Lunch ended on a quiet note and they quickly dispersed back into the halls to get to their next classes. Grayson had PE, which his little paper map said was on the other side of the building, so he hurried to get there on time. This darn school feels like a maze. When he'd finally managed to push open one of the heavy doors to the gymnasium, he noticed that there was hardly anyone there.

"Where is everyone?"

He heard a bunch of people talking in a room to the right and quickly ran over.

Oh, locker rooms.

"Hey, kid! Why aren't you dressing out?"

His head whipped around when he heard someone shout at him from the doorway. He had been about to go around the corner to ask what was going on but the guy looked like the teacher, so maybe...

"Um, I'm new. My name is Grayson." He said nervously.

"Ah, the new kid. Come here."

Grayson followed him into the noisy locker room until they stopped in front of a specific locker. He handed him a lock and a sticker with the code on it. "Just put that code somewhere you won't lose it and put away your stuff. Then come out when you're done."

Grayson nodded and quickly put the code in his pocket after glancing over it, then tossed his backpack into the locker and clicked it shut. Alright, now to go back and... When he turned around, he swore that his face brightened a good twenty shades. There were at least fifteen naked, or partially naked guys mulling about the room. He knew that staring was rude, but couldn't manage to move his eyes. Time seemed to have escaped him, too, because before he knew it, he was shoved hard against the lockers.

Was definitely staring for too long.

"Hey you little midget, why were you staring at everyone? Are you gay?"

Grayson's brow wrinkled as he tried to remember what that word meant. He knew the general meaning, but also knew that there was a slang for it. He just couldn't remember what it was. Being strictly home-schooled had its downsides. Glancing up at the two boys, particularly the one that still had his hand on his shoulder, he calmly asked.

"I don't think you mean happy, so what does your version of gay mean?"

The two boys looked at each other before glaring back down at him with slightly disturbed smirks on their faces.

"It means, you like getting it up the ass."

Oh, right. That was the newer version of the word.

"Um, I don't put anything there." He said.

They looked at each other again, then burst out laughing before calling one of their friends over.

"Hey kid, take a look."

The guy holding his shoulder stepped to his right as the other moved to his left, putting his hand on that shoulder. Grayson didn't really have a reason not to look. His eyes rose to the guy now standing in front of him. Holy, muscle. Not like, big muscles or anything but holy crap the guy was well-defined. He was built like a rock and as Grayson's eyes slowly lowered, he felt his face heating up again. He quickly jerked his eyes upward so that his body wouldn't start to react and embarrass him. Wait a second. His eyes finally met the gaze of the owner of the incredible body before him, then widened.

Erin?

"Holy shit, look at his face! He's so fucking gay for you, Erin." One of the boys said.

Grayson was suddenly shoved back against his locker for a second time as the two boys on either side of him leaned in.

"You're a gay little rat-boy, aren't you?" One said.

Grayson hunched slightly at their tone and the sinister looks in their eyes.

"I'm a mouse." He squeaked out.

"Kessig, leave him alone." Erin said, drawing Grayon's eyes back up, but he couldn't see him beyond his friend, who had crowded his space.

Way too close.

Grayson squeezed his eyes shut until he heard someone gasp behind the two boys. When he opened them again, Kessig was flying through the air all the way across the room. He skidded to a halt in a corner with a snarl, but Grayson's focus was on the kid who had thrown him.

"Erin?" He rasped in shock.

His eyes were rimmed with grey and wrinkled slightly, letting everyone know that his elephant was just beneath the surface. Instead of changing, though, he grabbed the boy named Henry by his neck and tossed him right onto his friend in the far corner.

Grayson was so stunned by his strength that when Erin turned toward him, thankfully at least clothed now in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, he just couldn't manage to shut his mouth. He had just lifted two boys much bigger than Grayson and tossed them like rags. He really wanted to thank him for the help, but when he leaned over a little Grayson flinched, making him do the same before Erin's left thumb gently ran beneath his right eye. When it came away wet, Grayson blinked, then suddenly realized that he had been crying.

"You're not about to shift... are you?" Erin asked, his face immediately looking hesitant.

Grayson quickly shook his head.

"No." He said, thankful that he'd managed to get a hold of himself before his mouse took over. Grayson's mouth opened again to tell him that he didn't have to worry about him changing when he was suddenly lifted into his arms and carried out of the locker room. His body reacted on instinct as he wrapped his arms around Erin's neck and snuggled in.

Darn mouse tendencies. I snuggle too much.

"Erin? Is there a reason you're carrying the new student?" The coach asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Kessig and Henry were picking on him." Erin said without hesitation.

The man sighed and shook his head, watching as everyone from the locker room began to file out. When he saw Kessig and Henry, he pointed them over to the bleachers.

"You're both sitting out this class. Get over there."

Both boys glared at Grayson as they did as told.

I have a feeling I just made some un-friends.

"Don't worry about them." Erin said as he set him down, then patted him on the head. That was the one gesture that Grayson absolutely loved. He felt something a brush against his whiskers and flicked them slightly. Oh, wait. I shouldn't have whiskers right now.

"Oops. Sorry."

He knew that shifters tended to take on some characteristics of their animals when angry or stressed, like his own eyes crinkling grey, but seeing Grayson's whiskers suddenly appear freaked him out a bit. Erin took a step back until Grayson managed to get his features under control, then sighed.

"Um, no problem." Erin mumbled awkwardly.

Just then, Coach West blew his whistle and called out the game they were playing.

"Dodgeball time! Erin! Maria! You're captains. Erin picks first."

About time he let us go up against each other again. He knew exactly who he should pick, but... His eyes glanced over at Grayson, who was lining up with the rest of the kids waiting to be called to teams. He was so much shorter than everyone else and surely would be an obvious last pick. He was looking at his brightly colored sneakers and not really paying attention. Probably figured he wouldn't get picked.

I know I'm going to shoot myself later for this when Maria is laughing in my face.

"Grayson." He called out.

The kid's head snapped up immediately, as well as everyone else's. Yeah, I know. I should have picked Mitchel. Gray looked around in confusion, but was quickly shoved toward him as Maria grabbed Mitchel for her team. The rest of the picks went pretty fast and then everyone was headed to their designated sides. Right when Erin stopped to turn and watch coach set out the balls at the middle line of the gym Grayson walked over and tugged on his shirt slightly, making him glance down at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What's up, kid?" Erin asked.

"Um, how do you play this game?"

You've got to be kidding me.

The coach was almost done setting up so Erin just grabbed Grayson's hand and pulled him to the back.

"Just stay here and don't get hit with a ball, okay? If you do you have to go sit on the bleachers and wait for the game to end."

He didn't give him any time to ask questions since the coach blew the whistle and started the match right then.

They were doing pretty well to start off, but Mitchel was starting to really get into it. Pretty soon, Erin was the only one left and already panting pretty hard. Maria, Mitchel, and Rayden were still in, leaving him completely out-numbered. He'd done his best to dodge, but he hadn't been able to focus on any catches since he constantly had balls coming at him from three different directions.

After only a minute solo he felt a ball hit his ankle and heard coach yell. "Erin, out!"

With a grumble Erin sauntered over to the coach.

"Alright, are we going again or no time?" He asked.

He raised a brow at him and pointed over Erin's shoulder.

Wait... why can I still hear balls being thrown?

"Still got one more on your side."

Erin quickly turned around, only to see little Grayson dodging every darn ball coming at him. Granted, he looked terrified doing it, but he was doing it!

"Grayson, catch the balls if you can!" He shouted with an excited grin as he glanced over at the other team right as two of them threw balls from different angels. Erin winced as he watched them fly across the space. He knew that Grayson couldn't dodge both of them. Squinting his eyes nearly closed, Erin waited for the coach to yell Grayson's name as out, but when the guy did yell, it was to call Rayden out.

Huh?

His eyes opened to see Grayson standing near the back with a red ball in his hands. Holy crap, the kid did it.

Smirking, Erin cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. "Kick their butts, kid!"

Grayson's eyes met his and his face redden slightly as he gave Erin the tiniest grin and quickly rolled the ball back over to the other side right before another came flying at him. Gray managed to dodge it and five more before he was forced into a corner.

"Crap. Not good."

Erin was standing right on the edge of the sidelines as Maria and Mitchel pegged their balls straight at Grayson. They were both about chest height, but he could only catch one. As the balls got to him, Grayson did indeed catch the higher ball, but the other hit his shoulder and was knocked up into the air.

"Catch it Gray! You aren't out unless it hits the ground!" He yelled.

Grayson looked confused but quickly dropped the ball he had caught previously and dove to try and keep the other from hitting the floor. Erin's eyes had squeezed shut again in anticipation but when the coach called the next two outs, they were Maria, then Mitchel.

"Holy crap." He muttered.

Without another thought Erin ran over to Grayson and picked him up, then swung him around in his arms like one would a little kid before giving him a super strong hug.

"Holy crap kid, you did it!"

The rest of the team ran over to congratulate him before coach called them both to go shower and change. Since he hadn't brought anything to change into, Erin told him to wait right outside the locker room for him. Grayson stayed put after grabbing his own things from his locker and when Erin came out, he gave Gray a small smile and nod for him to follow.

"I'll walk you to your next class." He said, watching as the guy's face lit up.

"Okay!"

The smile that those simple words brought out of him was, dare he think it, almost cute. For a mouse.