"Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself." (Charlie Chaplin)

Nassiba was a traitor, Fayez decided, as he swallowed his fortieth beer can without feeling the slightest intoxicated.

When she had suggested they both went to the party and watch others having fun, she hadn't mentionned that she would be hooking up with a lanky red-haired girl, while he would sit on his own and try to act like he was perfectly at ease with the situation.

Well, he should be happy for her, he guessed. It might be their last night on Earth, so why should she refuse these interludes of pleasure? It was certainly more appealing than sitting with him all night and try to engage into awkward conversations.

He needed to become better. A better friend, a better man, one that wasn't so bitter and jealous of others' happiness.

That was easier said than done. He secretly wanted to turn off the too-loud music and remind them all that they might die during their mission the very next day.

He wanted to scream and throw off his gloves so that these merry drunkards would be forced to acknowledge his existence.

Yes, he had been called "the life and soul of the party" before. Obviously. That was him. That was definitely him. A pure ray of sunshine.

Fayez was tardily experiencing yet another painful truth: being the only one sober and clear-headed at a rave was another level of loneliness. Wherever he turned his gaze, there were people kissing, flirting, sometimes even openly making out.

Of course, it would have been a different feeling if he had purposely decided to act serious and remain sobber, so he could bring his friends back home safely. That would have been something very responsible to do, and he would have probably felt proud of himself for taking care of his loved ones.

What was the point in being sobber tonight, though? The party was taking place in the campus, and supernatural creatures were very hard to kill anyway. Besides, he didn't have any friends - or maybe he had, but these two friends certainly didn't need him to be their babysitter.

Why was Fayez still here? He knew he should have gone back to his bedroom hours ago, at the very moment when Nassiba had given him a sorry smile and had left with her new love interest.

He knew why he was still there, and the knowledge was making him feel even more pathetic and miserable. Nassiba had promised him that the three prefects would be there, and he still hoped they would eventually come.

It was already 2am, so the chances of meeting them were getting thinner, but what if Zephyr appeared five minutes after Fayez had decided to leave? Then, all his socializing efforts would have been for nothing.

Maybe it wouldn't have mattered that much if Nassiba had stayed by his side, and they had chatted together most of the night. Maybe he wouldn't have missed them so much, then - wait, "miss" wasn't the appropriate verb to use here.

However, as he had spent the last four hours basically talking to himself, his mood was at its lowest level and he thought that if he at least caught a glimpse of the prefects, then maybe his night wouldn't be a complete disaster after all.

Of course, he didn't want to see the mysterious three men out of romantically interest. No, he was merely curious about them, as he should, since he wanted to learn as many things as possible about the Institute and its residents. His interest was strictly theoretical.

"Wow, you seem like you're having the time of your life, darling"

Fayez startled and, as he turned to look at Zephyr, his eyes widdened at the sight of the blondie's outfit. Zephyr was wearing tight electric blue pants, a lilac crop top and a simple white pair of sneakers. His long blond hair were braided and he had applied blue eyeliner which made his gaze look sharper.

He looked beyond handsome.

"Thanks God, for you're finally here" Fayez mumbled, before violently blushing when Zephyr snorted.

"Pardon?" the blondie asked, looking at him in amusement.

"Sorry, I don't know what I'm saying"

"For someone who talks so little, you sure seem to have a hard time holding your tongue" the shorter vampire observed, but without any acrimony.

"Sorry" Fayez mumbled, unable to tear his gaze from the prefect's flat and smooth-looking belly.

"That's alright, I find it rather entertaining. I've been called many things, but God isn't one of them. Thank you for being so bold in the way you adress me, Fayez. It's rather flattering."

Fayez hesitantly looked up, to find Zephyr smiling at him. Deciding that the vampire was only teasing and wasn't mad at him, he eventually smiled back, making the other's eyes brighten.

"I like your smile. It's soft and sad, just like you. Makes me want to bully you, then comfort you, then bully you some more" Zephyr declared, before taking a sit on Fayez's sofa.

"Master Zephyr-" Fayez started, a bit shocked by the prefect's carefree attitude.

"Call me Zephyr" the sexy creature interrupted him, completely oblivious to Fayez's embarassment.

"Huh, alright... Zephyr. I-" Fayez stopped, his thoughts suddenly going wild because Zephyr was standing so close to him that he could see a very small mole above the right corner of his lips. He could feel his soft breath warming his already crimson cheeks. He was -

"Yes?" Zephyr asked bashfully, looking at him intently with doe-like eyes.

God, he was flirting with him, wasn't he? How could someone of Zephyr's quality flirt with someone like him, though? Someone who always seemed to go unnoticed, wherever he went?

"Uh, maybe you shouldn't - be doing this?"

"Doing what, Fayez?"

"You're... I don't know? Flirting? But I'm probably interpreting things the wrong way. I am, right? I'm sorry for making such ridiculous assumptions." Fayez hastily added, feeling stupid for suggesting that Zephyr could have the slightest interest in him.

Zephyr laughed at that, then his expression became softer, and he looked at him searchingly.

"Oh, such assumptions, like you said, aren't ridiculous at all. You're right, I was not so subtly flirting with you. You don't like it? I will stop immediatly, if that's the case."

"I do - I do like it, ah, but I'm not - used to it, I guess, and what about your boyfriends?"

Zephyr took his gloved hands in his, and gave them a light, comforting squeeze. Suddenly, there was a tighteness in Fayez's chest, for he desired nothing more than feel the young vampire's skin against his own, without the barrier of the fabric, but such thing was impossible. He had paid the hard price learning this lesson.

"You should give yourself more credit" Zephyr said softly, making Fayez snort at that, which earned him a light tap on his head.

"What are you even saying, Mast- Zephyr?"

"You should! I think you're fascinating and I would love to know what's going on in that pretty head of yours. Plus, how can you still be thinking of my boyfriends when I'm standing so close to you? I'm going to get jealous" he added, his smile turning cheeky.

"Zephyr, pardon me if I'm being rude, but are you drunk?"

Fayez didn't think the slender vampire was drunk. Amongst supernatural creatures, vampires were the one who resisted the best the effects of alcohol and Fayez doubted it was even possible for a vampire to get tipsy. Still, he wanted to make sure, in case Zephyr wasn't in his right mind and could regret his words and acts later.

"I'm not, you big worry head. You know vampires can't really get drunk, plus I only had twenty beers. I'm just getting drunk on the lights, the music, the electric tension. You should do the same. You do look a little out of place, sitting straighter than a ruler."

"I don't really know how to do it."

"Let me teach you, then. Let's dance"

Fayez wanted to protest, but Zephyr was looking at him with pleading eyes, an encouraging smile on his celestial face, and Fayez found his resolve weakening. He begrundgingly grabbed the other's hand, and let himself be lead toward the dancefloor. He was positive he would hate the whole experience, but if it made Zephyr looked so thrilled, then maybe it was worth it after all.

"I can't dance" Fayez warned him, as they stood in front of each other, in the middle of a hysterical crowd of dancers.

"Nobody can dance" Zephyr retorted. "There's Michael Jackson, and there's the rest of the world. We all look like toddlers on a dancefloor in comparison. Who cares, though? Come on, Fayez, move that body!"

Fayez wanted to retort that while Zephyr might not be a professional dancer, he always looked graceful no matter what he did. Fayez, on the other hand...

After a few minutes, it no longer mattered, because Zephyr was right: he was having fun.

"That's not so bad" he yelled at the prefect, so his voice would carry above the loud music.

"I told you so" Zephyr whispered in Fayez's ear, making him shiver slightly.

It was the moment when some cunning DJ decided to pass a languid slow instead.

"Well, that's my clue to go back to the couch" Fayez awkwardly commented, as couples started to form on the dance floor.

"Dance with me?"

"But, Zephyr, your boyfriends -"

"You're thinking too much. Look at me. Do you want to dance with me?"

"I do."

"It's simple, then. Just put your hands on my hips and I'll put mine on your shoulders, since you're taller"

It was pretty simple, indeed. Almost frighteningly natural. Fayez's body seemed to gradually loosen, and when Zephyr carefully rested his head on his chest, he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding in.

"That's good, Fayez. Just relax and appreciate the moment."

"Your boyfriends don't look like they appreciate it, though" he laughed nervously, as his eyes were drawed to the taller prefects, who were sitting at the bar and never took their eyes of them.

"Hmm? Oh, Ashur is probably mad at me for being so disobedient, but he has a good opinion of you and would never hurt you.As for Ake ... »

"I know he hates me"

"He'll come around. Don't worry, though. He's all barks and no bites. I think he just remembers how you stood up to him on your first day of training and wants to put you in your right place."

Zephyr's words didn't dissolve his anxiety, but they alleviated it. The only problem, though, was that the blondie's theory about Akhenaton wanting to disciplinate him had created confusing and totally unwanted images in Fayez's apparently dirty mind. He needed to put some distance between them - although that was the last thing he really wanted to do - before...

"You've been looking at my lips for a while - when you're not peeping at my lovers, at least. Can I kiss you?"

Fayez looked at Zephyr like he had grown two heads, but the smaller man only looked l at him patiently.

"Akhenat-"

"Will survive it, I guarantee you" Zephyr interrupted him. "I'm talking about what you want."

"I want it, but do you really -"

"I've been dying to do it for a while, actually, so fuck my over-protective boyfriends. Let's do it"

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one who's about to get killed" Fayez muttered, but he still leaned closer, until their lips touched.

He stayed like this for a few seconds, surprised by how much he was feeling from a mere contact.

Then, he took a step back, to find that Zephyr was now looking at him with an expression he couldn't decipher.

They didn't say anything for a while, only looking at each other in silence.

Then, realization washed over Fayez. What he had given Zephyr wasn't a kiss, that was a peck at best. He wasn't twelve anymore, so he should have done much better than this.

Zephyr, as kind as he was, must be internally laughing at him. Surely, he would tell his lovers later, and they would all -

"Hey, Fayez, what's wrong?" Zephyr's concerned voice interrupted his train of thoughts.

"I'm sorry, that's probably not what you meant, when you said we should kiss. Lord, I'm babbling again, I just want-"

"Stop it. That was extremely cute, Fayez. I liked it. I guess that was your first kiss?"

"Don't tell anyone?"

"I won't. Can I give you a kiss in return? I want to devour you, but since you seem more innocent than you look, I promise to keep it PG 13."

Fayez snorted but nodded, because if he was going to die tomorrow, he might as well find out what he had been missing during his long existence on Earth. Their lips connected again, and it was nothing like the first kiss they had shared, although it still lightened a fire in his veins. He suddenly felt hyper-aware of everything - the softness of Zephyr's plush lips, the contact of his thin fingers on his nape, the humidity behind his closed eyelids, because it was somehow too much, and not enough at the same time.

He looked up, and his eyes met Ashur's. The quiet prefect didn't look mad, just like Zephyr had predicted, and Fayez suddenly didn't know what to think anymore.

These three men were confusing, and he felt very confused himself, as he coudln't understand his own reactions.

Pulling out of Zephyr's embrace, he uttered a vague "Goodnight" before running back to his bedroom.

That was maybe a childish thing to do, but there were hidden desires which had just awaken in him, and he needed some alone-time to process them.