A week had passed since Milo found Elias in that alley in Westkilo, Calin City, and their strange, impossible cohabitation had settled into a rhythm.
Elias hadn't left.
The cuts and bruises were fading, but he still seemed to be nursing a deeper injury that no bandage could fix. His demeanor, once a fortress of cold disdain, had softened into a quiet, watchful shyness.
Milo had fallen into the habit of leaving out fresh clothes and making extra food, his initial exasperation slowly giving way to a genuine, if still thoroughly flustered, fondness. He now saw Elias's blushes and averted gazes not as signs of a rude, powerful being, but as the quiet mortification of someone who was clearly not used to the kindness of others.
Milo was in the kitchen, humming to a pop song as he chopped vegetables for a stir-fry. He was getting pretty good at making stir-fry for two. Elias, as it turned out, ate a surprising amount and had a strange, endearing fascination with the simple process of cooking. He'd never say anything, of course, but Milo would catch him out of the corner of his eye, watching intently as Milo added spices or expertly tossed the wok.
Milo glanced over his shoulder. Elias was sitting at the island, meticulously carving a small, wooden dragon from a block of reclaimed wood Milo had found in the garage. His focus was absolute, his long fingers moving with a deft, practiced ease that was mesmerizing to watch. The obsidian horns glinted in the sunlight, and his wolf-like ears twitched every now and then, picking up the slightest sounds.
He was, Milo had to admit, a work of art.[1]
The thought, as it always did when he considered Elias's appearance, made a hot blush creep up his neck.[2]
"So, you gonna give that dragon a friend?" Milo asked, trying to sound casual as he tossed the vegetables into the sizzling wok.
Elias's hands stilled. He looked up, his dark grass-green eyes meeting Milo's. The faint, tell-tale blush appeared on his cheeks, a soft warmth spreading.
"Perhaps," he murmured, his deep voice lower than usual. He quickly went back to his carving, but Milo could feel his gaze on him.
Milo just grinned, pretending not to notice.
He was starting to get used to the quiet, constant scrutiny. It didn't feel predatory anymore; it felt… attentive. Like Elias was trying to memorize every small detail of him.
Later that evening, they were in the living room. Elias was curled up in the armchair, silently reading one of Milo's fantasy novels, his brow furrowed in concentration. The wolf-ears were now perked, occasionally twitching at a noise outside. Milo was sprawled on the couch, half-heartedly playing a video game.
He was losing, badly. He groaned in frustration, dropping the controller on his chest.
Elias, without looking up from the book, spoke in a low voice. "You have failed to properly manage your resources."
Milo shot up. "I'm sorry, what? Did you just backseat game me? What the hell do you know about managing resources in 'Chronicles of Eldoria'?"
Elias finally looked up, a hint of something shyly amused in his green eyes. "The game's mechanics are... simple. You are using too many mana points on frivolous spells."
Milo stared at him, dumbfounded[3][4]. "You've been watching me play, haven't you, you big nerd."
Elias said nothing, but a slow, embarrassed blush crept across his cheeks. He quickly ducked his head back into the book, his fluffy ears twitching furiously.
Milo, however, couldn't stop a genuine, affectionate laugh from escaping his lips. The laughter was a warm, bright sound that filled the room.
The cold, disdainful Elias was gone.
In his place was a shy, clever, quietly protective individual who was now so flustered he was hiding behind a book.
Milo didn't know what it meant, or why he felt such a powerful sense of warmth just from watching Elias's subtle embarrassment. He just knew that a week ago, he was alone, and now he had this strangely beautiful, horned, tailed, fluffy-eared boy who was carving dragons and backseat gaming him.
It wasn't love.
It wasn't even a crush.
It was just a weird, comfortable, and thoroughly unexpected companionship that had become the new rhythm of his life in Westkilo, Calin City. And for the first time since his mom died, his apartment didn't feel so empty.
[1] or.... someone whos DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE DUMBFOUNDED ENOUGH TO NOT SEE THAT?!
[2] bc U LOVE HIM.
[3] i shouldn't be surprised... --_--
[4] i shouldn't be surprised... --_--