The moonlight spilled in through the half-open curtains, casting silver bars across Eli's desk and books. His room was still — the kind of quiet that made the night feel like it was holding its breath.
Outside, under the shadow of the maple tree, Riven stood motionless. The streetlamp was a good ten paces away, leaving him cloaked in darkness. From here, he could see the outline of Eli's sleeping form — the slow, steady rise and fall of his chest beneath the blanket, the faint curve of his lips, the stray lock of hair brushing his forehead.
He didn't know when this had started. The need to see him. To make sure he was here, unharmed. Maybe it was after the first time they met. Maybe it was long before that, when something unspoken had already pulled them into each other's orbit.
The breeze carried the faint scent of Eli's shampoo, and for a fleeting moment, Riven imagined crossing the yard, testing the old latch on the window. He knew it wouldn't take much — just a quiet push, and he could be inside, close enough to hear the soft rhythm of Eli's breathing.
He remembered the kiss. The way Eli had responded — hesitant, then sure. The way his lips had parted like a secret. Riven hadn't meant to cross that line. Not yet. But something in him had snapped — the need to claim, to anchor, to feel Eli against him.
And Eli had kissed back.
But now, in the hush of night, Riven wasn't sure if Eli remembered. Or if he thought it was a dream.
He stayed in the shadows, letting the seconds stretch into minutes, the minutes into something heavier. He memorized the stillness of this moment, the proof that Eli was safe. Then, without a sound, he melted back into the night.
Morning
Eli woke with the taste of something on his lips — not food, not sleep. Something warmer. Something felt.
He sat up slowly, blinking at the light. The window was closed. The curtains still half-drawn. But his chest hummed with that same low awareness, like a thread pulled tight inside him.
Had it happened?
He touched his mouth, then shook his head. Just a dream. Probably.
School
The hallway was full of chatter and clanging lockers, the kind of noise that made the quiet of last night feel unreal.
Their teacher clapped her hands, instantly quieting the room.
"Alright, listen up! As you know, the annual school trip is next week. This year, we're heading to Haruna Lakeside Retreat."
The class erupted in cheers and groans.
"Cabins or tents?" someone called.
"Cabins," the teacher said with a smile. "Three days, two nights. Kayaking, hiking, night activities — the works. Lists for room assignments will be posted on Friday."
Eli barely had time to process before Kael leaned over from the next row, grin bright. "Sounds fun. We should—"
"Already taken care of," Riven's voice cut in from directly behind Eli.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "What, you've already decided who you're bunking with?"
"I'm not into group trips," Riven said evenly. His arm brushed the back of Eli's chair, a subtle, deliberate contact. "But I'm making an exception."
His gaze lingered on Eli, not Kael.
Eli blinked, caught between confusion and the strange pull in his chest. "Uh… okay?"
Riven didn't elaborate. He didn't need to.
Lunch
The trip dominated every conversation. Who would bring what, which activities were worth skipping, and, most importantly, who would be in whose cabin.
Kael slid into the seat across from Eli, unwrapping his sandwich with a grin. "Rule number one of school trips — always pack your own snacks. Don't rely on the vending machines."
"Why?" Eli asked, half-smiling.
"They always run out, and you don't want to fight over the last packet of chips."
Riven dropped his tray onto the table beside Eli without asking. "You don't need snacks. They attract raccoons."
Kael chuckled. "That sounds less like a warning and more like an excuse to make him share with you."
"Maybe both," Riven replied, eyes never leaving Eli.
Eli felt the tension between them like static — quiet, invisible, but ready to spark. Every glance, every pause seemed to pull tighter between them, like threads winding toward a knot neither of them could see yet.
He tried to focus on the conversation, but his thoughts kept drifting — to the kiss, to the way Riven had looked at him, to the way Kael's presence seemed to stir something territorial in Riven.
The trip was still a week away, but Eli could already feel it.
Something was going to happen.
Something he wasn't sure he was ready for.