Reaper

Chapter 6 -Kouzen

Detention was irritating. He’d never even been called to the principal’s office for something he’d done before. The closest he got was the one time in elementary school when he put his foot up on a piece of jungle gym equipment to tie the laces and the recess monitor screamed at him for trying to get on top of the monkey bars. He cried as he was taken to the lunch room and made to write sentences. He had chosen a desk by the window, at least he could look out across the schoolyard while he did his homework.

He pulled his English homework out with a pencil and as he settled in to start working the door opened and Evander walked in. The asshat glared at him, sitting as far away as he could. Kouzen was glad he’d chosen a spot at the back of the room so Evander couldn’t watch him from behind. He started working, diligently writing his report. It was easy to ignore him from so far away.

The monitor for detention broke his concentration, voice ringing out through the mostly quiet room, “Mr. Alfson, leave Mr. Khan alone.”

Kouzen growled involuntarily, eyes looking at the stupid asshole. Evander was nonchalant, not even looking at him as he leaned back into his own chair. He could see the kid next to Evander glaring at him nervously. He knew he had to be doing it on purpose. Trying to get a rise out of him again. He decided he’d ignore him, it was the best course of action.

That course of action only lasted one more detention. On the third day, Evander plopped down next to him. The monitor was quick to separate them, making Evander put at least 2 desks between them. It didn’t stop him from flicking little balls of paper that continued to land on his schoolwork. He brushed them off without even looking over but by the tenth one he was frustrated.

He moved his eyes, seeing the smug look on Evander’s face as he lined up another paper ball. He decided to turn his whole head to let him know he saw him. He already knew, that smirk became too much as the next ball came flying at him. It hit him between the eyes, Evander’s face lighting up with glee. Kouzen glanced at the monitor and then at Evander before slowly raising his hand.

Evander’s whole expression changed, the arrogance disappearing. It was replaced with a threat and it was Kouzen’s turn to smirk as the monitor sighed with annoyance, “Yes, Mr. Tarasov?”

“Can I move? This spot is just too distracting today. I think it’s the sunlight,” Kouzen watched Evander’s face through the corner of his eyes as he spoke. He looked worried, trying to think of a defense until he finished. He scowled as he was granted permission to move and folded his arms as Kouzen took a seat at the front of the room. He could feel eyes boring into his back but we able to successfully ignore him again.

After detention he waited for Evander to leave first before heading out to the parking lot. He scanned the whole area before realizing his parents weren’t there just yet. No one else was around and he sat down on a cement bench in front of the school. He pulled his feet up on the edge, his knees bending up for his chin to rest on them. He was at peace in this moment, smiling softly to himself as a soft breeze tussled his hair.

The peace was short, something pulled at the back of his mind. He turned his head and looked around, not seeing anything. He still felt compelled to get up off the bench. He walked along the front of the school before being pulled around the corner. He made his way across the tennis courts and then the soccer field, not realizing how far he’d made it until he got to the main road behind the school. He looked all around, crossing the street and following the feeling two more blocks over before stumbling across an accident.

He tilted his head, watching on with curiosity. The back car was destroyed and he looked to the ground where a young lady was laying. The driver from the front car was panicking, hollering out for help. She was breathing shallow, her eyes getting wide as he approached her. His whole body tingled and he reached out to her. She didn’t resist as he took her hand and he saw tendrils of his darkness curl down his wrist and fingers to hers.

She gasped for air as they swirled down her arm under her sleeve. He found he couldn’t let go and opted to look right at her. She tried to plead with him in quiet rasps of breath but he shook his head no as if guided by some higher knowledge. Her eyes glazed over and his tendrils retreated back to him, a pearl curled up in the ends. He took the pearl in his palm before standing, looking at the driver from the front car. Tears rolled down the other driver’s face and he quietly left the scene, tucking the pearl in his pocket for later. He wasn’t sure how he’d accomplished it, but he was learning more and more about his power by the day.

He started back for the school and grunted as his face smashed into someone’s hard chest. He backed up and quickly bowed his head without looking, “I am so sorry, sir!”

“Sir? Well that is something I wouldn’t mind you calling me all the time,” Evander sneered at him. Kouzen quickly grumbled, his manners leaving at his eyes focused on the ugly lizard. He took him in with malice running through his veins.

“I didn’t realize it was you. Gods, you’re so infuriating. Move, my dad’s probably at the school by now you oaf,” he pushed past him, following his path back to the school. He could hear Evander following him and tried his best to ignore him, still shaken up by the events he just participated in. He wished he had more answers.

“I saw what you just did. How would the world like to know you just killed that woman?” Evander kept his voice down, casually walking along behind him. His head whipped around and he growled venomously at Evander. His hands were tucked in his pockets, and he had the nerve to look relaxed at a time like this.

“I didn’t kill anyone. What would you know? Just go the f**k home,” Kouzen stomped back off towards the school, the dragon continuing to tail him. His growls got longer and deeper the closer Evander got until they arrived back on the edge of the school property, “Why are you following me? You hate me, just leave me alone.”

Evander smirked, shaking his head no, “What better way to prove how much I hate you than annoying the s**t out of you, horns? I have all the time in the world this afternoon.”

Kouzen screamed out in frustration, swinging on him. Judging by his face it surprised him but he dodged it effectively. He stumbled forward, falling on his face making the dragon snort in absolute delight. Kouzen’s face was red, burning in embarrassment as he rolled onto his back to stare up at Evander. He remembered why he stopped trying to retaliate against him: he was very bad at fighting compared to Evander who had been practically raised to brawl.

He started to push up off the ground then frowned, feeling his pocket. His eyes got wide and he glanced around before quickly spotting the pearl and grabbing it. He cupped it in his hands, cradling it softly, “I’m sorry, I think you can feel things like this. I’m so sorry, I don’t know why I got your pearl. I won’t drop you again.”

Kouzen examined the pearl for the first time, white billowing clouds filling this one with hardly any grey. They trembled until cradled and he sighed in relief. Evander was looking at him oddly and his face flushed, he looked like a raving lunatic in front of the wrong person. He tucked the pearl safely back in his pocket and stood up, dusting off his clothes before stomping back towards the parking lot, “What the actual f**k was that, freak?”

“Mind your business, Evander!” Kouzen rounded on him again and he captured his arm, freezing him in place. His grip was tight, he knew it was bruising his wrist. He struggled against the stronger boy and then remembered the accident. He willed the tendrils down his wrist and they responded on command filling him with excitement. Evander yelled out as they coiled around his wrist and creeped down his arms like rapid vines of ivy.

Kouzen smirked, he couldn’t break free and he was now caught in Kouzen’s web. He focused, feeling the tendrils creep across his chest to his heart. They dipped into his body, eliciting a gasp of approval from their owner, caressing the pearl inside. His eyes connected with Evander’s, fear rolling through the boy for the second time in their entire existence of knowing each other.

“When I release you, let me the f**k go or I’m taking it,” Kouzen willed his tendrils back, a secret pleasure as they rolled back across the toned pectorals and muscles of Evander’s arm. He could hurt him so bad, he had no guarantee he wouldn’t as they neared the end of their journey down his lower arm. Imagining the damage made a strange feeling fester in his lower stomach and as the tendrils finally returned to their master he realized he was incredibly aroused.

“What did you just do?” Evander didn’t let go, his grip got tighter and his other hand was quick to grab Kouzen as he tried to escape again. He didn’t sound angry which is what surprised him the most, he sounded curious.

“None of your business,” Kouzen imbued his words with venom. Evander tugged him closer and he honestly thought about curling his darkness back around him to warn him again. He’d pissed him off and now their eyes were locked in in a silent battle Kouzen was pretty sure he’d already lost. He held his ground nonetheless, he needed to get back to the parking lot and his mom or dad would take care of the rest.

Kouzen’s cheeks burned as his grip tightened on his wrists. They were nose to nose and he just realized he was growling low in his chest. Evander growled right back at him, ready to roar in his face, “Kouzen? Baby what’s going on?”

Both of them looked over to see his mom. Light and joy. Kouzen managed to wrench free as the grip on him loosened. Evander looked puzzled, as if not knowing when he’d loosened his grip. He hustled to his mom, glaring over at Evander. His mom glowered at Evander for only a second before pity took over his face. He looked over his boy, patting his backpack to motion him towards the car. Kouzen took a few steps then stopped, looking back at Evander. The dragon glared at him, smoke rolling from his mouth and nose in frustration, “I’ll see you tomorrow, horns.”

“f**k you, Evander,” Kouzen avoided the surprised look of his mother and ran towards the car. His mother chastised him the whole way back about his language but it was so incredibly worth it. He got in the car and got his seatbelt on. He felt eyes boring into him and looked to see Evander standing on the front of the school steps, watching him not with anger but… fascination.