16. LOVEBIRDS

Alex woke up to warmth. A comforting, steady warmth that wrapped around him like a cocoon. He blinked, adjusting to the dim morning light filtering through the curtains, and then realized; he was in Dave's arms.

The scent of fresh linen and something distinctly Dave, clean and faintly musky, filled his senses. His head rested against Dave's chest, rising and falling with each slow breath. His arm was draped over Dave's waist, while Dave's own arm was wrapped securely around him.

For a moment, Alex didn't move. He let himself savor the rare feeling of safety, of belonging. But then, reality nudged him. They had class today. He needed to get up. Carefully, he tried to shift out of Dave's grasp.

Big mistake.

As soon as he moved, Dave's hold tightened.

"Not yet," Dave murmured, voice thick with sleep.

Alex froze. He looked up and found Dave's eyes half-open, soft and heavy with drowsiness. His lips curled into a lazy smile before he leaned down and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to Alex's forehead.

Heat rushed up Alex's neck. He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut for a second before burying his face into Dave's chest.

Dave chuckled, his chest vibrating slightly. "Still shy?"

"Shut up," Alex mumbled, gripping the fabric of Dave's shirt.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, wrapped up in each other and the silence of the morning. The room around them was a quiet contrast to last night's chaos. Dave's dorm was bigger than most; one of those private single rooms with enough space for an actual bed instead of a cramped twin. A desk sat against the wall, cluttered with books and a laptop, while a small shelf held scattered personal items; photos and a stack of vinyl records. The window beside the bed let in just enough golden morning light to cast soft shadows across the room.

Alex exhaled. "We have class," he reminded.

Dave hummed but made no effort to let go. "You can skip."

"You never skip."

Dave finally loosened his grip but instead of letting go completely, he shifted, sitting up against the headboard. He studied Alex for a second, then said, "Move in with me."

Alex, who was about to get out of bed, stopped. "What?"

Dave met his eyes, unshaken. "Move in with me. My dorm's bigger, and… I just want you here."

Alex stared at him, searching for any trace of teasing. There was none.

He swallowed. "I'll think about it."

Dave arched a brow. "That's not a no."

Alex huffed, standing up. "I'm taking a shower."

He made his way to the bathroom, refusing to look back. But as he closed the door behind him, he couldn't stop the small, involuntary smile tugging at his lips.

On the bed, Dave watched him go, a slow grin spreading across his own face.

Scott sat motionless in the empty lecture hall, chewing absentmindedly on the end of his pen as he stared at the message on his phone.

Mike: I'm waiting for you outside your lecture hall.

The words lingered on his screen, but Scott couldn't bring himself to reply. He tapped his fingers against the desk, hesitating. Why was Mike waiting for him? Why now? After last night's scene? How can he face him?

The lecture hall had been silent for a while now, empty except for him. He had been so lost in thought that he barely noticed when the security guard called out, "Hey, kid. I'm locking up."

Scott blinked, breaking from his daze. "Oh, yeah. Sorry." He stuffed his phone into his pocket, grabbed his bag, and hurried outside.

There, standing under the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, was Mike.

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither speaking. The campus grounds were lively with students walking by, chatting, but in that second, it felt like there was only the two of them.

Mike finally broke the silence. "Hey."

Scott didn't reply, he just lifted a hand in a small, reluctant wave before walking up to him. "How'd you know I was here?"

Mike shoved his hands into his pockets. "Dave told me."

At the mention of Dave's name, Scott stiffened. His fingers instinctively curled into his sleeve, his mind flashing back to the previous night, to Dave, to Alex, to everything he'd seen and everything he wished he hadn't.

Mike noticed. "Wanna grab a coffee at the campus café?" His voice was casual, almost like he was trying not to push.

Scott hesitated. His first instinct was to say no. To leave. But something about Mike standing there, waiting, made him nod. "Yeah. Sure."

They walked together toward the café, the silence between them strangely comfortable.

But when they arrived, they froze.

Sitting at one of the tables, facing away from them, was Dave. He was alone, his posture straight, hands resting on the table like he was waiting for someone.

Scott's heart clenched.

Mike leaned in slightly, his voice low. "Should we leave?"

Scott was just about to agree when Dave shifted, his head tilting slightly like he had caught a whisper of their presence. Then, slowly, he turned.

For a second, none of them spoke.

Then Dave stood up. "Scott."

Scott felt something tighten in his chest. He tapped Mike on the arm. "Can you give us a minute?"

Mike hesitated before nodding. He took a step back, hands still in his pockets, and turned away. People in the café were already starting to glance in their direction, sensing the tension.

Scott walks up to sit at the table where Dave was standing, looking at him. He stares at Dave, but Dave couldn't. He heard from Mike already that Scott saw him and Alex kiss last night, so this to him, isn't a sight to see. He looks up, and there was Scott, looking him straight in the eye, Scott leans forward a bit, as if that would make him see even through Dave's heart, closing the space between them. Dave's expression was unreadable, but his voice was firm. "I can explain."

Scott let out a short, dry chuckle. "You don't have to."

"No." Dave shook his head. "I should've been clearer with you from the start. I..."

Scott raised a hand, stopping him. "It's not your fault, Dave. I pushed too much." He forced a small smile, though it felt heavy. "I should've known."

Dave frowned. "That doesn't mean you didn't deserve honesty."

A silence stretched between them.

Then, Scott sighed. "Are you happy?"

Dave exhaled, glancing down for a second before meeting Scott's gaze again. "I think… yeah. I am."

Scott looked at him for a long moment before nodding. "That's all that matters then."

A flicker of something passed through Dave's eyes, guilt, maybe. 

Mike was standing outside. And coming toward him, pacing fast, was Alex. Mike immediately stepped in front of Alex, blocking his way. "Whoa, hold on."

Alex frowned, annoyed. "What?"

Mike crossed his arms. "Your boyfriend's inside. Making up with someone."

Alex's jaw tightened. He looked past Mike, eyes locking onto the scene inside. Mike stuck out a hand. "Mike. Nice to meet you."

Alex stared at the outstretched hand, then shook his head. "Not interested." And with that, he stepped around Mike and walked in.

By the time Alex reached them, Scott and Dave had just finished talking. Alex wasn't smiling. He stood over Dave, gaze unreadable. "Let's go home."

Dave frowned. "What's wrong?"

Alex didn't answer. Scott watched as Dave glanced between him and Mike before sighing and gently taking Alex's hand. He looked at them apologetically. "Sorry, he gets like this sometimes."

Mike shrugged. "No problem. You guys want coffee?"

Scott let out a small breath, rubbing his temple. "Yeah. Cappuccino."

Dave glanced at Alex before saying, "Americano for two. Thanks." He still had Alex pulled close, rubbing his arm gently, sitting beside him.

Mike gave a casual salute. "Got it." He turned and headed toward the counter. Dave smirked, turning to Scott. "Isn't he cool?"

Scott, distracted, was watching Mike walk away. Absentmindedly, he replied, "Yeah. He is."

Alex immediately lifted his head, turning sharply to glance back at Mike. His expression darkened slightly. And just like that, the tension shifted again.

Clara might have acted cool the previous night at Mike's, though the friends are all cool now. She felt like a total mess. Her room was scattered, something it had never been before. She had just got back from class, and had thrown her books on the ground. She laid on the bed, chatting, with someone she claimed she had just met online. Clara was never one to do so, but after Alex, she felt like she had to change. 

She kept rolling back and forth, until there was a knock on the door. Without waiting to receive an answer, Hannah turned the door handle and burst in. The sitting room was okay, but as she entered the room, it was a messy hell.

"What the hell Tiffany?", she paused immediately, seeing how messy the room was

"what's up?", Clara said, not looking back

"What's up? Your room is a mess", Hannah said, shifting a book out of her way. She walked up to the bed, peeped at Clara's phone.

"Are you still chatting....",

Clara immediately blocks the screen with her hand and sits up. "What did you see?"

"Nothing. We told you to quit talking with that guy right? If he turns out a high.."

"Not that "high school kid" thingy again", Clara said, her head down, then up again, shoving her hair back. 

"How can a hot guy like this be a high school kid?" She added, showing Hannah a picture from her phone. Hannah grabbed the phone immediately and looked at it carefully, she sat on the bed. 

"He sent you a picture?" she asked.

"Yessss", Clara smirked. "And he asked me out for dinner", she added.

"Dinner?", Hannah asked, wide eyed. "you're not going are you?"

Clara carefully looked at Hannah, shaking her head, "you don't like me do you?"

Hannah looked at her, and burst out laughing, "I mean, why don't you chat for like two weeks more?"

Clara thought for a while, "yeah, reasonable".

Hannah looked at the room again, then back at Clara. "Why don't you take a shower? I'll clean the room and make us something to eat". 

"Yeah", Clara sighed. She stood up immediately and head for the shower, then she looked back at her phone unlocked on the bed, Hannah peeping into to it. She walks back, grabbed it from the bed and left.