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Locus usually loved the library. He could rely on the quiet, studious atmosphere to absorb him and leave any and all distractions at the door. The polished wooden tables gleamed with soft, orange light as the sun streamed in from one of the high windows. The carpets swallowed the footsteps of the tired college students and invited them to sit. When he’d first stepped inside on the campus tour, he’d immediately fallen head over heels. Not that he’d ever admit it, but it was his favourite place to be, whether he was studying or not.
Now, however, he wanted to burn the whole building to the ground, hopefully with everyone still inside.See, there was a guy sitting at the table next to him. A guy that he’d never seen around here before.Obviously, that explained why he had absolutely zero respect for the library rules.
First off, he was eating. Food was not allowed past the doors. Sometimes a few people snuck food in and ate quietly, which was understandable. Locus had even done it sometimes. Desperate times, and all that. But this guy was blatantly crunching on Doritos infront of the whole library, the orange bag glaring at Locus like a red flag at a bull. And the noise. It was practically deafening. Locus didn’t know people could chew so loudly.
Secondly, the guy was talking on the phone. Not only was there a no talking rule, there was a no cell phone rule. People could text, but all phones had to be put on silent and talking had to be kept to a suitable volume. Suitable being whispering or just above it. This guy was practically shouting.
Locus seethed from where he sat, trying to glare holes in the back of the stranger’s head. His hands gripped his textbook, one of his fingers impatiently tapping on the side of the page. Sighing heavily, he looked down at the words, trying to get back to reading. Maybe the guy would leave. With great difficulty, Locus finished the paragraph he’d been reading and looked up to type one more sentence of notes on the presentation he had open infront of him.
“And then she straight up punched him in the face!”
Locus clenched his jaw. Irritation swarmed through him yet he continued typing, his fingers hitting the keys with more force than necessary. The clacking sounds were still somehow softer than the guy’s laugh. Okay, his giggle didn’t sound like an assault on the ears, but it really wasn't the right place.
“Yeah, she totally broke his nose. Fucker deserved it.”
Now he was swearing, too. Locus’ hand itched for a weapon. Maybe if he threw the textbook hard enough it would knock him out. It was certainly heavy enough.
“Nah, Kimball’s fine. I just left the hospital five minutes ago, they let her out but Palomo’s still in there.”
Locus glanced towards the time displayed on his screen. So this guy was a liar, too. He’d been here for at least twenty minutes.
“Calm down, I’ll go see your boyfriend later.” The guy snickered and put the last Dorito in his mouth. Locus turned to face in his direction. “Bitters, shut up. He’s fine.”
The guy peered into the bag and saw that it was empty. Making a face, he grabbed it and scrunched it up, making the loudest possible noise. Locus gritted his teeth and waited for him to finish before talking.
“Excuse me.” It physically pained him to talk so loudly in a library, but he had no choice. If he didn’t get rid of this stranger now, he’d be dragging him out by the collar five minutes later. Locus preferred the hands-off option.
“Hey, hang on a sec.” The guy turned to face him.
He had piercings. That’s the first thing Locus noticed. Snake bites and two eyebrow piercings, the last of which were a bright orange, matching the orange streak dyed into his quiff.His eyes were a deep brown, but a beam of sunlight cut across his face when he swivelled in his chair and they turned a milky brown. Squinting, he shot up a hand to block it from blinding him.
Locus was surprised to find that he was attracted to him.
“What? I’m on the phone.”
Never mind.
“Are you aware you’re in a library? Where people are trying to study?”
The guy stopped, staring at him for a moment before replying, “Really? That’s why you interrupted my phone call?”
“You shouldn't even be on the phone in here.” Locus bristled.
“Last I checked it was a free country.”
“Last I checked we were in a library.”
Suddenly, the guy’s expression changed. It was subtle, but Locus picked up on it. Locus also picked up on the group of students a table over who had fallen deadly silent. They were watching them. Maybe Locus’ anger was more palpable than he thought.
The stranger leaned back in his chair.
“What are you gonna do about it?”
Locus tensed at the challenge. He hated the way the question made his heart beat a little faster, his hands curling into fists on the table infront of him. He didn’t like that he got under his skin this much.
“Stop being immature and start shutting your mouth.” He spat, making sure to look him straight in the eye. The eyes meeting his glinted. The guy raised an eyebrow and lifted his phone to his ear again.
“Sorry about that. Some guy is being an asshole.”
Locus thought he could feel a vein thrum in his head as his pulse jumped. The stranger could tell, and he seemed almost gleeful at the reaction he’d elicited from Locus.
Locus stood. He’d have expected the guy to be more intimidated, but instead he just sent him a wolfish smile and raked his eyes over his body before speaking into the phone again. He dropped his eyes to his nails and pretended to inspect them.
“I know, maybe we’re just very unlucky today. Or lucky. I’m not sure which, yet.”
Locus was pretty sure he was unlucky, but maybe the guy was just too stupid to realise it. He walked up to where he sat. Suddenly, he snatched the phone out of his hand and ended the call. The guy jumped up.
“What the fuck? Give me back my phone!”
Finally, a reaction other than smugness. Locus smirked.
“Get your stuff and leave.”
“You have my stuff.” The guy pointedly looked up at Locus’ hand. He was almost a foot shorter than him. It would have been endearing, had Locus not been so pissed off.
“I’ll give it back once you behave.”
“Behave?” The guy laughed. “What am I, four?”
“You’re certainly acting like it.”
The guy paused, seeming to assess the situation. “I’m not leaving until I get my phone back. And if you won’t give it to me, I’ll have to take it.” His voice turned softer, breathier, more menacing. Locus would have laughed if he was cocky. But he wasn't. Something he was, unfortunately, was interested. However, his attraction didn’t dilute his anger – instead, it seemed to amplify it.
As if he could sense his thought process, the corner of the other man’s lips quirked up.
“What’ll it be?”
Locus suddenly didn’t feel like the most menacing one out of the two of them. Or the one in control. Yet he couldn't resist; he wouldn't back down.
“Are you sure you’re tall enough?” He raised an eyebrow.
The guy laughed smoothly and shook his head. It was alarming.
“Alright. Are we gonna take this outside?”
Locus frowned; this guy was being serious. “You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I’m dead serious.”
Locus waited. He considered lowering his arm, and he considered fighting him. He didn’t want to get kicked out. But he also knew he couldn’t back down – he was too far in this now. The rest of the facts, however, were plain and simple: Locus was angry, and this guy wanted to fight. His eyes tempted him, his relaxed stance contrasting with his words. Maybe he knew what he was doing. There was only one way to find out.
Locus motioned with his head to the fire exit down the hall from them. The guy grinned.
They began their walk and Locus tried to ignore how the table of students were gaping at them. The guy, however, sent them a wink.
“I’ll be right back – watch my stuff.” He was cocky. He was irritating. That shirt looked good on him. Locus gritted his teeth and pushed the fire exit open.
The fresh afternoon air greeted him, cooling him down. He listened to the guy’s quiet footsteps behind him and the eruption of whispers from the library as the fire exit began to swing shut. Then they stepped onto grass, and their footsteps disappeared. The door banged shut. Locus pocketed the phone and began to turn, but the guy was faster.
Immediately, Locus was being tackled. A hand grabbed at his pocket. He bent and threw the other man over his shoulder. He rolled and came to stand as Locus straightened up.
“We haven’t even introduced ourselves.” The guy grinned, his breathing slightly unsteady but his stance lazy.
“We’re not here to get to know each other.” Locus growled and threw himself at him.
He dodged his punch, but the other one collided with his arm, blocking him. The other man grabbed his arm and twisted, Locus wrenching away from him as he ducked to miss a punch. Neither of them stumbled. Okay, so he knew how to fight. But Locus did too.
“You seem nice.” The guy didn’t stop grinning. “I’m Felix. And you are?”
“Locus.” It was a knee-jerk reaction. He didn’t even know why he told him.
“That’s…unique.”
“Shut up.”
This time Felix was the one attacking. Nearly all his punches were blocked, but he landed one on Locus’ jaw. He got a hit to the stomach for that. Locus got an uppercut. He blocked his next kick. Felix wouldn’t be deterred. He attacked again, aiming for his core. Locus fell for it and blocked him. Felix’s knuckles collided with his cheekbone. Suddenly he flew at Locus, way more nimble than he looked, taking him by surprise as he tackled him again. This time, they both fell to the floor.
Locus used his weight and rolled them over, pinning Felix’s arms. Felix slipped free and dodged the punch heading for his face. Suddenly Locus’ head hit the ground. He was pinned down. He couldn’t move. He tried, but somehow this 5 foot something prick had him completely trapped.
He wasn't being punched. Locus looked him in the eye, surprised to see him so close. Felix smiled sweetly, leaning down until their faces were nearly touching. Locus froze. His pulse sped up, and he absolutely hated howmuch he liked it. Maybe the adrenaline was confusing him? They were meant to be fighting, but it didn't seem like that was what Felix had in mind.
"You can't just walk into a fight and underestimate your opponent. You should know better than that."
Locus ignored the pain of his trapped arm underneath him. He was too aware of Felix. But maybe that's what he wanted. Locus hadn't felt him take his phone yet - he was probably going to do it now. Locus was infuriated that this irritating stranger had gotten the best of him.
"Now, are we done here? I have a phone call I need to finish." Felix smirked.
"Not yet."
With great difficulty, Locus threw all of his weight to the side, pushing with his leg and tearing his arm out from underneath him. He punched that smirk right off his pretty little face. Felix landed next to him, one hand clutching his face.
"Do you always talk so much?" Locus grunted, rolling to immediately pin Felix down, pushing his face into the grass.
"You have a fucking punch in you, dude." Felix groaned as his painful jaw hit the earth. Then he let out a laugh. "That's more like it."
"Is there something funny?"
"Geez, can't a guy enjoy himself?"
"What is there to enjoy?"Locus frowned.
Felix squirmed underneath him. "I'm being pinned down by a hot, muscular guy; the sun is out; I'm young; I got paid today...lots of things."
"Wait, what?" Pinned down by a hot, muscular guy? Locus became hyper-aware of how his thighs were tightened around him. Felix tried to raise his head and look at him. Immediately, one of Locus’ hands came down on the back of his neck, pushing him back into the grass.
“You seem pretty used to this. I take it you top?”
The question made Locus freeze. Felix used this opportunity to jerk one of his arms free and roll sharply to the side, jamming his elbow into Locus’ knee and causing him to nearly fall on top of him. Locus barely stopped himself.
“Seriously, though – do you top?”
Both of them seemed to have forgotten about the fact that Felix still had an arm free. Locus had an arm trapped under the other man, and two legs curled around one of his like a boa constrictor. This close, the larger man had trouble concentrating on anything but the way Felix’s eyes bore into his. A shiver ran through him.
“That is none of your concern.”
“Oh, I hope it will be.” Felix purred.
Suddenly there was a hand curling around Locus’ neck and their lips were touching and the grip tightened and dear lord this guy could kiss. The space between them vanished. Was that a tongue piercing? Locus stopped. What the hell was he doing?
He pulled away, glaring down at the man underneath him.
“You are infuriating.”
Felix blinked in surprise. “Well, I've never had that reaction before.”
Locus tore himself away, his heart still jumping in his chest even though he was slightly disgusted with himself. He got up and took a deep breath, trying to clear his head.
“Woah, woah, where are you going?” Felix protested, sitting up.
Locus sent him a scowl. Felix shielded his eyes from the sun, squinting, trying to read his face. A pause. Then Locus began to walk away.
“Oh come on, you were totally into it!”
“That’s the problem.”
Felix barely heard him. He jumped up and caught up to him, grabbing his arm and spinning him back around. Locus’ eyes roamed over his face, lingering a little too long on his lips. Felix smirked.
“I will see you again, Locus.”
Locus wanted to say no. Locus wanted to say not in a million years. Not in your wildest dreams. Not if he could help it. Anything at all would have been better than the heavy silence that descended over them. But at least he managed to stop himself from kissing him again.
He turned away and Felix raised his eyebrows.
“What, you don’t believe me?”
Locus turned back around. Felix stood confidently, his arms crossed and his face sporting his regular cocky expression. Now that he knew what those lips tasted like, it was difficult not to follow their movements, how they stretched over perfect teeth and pushed up a cheek in a self-confident, lop-sided smile.
“Check your pocket.”
Locus suddenly remembered the reason they were out here in the first place: the phone. He felt himself being reminded of his previous irritation, but its bitter taste was still diluted by the kiss. He slipped his hand into the pocket and came back with a scrap of paper but nothing else.
His gaze snapped up to Felix, who was now sauntering over, his phone pressed to his ear.
“Yeah, I’m here. Sorry about that. I ran into a guy.”
Locus felt his blood begin to boil for the second time that day. How the hell did he pickpocket him without Locus feeling it? Meanwhile, Felix strolled past him, his hips swaying attractively. He laughed at something the person on the phone said.
“No, but he has mine. I figure he’ll call me.” Felix shot him a wink over his shoulder before disappearing back into the library.
Locus frowned. Call him? They hadn't exchanged numbers. Unless…Locus looked down at the paper he’d found in his pocket. He folded it out. On it, clear as day, was a phone number. He felt a rush of excitement run through him while his lip simultaneously curled in disgust. Felix probably carried his phone number around with him everywhere. He certainly seemed like the type.
It took Locus a little while to collect himself and go back into the library. By that time, Felix was gone. All that was left of him was the number in his pocket and the Doritos bag, neatly folded into a square and placed on his textbook.
He gritted his teeth and sank down into his chair. He wasn't sure that he loved the library anymore.