Boy Trouble GT

Chapter 19

[KYE]

The café was buzzing, a warm hum of chatter and clinking mugs that filled the air, but Kye barely noticed it. He was too busy trying to keep his long limbs out of the way as he shuffled into the giant-sized line with Mason. The ceiling was tall enough to accommodate someone like him—designed for the tall giants on campus—but even then, Kye always felt like he was taking up too much space. He hunched slightly out of habit, his broad shoulders curling forward in an attempt to make himself less conspicuous.

Not that it worked.

Mason, on the other hand, was completely at ease. Standing beside him, he looked like a kid next to Kye, weaving through the legs of other giants in the café with effortless confidence. It was surreal, how comfortable Mason seemed in a space so clearly not built for someone his size. But then again, Mason was like that everywhere he went—bright, bold, and completely unbothered by how the world towered over him.

"Come on, big guy," Mason said, turning to look up at Kye with a grin that seemed way too smug for someone so small. His green eyes sparkled with mischief as he tilted his head back, craning his neck just to meet Kye's gaze. "You're not gonna chicken out on me, are you?"

Kye sighed, his gray eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm just standing here," he muttered, shifting his weight awkwardly as he glanced around. The line felt too small, even though it wasn't. Everything did when Mason was around.

As they waited for their turn at the counter, Mason moved closer to Kye's side. At first, it was subtle—just a little nudge here and there—but before Kye could even process it, Mason had leaned fully against his leg. His small frame pressed into Kye's shin like it was the most natural thing in the world, his head barely reaching above Kye's knee.

"What are you getting?" Mason asked, tilting his head all the way back to look up at him. His curls caught the soft light filtering through the café windows, and his grin widened, almost daring Kye to react.

"Coffee," Kye replied, his voice low.

"Boring," Mason teased, his grin turning playful. He nudged Kye's leg again, his elbow barely making an impact against Kye's massive frame. "Come on, try something new for once. Live a little."

Kye huffed, rolling his eyes but unable to suppress the faint twitch of a smile. "Coffee's fine."

The line wasn't long, but the space felt cramped to Kye. He could see over everyone's heads, which only made him feel more conspicuous. He shifted uncomfortably, his long legs taking up more room than they should.

And then Mason did something completely unexpected.

Without warning, Mason stepped onto the top of one of Kye's shoes, his much smaller feet perched playfully on the giant's oversized ones. Kye froze, his gray eyes darting down to the sight of Mason's tiny sneakers resting on his massive shoes. For a moment, all he could do was stare, his mind struggling to process what was happening.

"What are you doing?" Kye finally asked, his voice low but incredulous.

Mason grinned up at him, completely unbothered by the absurdity of the situation. "Just comparing," he said innocently, wiggling his toes. "Your feet are huge, you know that?"

Kye blinked, his face heating up as a faint blush crept across his pale cheeks. "Yeah, well, everything about me is huge. That's kind of the deal."

"True," Mason said, stepping back off Kye's shoe with a laugh. "But seriously, look at this. I could probably fit, like, three of my feet in one of yours. It's ridiculous."

Kye sighed, his blush deepening as he looked away. "Glad my feet are so entertaining," he muttered, his voice laced with embarrassment.

"Oh, come on," Mason said, nudging Kye's leg with his elbow

When they finally reached the counter, Mason practically took charge, rattling off their order to the barista without hesitation. Kye stayed back, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his hoodie, letting Mason handle the interaction. Even though the counter was built for giants, Mason's voice carried with enough authority to make the barista listen.

Once their drinks were ready, Kye picked up his oversized mug—a comically large thing that felt almost normal in his hands. Mason grabbed his own much smaller cup and, before Kye could even look for a seat, Mason was on his tip toes and was reaching up to grab at his fingers.

"Come on," Mason said, his voice light and teasing as he tugged on two of Kye's fingers. His small hand barely wrapped around even that much, but his grip was firm, insistent.

Kye's face heated as Mason led him through the café, his smaller frame weaving easily between tables. Kye had to move slower, crouching so that Mason wasn't on his tip toes, his long legs making it a challenge not to accidentally bump into chairs or people.

When they reached a table near the window, Mason hopped into one of the oversized chairs with ease, his legs dangling freely over the edge. Kye lowered himself into the giant-sized chair opposite him, the wood creaking slightly under his weight.

"This is nice, huh?" Mason asked, taking a sip of his drink and leaning back. His legs swung lazily, the soles of his shoes barely brushing the edge of the chair.

"Yeah," Kye murmured, though his attention wasn't on the coffee or the view. It was on Mason—the way his green eyes lit up with something unspoken, the way his presence seemed to fill the room despite his size.

[AT THE LIBRARY]

Later in the day, they ended up at the library, which was one of the few places on campus where Kye felt like he could breathe. The shelves stretched high, accommodating giants like him, and the quiet atmosphere made it easy to blend in.

Mason, as always, moved with purpose, darting between the human-sized sections like a whirlwind. Kye wandered through the giant-sized aisles at a slower pace, his fingers brushing the spines of books that looked like they hadn't been touched in years.

He eventually found one that caught his attention—a thick novel with a worn cover. The weight of it felt solid in his hands, grounding in a way he hadn't realized he needed.

"You find something?" Mason's voice carried from somewhere nearby, and Kye turned slightly, holding up the book.

"Yeah," he replied simply, making his way toward the reading area.

The library's oversized beanbags were a rare luxury, and Kye sank into one with a relieved sigh, the soft fabric enveloping his lanky frame. He opened the book and began to read, the words pulling him in as the minutes turned into an hour.

He didn't notice Mason until he felt a shift in the beanbag beside him.

Kye glanced down, his gray eyes widening slightly as Mason clambered onto the edge of the beanbag. His smaller frame wobbled slightly before settling in, and without hesitation, Mason leaned against Kye's side.

"What are you reading?" Mason asked, tilting his head to peek at the pages.

Kye blinked, his grip on the book tightening slightly. Mason was practically using him as a pillow, his warmth pressing against Kye's side in a way that felt... too close. Too natural.

"Just something I found," Kye murmured, his voice quieter than usual.

Mason hummed in response, resting his head lightly against Kye's arm as he tilted his own book into view. "Mind if I hang out here?"

Kye hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No. It's fine."

But it wasn't fine—not really. Kye could barely focus on the words in front of him, his attention drawn to the way Mason's small frame fit so easily against his side. The size difference was stark—Mason barely reached his elbow, his tiny legs stretched out next to Kye's impossibly long ones—but somehow, it didn't feel strange. It felt... right.

As the day went on, Kye noticed something else. Mason kept drifting closer—whether they were sitting on a bench or standing in line, he always seemed to find an excuse to lean into Kye's space. At one point, when they stopped at a street food vendor, Mason rested a hand on Kye's leg as he read the menu, his touch brief but enough to send an unfamiliar flutter through Kye's chest.

And that thought terrified him.