Eldritch Grin

Her expression softened. She greatly enjoyed this soft intimacy between them. A part of her was still shocked that he wanted to continue their relationship, but another, larger part was still oh so thankful.

The Radio Demon hoped that Odette and Clara would like the pin dolls, even just from an aesthetic stand point. He made them very beginner friendly if they wanted to try them.

--

It was only a few hours later when Alastor felt his body waking up, like clock work. Meticulous as ever. And he knew he had to get up, and get moving. He did it everyday, even on days like today when he was tired to his bones. Today he had a harder task, extracting himself from a tangle of Ani's limb's and his blankets.

And he just wanted to push his face into the other's shoulder and stay there.

Instead he extracted himself carefully from the bed, gathered himself some clothes and got ready for work in the bathroom. He moved through his house quietly, not wanting to wake the other at this early hour in the morning. He dug carefully through the closest, looking for something that Ani could wear when he woke up. A pair of trousers and dress shirt he hadn't taken in yet. Good at least the other wouldn't be left naked in his house.

Before he left for the station, Alastor made sure there was brewed coffee left on the stove for Ani to drink, and a note saying:

"Back before 6pm. Stay. - Alastor. PS. Avoid unlabeled meat in the ice box.

And true to his word, after a long day, several meetings, doing his show, and politely declining dinner with his producers. Alastor did make it back home before six o clock. He was tired, maybe he needed to have some more coffee before making dinner.

"Ani?"

Well. He couldn't very well stay lounging in Alastor's bed all day. Much as he was a tough person to stay idle to begin with. He stretched his arms above his head. Cracked his neck. Then stood up to find Alastor had left him some clothes. It made him smile some, knowing the man's slim figure might be just a tad small for him, but found them wearable enough. Especially to adhere to the wishes Alastor had set.

Stay.

Alright. Seemed so long as he avoided the unlabeled meat in the ice box, he was free to everything else. He helped himself to the coffee Alastor had left (pouring a bit of liquor into it, though he wouldn't dare call it Irish) and fixed himself something simple for breakfast. Even before his cocktail, his brain was already buzzing. He was basically playing the role of housewife that day, tasked with taking care of Alastor's house while he was away at work.

And he would.

He finished the rest of their laundry, running their clothes again and again until they were completely free of soil from the swamp. Ani did the same with their shoes, soaking and scraping muck that could've claimed and killed them both. Remniscing warmed him something stupid inside, even though it was just last night. Then the late afternoon came, and the sun began to dip through the trees and bathe the interior of Alastor's house a calm amber. It was then Ani started to miss him, and laughed foolishly to himself. Was this something he could do every day? In a different world, where he struck a more delicate figure? Could carry Alastor's children?

After making himself another snack and bringing himself near 6, Ani started making dinner for the two of them. He could use the labeled meats, right? Cut up some potatoes? Carrots? Alastor didn't seem to have the cheeses he would've liked to make a lasagna, so maybe a simple stew would do. If he wouldn't mind. By the time he was tasting the broth and turning down the heat on the stove, he heard the front door open.

Was he really not listening for footsteps? How foolish... Ani found himself both embarassed for himself as well as shy before Alastor, all of a sudden. Yet, he couldn't take his eyes off him. "H-hi," he said quietly, putting down his spoon and turning off the heat. Attempting to do so without looking had him quickly retracting his hand from the hot surface before doing so correctly. He then turned his body to face him square on, as if he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Like thinking of a life that couldn't be his.

But walking into his house and smelling richness and spices of a cooked meal had been nice. It had pulled at his chest, twisting like knife in both a comfortable and uncomfortable way. It meant that Ani had stayed, but at the same time, the last time someone had cooked for him was his mother.

Having a kindred spirit to come home to, oh that felt so good in a way he couldn't rationalize.

Alastor put his shoes away, and hung his jacket. "I did imply you could help yourself to my home," the Creole man made his way to the kitchen to peak in on the other's cooking. A stew? That would be perfect for that discount, tough steak he bought. He rarely bought prime cutes of meat. He smiled softly, stepping in close to Ani's space. He just wanted to lean against the other and relax. Maybe just sleep for the rest of the evening after a full meal.

"Don't worry about replacing my bread, I'll make some more on saturday," It was easy enough to make, why would he waste money purchasing bread when he could just bake it on the weekends. Alastor yawned, his long night and day was catching up with him. He smiled a bit softly, stepping into the other's space and leaning against Ani.

❛  i can't be the person you want me to be.  ❜ ❛  i can't be the only one fighting for this.  ❜ ❛  i can't be the reason you hate yourself.  ❜ ❛  i can't do this anymore, but i don't know how to stop.  ❜ ❛  i can't do this if you don't trust me.  ❜ ❛  i can't hate you, and that's the worst part.  ❜ ❛  i can't keep loving a ghost.  ❜ ❛  i can't keep waiting for you to choose me.  ❜ ❛  i can't look at you the same way anymore.  ❜ ❛  i can't lose you, too.  ❜ ❛  i can't make you love me.  ❜ ❛  i can't sleep without thinking about what happened.  ❜ ❛  i can't stop thinking about the way you left.  ❜ ❛  i can't tell you the truth without losing you.  ❜ ❛  i can't tell you to stay when i know you want to leave.  ❜ ❛  can't you hear yourself?  ❜ ❛  can't you just do me this one favor?  ❜ ❛  can't you lie to me, just this once?  ❜ ❛  can't you please just listen?  ❜ ❛  can't you see that i'm trying?  ❜ ❛  can't you stay, just for tonight?  ❜ ❛  can't you stop pushing me away for five seconds?  ❜ ❛  can't you tell i'm scared?  ❜ ❛  can't you understand that i needed you?  ❜ ❛  can't we go back to before everything changed?  ❜ ❛  can't we just be friends?  ❜ ❛  can't we just have one normal night?  ❜ ❛  can't we pretend, just for a little while longer?  ❜ ❛  can't we try again?  ❜ ❛  you can't ask me to stay after everything you did.  ❜ ❛  you can't decide how you want me now.  ❜ ❛  you can't erase what happened.  ❜ ❛  you can't fix this with an apology.  ❜ ❛  you can't just show up here without calling first.  ❜ ❛  you can't keep punishing me for surviving.  ❜ ❛  you can't leave like that and expect me to still be here when you come back.  ❜ ❛  you can't love someone only when it's easy.  ❜ ❛  you can't promise forever when you can't even promise tomorrow.  ❜ ❛  you can't save me from this.  ❜ ❛  you can't say you love me and then disappear.  ❜