Work Text:
The first thing Drayton had noticed about Juliana's friend Arven when he came to visit her at Blueberry was that he was handsome. Scratch that, he was pretty—with his wavy locks that hugged his jawbone, his eternally furrowed brow, and his captivating baby blues enveloped by heavy lashes. Drayton honestly couldn't remember the last time he'd found another guy this attractive.
The second thing Drayton noticed was that the poor boy was hopelessly in love with Juliana.
This second observation naturally led to the realization that she reciprocated his feelings and also that neither one seemed to be aware of the other's feelings. The cogs in Drayton's brain started to turn as he watched them interact. It had been a while since he'd had anything interesting to distract him around here, though he was sure Lacey and the others were glad for that.
He decided to gather more information.
Drayton’s introduction to Arven had been… charged, to say the least. He had approached Juliana when she entered the club room with her guest in tow, casually greeting her with his usual smile and a warm “Welcome back, New Champ.”
It did not escape his attention that her visitor had bristled at his familiarity—a very interesting response. He wondered if he could get some more out of the other guy.
Juliana had grinned back at Drayton, which only seemed to sour her friend’s expression more. “Hey, Drayton! Nice of you to pick yourself up and come over to say hello personally,” she had teased.
“Well, I'd have hated to upset another champion and have to deal with Hurricane Kieran 2.0,” he quipped back, chuckling. A quick glance at Juliana’s guest had Drayton noticing that he was practically vibrating with irritation. He grinned and slung an arm around Juliana's shoulders, leaning against her. “Anyway, Jules, are ya gonna introduce me to your friend here or what?” He looked Arven from head to toe as he leaned on Juliana, noting with interest the way his eyes narrowed at the nickname.
Arven didn't know who this asshole was that had come over to greet them, but he already didn't like him. The tone of his voice when he spoke to Juliana was way too warm and familiar for his comfort. And then he leaned on Juli and called her Jules. What the hell was that?! Who cares if his voice was warm and low pitched?! He glared right back at the taller, white-haired interloper when he met his eyes.
Juliana, however, had rolled her eyes at Drayton's comments about “Hurricane Kieran,” even going so far as to smack him lightly on the chest after he put his arm around her shoulders since he'd cut her off from actually replying.
“Drayton, this is—” she had started, gesturing to Arven with a warm smile (that Drayton couldn’t help but notice emanated from pure adoration).
“Arven,” the blond male cut in, sticking a hand out to Drayton almost aggressively. Drayton quirked an eyebrow, one side of his mouth curving up. “Juli’s best friend. Drayton, was it?” His smile was more like a grimace, showing off his teeth.
It was exactly what Drayton needed as a distraction.
He gave Arven a lazy smile as he reached his own hand out, again noticing the other male’s strong grip, another rather blatant show of dominance. He responded with a firm grip of his own, his smile unchanging as he saw the slight surprise in the other's face at the strength. It didn't surprise him that he'd been underestimated–he often was. And it was usually to the other person's detriment. “Well,” he drawled out, tone warm and welcoming. “Any friend of Jules is a new friend of mine. Arven, right?” He leveled a steady gaze at the other male, smile still firmly in place. This sort of tension is where he thrived.
“Right,” Arven replied as his eyes narrowed a little more, and he gripped Drayton’s hand tightly once more. Not that Drayton reacted like it hurt at all. If anything, his confidence only grew.
He practically grinned then, making a show of shaking his hand out. “Hell of a grip you got there, dude,” he chuckled, entirely unfazed by Arven's attempts to challenge or intimidate him. “Well, enjoy yourselves! I'm gonna go see who needs help and then find someone else to do it.” Raising a hand, Drayton walked away from them to the couch in the corner of the club room where a couple of underclassmen were hovering. He gave them a couple of tasks before dropping himself onto the couch and setting about to more observations of Jules and her growly friend.
Naturally, after making the rounds in the club room, Drayton had gotten distracted by the snack table. He had lost track of how much time had passed, but the next time he noticed Arven, he found him chatting with Kieran off to the side (and throwing Drayton a glare every now and then). Meanwhile, Juliana was seated at the table looking over some proposals from other club members. Technically, that was supposed to be Drayton's task, so he figured he might as well go offer some help, especially while her guard dog was distracted.
He pushed himself off the couch and sauntered over to Juliana, watching Arven out of the corner of his eye. The urge Arven fought to rush over and intercept Drayton was obvious, but this was the perfect time for Drayton to test his theory and stir things up a little.
Placing one hand on the back of Jules’ chair and the other on the table next to her, Drayton leaned in slightly to look over her shoulder. “What've we got?” To keep from startling her, he kept his voice low, though she still jumped in surprise at his remark. She whipped her head around to face him.
“Oh!” She let out a huff of air and fixed him with a look—one he'd have expected to see on Lacey's face instead, save for the humor in her eyes and the way she fought a little smile. He blinked at her. “Well since someone can't be bothered to do their job,” she teased him with a poke to his shoulder, “it's up to me to look over these papers! Unless you’d care to be a gentleman and help a girl out…” She raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.
He chuckled and placed one hand over his heart. “You wound me, Jules,” he gave a dramatic sigh before breaking into a grin. “But how could I resist such a sweet request from our incredible leader.” Placing the hand that had gone to his heart back on her chair, he leaned in again to look at the paper. “Let's see some of these ideas…”
Arven was hardly paying attention to a word Kieran was saying. He felt bad, but he was too distracted by what was happening over at the table right now between his lil buddy and that smooth talking, flirty, irritating pretty boy. Arven blinked a couple of times at that rogue thought and gave himself a mental shake. He meant asshole. If everything Kieran had told him was true, in addition to the stories he'd heard from the other members of the club, then Drayton was bad news. He'd break Juli's heart, and then Arven would have to break his stupid prett—
He was startled by the sound of a low growl which evidently had come from him.
“Gee, man, y'okay? What's—” Kieran turned to look at whatever had Arven so agitated and immediately understood. “Ah. That.” They watched a moment as Juli laughed at whatever silly thing the jerk had just said. Arven hated the way Drayton's golden eyes swept over her face. His fist balled up unconsciously.
“Yeah, I heard some rumors,” Kieran said, rolling his eyes. “I guess someone dared her t'sit on his lap at her championship party.” He sneered a little as the gossip left his mouth, more at the visual of Drayton than anything having to do with Juliana. Personally, Kieran thought she should've just taken the penalty and done a shot instead of the dare. It would've been better than having to be that close to the biggest player at Blueberry Academy.
“Oh,” Kieran continued with a blink. “Someone else said they thought they actually kissed.” He made a face.
Every word out of Kieran's mouth just drove the dagger further into Arven’s chest, especially as Arven watched Juliana and Drayton’s evident closeness in front of him: Juli tucking a piece of hair behind her ear as they spoke, Drayton leaning down closer to point at something specific on the page, and then both of them laughing at something Arven probably would never understand. After Juliana and Drayton caught their breath, they glanced at each other, faces close. Arven watched with a churn in his stomach as their faces flushed. They lingered for a moment before suddenly looking away from each other, and the blush on Juli’s face grew as Drayton straightened his posture and rubbed the back of his neck.
When Drayton’s golden eyes abruptly met Arven’s from across the room Arven winced at the realization he’d been caught staring. To further add to his dismay, Drayton had the audacity to throw him a slight wave and a smile as though nothing had happened. Drayton patted Juli on the shoulder, said something to her that Arven couldn’t make out from the movement of his lips alone, and walked away again.
“I'm sorry, Kieran,” Arven clapped Kieran on the shoulder, maybe a little harder than he needed to. “I gotta go talk to Juli.” Kieran responded, but Arven was already toward his best friend with purpose. He shot Drayton a glance to see what the shithead was doing, but the other male had his attention elsewhere. That was fine, he supposed. All he wanted to do was glare at him anyway.
“Hey, Juli,” Arven greeted as he reached the table, forcing a smile to his face. Giving her a fake smile felt wrong, but everything felt wrong right now. His stomach twisted.
“Oh hey, Arven,” Juli beamed up at him, and the knot in his stomach tightened further. “Did you have a nice talk with Kieran?” She patted the seat next to her, opposite the side that Drayton had been leaning on.
“Yeah, it was nice to catch up,” he answered with a flush. Honestly, he felt a bit bad. He couldn't remember a single thing Kieran had said except… except for the things he'd said about Juliana and Drayton. He pulled the chair out and sat heavily. “Did you finish up your business with Drayton?” He couldn't help the snide tone to his voice, and it did not go unnoticed.
Juliana frowned a little at his tone, but her smile was still warm. “Mostly, yeah. We'll have to go over final decisions later, but it was good to get a head start! And without too much pestering,” she added as an afterthought, sticking her tongue out at Drayton across the room. He noticed and responded with a grin and a wink.
Arven's blood boiled. His jaw clenched into an unhinged smile.
“So Drayton.” Arven was going to hate himself for this but he couldn't stop. It was like he was watching himself from a distance. “He's pretty good-looking, isn't he?”
Juliana blinked, flushed, and glanced away, avoiding Arven's gaze and pointedly not looking over at Drayton either. Playing with her hair, she let out a nervous laugh. “Uh, y-yeah I guess,” she stammered. “I mean, apparently almost everyone’s had a crush on him at one point and he's— ”
“Supposedly the best kisser in the school,” Arven finished for her, that toothy grimace still in place. His cheeks and jaw were burning, but it was like the grin had been bolted in place. “Yeah, I've heard that. So is he?” Arven stared at Juliana, begging her silently to deny it.
“Is he what?” Her innocent face was adorable, but Arven knew her better than that. She couldn't play dumb with him.
“A good kisser.” His teeth ground together. He was surprised no one else heard it.
It should have been impossible for Juliana's face to get any redder than it already was. She sputtered a bit, not exactly wanting to tell Arven that yes, she knew exactly how good of a kisser Drayton was… but also not wanting to lie to him about it either. “I-if you're so curious, why don't you ask him yourself?”
Arven felt his heart drop in his chest, like he was back on top of that stupid beast and jumping into that damn crater. She had flat out evaded answering, and that was all the answer he needed. Something between her and Drayton had happened.
With a deep breath and a nod, Arven pushed himself up abruptly. “Maybe I will.” It was a hollow challenge. He knew he wasn't going to approach Drayton again—couldn't, really. What could he say? It wasn't like he and Juli were… anything more than just friends. “Excuse me, I'm gonna go… stretch my legs.” With that, he walked out of the club room.
Juliana slumped against the table, burying her face in her arms. Stupid boys…
Unfortunately for her, Drayton had observed the entire exchange (as did much of the room, though other members were a little more ashamed of their eavesdropping). He had no such qualms though. The entire exchange had been saturated with jealousy and unresolved tension, and it was the best distraction for him.
He ambled back across the room to slide into the chair next to her that hadn’t been previously taken by Arven. “Well that looked a little uncomfy.” His words were met with a grunt. “Come on, tell the Drayster what's on your mind.”
She snorted and lifted her head to glance at him. Sure enough, he had a stupid half smile on his face at his own horrible nickname. “Don't ever call yourself that again.”
“Alright, fine,” he agreed with a chuckle. “Only if you promise to tell me how you're doin’.”
Juliana sighed and plopped her head back down onto her arms. After a beat, she took a deep breath and sat up with a smile. “I'm fine! It was nothing–”
“Bullshit, Jules. You guys weren't exactly as quiet as you thought.” Drayton noticed the heat in her face and softened his smile. Out of respect for Juliana’s private matters (and the fact that the crowd’s interest had already been piqued by her tense conversation with Arven), he dropped his voice to a whisper. “But, ah…about that kiss of ours that Arven was clearly referring to. Why didn't you just tell him that, yes, we did kiss—but all it did was make you realize you'd rather have been kissing him?”
“WHAT.” Juliana clamped a hand over her mouth, looking at him with wide eyes as Drayton bit back a grin. “I-I don't know what you're talking about,” her voice dropped to a heated whisper.
Drayton couldn’t resist rolling his eyes at her feigned ignorance, though he softened it by keeping his smirk in place. “Come on, Jules. I'm lazy, not blind.” He nudged her gently with his elbow. “You're down bad for that best friend of yours.”
Poor Juliana looked like she'd spent too long in the Savannah Biome after eating one of Crispin's specialty sandwiches. Drayton half considered asking her if she needed a dip in the Polar Biome to cool off. “Y-you're… you're wrong! We-we're just really good friends!” Juliana forced a whisper through clenched teeth.
Raising an eyebrow at her vehemence, Drayton remembered some line about how when people protest something so strongly, they usually feel the opposite. “Alright then, why don't you kiss him then? See if I'm full of it. Just get it out of your sys—” He stopped immediately when Juliana slammed her hands on the table and stood up abruptly, knocking the chair over.
“Why don't you go kiss him and ‘get it out of your system’?!’” She turned and stormed out of the room (in the opposite direction from the one Arven had gone earlier) before Drayton could even try and salvage the conversation.
All of the other conversations in the room stopped the moment Juliana had pushed back from the table, and now the eyes of about one-third of their club members were on Drayton. He sat there for a moment, just smiling his usual mask at the doorway to save face. How had he fucked this up so badly?
After just a bit of searching, Drayton found Arven in the cafeteria, which is where his own feet usually took him when he wandered away from the club room. It was a combination of muscle memory and smell for him, but for Arven it was probably just the smell of the food. The poor guy sat at a table by himself just sort of staring into space. He looked like such a lost little puppy that it was hard not to want to help him out.
With his hands in his pockets, Drayton sauntered over to Arven and leaned his back casually against the table next to him, almost sitting on it. “‘Sup, Jules’ growly best friend.” He grinned down at Arven.
Arven could barely suppress a groan at the sound of Drayton's voice. Of all the people to find him…but, then again,it wasn't like he knew that many people here to start with. “Hey, Juli's pretty annoying friend,” he said, and it was at that moment he knew he had fucked up.
Drayton's eyes lit up and his grin turned mischievous.
“Wait,” Arven started, but Drayton was already talking over him.
“You think I'm pretty?” Drayton couldn't resist the tease. Sure, it had all the potential to backfire on him just like his interaction with Jules just had, but it was too tempting. He was immediately rewarded with the blush that spread almost entirely across Arven's face.
“N-no, NO! That was not what I meant! Not that you aren't, but I just—!” Arven fumbled in his recovery, but the redness in his cheeks only deepened when he realized he had, in fact, just agreed to finding Drayton pretty. “You know what! Screw this!” He pushed back from the table and stood abruptly, unintentionally bringing himself closer to Drayton. “I'm leaving!” He took a step toward the door before it dawned on him that he had no idea where to go.
With a lazy smile, Drayton pushed himself off the table and slid an arm around Arven's shoulders, leaning just slightly against him. “Aw, don't be like that.” He coaxed the shorter man toward the door. “C'mon, handsome, let me give you a tour...”
The heat in Arven’s face had now made it all the way to his roots as he let himself be guided away against his better judgment. It was only on their way out the door that it dawned on him that Drayton was actually taller than him. Of course he was. As if Drayton needed yet another advantage over him.
Well, at least it would give him a chance to see just what he was up against…
Since Arven had already seen most areas of note within the actual school building, Drayton escorted him to the Terarium. The first obvious stop was Crispin's domain. Drayton was grateful for his own adaptability to temperature (even if he did cheat a little by constantly wearing a tank top to keep from overheating), because he could see the sweat building up on Arven's brow.
[“How are you not sweating right now?!” Arven demanded, pulling at his collar.
“Hm? Oh, I'm always this hot.” Wink.
“Ugh…”]
To offer Arven a bit of respite from the heat, Drayton led him to the Canyon Biome next (though the Coastal Biome had nice sea breezes to offer, it still got quite warm). Arven seemed to like it well enough, and definitely appreciated it after the heat of the Savannah Biome. He did seem put off by the lack of “good picnic spots,” though—whatever that meant. Drayton figured it was a Paldean thing.
[“I like the temperature,” Arven admitted, “but it's sort of… imposing.”
“More than you know.”
“I mean, it is pretty…but definitely harsh too!”
“...I guess I can see that.”
“So the Savannah Biome was obviously Fire type. Which one is this again?”
“Steel. Hence the steely feel of the place.”
“...do you ever stop?”
“Nope! Part of my charm.”]
The third stop was the Coastal Biome, which Drayton had to admit was probably the best of the bunch. The biomes, as Drayton had noted with amusement, represented their respective Elite Four members, quite well. The Savannah Biome burned with energy and heat; the Canyon was—as Arven had so eloquently put it—imposing with a certain beauty to it; and the Coastal Biome radiated its brightness and warmth. Then there was his own Polar Biome, remote and certainly not suitable for everyone. It made sense for the Coastal to be the favorite biome of the student body (and off the record, it was Drayton’s own personal favorite, too).
[“It's… it's actually sorta perfect here!” Arven exclaimed.
“Mmm, this is the favorite biome of pretty much every student.”
“I can see why! It's a lot like home, actually.”
“Sorta feels that way, yeah.”
“You're from a coastal town, too?”
“Not even close.”
“Then…?”
“Just nice and cozy here.”
“For once we agree on something…”
“Aww, don't be like that. We both think I'm pretty, remember?”
“Fuck off.”
“Nah, we got a couple more stops.”]
Almost always last, but never least, was the Polar Biome. Drayton had brought them through the Central Plaza. He figured it would also help the transition from the warmth of the Coastal side to the Polar side be a little less abrupt. He’d heard stories of too many students getting colds from rushing right from Lacey’s biome into his, and he didn't need to explain to Jules why her friend was an actual snotty mess.
[“F-f-f-fuck, this is cold!!”
“Did you expect the Polar Biome to be warm?” Drayton folded his arms over his chest with a smirk.
“N-n-no! B-but isn't this too much?!”
“I mean, most students come straight here in their winter shit if they’ve gotta come.”
“H-how are you n-not f-freezing right now?!”
“I told you. I'm hot.”
“Ugh!!”
“Heh. C'mon, let's get you warmed up.”]
Drayton opened the door to his room, holding it for Arven to go in first. Arven wandered in slowly, stopping just at the end of the narrow entryway. Shrugging a shoulder, Drayton slipped by him, and his fingers brushed along Arven's back as he did so.
The touch was light, but the effects lingered after his fingers trailed away. Arven suppressed a shiver—and it wasn't just from being in the Polar Biome.
Now fully inside his dorm room, Drayton lifted his arms over his head in his typical stretch, groaning a little as he felt his back pop twice. “Make yourself at home.” He threw back over his shoulder and rolled his neck once, slipping off his shoes and untying his cape from his waist. He glanced back at Arven, taking in the way Arven’s eyes trailed up to meet his own as well as the subsequent blush that graced his guest’s cheeks at being caught in his admiration. Drayton turned to hide his smirk and tossed his cape on his bed before taking a seat there himself. He leaned back, bracing his weight against his hands and letting his long legs stretch out in front of him, as he continued to observe Arven.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested in what it might be like to kiss Arven. The shorter, broader male was quite attractive, and in spite of the disgruntled expressions he'd been throwing at Drayton all evening, he had also noticed Arven stealing glances at him all evening. On top of that, Arven’s lips looked rather kissable (speaking from experience as Blueberry’s best kisser). If it weren't for the fact that Arven and Juliana clearly had feelings for each other, Drayton might be tempted to indulge a bit more with him.
As it stood, however, Drayton decided he was simply going to help the two of them sort out their feelings for each other…and maybe give himself a little taste of what was in front of him in the process. After all, Jules had told him to help himself. Who was he to turn down such a nice offer?
“So are you just gonna stand there and stare at me or would you like to relax and warm up a little?” Drayton quirked an eyebrow toward the attractive statue in his room. His lips curved slightly as he tilted his head to the side, indicating the vacancy of the spot next to him.
Arven was, for lack of a better word, unsettled. Upon entering Drayton's room, he immediately was gripped with a feeling that something was about to happen—but what? He'd been putting up with all of Drayton’s flirting and teasing for what felt like ages. In fact, it must have been at least a couple hours with all the wandering they’d done in the Terarium. And, against Arven’s best efforts to have a miserable time, he had actually enjoyed Drayton’s tour—which only further added to his frustration. Wasn't he supposed to be feeling out the enemy, not wondering what it would be like to feel him up?
Wait. Where did that come from? Arven shuddered at his errant, distracting thought. He watched with anticipation as Drayton unwound and raised his arms over his head, which teased the sight of a little sliver of skin at his hips as his tank rose. Drayton’s groan of satisfaction at his stretch had sent a little spark down Arven's spine, settling low, making him wonder…
Drayton's voice shook Arven back to reality, and he realized that it was the second time he'd been spoken to (at least, if the humor in Drayton's tone was anything to go by). He felt his ears burn as he shrugged off his backpack and tossed it onto the couch behind him. Unfortunately, gravity and momentum had other plans, and it fell to the floor with a loud thud. There was a choked noise behind him, as though someone might have started to laugh but then cleared their throat instead. Arven whipped his head around, eyes narrowed and face burning. Sure enough, Drayton sat there with a hand covering his mouth, trying and failing to hide the smirk there.
Drayton cleared his throat properly, trying to regain control. “I'm sorry, I wasn't laughing at you,” he assured, his voice smooth and low. “But you've clearly got a lot of stuff in there. Is it very heavy?” He really wasn't trying to piss Arven off right now, so he figured he'd distract him slightly. Put him back at ease.
Arven relaxed again, taking a moment to breathe and allow the tension that had just built up inside him to ebb a little. “It's nothing I can't handle,” he replied, his voice slightly clipped. He refused to be looked down upon by Drayton. He was not weak.
“Of course,” Drayton agreed easily, still placating him somewhat. He didn't want to get into some sort of machismo thing right now. He wasn't looking to fight with the guy; he was trying to make out with him. He'd been curious and somewhat listless lately, and, after all, Jules had told him to. “I just meant your back must be killing you. Shit, my back was aching just looking at you. So why don't you kick back and take a seat?” There. He'd extended the offer a second time, repeating himself more than he normally would—but they'd been dancing around each other for hours, and he was on edge. He could tell Arven was, too.
Arven swallowed.
On the one hand, he had every right to be irritated with this guy. He was manipulative according to literally everyone in the club…even Juli. He also acted way too chummy with her, and what gave him the right? Did he really even know her? On top of everything else, Drayton was too inappropriate, too flirty, too… distracting.
If Arven was really being honest with himself, Drayton had been nothing but polite and accommodating on their tour. Sure, almost everything that came out of his mouth was an innuendo, and he smiled way too much. But Drayton was also…charming. In a completely annoying and ingratiating fashion, of course. Either way, it didn't do anything to help Arven's building frustration he'd harbored since coming to terms with his crush on his best friend. His best friend that Drayton also happened to have a special little nickname for.
Arven straightened his shoulders and moved to sit on the bed next to Drayton, unconsciously turning slightly to face him.
Taking Arven's acceptance of his invitation as one of his own, Drayton leaned into the broader male slightly. With a poised composure, he gently lifted a hand to Arven’s face and tucked a stray lock of blond hair behind his ear. He smiled softly at the sharp inhale that left Arven’s lips in response and let his hand slide from Arven's ear along his jaw to lightly grasp his chin.
Drayton hovered there for a moment, watching as Arven's teal eyes slowly became obscured by those ridiculously long eyelashes. He then closed the little distance that remained between them, gently pressing his lips to the slightly parted ones that awaited him. He added just the slightest amount of pressure as he slid his hand back up to card his fingers through Arven’s long locks. He kept the kiss light and innocent as he awaited Arven’s reaction.
When their lips touched, Arven half-gasped again. He knew it was coming, he saw it coming, but it still somehow took him by surprise. And it was way too soft. This was the guy that everyone was talking about? This guy was the best kisser in the Academy? Please. This was too gentle and light to be as mind blowing a kiss as he'd been led to believe. I mean, it was nice, he supposed. Really nice. But it was entirely too chaste, and Arven was not interested in being sweet with this guy. This jerk who was too close with his best friend for his comfort and was too quick and smooth with lines, and those looks…
So Arven decided to flip the script. He reached upward and grabbed the back of Drayton's neck to pull him closer, then opened his mouth to run his tongue along the taller, slimmer boy's bottom lip. He curled his fingers into the short hair at the base of Drayton’s head, scraping lightly against the other's scalp to mess up his stupid hairstyle. As he did so, he found a bit of confidence in himself—while Drayton possessed many qualities he lacked, Arven was physically larger than him and could use this to his advantage.
The sudden change in Arven’s tone made Drayton grin. It was all the permission he needed.
Without warning, Drayton parted his own lips, using his tongue to coax Arven's bottom lip between his teeth. He gave Arven’s lip a sharp nip, which he immediately soothed again with another swipe of his tongue.
Arven gasped as his mouth fell open, and Drayton slipped his tongue in to slide against the other male's as he leaned forward. He was met with zero resistance as Arven pulled him closer still, allowing himself to be pushed back until he fell back against the mattress.
Realizing that he had almost immediately lost the upper hand, Arven tried to push back against the other's advantage. He kissed back aggressively, trying to nip and bite his own way back into control. The hand that wasn't resting at the back of Drayton's head came up to grip his arm with a squeeze and a firm push—not to shove the other male off of him, of course, but in an attempt to roll them over and give himself the high ground again.
Though Arven did have the physical advantage when it came to bulk, Drayton was much more experienced when it came to romantic escapades, and he was surprisingly in shape (one didn't run the Polar Biome or train under the Dragon Wrestling Leader of Opelucid City without that right). Drayton met and overcame each of Arven's challenges with ease. For every nip he received, he bit back harder. For each pull of his hair, he tightened his own hold in the other's long locks. For every squirm Arven made to gain leverage, he kept his upper body firmly in place and moved to hover slightly above the bed instead of sit, bringing himself up onto his knees as he leaned over him.
Bracing his free hand against the mattress, Drayton broke away to trail his lips along Arven's jaw, enjoying the slight stubble there with playful nips and kisses. He traced his mouth along the spot where Arven's jaw met his neck, slipping his tongue out to taste the skin there briefly before roaming lower.
When Drayton's mouth left his, Arven had initially leaned forward in a feeble attempt to recapture it. But then the taller male began brushing his lips along his jaw, and Arven could only succumb to a helpless shudder instead, letting his head fall back as Drayton gripped his hair. Arven shivered at the touch, which Drayton rewarded with another nibble to the neck. He groaned in response, and then immediately bit his lip to force it back down. He already hated that Drayton had the upper hand, that he had him squirming helplessly beneath him. Now he was moaning and groaning under Drayton’s touch, too? It was infuriating. He was infuriating.
Arven squeezed his eyes shut to detach himself from the situation, to bury the fact that Drayton’s attention to his neck was now driving him crazy with want. The Dragon trainer’s lingering kisses and nips progressively got sharper, and Arven tilted his head back to allow for greater access. With a quivering sigh, he slipped one arm over Drayton's shoulders and let the other trail along his side, coaxing him closer.
Ever the considerate host and lover, Drayton immediately set about moving closer to Arven as requested. Without pulling away from Arven’s jaw, Drayton shifted them both, allowing Arven to bring his legs up onto the bed underneath him. From there, Drayton lowered himself further, pressing his hips down against Arven's as he brought the hand that had been holding himself up to tease under the other's shirt.
Arven gasped at the light touch, arching to get both closer and further somehow (because showing how ticklish he could be would be a major buzzkill right now). He rolled his hips upward to meet Drayton's and let out a low moan at the sensation. Trembling, Arven shifted his legs slightly to allow for more friction, causing one of Drayton's legs to fall between his own. He bit back a gasp and curled his fingers into Drayton's shirt.
It was exhilarating, and Drayton found himself caught up in the feeling of having someone so eager for him, responsive to him, against him, under him. Honestly, he'd been so restless and frustrated lately. This was the closest he'd gotten to successfully scratching that itch, but there was still something off…
Oh well, he thought as Arven sighed into his ear. I’ll figure it out eventually.
For the moment, Drayton was content to not have to think about what else he was missing. Instead, he tugged at Arven's shirt, pulling it down so his neck was fully exposed. As he slowly licked a trail from the hollow of Arven’s throat to his shoulder, he pressed his thigh against Arven, teasing him further. Drayton paused momentarily before biting him right at the junction of his neck and shoulder, rolling his hips down sharply in time.
Arven’s reaction—a yelp that immediately morphed into a whine, and an involuntary upward buck of his hips—was immediate. He gripped Drayton's shirt even harder, evidently trying to pull it over his head. As he did so, his fingernails lightly scraped against Drayton's back. The sharp pressure of Arven’s nails combined with the cool air in the dorm meeting his now-exposed skin caused Drayton to shiver and come back to himself.
Shit.
Drayton abruptly pulled back, snatched his own palm out from underneath Arven's shirt, and reached up to grab Arven’s hand that was still trying to rip his shirt.
“Whoa, let's pump the brakes,” he said. “This is…this is great, but it's not right.”
Arven blinked, dumbfounded, as he went from feeling aroused, to confused, to a little pissed off—all in a matter of moments. He couldn't help but take offense to Drayton’s rejection at first, followed by fear that he'd messed up somehow. His embarrassment only fueled his indignation. “What?!” he spat. “You were just all over me!” Had he done something wrong?
Drayton sat up and rubbed a hand over his own face and head, tousling his hair. “Yeah, and I'd probably still be if I was the one you wanted to kiss.” He shot Arven a smirk to ease the sudden tension.
“What do you mean?” Arven frowned. “I mean, we were…”
“Yeah, we were making out. But am I the one you really wanna kiss?”
Arven dropped his gaze, suddenly unable to meet the knowing expression in Drayton’s eyes. “I…I don't know what you mean.”
“I think you do.”
Drayton could easily read these complex emotions in others (if not for himself), and the lines and connections between them. He'd grown quite good at it while everyone else had thought he was just zoning out.
He knew that Arven had it bad for Jules despite his own self-imposed “best friend” persona. He knew that Arven had been watching his interaction in the club room with her like a Talonflame waiting to attack. And he also knew that Jules felt something for her determined-to-friendzone-himself bestie, too, from the way she'd gotten flustered when he suggested she kiss him (not like the idea was one she could never imagine, but that it was an idea that appealed to her all too much).
“Anyway!” With a firm pat to Arven's shin, Drayton made a show of pulling himself up from the bed. As he stood, he pushed his arms above his head to stretch out and shake away the tension. “We should probably head back. Poor Jules is probably worrying that I've eaten you.” He flashed Arven a sharp grin.
After straightening themselves up as best they could (Drayton wasn't about to waste energy trying to fix his hair this time), they made their way back to the club room where the rest of the club was still enjoying the welcome party. Drayton let Arven go in first. He noticed Juliana's face when she saw him, and then her eyes cut swiftly to him—and narrowed. She had been standing with Amarys and Carmine in the corner, but she immediately cut a path to them. And the look in her eye told him that it was not going to be enjoyable. Drayton slipped to the side while Arven moved forward to greet her.
When Arven and Juliana met in the middle of the room, they just stood there a moment, staring at each other in silence. Arven took in Juliana’s bright eyes and flushed face, overwhelmed by her for a spell. Juliana’s eyes darted over Arven, taking in his slightly crumpled clothes, his even more disheveled hair, and the blush spreading over his cheeks, before they fixed at his neck.
“Hey, Juli, look—” Arven began, but Juliana had already spun on her heels away from him, embarking on a war path directly to Drayton.
Seeing Juliana approach him, Drayton turned to fully face her with a smile. “Hey, Jules—” He broke off to catch her as she leapt at him, arms swinging. Though he managed to envelop her in his arms, one of hers soon escaped and swiped over his eye.
“Ow, fuck!” Drayton winced and immediately secured her between his pec and bicep so he could grab her rogue arm. She struggled against his containment.
“What was that about?!” He frowned, though out of genuine confusion as opposed to annoyance or anger. What had Arven said to her?
“You know damn well, Drayton!” She struggled and kicked her feet against his shins, trying to break free.
Drayton looked up to see that Arven had finally reached them. His frown intensified. “What the fuck did you tell her?!”
“Nothing!!” Arven exclaimed and threw his hands up into the air.
“He didn't have to!” Juliana was seething, and Drayton could notice tears of frustration budding in the corners of her eyes.
“I one-hundred percent think he did!” Drayton snapped.
Juliana groaned, squirming further. “What do you think I am, stupid?!”
“Stupid, no. Drunk? Maybe. Jealous? Definitely.” Drayton sighed. “Jules, look. We just kissed. I promise.”
“Well,” Arven interjected, “not just—”
“Really, Arven?” Juliana managed to get another swipe aimed at Drayton’s neck, and he winced.
“Right! Sorry. Just kissed!”
“And besides,” Drayton added, relaxing his grip on her, “it's not me that he really wants to kiss.”
“Wh-what?!”
Arven and Juliana both stared at him in shock, but at least she'd stopped trying to wrestle herself out of his arms to hit him again. For such a little person, she'd managed to get him pretty good. He might even get a bruise. Great.
“Look,” Drayton began as he released Juliana fully, “You two gotta talk this out. Now. I'm gonna head out.” Patting Juliana lightly on the shoulder and clapping Arven on his, he flashed them both his signature masking grin. “Good luck.”
Drayton turned and moved his way through the small crowd that had accumulated, relieved when they cleared a path for him without hesitation. He decided against heading back to his own room, instead opting for the Terarium. It was nighttime now, and it was nice to get fresh air (even if it was a synthetic environment). Besides, he could use the time to clear his head. His thoughts were a bit of a trainwreck at the moment, and he would rather sort them out while looking up at the stars—even if they were fake.
If only he could really put his finger on what had made him so irritable this past week… then he could at least start to figure out how to fix it. But he truthfully had no idea. He didn’t know what had set him off about seeing Juliana and Arven dancing around each other. Something about it just made him feel… well, it made him feel. And he didn't understand why. He knew he wasn't jealous of either of them. He didn't particularly want them, either (though they were both very attractive, it would have been way too much work with not enough of a reward at the end). But seeing their lingering looks at each other…
Now having reached the Savannah Biome, Drayton groaned and looked up at the sky. He'd figure it out somehow.
With a sigh, he sent out Dragonite. “C'mon, sweet girl.” He smiled and reached up to stroke her face as she leaned forward to meet him. “Let's go on a trip.” With another sigh, he hopped onto her back and directed her to the slight northeast of the Terarium.