Page 96 of Psync
Haruka:Send picture
There was only one exception to the no-picture rule, and that was if Haruka asked for one. It was probably for the best that Eli not know exactly how well protected he was. It would only worry him.
Caligirl:It’s ok, he stopped at the last minute. Eli seems to know him
Haruka:Picture. Now.
Haruka was gathering his things when a picture popped up in his messages. It was only a profile of the stranger, but Haruka recognized him. It was Jace.
The only person Eli trusted at school other than Haruka, Nate, and Alice. The person whose bed Eli used to sleep in when he was away. The person who’d actually slept in the same bed with Eli. Haruka was not a fan.
Haruka:On my way.
Let me know if they leave the area.
Caligirl:Roger
Redpheonix:You got it, boss
He recognized the cafeteria behind them in the picture, and it was close enough that he wouldn’t have to come up with an excuse for being there. He was always hungry.
Eli was chatting easily with Jace when he arrived. When he spotted him, Eli’s face lit up in a sunshine smile that never failed to make Haruka’s heart skip a beat.
Haruka went right up to him and draped himself over Eli, putting his arms around him and propping his chin on his boyfriend’s head. Then he gave Jace his bestget fuckedstare.
Jace jaw dropped, and he looked back and forth between Eli and Haruka, “Jesus, Eli, when did this happen?”
“It’s a recent thing.”
“And you’re really okay with this?” Jace narrowed his eyes at Haruka, seemingly immune to Haruka’s glare.
“Yeah, it’s kind of nice, actually.”
Haruka could practically hear a blush forming on Eli’s cheeks. He’d like to see it, but from a tactical standpoint, he was better where he was. It was important to start out strong and make his point clear.
Jace wasn’t touching Eli ever again.
“Is this the other arrangements you told me about on the phone?”
The reminder that Jace had Eli’s number made shadows stir restlessly in Haruka.
“Ummm, yes, actually.”
It wasn’t a denial of their relationship, but it also wasn’t the resounding,yes, I belong to Haruka and Haruka alonehe would have preferred. Fortunately, he could sense little flutters of joy from Eli from the small admission.
It was good enough for now.
“Does this mean I can hug you now?”
“No.” Haruka pulled Eli in closer and cranked up the glare to maximum.
“It’s ah, actually still in early development right now, so maybe not. Oh, I did touch Alice the other day, and it wasn’t too bad.”
“You did?” Haruka asked. Alice was in hisharmless, but good allycolumn. Did he need to rethink that assessment?
“That’s great! Keep up the good work.” Jace looked far more overjoyed than Haruka felt. Good for him.
Eli ducked his head, and Haruka got a flash of Eli patting the shoulder of a crying Alice for roughly two seconds. Alice could stay in her current column for now.
