Sorry for the really late update! I've had a very busy week with assignments and had to prioritise most of it for uni work!
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Also, your theories are very interesting ;)
- Sian
Koda had buried himself under the duvet, building his very own cocoon. Even though his head had sunken into a big feather-packed pillow, he felt like the bed was violently spinning.
When he entered his house the day his mother died and found his father sitting on the floor with layers of tears clinging to his face, life as Koda knew it would never be the same. His mother's death- Koda thought- was going to be the worst thing he had ever dealt with. Now that he thought about the stresses from the morning, his mother's death seemed almost effortless to cope with and brush aside. At least his grief was natural. Being the Grim Reapers sidekick was not, and he couldn't debate whether he believed it or not without feeling sick.
"Koda?" Alfie's voice sounded muffled under the thick duvet. Koda wanted to poke his head into the open, but he didn't have the energy to move. He listened to Alfie's footsteps as they approached the bed. He felt the weight of someone climbing onto it before light seeped in through a little hole.
Alfie lifted the top of the duvet, revealing Koda's light brown hair. "Hello," he whispered. "Can you breathe under there?"
Koda looked up, wanting to smile at the sight of the medium. It was odd for him to feel so defeated, sad, tired, and confused, yet lifted and weightless when Alfie was paying attention to him. "Join me." Koda picked up more of the duvet and Alfie slotted himself in without hesitation.
Their bodies squished together when the light from the morning was once again blocked out. Alfie could barely see Koda in the darkness, but he could feel his breath against the side of his face. Koda's scent of honey and fresh washing made him want to steal all of his hoodies and wear them forever.
"Alfie, do you believe in the Grim Reaper?" Koda turned on his side, and Alfie felt his hand brush against his stomach.
"Yes. Connor had told me the same story about the Grim Reaper, so have other mediums. I've never met death and I probably never will. There is an understanding between mediums that souls are guided to us. They don't just turn up immediately after they die."
Koda listened to his voice, deep and smooth like he was running a silk scarf along his throat. "If you believe, should I?"
Alfie turned his head, now feeling Koda's breath on his lips. "What's your gut telling you?" Koda smiled, daring to shuffle his face close until the tip of his nose touched Alfie's nose. "I know this is all weird. It would be weird for me too if I weren't a medium." The heat on Alfie's cheeks pulsed to the rhythm of his heart. He wanted to kiss Koda as badly as he wanted to watch his eyes in the sunlight.
"My gut is telling me that I need food."
Alfie chuckled while Koda's hand smoothly moved up his stomach to Alfie's back, pulling their bodies together. "I can make you some toast or something? Or cereal? or-"
"My stomach can wait." Koda squished the medium into him and buried his head into Alfie's shoulder. He smelt like lavender and vanilla, and maybe even a little like peppermint tea.
Alfie's hand automatically moved to the back of Koda's head where he buried his fingers into his hair and closed his eyes. Koda was warm, and Alfie reflected on what he liked most about his classmate: his big body, addictive scent, calm nature, and his hands that wanted to touch him often. It was clear that Koda liked hugs. Alfie didn't usually tolerate them from anyone other than his parents, but Koda was an exceptional case.
"Alfie?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think Miss Pecan will be mad that we left so quickly?"
"Definitely."
"Alfie?"
"Yeah?"
"I like you."
Alfie smiled into the darkness, softly stroking his fingers between Koda's thick hair. "I'd be offended if you didn't by now."
Koda pulled back until they once again felt one another's hot breath pressuring their skin. "I mean, I really like you."
Alfie fantasised about Koda saying that to him. Hearing it in person was better than Christmas, better than a plate of his favourite food, better than seeing his parents together when they used to be happily in love. Despite his nerves and disbelief that Koda Oaks was really lying with him under the duvet, Alfie rested a hand on the side of his face, softly caressing his cheek with his thumb.
"I really like you too," Alfie whispered and at that moment, his entire world filled to the brim with contentment.
Koda wanted to kiss him, but he held himself back and focused on Alfie's touch. "Do you think we like each other because of what Connor said about sidekicks needing mediums?"
"Maybe." Alfie didn't want to think deeply about it. If he did, then he'd convince himself that Koda only liked him because of some paranormal force pushing them together. "Do you think that?"
"I don't know." Koda stared. Alfie could feel him watching and studying everything he could see in the dim light. "I don't know what to believe."
"That's okay." Alfie enjoyed the heat of Koda's skin against the delicate skin on his palm. "Neither do I."
* * * * *
Morlen and Molly stared with their heads tilted. It was seven in the morning, and Morlen had barged into the Willow's home to see if his son was alive and well. "How is that even comfortable?" Morlen asked, glaring as usual.
They were standing in Alfie's room, ready to wake the boys up for college, but their sleeping position was somewhat questionable. Koda was laying in an average position, on his back with his head on the pillow. But Alfie was towards the end of the bed with a head resting on Koda's left thigh. Koda's right leg sprawled across Alfie's chest who gripped it tightly. The duvet tangled among Alfie, and his legs were hanging off the end of the bed.
"He's an active sleeper," Molly said, stopping her hand from slipping to her phone so she could take a picture. Alfie would be mortified, but it would be useful for her in the future if her son annoyed her.
Morlen muttered something and started rolling his sleeves past his elbow. Molly was nervous about that, but it was too late to stop him because Morlen was already stomping towards the window and yanked the curtains open. "Wake up!" he bellowed in a voice of authority.
Koda jumped out his sleep, almost suffocating Alfie with the leg over his chest.
"Now! Up!" Morlen leaned over his son and Koda looked mildly concerned.
"Dad," he groaned, "what are you doing here?"
"Making sure you're not dead." Morlen moved onto Alfie, tapping his shoulders and flicking the side of his face. Molly watched with amusement.
"Get away from me," Alfie grumbled without opening his eyes. He tried to curl up against Koda's leg but found no comfort in doing so.
"Get up. You have college." Morlen shoved Koda one more time before crossing his arms and standing with satisfaction.
Molly wondered if Koda woke up like that every morning, and she felt a little sorry for him. Morlen was an intense person no matter what time of day it was.
It took Alfie almost fifteen minutes to get up. Koda didn't want to be late and dragged him out of bed. When they were having breakfast, Alfie's dad arrived to give them a lift to college.
"Alfie, you better not make me... late-" Tom spotted Morlen sulking in the corner of the kitchen. His first thought was that Molly had moved on, but he noticed Koda and saw their similarities. "Alfie, are you ready to go soon?"
"I'm dropping them off," Morlen said, straightening up and piercing Tom with his shark-like eyes.
"Alright. I'll go straight to work then." Tom caught his son's gaze and smiled. "Have a good day."
Koda stared at his dad from the corner of his eye. Morlen never handed out lifts, he never got up early enough to see Koda leave for college, and he never cared about where his son was, what he was doing, or who he was with. Was Morlen serious about trying to be a father?
"You too," Alfie said, watching his dad turn and leave without looking his mother in the eye. Alfie suppressed a sigh and shoved a big spoonful of porridge into his mouth.
* * * * *
"What's the plan?" Koda asked Alfie, approaching the doors to the college. A cold sweat was building on his forehead. He had never been in trouble with teachers before, and walking out of Miss Pecan's class yesterday was bound to raise suspicion. "And we're a minute late."
"Relax. We'll just sneak in. Her beady eyes don't always catch you. We might be okay."
"We're walking in late, Alfie. She'll notice."
Alfie shook his head as they hurried up the steps. "Stop worrying. I've done this a thousand times before."
Koda gripped his bag straps, hating how deserted the corridors were. "That's what worries me."
Alfie nudged his crush and wished that people could see them getting along so well. He didn't care what people thought of him, but it was a big laugh in everyone's face to show that Koda liked the freak who talked to himself, and Alfie wasn't that unapproachable.
"You'll be fine because you never get into trouble. Miss Pecan might not let me off so easily." Alfie eyed Koda's hand and tried to imagine Katherine's face if they walked in with intertwined fingers. The thought was enough to make him smirk and almost take it, but as they reached the corridor for their art class, their teacher was standing outside with crossed arms and a tapping foot.
"Oh, Jesus." Koda visibly flinched and almost stopped walking.
Alfie pushed him forwards and muttered for him to calm down. "Stop looking like that, she feeds on fear," he joked and choked on his laughter when Koda gulped hard.
"Mister Willow and Mister Oaks," their teacher said in her bold and chalky voice that made Koda's palms feel clammy. Miss Pecan pushed her glasses further down her nose and stared at Koda from over the top of the frames. "Go to my office. I'll be there in five minutes."