immediately. Kveta swallowed hard, taking in the enormity of this...thing. What the heck was it?!

    "Um...Uh... Y-You definitely aren't a tree boa..."

    "No, but you're kinda close." 

    It talked. Mother of all things holy, the thing talked. Half man, half snake, and talking. Was she losing her mind?!

    "Oh, hey, you dropped this!" The human half bent down and picked up her bag by it's strap, holding it out as if about to approach. "Here, let me--"

    "U-Uh, no no, no, that's fine!" Kveta stammered quickly, a nervous laugh following as she tried to decide if she should panic or not. Whenever the creature tried in moving towards her, she took at least two steps back.

    "But it's yours, right? I'm just trying to give it back."

    "Y-You don't have to; just set it back. I'll get it later!" 

    "That seems kinda pointless, don't you think?"

    "I-It's fine, really--" 

    "Hey, careful!"

    "WOAH!"

    Kveta yelped, her heel catching on yet another root--Just how many roots are poking out of the ground here?!--and lost her balance. Only, instead of meeting the ground in a near instant, she felt the loss of gravity for a few feet. With a thud, she finally felt her back collide with the dirt, groaning as the impact gave her spine a pang of pain. 

    "Ow... What the hell...?" Rubbing the back of her head, she sat up and opened her eyes to see...more dirt. What? That can't be right... The girl blinked again. Nope, that was definitely a wall of dirt in front of her. She tried to the left, then the right, and behind her. Dirt, some rocks, and...more dirt. With a groan of disdain, her vision rolled upwards and her worry was confirmed: she'd tripped right into a hole. 

    "Aw, come on! Really?! What the hell!" Kveta flopped back down out of frustration. "Could anything else go wrong?!" 

    "Hey! You okay down there?" 

    She froze. Her little bout of misfortune had caused her to briefly forget the person...snake...thing--whatever it was--that was out there with her. Looking up, she could see the creature's head poking over the edge of the hole she was in, one eyebrow perked in what she hoped was nothing more than curiosity or concern. 

    "Oh, yeah, just peachy," she retorted, still managing her usual sarcasm despite the circumstances. "If you call being stuck in a ten-foot-deep hole and ideal situation, that is!" 

    "Hang on, I can get you out!"

    "No, no! I can get myself out, thank you very much!"

    "Uh...you're sure about that?" The creature had folded his arms and was looking down at her skeptically. "Because, really, it would only take a second or two--"

    "I said I can do it! Back off, buddy! I got myself in, I can get myself out!"

    She promptly rolled back her sleeves, rubbed her hands together, and backed to the farthest end of the hole. Giving herself a running start, Kveta jumped up and tried grasping at a large, solid clump of dirt about midway up... But the soil was relatively moist there, and she lost her grip and fell down with a growl. 

    "No worries, I've got this! First try never works, anyhow!" 

    The half-human, half-snake watched the girl attempt the same move again, ending with the same result. And again, and again...and again... As repetitive as it was, he couldn't help but feel at least a little entertained. Heck, who was he kidding? This was actually kind of amusing. He smirked to himself, propping his chin in his hand and watching the young woman mutter and curse to herself as she tried finding various ways to climb her way back up.

    This young lady was rather pretty to look at, anyway. Despite the oversized shirt she wore, her small but fit frame was easy to detect due to the way it sloped across her collarbone and off one shoulder; the shorts she wore gave a nice view of her legs, too. Not that he was he was ogling or anything--no, of course not. But still, a guy can look and admire a lady's figure, right? There's certainly no harm in that. Giving himself permission, his eyes drifted back to the human currently locked in a struggle with the hole she was stuck in. Smooth, tan skin, soft-looking dark hair, and clear hazel eyes. What a pretty little thing. His tail shifted a bit, likening to the idea of getting in a quick cuddle...or two. He couldn't help it; he had a soft spot for the feisty ones, and this girl was certainly showing some fire. About ten, fifteen minutes into watching her futile attempts, he chuckled and was met instantly with an irritated gaze. 

    "Oh, you're just loving this, aren't you?" she barked, furiously wiping a smudge of dirt from her cheek. "You think this is hilarious, right?"

    "Well, yeah, actually, it kind of is," he chimed back, allowing another chuckle to slip out. That attitude was just adorable. "I'm thinking someone is a little too stubborn for her own good~"

    "I said I can handle it!"

    "I know, I know. Please, continue." The creature made a gesture with his hand as if prompting a comedian to continue their act. Kveta's face flushed out of embarrassment and annoyance.

    "I swear, pal, when I climb out of here I'm gonna punch that smirk right off your face! You hear me?!" 

    "If only you were as big as the threats you're making; you could easily climb out then."

    "Wha--Are you calling me short?! That's it! I'm kicking your sorry ass right now, tough guy! Just you wait until I get out of here!" 

    "Mm-hmm. Right. Whatever you say~" He sent her a wink. Whether he was teasing or flirting at this point didn't matter, since it annoyed Kveta either way. Clearly this fellow was just trying to push her buttons.

    Kveta gave up the banter in order to return to her own attempts. Which, sadly, were rather futile. She wasn't any closer to finding her way out than she was at the beginning. The whole time she felt the half-man, half-snake watching, though she didn't make eye contact and tried to block him out. However, the mental image of his humored smirk was constantly forcing it's way through, and within the hour the girl finally gave a final sigh of defeat and slumped back against the farthest wall of her earthy prison. 

    "Alright, alright, fine. You were right; I can't get myself out," she admitted, the words tasting sour. 

    "I hear admittance is the first step to solving a problem," the being chirped back. Kveta bit back an insult, and instead glared up in disdain. That only seemed to make him perk up more. Jerk.

    "Can you just get me out of here?" 

    "Certainly! But first, what's the magic word?" 

    "Mag--Wha--Are you serious?" 

    The creature wagged a finger, grinning like a Cheshire Cat. God, she hated him right now.

    "Now, now, show some manners."

    "Ugh, fine! Will you please get me out of here?"

    "I thought you'd never ask. Just a moment, my fair lady." 

    Kveta rolled her eyes to the cheesy choice of words, but she soon became cautious, seeing the creature deftly slither his way down and approach her. Her body tensed, pushing her back up against the dirt behind her, and she eyed him warily. Seeing her mistrusting stare, the figure lifted his hands in a peaceful gesture. 

    "Don't worry, I'll have you back up there in no time. You do want out of here, right?"

    The obvious answer was yes, but the girl still hesitated, glancing from his seemingly honest face, to his large muscles, to the massive scaly tail that trailed behind him and even up over the top of the pit. Call it paranoia, but his physique didn't exactly seem harmless.

    "Hey, if I'd wanted to hurt you, I would've done that when you first fell in," he reasoned.

    "I...guess so," Kveta agreed warily. Still, she didn't move from her spot.

    Shaking his head as if dealing with a child, the creature slithered forward and bent down, arms held out. Kveta flinched, surprised at just how easily and quickly he scooped her up, holding her against his chest. More than the abruptness of his actions, Kveta was shocked at how gentle he managed to be with the huge muscles he was sporting. She glanced up and was met with a smile that was much more reassuring than the teasing grin from before. 

    "See? Nothing to worry about. Now, up we go. Hold on." 

    He didn't have to tell her twice. It had looked like he wasn't moving very fast on the way down, but the instant he began sliding back up the earthen wall, Kveta felt the speed firsthand. Her arms locked around his neck in seconds, followed by a light chuckle from the snake-man in response. Funny how whenever she was nervous, he was most amused. An odd character trait to have, that was certain. 

    "Alright, here we are," he announced, having settled back on ground level, so to speak. However, the girl didn't budge. He had expected her to fuss the entire time. Now she was just clinging onto him in tense silence. He tried clearing his throat to get her attention.

    "Excuse me? Miss?"

    "W-What?" 

    Oh, so that was it. The poor thing was still nervous. He wouldn't say so out loud, but this was a rather cute change from her snappish attitude before. His hand patted her back, hoping to calm her a bit. 

    "We've reached your destination. Unless you had another location in mind, that is. Or maybe you just like me holding you, huh~?" 

    Kveta opened her eyes and peeked out over her shoulder. She wasn't in the hole anymore; thank goodness for that! However... Looking at her current situation, the odd being that had previously mocked her was still holding her in the stereotypical princess fashion, and seemingly enjoying it, judging by the grin on his face. Coughing awkwardly, she muttered a few words of protest and forced her way out of his arms, landing on her feet and proceeding to brush the remaining specks of dirt from her clothing. 

    "Uh... Yes, well..." She cleared her throat. "That is, thank you...for getting me out of there."

    "Don't mention it. You okay?" 

    "Psht, yeah, I'm fi--Ow! Oh, geez..." Kveta flinched and inhaled sharply as she felt something pinch between her shoulders and neck. Come to think of it, her entire back was still sore from the initial fall. Not that anything felt broken, but something was definitely bruised or knotted. How lovely. Luck certainly wasn't on her side today.

    "Looks like you hurt yourself a bit, huh? Here, let me take a look," the snake-man offered.

    "No, you've done enough, really!"

    "But--"

    "It's just a bit of bruising. I'm fine!"

    She paused, brow furrowed, as her odd companion raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, clearly not convinced.

    "...What?"

    "The last time you said that, I ended up watching you spend the majority of an hour trying to climb out of a hole." 

    Kveta blushed sheepishly. He was right; her stubborn attitude had only cost her in that situation. She was startled from her thoughts as his tail slid over, and he patted a portion of it with his hand. 

    "C'mon, have a seat and let me have a look at it."

    "What? No, really, I can walk back and handle it myself," she insisted.

    But the creature wouldn't have it. Kveta returned his gaze, the two of them having a little stare-down. For once, it seemed she'd met her match; this guy was being just as stubborn as she was. The girl crossed her arms, her opponent--so to speak--followed suit. She tried cocking an eyebrow at him, as if daring him to keep it up. Unfortunately, he did the same thing, and at his size it was much more intimidating. The snake-man caught the flicker of doubt in her gaze. Frowning like an assertive parent, he snapped his fingers, pointed to the portion of his tail again, and ordered assertively, "Sit."

    With a quiet squeak of submission, Kveta instantly dropped her stubborn facade, shuffled herself over, and plopped down with her hands clasped tightly in her lap. This felt horribly awkward, but she'd rather not disobey the larger being. Chances are he could have easily forced her down, anyway. Better to cooperate and avoid any conflict with someone so much bigger than herself. 

    "Now then," the snake-man sighed, returning to his cheerful manner, "let's see what kind of state you've put yourself into here, shall we?"

    Kveta flinched as she felt his hands grip her shoulders, and he lightened up and leaned down over her shoulder for a brief moment. The smile on his face was probably meant to be friendly, but the girl could've sworn he was still mocking her just a bit. 

    "Easy there, tiger," he joked lightly. "I already told you I was harmless."

    "S-Sorry..." 

    She let out an uneasy groan as she felt him reapply the pressure to her shoulders. The feedback from her muscles was instant, her hands clenching as a sound of pain squeaked out. It seemed that fall did a bit of a number on her. However, a few more presses later, and the tension was already easing. Kveta let the air out of her lungs slowly, leaning into his hands just a bit more. 

    "See? Better already, right?" 

    "Hmm, yeah, a bit," the girl admitted.

    There was a bit of silence between the two of them, Kveta managing to forget the majority of her nerves as her odd acquaintance worked on undoing the knots of pain in her back. This certainly wasn't on her agenda at the beginning of the day, but a free massage wasn't something she'd turn down. So long as this guy was sincere about his intentions, she assumed there wasn't much to worry about. That being said, it was probably rude that she hadn't asked for his name, after all of this. That is, if he had one.

    "So...uh," she coughed awkwardly, fiddling with her hands a moment. "I...didn't catch your name?"

    "Oh? Oh! You're right," he chuckled. "The name's Kenneth. But you can call me Kenny." 

    "Kenneth, huh?" Kveta hummed in thought, turning her head to get a look at him. Incredibly built muscles, gigantic snake tail... Taking in more details, she actually took notice of his long brown hair and facial features. He wasn't exactly every woman's definition of prince charming, but he didn't look too bad. Strong chin, a large nose, and thick, dark eyebrows that hovered over his brown eyes. If she were going to be completely honest, she'd say he was still fairly attractive. Maybe a seven or eight out of ten... But she wasn't going to voice that opinion. Instead, she merely gave a light shrug and returned to staring ahead as Kenneth continued rubbing out her back. 

    "What was that about?" he asked. 

    "Nothing," she replied innocently. "Your name suits you, is all. You look like you'd be a Kenneth. Or, Kenny, I guess." 

    "Thank you?" He wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but he'd take it as a compliment. "What about you?"

    "What about me?"

    "You haven't told me your name."

    "Oh, right, sorry. I'm Kveta."

    "Kveta...? That's one I haven't heard before. Sounds pretty, though."

    "It's, um, Slavic," Kveta explained. Her face turned a bit red out of embarrassment. "It means...'blossom'..."

    Kenneth's sudden burst of laughter caused Kveta to flinch and look over her shoulder. He grinned playfully, snickering as he tried to compose himself.

    "W-Wait, you're telling me that--that a stubborn little thing like you--is--is named after a flower?" 

    "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, buddy," she muttered bitterly. "This 'flower' can give you a mean right hook to the face!" 

    "I'm sorry, it's just--I really wouldn't have expected that! That's just too cute!" 

    Kveta rolled her eyes and groaned, trying to block out Kenneth as he giggled to himself. If he kept it up for too long, she'd make good on the promise she made earlier to punch him. Her gaze drifted down to the ground, catching sight of his tail as part of it shifted next to her feet. Curiosity took over, and she cautiously nudged the scaly appendage with the tip of her shoe. 

    "So, Kenneth--Kenny," she corrected, "I don't mean to offend you, but...what are you, exactly...?"

    He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, sighing as he finally stopped his fit of laughter. "I'm a naga. Isn't it obvious?"

    "Well, considering you're the first 'naga' I've seen, no." Kveta looked him up and down again; something did click in the back of her memory, just a little bit. "Though... I think I've heard about them in myths..."

    "Ah, gotcha. So, do you believe the myths now?" Kenny smirked, one eyebrow raised.

    "Do I really have a choice? Unless I hit my head and this is some crazy delusion, it looks like those stories are true. Though...I'm still not sure what to make of it..."

    Kveta stood up, turning around to face Kenneth in his entirety. Her hands rested on her hips as she slowly paced along the length of his massive tail, wearing an expression of thought. The naga, as it were, watched her examine him, holding himself still except for the occasional shift of his coils. There were some promising signs that he might get that cuddle he was hoping for. The young lady's curiosity was an improvement from the nervousness expressed before. He perked up as she paused, humming to herself.

    "Hey, mind if I take a look?" Her head nodded to his tail.

    "Sure, have at," Kenny obliged, watching her crouch down for a closer look. This keeps getting better and better, he thought pleasantly.

    Pushing her bangs out of her eyes, Kveta took a closer look at the pattern of Kenneth's scales. Mottled brown for the most part, some lighter patches along the center of the spine, and red blotches outlined with black towards the end. Being a snake owner and somewhat of an enthusiast, she couldn't help but smirk a little as she glanced back at Kenny, tracing a few scales with her hand.

    "Nice scales," she complimented. "Red tailed boa, I'm assuming?" 

    Kenny's smile broadened, and he inched himself over. "Pretty and smart. You talk snakes, huh?" 

    "Yeah, you could say so. I've got a ball python back home, just a little guy. But I've never really had a problem with bigger snakes; I think they're all pretty cool. The pattern on your scales is pretty amazing. I haven't ever seen a red tailed boa this close... Not that you're exactly a boa, but, still, nice tail." 

    "Really?" That last comment appealed to his inner flirt. Kenny leaned over one of the girl's shoulders as the tip of his tail slid onto the other. "See anything else you like~?" 

    "Down boy," Kveta warned lightly, laughing despite herself as she picked his tail off of her shoulder and flicked it aside. "It's a little soon to be putting the moves on me."

    "No time like the present," he mused. His tail slid under her hand, holding it up and sneaking a quick kiss on to the back of her palm. Kveta pulled back, blushing like mad, but didn't do more than fold her arms and huff stubbornly. 

    "Aw, c'mon, I can't have a little fun?" Kenny asked innocently, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes. "I mean, I did get you out of that hole and gave you a free massage. The way I see it, we're friends already!" 

    "Yes, but you're also being a flirt," Kveta pointed out. 

    "Can you blame me? It's not often I get a pretty girl around here." 

    "Flattery will get you nowhere, Kenny."

    "Funny, I thought I was making some progress." He wiggled his eyebrows, smirking. 

    Kveta shook her head, sighing, and chose to glance around at the foliage around them. The shift in lighting indicated to her the shift from afternoon to sunset. Thinking back to her original plans that day, she felt a twinge of disappointment. There was no chance of her getting any decent shots with her camera, not now, and she knew that if she tried the same thing tomorrow, the two brothers would bother her again.

    "And to think I came out here for some photography... So much for that..." 

    "Is that what the stuff in your bag was for?" Kenny asked. He briefly glanced behind, seeing the drawstring bag next to his coils. A little game came to mind. Maybe this would help his little "cause". He'd see if Kveta would play along.

    "Yeah...Say, where did it get to, anyway?" 

    "Where did what get to?" 

    "My bag," Kveta repeated, looking up at him. "You had it last, right before I fell in that hole, remember?"

    "I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," he replied, feigning innocence. 

    "Kenny, really. You just mentioned my bag."

    "Yes, but that doesn't mean I still have it."

    "Don't play dumb with me, mister." She held out a hand, gesturing for him to return the requested belongings. "Hand it over, come on." 

    "What makes you think I still have it?" His innocent facade was starting to fade, quickly replacing with a playful smirk as he slowly inched back from the girl. "I'm merely being honest."

    "You're being ridiculous is what you are, and you make a terrible liar!" 

    "Me? A liar? Kveta, I'm hurt you would accuse me!" 

    "Uh-huh," she muttered, unconvinced. It was then that Kveta noticed the naga's shifting tail. A confident smirk came onto her face as she glanced up at Kenneth. 

    "So, if you're so upright and honest, you wouldn't mind if I took a look around back?" 

    "Is that really necessary?" he asked, inching back. Oops. Looks like he'd been found out. But his little game wasn't quite over.

    "What's the problem? If you've got nothing to hide, what's the harm in letting me look, hmm?" 

    Kenneth bunched his coils together as Kveta tried walking around him. By this point they both felt confident, Kenny in assuming he could keep toying with her, and Kveta knowing she could get her bag back. And, sure enough, she saw the familiar navy blue fabric of her bag poking out from the naga's tail. She grinned, trying to get around Kenny as he attempted to block her way.

    "Aha! I knew you had it! Hand it over!" 

    "Nuh-uh! You gotta try harder than that!" 

    "Challenge accepted!" Kveta darted under Kenny's arm, reaching out for her bag, when she felt his muscular arms lock around her waist and hold her back. 

    "Oh, no you don't! That'd be too easy," he teased, grinning as Kveta tried wriggling out of his hold. 

    "K-Kenny, seriously! I've gotta try getting back by dark, and I'm not leaving without my bag!" 

    "Leaving? Aww, can't you stay the night? Please?" 

    "You're joking, right?"
    
    One look up at Kenny and his puppy-dog eyes again told her she was being serious in his request. 

    "...Kenneth. You can't be serious." 

    "Why not? It's perfectly safe out here. That's what you were telling those other guys before, right?" 

    "Wait, you heard that?" 

    "Kinda hard not to, with you yelling and all," he admitted sheepishly. 

    "Fair point... But, still..." Kveta took notice of the fading light overhead. It was getting dark, and walking back like this might land her in another hole, or some other bad situation. As awkward as it would be, she couldn't argue that finding a place to spend the night was probably safer than stumbling around in the dark. She sighed in defeat. 

    "Alright, so I'm stuck here for the night. Dare I ask where you expect me to sleep?" 

    "Oh, that's an easy one!" Kenny beamed, nodding upwards. Looks like he was successful after all! Kveta followed the cue, looking up and feeling herself wilt with disdain. She didn't like the look of this.

    "In a tree."

    "Yep!" 

    "Nope." 

    "What?!" Kenny looked shocked. "What's wrong with it?" 

    "I... don't do heights." She fidgeted uncomfortably. 

    The naga stared at her for a moment before the corner of his lip twitched into a smirk. A humored snort quickly followed. 

    "Don't tell me you're scared of heights?" 

    "It's not funny! Don't laugh!" 

    "I'm trying, really! Gosh, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?" He cleared his throat before a giggle could slip out. "It's not so bad, Kveta. Why don't I give you a lift, huh?" 

    "Kenny, don't you even--EEP!" 

    Kveta yelped as she was swept up off of her feet. Her eyes were wide as she looked up at Kenneth, pleading for him to set her back down. 

    "K-Kenneth, don't! I hate heights!" 

    "Hey, look at me for a second. Please?" Kenneth waited until she was looking--well, glaring was more like it--at him. There was that adorable stubborn attitude again. "I'm not gonna let anything bad happen, promise. I got you out of that hole without dropping you, didn't I?"

    "...Yes," she answered reluctantly. 

    "It's basically the same thing," he reasoned. "Besides, it's better up there than down here. There aren't many predators, but the few that are out here like coming out at night. I can't have my new buddy getting eaten out here." 

    "I still hate heights," Kveta pouted. 

    "Just close your eyes, hold on, and I'll have you up in no time, okay? Whaddya say?"

    "Fine... But don't go pulling any stunts! I mean it!" 

    "Aww... But that takes all the fun out of it..."

    "Kenneth!"

    "Okay, okay, I promise. No stunts. Up we go, then!" 

    Despite Kenny's multiple attempts at reassurance, Kveta kept a firm death-grip around the naga's neck as she felt him starting to move. Her eyes were clamped shut the entire time. She couldn't even explain why she hated heights so much; they just made her incredibly uncomfortable. Luckily for her, Kenneth had a spot in mind where she wouldn't have to worry about it. There was a place where a bunch of branches had knotted together in one giant tangle. It was almost like a bird's nest with how they grew together, without any spaces between them and a covering of vines and moss. The girl shouldn't have any fear of falling there, and even if she was still timid about it he could just give her a comforting cuddle. He decided to wait until he actually reached the specific location before setting Kveta down. She would probably slug him for that. 

    Eventually he found the patch of tangled branches he was picturing. Not a moment too soon, in his opinion; as sympathetic as Kenny could be to Kveta's phobia, and as cute as it looked, he had to admit it was starting to hurt with how tightly she was hugging onto him. Best to set the poor thing down so he could get some relief for himself. Kenneth slid his coils over into a somewhat orderly pile and started to set Kveta down. 

    "W-Wait, what are you doing?" she asked nervously, trying to maintain her grip. 

    "Just open your eyes, Kveta. Everything's fine." 

    "You...Y-You're sure?" 

    Kenneth chuckled, the tip of his tail poking her nose. "C'mon, little lady. Where's that wildcat attitude from before, huh?"

    Begrudgingly, Kveta let go of his neck in order to swat his tail away from her face. Holding her breath, she slowly opened one eye and glanced down. Instead of seeing the forest floor down below, there was a big pile of Kenneth's tail. That was a relief...sort of. But before she could really assess the situation, the naga dropped her onto his coils--which she didn't appreciate.

    "K-Kenneth! You could've warned me before you did that!" 

    "Hehe, sorry," Kenny apologized, cracking his neck to the side. "Geez, you've got one heck of a grip, Kveta! You're stronger than you look!"

    "I told you I hate heights," she mumbled.

    The girl pushed herself up into a seated position and smoothed out her clothes, finally getting a good look around. It wasn't what she'd expected, seeing all of the giant branches knotted together into some strange natural platform of sorts. Very hesitantly, Kveta inched her way off of Kenneth's coils and found her footing. After a few steps, she got close enough to lean over and get a look at just how high up they really were... 

    "Ooookay, that's high...R-Really, really high..." Kveta fidgeted backwards, letting out a surprised squeak as she felt Kenneth's tail reach around her waist and pull her back. She tried swatting him off, rather uncomfortable with the current situation. 

    "Kenny, get off! Gimme a minute to adjust or something! Jerk!" 

    "Ow, ow, hey! I get it, you don't like heights!" Surprisingly, he managed another laugh as he pulled the fiery young lady into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head. "There, does that help? Hugs can fix everything, you know~" 

    "I doubt that," Kveta huffed. She rolled her eyes. "But I do appreciate you picking some place that isn't a complete death-trap. So...thank you, I guess." 

    "Mmm, don't mention it." The naga was grinning to himself, still holding onto Kveta's waist with his head resting on hers. Hugs were wonderful; he never got tired of sneaking in a cuddle or two. Now if he could just get her to lay back down, Kenny could get the full snuggle experience he was after... 

    "Hey, c'mere~" Kenneth picked Kveta up and flopped back onto the large pile his tail formed. 

    "What the heck are you doing now?" she stammered, completely flustered. 

    "Snuggling~" he answered with a content purr. "Feels good, doesn't it? I just love snuggles."

    "U-Um, right..." Kveta tried easing back as he nuzzled his cheek into hers. "How about you dial it back a little, big guy?"

    "What's wrong?" Kenneth asked, pouting as she sat up. He stared up with with his deep brown eyes, trying to appeal to her. 

    "You're being a little too forward," she replied, her face a little pink. 

    "I'm sorry; I really can't help it much." He rested his chin on his arms as he folded them, looking up to Kveta with sincerity. "It's a bit of a habit..."

    "A strong habit, clearly," the girl observed. She tucked her knees into her chest and looked up on a whim, but the view above caught her attention completely.

    "Wow...Would you get a look at that!"

    "Hmm?" Kenneth, too, looked upward. The nighttime sky was visible through the branches, with a multitude of stars glittering against the blackness. To him, it was just like every other evening, unless it was cloudy and raining. Kveta's fascination was puzzling, but not off-putting. 

    "The stars, you mean?" 

    "Yeah," she said quietly, smiling with her eyes still focused upward. "You don't get a view like this back in the Big Apple..." 

    "The what?"

    "The Big Apple," she repeated. "Y'know, New York City?" 

    When Kveta looked to Kenneth, she was met with a look of complete confusion. Then it hit her.

    "Oh, right. You probably don't know what that is," she chuckled sheepishly. "New York City is where I live. Lots of noise and people and lights, really crowded. You can't see the stars nearly as well as here because all the city lights kinda block 'em out. So I kinda enjoy this."

    Kveta's eyes took in the clusters of stars overhead with childlike wonder. Something about them just made her feel nostalgic and comfortable. Kenneth watched her with interest. The distant yet fond look in her eyes was endearing; he couldn't help but smile to himself. Eventually, Kveta gave a small, content sigh and reached up to pull the tie from the end of her braid. With a shake of the head, her hair fell out into its natural, unruly waves. The naga perked a bit as she flopped back down onto his coils, arms crossed behind her head and eyes still focused on the sky. Only when she felt his scales shift did Kveta remember exactly where she was, especially when Kenny's face was suddenly right beside her own. 

    "What's that goofy look for?" she asked, referring to his smile. 

    "Nothing," he replied, propping his chin in one hand. "Just admiring a pretty girl. You're cute when you smile like that--Oof! Hey!"

    "When are you gonna learn, Kenny?" Kveta sighed, her hand currently shoved into the naga's face. She gave a little push to get him to back off, turning over onto her side. "A lady needs her personal space, y'know." 

    "I was being honest," he protested. He inched his way over again. "C'mon, we're friends, right?" 

    "Yeah, sure, I guess so," Kveta agreed. Kenny perked up, leaning over her shoulder a bit. 

    "So...?" 

    "So...what?" 

    "Can we, y'know...cuddle?" 

    Kveta looked him over, taking in that begging puppy-dog pout of his. As eccentric as he had been, she couldn't deny that the expression he currently wore was a bit cute. Okay, more than just a bit. He was acting adorable. Too much like a real puppy, she mentally noted. Eventually, she gave a humored sigh and flashed a smirk.

    "Alright, we're cool. Knock yourself out." 

    "Really?!"

    "Just be gentle, you goof."

    "I will, promise!" 

    No sooner done than said, Kenny had his arms looped around Kveta's waist, his coils piled around the both of them like some sort of makeshift bed, and his cheek nuzzled against her hair. It was as soft as it looked, with just a little hint of the floral scented shampoo she usually washed it with--not that Kenneth would know, obviously. Though a bit startled by his abruptness, Kveta had to admit that it did feel nice and comfortable being held like that. A little awkward, perhaps, but much better than when either Tulio or Ricardo had tried getting touchy-feely with her before. 

    "You comfy, Kveta?" he asked, voice soft and quiet. 

    "Yeah, I'm good." 

    "You make a good cuddle buddy." 

    Kveta chuckled. "Glad to be of service, then." 

    Kenny felt the girl shift and settle just a little, eventually letting out a deep breath. She grew still after a few minutes, her sides rising and falling gently as she fell asleep. He took his time settling in for the night, however, waiting for his new companion to fall under to make sure she was comfortable. However, before he let himself close his eyes, a little urge struck him, and Kenneth carefully lifted his head to get a better look at Kveta's face. For someone so full of energy and fire, she looked incredibly gentle when asleep. It was just too precious. He knew it was sneaky, but... he couldn't help himself. Kenny leaned down and gave Kveta a quick kiss on the cheek. She couldn't deck him if she didn't find out, right? Right. Satisfied, Kenneth settled himself back down, snuggled up comfortably with Kveta.
    
    Nothing like a good night's rest with somebody to cuddle, was his final thought, a sleepy grin on his face as he finally drifted off. It seemed both him and his latest "cuddle buddy" would be sleeping quite contentedly until morning.