I paused. My eyes ran the length of him. He only had a towel draped low on his waist, and I could tell he had just gotten out of the shower.
“I will be out in a minute but if you wanted to shower, I would stay if I were you. The moment I step out, someone else will come in,” Tobias said, not bothering to look at me.
I nodded, stepping into the room and standing by the wall furthest from him.
“Did Darius give you some shoes?”
I shook my head, and he nodded, tilting his head to shave under his chin. I glanced at him before doing a double-take. His entire back was covered in thick burns, making me think of what Lycus had said. I opened my mouth to ask but quickly closed it. However, the movement of my lips was not missed by Tobias. He glared at me through the mirror when the door opened up, and Kalen walked in.
I couldn’t help the smile that split onto my face when I saw him walk in. He didn’t notice me at first and instead kissed Tobias’s shoulder before plucking the razor from his fingers and sitting between the sinks next to Tobias.
“You’re up,” Kalen said excitedly, moving toward me. Tobias growled, and Kalen sighed before moving back toward Tobias. He sat between the two sinks before grabbing Tobias by the towel and moving him between his legs. Tobias placed his hands on Kalen’s thighs. It was strange seeing Tobias pulled around by Kalen and letting Kalen pull him around. Kalen turned Tobias’s chin up.
“Darius give you some shoes?” Kalen asked me as he started shaving Tobias’s face. Tobias growled, so I didn’t answer. Kalen gripped Tobias’s chin and turned his face toward his. “Darius said he would get her some,” Kalen told him.
Tobias’s eyes softened, and I looked away like I was intruding on some intimate moment between them. I was beginning to realize that they all treated Kalen like he was made of glass; they were gentle with him. Even Darius was protective of him.
“I’ll speak with him,” Tobias told him, and Kalen smiled before turning his face back up and continuing to shave him.
“What classes have you got?” Tobias’s eyes went to mine in the mirror, but I had no idea what classes I was meant to attend or where they were.
“She has Theory with me,” Tobias answered. Kalen nodded like we just had an everyday conversation.
“Why not with Lycus?”
“Lycus refused the classes with her,” Tobias answered, and I swallowed.
“I will shower later,” I told them, about to leave the room. I felt somewhat awkward when Tobias hissed as Kalen jumped off the sink basin.
“Oh shit, sorry,” Kalen said.
“Aleera, the tissues,” Kalen said just as I was walking out. I stopped, looking to where he was pointing at the windowsill above the toilet in the niche. I grabbed the box and walked over to him. Kalen had sliced Tobias’s chin. He repeatedly apologized to him, and I plucked a tissue out, handing it to him. I placed the box on the basin beside him and turned around.
“Don’t leave. I don’t know when Darius will let me see you again,” Kalen whined, gripping my wrist. They had all warned me away from Kalen. My eyes went to Tobias’s in the mirror, and he rolled his eyes.
“You can stay.”
“See? Tobias isn’t so bad. Just a big blood-sucking teddy bear,” Kalen laughed.Odd way to describe someone, I thought to myself. I remained where I was, but I could tell by how tense Tobias was that he didn’t want me anywhere near him and was only tolerating me because of Kalen. I swallowed, wanting to leave but also not wanting to upset Kalen.
I found my eyes trailing over Tobias again. My brows furrowed at the thick burns, which had me wondering if they were from the fire. But if they were, why didn’t they heal? His power would have manifested by then. They were eighteen at the time of the fire, and he could have healed himself, or Darius could have healed him. Kalen happily talked away; he seemed extraordinarily bubbly and upbeat this morning.
“Did you take your medication?” Kalen’s eyes darkened, and he cut off mid-sentence and glared at Tobias.
“Did you?” Tobias asked him. Kalen didn’t answer, and Tobias sighed.
“I hate taking them.”
“Go take them. Aleera needs to get ready, or she will miss breakfast,” Tobias told him. Kalen went to argue when Tobias leaned forward and kissed him.
“You can see her later,” Tobias said, tapping Kalen’s legs.
“I can’t once Darius gets back.”
“I will take you to see her, but only if you take your medication,” Tobias told him, and Kalen’s brows furrowed, but he nodded before hopping off the sink basin. Kalen moved toward me, and I expected Tobias to stop him, but he didn’t as Kalen suddenly grabbed me, crushing me against his warm chest. He buried his face in my neck, and I sighed, hugging him back before he let go and walked back to his room.
“You like Kalen,” Tobias stated as I went to leave the bathroom. Was I supposed to answer that? I found it hard not to like Kalen. I think anyone would find it hard not to like Kalen.
“Kalen… he can be erratic,” Tobias said.