3. Reece

Dragging my suitcase behind me with one hand whilst holding my cat cage in the other I kick the door to my new university dorm room open. I'm thankful I managed to score a single room and don't have to share with someone who might realise who I am. It's going to be hard enough to keep a low profile as it is. To do my father's dirty work and not draw unwanted attention to myself.

My best friend Malyk pushes into the room, exuberant as usual. He leaps onto the bed, touching the roof with his palms as he jumps on the bed like a child.

"Nice and bouncy," he announces, as I put the cat cage down. "Good for fucking on."

I scoff at him. "Only you'd think and say that Mal."

He sits down on the bed, and I sit down next to him. He sniggers with a laugh, telling me, "You need to get laid, Ree."

I slap him on the side of the head. "Quit calling me that, dickhead."

My best friend has the gall to laugh at me again, teasing me, "Only if you quit calling me Mal."

"Not a chance," I taunt, smirking at him.

"Fine," he responds, still smirking when he asks, "So wanna test out the bed with me?"

"Again, not a chance, Mal." My tone is snide. Malyk knows I don't feel that way about him, but he can't help himself. It's just him.

"Fine," he huffs, sighing deeply and over the top. "A guy can only dream, and offer himself up so many times."

"I'm not losing you as my best mate because you want to fuck me, Malyk."

"I know. I know. I'll just dream until I find my guy."

I stand from the bed, and sit in the desk chair, spinning around on it.

"You still crushing on Tidus like an idiot?"

Malyk blushes, his gaze dropping from mine. "Yeah, I think the idiot is hot," he admits. I laugh a little, trying to hide it with a hand over my mouth. Malyk continues, "But he's a wanker."

I nod, confirming his words. "You don't have to tell me that. You could do so much better than Tidus Capullo."

Malyk chuckles, his smirk wide when he responds, "Yeah, true. But I'd fuck him any day. Hate sex and all."

"Hmmm," I mumble, wondering if the sex between me and Jasper would be hot if we got to fuck. I don't even know why I'm thinking that. Jasper is probably a heinous beast now. The cute guy turned ugly fucker.

"What're you mumbling about?"

"Oh nothing," I mumble again, spinning around the chair and looking down at the floor to hide the blush colouring my cheeks.

"It's not nothing that's got you blushing Ree."

I glance up at him, admitting softly, "I was thinking about Jasper."

Malyk chuckles but doesn't say anything. "Wondering if he's hot now," I say, my cheeks darkening more to the point I can feel how hot they are.

"Oh he is," Malyk affirms, smiling at me. "But he's not gay my sweet."

"I know he's not. And I haven't seen him in years," I say. Malyk nods and I continue, "Plus we hate each other by default."

"Yeah, so back to this drab place," Malyk says, changing the subject.

"What?" I question, glancing around my new room. It's not the best space, but it's mine and for that I'm grateful.

"It needs the Malyk touch," he jeers.

"Do as you want, Mal," I tell him, adding with a laugh, "But no pink."

Malyk again chuckles, and scoffs, huffing his reply, "Never. Blasphemy." It was a taunt. My best friend is flamboyant and very openly gay in what could be seen as stereotypical to some and he has from time to time partaken in cross dressing. But he doesn't like overly girly things like the colour pink.

He's glancing around my room then, his eyes darting around as his mind ticks over with ideas. He can go and think about it. I need some space.

I stand from the chair, pushing it away and stalking towards him. Squaring my hands on his shoulders I hoist him up and he giggles at my touching him. He knows nothing is going to happen between us, but he still reacts to my touch and tries sometimes or teases me like he did earlier. I'm not going to give in to him. Fucking up our fifteen year friendship for sex is not worth it.

I shove him towards the door. "Alright, fuck off then. I'm beat."

I drop my hands from his shoulders, wrapping my arm around his waist to give him a side hug.

"Message received," he jeers as I step aside and open the door behind him. "You need a wank, and don't want me to watch," he says, smirking with his eyes grazing my body like he's thinking about watching me whilst I get off. I don't dignify that statement with an answer, instead, I push Malyk out the door, and he blows me kisses.

I shake my head in response, closing the door so hard it makes a whoosh sound. I flick the lock and bend down to the cat cage on the floor. My cat's loud meow reverberates around the small dorm room.

Opening the cage to get Raven out, I cradle him close and stroke his silky midnight black fur, shushing him.

"You'll have to be quiet here Rave," I tell him, his tiny ears pricking up as he looks up at me, and nudges against my chest. "People can't hear you meow, or they'll kick us out."

I put him down on the bed, and he immediately starts kneading the surface with his paws, claws out to make it soft and his. I know I'll have to hide him because I'm not supposed to have a cat in the dorms, but there was no way I was leaving him behind. Nothing beats stroking his fur, and listening to his purr when I'm all alone after a killing. It's the only other thing that calms the chaos in my head. Without Raven by my side–especially at night–I'd get no sleep. He lulls me to sleep with his purr and protects me from the demons that plague my head. He's my protector.