Thud

That was the dry sound of their own suitcases hitting the floor of the two-person dorm room—now, only one side filled, his.

"No girls in the men's dorm," they said. Ajax didn't care for a second. He just pulled her by the hand, covered her head with his sweatshirt, and pushed her inside along with the suitcases. The doors closed behind them, muffling the echo in the hallway, and when he realized it, she was already sitting on the edge of his bed, her legs bent and her face bathed in the silvery moonlight coming through the window.

His body reacted before his mind did. The tightness of his pants betrayed the sudden tension of just seeing her there, so close, her hair illuminated by the moonlight and her carefree posture—as if she had always belonged there.

And to think he had said "no" because of Enid. Rats and squirrels really don't work well together.

She was beautiful, and Ajax never denied that. He never denied that she had something... different. But when, the summer before last, in their freshman year, she whispered that she liked him, he gently refused. He didn't want to hurt her. She understood. And yet she didn't walk away. She remained a loyal friend.

Then Enid Sinclair happened. The beautiful werewolf, with blonde hair, fair skin, and a late transformation. Insecure — in her own words. But after the transformation, she changed. She changed so much... that she betrayed him.

She didn't change. She stayed. She helped him get through it all. She was the safe shoulder, the calm voice when he needed it. And only now did Ajax realize how much that meant.

It wasn't about Enid. It was about missing her. About her being herself. Without insecurity. Without running away. Able to face things head-on. Faithful until the very end.

He took a step forward, leaving his bags on the floor. The room was silent, except for the soft sound of her breathing and the restless hissing of the snakes under the hood.

"Hey..." he said softly, his voice laden with something he was trying to hide. The snakes, restless, stirred under the cloth, whispering to him, to confess, to ask.

"Tell her. Tell her you love her. If you're not going to say it, we will! Come on, you dumb kid!" they insisted. He took a deep breath so as not to hit himself on the head and scold them.

"Look... you... you're different. All this time." He scratched the back of his neck, feeling a snake escape from under the cap and brush against his skin. "Not to say anything... I know I've already rejected you."

He sat down next to her, their knees almost touching. The mattress sank slightly, bringing them even closer together. He looked down at his hands for a second before looking back at her.

"But... I can't forget you. I can't help regretting that night." The words came out almost like a sigh. "I'm sorry for that."

He raised his hand, hesitant at first, and touched her face gently. His thumb caressed her cheek, while his other fingers held her face in an almost possessive way. He squeezed lightly, as if testing whether she was really there. And for a moment, he let his mind wander too far, imagining things that made him swallow hard.

"Is it too much to ask... if I ask for a second chance?" His voice was lower now, almost a whisper, and his eyes alternated between her mouth and her eyes. "Don't get me wrong... it's not because of her. It's because of you. I... I really like you."

I love you. I want to fuck you until I forget my name, until I forget that I was ever stupid enough to turn you down.

"Can I kiss you?"