FIXated

That night, Harian pulled up his sheets over his feet, feeling the soft, fluffy fibers rub against his skin. The warmth of his blanket comforted him against the cold as he settled into his bed. It had not been long since the dormitory curfew’s lights went out, and the bed below him remained empty.

He should be back soon, right? He quietly thought to himself as he took a glance.

For a moment, he recalled that instance during lunchtime when he held Raphael’s wrist, pulling him out of the way as Sylvia’s crew passed by. From his grip, he caught a slight tremble on his hand so quick that he wouldn’t notice it without touching.

He said he was good.

But that didn’t seem to convince him. He asked him one more time.

Still, he denied, but there was hesitation behind his crimson eyes when he avoided his gaze. Before he could press him further about what had happened, Raphael moved forward, quickening his pace, not even batting an eye at him.

Why was he in such a hurry?

Did something happen?

Then, the door creaked open as he turned his attention to see Raphael, his roommate, enter the room.

“Oh, welcome back, Raphael.” Harian smiled.

"Hey, getting to bed already?" Raphael took a glimpse, enough to recognize him with a nod and a smile, but not long enough to meet his eyes— the same avoiding gaze.

"Mhmm. Just got myself comfortable."

As Raphael turned around, setting his things on the desk, Harian quietly watched him, noticing his brown locks dripping wet from his recent shower. The towel over his shoulders dampened as water droplets trickled down over it.

Harian leaned against the rails on his bed. “And…you? Took a while for you to finish.”

"Y-yeah. Just didn’t realize.” He explained to him while running his fingers through his fringes and rubbing them with the towel. “I still need to dry myself, so I gotta stay awake for some time."

"Okay~ Don't stay too late."

“Don’t worry. It won’t take a while.”

“Alright. Goodnight then, roomie.”

“Goodnight.”

Harian turned over to his side as soon as he heard him say that, flicking the switch at the same time, dimming the room with only the fairy lights illuminating it.

He didn’t want to ask him more.

He didn’t want him to feel troubled.

While lulling himself to sleep, he hummed softly, the same tune he kept singing like a lullaby before bed—It was his favorite song from his album. No one else knew except his roommate, Raphael. Clutching his blanket close to his chest, sinking his head into the soft pillows, slowly shut his eyes. He listened within his auditory range to the faint rustlings and wooden creaks from beneath him. The soft hums faded into mumbles as he finally drifted to sleep.

---

The next morning, Raphael had arrived just in time before Feyline began calling out names from the record book. All eyes were on him as he rushed inside, quickly going to his seat, ignoring the stares and whispers.

He had overslept once more.

Unfortunately, Harian was not there to wake him up like last time, and his alarm setup failed miserably, mistakenly setting it in the calculator app. A frustrated sigh escaped from his lips as he took a seat, his chest heaving while catching his breath, burying his face in his palms.

“Should have slept early….” He muttered under his breath.

“Being a bad boy, huh? Getting late in class.”

Her voice echoed in his ear with a velvety purr, prickling the hairs in his skin as he glanced up, seeing Sylvia’s green irises looking at him to the side. She smiled at him once their eyes met.

Ah, great. Not her again.

Instinctively, his gaze averted from hers.

He was still exhausted despite oversleeping that night, and he was not in the mood to deal with her mocking tease, especially the fact that she was the very reason for his overthinking.

That was nothing after all. He told himself.

“Raphael Kiersten.”

His name was called as Feyline’s gaze looked straight at him, squinting her eyes like she was judging him closely. A hard lump swallowed down his throat as he raised his hand.

He replied. “Present.”

“First warning for you, Raphael. Get in class earlier, next time.” Feyline warned him sternly while jotting down in her record book with ease. “Understand?”

Raphael nodded. “Understood.”

As soon as Feyline began calling other names from the list, followed by voices announcing their presence, Raphael slumped back in his seat, his shoulders dropping down as he heaved a deep sigh.

A warning…

He didn’t think she would give him one, but it was stated in the Academy’s handbook, so there was nothing he could do about it.

After the homeroom session, the next teacher, Mr. Davies, arrived earlier than expected, carrying his only source material: The Great Gatsby, and started the Literature class by opening to a specific page where the last line had been discussed from the previous session.

This is going to be long.

With the book in his hand, he quietly read along with Mr. Davies’ droning voice, flipping through the next pages with the flick of his thumb.

Just stay awake…

An hour or so had passed, and Raphael was on the verge of falling asleep, bobbing his head back and forth, fighting the urge to do so while still listening to his explanation in a monotonous tone. The words blurred altogether into incoherent rambles from his mind.

As it continued, his eyes closed shut, succumbing to a quick nap.

---

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