Chapter Text
He couldn’t help but to think of last night. That was… well, he’d never done that before. It was strange, but not bad.
Mick stood under the hot water in one of the Kendricks showers. He didn’t have any classes until later, so he was fine for now. With people still either asleep or already in a class, it was silent aside from the water.
His mind lingered on Arthur Ketch. That boy might have just been one of his biggest mistakes, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret anything that had and might happen between them.
His lower half ached. Rough hands and desperate hip motions had contributed to that.
He’d never been pushed so far. It was exhilarating. He’d never experienced anything like it. Of course, it had to have been with Ketch. His first time. He sighed. Mick shut off the water and decided he could deal with this all later. Not now. He could go back to sleep and put it off until later.
———————
Mick drew random swirls on the edge of his assignment with his chewed-on pen; only the cap was chewed on, due to the fact that he’d watched some kid earlier in the year have pen ink explode in his mouth from chewing on it.
He felt Ketch kick him softly to get his attention. “Yes?” He looked up, getting pulled out of his daydreams. “Mister Davies, pick up where I just left off.”
Mick glanced down at his book. “Uh- litora, multum ille et terris iactatus et alto vi superum, saevae memorem lunonis ob iram, multa quoque et bello passus, dum conderet urbem-“
He was stopped when his teacher cleared his throat. “Thank you, Mister Davies. It would do you good to at least look like you’re paying attention.” He heard a few laughs come from his classmates, but couldn’t care to acknowledge it.
It was gratifying to see his teacher smack one of the kids in the back of the head for making comments.
He looked over at Ketch who gave him a small smile in return.
Mick just wanted the day to be over so he could share another night on the roof with Ketch.
———————
“Until tomorrow, my sweet Romeo. Parting is such sweet sorrow,” Ketch grinned against Mick’s lips.
“Does that make you Juliet?” There was a teasing tone in Mick’s voice, and Ketch mumbled something in French that Mick couldn’t quite pick up before leaving a kiss on Mick’s lips.
“The Capulets would definitely be Legacies, whereas the Montagues would be, well, whatever the hell you are.”
Mick knew it was just a snarky remark not made to truly hurt him, but he couldn’t help but feel a small sting from the words.
He must have done something wrong because Ketch’s expression turned to concern. “I- I didn’t mean to hurt you, I-“ Mick shook his head. “You’re an idiot,” he grinned.
He had to stand slightly on the balls of his feet to reach Ketch’s mouth, but he left a small kiss before starting to walk away.
Everything in him buzzed with joy. He couldn’t think straight around Ketch. He bit back a soft laugh as he walked back to his dorm.
———————
They rarely got to leave Kendricks, so this was a change.
Unfortunately, rain poured down on them. Ketch had a clear unamused look on his face. He had a hood on, but whatever hair wasn’t kept under that lied soaked on his forehead. Mick could see that it was starting to reach his eyes now. It was strange to see his hair that long.
They walked together, surrounded by classmates. Mick and Ketch were close enough to touch but held back. They weren’t that stupid.
They were stupid enough to test to see how far they could go with this though. Their hands dangled by their sides and kept brushing against each other. At some point, Ketch wrapped a finger around Mick’s thumb.
Their entire relationship together was based on playing with fire like this. They just had to hope that neither of them would get burned in the process.
———————
Mick could not help but be utterly confused at the emotions filling his mind whenever he looked at Ketch or heard his voice.
Living on the streets, hoping perhaps he might eat that day… he always thought he would die that way. That day, he stole that one coin, and everything changed.
He’d lost his parents at a young age. Did he miss them? Yes. Had he mourned them? Of course. Would he give up the life he had now to get them back? Just a year prior, he would have immediately replied yes. Yet now, he found himself saying no.
What changed? That night on the roof, when Mick had moved around on the ledge with such carelessness. He had been playing with his own life, and yet Ketch was the one who appeared like his own guardian angel to coax him back onto the roof.
He’d been so sure of everything before the accident. Just like how he was so sure that he was going to end everything that night. He couldn’t have expected what was going to happen.
Mick didn’t remember falling in love. He did remember, however, realizing how much it would hurt if he lost Ketch.
He thought about how that roof basically became a part of their relationship. Anything important that had happened between them happened on that roof. Mick could barely think about what would happen after graduation.
It hurt, that Ketch was a year older than Mick. It had never really affected them since many of the classes weren’t divided by year, but rather by efficiency. It was affected them now, since Mick would have to spend a hellish year at Kendricks, alone. Ketch would move on, and it worried Mick.
He wouldn’t move on, would he? Fall in love with someone else while Mick stayed behind? After Ketch graduated, many things would change for Mick. No more nightly roof visits. No more teasing Ketch during classes. No more hearing his voice - hearing his laugh . Not for a year or so, at least.
Was that why Mick had given himself up like that to Ketch? He’d felt a moment of desperation when they were talking about what field Ketch would go into. It wasn’t Ketch’s choice to graduate anyways. He didn’t want to leave Mick there any more than Mick wanted to stay there.
Mick let out a shaky breath and clutched on tighter to Ketch. He felt a warm hand moving gently in circles on his back. For now, he could relax in Ketch’s arms. It was only a year, and then, they could be free. Together . Only them. He liked the sound of that.