Rowan's coffee tasted like burnt wood in his mouth, but he drank it anyways. By the time he's gotten to the lecture hall the bitterness remained in his throat.
He slid sluggishly into a seat beside his friend and let out a long beat sigh.
Casper looked at him immediately, lifting his brow in concern. "Hey, Rowan, are you good?"
"I'm good" Rowan said, although his voice said otherwise. "Is just that, I think I may have messed up something."
Before Casper could respond, Gideon's loud cheerful voice interrupted.
"Hey! what's up buddies!"
Casper looked up to him and smiled. "Gideon, we are good what's up."
Gideon's attention shifted to Rowan whose expression looked weary, like he has lost all hope. "Rowan? You look like someone has casted a spell on you. Did willow break your heart before you two got to date officially??"
Casper immediately bursted out laughing.
Rowan let out a fatigued sigh and shot Gideon a blank stare. "Really? That's not even the case." He said slapping his forehead tingling in a bit of frustration.
Gideon shrugged his shoulders as he slid into thesame sit beside Rowan. "What is the matter then?"
Rowan paused, his gaze moved across the lecture room as if searching for someone, then he saw him.
Llewyn walked into the hall.
Rowan's eyes stuck to him as he sat down few rows away, after which he turned back to his friends.
"I think I made that Llewyn guy uncomfortable." He confessed gently.
Gideon raised a brow thoughtfully. "Who's Llewyn?"
"That tall pale guy that I've been trying to befriend."
"Ooh." Casper said quietly. "what about him?"
"Well…" Rowan scratched the back of his neck hesitantly. "It's quite complicated."
Gideon leaned closer, curious. "What did you do?" He whispered.
"Umm…never mind guys it's hard to explain." Rowan shook his head dismissing the discussion.
Casper stared narrowed eyes at Llewyn from a distance in a suspicious way. "Hmmmm…"
The lecturer stepped in, cutting all conversations off, chairs shifted orderly, note books opened and the room settled into academic mode.
— **
Outside the courtyard was somewhat quiet with distinct boisterous noises under the shed of a big tree.
Llewyn sat alone on a bench, a digital camera rested on his hands, he scrutinized the screen carefully, scrolling through images with quiet concentration.
A distant movement caught his attention.
Across the yard, Rowan was conversing with willow.
Llewyn's gaze remained. He watched how Rowan smiled at her, they seemed really acquainted with each other from their posture and demeanor. They looked comfortable.
He recalled the incident from yesterday, how closely Llewyn leaned against him. His chest tightened, though he couldn't put a name on the feeling.
Willow shortly turned, waved goodbye and walked away.
Rowan stood there for a moment. He scanned his surroundings deliberately before his eyes fell on Llewyn.
Their eyes met.
A bright smile spread across Rowan's face. Almost quickly, he stepped towards him.
Llewyn quickly looked down his camera pretending not to notice Rowan.
"Llewyn!" Rowan called out slightly breathless as he approached. "I'm glad I caught you out here!"
He stopped beside the bench and sat down, his posture tinged with uncertainty waiting for an invitation.
After a few seconds of silence, Rowan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Llewyn…about yesterday…I'm sorry. if I made you uncomfortable."
He glanced at Llewyn cautiously. "I really didn't mean to."
Llewyn was quiet for a moment.
Then, in a low voice, he replied. "It's fine."
Rowan's tensed shoulders relaxed as he exhaled in relief. His true energy returned immediately.
He smiled staring at Llewyn as he was faced down.
Once more he noticed, his face was really ghostly pale, complimenting his very dark hair.
Llewyn abruptly turned to him, their gaze met with each other for a moment.
"Good…okay" He smiled very brightly again and then he noticed the camera resting on Llewyn's hands. "Oh—You love photography?!" He asked, discomfort tingling in his voice.
Llewyn looked at his camera and gave a small nod.
"That's actually very cool." Rowan said amused, leaning closely. "Can I see some of your photos?"
Llewyn handed the camera to him without saying a word.
Rowan's eyes lit up as he scrolled through the images, quiet corners of gardens, soft lights brimming through tree branches, landscapes etc. Everything felt dedicated and devoted.
"Wow," he mumured. " you're really good at this. You seem to also like beautiful sceneries huh?"
He looked up smiling. "It's really blissful."
Llewyn had been watching him.
Rowan flinched slightly when he noticed Llewyn's eyes glued to him. He quickly looked away clearing his throat.
"Umm…" He said abruptly, trying to ease the awkwardness."Can you take a picture of me?"
The request came out of hurry as though he scrambled for a means to fill the silence.
Llewyn accepted the camera without hesitation, lifting it with professional ease. He adjusted the lens frame intentionally, focusing carefully.
Rowan positioned awkwardly striking a peace sign with an unsure smile.
Click.
The photo was taken.
Llewyn handed the camera back.
Rowan checked the image and immediately cringed. "Ah…I look kind of awkward. You can delete it. I just wanted to see how I'd come out."
"It looks good to me." Llewyn simply said.
The compliment only made Rowan to feel more cringed.
He laughed awkwardly and adjusted his position.
"Your bangs are over grown." He said reaching out without thinking things through. "You should get it trimmed."
Llewyn flinched.
The reaction was small but quick.
Rowan noticed and instantly pulled his hands back. "Sorry—sorry!" I didn't mean to startle you again."
Llewyn quietly stood up.
"I have to go now." He said.
He turned to walk away.
"Llewyn! Hold up." Rowan's voiced halted him as he stood up.
Llewyn paused but didn't turn.
"…Are you mad at me?" Rowan asked quietly.
"No." Llewyn said and continued walking away.
— ——————
By evening the campus had quiet down and the night was slipping in.
Llewyn stepped out of the school building his hand holding his bag strap that hung on one arm when his eyes fell on Rowan rushing towards willow, smiling as she approached him.
Willow greeted him warmly, wrapping her arms briefly around his shoulder.
Rowan looked happy but had an abashed expression to it.
He watched them for a moment, longer than he'd intended.
He didn't understand the subtle feelings that ran through his chest, heavy and difficult to define.
Then he looked away and continued walking.
**__
His room was dim when he returned.
He didn't turn on the light. The street light barely glowed through his window blinds. The room was quiet. The air smelled like polished wood and dust.
He calmly lets down his bag and brought out his digital camera.
Sitting at his work desk, He turned on the camera, the soft screen light illuminated the lower half of his face leaving the rest of him in shadow.
He swiped through the gallery.
Rowan's photo appeared.
Llewyn stared at it without an expression. For a long time he didn't move.
The battery warning flashed across the screen, only then he decided to set the camera aside.
—————-
Morning came.
On the narrow road that led to campus Llewyn walked in his usual quiet and measured step. His hand rested on the padded straps of his bag pack. His expression unreadable as cars passed and students walked past him.
A group of crazy looking young men hung around the road side wall, their laughter and loud voices sounding through the morning air. At first they gave no attention to him.
Then on of them glanced up. His smirk widened.
He elbowed the others and their conversation stoped almost quickly.
Their eyes all turned towards Llewyn.
"Hey." One of them called out. "Going somewhere?"
Llewyn stopped.
He turned slowly to them, his pale gaze landing on the group without a slightest tip of alertness.
The boldest amongst them stepped forward head raised to meet Llewyn's gaze properly in bluff. He moved his head to the direction of a side alley.
"Come with us."
Llewyn considered him for a moment.
Then without a word, he followed.
From a distance Rowan spotted Llewyn as he followed them.
Llewyn?…
He immediately thought of danger and without another hesitation started to their direction.
The alley corner was not very hidden from the main road, covered by some patchy fence and stacks of abandoned crates. Car sounds from the street felt far from there.
The men surrounded him.
One of them stretched out a hand. "Wallet. Phone. Hand them over."
Silence.
Llewyn stood still and calmly, eyes fixed on the speaker.
Something about Llewyn's expressionless stare made him unsettled. There wasn't any hint of fear or panic.
The bully gulped hard, Rising his anger to conceal his unease.
"The hell are you looking at, huh?"
He lunged a heavy fist onto Llewyn's cheek.
The impact caused Llewyn's head to tilt to the side, leaving a blooming dark bruise across his pale skin.
He did not stagger, Raised a hand, nor blinked.
The alley fell quiet.
The man withdrew his bravery, faltering.
"W-what the hell is wrong with this bastard?"
Llewyn's head drifted back toward him, with deliberate movement.
He slid his hands into his pocket, fingers wrapping around a cold handle hidden within.
A clean dagger.
The group instinctively withdrew as tension aired though the alley.
Their confidence which was so loud some moments ago weakened in the face of Llewyn's unshakable calm and silence.
Then—Out of nowhere.
A blur burst from the alley entrance
"Back off!!"
Rowan lunged forward unleashing a very harsh punch that smashed into the jaw of one of the nearest bullies.
The force sent him stumbling to the side.
The others shouted in shock, recoiling back.
"Who the hell—"
"Is he mad?!"
Rowan stood in front of Llewyn, his adrenaline pumping, fists tightened despite his ragged breathing.
Behind him stood Llewyn, motionless.
The dagger still remained in his pocket, his fingers slowly loosing its grip on the handle.
His gaze rested on Rowan's back—an average frame neither intimidating nor really strong, yet stood there with a courage that exceeded his frame.
Without turning around he spoke over his shoulder. "Llewyn are you okay?"