Page 91 of Psync
“My problem is you. Flaunting your ass around campus like you’re the hottest thing out there. I just want a taste to see if you’re worth the hype.” Hank’s face was so close Eli could feel his hot breath against his cheek. He twisted his neck to the side to get away.
His internal alarm was going berserk, which meant there was no way he was going to be able to hide this incident from Haruka. He could kiss his free time goodbye.
Not that he really cared about his precious free time right now. The only thing going through his mind right now was the hope that Haruka would arrive before Hank did something to ruin Eli’s entire week.
“Back the fuck off, asshole!”
That . . . was not Haruka. Or any other voice he recognized, for that matter.
“Consent is a thing, buddy. Google it,” another unfamiliar voice said.
Hank turned to look at the people interrupting his fun, allowing Eli a chance to see that the entrance of the alley was lined with students. He might not recognize their voices, but their faces were very familiar. They should be. They’d been following him and Haruka around for weeks.
He looked closer. And some of them were people who’d asked him out.
While Hank was distracted, Eli tried to squirm free, but Hank threw a forearm across his chest, keeping him pinned in place.
“Get lost. He wants it, and you’re interrupting.”
“Keep dreaming. Eli doesn’t like to be touched by anyone but Haruka,” an unknown girl said.
A boy held up his phone. “I’ve been recording since you shoved Eli into the alley. I don’t think a jury will think Eli wants it.”
“I don’t!” Eli twisted hard, and Hank relaxed his hold, allowing Eli to finally get free.
He bolted for the line of Haruka’s fans. They opened a space for him, let him slip through, then closed back up, forming a wall between Hank and Eli. He didn’t fail to notice that they all kept a respectful distance from him, giving him a nice, safe bubble of personal space.
A chest pressed against his back that didn’t feel even slightly wrong. Haruka had finally arrived.
Hank backed up. “It was just a joke.”
“It didn’t feel like a joke,” Eli said.
“We’ve got several camera angles to work with, so the police can see whether or not they think it was a joke,” the first girl said.
Eli looked around and realized several people had their phones out recording everything.
Hank backed up again. Then he turned and ran.
“Should we go after him?” Phone Boy asked.
“Let him go. Somehow, I doubt the police are going to believe I’m enough of a siren to have two separate men attack me in my first semester. I’d rather not be known as the campus floozy, if you don’t mind.”
Eli felt a low growl in Haruka’s chest. He hadn’t said anything yet, and it was making Eli feel a little nervous.
“W-what are you all doing here, anyway? I thought you were Haruka’s fans, not mine.” Yes, he was stalling for time, but he still wanted to know. His rescuers had shown up at a very convenient time.
“We were, but we decided to combine forces with your fans when we saw how devoted you two are to each other,” Phone Boy said.
“You’re so cute together!” A short girl—who was still taller than Eli—clenched her fists together in front of her chest and jumped up and down happily.
There were several dreamy sighs and squees from the gathered crowd.
“Ah . . . I don’t, I mean, we’re not.”
Haruka wrapped his arms around Eli from behind in a hug.
“How did you know?” Eli finished lamely.
