“Sure.”
Grunting, he wrestled with the luggage through the heavy snow and into the house. He stomped his boots on the mat and ruffled his hair, sending snowflakes flying. “I’m waiting for replies from a few places, so I’ll be out of here soon. Don’t worry.”
“I’m glad to see your phone still works.” I gestured to the battered device.
“Oh, the screen was already like this.” He gave me a sheepish smile, pressed his thumb to unlock it three times, then put in the code. His hands had to be so cold. “But now the damn battery is dead.”
“The couch is right there if you wanna sit and warm up.” I waved toward the living room. “I’ll grab a charger for you.” Since I’d already made peace that he invaded my privacy, I might as well be welcoming to him.
“I don’t want to impose.” He wrapped his arms around his middle.
I levelled a deadpan expression at him. “I offered.” At first he wanted to barge into my house, and now he was getting all shy about me inviting him in? This guy was like a flag in the wind.
“Thanks.” He beamed, unzipped his mid-calf leather boots, and stepped out of them. The bright striped socks he wore took me aback, considering he was otherwise in a classic emo outfit.
He caught me looking and set his mouth in a straight line. “What?”
“Nice socks.” I bit the inside of my cheek.
“No one was supposed to see them, so you can spare me the sarcasm.” His eye roll was so intense I could almost hear it.
“I’m serious. They’re cute.”
He had very shapely feet too, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.
“I like wearing black, but the socks let me carry a piece of joy with me. It’s stupid.” He shrugged.
There was fire in him but it got lost in his resigned posture. “It’s not. And you don’t have to explain it to me. Or anything, for that matter.”
“Not even how I got myself into this mess?” He placed his boots neatly next to mine and hung his coat.
“Nope. It looks like an honest mistake to me.”
“Well, it wasn’t. I can never do anything right. I wanted to prove that everyone was wrong. That I can book a winter vacation, organize everything by myself, go and have fun. But no. I fucked it all up at stage one.” He flopped his arms andheaded to the living room, looking as resigned as a wet cat after an unwanted shower.
I went to grab the charger from my bedside table and returned to find him sitting on the floor in front of the electric fireplace with his legs curled under, his palms raised toward the heat.
His phone lay on the coffee table, so I plugged it in and left it there. He looked so cold and miserable, I grabbed one of the fluffy throws from the couch and placed it over his shoulders.
He flinched, then glanced up at me and smiled, wrapping himself in the blanket.
“By the way, I’m Kaos.”
“I can see that.” I sat cross-legged next to him.
He pursed his lips. “That’s my name.”
Oops. I offered him a smile, but he remained unfazed. “Right. I’m Spiro to friends.”
“And to enemies?”
I chuckled. “Spyridon, I guess. That’s my proper name.”
“So which one should I use?” He glanced at me from under a ginger strand of hair that spilled over his forehead.
My tentacles drifted toward him involuntarily, like magnets to a fridge. A very cute and fluffy fridge.
“Call me Spiro if you’re good.” I forced my appendages back to my sides, willing them to stay put.
