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Vincent leaned back on the couch in Alastor’s radio tower, TV head resting on his palm as he watched his partner across the room. Alastor leaned back and raised his microphone above his head, making some witty remark about whatever story he was covering. Alastor always insisted on his radio shows being a solo experience, that having someone else in his sacred space would mess him up. So when they were having tea together and Alastor realised it was almost time for his radio show (he typically always kept track of that), and invited Vincent to join him? He pounced on the opportunity.
So now there he was, watching Alastor go through his radio show. It was just whimsical to see The radio demon in his element, knowing he never let anyone else inside his space. Inside his mind.
He looked radiant.
Then, he saw a small movement on Alastor’s head.
His fluffy ears doing small…rotations? As he got into the closing lines of his show. As his eyes focused on reading the final lines on his script, the fuzzy deer ears flicking down and back up. Vincent watched Alastor’s ears bob as he closed out and turned the radio off, placing his microphone back and resting against the desk.
Vincent put a fist to his mouth.
“Pft!”
Alastor looked up, his smile small as he looked to pinpoint the humour Vincent apparently saw.
“Nothing. Nothing…its, its your ears.” He gestured to his own antenna, “when you concentrate, they like...” He made a small action on his head with his hand, mirroring the flicks Alastor’s ears were doing. “It looked kinda funny.”
“Ah, I wasn’t aware…” Alastor reached up to his ears, “I see you find them humorous?”
“Uh, yeah, is that…cool?” Vincent watched as Alastor rose from his seat, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and joining him on the couch. Alastor retrieved two glasses from under the cabinet and filled them both to the rims.
“If I must be honest, my ears have always been…somewhat of a hinderance. Still unsure how to not let them reveal disappointment. And I hope the…flicking, won’t be common in public. I’m glad you find them humorous, however.” Alastor sipped from his glass and passed the other to Vincent.
“….Oh. Well, I still think the flicking’s cute.” Vincent had only let a drop of whisky touch his lips before he realised what he just said, his eyes going wide and glancing over to Alastor, who was smirking at him. “Uh- I didn’t-”
Alastor chuckled, waving his hand and putting his cup down. “You don’t need to pretend, Vincent. I know how you look at me.”
Vincent held the glass to his lips, his screen burning teal as he looked away.
Alastor gazed at Vincent for just a moment more before turning to the side of the couch, reaching for the bottle again. Vincent looked down at him staring at his ears again, before putting his now empty glass on the table, slowly reaching out and wrapping his fingers around one of Alastor’s ear tufts.
Alastor turned his head 180 degrees like an owl, making Vincent flinch to the other side of the couch. Vincent held his hand to his chest, eyes locked with Alastor’s, the latter’s head still facing opposite from his body.
“Uh…sorry…?” Vincent gulped, Alastor still staying completely still. Until after a moment, Alastor’s body whipped around to match his head, now holding the whiskey bottle once again.
“I thought you would have the decency to ask before touching.” Alastor topped off their glasses, putting the bottle on the table in front of them.
“Sorry, again.” Vincent sipped his new glass awkwardly, “they just, looked really fluffy, and I thought-”
Alastor held up his hand, “not to worry, Vincent. I wouldn’t mind so much now. Now that you have permission.”
Vincent perked up, almost dropping his glass.
“I can, you mean I can keep doing it?”
Without a word, Alastor angled his head, letting his ears bob in Vincent’s direction. Slowly, Vincent reached out again, his fingers entangling in the black tipped tufts.
“Wow…they are fluffy…” Vincent swirled his finger around Alastor’s ear, gaining confidence as he heard Alastor’s let out a small chuckle beneath him. He caressed the red strands, stroking them like they were the finest fabric in existence, starting to use his other and to start petting Alastor’s second ear. Vincent wasn’t sure how he got himself into this situation, but he sure wasn’t complaining.
As he started pulling his hands away, Alastor’s fingers wrapped around his. They locked eyes for just a second, Vincent’s screen glowing teal until Alastor simply placed the media demon’s hand back on his head without a word. Vincent let out a small scoff, continuing his ear strokes.
Without warning, Alastor let his weight go, his head dropping into Vincent’s lap. Vincent’s screen glitched, his breath hitching as Alastor settled into him, curling up like a sleepy cat.
“Uh, Al, you, uh, you…”
“Continue.” Alastor mumbled.
“…Alright.” Vincent let his hands wander over Alastor’s ears again, Alastor yawning and snuggling his head into Vincent’s stomach.
“Hehe…What’s gotten into you…” Vincent made sure not to let up the strokes, listening to Alastor softly purr.
Alastor suddenly sat up, his ears bobbing with the movement. His ears did one of the flicks again.
“Al?”
“Do not…tell anyone about this.”
“Oh. Is…that what you’re worried about? No, I wont tell anyone…I think its nice.”
Alastor nodded slowly, reaching down to pick up the whiskey bottle and lying back down on Vincent’s lap, opening the bottle and downing a steady stream of it as Vincent started again on the petting.