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Putting extra effort into schoolwork was not exactly what Cater Diamond considered a fun Saturday plan. He would usually prefer to galavant in the shops off campus, practice guitar, or maybe edit some video footage from the school week. It’s hard to keep up with posts when everyone and anyone wants your attention all the time! It was the curse he endured being a super cool, up-and-coming influencer.
But right now, none of that mattered. Because under the hot, late spring sun, Cater was gripping his broom sweatily, and shielding his eyes from the oppressive afternoon rays. This was a fully unsanctioned, finals-crisis-averting, freshman-grade-saving, mixed-class flight practice. Headed, of course, by the only Vil Schoenheit and Trey Clover.
The two had taken it upon themselves to make sure that no one would fail the upcoming final exam before summer break if they could help it. It was very on brand for them both, honestly. Vil always went the extra mile, and Trey would do just about anything to avoid his dorm members getting in any kind of trouble.
Cater sighed and tucked a fallen curl behind his ear before arching into a stretch. A promise to Trey was the only reason he was here at all. He had been doing that a lot more than he should lately— promising Trey things that is. It was so against his whole style, but whenever he would ask Cater something with that coaxing voice of his, he heard himself agreeing before his mind could even catch up to his stupid lips.
“Come on Cater, it will be fun. You’re really good at flight magic too, so you’ll be a great example for some of the other guys who are struggling. Please?” Trey had asked gently, leaning in the doorway to Cater’s room. He always knocked, unlike Cater. He never did.
Cater wanted to slap him, Trey looked so cute when he was begging for something it made the smaller man sick. His intense, yet tender golden eyes that always almost looked a little… glazed. Cater wanted to crawl into that weird brain and explore whatever the hell he was hiding up there. His far off gaze was way more alluring than it should be.
“Okay okay, but only, only if you let me take pics of the whole thing. There’s gonna be some spectacular wipe outs, especially if the freshmen are involved. I want to make a compilation~.”
“Good grief, a little cruel, but I guess that’s the price I’ll pay to have you. Thanks for agreeing, it’ll make everything a lot more enjoyable.”
It made him sick, the way his traitorous stomach tried to crawl into his throat when Trey would say something so effortlessly fond in such a sincere way.
“Oh my god, get out! Go make waffles or something before I— I don’t know!” Cater put his phone up as if it were a shield and scowled.
So uncool. Crushes are dumb.
“Haha, alright. I’ll let you know when dinner is ready.”
“Thank you, Trey-Trey.”
Now Trey was across the flight green as Cater watched as subtly as he could. He was far enough away that he couldn’t hear his friend speak, but he was clearly explaining something to Epel and Deuce. Cater could tell by his instructor-mode posture, and how he was smiling a lot to make the younger students more comfortable. Trey waved them off, and looked up after them as they took to the sky.
Dammit. He was gorgeous. There was no other word for it, and Cater was steaming. He had the top of his phys-ed uniform rolled around his hips today, which was very outside the norm. Maybe it was because this wasn’t a real class, and the heat was positively brutal. His wide upper body was on full display in a tight, dark red, ribbed tank top. His broad shoulders glittered with a sheen of sweat, his chest made obnoxiously prominent while his nicely toned arms were crossed. His hair was tousled and chaotic from the breeze whipping down the flat plane, and his face was stern and thoughtful as he observed the younger men’s techniques. He angled his head as he watched them do a rolling maneuver, the delicate movement making Cater keenly aware of his lovely jawline.
Cater was assaulted by fantasies of his own making. His tongue laving over Trey’s salty neck. The way his hard abdomen would feel under his hands. The throaty groan that Trey could make against his ear.
He wanted to devour him, or sock him in the pretty mouth. Either one, for the audacity of being this provocative without trying.
He couldn’t believe how violent Trey’s adorability was making him lately.
“What are you scowling about, Cater?” Vil’s poised voice cut through his daydream.
“Perhaps he is struggling in this blasted heat! Even I, a man of true spirit, am feeling wrung out by this terrible temperature!!” Sebek sauntered beside the Pomfiore Housewarden, using the bristles of his broom for makeshift shade. The freshmen looked frankly… godawful. To be fair though, he totally was one of the palest guys in school. He was cruising for a sunburn, that’s for sure.
“Hah? Oh! I guess I was, wasn't I? You’re totes right that it’s stupid outside, Sebby, but that’s not it.” Cater laughed.
“I have told you many times, human! Do not call me by your little nicknames!”
Cater chose to ignore that, and continued. “I was just wondering, have you guys ever been around someone so adorbs you just want to hit them as hard as you can? Or shake them really hard until their clueless head is allll dizzy.” He sunk his nails into the air, a nonexistent victim as he described his dilemma.
Vil looked thoughtful for a moment. Then his eyes wandered in the direction of Rook seemingly on their own. He was a few feet away, ballroom dancing with his broom. Alone.
That seemed to make up Vil’s mind somehow.
“Yes, I actually think I understand what you’re talking about. I’ve felt similar things regularly. I've found the best way to fix it is a few good strikes to the offender with a belt.” Vil slapped the back of his hand twice for emphasis as he spoke.
Cater’s mouth dropped open at the detailed honesty, but not quite as much as Sebek who looked fully aghast and deeply horrified.
“I have no idea what you could possibly be talking about!” Sebek bellowed loud enough for everyone to look up for a split second— before immediately ignoring him once again. This wasn’t unusual. He crossed his arms and frowned incredulously, “Why on earth would I ever feel the impulse to harm a creature that I care about? You humans truly are the most confusing and dangerous brutes!”
Vil’s eyebrows knit together in mild annoyance. “The term is cuteness agression, and it is very common. I’m sure the fae experience it as well. We aren’t that different.”
“Oh my god, that’s exactly what it is!” Cater interrupted, pointing at Vil triumphantly before Sebek could start in on another one of his rants. Cater shoved his broom into the massive freshman’s hands as he shook his limbs out and jogged in place. “So just a quick strike is enough to cure the problem, Vil?” He asked, looking across the field despite still addressing his friend.
“Works for me every time.” Vil said demurely. “Say… Cater, are you about to try and land an
attack on Trey Clover?”
“You bet!” Cater sang.
Vil hummed. “Perhaps you should warn him that this is an exercise, rather than just bum rushing him from 50 yards away.”
“Why are you attacking Trey Clover?! This is madness!” Sebek squawked.
“Don’t worry, he will totally dodge. He’s not dumb! It’s just for fun anyways, I’m not gonna hit him hard.”
“At least yell something first.”
“Okay, fine! I promise!”
With that Cater blasted forward in a full sprint, shoes hitting the waving grass solidly as he propelled himself along at what was close to his top speed. He felt the breeze swirling around his body, his heart racing and his gut flipping. He nearly believed that the draft would be enough to lift him up. It had been so sweltering only a second ago, but the coolness that washed over his body on the air current was heavenly.
Trey was turning towards him, the sun haloing his mess of sagebrush hair in such a way that it seemed to glow. He looked surprised, and smirked playfully at him in his confusion. Like he was so wont to do every damn day, so much so that it drove Cater’s fragile heart into a frenzy of panic and frustrated, endless craving.
He wanted to kiss him, he wanted to kick him. He wanted everything that he could possibly do to Trey, and in this moment high on an adrenaline surge of total stupidity, he was free.
“VIBE CHECK!” He shouted, only steps away. Cater grinned wildly, reveling in the widening eyes and shrill yelp of alarm that was so very out of character for Trey— but that same glee immediately shifted to shock of his own when the knee he threw forward actually connected with Trey’s stomach.
“Cater!! What’re you—?? OOF!!”
Trey went down. Cater was right there to catch him.
The taller man landed heavy in his arms, dizzy and groaning. Cater suddenly felt a wash of clarity. What was he even doing? Was he totally out of his mind?
“Why the hell didn’t you dodge, Trey!? I literally gave you so much warning! I yelled so loud! Why didn’t you move?” He babbled, cradling Trey in his arms, kneeling on the ground like he was tending a wounded warrior.
He could hear Vil’s uncontrollable laughter from here.
For some reason Sebek had fallen to his knees, yelling out Trey’s full christian name as if he’d just witnessed his death.
Trey looked up at him blearily, chuckling before wincing and coughing, his glasses at a ridiculous angle. “I didn’t know what was going on. I still don’t. Besides, why would I dodge when it’s you?”
Cater’s torso felt like it was filling up with bees. Vibrating, buzzing, and devastatingly fuzzy. This guy was going to kill him.
“You’re absolutely nuts. You know that right? What does it being me have to do with anything?” Cater scoffed, fixing Trey’s frames with a soft brush of his cheek. “You’re so silly. Maybe I knocked your skull around.”
“I don’t know… this still turned out pretty okay for me.” Trey murmured, weakly gesturing to their position. Cater lolled his head back to look up at the open sky, feeling his face burning from anything but the blistering yellow light.
He would prefer to go blind than to look Trey in the eye right now.
“Don’t make me drop you.”
“You wouldn’t. I know you Cater.”
Someone must be on his side, because before he had to answer that, Epel and Deuce landed and started running in their direction— arms waving.
“Just tell them I slipped.” Trey said lightly.
“I’m pretty sure they saw but, okay.”