"I'm glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love. For it is a fever, and a burden, too, whatever the poets may say."(Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca)

"Lift up your shirt. Now"

"Wow, Master Akhenaton, would you look at that! The sun is up in the sky now, and the little birds are -"

"Fayez, stop fucking around. Do it now." Akhenaton sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

"Is that a friendly suggestion or-"

" For a supposedly shy person, you sure talk a lot. It's a goddamn order."

"O- ok, then."

No fucking way, Fayez thought, as he feigned to obey, turning around while his hands grabbed the edges of his shirt.

He needed an emergency exit of some sort to appear right now in front of him, because the last thing he wanted was for Akhenaton to see the burn. It wasn't just because the prefect would then tell the Headmaster that Fayez was too fragile to remain at the ISB.

For some reason, he wanted the brunette to think he was stronger than that. He wanted him to look at him with respect, maybe even fondness, just like he apparently did, a couple of times during training, or on other occasions, when he thought that none was paying him any attention.

Helmut and Nassiba had been adament about it: the prefect couldn't seem to take his eyes off Fayez very long, just like Fayez was constantly double-checking the three men.

That's why Akhenaton couldn't know about the self-harm. He didn't want his pity, or for the handsome man to think that Fayez was some sort of freak.

Unfortunately, there wasn't any emergency exit magically appearing before his eyes. After all, they were still standing on a fucking roof.

Unless...

That was pretty risky. Actually, that was even borderline suicidal, and if he even made it in one piece, then he better hoped for his sake that his road would never cross Akhenaton's again.

Well, then, you know the saying. Nothing ventured nothing gained. Wise words, perfectly fitted for the situation Fayez was in, right?

Right?

He was a vampire. Highs were his forte. Maybe he could do it.

He turned his head to give one last look at the sorcerer. The prefect narrowed his eyes in confusion, before opening them wide at the realization of what Fayez was about to do.

"Bye then, Akhenaton, Lord of Assholes and impossibly attractive sorcerer. It was a pleasure being under your care." Fayez winked at him, as if he wasn't scared shitless inside.

"Fayez, wai-"

It was too late. Whether in stories or in real life, it's often too late. All you can do is hopelessly watch your loved ones fall over and over again into the same spiral of self-hatred, and hope that at some point they will willingly take your helping hand.

Of course, as he was quickly falling toward his painful end, Fayez wasn't thinking about Akhenaton's feelings, or even putting his thoughts into so many words.

The only thought that was on his mind was the plain good old "fuck."

He hadn't thought that the Castle would be so high. He had no chances of making it alive. His body would be crushed into tiny pieces and his blood would be splattered on the flower beds.

Such a nasty picture.

As only a few meters were separating him from the ground, he closed his eyes tightly, hoping that he would die on the spot.

Shame I died before I could be of any use to someone.

He eventually hit the ground with a sickening crack and helplessly waited for the excruciating pain to follow.

Except, all he was feeling now was a warmth running from his toes to his fingertips. He looked down at his arms in shock.

There was a quickly fading blue halo around his body.

Was he dead? - well, so to speak, since he was never alive in the first place - #vampiresprivatejokes.

How comes he had managed to land safely without feeling any pain?

A discrete cough suddenly made him jump, and he turned around in dread.

The reason for his unexplicable survival was standing a few meters away from him.

His guardian angel didn't seem very happy with him right now.

"You know what, Fayez? Now I'm starting to wonder if you're really suicidal or just plain dumb."

Deciding that now wasn't a good time to answer Akhenaton's question (the correct answer was obviously the option C - he was a goddamn genius, and too dead to die ) he did the second dumbest thing he could think of.

"Catch me, and then I'll tell you"

"I swear, Fayez, the minute my hands are on you, I'll make you regret the day you arrived at the ISB"

Fayez gave a whine of distress at the obvious threat, and started running toward the forest.

Yes, he was hurt and yes, Akhenaton was much quicker than he was. Didn't matter, right? You've gotta try and if you don't stand a chance, then you've gotta try even harder.

He smiled in triump has he reached the first rows of trees, but his victory was short-lived.

Just as he arrived at a small clearing, he felt a strong pair of arms closing around his midsection.

A few seconds later, his back was pressed against a tree, his feet now a few centimeters above the ground.

"Shit. How comes you're so much stronger, when you and I have similar body types? It's unfair and -"

"Shut up."

This time, Fayez actually obeyed the brunette- not like he had a choice, as he was trapped between the tree and Akhenaton's equally hard body.

"If I let you go now, do you promise not to run away again?" the other man asked, looking at him with glowing eyes, his brows furrowed and his lips set into a thin line.

"I promise"

"I swear Fayez, if you break this promise, I will spank you so hard you'll wish you were on your mama's lap instead." Akhenaton said threateningly, leaning closer to the young vampire and accidentally brushing his cheek against Fayez's.

Fayez blushed slightly, then forced the unwelcomed images out of his mind. The idea of a spanking actually wasn't so unpleas-

Stop right now. God. What is wrong with you? That shit sounds humiliating and painful. Akhenaton meant it as a threat, not as a sexual reward.

"I won't run away."

"Okay."

Akhenaton slowly let him go, and, true to his words, Fayez remained immobile, watching the prefect with a slightly defiant expression.

"Are you hurting?"

"I - yes. Yes, I am."

Why did his chest start burning again? Akhenaton had just asked him a simple question! All he had to do was to give him a factual answer. The guy was concerned about a student possibly being injured, nothing more. He wasn't inquiring about Fayez's mental health.

"Just lie down and let me have a look at it."

Akhenaton's voice was much softer now. Fayez nodded, willing for the sudden tightness in his chest to disappear, but clueless about how he could make that happen.

These feelings were just too much. He was mentally exhausted, he realized, as he lay down on the grass.

"Close your eyes."

It was impossible not to obey Akhenaton. Not when there was such obvious concern in those beautiful gray eyes of his.

Crap. He got it bad.

The reason why Akhenaton must have asked him to close his eyes, Fayez supposed, was to help him relax. However, as he felt the prefect hover over him, his anxiety increased.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Akhenaton, on the contrary. The guy had already saved his life twice, and it would be a lie to pretend that he didn't feel safe around him.

The thing was, laying underneath this man, with his eyes closed and a wound on his stomach just made him felt incredibly vulnerable. He wasn't used to feel this defenseless around anyone.

He automatically tensed up as he felt his shirt being lifted up, and he didn't dare opening his eyes to see Akhenaton's reaction. Instead he started explaining, with a quivering voice.

"Look, this isn't what you think. I-"

"Hush. You can tell me about it later. For now, just try to calm down."

Easier said than done, Fayez though, as he felt Akhenaton's hand start to delicately rub the wounded skin while muttering some chant unknown to him.

A few minutes later, he couldn't feel any pain anymore, but Akhenaton never stopped caressing his soft skin in light and circular motions.

It was almost unbearable - not that he didn't love Akhenaton's soothing touch. He had always loved to be touched by the icy prefect, from the very beginning. Except, this time, it didn't feel relaxing.

Why does Akhenaton has to touch me with so much tenderness? he thought, as he had to keep his eyes tightly shut so that no treacherous tear would escape. It's confusing. Does he realize the way he's touching me right now?

Why does he have to touch me like like a lover would?

"Faye? Come on Fayez, open your eyes now. Look at me. I need to check if you're okay" Akhenaton whispers against his ear, as he started to lazily run his fingers through Fayez's dark hair.

Fayez slowly opened his eyes, and looked up at the prefect. What was Akhenaton able to read in his defiant eyes? Fayez wondered. The thought was unsettling, and he was starting to feel like an open book - a very unpleasant sensation.

I can't let him look at me like that while I am so unsettled. He could understand what happened. He is a clever man, after all, just like his two lovers.

"Fayez" Akhenaton started with some difficulty, and Fayez briefly thought that he did enjoy a little too much Akhenaton addressing him with his first name, which was kinda pathetic, when you thought about it.

Fayez was so much better than "newbie."

"Fayez" Akhenaton continued with a reflective expression on his face, his eyes never leaving Fayez's, as he slowly touched the vampire's neck with his fingertips. "I - I am not sure about what I'm going to say but there's... something wrong. Not wrong but - confusing. Frightening, even. I never thought someone - I mean, you're such a smartass most of the time, and you can handle yourself in a fight, but when you look at me with those doe eyes, I am... I want to... I feel the urge to...."

"You're not my goddamn therapeut" Fayez interrupted him, in what he hopes sounded like he didn't give a flying fuck about the whole situation. "Stop looking at me like you want to kiss me - or do it already."

Akhenaton startled at that, then looked down at Fayez. Now, it was the sorcerer's turn to look unsecure.

"Are you trying to deflect the topic?" he asked with a suspicious voice.

"What, are you afraid of making a move on me? Don't want me to find out what a bad kisser you are?"

Fayez made a kissing noise, as if he was giving tongue to the thin air. Akhenaton snorted at that, muttering "You're such a child" with a fond expression. The tenseness had evaporated, much to Fayez's relief.

"You say I'm a bad kisser" Akhenaton commented with a mocking tone, "but Zephyr told me he was your first kiss. He said you looked so lost that night at the party, that he only gave you a small peck, in order not to frighten you any further."

Fayez felt himself blush at these words, and thought of ways to make Akhenaton's knowing smirk disappear from his annoying face.

"That's not true."

"Ashur and I were there. Usually, we would have been mad, seeing this little jink kiss someone else, but we found it so cute that we decided not to intervene. You looked like you had never done anything so wild in your entire life. Freaking adorable."

"If I'm so innocent, kiss me, then. Why won't you kiss me, fucker?" he asked, in a somehow challenging tone.

"You see, Faye" Akhenaton muttered, as he lightly traced Fayez's lips with his fingers. "When I kiss someone, I don't usually stop there and I don't think you're ready for that"

"Ready for what?" Fayez asked, his mind suddenly blank, as he felt Akhenaton slowly shift, his lower half now comfortably resting against Fayez's own.

Fayez didn't have much experience in that department, but he was positive that if Akhenaton started rubbing his lower half against his own, he would become hard in a matter of seconds.

Akhenaton smiled, but this time it was void of any mockery. He tucked a strand of Fayez's hair behind his ear, and gave him a soft, chaste kiss on his cheek.

It was nice, Fayez thought, but it definitely wasn't anywhere near enough. He longed for so much more.

"See? Definitely not ready, babe"

"Please, Ake" Fayez found himself shamelessly begging. "Kiss me for real"

"You're sure?" Akhenaton teased him, a mischevious gleam in his eyes that Fayez had only ever seen in Zephyr, since his arrival at the ISB.

"I'm very sure"

"Okay, then. As you wish"

He leaned forward, and Fayez closed his eyes in expectation.

He waited.

And waited.

Nothing happened.

When he opened his eyes again, he let out a cry of stupor.

Akhenaton's eyes had turned completely black. You could no longer see his pupil.

"Ake? What's wrong?"

The prefect remained silent, seemingly in a trance of some sort. Then, after what seemed like an eternity to Fayez, he blinked, and his eyes changed back into their familiar gray colour.

"Zephyr" he simply said, but there was so much pain in his voice that Fayez got up, looking at the other man in dread.

"What's wrong with Zephyr?"

"I can't believe Zephyr is... And here I was, fooling around with you while my boyfriend..."

Akhenaton ran his hands over his face in distress, before turning to Fayez, all playfulness gone.

"We have to go back. Hurry up."

"Just go, I will go back a little later."

"I can't leave you alone. Stop being so difficult and just come with me, or I'll make you"

Fayez nodded, his concern for the blond vampire temporarily overriding his humiliation and hurt over Akhenaton's brutal words.

"Let's go" he said coldy, and he could have sworn that the brunet looked contrite, for a second.

Then, his face hardened again, and he started running toward the Institute, with Fayez straight on his heels.

I will never let you touch me again, Fayez thought, furiously wipping the tears that were running down his cheeks, before his thoughts took him to the other prefect.

What was happening to Zephyr, he wondered, not sure if he actually wanted to know the answer or not.