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When they came back downstairs, Ryk kept sneaking glances at me and Nico from the corner of his eyes, as if looking for a reaction from us. When our eyes met, I merely winked at him, which seemed to put him at ease.
"Dakota says I can use the attic to paint in!" Ryk said, clearly wanting to start up a conversation before things got awkward with all the silent communication.
"Not yet. We need to clean it up and furnish it first," Dakota cut in, and Ryk grinned sheepishly.
"Yeah, after that."
"Do you need help?" I asked, and Dakota smiled. The bun he'd put his hair in after coming home had come loose at some point, and strands of his hair framed his face. My fingers itched to reach out and tuck them behind his ear, but he'd took the armchair across the table, and Moon seemed determined to keep me pinned to the couch.
"I'd like that. I thought we could take care of it this weekend. We can do the cleaning on Saturday and then get whatever supplies you need on Sunday," Dakota said, his gaze switching from me to Ryk.
"That sounds fun!" Ryk said, his eyes sparking with excitement. "We should all go."
"All of us?" Nico piped in, a tiny furrow appearing between his brows.
"Yeah! Didn't you say you needed to do some grocery shopping this weekend? We can do both!"
"That's not a bad idea, actually," Dakota said. "We can go together and then split up there to cover more ground."
"I'm game," I said with a shrug. While I wasn't much for crowds, I didn't want to be a recluse either. I figured as long as I stuck around one of them, I could ignore the humans.
"Okay, so now we have a plan for this weekend! But for tonight, how about we watch something while cuddling on the couch?" Ryk asked with fully-charged puppy eyes, and I raised a brow at him.
"I think we might need a bigger couch for that," I said, and his lips pursed in a pout as he turned around to examine the couch.
"Damn it, you're right," he grumbled. In a whisper, he said, "Let me use some magic to make it bigger."
"Nope," I said firmly as Nico shot a glare to the back of Ryk's head. "Not happening."
"We'll need to get a bigger couch," Dakota said, a thoughtful look on his face. "For tonight, we can put the cushions on the floor, get some pillows and blankets, and make a nest of sorts on the floor?"
Ryk shot to his feet, rushed over to Dakota, and went on his tiptoes to smack a kiss on his cheek. "You're amazing! I'll get the blankets and pillows."
Ryk tornadoed out of the room as we stared after him, and I shook my head with a chuckle. "He's such a whirlwind."
"Yeah," Dakota agreed, then shook his head like he was clearing it. "Candy, you gotta get up, kiddo," he said as he walked over to the couch, and I helped him take out all of the cushions while Nico pushed the coffee table and armchairs back to make space. Candy and Moon watched us as we worked, supervising from a safe distance like the bosses they were.
When Ryk came back, he had so many pillows and blankets in his arms that I couldn't see his face. Nico and I took everything off his hands before spreading it out on the cushions. We'd placed them close to the couch so we could use it as a backrest, and the end result looked pretty cozy. I wouldn't mind taking a nap there.
"Wow, I feel like a kid," Dakota said with a chuckle, and I wondered how that felt. I didn't remember my human life, much less my childhood. What had it been like? All I knew was that it was a long, long time ago.
"What are we watching?" Ryk asked eagerly as he jumped at the edge of the cushions.
"I don't know. A mystery show, maybe? Why don't you sit down?" Dakota asked as he turned on the TV and grabbed the remote.
"You first. All of you," Ryk pushed, an adamant look on his face. Shaking my head, I got seated, and Nico joined me on one side while Dakota took the other.
Ryk, because he couldn't do anything the easy way, threw himself on our laps with his head in Nico's lap, his chest and stomach in mine, and his hips and thighs in Dakota's.
"Is this okay?" he asked after he'd gotten himself comfortable, and I poked the center of his chest, making him jump.
"Will you get up if I say no?" I asked, and he shrugged, though I could tell the answer by the twinkle in his eyes.
"You're fine," Dakota assured him with a pat on his hip, and Ryk hummed happily.
Dakota started the show, and I leaned back into the couch, resting my hand on Ryk's chest.
A few minutes in, Dakota's fingers brushed mine, then linked with mine. I snuck a glance at him from the corner of my eyes, but he seemed to be completely focused on the show. Smiling, I curled my fingers a little to tighten the grip, and Ryk winked at me when he caught my gaze. Apparently, he'd noticed all of it.
