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Head pillowed against his arms, Ruggie lay heavily against the lecture hall’s table. Noise buzzed around him as people left their seats, got back into their seats, chatted with friends- whatever else people usually did in their short break. Normally Ruggie would be doing the same, talking to the people he would be spending the next three years with was definitely a good way of building potential connections- but not today.
Today he was tired.
Not just regular, stayed-up-too-late-feeding-Leona tired or slightly less regular, worked-nonstop-at-the-longue-for-hours tired, but a real, bone deep sort of tired. One that makes it a chore to so much as lift your head; hence why he was currently lying like a puppet with his strings cut.
It was the middle of the year and not only did that mean it was now unbearably hot a lot of days, but also (inconveniently) it meant his birthday was fast approaching. Scrounging together enough money for him to even be able to finance the transportation to take him to university in the first place had put him, and his grandma, in dire straits, so there was (frankly) no way in hell he was going to be able to afford to go back anytime soon.
As much as he knew this was inevitable and he knew his grandma understood (better than him, for sure), it didn’t mean it hadn’t left a sour taste in his mouth. He had spent years trying to get away from where he grew up, and now he couldn’t get back. What a stupid joke.
From behind him, a strangely familiar laugh rang out. Ruggie recognised it in a second, which was weird; he had only met the owner of said laugh properly once, excluding the brief introduction they had during freshers because Ruggie was pretty positive he didn’t remember it. It seemed more like he had just been running around introducing himself to anyone he could get his hands on- like he’d never been outside before.
Kalim.
He was… a character. Yeah. He was hard to describe, but only because he was so much larger than any words. Outgoing, but reserved. Friendly, but somehow always alone more than not. Happy, but cautious. Ruggie could see it in his eyes; the way he’d scan a room in seconds before entering, how he picked at anything given to him without actually eating it.
Lying there now, eyes closed but ears pricked up, Ruggie noticed for the first time how he had accidentally begun to keep tabs on his random classmate. Oops.
Maybe he reminded him of the kids back home, maybe he just thought he was interesting. He didn’t want to dig. Not when it revolved around that chiming laugh.
A shallow whisper made Ruggie’s ear twitch, folding backwards in a way that he knew made it obvious he was listening, but he didn’t care enough to stop.
“What’s his…?”
“You're hopeless.”
Kalim and Jamil’s voices were recognisable only because they almost always spoke when the other did. If Kalim had something to say, likely chance was that Jamil was there too. Made it a hell of a lot easier to remember their voices.
Kalim clung to Jamil like a lifeline. It was impossible to miss how he would hang off of every word he said, how he would look to him in every situation; the only person Ruggie was sure Kalim trusted. Again, weird since he tried so desperately hard to make himself open to everyone. Ruggie could see in Jamil that he was impatient, but Kalim had some sort of sway over him that he just couldn’t ignore.
When the year began and Kalim had ran around to everyone during freshers, Ruggie had been convinced he and Jamil were dating. The quiet eyerolls, unamused sighs, and occasional eye twitches he caught from the latter made Ruggie backtrack on that assumption pretty quickly.
They were both weird, he had decided.
Distracted by his own thoughts, he had failed to notice the object of his thoughts getting closer. That was until a light tap on his shoulder startled him.
“What’s up,” Ruggie had said before his eyes fully adjusted to the light of the room, blinking away the blur, he squinted at the person leaned over looking at him. Damn it. Today wasn’t his day.
“Oh, hi!” Kalim smiled immediately, his red eyes capturing the light of the window, “I just wanted to make sure you hadn’t fallen asleep!”
Looking him up and down once he could see better, Ruggie raised a brow at him. “Nah.”
“Tired?” Kalim tilted his head, continuing to lean against the chair beside Ruggie. He didn’t seem to find it strange to ask a (for all intents and purposes) stranger that at all.
“I guess.” He shrugged, looking back to the board, silently hoping their lecturer would walk back in any second.
“Ohhh,” Kalim nodded like he understood, “you do have pretty big eyebags.”
Ruggie laughed before anything else could happen- a genuine, unexpected laugh. Behind him, he heard Jamil sigh especially loudly; probably hoping Kalim would hear and leave him alone, but that didn’t happen.
Smiling at Ruggie’s laughter, Kalim pulled the chair out and sat down. “Why’re you so tired?”
“Why do ya wanna know?” Ruggie countered, cheek pressed against his hand, elbow on the table. He was more relaxed than before, like an invisible ailment had been lifted from him.
“Dunno,” Shrugged Kalim, his golden earrings bouncing against his neck, “I guess I’m just nosy!”
That much was obvious.
“Hey, you wanna come to the party I’m having?” Kalim spoke again, words falling out of him like he had asked a million times, “It’ll be fun!”
Ruggie made a face, not exactly keen to waste his time.
“Come onnn,” Kalim moved closer, invading his space and pestering him like they were friends, like he actually cared whether or not he came, “it’s on the eighteenth so you got plenty time to sleep first!”
“When’s it?” Ruggie asked even though he had heard him perfectly.
“The eighteenthhh.”
Before he could stop himself, Ruggie spoke again. “That’s my birthday.”
“Oh really?” Kalim’s eyes lit up in an instant, “That’s totally cool you don’t have time then, what’re you gonna do?”
Ruggie wasn’t entirely sure why it being his birthday meant he was suddenly exempt from Kalim’s pushiness, or why he had to be doing something. Or why he cared so much.
“Nothin’.” He said curtly, glancing up to Jamil, who caught his eye and gave him a sympathetic yet unhelpful look back.
“Nothing?” Kalim echoed, confusion colouring his face, “Why? You don’t like your birthday?”
“First off, you’re insanely nosy,” Ruggie jabbed a finger into his arm; Kalim laughed like it tickled and he quickly pulled back, oddly embarrassed by himself, “secondly, cuz it’s a waste of money. Just a day like any other, in’it.”
“That’s so sad!” Wailed Kalim, frowning like it was him who couldn’t go home and had to lie to his classmate to avoid pity, “You definitely have to come now,” He looked serious, “you can be the guest of honour!”
“Shhyeheh, this a party or a ball? Am I gonna see the king too?”
Kalim laughed at that. He laughed at a lot of things, Ruggie gathered, but that didn’t mean it didn’t make his chest swell with pride when it was because of him. Kalim was handsome, there was no doubt about it, and Ruggie had heard enough people saying exactly that so he didn’t feel weird for thinking it. But when he laughed, it was a step above.
Ruggie felt like he was being reeled in by him, like the world's most passive fish on a hook, escape wasn’t anywhere in his mind.
“You’re funny,” Kalim finished laughing with a heavy breath, a clarity crossing his face as he looked back at the brunette.
“You trynna get me to be the jester?” Ruggie felt himself grinning back, surprised by how easy he found it to talk with him. Absentmindedly, he brought the end of his pen to his mouth, chewing lightly at it as he smiled, tooth peeking past his lips.
Kalim’s eyes caught the movement, following the pen up until he shook his head and smiled again, insisting that he show up. For someone who seemed so easily distractable, Ruggie found that Kalim was spending a damn long time trying to convince him. Endeared or annoyed, he didn’t look deep enough to know which, Ruggie eventually agreed just as their lecturer re-entered the room, not wanting to cause a fuss after everyone had gone quiet again.
Burying his face into his scarf, Ruggie walked downhill, following the map he had looked up briefly on Leona’s phone and then tried his best to remember. Along the wall beside him, a cat jumped up, startling him.
“Hey,” he stopped, turning and offering it his hand to sniff, “ya scared me.”
The cat meowed in response, rubbing its head along his knuckles before continuing on its walk.
Ruggie laughed to himself quietly, equally continuing his journey. At the top of the street (he hoped) he thought briefly about how it looked just a little sad to be showing up to a party by himself, completely sober. No, he thought more as he walked, turning up drunk would have been worse. Not that that was what was stopping him by any means- he had tried, but Leona was stingy with his alcohol.
He was stingy with a lot of things actually.
Eh. Whatever. If there was one thing he knew about Kalim that didn’t revolve around how much of a character he was, it was that he was stinking rich. Oblivious and rich, a perfect combination, Ruggie thought generously.
He had spent the majority of his birthday running around doing any manner of odd jobs, deep down maybe he still hoped he could gather together enough, even if it was after the fact. Azul had given him a slightly longer shift, even though they hadn’t been that busy- maybe he knew. As if the memory of work prompted him, he realised too that he still had his fringe clipped to the side.
Whatever. It looked kinda cool like that anyway.
He buried his hands deeper into his pockets and walked sideways through the half open gate of the house, nodding in a vague greeting to the pair standing against the wall. He could tell the door was open so he nudged it with his foot, immediately being washed with warm orange light and even warmer indoor air.
Following the music to the kitchen where he aimed to hide his coat somewhere, he recognised Riddle’s red hair before anything else.
Riddle seemed to recognise him too, making fleeting eye contact before pointing in his direction to the person he was talking to.
Ruggie wasn’t really surprised when Kalim turned around, his red eyes searching for just a second before he spotted him. His eyes went wide with surprise and he quickly bounced over to him. Ruggie watched in real time as Riddle looked both ways before escaping into another room.
“Ruggieee!” Kalim hugged him (ok…) before kissing him lightly on both cheeks, “I’m so happy you actually came!” He smiled happily until he, presumably, saw the pure shock on the brunette’s face.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” He clapped both hands over his face, swaying side to side as he apologised. Peeking through his fingers, he frowned, “I’m a bit tipsy and it was instinct… Did you do something with your hair?”
Pretending as hard as he could that his face wasn’t red and wasn’t a hundred degrees, Ruggie forced a laugh, “It’s no biggie, ya just caught me off guard ‘s all.” His cheeks burned like he had been branded. He pulled his scarf up to his face.
“Ahh, that’s so embarrassing,” Kalim began to laugh, waving dismissively, “anyway, happy birthday! Did you do anything fun?”
Before Ruggie could answer, he spoke again, “Wait, wait! I had something…” He rushed off, passing Jamil as he ran.
“Uh, ok?” Ruggie just stood, confused beyond words. This guy was like a hurricane, and Ruggie was definitely getting blown away.
Spotting him, Jamil went over to him, “Sorry about Kalim, I don’t know why he’s so excited.” He looked at Ruggie for a moment, eyes narrowing, “Why’re you so red?”
“Hot.” He replied simply, staring ahead; Jamil made up for what Kalim lacked in perceptiveness.
“I’ll take your coat,” Jamil was already holding out his arm like he was a waiter at a fancy restaurant. When Ruggie looked apprehensive, he sighed and pinched the back of his coat, encouraging him to turn around so he could take it off himself.
“If Kalim wants to play with you, just let him. He has selective hearing when it comes to… a lot of things.”
“Oh yeah?” Ruggie shrugged his arms from his sleeves, interested by what Jamil meant. It was impossible not to notice how Kalim would ask a question and then cut you off before you could answer, or how he would pester until you gave the response he wanted, but Ruggie had never taken it as an insult; to him, he just seemed excitable. Just let him. Was that what Jamil had been doing? No wonder he was irritable.
“I don’t have a problem sayin’ no to people.”
Jamil’s thin brows raised, “Yeah, sure. You chaperone him then.”
As if sensing his approaching presence, Jamil’s already narrowed eyes sharpened more, glancing to the side before he took Ruggie’s coat and followed to where Riddle had also fled to.
“Ok??” Even more confused than before, the feeling of being tossed around like a ragdoll was annoying Ruggie, just a little. Why was Jamil talking about Kalim like he was some magical force that nobody could deny? Stupid. Ruggie was sure he was exaggerating massively.
Exactly thirty seconds after Jamil left, Kalim barreled back into the kitchen, bumping his arm against the doorframe as he entered.
“Wow!” He said happily, breathing quickly like he had ran somewhere, “Sorry, haha! Here you go!” He thrust a flat, wrapped square at Ruggie, who, confused as he still was, took it.
“What’s this?” Crinkling his nose, the brunette looked between the gift and Kalim with suspicion.
“A birthday present!”
“...Why?”
“Becaaause it’s your birthday?” Kalim swayed side to side, smiling despite the questioning, “Happy birthday!” He repeated, already having forgotten he’d said it earlier.
Ruggie frowned at him as he tore the paper open, one sharp fingernail being enough to slice the delicate paper down the side cleanly.
“A notebook?” Ruggie spoke aloud, his heart beginning to thud against his chest.
Kalim nodded enthusiastically, taking it from him without a second thought, “I noticed you were running out of space in yours so…” Flipping through the lined pages, he stopped suddenly, “I hope that’s not weird or anything! I wasn’t spying on you, I swear.” He laughed genuinely, looking just a little guilty as he handed it back.
Gently retaking the notebook, Ruggie felt as his ears involuntarily flicked back, his face a mixture of surprise and confusion.
“You… don’t even know me.”
“Of course I know you, and what’s it matter anyway?”
It mattered. It mattered a lot, to Ruggie anyway. Was it too late to tell Jamil he wasn’t cut out for this? Kalim’s shining halo was gonna take him out! Seriously, someone help!
His plea was answered when Floyd peeked around the corner, hanging dangerously off the door frame.
“Sea otter, suckerfish, c’mere,” he nodded back into the living room, his sharp teeth glinting dangerously, “we need more people to play.”
“Ooohh,” Kalim jumped excitedly, “sure!”
“You not even gonna ask what-” Ruggie cut himself off when Kalim took him by the arm, pulling him playfully into the next room, his warm body pressing insistently against him.
“Alright. Guess not.” He mumbled jokingly, and Kalim laughed. He always laughed. Ruggie figured he didn’t mind so much.
Kalim’s bed didn’t squeak, or creak, or groan when you sat on it, which was more than Ruggie could say about his own sad, university-loaned bed. It was a lot bigger too. The sheets were a stark, deep red that Ruggie found himself running his hand over. Cool to the touch, but silky in a way that screamed overpriced.
Catching himself as he zoned out, staring point blank into the red abyss, Ruggie blinked once, a feeble attempt at sobering up. Why were they even in here again…
Oh yeah.
Kalim had a headache.
And he dragged him along for- some reason. Not like he was complaining. Kalim’s room smelled nice.
A dip in the mattress told him that Kalim had sat down beside him. He turned his head.
“You’re really cute, you know,” Kalim was a lot closer than he had expected, his sharp red eyes scanning over his face drowsily, expression relaxed.
Sure now that he was drunker than he thought, just based on how he hadn’t flinched at the close proximity, Ruggie blinked again, slowly.
“Huh?” He had heard him, but the lack of reaction within himself had caused him to doubt the words he heard.
Leaning his head against the brunette’s shoulder, Kalim hummed without speaking for a moment. Once that moment had passed, he sat up again, looking just a little more awake.
“Sorry, is it ok if I do that?”
“Uh,” Finally, Ruggie felt his heart kick, “sure. I don’t mind.”
The same weight pressed against his shoulder again, Kalim’s short, white hair grazing against his cheek.
“How’s your head?” A quiet snicker made him fumble to complete the sentence, “Ache. Headache. Shuddup.”
“Pffft,” Kalim laughed against him, body shaking lightly, “I’m ok, it was just a bit noisy down there.”
“You want me to get Jamil?”
“He’ll be here soon.” He dismissed easily, waving a hand in the air.
Whether that was actually as ominous as it sounded was still up for debate.
Kalim shifted how he sat, tilting his head so he could look at the brunette as he spoke, “Will you stay with me?”
Ruggie wasn’t an idiot. Not by a long shot. And he could recognise the conniving, faux-sad eyes that the other street kids would give him in a heartbeat. Question was, what was Kalim up to?
“I am, aren’t I?” Without thinking much, he patted him on the knee.
Leaning closer, Kalim’s eyes fell dangerously close to closing, a sly look across his calm face, “You do what you’re told, hm?”
Ruggie opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Changing his tune in a manner that almost gave the other whiplash, Kalim moved away, sitting up properly.
“People say you do anything for a price, ‘s that true?”
Rolling his eyes, Ruggie scoffed, “Don’t make me sound like a hooker.”
Kalim shrugged, “That’s just what I hear.”
“Well,” Ruggie felt himself bristle, and he knew he’d be doing more than getting snappy if he wasn’t still moderately foggy in the head (and he felt oddly fond for Kalim, but he was going to ignore that), “that’s bullshit.”
He knew how fast rumours spread; how quickly they spiralled out of control too. One thing leads to another and half the campus is convinced he’d lay himself down for just anything. Annoying thing was those ideas were entirely unfounded, he hadn’t done anything even close- not that it would warrant everyone else’s nosiness. Ugh.
“Sorry sorry,” Kalim wrapped himself around his arm, leaning his cheek against him, “I didn’t mean it badly. I just wanted to know cuz-”
For some strange reason, Ruggie mentally braced himself.
“-I sometimes need help with work, and I don’t like to stress Jamil out.”
That.
Was actually not at all what he was expecting.
“Oh.”
Kalim failed to stifle a laugh, “Oh?” He echoed before purring, “What? Did you want me to ask you to get on your back?”
“Kalim-” Ruggie barked a scandalised laugh, face warm.
“I think you did,” He continued to tease, running a finger up and down his arm, “what would you have said?”
Ruggie went quiet for a second, thinking. Then he thought about thinking; why was he even taking that question seriously?
“Yeah…” He said, eyes focusing on the low light coming from Kalim’s table lamp, its colourful hue brightening up the wall. Cool.
“Yeah? What yeah?”
Ruggie’s mind still hadn’t quite caught up to his mouth, “Wait, what?”
“You would have said yes?!” Kalim gaped at him, his previous facade falling away, “I was only kidding!” He nudged at him jokingly.
“What did I say?”
“I’m pretty sure you just said you’d let me come on to you.”
At that, a moment of lucidity washed over the brunette.
“Oh fuck,” he clapped his hands over his face, red down to his neck, mumbling, “sorry, I guess I’m a bit tipsy too.”
Kalim patted him in the same way he patted him earlier, still smiling, “Aww, don’t be sorry, I’m flattered.” He laughed, not in a mean way, more in a genuinely entertained way.
“Stop laughing.” Ruggie let himself dramatically fall back against the plush mattress, hands still covering his face, “This is why I don’t drink.”
“Haha, I don’t think it’s bad.” Kalim spoke quieter this time, hovering down over Ruggie by supporting himself with a hand by his head, “I think you’re sweet. I wouldn’t mind either.”
Like a self-fulfilling prophecy, Ruggie lay frozen on his back, staring up into Kalim’s inescapable eyes.
The moment stretched.
When Ruggie’s flickering eyes dropped down to Kalim’s lips, the latter bent further down, pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss.
He pulled a fraction back, waiting for a negative response. When none came, he repeated the action. The third time, Ruggie felt his mouth part slightly, as if on instinct. Silently, Kalim took the opportunity, swiping their tongues together for a split second.
A second wave of lucidity rolled over Ruggie just as his body felt like it might catch on fire.
Kalim pulled back. He wanted to ask why.
Then the door slammed open.
“Kalim, I brought you some water,” Jamil spoke before he fully entered the room. The second he did, he stood still, staring at the two, “why are you here?”
“Rude.”
“He’s keeping me company!”
Unconvinced, Jamil clearly didn’t think it worth the fight, “Here,”
Taking the glass, Kalim thanked him.
Ruggie brushed himself off, “I need another drink.”
Head resting against his closed fist, Kalim leaned against the table as he daydreamed. Beside him, Silver diligently typed away, the sounds of the library muffled and quiet.
Kalim frowned, his short brows furrowing together as he thought.
Catching his expression, Silver looked over at him, tilting his head as he quietly asked, “Is something wrong?”
“Hmm,” Kalim replied, still stuck in his thoughts, “I’m trynna remember something from… oh.”
“Oh?” Echoed Silver, concern clouding his usually serene face.
“Oh no- no, no!” Kalim’s red eyes widened, his expression turning anguished in an instant as a memory flickered back into his mind, “Silver…”
“Kalim,” He replied, measured as always, “what is it?”
“Were you there yesterday?”
“At your home?” Silver waited for Kalim to nod before continuing, “For a little while, yes.”
“Was I…” Kalim trailed, tapping his fingers together guiltily, “drunk?”
He thought he saw Silver hold down a small smile.
“Shouldn’t you remember if you weren’t?”
“Ah… good point.” Nodded Kalim, hand to his chin as he thought, “I think I got drunk and flirted with Jamil…”
Silver made an ‘O’ shape with his mouth.
“I don’t remember that, but I remember Jamil. And saying things. I think I’ll just hope that was a weird dream.” He laughed awkwardly.
__
“Dude, that’s seriously gross.” Leona wrinkled his nose, turning away from Ruggie, who hugged the rim of their dorm’s toilet bowl like it could save him.
“I’m not havin’ the best time either, Jackass,” He panted, unshed tears pricking his eyes. Leona handed him a glass of water from which he tentatively took a sip.
The lion huffed a gruff laugh, “Be glad I came to pick you up, you acted like I was kidnapping you.”
Ruggie snickered.
“It wasn’t funny. You refused to leave until we found that random ass notebook,” Leona rolled his eyes and toyed with his braid, “and then Kalim was all like ‘ohh! Be safe!’.” He mocked Kalim to an almost impressive degree, causing Ruggie to laugh a lot harder, quickly followed by another heave and a plea to stop making him laugh.
“I don’t even know that guy.” Ruggie spoke slowly, afraid to move wrong and accidentally trigger another unpleasant string of events.
“Maybe you guys really bonded while you were drunk.”
“Maybe.”