That's Why I Love You: A Marshall x Everest Collection

Snow

*  *  1  *  *

Winter had just started, the snow was falling softly all over Adventure Bay and the surroundings, which included Jake's Mountain. It was an excellent day for snow camping and it was not going to be wasted for neither the snowboarder or his Husky pup. Everest and Jake packed everything they needed and ran into the woods, and let's not forget about Marshall, who is behind them with his own bag, freezing.

"Come on! Before our tails freeze!" shouted the mountain pup full of joy, turning every now and then to verify that her boyfriend didn't end up buried in snow, again.

"B-Before?" shivered the Dalmatian, his tail starting to feel like a Popsicle.

Marshall would say yes to anything Everest could ask him, and that is why she was feeling guilty for inviting him to this camping trip knowing that he didn't take well this freezing cold, but she also really wanted to spend more time with him. She wanted to share more things with him, like the things she likes to do, activities like this for example. Turning to see him again, she thought that this was not working, maybe he wouldn't enjoy this as much as her, maybe he felt pressured to accept, which was worrying her a lot.

Once in the camping zone and with the tents set, Marshall helped Jake to set the campfire and Everest pushed a trunk for everyone to sit. With the wood burning and the sun hiding behind the mountains, they gathered in front of the fire to toast marshmallows before going to sleep. Jake leaved for some minutes to collect more wood for the night and both pups were left alone.

Everest looked at her shivering boyfriend next to her. "Sorry you're not having a great time." she apologized, getting closer to warm him up.

"Y-Y-You're k-kidding? I c-couldn't ask for anything else! I have you, the fire pit, my blanket..." Marshall spoke, already with a blanket wrapping him. "I know what you're thinking. Yeah sure, I'm kind of a city pup, and maybe I would rather be in a warmer weather..."

So it was true, he wasn't enjoying it as much as her. Everest looked down when Marshall got closer and rested his head in her shoulder, holding one of her paws from under the blanket. "But, my girlfriend was coming. And I wouldn't let her come alone to the woods without her favorite Dalmatian pup to make her company." He whispered in her ear, and licked her cheek after it.

"Well, you are my favorite pup." she said, closing her eyes with him, cooing at the feeling of his fur against hers. "Thank you..."

* * 2 * *  

"And... done!" said Marshall once he finished covering in red painting his girlfriend's nose. Everest opened her eyes and looked into the big mirror in the fire pup's house, where she saw herself with the Dalmatian smiling brightly at his masterpiece.

"Remember me why I let you do this?" she smiled oddly at the painting in her face. Two red circles in the cheeks and a red nose. She was starting to wonder if he knew that he was not painting skin, but her fur. Her white fur. This little costume contest in the Lookout was so not worth it.

"Because you love me?" he responded, resting for a second his head in her shoulder. "You're gonna be the cutest reindeer Santa could ever ask for. Yes you will!" he kissed her cheek before leaving to get something from a box.

"Now, for the final touch..."

Next thing she knew, she was wearing reindeer antlers. "Again, why do I let you do this?" she chuckled. Marshall would pay for this, soon or late. More soon than late. "Hey, have you ever imagined yourself with red spots?"

Before the fire pup could answer she tackled him to the floor and started tickling him with her nose. The bottle of painting on the floor got dropped in the process and it made a mess with Marshall's white fur, and even more with Everest's when he started to fight back. Now both their furs were stained in red like an oil painting. "Wait! The painting is fresh!" he said between giggles.

When battle ended, both looked around and on themselves. Katie would have a rough day giving them a shower.

"You know you'll have to clean this later, right?" said Marshall, gazing at the Husky with the red nose and a broken antler.

"Later." She stated, getting closer. "But now..." and both sealed the moment with a kiss.

* * 3 * *  

An entire hour. An entire hour has passed since Ryder and Chase arrived from a mission without Marshall during a snowstorm. Like in any other winter storm in Adventure Bay it was not safe to drive in the highway in the outsides of the city. Two drivers loose control of their vehicles and collided with one another, not causing too much damage, but taking them off the road and burying them in snow. Chase got the cars free with his winch while Marshall checked on a sprained ankle and elbow, nothing to worry about.

What made it extra hard was tons of snow falling from the sky when they were in their way back. Ryder and the pups could hardly see each other, but with luck and the GPS installed in the trucks they made it to the Lookout. When they made it back home, they noticed that Marshall was not with them. If everyone had their GPS's working, then where's Marshall?, thought Ryder. He was afraid that the signal of his fire truck would have gotten interfered with the storm, like it was happening with his own pup pad now when he tried to see his location.

Still in front of the door, Everest waited for her boyfriend to return. Fifteen more minutes has passed, nothing has changed.

Please, come back safe. thought Everest, resting her body on the floor.

"There!" she heard Zuma say, and soon everyone in the room cheered with him. The lights of a truck parking in front was the signal they were waiting for. The principal doors opened and showed a Dalmatian pup in red vests, with his cap with some fresh white powder in it.

"S-Sorry, took a w-wrong turn." he stuttered, quickly being assisted by his friends. Everest approached and took off his cap, licking his cheek.

"Don't ever worry me like this again." she stated, snuggling with Marshall in front of everyone.

Both could finally smile at the end.