(Post - Carnival)


He should not be as curious as he was, he was actually more concerned than curious. If it wasn't for the whispers in his ear from his sister visiting during the Carnival, he would have continued on blissfully unaware of what went on with his body - or the insides of it. Now, now that her words brought thoughts to the forefront, he couldn't help it now. As of late, he found himself questioning his intentions, his behaviors, finding them unexplained and, at times, involuntary. Yet he did not question why he did them but accepted that he had. He wasn't able to wrack his brain enough to find answers and the only place he can find answers was one of the places he could find solace in losing himself in - the library. The library was on the far end of campus, a few strides further than his dorm because of the position of his new place of temporary residency. He was couch surfing except it was a bed and not a couch he was crashing on. The demon bounded up the steps with determination, skipping up two at a time before pushing the doors open into the atrium. He did not exchange glances with anyone else; student, professor, staff, or minipets for that matter. He moved through the library with direction, with purpose of where he was going. He didn't need to look at the aisle of books that he was passing to know that he had passed the section on minipets and pet care. The numbers that hung overhead indicated the sections he was in, yet he did not particularly care to look up to know where he was, he knew where he was going. The building was mapped like the back of his hand. It was in a section that many students found themselves in; particularly boils, that he was heading toward at the back. He didn't like the idea that he knew the section and where it was, in fact, he had stumbled upon it while he was perusing looking for a new book to read for pleasure. Turning the corner, he came to the shelf, his eyes looking up at the top most corner. Sunburst eyes in the azure sky glanced at the tomes, reading their spines top to bottom. With a tentative hand, he reached up and pulled one down, backing up to the wall. Leaning against it, he opened it up.

He could already tell he was going to be uncomfortable about it, that was for certain. It wasn't exactly a subject matter that he was familiar with, but due to recent discussions, it was about time he looked into it.

How to be a Good Partner

Jeez, even the name was lame, it doesn't even try to mask what it was about. Flipping the pages past the dedication and the index, he came to the first of the few chapters.

Be a Sleuth - Notice body language, casual touching or brushing against. Playful behavior.

Does playful jabs on the shoulder and throwing sock balls at his face count? He could chalk up them cooking together, but it was a relatively small kitchen, touching was bound to happen when you had to dance around one another.

Test the Waters - Ask questions, be aware of your partner (stupid phrase), make them comfortable.

If walking around in boxers and a tank top or sweats and topless didn't raise any problems, then they were certainly comfortable with one another. Granted, it took him a while to get to point that he began treating the place like his own room since the boil was shameless.

Find Common Ground

Uru thought about that too, going back to tapping his fingers against the face of the book.
1. They loved minipets.
2. They cared about their physique and their health.
3. They both were hellhounds.
4. They both cook.
5. They both refuse to get into the shower unless the temperature was right.
6. They both cannot stand one another for long periods of time.
7. They both get anxious when they are apart for long periods of time. At least he did...
8. They were both shameless or very very comfortable with their bodies.
9 They were....

Uru paused as he looked down at the book, as if through it, to his nineth finger. What else did they share in common?... The boil knew more about him than he did about the boil. That-that was a problem.

Communication

Their communication was fine, in his opinion, for the most part. They would say 'hi' and 'what are you up to' and 'what's for dinner'. But then there are times where the boil would insult him for how he does the laundry; how he organizes it by folding the short sleeves then the long sleeves and leaving the underwear aside for the boil while doing his own and how he tucks the sucks into one another. Oh, that was another matter, how the boil would go on and on about his white and black socks because they were 'boring and plain', but they went with everything and they could be confused with the other's. Only to compound it further to have the boil argue that his underwear was also boring and plain.

Their communication was fine.

The next book he picked up was more interesting, the subject matter was one that fascinated him.

"A demisexual is a person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone." He read to himself, a raspy whisper under his breath. The more he read about it, the more he seemed to understand and think of himself as it. It wasn't often that he ever thought about himself in anyway other than who he was on the outside, his thoughts usually going on about other than himself. He wasn't introverted but he was. No, that didn't make sense. He didn't think inwardly about himself. Does that? Probably not. He swallowed a lump in his throat as his finger hovered over a line of text that read, 'Demisexuality may make forming romantic or sexual relationships more difficult for some people. Demisexuals often make first impressions with sexuals of being "just friends", which may make them sexually value the relationship less'.

The book was much more fascinating than the others, that was for sure. Sexuality, Romanticism, and Identification Alignment

"A person who is romantically attracted to others but is not limited by the other's sex or gender." He started, a new chapter on '-romantic' as oppose to the previous six on '-sexual'. "Panromantic asexuals seek romantic relationships for a variety of reasons including companionship, affection, and intimacy, but they are not sexually attracted to their romantic partners."

The demon thought to himself for a moment, letting the book sit in his lap. The more he read about the subject, the more he felt like one or the other; demisexual panromantic or a pansexual demiromantic. He knew he had feelings, but where they feelings of interest or companionship? Reaching into his pocket, he knew that he had notes on his species' mating habits and behaviors, so cross referencing would be helpful here. He vaguely recalled writing the term 'pansexual' in there because their species did not preference a gender when it came to their bonded. However, the space inside his jacket was empty 'cept for a pen. He groaned as he recalled that he had given said notebook away. Perhaps it was his inner demon that was realizing things before himself and that was why he was feeling this way. Or perhaps he was over thinking it. He wasn't sexually attracted to the boy, a demisexual doesn't develop feelings until they were in a relationship in which the romanticism comes in... but.... unless he was already in... no, he wasn't, he was certain he was in a platonic - unless his wolf thought it was... he hurried to another book.

The book he pulled from the shelf was more of a test than advice or information. Are We Dating or Are We Friends? Questions to Ask Oneself in Every Relationship

He was desperate, shut up.

Could You Picture Your Future Without Your Partner

Well, he had planned to return back to the room after this, clean a little before the boil had returned from brute ball practice. After that, the two of them were going to throw the laundry in and prepare dinner together. After that, it was up in the air, probably homework or studying. He was almost certain that he had a paper that was due, but as far as futures went, he didn't think much of it. Everyday had some sort of interaction with his 'roommate'.

Do You Think of Your Partner Frequently

Well, considering he was wondering if the boil had actually put his laundry in the hamper and that they had enough food for the night, he was thinking about the boil frequently. Then again, he thought about a lot of things frequently enough that the boil was more of a distraction from his thoughts.

Do You Value the Opinions of Your Partner?

Of course he did! It was a matter of a personal view or judgment, there was no fact or knowledge behind really, just a personal thought. If he were to not value it, then it would mean disrespect and the last thing he had wanted to do was disrespect the boil for all that he had done for him. He valued his opinions and, in conjunction with his own, made more informed decisions. That he had to give props to.

Does Your Partner Make You a Better Creeper

Uru was a lot better off than he was before. He was a lot more open with the boil and thus a bit more open with others (probably to the extent of if the boil was a mile, everyone else was a foot in comparison). But he was better, he was functioning again.

He was getting rather uncomfortable that the book kept using the phrase 'your partner'...

Are You Okay with Their Flaws

Scratching his scruff, he scrunched up as he held back a laugh. Oh how the list went on on that one! He was tapping the back of the book with his fingers as he counted off all the stuff that he found as irksome rather than flaws.
1. The amount of unhealthy, greasy meat that he consumed day in and day out and how much of that made up most of their grocery shopping. At least it keeps him from whining about it, plus he cooks it himself.
2. The way that his scent overwhelmed the fang snare after working out (there is a shower in the gym for a reason) or after brute ball practice (also in the lockerroom). Though, he had grown used to it.
3. His method of folding laundry is horribly slow and inefficient.
4. He snores.
5. He sasses a lot.
6. He is loud.
7. He is a menace.
8. He is annoying.
9. He is always ontop of him for something.
10. He likes tea more than coffee.

Tapping all ten fingers, he let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through his messy black hair that often finds itself staying up. Though he had a few things wrong, it was what made the boil himself. He couldn't ask him to change because there were a handful of things that rubbed him. Literally.

Do You Enjoy Helping Your Partner

Laundry? Because he was too slow and Uru found some sort of calm doing it. It didn't require focus and it was relatively monotonous. Cooking? They did that together, sharing the kitchen. While the boil handled the meat, Uru handled just about everything else, including the plating. Glad he learned that from the servants. There was that one time he got sick too... he couldn't help but help, the guy looked pitiful and helpless.

Do They Make You Laugh

Only when he says something stupid. Only then.

Help You Through Tough Times

His eyes fell to the page, growing distant into himself. Yes. He had saved him from his toughest times and still continues to do so. He could remember taking his hand that day, getting him onto his feet. How the first time he had stepped into his room to talk; and to quote 'a secure place to talk about stuff'. It certainly felt secure. He didn't help him through it, he was helping. He had feelings - no, he had concerns.... he had concerns about his feelings and feeling concerned. That much was established.

Do You Compromise

There was a week of him trying to give the bed back to the boil who had adamantly insisted that he use it while he had used the couch. There was also that time where they tried to drink the other's tea and coffee, but opted to stick to their own preference of beverages. Then again, the stubborn boil fights him every time he is made the little spoon. It only made sense since he was the taller of the two and, in his opinion, the bigger one! If the boil had tried, he'd just be staring at his back and may be uncomfortable to lay his head on his shoulder. He wasn't the type of guy who worked out so that he had to waddle around, but he was thick. Still... still, Uru had let him spoon and fork from time to time, cuddle time was cuddle time. It was physically, and mentally comforting for him.

Are You Comfortable with Your Individuality

To be honest, if Uru hadn't been himself, the boil would have lost his source of entertainment and snark.

Can You Openly Speak Your Mind

Uru was blunt. The boil was blunt. So that wasn't an issue.

Have You Spent Hours Talking About Nothing

He recalled one night where they sat up and just talked, not about his past, not about his, they just talked. In the end, he found the boil pressed up against his chest, asleep while he had been hanging an arm and leg off the side of the couch.

Are You Comfortable with Sharing Your Weaknesses

The boil knew them. Uru was sure of it. He was sure that the boil knew his weaknesses, all the ones that made him crumble. He knew that if he tried to be defensive - rebuild those mental walls, the boil was there with a mental sledgehammer mentally demolishing those walls. He knew his weaknesses and, if he had asked, Uru wouldn't deny telling him them.

Do You Find Ways to Compliment One Another

'Urubutt' and 'Mr. Grumpy Pants' must be his form of complimenting...


The hellhound groaned as he got back up to find another book. Sliding his finger down a spine or two, he sat back down on the ground with five, opening them and skimming them.

Running his hands down his face, he tucked his chin down into his chest. He was definitely concerned for the feelings he was feeling because those feelings concerned a certain boil he may be developing feelings for.

"Damn it..."