***

Rika slept like the dead for the rest of the night. The stress he had endured and the intense new emotions from his encounter with Ethelstan acted like a powerful sedative, plunging him into a world of delightful dreams. When he awoke to the sound of his alarm, a happy smile still lingered on his lips.

Stretching contentedly, Rika slapped his hand on the electronic clock's button, silencing the annoying beep, and froze, listening to the sound of running water coming from the bathroom.

His heart skipped a beat with fear, but he quickly scolded himself for being overly paranoid.

It had to be Arrek in the bathroom. No one else would think of barging into their room to use the facilities.

And sure enough, a few minutes later, the bathroom door opened, and out came his roommate with wet hair and nothing but a towel wrapped around his hips.

"They've already let you go?" Rika asked, genuinely relieved.

Despite his personal happiness, he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt toward the guys who had stood up for him.

"Why would they keep us in the infirmary?" Arrek smirked as he headed to the wardrobe for clothes. "We're not contagious. Bruises and fractures aren't spread through the air."

He grabbed another towel from the shelf and draped it over his head, vigorously drying his wet hair.

"So they let Irman and that sophomore go too?" Rika untangled himself from the blanket and started making his bed.

"Setton stayed in the infirmary," Arrek replied, but quickly added when he saw the shadow cross his roommate's face, "He's fine. He just took a while to come around yesterday, so the doctor decided to play it safe."

"Maybe I should go see him and thank him for his help," Rika said as he finished making his bed.

He turned to Arrek and looked at his face, which was now a single colorful bruise, with sympathy.

"No need," Arrek hung the towel on a chair and began to get dressed. "I have a feeling he didn't get involved because of you. So there's nothing to thank him for. Besides, get in the shower. Warm-ups start in twenty minutes. You don't want to be running around the building in just your underwear, do you? It's winter, after all. It's cold."

Rika definitely didn't want that, so he hurried to get ready as quickly as possible.

He and Arrek left the room five minutes before classes started and headed to the gym. But on the way, they were constantly stopped by classmates who greeted Arrek with admiring exclamations and approving pats on the shoulders and back.

Surrounded by such attention, Arrek smiled smugly, listening to the praises sung in his honor, then grabbed Rika by the elbow and dragged him to the locker room. Their classmates followed them, and flattering, albeit envious, words were constantly hurled at the guys' backs.

"Why don't they all band together and show Stredford who's boss around here?" Rika asked, surprised by the solidarity of his classmates, who followed Arrek as if they were wagging their tails. "Why do they sound so envious and servile?"

Arrek snorted.

"Band together, you say?" He smirked smugly as he approached his locker in the changing room. "Any fool could do that. But then they'd get picked off one by one and squashed like cockroaches. No, this fight was a matter of honor. And I defended that honor. That's where the servility and envy come from."

"So they won't come after you?" Rika hung his uniform in the locker and looked at his friend. "Do you think Stredford will be satisfied just because his buddies knocked you out?"

"He'll be satisfied," Arrek said without a hint of doubt. "And if not, then each of them will get another punch in the face. But no one's going to be picking anyone off anymore. It's like the Middle Ages here: the rules are tough, the conditions suck, but the unspoken laws are followed without question. So relax and don't think about it. Though, from what I can see, you're not worried. You're so happy, it's like your fairy godmother visited you last night and promised you a pumpkin, a carriage, and a mouse instead of a prince."

"Why should I be sad?" Rika shrugged. "You said everything's fine, and there's nothing to be afraid of."

"True enough," Arrek agreed, closing his locker. "Now you're safe."

He patted his roommate on the head in a patronizing manner, then put his arm around his shoulders and led him to the gym.

For the next hour and a half, Rika pushed himself to his physical limits during sports, but his inner balance and the happiness that had taken root in his heart gave him strength. Thoughts of his upcoming meeting with Ethelstan made time seem to fly by.

As the guys walked to the cafeteria, Rika was practically fluttering with anticipation, not noticing anything or anyone, and dreaming of seeing the beloved face and the gentle smile of the senior who had captured his heart as soon as possible.

But unfortunately, Ethel wasn't in the cafeteria.

Rika glanced around the senior students' table several times with a bewildered look, but Ethel was nowhere to be seen. Stredford and his entourage didn't react to Rika at all and, it seemed, were deliberately trying not to look in his direction. However, Legrim was watching.

And what kind of a look was that!

Rika suddenly felt like a mouse frozen under the intense gaze of a neighborhood cat.

Legrim was looking at him with arrogance and hatred, and if he could kill with his stare, there wouldn't be a single wet spot left of Rikald.

"Why are you just standing there?" Arrek asked, once again patting his neighbor on the shoulders in a friendly manner and pushing him forward. "Is someone giving you the evil eye?" he asked, raising his voice slightly and surveying the tables with a scrutinizing gaze.

But, naturally, no one was looking at Rika, except for Legrim and Irman, who turned his head at Arrek's shout.

Rikald's heart ached painfully from Legrim's glance, and he hurried to the table, feeling the need to apologize and thank the guy for his help.

But Irman rudely brushed off his words, stating that there was no need for gratitude because he had gotten into the fight of his own accord.

"And still, thanks," Rikald mumbled, settling down at the table next to Irman.

"Don't pay him any attention," Arrek laughed, noticing how Rika recoiled after the Irman's rough reply. "He just didn't get enough sleep."

Rikald grimly nodded and cast a cautious glance toward Legrim, but he was no longer looking at him.

Unlike his friends, Arrek was in excellent spirits and, as usual, began to act foolishly.

"Herder, want me to feed you?" he asked mockingly, scooping a spoonful of porridge and offering it to the guy. "Come on, say 'Ahh'."

"Fuck off!" Irman growled, pushing the spoon in front of his face with his left hand.

"Don't like 'Ahh'?" Joss didn't seem offended at all, and his sly smile grew wider. "Well, then open the hangar, a little plane is about to fly in."

Arrek brought the spoon to Irman's face again, buzzing like a degenerate, imitating the sound of propellers.

"This fucking plane is going to fly into your ass if you don't calm down!" Irman threatened, giving the red-haired idiot a scorching look.

Arrek laughed heartily but didn't continue to bother the guy. Instead, he turned all his attention to Rika, now offering him the role of provider.

"Sorry, but I don't want to," Rikald replied, laughing at his friend's antics. "If there were a piece of roasted chicken in the spoon, I wouldn't refuse it for anything. But as it is, my plate already has enough of this crap."

He scooped the spoon through the liquid substance and asked:

"Why is it so disgusting? Does the cook here have no education at all?"

"Because the meals are cooked by students," Arrek replied. "The cook is only listed here to monitor the quantity and quality of the ingredients sent into the pot."

"I see," Rika sighed, chewing the bland porridge gloomily and swallowing it.

Someday, it would be his turn to prepare this garbage. And also to set the tables and wash dirty dishes. Patrol the corridors at night. Keep the common room in order. Wash and iron the bed linens and towels.

But all of that would only be in the second year. Right now, his task, as well as the task of all freshmen, was to diligently grind through the rocks of knowledge and adapt to the strict rules reigning in the academy.

After breakfast, the guys headed to classes. And, as luck would have it, the first lecture was geography.

Rika kept wondering why Mr. Eigert hadn't reprimanded them for the fight yet. But when the teacher entered the classroom and gave the participants of the brawl a stern look, Rikald realized that the man had just been saving his reprimands for this moment.

He called the three participants of the fight to the board, where they were to stand until the end of the class and listen to the lecture. They were forbidden from taking notes and even copying them from their classmates.

"There will be a test at the end of the lecture," the first-year's mentor said in a dull voice, "and if any of the three of you fail it, blame yourselves."

Hearing these words, Rika turned pale. But Arrek lightly hit him with his elbow under the ribs, urging him to stay calm, and then he became all ears.

Despite his stern appearance and cold, monotone voice, Mr. Eigert somehow managed to teach his subject both professionally and engagingly. Just ten minutes into the lecture, Rika realized that if he listened carefully, there would be no need to take notes. The man didn't burden the students with unnecessary convoluted explanations; he spoke clearly and to the point, breaking down even the most difficult terms so thoroughly that even a baby could probably understand them. And despite his fear of the geography teacher, Rika found his teaching style rather pleasant.

As a result, the test turned out to be surprisingly easy for him, especially since geography had never posed any problems for the guy. And Mr. Eigert, after reviewing his work, nodded approvingly, marking it with a fairly high score. Arrek and Irman also did excellently. But, as it turned out later, that wasn't the end of their punishment.

The teacher waited until all the other students had left the classroom, and after closing the door, he scolded the guys, reinforcing his words with a few strikes of the pointer. Irman and Arrek winced in pain after receiving their share. But for some reason, Sadis spared Rika and didn't introduce him to his methods of discipline.

After that, the man promised to tear off their private parts and shove them up their pimpled backsides if they ever caused any more trouble in the academy. Then he left, irritably tapping the pointer against his thigh.

Rika collapsed back into his seat, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead with his hand.

"Why didn't he hit me?" Rika asked Arrek, who was biting his lip and rubbing his shoulder with the most miserable expression on his face.

"Sadis has his own criteria for picking out the guilty," the redhead replied gloomily, glancing sideways at Irman.

The class leader was lost in thought and paid them no attention.

"Alright, let's go already." Arrek grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I've had enough beatings for this week."

The rest of the school day passed for Rika in a daze. He tried again to grasp the overly complex subjects, and once again, he was terribly nervous because he hadn't seen Ethelstan even once all day—not in the hallways, not in the cafeteria during lunch, not in the restroom.

It was as if the guy had vanished into thin air, and Rika involuntarily began to doubt his own sanity.

Could Ethelstan have been just a figment of his imagination? But Arrek had seen Ethel too and had even spoken to him. So why hadn't Ethelstan crossed his path even once?

However, when Rika finally entered the common room, Ethel was there.

Rika's heart skipped a beat and fluttered with excitement and an inexplicable joy.

Ethelstan was sitting next to Legrim, who was reading a book, and quietly talking to him. But when he glanced at the open door, he fell silent and waved at Rika, greeting him.

Rika waved back but didn't dare approach him. He'd heard that there were a few couples in the academy, but he had never seen any of them display their feelings in front of everyone.

And so, he followed Arrek to the other end of the room, his heart pounding as he kept glancing in Ethelstan's direction, eagerly awaiting the evening when they could go back to the dormitory and meet away from prying eyes.

Ethel, noticing his glances, smiled at him and winked, slightly embarrassing Rika with his playful behavior.

Rikald felt himself blushing and sat down at a table where he could see Ethelstan but didn't have to look directly at him.

Arrek, after wandering between the shelves, brought a Scrabble board to the table, trying to engage his friend in another intellectual game.

Rika used to enjoy forming words from the given letters, and he leaned eagerly over the board, hoping the game would make time pass more quickly.

***

"... And then she said she would never, ever fly anywhere again. So, instead of the promised trip to the islands, we ended up stuck in Florida." Ethelstan had been grumbling about the injustices of life for several minutes and showed no signs of stopping his whining.

"Yeah, you mentioned that," Lenard reminded him, not lifting his eyes from the book.

"Of course, I mentioned it!" Ethel exclaimed, nearly collapsing onto the table, resting his head on his hand. "Now you have to take me somewhere for the weekend. I want palm trees, bright parrots, sand, and a warm breeze!"

"You want to go back to Florida?" Lenard asked, surprised, even looking up from his book to glance at Ethel.

"Very funny," the guy grimaced and sighed heavily.

He was bored. And a little anxious about Rika.

Even though they were in the same track, Ethelstan hadn't managed to run into him all day. He had hoped to see him in the common room, but was disappointed once again.

With nothing else to do, Ethel amused himself by trying to distract Lenard from his reading. But his lover barely reacted to his words, only occasionally muttering brief phrases in response to Ethel's monologues.

However, the guy wasn't about to give up.

He was just about to start another conversation when Rika appeared in the doorway.

Greeting him with a wave, Ethelstan smiled broadly, feeling a warm, tingling sensation in his chest.

He winked at Rika and then glanced over at Lenard, but Lenard remained oblivious to everything but his book.

After sitting there for a while longer, Ethel waited until Rika and Joss had settled at a table, then he quickly got up to approach the freshmen. But unexpectedly, Lenard's strong grip stopped him.

"And where do you think you're going?" Lenard asked, still looking at his book, his fingers tightening around his lover's elbow.

"Um... well..." Ethelstan hesitated, unsure of what to say. "To the first-years."

"Why?"

Lenard, as always, was extremely succinct.

"To chat, what else?"

"Didn't you talk enough yesterday?" Now there was a note of irritation in his voice.

"Lenard, what's the big deal?" Ethel sat back down and stared at his lover with a puzzled look. "I'm bored. You're reading, not paying any attention to me, and..."

Lenard abruptly closed the book and turned to Ethelstan.

"I was paying very attention to you," he said. "You were talking about vacation and how you want to climb a palm tree somewhere on the Fort Lauderdale coast, pluck a few feathers from a parrot's ass, and give them to your mom as a thank you for the wonderful trip."

Ethelstan pursed his lips but wasn't offended by his lover's words.

"I'm bored," he repeated. "It's no surprise that I want a little fun."

"Then let's go to the room, and I'll entertain you," Lenard replied with a sarcastic smirk.

"Well..." Ethel cast a fleeting glance at Rika and then looked back at his lover.

"You don't want to?" Lenard asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes.

"Are you kidding? Of course, I want to. But I get to be on top."

Lenard's expression didn't change for a moment as he stood up, pulling the guy along with him.

"We'll see. I might have to tie you up," he smirked as he headed for the door.

"Oh! Now that sounds interesting," Ethel said excitedly, quickening his pace. "I saw this really fascinating video online..."

Ethel kept chattering non-stop as they walked towards the exit. At the door, he paused for a moment, turned back to wave goodbye to Rika, and winked at him playfully.

***

As they began their game of Scrabble, Rika had no doubt that the evening would be dull and long. He hoped to entertain himself with fleeting glances at Ethel, but his hopes were dashed when Ethelstan left almost immediately, talking to his gloomy friend about some interesting videos.

When Rika noticed Ethelstan leaving, he raised his head and followed the guy with a gaze full of frustration and longing. He blushed to the tips of his ears when Ethel winked at him in farewell. His heart started pounding rapidly, and taking a deep breath, Rika returned to the game.

He had been trying to form a word but completely forgot it now. A whirlwind of hopes and doubts rose within him, and unable to concentrate on the game, he quickly laid out a few simple words.

"Your turn," Rika said, smiling at Arrek, who had been watching him intently all this time.

"I can see that," Arrek replied sternly. "And I also see that you weren't listening to me at all."

Rika blinked in surprise, not understanding what his neighbor was talking about.

"What's with all the eye-flirting? Sure, I called this academy medieval, but not in the literal sense! Why don't you throw a handkerchief at his feet while you're at it? Just so you know, I'm not dueling Legrim over this."

"Ethel just said goodbye to me," Rika replied, lowering his gaze to the game board. "Don't make things up."

"Me? Making things up?" Arrek exclaimed. "While Zitris was in the room, I thought everything around us would catch fire from his looks."

"But you were sitting with your back to him," Rika reminded.

"Exactly," the redhead retorted instantly, "and now there are incurable burns on it. What did I tell you? Don't get involved with him."

"Why?" Rika couldn't hold back. "We've known each other longer than just yesterday. He helped us out. What's so wrong with us talking?"

"The vibes between you two, that's what!" Arrek scooped up the Scrabble tiles and laid out the word 'Legrim.' "And then there's him. Do you really want to make an enemy out of someone like that?"

"What does he have to do with anything?" Rika frowned, not understanding why his friend kept trying to scare him with this upperclassman.

"You act like you just fell from the moon," Arrek shook his head. "They're dating. Is that enough of a reason? How could you not notice?"

"Who's dating?" Rika was stunned, looking at his roommate in confusion.

"Legrim and Zitris. They've been together since their first year. Everyone in the academy knows that."

"I didn't know," Rika felt an invisible hand painfully squeeze his heart. "This must be some kind of misunderstanding. They don't even look like a couple. Arrek, you must be mistaken."

Arrek nearly choked with laughter.

"Sure, I'm mistaken," he said mockingly. "Legrim just has that look like he wants to kill whoever he sees, and Zitris follows him around like he's glued to him just because the sun doesn't burn as much in Lenard's shadow. Wake up, Rika! Open your eyes and think. Why else would Legrim get involved in our squabbles? He was calmly reading until Zitris stuck his nose in. He wasn't standing up for you; he was standing up for him."

Arrek's laughter poured poison onto Rika's soul, and he felt a burning hurt welling up, bringing tears to his eyes. He hadn't known. How could he have? Ethelstan hadn't mentioned it when he was caressing him yesterday or weeks ago. No, he hadn't said a word.

So why was Arrek looking at him with such reproach, as if he'd committed the worst sin of his life?

"I get it," Rika said hoarsely, lowering his gaze and desperately fighting back the tears that kept welling up. "No need to rub it in. They're dating, so what? What does it matter to me?"

"I wasn't rubbing it in," Arrek replied, embarrassed.

Rika looked so dejected that Arrek felt uneasy and tried to smooth things over.

"I'm not accusing you of anything. Just... don't fall for him. Zitris is bad news; I've told you before. Push him away if he tries anything."

"He's not trying anything," Rika lied for some reason, abruptly standing up from the table, feeling the need to process this information alone.

"Where are you going?" Arrek asked, now completely bewildered.

"To the room. I have a headache," Rika replied tightly and quickly headed for the exit, hoping Arrek wouldn't follow him.

But in the corridor, Rika bumped into a second-year hall monitor who gave him a suspicious look.

"You're not allowed to leave the common room," he said. "Go back."

"Why?" Rika asked in astonishment.

"Because it's in the academy rules," the hall monitor explained in a tone suggesting Rika was slow-witted. "Now move! Or you'll have to explain yourself to Sadis."

Rika gritted his teeth in frustration and stepped back inside.

Arrek, noticing him by the entrance, waved him over, and Rika, hesitating on the threshold, reluctantly returned to his classmate.

"We're not allowed to..." Arrek began, but Rika interrupted him gloomily:

"Yeah, I got it."

He reached for the Scrabble tiles and mixed them up, intending to start a new game. Rika had no desire to discuss his relationship with Ethelstan, and seeing his depressed mood, Arrek decided not to bring it up again.

They played until dinner, then headed to the canteen. Rika tried to convince himself not to look over at the third-years' table, but he lost that battle as soon as he glanced at Legrim, who was staring sullenly into his plate without touching his food.

To Rika's surprise, Ethelstan was still absent from the table. Maybe their relationship had hit a rough patch, and they were trying to keep their distance? After all, would Ethelstan have kissed and caressed him if he loved another guy? It made no sense. Especially since Ethel himself hadn't gotten anything out of their closeness yesterday.

Rika shook his head and hurried to finish his meal. He needed to sort out this situation before he and Ethel made any irreversible mistakes. It was better to learn everything directly from Ethelstan than to gather idle gossip from the academy corridors.

Rika finished his dinner before his roommate and, jumping up from the table, practically ran to the dormitory.

What if Ethel was already waiting for him? It was a naive hope, but it drove Rika to run faster and practically fly up the stairs to the third floor.

When he burst into the corridor where the freshmen's rooms were located, there was no sign of Ethelstan. Rika grimaced, catching his breath and pressing a hand to his aching side, then headed toward his room. But he didn't make it to the door.

Ethel emerged from behind a heavy curtain that covered half the window and, grabbing Rika by the elbow, pulled him along. Behind the curtain was a fairly spacious nook that could easily fit three people. But Ethelstan didn't give Rika a chance to look around, immediately greeting him with a deep kiss that made Rika's knees buckle.

In a surge of vague resentment, Rika wanted to push Ethel away but somehow couldn't. His body refused to obey, reacting to the older guy's slightest touch with a trembling shiver, and his heart leapt with joy at Ethel's presence. Abandoning all remnants of willpower and common sense, Rika wrapped his arms around Ethelstan's neck, passionately returning the kiss.

Rika's eager response lifted Ethel's spirits, making his heart race wildly in his chest. The softness of Rika's lips was more intoxicating than wine, and Ethel kissed them with abandon, immersing himself completely in the overwhelming pleasure. He only pulled away when his lungs burned from lack of air.

"I missed you so much," Ethelstan confessed, running his fingers through Rika's hair. "I tried to spot you during breaks but couldn't find you. Were you hiding from me?"

"No..." Rika struggled to catch his breath. "Why would I? I really wanted to see you."

"I'm just teasing," Ethel smiled, brushing his lips against the freshman's temple.

He loosened his embrace and pulled Rika down with him, settling onto the windowsill and placing Rika on his lap.

"The days drag on so long," Ethelstan lamented. "And the evenings fly by in a blink. It's not fair."

"We could meet up over the weekend," Rika suggested, feeling his blood boil from Ethel's embrace and proximity. "They probably won't let me out of the academy, but we could find some secluded spot to hide from everyone."

Ethelstan sighed heavily.

"I can't this weekend," he said with genuine regret, kissing the Rika's neck. "I already have plans. I'm being picked up on Friday evening."

"That's too bad," Rika said, feeling a sharp pang of jealousy, then asked casually, "Spending the weekend with your boyfriend?"

The question caught Ethelstan off guard, sending a jolt through him that left a prickly sensation at his fingertips. A sense of guilt stabbed at his heart, clawing at his soul and leaving deep scratches.

"Unlikely," he sighed. "I'll probably spend these days alone at home or, at best, with my stepfather."

Rika snorted, continuing to sit calmly in Ethel's arms, though it wasn't easy. He was so accustomed to disappointment that he managed to maintain an outward calm despite the turmoil inside.

"I see you're not even denying that you have a boyfriend," Rika said quietly, trying to keep his voice as casual as possible.

"Is there any point in denying it?" Ethel asked, surprised, looking into the Rika's eyes. "I'm not one for lying, and I won't start now. It's pointless."

"Then why did you come here?" Rika asked, feeling his heart clench painfully.

"To see you," Ethel answered, not understanding why he needed to explain the obvious. "I missed you. I wanted to hold you, so I came."

"And what does your boyfriend think about that?" Rika's voice quivered, betraying his turmoil.

Ethelstan shrugged.

"He doesn't like it much. But it's hard to please Lenard in general."

"Are you kidding me?!" Rika couldn't hold back and broke free from Ethel's embrace, looking at him with indignation. "Do you think this is normal?"

Rika's sudden outburst surprised Ethelstan, and he stared in confusion at the guy, who was breathing heavily in anger and nervously biting his lips.

"Rika, what's wrong?"

Ethel reached out to him, but Rika refused to let him touch, stepping back.

"I wasn't trying to mock you or anything," Ethel hurried to assure him. "And as for what's normal, there's little normal in this crazy world."

"I don't want this kind of relationship," Rika managed to say, finally voicing his true feelings. "You shouldn't come here anymore."

"But why?" Ethel asked, bewildered. "Did I do something to upset you? Is it because of Lenard? Did he say something to you at dinner?"

"He didn't say anything. At least he didn't kill me."

Rika took a deep breath and walked over to the window, gazing into the night. Then he said, addressing Ethel:

"Please, just leave."

There was such sorrow in Rika's voice that Ethelstan's heart ached painfully in his chest. He didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave Rika alone in such a distressed state. So he stayed put.

"Why?" Ethel asked again, turning to Rika and studying his pale face. "Do you not like me anymore? Are you afraid of Lenard? Why are you pushing me away?"

"Because I thought you didn't have anyone!" Rika shouted, feeling he was about to lose control and say hurtful things. "Because I thought there could be more between us than just friendship. But how was I supposed to know you were already taken?"

Ethelstan sighed heavily. He had never been in a situation like this before and didn't know the right way to handle it. But one thing he was absolutely sure of—he didn't want to lose Rikald.

"Rika," Ethel gently touched the freshman's hand and gave it a light squeeze, stroking the back of his hand with the pads of his fingers, "there can be more. Lenard and I..."

He paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. But his mind was in complete chaos.

"It's all very complicated," Ethel finally said. "But right now, I'm here with you... and I want to be with you... I really want that."

"And what does 'really' mean to you?" Rika asked, unable to pull his hand away. "You'll sneak over to me in the evenings behind his back. We'll hug in this nook like two criminals. And then you'll spend your nights and weekends with him?"

"Why behind his back?" Ethelstan was continually surprised by Rika. "Lenard knows I'm here. We can hug in front of everyone, but academy rules forbid physical contact between students. Still, we can take that risk if it's that important to you. As for nights... even if I asked, they wouldn't separate me and Lenard. And we hardly see each other on weekends."

Rika's head began to ache from Ethelstan's words. He didn't know how he was supposed to handle this situation and simply stood there, staring out the window.

His heart was uneasy, and his heart continued to ache from a painful jealousy. Rika wanted to ask Ethelstan what he really wanted. But Ethel got ahead of him, rising from the windowsill and pulling the freshman into a tight hug.

"What are you doing?" Rika asked, his voice tight, feeling on the verge of tears. "I don't want to share, can't you see that?"

Ethelstan understood. He was possessive too. But he didn't want to let Rikald go. His heart simply refused to let him go. So Ethel tightened his arms around Rika.

"I understand," he said quietly, kissing Rika's ear. "I understand you very well. Don't push me away. Please, don't push me away."

Rika swallowed hard and, catching the pleading look in Ethelstan's reflection in the glass, nodded weakly.

The guy was so gentle. His hands warmed Rika's body, starved for affection. And his voice lulled all his anxieties.

Rika didn't even notice when he tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck to Ethel's tender kisses.

His eyelids grew heavy, and he closed his eyes, sinking into a sweet sea of sensual sensations.

Ethelstan stayed with Rika for about an hour longer. During that time, they hardly spoke, simply basking in each other's embrace. Ethel held Rikald, kissed his warm skin, caressed his lips, and melted like wax when Rika sighed longingly, pressing his entire body against him.

It felt like madness. Like an obsession Ethelstan had never known before. The feelings flooding his soul were so thrilling, so unfamiliar and new, that he wanted to experience them forever.

But time, indifferent to Ethelstan's desires, rushed forward relentlessly, and soon they had to part.

"I'll come see you tomorrow. Is that okay?" Ethel asked, reluctantly releasing Rika from his embrace.

Rikald didn't answer. He just nodded and looked at him sadly before leaving a warm kiss on Ethel's cheek and disappearing behind the door.

Ethelstan stood in the first-year corridor for a few more minutes, then slowly made his way back to his room, lost in unpleasant thoughts.

Lenard had already returned from the canteen, and Ethel wasn't surprised at all to see him sitting on the bed, staring sullenly at the floor.

"Sorry, I was delayed," Ethel apologized, taking off his jacket and tossing it onto his bed. "Have you been waiting long?"

"What do you think?" Lenard lifted a heavy gaze to his lover and pressed his lips together.

He didn't like how Ethel looked after his meeting with the freshman. Disheveled, flustered, with shining eyes, a flushed face, and lips that were too bright.

It wasn't hard to guess what kind of fun Ethel had been having all this time, and Lenard clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw hurt.

"What are you doing, Ethel?" Lenard asked, not understanding what was happening with the guy. "What are you playing at?"

Ethelstan unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and looked at his lover from beneath his brow.

"I'm undressing," he said with a smile. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Don't play the fool," Lenard replied quietly, almost wearily. "You were with him, weren't you?"

Ethelstan nodded and sent his shirt flying to join the jacket.

"I warned you..." Lenard said, taking a deep breath to keep his anger in check. "If that pimple gets between us..."

"That won't happen." Ethel pulled off his pants and, approaching his lover, sat down on his lap, running his fingers through Lenard's dark, silky hair. "I've told you a thousand times that I love you more than life itself and would never leave you. Why don't you believe me?"

"I do believe you," Lenard replied grimly, tightening his grip on Ethel's back. "Otherwise, I would have killed him already."

"Lenard, I told you, he won't come between us," Ethel pressed his forehead against his lover's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"He'd better not lie down between us either," Lenard said threateningly, to which Ethel chuckled softly.

"He won't stand, lie, or sit. None of that will happen."

"Are you trying to say you won't rush over to him tomorrow like an overexcited gerbil?" Lenard asked, not really believing his own assumption.

"I can't promise that," Ethelstan admitted quietly, stroking his lover's back while simultaneously pulling off his T-shirt. "I'm drawn to him. But I only love you. Will you forgive me?"

"Do I have a choice?" Lenard said with a bitter smile, closing his eyes as he felt Ethel's hot breath on his neck.

"There's always a choice," Ethelstan remarked wisely, only to be pinned to the bed by Lenard's strong body.

"What were you doing with him?" Lenard asked, squeezing Ethel's thigh so hard that he winced.

"Talking... hugging..." Ethel replied, feeling the blood boil in his veins from his lover's dominant touch. "Lenard, you're so hot," he whispered, closing his eyes, and ran his hand over the guy's firm torso, feeling the heat radiating from his skin.

"Did you fuck him?" Lenard asked another question, looming over Ethelstan and staring seriously into his eyes. "Why aren't you answering? Did you fuck him?"

"No," Ethel shook his head desperately, sensing the threat emanating from his lover. "Of course not! I would never do that to you, you know that."

Lenard's lips twisted into a wicked smile. He slipped his hand into Ethel's underwear and gripped his cock tightly, though careful not to cause too much pain.

"And those swollen lips, are they from a long conversation?" he asked, pressing slightly on the now-moist head and watching with grim satisfaction as Ethelstan arched on the bed.

"Just a few kisses," Ethel said breathlessly, throwing his head back with a sweet sigh.

"You're such a bastard, Zitris!" Lenard growled and seized Ethelstan's lips in an angry, almost ferocious kiss, biting them hard as if trying to erase any trace of someone else.

Ethelstan flinched in pain, and his vision blurred with tears. But despite this, his cock, gripped in Lenard's firm hand, grew even harder. And when his lover pulled back slightly, looking at him vindictively, Ethel wrapped his legs around Lenard's hips and pulled him down.

"Take me," he whispered in Lenard's ear, licking his sore lips, now stained with blood. "I want you."

Ethel didn't have to ask twice. Lenard's desire, fueled by jealousy and anger, was so intense, and the lover's body beneath him so enticing, that his passion blinded him, driving him to pounce on Ethelstan with ferocious strength and desire.

And then the world disappeared. It dissolved into a wild dance of emotions and sensations. And Lenard was left with only one wish—to make this moment last forever and never end.

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