I blew him a kiss and he giggled. Then I snapped several more pictures of his gorgeous smile before I linked our hands together to walk wherever he’d choose.
As we got lost in the holiday crowds of the city, Kaos regained his chatter. He’d spent the previous evening researching the route and places he wanted to stop by. He talked about the snow and read interesting facts about them as we passed by.
I’d been very wrong about Kaos the day he’d knocked on the door, and from what little he’d told me about his family, they didn’t know who he really was.
It had only been nine days since then, but Kaos had been helping me in the kitchen, making sure the house was in order before dinner, and doing tiny things that brought a smile to my face, like pouring my favorite juice when I was too busy cooking to do it myself. All the while, he’d been posting about food and planning more trips to the city. He was a ball of energy and utilised that not only to be productive, but to participate in my routines as well. I was so used to living alone, I’d never thought anyone could so effortlessly be a part of my day and make every minute so much better.
We stopped at the Water Tower Place shopping center, and Kaos glanced at his notes.
“There are about seventy stores inside.” He looked up.
“Including the one I want to take you to.” I pulled him closer to me and felt how cold he was despite holding him as we walked. “I did some of my research as well, and I know you’ll find a coat in here.”
We entered the department store, took the escalator to the first floor, and passed by various stores ranging from sparkly jewellery and perfume to lingerie.
“It’s warm here.” Kaos loosened his scarf. He still had his big woolen hat on, and his tail was still tucked up into his hoodie.
“You can take your hat off.”
Kaos shook his head.
I had suspicions as to why he was so adamant about keeping it down over his ears throughout our trip. I wasn’t a violent person on a bad day, but anyone who’d hurt Kaos would not be happy if our paths ever crossed.
“Would it help if I let my tentacles out?”
Kaos nodded, his bottom lip quivering.
I shed my coat and wrapped all four tentacles around him, right there in the middle of the mall. The feeling of being constricted in clothes was gone, and Kaos was touching me. How was it possible that I missed the feel of him? I’d held his hand on the way here, for fucks’s sake.
I knelt to envelop him in my embrace. While my breathing relaxed, Kaos’s hitched.
He was glancing around frantically. Sure, several people stared at me, but that was normal when a 6’ 4” burgundy-skinned guy with many wiggly limbs walked into a store. But I knew there was more to it.
Kaos wrapped one of my tentacles over his waist, slid his hat off, and ruffled his hair. His ears had been flattened against his head, but now they sprang up to their full glory.
“Freaks!” someone yelled.
“That’s unnatural!” came another voice.
I would have ignored the blatant call for attention, but Kaos froze next to me. His body went rigid, and he tucked his tail closer to himself as if he tried to make himself smaller.
“Don’t mind them.” I stepped in front of Kaos and took his hands. “They’re idiots.”
“I shouldn’t have taken my hat off.” Kaos’s bottom lip trembled.
“Abomination!” the first idiot yelled again.
I glared over Kaos’s head, I flipped him the bird and stood up to my full height of 6’ 4” which complemented my sturdy build. Ilet my tentacles float around me like snakes ready to attack. My grandma taught me that move when I was a kid, and it worked like a charm to this day.
I walked slowly, but they remained frozen anyway. “Now apologize.”
“I’m sorry.” They both said in unison. Up close, I judged their age as a teenager and a man in his forties. The latter should know better. The former hopefully would after today.
“Not to me.” I nodded at Kaos, and both scumbags glanced at each other.
“We’re sorry,” they said to Kaos.
“You can be scared, but don’t hate what you don’t understand. I’d never hurt you for no reason, so why would you verbally abuse me or him?” I tucked Kaos close to me.
