Kaylen's perspective

Kaylen sat at the small kitchen table, his gaze fixed on the note Asahin had left him. His fingers tightened around the fragile paper, creasing it slightly as his eyes scanned the neat, deliberate handwriting. His chest felt tight, his breath shallow. The words on the paper seemed ordinary enough, but they left a strange weight in his chest.

 He had just seen Asahin at the university, their brief, charged exchange in the bathroom replaying relentlessly in his mind. The tension between them had been palpable, twisting his insides into knots, leaving him feeling unsettled and raw.

Everything had begun to shift since that night at the party. That single moment when their eyes met across the crowded room—it was as if the ground beneath his feet had fractured. His heart had slammed so hard against his ribcage he thought it might break free, and his knees had nearly buckled beneath him. His entire body had vibrated with an unfamiliar hum, sharp and reverberating, like a temple bell struck too hard. The sensation had been so visceral, so consuming.

He didn't understand it. Asahin had always triggered feelings of resentment, discomfort, and rejection in him. Those violet eyes had always seemed cold, calculating—murky pools of deceit.

But that night… they were different. Clear and radiant, like polished amethysts catching the light. And stranger still, they felt familiar. A haunting kind of familiarity that whispered through his bones, awakening a memory he couldn't quite reach.

Kaylen found himself moving toward him without even realizing it. An invisible pull drew him closer, tightening the strange hum in his chest until it was almost painful. Asahin's eyes widened as Kaylen approached, and when Asahin's hands grabbed onto his arm, a strange pulse passed through him.

Heat crawled across Kaylen's skin, but he didn't pull away. He should have — but he didn't.

And then Asahin's body faltered. His eyes fluttered shut, his knees gave out. Without hesitation, Kaylen's arms were around his waist, catching him before he could hit the floor. Asahin's body was warm — too warm — his breathing shallow and uneven. Kaylen's arms tightened instinctively around him, and as he pulled Asahin's thin frame against his chest, the strange humming in his body settled. A deep breath filled his lungs, carrying the soft, sweet scent of spring. Blooming trees and green fields. It was intoxicating — and painfully familiar.

Kaylen insisted on carrying him back to his room. He couldn't explain why — only that the idea of someone else touching Asahin, carrying him, made something sharp and possessive flare in his chest. Darrien's protests followed him down the hall, but Kaylen barely heard them. His only focus was the soft weight of Asahin's body in his arms, the steady rise and fall of his breath against Kaylen's shoulder.

When he laid Asahin down on the bed, Kaylen's hands lingered. He brushed damp strands of hair away from Asahin's pale forehead, his thumb hesitating just over the curve of his cheekbone. His chest tightened. He wanted to stay but he couldn't.

Long after the party ended, Kaylen found himself standing at the threshold of Asahin's room, the soft scent of spring still lingering in the air. His feet carried him closer to the bed without his permission. Asahin's face was still pale, his brow damp with sweat. Kaylen frowned, his hand instinctively reaching out to touch his forehead. Feverish heat radiated beneath his fingertips.

Asahin's hand shot out, curling around Kaylen's wrist with surprising strength. His eyes didn't open, but his grip tightened.

"So cooling," Asahin whispered, his breath shaky but relieved.

Kaylen's chest squeezed. He sat down on the edge of the bed, brushing his other hand over Asahin's hair. Slowly, the tension in Asahin's body eased. His breathing steadied beneath Kaylen's touch, and the fevered flush on his cheeks began to fade. Kaylen sat there for hours, his hand pressed against Asahin's chest, feeling the slow, steady beat of his heart beneath his palm.

It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. And yet, Kaylen couldn't pull away.

By the time dawn filtered through the windows, Kaylen knew he was in trouble.

He told himself he wasn't waiting when Asahin's eyes finally opened. But when those violet eyes met his, Kaylen felt that same painful squeeze in his chest again.

This was dangerous territory — uncharted and treacherous. Kaylen had made a promise to Darrien. Darrien was supposed to be his future. He couldn't afford to feel like this about someone else — let alone Darrien's bully.

Maybe that's why he agreed to help Asahin leave. He convinced himself that it would be easier if Asahin was gone — far away from Varrunna, away from Kaylen's thoughts.

But then he saw him again — staggering through the rain, his T-shirt torn and soaked. Kaylen's heart twisted at the pitiful sight. His first reaction was fury. What had happened? Why was he in that state? Why did he look so fragile, like the rain could tear him apart?

All he could think of doing was guiding Asahin into the warmth of his house. His house — his sanctuary. A place not even Darrien had seen. Kaylen couldn't explain why it felt so right to bring Asahin here — why it felt so natural to care for him.

Later that night, when Kaylen heard Asahin whimpering downstairs, he didn't hesitate. He slid down to the floor beside the sofa and pressed his hand against Asahin's forehead again. Without thinking, he released his pheromones — soft, calming, protective. The kind meant only for someone you love.

Asahin's body relaxed beneath his touch. His breathing steadied, his face softening in his sleep. Kaylen stayed there until dawn. After a whole night awake, instead of tired he felt strangely at peace.

First, Kaylen disposed off Asahin's ruined clothes and bought new ones. Then, he left the house keys with a note for Asahin, even though he didn't understand why. 

Kaylen went to the university around eleven in the morning. Asahin was still fast asleep when he checked on him. He stood by the sofa for a moment, his hand moving on its own, brushing a few strands of hair from Asahin's face. He looked so still, so quiet, the soft light from the window illuminating his pale skin. Kaylen's hand hovered for a moment, but he forced himself to pull away. He felt a familiar warmth stir under his skin as his pheromones slipped free without him realizing it.

What was strange was how unaffected Asahin seemed. Before, Kaylen's pheromones would have sent him into a frenzy—but now, Asahin seemed soothed by them. His breathing slowed, and his face relaxed. It didn't make sense. Once pheromone glands were damaged, they couldn't heal. That was a fact. But here was Asahin, responding as though nothing had ever been wrong.

Kaylen clenched his fists and turned away, determined not to linger. He wouldn't think about it anymore.

But as he walked through campus, his thoughts kept circling back to Asahin. Was he awake yet? Did the bruises on his stomach hurt? Did he manage to eat something before leaving?

He checked his phone throughout the day, hoping Asahin would call or text, but nothing came. After his last class, Kaylen went to the Morrison estate. He didn't want to go home. He couldn't say why—he just didn't feel ready to step into that house.

To his surprise, Asahin did call the next day. But as soon as Kaylen answered, Asahin hung up and sent a message saying it was a mistake. Kaylen's chest tightened. Why did that disappoint him? What was wrong with him?

He tried to push Asahin from his mind, but the universe seemed determined to keep them connected. He saw Asahin at the university later that day, reflected in the mirror above the sinks in the bathroom. Kaylen's heart kicked up instantly. Asahin looked pale, his skin drawn tight over his sharp features. His eyes were dark and sunken, and his lips had lost their usual color. Kaylen frowned. How could he have deteriorated so much in just a day?

Then came the request—meet me after midnight. Kaylen's body tensed. His mind spun with thoughts he shouldn't have been having. And when Asahin mentioned his pheromones and how they had caused trouble, Kaylen's stomach twisted with guilt. He hadn't meant to make things harder for him. Out of guilt—or maybe something deeper—he agreed to meet him.

Asahin left without another word, leaving Kaylen feeling unsteady. After classes, he avoided the Morrison estate and returned to his house. The air inside smelled fresh, like spring, calming the unease in his chest. 

Now, as he sat at the kitchen table, Kaylen's hand tightened around Asahin's note. His gray eyes narrowed as he thought about Darrien. Something wasn't adding up. If Darrien knew about the pheromones, why hadn't he said anything? Why did it feel like something darker — something hidden — was unfolding beneath the surface?

And why, even now, did Kaylen feel like the answers were tied to Asahin?

The note crumpled beneath his fingertips.

Midnight couldn't come fast enough.