Shifter Academy (boyxboyxboyxboy)

Confrontation

Chapter 10.

Kim blinked his sore eyes and stared at a sliver of light peaking through the curtains. He'd been too nervous to sleep. Today would be his first day attending classes and his chest felt tight with dread.

He didn't want to go. He didn't want to face a room full of strangers. The people he'd met so far had mostly been friendly, but he was certain that was only because of Cassius or Chilla's presence beside him.

This time, he would be alone. What if they didn't like him, like in his previous school? What if he was bullied?

As if he felt the smaller boy's tension, Yas' arms tightened in sleep and his cool cheek settled against Kim's shoulder. The albino released a soft, hissing sigh and Kim closed his eyes.

He tried to focus on the long limbs curled around him. On the breaths against his skin. He breathed with them. In and out. Slow and steady, like Yas had taught him.

His heart started to calm and he buried his nose in Yas' snowy hair, inhaling his musky scent.

The mattress shifted as Chilla stretched and lifted Cassius' tanned arm from his waist. He always woke up a few minutes before the alarm rang.

Chilla sat up and reached for the curtains, silver hair sliding over his pale shoulders, and paused. Slowly, he turned to look at Kim, eyes glowing for an instant in the dark. "Did you sleep at all?"

Kim's tail flicked with guilt, but it barely hurt anymore. He didn't want to lie, but he knew Chilla would make him stay in bed, if he told the truth.

"A little." He said and a small divot appeared between Chilla's brows.

The headboy leaned down and stroked Kim's hip beneath the covers. These casual, intimate touches were one of the things Kim treasured the most and he closed his eyes to savor it.

"You can still change your mind and do private lessons with Yas, like dr. Fowler suggested." Chilla said quietly.

Kim shook his head and opened his eyes. Yas took private lessons, yes, but he was also beautiful and intelligent. Kim had spent many evenings beside the albino, watching him do his homework.

Kim hadn't been able to keep up with the math equations, or the grammar, but Yas hadn't struggled at all. He would outgrow his anxieties eventually and then he would manage on his own just fine.

Kim didn't think the same applied to him. He needed this. He needed to push himself and get out of his comfort zone. He was holding everyone back.

He knew Cassius and Chilla turned down their friends daily, just to stay inside with him, and that wasn't fair. Cassius, especially, wasn't meant to be cooped up indoors.

"No, thank you. I want to go." He whispered and looked away from Chilla's knowing eyes.

The silver haired boy lowered his head and kissed Kim's jaw, fingertips catching one of his twitching ears and rubbing the fold softly. Kim turned his head and their mouths brushed. Chilla's tongue gently teased the rim of his lip and then the alarm rang.

"Nooo." Cassius moaned at the same time Yas shuddered and hissed.

Chilla rolled his eyes and sat up. He tugged the curtains apart, letting in a flood of sunshine, and tapped his phone to silence the alarm. Cassius caught Chilla around the waist and nuzzled his spine.

"Lie down, honey." Cassius breathed between kisses. Chilla whacked the blonde's arm, until Cassius let go and flung himself down on the mattress with a dramatic sob. "You know I need to."

"It's your own fault." The headboy said tartly and stepped down the ladder. "Either you wake up earlier or stop planning morning runs."

Cassius groaned and rolled across the bed to grab Kim, who was trying to wriggle out of Yas' arms.