Belief In The Occult

Twenty Nine

After the song ended and a new one began, Alto blurted, "Did I do something?"

Kodiak lifted his head to look at him, eyebrows knit in confusion. "Huh?"

"Did I do something- to upset you, I mean." Alto clarified. "It just seems like you're avoiding me and if it's because I upset you-" He cut himself off as Kodiak laughed, and he felt a red-hot blush sweep across his face, and his cardiovascular system started doing some interesting gymnastics. It seemed impossible, but Kodiak was even prettier when he laughed.

Too soon it seemed like, Kodiak cut his abrupt giggle off with a cough, clearing his throat. "Sorry... I wasn't laughing at you... I just realized... how awkward I was being... I guess."

It was Alto's turn to look confused. "Awkward?"

Kodiak swallowed as he stared at Alto's face. Well, they were sitting here alone in the garden, too close to be entirely platonic, and he doubted someone else would come outside for a while because of the rain, so now was just as good as any other time.

"I like you... a lot... and you're very pretty. I just got... so nervous whenever I saw you that I would... discorporate." Kodiak admitted, feeling his skin burn. It sounded lame when he said it out loud, and his shoulders crept up towards his ears in his normal anxious hunching-in gesture.

His eyes widened when Alto's face broke out in a huge grin and the winged demon was lunging forwards, wrapping Kodiak in his arms tightly and peppering short kisses all across the side of his face and in his hair. Kodiak was startled, but certainly didn't complain, scrunching up his face and giggling at the sudden burst of affection.

"I also like you a lot, and I also think you are very pretty." Alto said with a second grin before planting another kiss on his temple. Kodiak turned and giggled in his face, and Alto couldn't resist the urge to plant another kiss to the bridge of his nose. Making Kodiak's ears turn red was going to be his new favorite hobby.

Both of them yelped simultaneously when a pair of large clawed hands grabbed each of them by the backs of their coats and Faust's voice boomed, "There the pair of ye are!" He then took a moment longer to process how they'd been sitting and observe how the both of them were blushing and looked completely mortified, and let out a booming laugh.

"Gettin' a little alone time eh, loverboys?" he teased, making Kodiak hide his face in his hands and Alto squawk like a mortally offended parrot. Faust laughed good-naturedly again as he set them back down on the ground, "Ye can do that later when it ain't rainin', run along inside, the both of ye's! Ye'll catch yer death sittin' out here mackin'!"

Alto found it in himself to giggle, then grabbed Kodiak's hand and ran inside, ducking against the rain.

The both of them ran through the house, only pausing long enough to kick off of their wet shoes at the back door before going up the stairs and into Alto's room, hands linked and giggling the whole way.

"I... feel like... Maci." Kodiak admitted, stifling his laughter. They had flopped down onto Alto's bed, sprawled at a half-adjacent angle with their legs thrown over each other.

"You're dark red." Alto pointed out, smiling. Kodiak was precious when he blushed. He received a sharp whap on the arm in return.

"Don't... make fun of me!"

"I'm not making fun!" Alto responded, laughing madly, "It was just an observation! You're very cute!"

Kodiak looked like he was about to have steam come out of his ears, "That... isn't helping!" he fumed, and Alto grinned from ear to ear.

"Aw, I can't help it peaches n' pie, I calls em like I sees em, and when I see you all I'm looking at is cute." Alto said, tilting his head. Kodiak shoved a pillow in his face.

"You're... awful."

"Says the boy who discorporated all the time cause he thought I was pretty!" Alto sang triumphantly, letting out an 'oof' when a weight hit his stomach. He shoved the pillow away from his face and looked down to find Kodiak had flopped over onto him, and was laying on his stomach, head hidden under his arms. Alto smiled and stuck a hand into his hair. It was a lot softer than it looked.

"Do you wanna date me?" Alto blurted. It seemed like a redundant question but... better to ask.

Kodiak quickly picked his head up, his hair flopping into his face. "Uh, y-yeah." He said, before his brow knit, "Are you... sure you... wanna date me? You know how... I am."

Alto looked dubious, and echoed "How you are?"

"Y'know... a wet blanket." Kodiak said. He thought he had been obvious.

Alto snorted, "You're not a wet blanket Kodiak. You're just laid back. I don't see anything wrong with that." He leaned up to kiss the poltergeist on the forehead.

Their head turned in unison when the door opened. Cobalt stood in the doorway, looking vaguely confused. He was usually so preoccupied that he didn't notice things right under his nose anyway.

"Dinner?" He said.