The Medium Kid

Chapter 67

There was something very calming about kissing in the shower. Koda wasn't sure if it was because he felt so accepted in the eyes of the person he wanted acceptance from or if it was the sound of rushing water, steam, warmth, and privacy. Though, looking into Alfie's eyes and seeing so much love was a sight he knew he would see forever.

The boys hugged for a while after their kiss. Alfie moved his fingers up and down the skin on Koda's back and his face rested against Koda's chest. They slowly rocked back and forth, so the water could run over their bodies.

Alfie and Koda left the shower when it dawned on Alfie that they had been in there a while, and his mum might have entered his bedroom to tell them that breakfast was ready. If Molly did, she would definitely know that they were sharing a shower. The boys changed and quickly headed downstairs. Alfie couldn't wipe a goofy smile from his face. Only Koda knew why he was grinning like an idiot, and he fought with his facial muscles not to do the same.

"Have you had breakfast, Koda?" Molly asked, eyeing her son.

Koda nodded, only accepting her coffee.

"Hungry?" Molly asked Alfie who shrugged. "That question requires a yes or a no." Alfie shrugged again. Molly shook her head and pointed a spatula at him. "Hopeless, you know that?" Alfie smirked as Molly started one of her rants. "If you ever have kids, I hope you get one as annoying as yourself. Then you'll know what it's like. You make my life hard." Molly put a plate of eggs and toast in front of Alfie before kissing his forehead. "I think it's a curse to love someone so annoying."

"You're annoying too," Alfie said and stuffed his mouth with toast.

"Suppose I am, and that's why I got a child like you." Molly and Alfie grinned at each other, and Koda watched on in silent appreciation.

After food, the boys went with Molly to her art studio. They all shared a love for art, and an empty sketch pad and pencils made Koda content. He sat on the couch at the back of the studio and started drawing.

Alfie went to a painting he had been working on and started adding bits to it. Molly put the radio on and watched Koda for a minute or two. He had been through so much. She wondered what kind of state he would be in if Alfie hadn't tried to connect him with his mother's ghost. She then thought about all the other people in the world who were suffering losses, and not everyone had someone like Alfie to get them through. Some people had nobody to turn to, and Molly marvelled on their bravery to get through it alone.

"Ma, chuck me any green paint that's close to you," Alfie said and was almost hit in the face with an acrylic tub. "Not aggressively," he mumbled and was almost hit again with a paintbrush. Alfie pretended to get to work, but his eyes journeyed to Koda too often to concentrate. He couldn't stop thinking about the shower and the way he had been so confident when he felt so exposed.

Koda caught him staring, and they both blushed, knowing what each other was thinking.

Koda, from that moment on, stared at Alfie whenever he got the opportunity. The boys thought they were discrete, but Molly noticed their peeking match and tried not to smile every time the boys got caught watching each other.

After a while of Alfie getting no painting done, he sat with Koda on the couch to see what he was drawing. "You're so talented," he said, watching Koda shade around the cheeks of a portrait of Enya.

"My mum had beautiful eyes. I always noticed, even when I was little," Koda said without looking up.

"You have your mum's eyes."

Koda smiled to himself. How did he find someone so unapologetically sarcastic, blunt, bold, sweet, cute, and caring all bundled into one? Koda moved his hand and found Alfie's sitting on his lap. He held Alfie's hand and continued drawing, rubbing his thumb along one of Alfie's rings.