Chapter Seventeen
Kaos
Spiro and I had enjoyed the jacuzzi so much, we’d stayed until I pruned. We’d made plans about what else we’d like to do together until our time ran out the day after New Year’s. But that part we’d never discussed.
The first thing on our list was going to Mount Carmel Catholic Cemetery.
We held hands and walked the snowy paths between old tombstones and modern ones.
We even posed with the Al Capone tombstone for a selfie.
When it got dark, it became more beautiful, and Spiro didn’t complain or comment that I was weird for liking the peaceful atmosphere.
The fresh snow crunched under our boots in the vast and open area where no one was gawking at us.
“When I visited my great-grandma in Iceland, she took me to a cemetery on Christmas Eve to set candles on the graves of our family members. The entire plot was lit up. It was beautiful.” I held onto his tentacle around my waist and leaned into his warmth.
“I like that tradition. Can we celebrate in any particular way that you’re used to or would like to try?” Spiro asked.
I tapped my chin. “I liked the food that we had there. But I don’t remember what the fish was. The best part was a book exchange on Christmas Eve. We all gave each other a book, then read by candlelight after dinner.”
“Well, looks like we need to find a bookstore tomorrow.” Spiro kissed my cold cheek and twirled me in his arms.
“What’s your favorite thing about holidays?”
“I’d like to make some traditional Melomakarona cookies for you. Wheat-free of course and full of honey.”
The day after the cemetery trip, we went bowling.
Spiro wowed me with his tenta-licious skills while I made an absolute ass of myself.
He didn’t seem to mind, even as he was scraping me off the floor when I’d flown after the bowling ball and flopped on the alley.
I hadn’t had that much fun going out since forever.
Our next trip included seeing The Phantom of the Opera at The Chicago Theatre. Neither of us had seen it before and enjoyed it immensely, especially the huge swinging chandelier by the end.
Every day for a week, we’d do something fun downtown paired with a visit to a food place where I’d order a meal to create a post about it. Spiro helped me pick the restaurants and diners, and also ordered stuff I could eat so I could try and judge two dishes.
On the morning of the twenty-fourth of December, we had breakfast together and finished decking the living room with the decorations we’d bought during our sightseeing, small enough to fit in our luggage later.
Spiro set the miniature Christmas tree on the table, which had only the baubles from the BlackHorns hanging on it: one with tentacles and one with a yule cat, and candy I’d got at the market we’d visited on decorative strings.
We’d decided to place only two things under that tree, and I had wrapped the book I purchased for Spiro perfectly the night before.
“Wow, so you can be bad at something.” I gasped theatrically as I pointed to his book.
“You’re such a brat.” He nibbled my earlobe, right under my piercings. “But yeah, I suck at wrapping gifts.”
“Whenever you suck, you do it very well, if that makes it better.” I stuck my tongue at him and ran.
He bolted after me and caught me before I reached the kitchen. Hoisting me off my feet, he held me by the ass while I wrapped my legs around his waist. I was still giggling like mad from the thrill when Kaos captured my lips.
I could feel his smile on mine as we exchanged open-mouthed kisses. Joy bubbled inside me alongside something much deeper that hid secretly in my heart. I was happy and safe.
I was going to miss that feeling.
The shift in mood was palpable as Spiro buried his face in my neck and inhaled deeply, then sat me on the kitchen counter.
“I have a list of simple meals I can teach you how to make that will match your needs and keep you healthy. All instructions will be on the recipes I’ll give you, but I want you try them first so you’ll know which ones you like.”
Right. So Spiro was getting ready for us to part ways soon. Where I had been forcing myself not to think about it, he’d been preparing me for life without him.
Don’t cry, Kaos. He’ll see that you’re upset.
“But I always fuck up in the kitchen. I don’t want to ruin everything.”
“You won’t. You’ve been doing so well lately. And there will be a reward for every step.”
“Your cock?” I perked up even as I was forcing my bottom lip not to tremble.
“That’s for finishing the job.” He cupped my face in his big hands and kissed my nose as if that wouldn’t make me more emotional.
“What else?”
“I’ll tell you when we’re done so you won’t get distracted beforehand.”
I rolled my eyes. “So that’s our plan for today?”
Spiro rubbed his hands together like a cartoon villain. “We can start with making lemon chicken soup, then I’ll prepare dinner and cookies for the evening.”
“The soup you gave me that first day?” If I closed my eyes, I could remember the warmth and taste of the contents of that mug I’d been hoping hadn’t been poisoned. Maybe it had been spiked with a love elixir.
“You said you liked it.”
“Yeah.” I would always remind me of him. “I love it.”
“Let’s get started. Can you dice the sweet onion, carrot and celery that’s in the fridge?”
“On it!” After two weeks with Spiro in the kitchen, I was looking forward to making food as opposed to dreading it.
Spiro gathered the rest of the ingredients and laid them out in order of processing. “We’ll do it slowly, to enjoy the process.”
Whenever I prepared a meal with him, I wouldn’t rush and noticed that helped immensely with my clumsy incidents.
I connected my phone to the speaker in the kitchen and turned on a holiday-themed playlist. We sang and prepared the meal without a care in the world until the soup was done and Spiro began working on another dish.
“Your phone has been vibrating like crazy.” I pointed to the device in the far corner after a while.
“It’s the Christmas group chat. The one my extended family is in as well. They’re all meeting at my parents’ house today.” Spiro wiped the counters and made the place look like it had never been used.
“You’re not curious about what they’re saying?”
“I’ll check in a moment.” Spiro scooped me up and carried me to the couch, leaving the pork and caramelized potatoes in the oven.
“I should text my fam too.”
Situated comfortably on Spiro’s lap, I stared at the contacts list on my phone.
My mouth was dry, so I gulped half a glass of water from the table and sat back.
This would have been easier if we had a group chat.
But we wouldn’t use it, anyway. I sent a happy Christmas message to my mom first, then Dad, followed by my siblings one by one.
The day had never been a big event in my household, so the only one worth remembering was the one I spent with my great-grandparents, who were now gone.
“Are you okay, Kitten?” Spiro looked up from texting furiously.
I nodded and laid my head on his pec.
“I’m gonna call Cillian.” I was about to click his name in my contacts when my phone rang in my grip. Huh? “It’s my mom.”
“Do you need privacy?” Spiro asked, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“No. Unless my talking would bother you.”
“Of course not.” He leaned back and continued chatting to his family.
I took a deep breath and picked up. “Hi Mom. Happy Holidays.”
“I got your text. Are you still staying with that man from your videos?” She asked quickly as if she were in a rush. The dull hum on her end suggested she might be calling from the car.
“Yes. His name is Spiro.”
“And you’re okay there?” Her voice was full of doubt.
Where was she going with this? Was she worried? That would be a first.
“Yeah, it’s great. My posts are blowing up, and I’ve had so much fun here in Chicago.”
“Mmhmm. Well, looks like you’ve found a saint if he’s willing to endure your brand of clumsy.”
Here we go. “Mom—”
“You’re so high maintenance honey. Did you manage to hide it better this time? Remember what happened with Mira and Derek. Although they look good together now.”
“I—” Words got stuck in my throat. Whenever Mom talked to me in her condescending tone, I reverted to being a scared, insecure teenager again.
“Can I interrupt, please?” Spiro touched my hand gently.
“Uh sure.” I shrugged and handed him the phone.
“Hi. It’s Spiro. It’s very lovely to meet Kaos’s mom. I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Kaos is charming, and I haven’t found a single downside to spending time with him for three weeks every day. So I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
He did. I knew that, but he said those nice things to my mom, anyway.
“Are you serious?” My mom’s voice went high.
“Yes. Goodbye.” Spiro handed me the phone back.
“Talk to you later, Mom!”
“I was just worried about you,” she said with annoyance in her tone.
“Tell Dad I wish him Merry Christmas.”
“Okay.”
I hung up and released a long breath.
“I’m sorry for interrupting.” Spiro was sitting unnaturally tense.
I shook my head. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to do this. She’s always like that.”
Spiro didn’t reply. Instead, he opened his arms and pulled me into a hug.
I needed a change of subject. “What is your family saying?”
“The usual banter. My brothers are whining about having to help in the kitchen and are blaming me for it. Now they’re asking for a video call.”
“I can leave you alone to talk to them if you want.”
His lower tentacles wound around my legs. “The crazy bunch wants to meet you, so would you stay?”
I swallowed. “Sure.” They’re going to judge me and hate me. Then I’ll have to run away to spare myself more embarrassment in front of Spiro. Fuck.
Spiro beamed and called his mom’s number.
A pretty dark-haired woman appeared on the screen in a room with at least twenty people at a long table behind her. “Spirodon, we’re missing you.”
“Traitor!” someone yelled from the back, then popped in the camera next to Spiro’s mom.
I recognized Nereus from watching Swimming With the Sharks concerts online.
“Will you show us the guy you’ve been yapping about?” A man with horns and red skin pushed himself into view.
“Yes, Kert, thanks for being subtle.” Spiro sighed.
“You’re welcome.” The dude grinned and waited.
The playful atmosphere put a smile on my face, and I inched closer to Spiro and waved.
A chorus of hellos echoed from the other end of the call.
“Thanks for lending me Spiro for Christmas,” I said.
“You can keep him.” Another man with features so much like Spiro showed himself and laughed. Marin.
“Are you surviving the insanity?” Spiro asked with mirth in his eyes. The ribbing between all of them was for fun, and no one aimed to hurt anyone with their words. It was…different.
Spiro’s mom turned the camera on herself again. “We miss you, but we’re good. Enjoy your time away. It was lovely meeting you, Kaos!” She sent off with kisses to the screen and yelped as someone dropped something behind her with a shatter.
Spiro’s phone went dark.
I felt his chuckle more than heard it as he pulled me to him. “You see what I meant. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s always fun.”
“It looks amazing to me.” Way better than a quick dinner with people who didn’t want to be there and leaving within an hour.
Spiro had kept in touch with his family during the time away and made it look easy.
Maybe he could do that with me? Once we flew back to our separate homes, we could text and call each other.
But would I survive without being able to hug him, to trace his tentacles with my fingertips, to have him inside me?
Maybe. What if our long-distance friendship would fizzle out?
It would hurt more than a quick goodbye in a few days.
I would never ask him to change his life plans for me. But I also couldn’t go with him if he didn’t want me there. If I didn’t fit in with my family, I definitely wouldn’t match the happy vibes of Spiro’s bunch.
It’s a holiday fling. Nothing more.
“Are you okay, Kitten?” Spiro kissed my shoulder, then nuzzled the shell of my left ear, above my three piercings there.
“Yes. I was thinking it’s time for us to open our presents.” I jumped off his lap, grabbed the books from under the small Christmas tree on the table and handed Spiro the one I’d got for him.
Spiro opened the wrapping gently, peeling the tape off first, then grinned when he took the book out. “Is this a romance novel?”
“Yeah. I know you mostly listen to audiobooks and podcasts when you cook, but when you read, it’s about recipes or restaurants or business things, so I figured if we get to sit and relax, you need something not strictly about cooking.
” I was talking way too fast, but I was scared Spiro would hate my present.
“It has a baker on the cover.” He playfully poked my socked foot with a tentacle.
“But the story has much more in it than him making cupcakes.” I waggled my eyebrows.
“I fucking love it, Kaos. Now that you’ve said it, I realized I don’t read for pleasure but for research. This is very thoughtful.” He hugged the book to his chest. “Now I’m scared of what you’d think of my pick.”
I tore the wrapper to tiny pieces with my sharp nails and stared at it.
“Cryptid Horror - a collection of stories by own voice authors of the scary and the macabre.” I read out loud.
“These are short, so I’d be able to find out what happens in one sitting.
My attention span doesn’t allow me to immerse myself in a novel before I start doing something else. ”
“At first I wasn’t sure what to get you, but when I saw this, I knew I found it.” Spiro offered his hand.
I took it, grabbed the plate of fresh honey cookies he’d baked, and curled on his lap. “Thank you. It’s perfect.”
Spiro covered us with a fluffy blanket. For the rest of the evening, we read our respective books with the crackling fireplace as our music.