Boy Trouble GT

Chapter 16

[KYE]

Kye wasn't sure what Mason had planned, but he knew one thing: it was impossible to say no to him. He'd barely grumbled his way into a pair of jeans and a hoodie before Mason had practically dragged him out of the dorm, his excitement infectious as always. Kye followed along, his long strides easily keeping pace with Mason's much smaller ones, but the difference in their energy was stark. Mason was practically bouncing, his dark curls catching the sunlight every time he turned his head to flash a grin at Kye.

Kye, on the other hand, felt like a lumbering shadow trailing behind. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, his pale hair falling into his face as he kept his gaze low.

Kye had learned not to trust Mason whenever the words "trust me" left his mouth. It wasn't that Mason ever deliberately led him into disaster—it was just that Mason's idea of fun usually involved dragging Kye into situations that were loud, overwhelming, and completely outside of his comfort zone. And every time Kye tried to protest, Mason would flash that easy grin of his, green eyes sparkling with mischief, and say those two words: "Trust me."

Every single time, Kye would cave.

"So, are you going to tell me where we're going, or is this one of your 'trust me' situations?" Kye finally asked, his voice low and dry.

Mason turned to look up at him, his green eyes sparkling. "Trust me," he said with a grin, his smaller frame practically vibrating with excitement. "You'll love it."

Kye wasn't so sure, but he nodded anyway, letting Mason take the lead. They walked through campus, the sun casting long shadows from the towering buildings around them. Kye tried to focus on the path ahead, but his attention kept drifting to Mason. The way he moved so easily through the crowd, his small frame weaving between students without hesitation, was mesmerizing. He wasn't just confident—he was magnetic. People gravitated toward him, their smiles growing wider when he passed.

And Kye? He felt like a clumsy giant, all long limbs and awkward angles. Even among his own kind, he didn't fit. He hunched his shoulders slightly, trying to shrink into himself as much as his size would allow.

But Mason didn't seem to care about the difference between them. He kept turning back to Kye, his grin never fading, like he was determined to drag him into the sunlight whether he liked it or not.

[AT THE PARK]

The first stop on Mason's mysterious itinerary was the park. Kye recognized it immediately—it was the one with the sprawling green fields and walking trails that curved around a small lake. It was a popular spot for both humans and giants, the space large enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.

Mason led the way to a quieter corner of the park, a shaded spot beneath a cluster of trees. He dropped his backpack onto the grass and began unpacking its contents with the enthusiasm of someone setting up camp for the day.

"You brought a picnic?" Kye asked, his brows lifting slightly as he watched Mason spread out a blanket that, to Kye, looked no bigger than a handkerchief.

"Of course," Mason said, glancing up at him with a cheeky grin. "You don't get out enough, so I figured I'd make this a whole thing."

Kye sighed, lowering himself to the ground with the awkwardness of someone who wasn't sure where to put their limbs. His long legs stretched out across the grass, the faded denim of his jeans brushing the edge of Mason's small blanket. Even sitting, Kye still loomed over Mason, his lanky frame casting a long shadow over the smaller man. He watched as Mason pulled out containers of food—human-sized, of course—and arranged them neatly on the blanket.

"You're ridiculous," Kye muttered, though there was a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"And yet, here you are," Mason shot back, popping the lid off a container of fruit. He offered Kye a piece of melon, holding it up toward him with one hand while keeping the rest of the container steady with the other. To Mason, it was a delicate balancing act; to Kye, it was laughably tiny.

Kye took the melon between two fingers, careful not to crush it, and popped it into his mouth. The sweetness surprised him, and for a moment, he let himself enjoy it. He leaned back on his hands, his pale skin glowing faintly in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees. The gentle breeze, the distant chatter of park-goers, and Mason's constant, cheerful commentary combined into something almost... peaceful.

Almost.

Kye found his gaze drifting toward Mason more often than not. The way his green eyes lit up when he talked. The way he gestured with his hands, so small but expressive. The way his laughter seemed to ripple through the air, drawing attention even in a park full of people. Mason's presence filled the space effortlessly, making it feel warmer, lighter, easier.

Kye's chest tightened, and he looked away, focusing on a spot in the grass. It wasn't the first time he'd felt this way, this strange pull toward Mason that he couldn't explain and didn't want to confront. Whatever it was, it wasn't something Mason needed to deal with.

Kye leaned back to lay down. He watched Mason as he chatted some more about the park, the weather, the latest gossip he'd overheard on campus. Kye wasn't really listening—his attention was focused more on Mason himself. The way his green eyes lit up when he talked. The way his hands moved as he gestured, small and expressive. The way his laughter came so easily, like the world didn't weigh on him the way it did on Kye.

He swallowed hard, his chest tightening with feelings he was trying desperately to ignore. Mason didn't deserve to deal with that. He didn't deserve to deal with Kye.

[THE AFTERNOON]

The rest of the day was a blur of activity. Mason kept them moving, dragging Kye along to places he'd never bothered to explore on his own. They went to a human-sized café near the edge of campus, where Kye had to crouch awkwardly to look inside he didn't bother going in, afraid he'd get stuck. Mason ordered for both of them, rattling off their choices to the barista while Kye lingered outside, feeling out of place but strangely grateful for Mason's presence.

Later, Mason took him to a nearby bookstore that catered to both humans and giants. Kye found himself wandering through the giant-sized shelves, his fingers brushing the spines of books that looked untouched, their titles unfamiliar. Mason appeared every few minutes, holding up something he'd found on the human shelves and asking if Kye had read it. Most of the time, the answer was no.

"You need to branch out," Mason said, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "You're missing out on so much."

Kye just shrugged, though the corners of his lips twitched upward.

[EVENING]

By the time they made their way back to the dorm, the sun was dipping low in the sky, painting everything in warm hues of orange and pink. Kye felt... lighter. Like some of the weight he always carried had lifted, even if just for a little while.

As they stepped inside, Mason turned to look up at him, his green eyes soft and warm. "See?" he said, his voice smug but affectionate. "Told you it'd be worth it."

Kye looked down at him, his gaze lingering longer than he meant to. The way Mason's curls caught the fading light, the way his smile lit up his face—it made Kye's chest ache in a way that was both wonderful and terrible.

"Yeah," Kye said quietly, his voice barely audible. "It was."

And for the first time in a long time, he meant it.