Kou hummed as he leaned against the tree, reading the page of the book as he waited for Vi to return. The snow had trapped them in the small room for several days, but Kou had taken it as a chance to read the book, using a simple light spell to read until Vi insisted he sleep. It was some sort of religious text, he had expected that, but what he didn’t expect was how… formal it was. 

All the scraps he had found in the ruin near his home were more like eulogies, like mourning the First World’s fall to Corruption. This book read like a guide, a how to worship Itris, which Kou found curious and he had eagerly devoured all the early parts of the book. The early sections seem to focus on how the First World was created and Kou turned another page, glancing up as Aldeon grazed on the sparse grass nearby.

Once the snow stopped, Kou was eager to head to the next ruin, although Vi was less enthusiastic. The demon was starting to push back more against what Kou was trying to do and the thought was enough to make him frown. Kou glanced up at the path Vi had disappeared down, insisting on venturing ahead to make sure the pass was, well, passable. Vi has said it felt precarious when they passed through, and they were concerned if the trio would be able to get through at all with the snow fall. 

“They worry too much,” Kou pouted, glancing over at the pony as it paused in it’s eating to snort at him. “I know. Sure I’m not a demon, but I’m not made of glass.”

Kou took a deep breath, feeling that familiar low heat. “Maybe I need to be more forceful. Just say what I want. Show them I’m not fragile.”

As soon as the words left his mouth though, Kou felt his face grow red and he buried it into the book. He was a mess, that he knew, but not even he was brave enough to look at that perfect face and demand to be taken. And yet, the longer and longer Vi failed to respond or understand his flirting, it was looking like that was what he was going to have to do. After all, the desire, the need wasn’t going anywhere and if he had to be lifted into those arms one more time without knowing how it felt to be pinned by them…

“Kou.” Vi’s voice made Kou flinch, the book slipping slightly in his hands as he looked up. Vi was already close, their voice preceding them by only a few seconds, and Kou’s eyes dragged up their form with too much eagerness, landing on their face last. As always, Vi’s expression was unreadable but the streaks of wet snow trailing down their braid said enough.

“So?”

“It will be slippery, but it seems the air in the pass is warmer.”

“Well, it should be warmer in the valley on the other side, so that makes sense,” Kou stood, stretching as he held the book over his head. “We’ve been climbing down all day, so once we get through it should be a while before we encounter snow again.”

Vi remained silent, but Kou watched as their fingers curled slightly at their sides, a small, telltale sign of unease. He let the silence stretch, unwilling to fill it just yet, and simply watched them. Water dripped from the ends of their braid, each drop darkening the snow at their feet.

“What?”

“We cannot walk side-by-side.”

“Ah, it's narrow like the bridge then?” Kou pouted, not trying to hide the whine in his voice. He had hated walking in front of Vi when they crossed the ridge. “I don’t–”

“I will walk in front,” Vi interrupted and Kou froze, his hand hovering over the bag he had opened for the book. He turned back to look at the demon, but Vi was unchanged. “The pass is too narrow for me to get lost and I will be in front to catch you if you slip.”

“I… am not gonna argue with that.” Kou grinned. He didn’t get many chances to appreciate Vi from behind, considering they usually walked side by side so that Kou could hold their hand and other than that, the demon preferred to follow. “Can you come here though?”

Kou’s smile grew as the demon stepped forward, their face slightly higher than his head as he looked up into the demon who towered over him. He had spent way too long staring into that perfect face, and especially now, with the melting snow causing it to cling to the demon’s face, Kou was feeling indulgent. 

“Can you kneel?” Kou said softly, and Vi obliged wordlessly. Kou noticed how they hummed softly, which he was starting to learn meant they were either frustrated or concerned. He chuckled, quickly turning to get the book out of his hand before facing Vi once again. “I am gonna touch your face, okay?”

“Why would you–” Vi started to question, but Kou reached out quickly, letting his fingers brush against the line of Vi’s jaw as the demon stilled. Their skin was cold and damp from the snow, the sharp edges of their face softened only by the faint warmth that still lingered under their skin. Kou allowed his eyes to follow his finger hungrily, feeling that low clench in his stomach as he cradled the demon’s face. 

“I want to look.”

“You can see.”

“I can, but sometimes looking with my eyes isn’t enough,” Kou admitted, his voice dropping as he traced his finger over Vi’s lips. He wanted to kiss them. He wanted a taste. “Sometimes, seeing isn’t enough.”

Vi remained silent, but they also didn’t pull away as Kou stroked their face, gently brushing the wet strands. If he kissed Vi now, would they finally understand? Would they pull away, or would they lean in? The questions burned in his chest as Kou tilted his head slightly, heart pounding. The heat that had been simmering in his gut ever since he first saw the demon surged upward, curling around his ribs and throat, thick and demanding. 

Kou stepped forward, pressing himself closer to Vi, but the demon’s hands remained by their side. He tilted their face up to his, leaning down until their lips were only a breath apart. But Vi still didn’t react, didn’t move and Kou chuckled, a mix of disappointment and frustration bleeding into the sound as he pulled back just slightly, resting his forehead against Vi’s. It would be so easy, so simple to kiss them and take what he wanted. What he needed.

“Sometimes, Vi, I wanna touch too. Sometimes I also need to feel,” Kou whispered, noticing his voice cracking with the words. It was enough to make him step back, releasing the demon as he touched his throat, frustrated by the distraction. The magic soothed his throat as he muttered the words, taking a deep breath as the magic settled, allowing his voice to sound the way he wanted. 

When Kou looked up, Vi was just starting to stand, but Kou noticed they had a new expression on their face. It was one of strained concentration, their lips parted as if preparing to speak, then hesitating. The demon’s fingers curled and uncurled again, their arms finally lifting just slightly, hands twitching at their sides.

“You were trembling,” Vi said at last, their voice low and even. “Is it because of the cold?”

Kou let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head as he grabbed Aldeon’s reins. He truly had no idea how anyone else had enough patience to put up with this. “Yeah. Sure. Let’s go with that.”

He turned back to face the demon and rolled his eyes as he noticed Vi was still waiting. Kou dug around in the bags, pulling out the jacket he had traded for in Baco and slipped it on. Vi has insisted he wear it when they finally left the ruin, but Kou had been resistant to wearing it since. Right now though, he just wanted to get moving. Standing still made him want to force what he wanted.

“There.”

“Alright,” Vi finally turned and Kou gave Aldeon’s reins a slight pull to motivate the pony into walking, a gentle jingle of tack accompanying the first steps into the narrow pass. Kou kept his eyes on Vi’s back, watching how the demon moved, each step sure-footed despite the treacherous slope and ice beneath them. Even without sight, Vi moved with that eerie precision Kou had long grown used to and he still found it unfair; how someone so restrained could still be so effortlessly graceful.

The wind was sharper here, funneling between the rock walls like a living thing, biting at Kou’s cheeks and nose. Aldeon huffed behind him but followed dutifully, the pony’s hooves crunching in rhythm behind his own. Kou tried to ignore the tension still lingering in his chest, tried to pretend it didn’t matter how Vi had stood still, how they’d said nothing, how their hands hadn’t moved until Kou had already pulled away.

It was possible; that’s what Kou kept telling himself. Even if he had started to doubt it, the dying traveler and his angel were all the proof Kou needed that it wasn’t just rumors. It was possible to crack demons and angels, to get them to understand a human’s desires and wants and return them. He just had to be patient and persistent. He had to keep showing Vi, again and again, until they understood not just that Kou wanted them but how he wanted them. 

 With hands, and mouths, and skin pressed together.