Chapter 8: Morning sparks
Cassian collapsed onto his bed, the sheets cool against his skin, and let out a long, shaky breath. His mind replayed every moment of the day the café, Leonel’s unreadable stare, the way his chest had thumped every time the tall man’s eyes had flicked toward him. He buried his face in his pillow, silently begging sleep to come quickly, if only to give him a few hours of peace.
Please... don’t let me see him again tomorrow, he whispered to himself, though he knew it was wishful thinking.
By the time his alarm blared, Cassian was still tangled in dreams and the fog of a restless night. He groaned, stretching his arms toward the ceiling, and yawned, trying to shake the tension from his shoulders. Swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, he made his way to the door still half-asleep. opened the door to step out
And then it happened.
Bam! His forehead collided with something solid, and he stumbled backward, eyes squeezing shut. When he opened them, he froze. Aiden stood there, casual as ever, one hand resting on Cassian’s waist, steadying him.
"You okay?" Aiden asked, his voice calm, laced with genuine concern.
Cassian’s face flamed. He quickly straightened, fumbling for words as heat rose to his ears. "Y-Yeah! I’m fine. W-what are you... doing here?"
Aiden’s grin was effortless, bright. "Nothing. Just making sure you’re up. We’ve got classes soon, and I figured you might still be half-asleep if I didn’t wake you."
Cassian swallowed, blinking rapidly, still acutely aware of their proximity. He straightened fully, cleared his throat, and forced a small smile. "Right... classes."
The tension eased just slightly as the two of them walked toward the bathroom to get ready. Their conversation was light, jumping from one topic to another the cafeteria menu, last night’s lecture, a stray joke about dorm life. Cassian found himself laughing more than he expected, the sound almost foreign after the stress of the previous day.
By the time they finished, he was feeling more like himself again. Aiden had a way of grounding him, of making even the strangest mornings feel normal. He grabbed his backpack, adjusting the strap over his shoulder, and glanced at his reflection. His hair was still messy, and his shirt had been twisted in sleep, but somehow, none of that mattered.
Together, they stepped out of their dorm a sprawling, five-roomed mansion-like building tucked into a quiet corner of the campus. Cassian still marveled at it every day, but now, with Aiden by his side, it felt less intimidating and more like home.
By the time they reached the lecture hall, Leonel was already there, sitting at his usual spot near the front. His gray eyes flicked toward them as they entered, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. Cassian felt his stomach twist some mix of nerves, anticipation, and that lingering thrill of danger he couldn’t quite shake.
Aiden nudged him lightly. "See? He’s here. Don’t overthink it."
Cassian nodded, trying to calm the chaos in his chest, but his mind wouldn’t stop racing. The air felt charged, the room too small for all the emotions swirling in his head. He knew one thing for certain: the day was only just beginning, and nothing about this story or his place in it was going to be simple.
And as Leonel’s gaze met his for the briefest moment, Cassian felt a jolt of something he couldn’t name... something dangerous, thrilling, and entirely unavoidable.