The Elf, the Cat, and the Human

by Sasha L. Miller

  "Coffee," Akeid said, with a raised brow that questioned whether Teric had any sense in him. He set a matching cardboard cup on the table in front of him, and Teric really should be put off, but Akeid was charming despite his attempts at being insulting. "Two creams, four sugars."

  "You have a good memory," Teric said, wrapping his fingers around the warm cup. "Thank you."

  "You're welcome." Akeid unfastened the snaps on his bag and pulled out his own notebook as Teric took a cautious sip of the coffee. It was the perfect drinking temperature, and Teric smiled, slightly more cheered.

  "Do you understand any of this?" Teric questioned, frowning at Akeid's neatly written out notes. "Ulgh, I hate you. Who takes such good notes?"

  "I do." Akeid slanted a smirk at him. "Want to… study with me?"

  "That sounded so lewd. It's not even lunchtime." Teric shook his head, and Akeid laughed, carefully flipping through his notebook to a blank set of pages two-thirds through the book.

  "What does lunchtime have to do with it?" Akeid leered , and Teric flushed but laughed, taking another sip of his coffee.

  "I think I'm mixing up my stigmas. I think it's alcohol before noon that's frowned upon." Teric looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ah, well, sex, alcohol, it's all the same."

  "You equate sex and alcohol?" Akeid asked with a smirk, leaning back in his chair and holding his coffee at an elegant angle. Teric wondered if he practiced that.

  "Only in the sense that they're indulgences?" Teric offered, his tail flickering off towards Akeid.

  "I suppose that makes sense," Akeid conceded, shifting his chair slightly closer to Teric's. "Want to indulge?" he drawled, winking. Teric flushed.

  "We're in class," Teric pointed out. "I'm not doing anything here."

  Akeid was startled into loud laughter, drawing the attention of another elf sitting a short distance away. Akeid didn't seem to notice, and Teric flicked his ears back, faintly annoyed until Akeid spoke again. "I was thinking tonight, but if you're impatient—"

  "No." Teric cut him off, sure he didn't want to hear whatever Akeid had thought up.

  "After class." Akeid decided as the professor stalked in and glared at the class. Teric rolled his eyes and hid his smile behind the coffee cup.

  *~*~*

  Edrin glared sleepily at his alarm, fighting his grumpiness as he smacked it. It shut up obligingly, and Edrin peered around the room fuzzily. Teric wasn't there. Likely out with Akeid again, leaving Edrin to his mechanical alarm clock instead of the much more enjoyable Teric alarm clock.

  Deciding that Akeid needed to be hit by a bus soon, Edrin turned his alarm clock off and went back to sleep. He wasn't dealing with class.

  *~*~*

  Teric fought a burning flush all the way back to his dorm room, because he was so not going to think about what Akeid had talked him into doing in that janitor's closet. Except that resolving to not think about it made him keep thinking about it, and their 'date' for that night, and Teric decided he was going to have a permanent flush for the rest of his life.

  Ducking into the dorm, he frowned to see Edrin was still in bed. Curious, he nonetheless shut the door quietly. Maybe Edrin wasn't feeling well. Sneaking across the room quietly, Teric shrugged off his jacket and bag and fished out a textbook. Reading was a nice quiet activity that wouldn't wake Edrin. Frowning fretfully, Teric settled into his bed, tucking the blankets around himself cozily.

  He really hoped it wasn't anything serious. Or contagious.

  *~*~*

  Teric was positive that Edrin was moping. It had been nearly three weeks since Teric and Akeid had first hooked up, and Edrin had graduated from the occasional bitchy comment into full-scale sulking. It was true that Teric was spending more and more time away from the dorm, but he still tried to make sure he spent time with Edrin. It was just difficult, between classes and projects and Akeid.

  Edrin wasn't helping much, being unresponsive and lazy. He slept in most days, and seemed to go to bed obscenely early. Teric sighed. He didn't like it. He would think that Edrin had mono or some similar medical problem, except that Edrin seemed fine otherwise.

  Teric chewed on the end of his pen thoughtfully, his tail twitching as he stared at the blackboard. The professor was speaking sharply about their last exam, apparently displeased by the results, but Teric was mostly tuning her out, concentrating on thinking about Edrin and the way his tail was wrapped loosely around the wrist Akeid had settled in his lap.

  He didn't know what to do, honestly. He didn't want to hurt Edrin. He hated that this was making Edrin so … sulky, but he didn't want to give it up either. He liked Akeid, like he liked Edrin, except that he could actually sleep with Akeid. And did. Frequently. Teric flushed.

  He could pick between them, but he didn't want to. He shouldn't have to, but he couldn't leave Edrin to sulk for much longer. Resolving to talk to Edrin later, Teric focused on Akeid's fingers, stroking his tail in the absolute worst way for it being the middle of class.

  *~*~*

  "Hmm, and where do you think you're sneaking off to?" Akeid drawled, tugging Teric back to him as he tried to scamper off.

  "Away from you, lech," Teric replied with amusement, his ears flicking as he spoke.

  "Running away?" Akeid hooked his fingers in the front seam of Teric's jacket and tugged him back towards the table they'd been sitting at for class. "Hoping to miss our mid-morning appointment?"

  "As much fun as the janitor's closet is—" Teric started, laughing.

  "I was thinking about a change of scenery, myself." Akeid smirked, using the side of his hand to push the zipper of Teric's jacket down to the hook at the bottom.

  "Not here!" Teric yelped, twisting out of his grasp. Akeid followed him, sneaking his hands under Teric's coat and grabbing his hips in a firm grip.

  "Not here," Akeid purred, pleased when Teric stilled under his hold. Leaning down the bit he needed, he drew Teric into a kiss, amused when Teric didn't hesitate at all to kiss him back. Really, he never got tired of kissing Teric, and he tightened his grip on Teric's hips briefly.

  "Mmm," Teric murmured, his bright amber eyes half-closed. "Then where?"

  Akeid smirked, victorious. "I'll show you," he told Teric, pausing to pick up his bag before turning back to Teric and hooking a possessive arm around Teric's waist. Teric's tail snuck under his jacket, winding about his waist in return.

  *~*~*

  "Akeid. We need to talk."

  Akeid paused, surprised as Jenai approached him with a solemn face, Mareth in tow as usual.

  "So talk," Akeid ordered, refusing to be swayed from his good mood. Teric had been very … enthusiastic that morning. Smirking, he kept walking down the hallway, waiting for whatever Jenai had to complain about.

  "You're spending too much time with that plaything of yours. It isn't healthy," Jenai said bluntly, and Mareth nodded.

  "It's a short term thing." Akeid shrugged, wondering why they were bugging him about this.

  "It's been three weeks, Akeid," Mareth said, the know-it-all tone to his voice grating on Akeid's nerves. "How much longer are you planning to keep this one?"

  "It's casual." Akeid shrugged again, scowling. "Until I get bored of him."

  "What if you don't?" Jenai asked, sneering. "You bring him coffee, Akeid. I've seen you doting on him like you should a lover. Sleep with him. Don't date him."

  "I'm not dating him," Akeid snapped. "Fine. It's a little earlier than I planned, but fine. I'll finish the plan tonight."

  "Good," Jenai said approvingly, his expression lightening. "Stick to humans, Akeid. It's easier."

  "This is easy," Akeid said shortly, abruptly turning and taking a side hallway. Jenai let him go, thankfully, and Akeid wondered if Jenai really believed the stupid shit their parents spouted or whether he played along as well as Akeid did. Glowering, Akeid leaned against the wall as soon as he was sure he was out of Jenai's sight. He didn't want to give Teric up. He was convenient, and he was damn good in bed.

/>   Jenai would report home if he kept things up with Teric, however, and the last thing Akeid needed was his father on his case about his choice of lovers. Scowling, Akeid glared at the wall across from him. At least he could finally put Edrin completely into misery.

  He'd have to execute his plan flawlessly. Time it so that Teric was coming back—probably to the dorm room, it seemed to be the only space and time he shared with Edrin—and announce how he'd only been paying attention to Teric to upset Edrin. That would upset Teric and Edrin, with the added bonus of putting a wrench in between the two of them. Pushing away from the wall, Akeid stalked down the hallway.

  He really hated being an elitist elf sometimes.

  *~*~*

  Edrin was scowling when he opened the door. "Teric's not here."

  "Good." Akeid smirked, pushing his way in as Edrin tried to shut the door on him. Akeid raised an eyebrow at the neatly contained mess in half the room. The two beds were on opposite sides of the room, the desks lining the wall between them and the dressers at the feet, completely matching except for the personal items strewn about. Edrin had to be the messy one, Akeid decided, picking his way daintily across the room.

  "When will Teric be back?" Akeid asked, smiling sweetly at Edrin as he perched on the edge of Teric's neatly made bed.

  "Soon," Edrin said crankily, glaring. "Wait in the hallway."

  "Ah, but that won't make Teric very happy, will it?" Akeid smirked, getting into 'annoy Edrin' mode easily. If he had to be miserable and not getting sex from Teric, then Edrin was going to get the same.

  "Fine. Just shut up." Edrin snapped, leaning against his bed and glaring at Akeid.

  "No," Akeid drawled and it really was too easy to bait Edrin.

  "I'm warning you elf." Edrin scowled, and Akeid wondered if he'd get hit again. That bruise had been a bitch to cover until it had faded.

  "What, human? Are you going to tell your beloved catboy all about how much you care for him?" Akeid taunted. "Blow my cover and ruin all the wonderful sex I'm getting?"

  Edrin's ears turned bright red. Akeid was privately impressed, but settled for a smirk as Edrin practically hissed at him. "I will kick your ass when you hurt him." Edrin ground out at him, and Akeid laughed, wondering really when Teric was going to be back. His class should've ended ten minutes ago.

  "He won't want to talk to you at that point. Knowing all along that I was just using him to get at you?" Akeid laughed. "And you wouldn't say a word, for your own selfish reasons. Hmm, yes, I think I'll let him know tonight. He wants to keep me, you know."

  "You—" Edrin's eyes darkened and he stalked across the room, grabbing the front of Akeid's shirt and giving him a good shake. Akeid kept his smirk firmly in place. This would be an excellent time for Teric to walk in.

  "Me," Akeid purred the word, bracing himself for the punch that was surely coming.

  "I will tear you apart," Edrin hissed, his face far too close. Akeid had the momentary, absolutely insane thought that for a human he was rather handsome.

  "You could try." Akeid smiled slowly. "But isn't this tearing you apart?" he drawled, eyes fixed on Edrin's.

  Edrin growled and let him go abruptly. Akeid laughed, amused for a second until Edrin's fist slammed into his jaw. He narrowly avoided biting his tongue and nearly fell over with the force of it. Akeid really wondered when Teric was going to show up because they were running out of great moments for him to walk in on. Standing up, he rubbed at the tender spot on his jaw, smirking at Edrin.

  "You have absolutely no sense of subtlety," Akeid tsked, stretching his jaw out. Sauntering up to Edrin, he smirked—humans were so touchy about their personal space. "Really, Edrin," Akeid purred, hooking his fingers in the collar of Edrin's t-shirt. "Subtle hurts more."

  Edrin tensed, and Akeid wondered if he was going to get hit again. Edrin certainly was a violent human and Akeid froze in shock as Edrin grabbed his face roughly and kissed him. It took him a second to process and then he was kissing back without really meaning to, and he was entirely fucked over because it was good and maybe even better than Teric.

  Edrin's fingers fumbled his shirt free of his pants, and Akeid didn't stop for air, just kept kissing because he couldn't stop now that they'd started. Edrin groaned softly into his mouth, and Akeid pressed closer, his fingers on the snap of Edrin's jeans when the door slammed.

  Edrin drew back immediately, his eyes wide, and Akeid finally registered what he'd done. Scowling, he pushed away from Edrin and straightened his clothes. Without a word, he turned and stalked out, shutting the door loudly behind him. Teric wasn't anywhere in sight, thankfully, and Akeid wandered away slowly, trying to figure out what the fuck had just happened.

  *~*~*

  Edrin wanted to shut his head in the door repeatedly. Really, what was wrong with him? He'd kissed Akeid. The elf he absolutely hated. The elf that Teric was dating. Sleeping with. And Teric had seen. And Teric hadn't come back to the room and wasn't answering his cell phone, and wasn't anywhere that Edrin could think to look.

  Frowning around their room for another minute, Edrin decided finally that Teric hadn't been back. Nothing on his side of the room was disturbed, and the note he'd left on Teric's desk hadn't been opened. Turning back around, Edrin left the room determinedly. He wouldn't rest until he found Teric, even if he had to stalk Teric's classes tomorrow and get no sleep at all tonight.

  *~*~*

  Teric frowned thoughtfully at the sidewalk beneath his feet. He was feeling numb at the moment, which was an improvement on feeling like his chest was being ripped in two. He was more attached than he'd like to Akeid, it seemed. It was ten times worse because it had been Edrin, too, and how could the two people he liked the best do that?

  And he wasn't supposed to be thinking about this. He wasn't supposed to be thinking about how much he wanted to be home right now, hiding in his old bedroom with familiar people, where he could go crying to his sister whenever he got hurt. Tugging his hat back on properly, Teric dug out his cell phone. It was still too early to call home. His sister would kill him for being woken up at six in the morning, especially over what she'd flippantly call 'boyfriend drama.'

  Seven missed calls, though. Sighing, Teric flipped the phone open and paged through the list. Edrin, all seven. Akeid wasn't in the list at all, but Teric wasn't expecting him to call since he hadn't given Akeid his cell number and he didn't think Akeid cared enough to search it out. Shutting the phone again, Teric decided it was time to go back to the dorm. With luck, Edrin would be asleep and he wouldn't have to deal with any of this tonight.

  *~*~*

  Akeid decided a bottle of whiskey was going to be his friend tonight. There was no sane reason he could want to go back to Edrin and Teric's room and kiss Edrin again. Or find Teric and have a nice round of sex in a janitor's closet or somewhere equally almost-public.

  Jenai was right. He'd gotten too attached. Downing his first shot of whiskey, Akeid willed himself to forget the burn of Edrin's lips on his, trying to focus on the burn of the whiskey as it traveled down his throat.

  *~*~*

  Teric's shoes were in the middle of his half of the room. Edrin winced, doing his best to be quiet as he shut the door. Teric was facing the wall, curled up under his blankets, seemingly fast asleep. The note was still untouched, and Teric's jacket and backpack were also just dumped in the middle of his clean floor.

  Teric was definitely upset, then. He was usually more careful with his things, and Edrin wondered if he was wearing his clothes from the day or if he'd changed and tucked his dirty laundry away. Crushing his palm against his forehead momentarily, Edrin gave up and shucked off his jacket and shoes.

  He'd try to catch Teric tomorrow. Hopefully Teric wouldn't avoid him all day. He wanted to talk to Teric, and try and explain, even if he wasn't sure he could. He could barely bring himself to think about it. He'd kissed Akeid.

  Flipping off the light, Edrin shucked his jeans too, crawling into bed in his underwear and t-shirt. He
really hoped that Teric didn't hate him for this.

  *~*~*

  Akeid woke up with a wicked hangover and curled around a half-empty bottle of whiskey. Pushing the bottle away, he stumbled to his feet and towards the bathroom. After he spent some time on his knees in an unpleasant manner, Akeid stumbled into a shower. He needed to make sure Jenai and Mareth knew about the 'breakup,' so that he could get those two fucking bastards off his case.

  *~*~*

  Edrin woke up abruptly and flailed as he almost fell out of bed. A loud voice greeted him, speaking rapid-fire Russian, and Edrin turned to blink blearily at Teric. Teric wasn't paying the least bit of attention to him, staring towards the foot of his bed and talking loudly, his eyes watery and his tail lashing furiously.

  Stumbling to his feet, he managed to draw Teric's attention—odd, as his flailing hadn't. Teric cut off mid word, staring at him with wide eyes and downturned ears. After a moment, he blinked and started talking again quietly. Edrin sighed, pulling on his discarded jeans and stifling a yawn. He didn't deserve to be tired, not right now.

  Teric snapped something out angrily into his phone, then muttered a quiet apology. A few agreeing noises later and Teric murmured goodbye, shutting his phone with a click.

  Turning, he set the phone down on his desk and glanced at Edrin hesitantly. "Sorry. If I woke you."

  "It's okay," Edrin replied awkwardly. "Look, Teric—"

  "Don't." Teric frowned, his ears twitching dangerously. "I don't—Edrin, why?"

  "I don't know," Edrin said, frustrated. He sagged against his bed, frowning miserably. "I don't like him. I hate him. He's infuriating and I hate him."

  "You kissed him," Teric said, managing to keep his voice level.

  "I don't know why." Edrin dug his hands into his hair. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have and I really, really wish I hadn't—" Except that Akeid tasted wonderful and kissed even better—

  "You did." Teric sighed. "Come over here."

  Edrin crossed the room slowly, wondering if Teric was going to slug him or something. "Why?"

  "Sit." Teric pointed to the foot of his bed. "You're not sitting across the room talking to me." Teric watched him pensively as he climbed onto the bed, waiting for Edrin to settle before continuing. "I … I accept your apology." Teric sighed, his tail twitching agitatedly. "But why—how did you even get to it?"