Belief In The Occult

Twenty Nine

Alto flared his wings and kicked his feet forwards, gliding until he could hop to a halt on the garden path. He'd finished up his training with Hertz early and his mentor told him to exercise his flight muscles on the way home.

As he stopped to stretch he could swear he heard something... Pausing, he silently stepped further into the garden, listening. "Oh, there's an island where all things are silent. I'm gonna whistle a tune." Someone was singing, hardly above a normal speaking voice, "Oh, there's a desert that size can't be measured. I'm gonna count all the dunes." Ah, Alto would know that low rasp anywhere. Was Kodiak singing in the garden? Wait, Kodiak sang?

Curiosity piqued, he quietly approached a set of foliage and slid some fronds aside with his arm. Alto was subsequently treated with the sight of Kodiak, earbuds in, quietly murmuring to himself.

Alto didn't want to disturb him, but he was mostly just so surprised to see Kodiak that he blurted without thinking, "I like your singing."

Surprisingly, Kodiak didn't seem that startled, but his ears turned a deep burgundy as he pulled a headphone out. Even his blush was desaturated. "I was... singing?"

"U-um yeah..." Alto said, feeling his own face heat up, "It wasn't super loud or anything, I just landed nearby and heard it. It was nice." he quickly rambled, before managing to compose himself, "And if you're not busy or anything, do you mind if I sit with you, peaches n' pie?" He tilted his head and smiled, "It's alright if not, I just feel like I never see you."

Which is an absolute shame, he added mentally. It was like Kodiak got prettier every time Alto saw him. He had deep circles under his dark eyes, and a slightly crooked nose (Alto didn't know if it was natural or once broken), and a narrow, oval-shaped face.

His ears turned a little darker. "I don't... mind."

Alto skirted the edge of the koi pond and settled underneath the ferns next to Kodiak, taking a minute to adjust his wings. And if he sat closer than was strictly necessary and stretched one wing a little farther to hang behind Kodiak's back without touching him, well Alto figured he deserved small graces, he hardly even saw Kodiak after all.

Kodiak left one earbud out, but the two sat in gentle silence until Kodiak started to hum quietly again, and it was obvious to Alto that he wasn't even aware he was doing it.

Soon enough though, the dark grey sky that had been promising storm all day carried out its threat, and both of them looked up as thunder rumbled loudly.

Kodiak didn't mind rain, he sat out in it all the time, and was actually finding it to be one of the things he liked. He did expect Alto to go inside, however. The other demon was usually careful of things that might ruin his appearance.

"Oh, here." Alto murmured, shifting closer and lifting his wings to shield the both of them from the first pattering of raindrops. He turned back from adjusting his wing to face Kodiak again, jumping as he realized they were nose-to-nose and the poltergeist was practically in his lap. Alto stuttered, about to apologize, but Kodiak held up his free earbud between them.

"I like it... when you can hear the rain and the music... at the same time. Listen."

Alto silently took the earbud and put it in, a familiar song washing through his head.

I love everybody because I love you,

When you stood up, walked away barefoot,

In the grass where you lay left a bed in your shape,

I looked over it and I ached