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Sock was sprawled indolently on the back of the couch, like a lanky cat, taking up far more space than any one person or demon should have been able to. He put his face down into the bowl of popcorn resting on the arm of the couch, ignoring the way his intangible face passed right through the popcorn, and inhaled deeply. He let out a sound that was so almost like the purr of a self-satisfied feline, Jonathan nearly laughed.
Instead, he looked up from where he was sorting movies and frowned. “Dude, get your head out of the popcorn. That’s gross.”
Sock lifted his head and pursed his lips in a playful pout. “But it smells soooooo good. I can almost taste it, just from the smell.”
"You can't eat anything, Sock." Jonathan scoffed.
Lolling over the back of the couch, Sock shot him a playful scowl. “Doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it for what it is.”
“Whatever.” Jonathan finally found the movie he was looking for and held it up to squint at the cover. Oh, god... “Sock, are you really sure this is what you want to watch?”
Sock popped up like a demented Jack-in-the-box, all smiles. His green eyes were bright with delight. “Yes! This is one of my favorite movies!”
“Really?” Jonathan could barely keep the incredulity out of his voice. “I know you like things like Jurassic Park and Pacific Rim, but this? Seriously?” He shook his head. “I would have thought you liked... I dunno... slasher flicks or something!”
Sock rolled his eyes. “Those are so freaking contrived. I mean, really? A bunch of high-school kids at an abandoned cabin in the woods. What were they thinking they’d find, fluffy bunnies and rainbows? Pfft!” He laughed, rolling in the air. “C’mon! Classic horror is better; it’s all about the suspense build-up. Slasher films are just about the gore. Not that a little gore is a bad thing, mind you, but they have no real understanding of the genre.”
Jonathan sighed and gave the demon a half-hearted glare.
Sock chuckled again. “Anyway, this one is a classic. It’s got everything.”
Jonathan grimaced again. “I really doubt that...”
Sock blinked, sitting up straight in the air. “Wait— You can’t mean to tell me you haven’t seen it at all? Did you grow up under a rock?”
Jonathan looked away. “The title always turned me off. I couldn’t even make myself try to watch it.”
Sock was suddenly in his face. “Seriously? You have no idea what you’ve missed out on. Put it on, put it on, put it on now!”
Groaning, Jonathan rose to his feet and inserted the disc into the DVD player. The damned movie hadn’t even started and he was already regretting agreeing to Sock’s demand for a movie night. He flopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote.
Sock was bouncing around in the air, giddy. “You’re gonna love it, I promise! Trust me!”
“I should trust the taste of someone who thinks a dead animal is a perfect present,” Jonathan scoffed tiredly. “Look, you chose the movie so shut up and sit down so I can start the stupid thing. The sooner we get this over with, the better.”
Sock flung himself down in a sprawl, his head landing on Jonathan’s thigh.
Stifling a startled yelp, Jonathan shoved his demon companion. “Get off!”
Sock grinned up at him, pushing back at Jonathan’s hands. “Nuh-uh. You promised me a movie night and said we would do what I wanted! Well, I wanna watch it like this!” He stuck out his tongue impishly.
Sighing heavily, Jonathan gave up the fight. It just wasn’t worth it. “Whatever. Just lie still or something.” First a movie that the title pretty much guaranteed he was going to hate, and then a demon with no sense of personal boundaries. Yeah, tonight was shaping up to be really effing perfect.
Sock settled down with a cheeky smile. “Start the movie. Promise you won’t regret it!”
Reaching for the bowl of popcorn, Jonathan thumbed the play button on the remote. “I already do.”
The title screen came up and, grumbling, Jonathan started the movie. After the opening sequences ran, Jonathan’s first reaction was a snort of laughter. “Man, is this dated...”
“Shhhh...” Sock hushed, his attention riveted on the screen.
Helping himself to a handful of popcorn, Jonathan rolled his eyes.
“A book?”
Jonathan was inclined to agree with the incredulity in that line. Seriously?
Sock squirmed, turning over on his belly to rest his cheek on Jonathan’s thigh and snaking an arm around Jonathan’s waist. He glanced up at Jonathan’s face and must have read the disbelief there. “You’ll love it,” he chided.
Jonathan shifted uncomfortably... “Sock...”
“Just watch,” the too-cuddly demon scolded.
“ — So slobbering drunk, you couldn’t buy brandy!”
Jonathan reached for another handful of popcorn. Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad...
“I doubt you’ll get such an offer from the eels!”
Sock giggled.
Jonathan grimaced. Sock, on the other hand—
~~~~~~~~~~~
“There’s a big difference between mostly dead, and all dead.”
Jonathan laughed out loud. This was turning out a lot better than he expected.
Sock, who had migrated further into his lap, giggled with him. He had worked his way around until he was perched in Jonathan’s lap, both arms around Jonathan’s waist and head resting on Jonathan’s shoulder. Jonathan protested the move only absently, his attention on the screen.
“Have fun stormin’ the castle!”
Jonathan and Sock both laughed, Jonathan absent-mindedly curling his arm around Sock’s waist to keep him from laughing himself right off of his lap.
“As you wish...”
The soft instrumentals of the credits dragged Jonathan out of his rapt absorption, and he looked down into Sock’s face, peering at him from inches away.
“Told you...” Sock chuckled.
Nodding, Jonathan agreed, “You win. Much, much better than I ever would have given it credit for.”
Sock murmured agreement, tightening his hold on Jonathan. “Hey, Jonathan. You promised me a movie night. Anything I wanted, right?”
Jonathan felt his stomach tighten into a knot. “Within reason. I’m still not killing myself.”
“No...” Sock lifted his chin, red airbrushed across his cheeks. “It’s perfectly within reason. I... I want a kiss.”
Jonathan felt the blood flood his own cheeks, his stomach opening into a yawning void filled with a million fluttering butterflies. “What...?”
“One kiss,” Sock pled, green eyes holding Jonathan captive.
He could no more look away than he could deny the uncertain plea in Sock’s face.
“Fine,” he breathed, lowering his head to brush his lips softly over Sock’s. That was all he intended, just a quick touch of lips, but Sock’s mouth opened under his and Sock’s hands were suddenly in his hair, pulling him in for a deep, hungry kiss.
It was long minutes before Sock pulled away, and Jonathan made an embarrassing little sound in his throat. He found himself wanting to yearn after the mouth that had just plundered his, and didn’t know quite what to make of it.
Sock, flushed, looked him in the eye. “Maybe not one of the top five, but definitely a close contender. Maybe you just need a little more practice.” He tugged Jonathan’s head back down.
“As...” Jonathan mumbled against Sock’s needy lips. “ — you wish.”