Keepin' it Kool - ALASTOR x KOOL

CHAPTER 2 - JUST bros.

The days after that awkward night passed without incident. Kool and Alastor fell back into their regular routines—attending classes, hanging out, gaming, and joking around like always. But there was something different, something Kool couldn't quite put his finger on. He'd catch Alastor watching him out of the corner of his eye during group projects or study sessions, and sometimes, Kool found himself doing the same.

They didn't talk about it, of course. Why would they? Bros didn't sit around having deep conversations about feelings. They just rolled with whatever came their way. And that's exactly what Kool did. Or at least, he tried to.

It was a Friday night when things started to shift again. The weekend had just kicked off, and Kool had already downed a few beers at some random dorm party. The music was blaring, and people were packed into the small common area, laughing and dancing. Alastor was there too, leaning against the wall with his usual calm demeanor, holding a half-empty beer and looking as effortlessly cool as ever.

Kool, being the life of the party as usual, stumbled over with a grin plastered across his face. "Bro, you've been standing here like a statue all night. You gonna join the fun or what?"

Alastor raised an eyebrow, amused. "I'm here, aren't I?"

"Yeah, but you're not here," Kool insisted, jabbing him in the side. "C'mon, live a little. We're in college, man. This is our time to be stupid and make memories!"

Alastor chuckled, shaking his head. "You've got enough stupidity for both of us, Kool."

"Pfft. Weak excuse," Kool said, grabbing Alastor by the wrist and dragging him toward the center of the room where people were playing some sort of drinking game.

The night continued, more drinks were had, and before long, Kool was feeling a comfortable buzz. The kind that made everything seem a little hazy but in a good way. At some point, the party started to die down, and Kool found himself back in his dorm room with Alastor, the two of them sitting side by side on Kool's bed with a bowl of popcorn between them.

Kool flipped through the endless options on the streaming service, trying to find something they could watch. "Dude, you ever notice how there's, like, nothing good on here, despite having a million options?"

Alastor leaned back, smirking. "Every time."

Eventually, they settled on an old action movie—one of those mindless, explosion-filled blockbusters that neither of them had to pay too much attention to. Kool tossed the remote aside and stretched out, his legs propped up on the bed, while Alastor remained seated at the edge, his posture as composed as ever.

But somewhere along the way, as the movie played on and the drinks continued to settle in their systems, Kool found himself inching closer to Alastor. It wasn't a conscious move, just something that happened as they got comfortable. Alastor didn't move away either, and before Kool knew it, their shoulders were pressed together, the warmth of Alastor's body seeping into his own.

He didn't think much of it at first. They'd been close before, sitting side by side during all-nighters or when they were gaming. This was no different... except it felt different. There was a weight to it, like there was more going on than either of them wanted to admit.

Kool glanced at Alastor out of the corner of his eye. He wasn't even watching the movie anymore—his eyes were half-closed, his face relaxed in a way that made him seem less guarded than usual. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was just one of those rare moments when Alastor let his guard down, but Kool couldn't stop staring.

"You tired, bro?" Kool asked, keeping his voice light, though his pulse had inexplicably quickened.

Alastor didn't open his eyes. "A little. But I'm good."