Damnation Of Devotion ✔

21: Exorcizing Vigilant Superhumans

{ KI }

"Not fair!"

"What do you mean not fair? I hit the jackpot," Aht snaps with a harrumph. "Deal with it."

"You must have used an expensive bait."

"We have the same bait, Bert!"

I haven't looked up from my book, The Adventures of Peter Pan, when they're arguing as the sun shines among the thick blue clouds. Bertha couldn't comprehend that her fishing student had caught a bigger catch than she ever did. It's impossible for me to stop smiling because of their ridiculous bickering.

A month is up. Aht and I are being careful from getting too close to the sailors here. We had fun talking, cooking, and fishing, but we had enough of severed attachments... Bertha makes it difficult, making me feel like I have a sister.

Damn it, I should focus on our next issue. By tomorrow evening, we'll arrive in Australia. Another struggle will begin. Legal struggle.

"No no no no, don't slander me." Aht raises a finger. "I didn't crush the chicken sandwich into my bait bucket."

"Can you back up your defense?" Bertha retaliates.

"Can you back up your claim!?"

I set the book on my chair, walk over, sit behind him, and hug him without a word. Kissing his head, I then stretch my legs and set them on top of his. In an instant, he drops the subject.

Bertha blinks rapidly. "I don't know how you do it, Ki."

Aht scowls and opens his mouth to counter. Haha! Not again. I say, "How about we use Aht's fish for dinner?" I rest my cheek against his.

"Deal!" She throws her fish back to the sea, tidies up her tools, and skips back to her station.

Aht and I share an amused look.

"Always count on you to solve anything," he chuckles softly.

"Flatterer."

He leans back and rests on my shoulder, gazing up at me... "You're so warm."

"We are both warm."

"I mean, warmer than me."

I look at him in the eyes and play with his hair. He hums, smiling in serenity. Good. "What makes you say that, Aht?"

"Did you feel cold? Before banishment?"

"I'm doing okay. Why?"

"I did feel cold all the time until you." Odd. He kisses my concerned frown away, but it returns. "Do you feel dry after the meadow becomes...?"

"No. Your case is so strange. The snow on your volcano is out of the question?"

His eyes turn pensive while his smile remains. "Maybe because I was a Calamity." Massaging our hands together, he blows a breath on them.

I choke out, "Heavier punishment?" I can't accept it if that's the case.

"Not really a punishment? The Highness often throws me out of the loop. Because when I was the volcano, I was on fire all the time. The cold feels like... a rest. You being near me is as if me coming out of hibernation."

Warmth blooms in my chest from that notion. "Cute." It truly is, oh my God, more so when he turns sheepish and blushes.

"Kiii."

"Like a beaarrr."

"Goodness, Ki. Please don't."

I kiss him with my coos in between, coaxing giggles out of him. Until we hear footsteps.