A Solitary Flame

A Solitary Flame by Katica Locke

 * Length:
 * Rating: Mature
 * Warnings: M/M sexual content, language, questionable consent
 * Link: http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2775955/1/A_Solitary_Flame

Summary

Intro

Holding his bags close himself, Kessex made his way through the crowded corridors of the dormitory, a wrinkled slip of paper clutched in his sweaty hand as he searched for his dorm room. Someone brushed past him and he shrank away, nearly walking into a couple of faeries loitering around outside their room. Hitching the strap of his duffle bag higher onto his shoulder, he ducked as a large, white hawk flew over his head, the downdraft from its powerful wings blowing his shaggy black hair into his eyes. Blowing it out of his face with a upward puff of air, he hurried down the hall, a great sigh of relief rising in his chest as he found room 12 and ducked inside.

Shutting the door behind him, he leaned against it for a moment, closing his eyes as he waited for his heart rate to return to normal. He wasn't too fond of strangers, and he hated crowds, so a crowd of strangers was almost more than he could handle. He didn't know what the hell he was thinking, coming to Alyrrawood University, the most prestigious and desirable school in the galaxy. Community college would have been fine, and he wouldn't have had to take three world gates to get there. He drew a deep breath and sighed as he stepped away from the door. Too late now.

The room was small, maybe fifteen feet square, with two windows looking out over a rolling field, the overcast sky and drifting tendrils of fog making the long grass appear bleak and gray. Beneath each window was a desk, beside each desk was a bed, and at the foot of each bed was a dresser. That was all. Kessex supposed that since he was the first there, the choice of beds was his. Dropping his duffle bag on the floor and setting his suitcase beside it, he walked over and sat upon each mattress, bouncing a little to test out the springs. They seemed to be the same, so he just picked one, lifting his bags onto the bed on the left-hand side of the room and beginning to put his clothes into the dresser.

He was nearly finished unpacking when the door flew open, making him jump as it banged against the doorstop on the inside wall. Kessex's mouth went dry as a young man strode in, carrying two matching suitcases in deep, red leather, a knotted dragon design coiling around the edge of each one, probably embossed in real gold. He wore knee-high black suede boots over tight white jeans, a bright blue button-down shirt tucked into his pants, and a long, tailored black suede coat, but it wasn't his obvious wealth that made Kessex's heart beat a little faster. Indeed, Kessex cared little for material things. It was the strong line of the young man's jaw, the flawless bronze of his skin, the sparkle in his dark brown eyes, the slight wave in his shoulder-length brown hair, streaked with thin bands of gold and silver--He was beautiful. And from the look of him, a fire mage.