SageThe moment we pulled into the school parking lot, I yanked the door open and slipped out of his car without so much as a backward glance. No goodbye, no small talk. Nothing. I needed space, time to shake off the unsettling feeling in my chest.What does he mean he couldn’t get jealous? Does he feel anything for me at all?Were we just playing a game of cat and mouse till we were both tired? The whole thing just ruined my mood for the day, I couldn’t even force a smile right now.As I hurried toward my first class, my phone buzzed in my pocket. With a sigh, I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.A text from him."You didn’t kiss me goodbye."I stopped walking for a second, my lips parting in disbelief.Why should I?He said he didn’t get jealous. He acted like nothing bothered him, like nothing could shake his unbothered existence. So why was he suddenly playing the part of a neglected lover?Or was he just toying with me?My fingers hovered over the screen, a sarcastic reply
SageThe walk to the conference room felt like the longest of my life. My hands were clammy, my heartbeat erratic, and my stomach twisted in knots so tight I felt like I might be sick.I had never been in trouble before, not in high school, not in college. I was the kind of student teachers trusted, the kind that never caused problems. So why the hell was I walking toward a meeting with the board like some kind of delinquent?The admin refused to give me any information when I asked. I’d tried pressing her for details, but all she offered was a polite, tight-lipped smile before gesturing for us to continue walking.The professor, on the other hand, walked ahead like he had nothing to fear. No tension in his shoulders. No panic in his stride. Just complete and utter composure.I wished I could say that calmed me, but it only made me feel worse.Was I the only one freaking out here?Does he have a plan?Why were we even in trouble?By the time we reached the waiting area, my hands were
SageI barely registered the professor tapping me on the shoulder. My mind was too tangled in his words, the word, mere student still bouncing off the walls of my head."Sage." His voice was quieter than usual.I blinked, forcing myself out of my thoughts, and turned to look at him. "What?" My voice came out flat, emotionless."We should go."I nodded, falling into step beside him. Us going means everything has been resolved but has everything really been resolved. I cannot believe I was tagged mere after everything we have shared.I should thank him for saving my behind but my mind was elsewhere. My feet moved on autopilot, and the world around me felt distant, like I was watching everything unfold through a foggy glass.He must have noticed."Is everything okay?" he asked.I gave a small nod.He stopped walking. I didn’t notice at first, I kept going until I heard him sigh. When I turned, he was standing there, arms crossed, watching me carefully."Your expression doesn’t look plea
KaidenThere are many ways to describe emotions, words crafted to fit fleeting, intangible feelings. Some people might call it satisfaction, others contentment. But the specific emotion I was feeling right now? Bliss.The kind of bliss that came when everything was finally going my way.I have never felt this before even when I first landed my modeling job, all I felt was courage to pursue my dreams.I ran a hand through Sage’s hair, careful not to wake him. His breathing was steady, his face relaxed in sleep, unaware of the chaos I had carefully set in motion.There was only one way he would let me back into his life, if he needed me so I made him need me.Yes, I sent the picture to the school board.I am not proud of myself.Okay, yes I was. I was damn proud of myself to have thought of it.I hadn’t expected things to escalate so quickly. I thought the board would at least investigate, maybe suspend the professor, but no. He was a slippery bastard, wiggling out of it with some ridi
SageKaiden left after making sure I had eaten and wasn’t going to drown myself in my own misery. He didn’t say much about why he was leaving, just something about giving me space. I appreciated that. For all our unresolved issues, he still understood me better than most.But even after he left, I didn’t feel better.I couldn’t stop thinking about what happened in that boardroom. The professor’s words echoed in my head, over and over again, like a curse I couldn’t shake.A mere student.I knew he had to say something to protect himself. I knew he was trying to get us out of trouble. But the way he said it, like I was nothing, like I didn’t matter…I couldn’t let it go.I needed to see him.Even if I wasn’t sure what I would do when I got there.The drive to his place was a blur andI knew I was running on pure emotion, but I didn’t care. I needed to get this out of my system.When I arrived, I barely had time to knock before the door swung open.He stood there, looking at me like he al
RiverThey say the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach.But that wasn’t the same for the beautiful boy under me. He liked sex so much that you would think he makes money from it. Lifting him off my dick, I moved my hips, spreading my legs while he knelt in between, slumping against my leg with a tired sigh."Why'd you stop..?" He pouted, and it was as sexy as it is adorable.I ignored him."Put your cock in me." He breathed out the words in a rush, grabbing the lube and stroking some quickly onto my dick, magnified in its state of tumescence. The thing is fucking huge right now, and rock solid, which has me quivering below the waist.I was trying so hard not to unload on him.He bit his lip, scooting in closer while I aimed my cock between his ass. He wiggled his ass and lined it up in front of my cock, he pushed it in, and we both groaned out loud."Fuck me..." he hissed, but I was already doing it, pumping into him with his palms on my chest. "Harder... faster... deeper, l
SageSilence. He didn’t answer me.Not when I spoke, not when I waited. Not when I looked at him, searching for something, anything that would tell me I wasn’t losing my mind. That I wasn’t imagining all of this.But the professor said nothing.All my life, people have had a lot to say so imagine my surprise when there was nothing to say. I gave him all the chances to tell me that I was being extra.That I meant a lot to him.That this would last as long as I wanted it.That he was sorry for making me sad but he kept mute like he couldn’t be bothered to make small talk.I thought we were okay with where we were in our relationship, we ought to communicate. I came here to find a level ground with him but it looks like the rug was pulled from under my feet.So I retreated.I withdrew into my own head, into the space where I could pick apart the mess of emotions tangled inside me without his watchful, unreadable gaze.I was already drowning in it so did it even matter if I did with my t
KaidenThere was a particular kind of satisfaction that came with watching things fall apart exactly as you planned.I leaned back against Sage’s couch, stretching my legs out while I waited for him to get home. The smell of takeout filled the apartment, his favorite dishes, of course. It was all part of the process.Cook him food, since he couldn’t right now. Then push him just enough so that he needs me. Then pull him back in with open arms.It was working beautifully.I had put something between him and that damn professor. A wedge, a crack, a growing divide that would soon be impossible to repair.And knowing who Sage was, he was the type of person to escalate things since he tended to overthink. He would use the professor’s words and twist it into something to make an issue of.And now, I was here, food in hand, ready to remind him who had always been by his side.Me.I needed to be his best friend again so he would accept me and that meant putting my jealousy and aggressiveness
Kaiden The clock on the bedside read 3:12 a.m. I rolled onto my side, confused by the soft glow seeping under the bedroom door. I blinked the sleep from my eyes, and when I looked over, Sage was still fast asleep beside me, his breathing steady and rhythmic. I reached out, touched his hair lightly, then slid out of bed. The hallway was silent except for the distant hum of the fridge and the occasional rustle of the wind brushing the windows. I padded barefoot across the wood floor, and as I neared the living room, the scent of whiskey hit me first. That, and the sound of papers being shuffled with irritation more than purpose. The soft overhead light in the corner cast a gold sheen across the professor’s back. He was hunched over the coffee table, glass of whiskey in one hand, papers spread out like an autopsy, calm chaos wrapped in tension. He didn’t look up when I entered. “You’re still awake?” I asked, keeping my voice low. “I have work to do,” he said, not looking at me. His
KaidenI watched Sage’s chest rise and fall steadily, his breathing finally even and calm after a long, exhausting day. The faint hum of the heater filled the small apartment as the evening air drifted colder through the windows. He looked peaceful in sleep, peaceful in a way that didn’t match anything we’d been living through lately. It was a lie his body told, one I was grateful for, even if I knew it wouldn’t last. The last thing I needed was for him to keep worrying about the unknown.Today took a toll on him.I sat at the edge of the couch, elbows resting on my knees, hands folded, but my thoughts weren’t still. They kept drifting back to the question he asked earlier about whether we’d ever go back to how things were. And now I knew for certain: we couldn’t. Not with this storm closing in around us, not when every time I let my guard down, something tried to take Sage from me.I haven’t even figured out how to apologize to the professor, it took me a lot of thinking to realize
SageThe next morning, Kaiden and I walked to school in silence. The meal we shared was so brief and he stayed with me. The professor didn’t come home and when I called him, he said he was working late and we should enjoy ourselves.I knew it was because he didn’t want to spend time with Kaiden. After their argument, they have been tense with each other.I didn’t want to Interfere in their problems as it could escalate into something I wouldn’t be able to control.I looked at Kaiden, I know we have already talked about this but I was so curious.I wanted to ask him again about where he’d really been that day, but the tension in his jaw warned me off. Still, I couldn’t help myself. “So,” I started, kicking a loose pebble on the sidewalk, “you never really told me where you went. Like, actually went.” His steps didn’t falter, but his grip tightened around the strap of his backpack. “I told you. I needed to clear my head.” “Yeah, but that could mean anything,” I pressed. “You just
SageI stood just outside the hospital’s main entrance, staring at the parking lot like it was a war zone. The discharge papers were crumpled slightly in my grip. I could feel my fingers tremble, but I didn’t loosen them. The sun was bright, the day clear, but I felt like I was standing in the middle of a fog, one that hadn’t lifted since I was attacked.Kaiden mentioned he would come and pick me up, hence the hesitation. I felt like if he wasn’t here to do that, I wouldn’t go. “Ready?” His voice pulled me out of my head.I turned toward him. He had one hand in his pocket, the other adjusting the strap of my duffel bag slung over his shoulder. His hair was a little messy, like he hadn’t even bothered with a brush this morning, and his hoodie looked slept in. But his eyes, his eyes were alert. “I don’t know if ready’s the word I’d use,” I admitted. My voice sounded too thin to my own ears. “I feel like I’m being pushed out of safety and right back into the middle of whatever this me
KaidenI slept at my place after the detective dropped me off. He was looking at me like he had a lot to say about what happened but I didn’t.Yes, I overreacted but I couldn’t go back there. I felt suffocated and the only thing I needed was freedom. I needed to find my answers and not let it extend to my relationship.I decided to go see Detective Bryan. The man in charge of narcotics. The one who might know what the hell was really going on. I hadn’t told Sage or the professor anything. Not yet. I couldn’t, not until I had something real. Something more than just paranoia and late-night shadows tailing me.I sat hunched over my laptop in a dingy little café two blocks from my apartment, the place reeking of burnt espresso and desperation. I typed in “Detective Bryan, Narcotics Division, city PD” and hit search. A few articles came up. He was decorated, involved in several high-profile raids. One article had a photo, square jaw, stern face, early forties. Not someone you’d expect to
SageI woke to silence. Not the peaceful kind, the kind that sets your skin crawling with dread, like the air itself is holding its breath. The clock on the wall read a little past 3am and I could see the shadows stretched along the floor, motionless. I looked around and noticed with a slight disappointment that Kaiden wasn’t here. I blinked twice and turned my head toward the small couch across the room. No professor either.My heart sank.They were gone. Both of them.I have never felt so alone. I thought they would both stay with me so I won’t be scared. But I was a big boy and could handle myself.I sat up slowly, the sheets slipping off my chest as I scanned the dim room. Maybe they went for a walk. Maybe Kaiden needed air and the professor tagged along. Maybe I was being paranoid.Or maybe something was very, very wrong.I was about to slide out of bed when the doorknob turned.I froze.The door creaked open, and the harsh fluorescent light from the hallway spilled into the r
KaidenI left the hospital with a gnawing unease in my gut. I hadn’t told Sage or the Professor the full truth, that I needed to test Raines myself, to see if he was really on our side or if he was playing us. If I had voiced my suspicions, the professor would have warned me against it, and Sage… well, Sage would have insisted on coming with me, injuries be damned. But this was something I had to do alone. I couldn’t pretend for the life of me. If the detective wasn’t on our side then I needed to know now, to save myself the trouble of finding out later.I know that the professor was just trying to be cautious but the detective was kind of my friend so I needed to give him the benefit of the doubt.I stared at my phone for a long moment before making the call, my thumb hovering over his contact. This was a gamble, if he was dirty, I might be tipping my hand. But if he was clean... I needed to know. Taking a steadying breath, I hit dial. He answered on the third ring. "Kaiden?"
KaidenThe note terrified me, I wouldn’t lie. I kept the smile on my face for the nurse’s benefits. I didn’t want them to be asking if I was okay and interrupting my peace.Those words, scrawled in jagged letters sent a chill down my spine that lingered long after I first read them. I had spent the night restless, checking the locks on the doors twice, then three times, before finally settling into a chair beside Sage’s hospital bed. He was still unconscious, his face bruised, his breathing steady but shallow. Whoever had done this to him had a message, and now it seemed that message was meant for me. I had no idea how to protect him or even protect myself. It felt like everything we did was a waste of time and we were heading nowhere.I didn’t bother sleeping again because I was so anxious. I was tempted to call the professor and explain to him but I knew he would drive down here the second I call him.By morning, Sage was stable, still asleep but no longer in danger. I made sure
Kaiden I stood next to the professor, watching the detective’s face shift between concern and indifference as he closed his notebook with a heavy sigh. “We’ll look into it,” the detective said. “But if you’re asking me for guarantees—” “I’m not,” I cut in, trying to keep my voice steady. “Just… do your job.” He gave me a nod that felt more like a dismissal. And then he walked off, disappearing into the murmuring noise of the precinct. When I called detective Raines, he said he had been assigned to a case and directed us to his partner in the precinct. We had to go there but it didn’t seem like it was working out for us. The professor hadn’t spoken since the detective left us. His arms were crossed tightly, jaw locked, his usual calm gone. He looked like a man barely holding himself together, and that scared me more than anything. He usually had answers. He always had a plan. But now? His phone rang. He glanced down, muttered something under his breath, and answered. “Hello?”