The Academy

by Quinn Anderson

  “What did I do?” Sebastian looked him up and down, as if searching for clues. “Why are you angry?”

  “You kissed me, Sebastian. In front of everyone. I want to hear the logic behind that decision.”

  Sebastian’s eyes were wide and alarmed. “What do you mean? I was thinking I wanted to kiss you. I didn’t realize I needed written permission to do that.”

  “Well, you do!” Nick made a frustrated sound and sucked in a breath. “I can’t help but notice how many times you just used the word ‘I.’ Did you think about me at all just then? Did you think about how I might feel, being rubbed in Dante’s face like a prize? Did it occur to you that I’m not out? Was there a single moment—a fraction of a second—in which you thought about the person on the other end of that kiss?”

  Cold realization washed over Sebastian’s face. “Oh shit. I didn’t . . . Wow, I’m sorry. I didn’t think about how you’re not out. But is it really a big deal? You don’t have to be closeted the whole time you’re at the Academy.”

  “The point is, that wasn’t your decision.” Nick enunciated each word. “I told you out on the balcony that I didn’t want to kiss you in front of everyone, but you ignored my wishes. And don’t pretend like that kiss wasn’t pure ego on your part. You were claiming me. But see, that’s a problem. Because I’m not yours.”

  By the time he’d finished speaking, Nick’s anger had risen up all over again. He was tempted to push past Sebastian and stomp away again, but he didn’t want to face the party outside. He’d stormed off once. If he did it again, tongues would wag in earnest.

  Sebastian’s expression had morphed from shock to hurt. “Aren’t you though, Nick? I thought we were making progress.”

  “We were. Note the past tense. But we haven’t talked about what that means. We’re certainly not in a place to make anything official.”

  Sebastian blew out a breath that scattered his dark bangs. “Do we have to talk about it? Do we have to talk about everything? Don’t you ever do anything impulsive?” He stepped closer. “Haven’t you ever been so swept up in the passion of the moment that you acted?”

  Nick’s body started to heat up with emotion. “No, I don’t act impulsively, because I don’t have rich, influential parents and safety nets to catch me if I misstep. I wasn’t ready to go public about this. You’d know that if you’d stopped being selfish for one fucking second and thought about someone besides yourself.”

  The hurt fell off Sebastian’s face and was replaced with anger, hot enough to match Nick’s. “So, that’s it, huh? I’m just a spoiled, rich brat who never thinks about anyone else. And you’re what? The beleaguered parent who has to teach me how scary the real world is? Because you’re so mature and selfless and right all the time? You know, I’ve had about enough of listening to you preach.”

  Nick shook his head. “Don’t you turn this back on me. You’re the one who fucked up.”

  “You’re right, Nick. I did fuck up. I should have asked you before I kissed you out there. But I apologized right away, and I meant it. In my head, I was making plans to do better. Then you started in on me, sprinkling in all these jabs about who I am as a person. Why is that always the first thing you go for?”

  Nick pursed his lips. He held out for three seconds before he caved. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m still mad about what you did, but I shouldn’t be so quick to name-call.”

  “I believe that you’re sorry.” Sebastian folded his arms over his chest.

  Nick blinked at him. “But?”

  “But you still think what you said is true. You think I’m selfish.”

  “I think you have a warped view of the world. You think you’re invincible, and I know for a fact that none of us are.”

  Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Oh, you poor thing. I feel so sorry for you.”

  Nick took a step forward. “Excuse me?”

  “I get it, Nick. Your life has been so hard because you had to have a job and pay your own tuition, whereas us rich kids get everything handed to us. That’s what you think, right?”

  Nick narrowed his eyes. “Not having to worry about how you’re going to afford food and clothing and college—one of the biggest luxuries out there, which is treated like a requirement—is a huge fucking advantage. You realize I had to transfer schools, right? When my dad died, I had to go wherever the money was. I didn’t want to leave Chicago. Chicago was my home. It was everything I knew, and leaving there was like losing my dad all over again.”

  By the end of his speech, he was breathing hard. Electricity coursed through Nick, making his blood buzz.

  Sebastian stared at him from a foot away, his eyes hard as graphite. “I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through, Nick. I truly am. But the contempt you’ve shown for me and our peers since day one is completely unjustified.”

  “How can you—”

  Sebastian silenced him with a scalding look. “Yeah, a lot of us have had advantages, but you should know that doesn’t mean our lives haven’t been hard. If you didn’t learn that from me, you should have learned it from Theo.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Has he not told you about his dad, the career alcoholic? His mom who had to become Wonder Woman to give him everything he has? The guilt he feels every day because of it?”

  Nick was silent. As a matter of fact, Theo had mentioned that to him. And yet somehow Nick hadn’t thought much of it.

  Sebastian kept going. “Or what about your new pal Dante? Ever ask him why he’s the only one of the three of us who isn’t out? Did he mention his homophobic older brother? The years of physical abuse Dante went through, and how he’s probably not dating Theo—even though they’re obviously in love—because a part of him is still terrified of coming out?”

  The breath in Nick’s lungs burned. He stared wide-eyed at Sebastian, and puzzle pieces fell into place. The heat between them smoldered in a quiet way that somehow worried Nick more than if it were a blaze.

  “That’s a fraction,” Sebastian said, “of the things that are going on in the lives of the people out in my living room right now. I’m not saying they’re all saints. Many of them are spoiled and vacuous and petty. But I didn’t spend the last year of my life this miserable to have some guy who barely knows me make assumptions about my life based on my parents’ bank accounts. Nickolas Steele, you don’t have the faintest idea what’s going on in the detailed lives of others.”

  He’d moved closer, and now, they were inches apart. Nick had thought the tension between them was different this time—based in anger and frustration—but now he realized it had flavors of the same magnetism that kept bringing them together.

  Nick stared at Sebastian, heart pounding, emotions welling up in the back of his throat that he didn’t know how to put words to.

  A question formed unbidden in his mind. He stumbled to spit it out. “You know how you asked me if I ever do anything out of pure passion?”

  “Yeah.” Sebastian’s voice was barely a breath.

  Nick stared at him, hoping his eyes contained the deep, dark intent that was brewing within him, because he didn’t think he could speak.

  It seemed they did, because Sebastian wet his lips. “Do you want to make out right now as badly as I do?”

  Nick didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  They came together in a beautiful blend of fury and calm, like waves drowning the shore.

  In that moment, Sebastian decided that all he wanted to do with the rest of his life was kiss Nick. He didn’t want to go to class. He didn’t want to graduate and get a job. He wanted Nick, pressed up against him like he couldn’t get enough of him. He wanted their mouths, their heat, and the wild, frightening feelings Sebastian hadn’t known existed until Nick had come into his life.

  Between frantic kisses, Sebastian breathed apologies. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about before. I shouldn’t have done that in front of everyone.”

  “No, I’m sorry.” Nick pulled away only to feather k
isses all over Sebastian’s face. “I’m the selfish one. I didn’t think—”

  Sebastian shushed him with his lips and then wrapped his arms around Nick’s waist, needing to feel every bit of him. But no matter how tightly he held Nick, it wasn’t close enough. He ended up walking them back, hoping to hit a wall, or—oh God—his bed.

  They crashed into his nightstand instead, sending a lamp clattering to the ground, and still they didn’t stop kissing, messy and hot. Sebastian put a hand on the wall to brace them while the other worked Nick’s shirt up in the back so he could get at his skin. For Nick’s part, his hands found their way into Sebastian’s hair—not pulling it, but squeezing enough to make his scalp sing—while one of his legs slid between Sebastian’s thighs.

  When Nick rubbed against his cock, Sebastian thought he was going to faint. He was fairly certain he’d been hard since the fight, but at that little contact, he went from turned on to desperate in a flash.

  Nick seemed to feel the same way, because he whimpered against Sebastian’s mouth. Before Sebastian could return the favor, Nick spun them around. Sebastian barely had time to orient himself before Nick pushed him back, and he fell onto his bed.

  For a fraction of a second, he blinked up at Nick, too aroused to process what was going on. But then Nick climbed on top of him, straddling his hips, and the intensity between them reached a zenith.

  They were alone, in a locked bedroom, after two weeks of dancing around each other, and something was about to give. Sebastian had never wanted anything more in his life. This. Right now. No more talking. All action.

  Now that Nick was on top of him, he seemed to hesitate. Nick’s eyes tracked down Sebastian’s torso, growing larger and darker as they landed on the bulge between his legs. It sent a little shiver through Sebastian. He grabbed Nick’s hips and canted up against him.

  The second he did, they both groaned. The answering hardness of Nick’s cock—obvious through his jeans—made Sebastian dizzy. Out of all the sex he’d had, this was already the most intense, and they were only getting started.

  “Sebastian.” Nick’s eyes roved over his face. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

  Sebastian groaned for a different reason. “No more talking. Just— Please.” He rocked his hips up again and was rewarded by Nick making a soft, pleasured sound.

  But Nick shook his head. “Earlier, you said you have a strict no-drunk-sex rule. We’ve both been drinking.”

  That got Sebastian’s attention.

  He propped himself up on his elbows. “I appreciate that you thought of that. I had two and a half drinks. I’m a little buzzed, but I definitely don’t feel drunk. Haven’t for a while, actually. Not since the argument.”

  “You might’ve sobered up by now.” Nick bit his lip, and the urge to kiss him was almost too powerful for Sebastian to ignore. “I feel sober too. It could be adrenaline, though. I don’t want to violate any of your boundaries. That seemed like a big one.”

  “Yeah, it is.” Sebastian took a trembling breath. “But I have that boundary because I did things I regretted with the wrong guys. There’s a big difference between then and now.”

  “Oh?”

  Sebastian reached up and touched Nick’s face. “I’m not going to regret this, and I trust you.”

  “Really? But there’s still so much we don’t know about each other.”

  “I know.” Sebastian grinned. “Isn’t it exciting?”

  Nick huffed a laugh and tilted his cheek into Sebastian’s hand. “There’s still the small matter of the room full of people on the other side of the door. I’m . . . not quiet.”

  Fresh arousal rolled through Sebastian. “You’re killing me, smalls. Don’t worry about them.” He slid his fingers through Nick’s soft hair. “Kiss me again, and if you want to stop, we’ll stop.”

  Sebastian was expecting more of a fight, but Nick allowed him to lean up and lock their mouths together. Nick kissed back like he’d been waiting for the invitation.

  It was different this time. Before it’d been all frantic passion and need. Now, there was a purpose behind it—a goal they were building toward. One that burned and left Sebastian breathless. When Nick broke their mouths apart only to kiss down Sebastian’s throat, mouth open and hot, Sebastian had to shut his eyes against the intensity of it.

  “Sebastian.”

  Reluctantly, Sebastian cracked an eye open. The overhead light was behind Nick, which made his blond hair light up like a halo around him. There was nothing angelic about the expression on his face, though. He looked wrecked, debauched, and Sebastian could only imagine what he’d look like if they actually had sex. Sebastian wanted to find out more than he wanted air.

  “I want you so badly I can’t think.” Nick’s voice was deep with arousal. “Show me what you want.”

  Sebastian almost came from that alone. He shuddered and nodded, unable to form words. Nick was still straddling him, and the insistent press of their clothed erections together sent waves of arousal through him. But it wasn’t enough. He slid his hands between their bodies. It took some doing—Nick wouldn’t stop rocking against him, and Sebastian wasn’t complaining—but he managed to reach his own fly.

  The click of the zipper sliding down was audible even over their panted breaths. Nick froze at the sound and sat up enough to meet Sebastian’s gaze. For a split second, Sebastian thought he was going to tell him to stop, or at least slow down, but Nick’s pupils were huge, and there was nothing in his expression but deep, raw want.

  “Be fast.” Nick wet his lips. “They’ll notice we’re gone soon.”

  Sebastian wasn’t sure exactly what Nick wanted him to do, but he didn’t care. He wanted all of it. “Okay.”

  “You sure you want this?”

  “Oh God yes.” Sebastian grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Nick melted into it, warm and heavy on top of Sebastian. Sebastian was almost as turned on by the feel of Nick as he was by what Nick did next. He slid both hands down Sebastian’s sides, paused to give his waist a possessive squeeze, and then went for his open fly.

  It took everything Sebastian had not to buck up against Nick’s hands when they ghosted over the front of his pants. He stopped kissing Nick in favor of panting as the too-light touch both excited him and left him wanting. Despite his best efforts, he ended up arching off the bed in search of satisfaction.

  Nick’s lips found their way to his ear. “Stop wriggling.”

  “I can’t.” Sebastian tossed his head back and whined. “Feels good.”

  “It’ll feel better if you let me—” Nick managed to get his hand into Sebastian’s tight pants, beneath the hem of his underwear.

  When his fingers wrapped around Sebastian’s cock, Sebastian jolted. He’d known he was wound up before, but the second Nick’s skin came into contact with his, it was like lightning. Sharp, crackling pleasure burst between his legs and spread through him.

  “Fuck, fuck.” Sebastian grabbed on to Nick’s shoulders and squeezed. “That has no right to feel as good as it does.”

  Nick chuckled. “I’ve barely touched you. Hold on. I know what we need.” He pushed himself up into a sitting position.

  Sebastian whined again, wishing Nick’s warmth would come back, but when Nick went for his own pants, understanding dawned on him. “Oh, yeah. Good idea.” He fumbled to push his clothes out of the way, but he had Nick’s increasing nakedness to distract him.

  Nick had lifted his shirt up, exposing a stomach that Sebastian wanted to lick things off, and with one hand he unzipped his jeans. He barely had to touch the zipper to get it down. The pressure from his cock must’ve been something else. Sebastian couldn’t wait to feel it for himself.

  Meeting Sebastian’s eyes, Nick worked his jeans and boxers down much too slowly for Sebastian’s taste. Though he had to admit, the tension that built in the air with every new inch of exposed, golden skin was breathtaking.

  He managed to get his own pants pushed down. The urge to touch hi
mself was overwhelming. When Nick finally freed his cock, Sebastian’s mouth actually watered. It was perfect: not too huge, a shade ruddier than his tan skin, and heavy looking in a way that made Sebastian want it on his tongue.

  “Damn,” he said without thinking, eyes flicking up and down Nick’s body before settling on his face, “you’re gorgeous.”

  Nick let out a tight breath. “You should see the view from where I’m sitting.” He trailed a hand down Sebastian’s chest. “If I’d had more time with that neck of yours, I would have left some marks to remember me by.”

  His cock twitched, and as close as it was to Nick’s, Sebastian imagined it was trying to bring them together. Nick seemed to have the same idea, because he spread his legs as far as his jeans would let him and situated himself astride Sebastian’s hips, groin to groin. Then he aligned their cocks and wrapped one hand around them both.

  The first touch was heaven. Exquisite to the point of near pain. Nick’s skin was warm silk, firm but oh-so-soft. He stroked them once from base to head, and as his hand moved, a shiver visibly worked its way through him. It was one of the most thoroughly erotic things Sebastian had ever seen.

  He had lube in his bedside table, but he was too mesmerized by the sight of Nick to move. Nick was staring down at them, thighs tense, one hand clutching his own shirt, which was pushed up to his ribs. The abs that formed every time he clenched his stomach muscles made Sebastian weak. Nick stroked their cocks again, and this time, blond eyelashes fluttered down over his beautiful eyes.

  Sebastian decided it was time for him to take things up a notch. He spat on his palm and added his hand to the mix. As soon as Nick felt Sebastian’s fingers, he moaned and let his hand fall to the side, tilting his head back. With his eyes closed and his bottom lip caught between his teeth, he looked like he was trying to absorb every sensation.

  Long fingers wrapped around them, Sebastian gave their cocks a firm pump, then spat on his hand again and repeated the motion. The slickness was exactly what they needed to take this from good to incredible. Sebastian’s fingers slid with ease, wringing little moans from them both.