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Welcome to Atlantis Academy! (Lia && Chokuro)

Raphael beamed at his answer. He was so happy that he worried about him. He giggled and leant over to kiss his cheek once more with a soft, "Thank you for worrying." before he settled back onto the chair. He took a small sip of his latte before he looked over at him and laughed. "You know, I was not even sure you were there. I thought it was just my mind playing tricks." He admitted, laughing a little more. He really was grateful for the other. He was so happy that it was not his mind teasing him and that he was actually there, and actually worried about him. That just made him utterly giddy!​
 
"Tomias found you, I guess, and after you were stable, he came to tell me what had happened." The blond thought about that day, uneasy about it still. He disliked that he hadn't been able to help the other man when he'd needed it, even if those feelings confused him even more. "I was there for the first twenty four hours, I guess. And then Tanner told me I should go eat and shower. When I came back, you were awake." The blond failed to mention the fact that he'd clutched to his hand, or kissed his head or paced around the room like a nervous kitten.

The rest of the afternoon was spent much as any other had been. They finished their coffee, they walked around a little bit, and when Caden was afraid that Raphael was over exerting himself, the blond took them back to the school. He walked Raphael back to his dorm, refusing to accept that he was doing so because he was still worried about him. Of course, he couldn't deny the feelings after he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the redhead's lips.
 
Raphael laughed lightly. He had heard a bit about that from his uncle, and he was still happy. A warm smile was to his lips for pretty much the rest of the afternoon. Sure, he could have gone out for another hour or so, but the man was worried and so, back to hte truck he went. He had such an nice time and as they walked back to his dorm, he was babbling about some of the people near where they apparently lived. The one lady who had twenty cats. She was not 'the crazy cat lady' though because she was perfectly stable, she just liked cats and well, did not get them fixed. He was in the process of telling him that that woman was where he had gotten his own kitten from when his lips connected with his.

He froze. Eyes wide. Heart racing. And utterly shocked. He slowly turned his eyes to Caden, letting out a nervous little laugh. "Um ..." He glanced around a little, his left hand lifting to rest upon his lips which still tingled, eyes sparkling as they looked at the other. "Do you know that you just kissed me?" He asked, pretty positive that he mayh ave had a fluke or something.​
 
Nodding, Caden pressed another kiss to Raphael's lips. This one was fleeting and the blond whispered for the other to feel better before taking off for his own room, thoroughly scared by what he'd just done. He wasn't too sure of anything at this point, and Raphael's lack of reaction just added to that list. It was a list that didn't need to be added to at that moment.

He skipped over his room and instead went for the gym to run it off. That was always his answer, and the blond began his laps, pounding through the gym hard.
 
The man froze once more when his lips were pressed to his, but the grin that was there afterward was unbearable. Caden kissed him! Caden kissed [/i]him[/i]!! IT was a miracle! He beamed happily and instantly ran down the hall to find the elevator. He moved to the floor where his uncle and Tanner were, pounding on the door and all too happy when his uncle came to the door. "CADEN KISSED ME!" He squealed and wrapped his arms - broken or not - around his uncle, giggling hapiply as he nuzzled into the taller man's chest. Yep. He was happy.​
 
Tanner was a little alarmed at the incessant knocking on the door, and even more so at the announcement that Raphael had made. Caden had kissed him? Was he okay? The blond instinctively knew where to find his brother and slid past the hugging duo to chase after him. It took a few minutes for the other to notice he was there and to slow down, but they had a nice, long talk once he had.

Tanner giggled as Caden described the feelings. "What's so funny?"

"You love him."

"What?! No! I can't. I mean, he... He did that and was an ass and-"

Tanner cut him off. "Doesn't matter. You were worried. You wanted to stay with him. You get butterflies. He made you blush. You're excited that he lives near us. You kissed him... "

Caden sighed. He knew that his brother was right, even if he wasn't able to admit it right now.
 
Raphael literally bounced up and down, girpping Relic tightly and giggling into his chest. He was so happy right now. Really, he was. It meant he had a slight chance to be with Caden. He grinned while he was pulled into the room by his uncle ,sitting on the bed beside him and instantly going on and on and on about what they did today. Talking about the coffee they had and then telling him about what had happened to him to create his injuries and then going on about how they actually lived near each other. "I had a great time!" He giggled once more, unable to contain his happiness right now. He knew that he was pretty much bouncin off the walls, but he did not care.

Relic could only laugh. He was glad that Raphael was happy, and well, it showed that there was a bit of a chance for them. He knew that Tanner going to talk to Caden would possibly increase those chances as well. Both men just wanted to see their loved ones happy. That was all. "That's great, Raph. Your arm looks better too."​
 
It was nearly four days later and Caden still couldn't make himself admit that he loved Raphael. And he couldn't bring himself to be near the other at the moment, either. And so the blond hid in his room, nose in his books. It was his favorite way to escape aside from running, and he still would need to know the stuff he was studying for when he went back to school, which started in only another two weeks. He couldn't believe that his break had gone by so fast and that so much had happened during it, and Caden struggled to concentrate on the typed words rather than his random thoughts.
 
Raphael had been expecting to see Caden the next day. He had gotten used to seeing him almost every day, and he knew that by day four - he was being avoided. He did not like that at all. Not even Relic and Tanner had seen him. So, it was onto the hunt! Nikkos ... did nothing. He just told him to go away and stop bothering him. Okay, Tomias said that, but he was fairly sure that Nikkos was thining the same thing. Since he was not given the information, it was to the dorms! Literally. The redhead went knocking from dorm to dorm until someone could either tell him where the cute blond was, or well, the cute blond answered the door. Luckily for the whole Atlantis population, he found someone who had seen Caden and knew which dorm was his.

Standing in front of the door, he shrugged and knocked upon the wood, patiently waiting for the man to come to the door.​
 
The knock to his door was not unexpected, really. He'd avoided everyone, not just Raphael, and Caden had fully expected Tanner to come sooner. The blond set his study materials on top of the closest pile and sighed as he slipped off of the bed to answer the door. He hadn't even fully opened it before he started speaking. "I'm studying, Tanne--oh." He hadn't expected to see Raphael, mainly because the redhead hadn't known which dorm was his. How had he found out? Well, that was a question for later, he supposed.

"Hi."
 
Raphael arched a brow. Tanner? He shook his head a bit before perking up once more when the man realized who it was. He smiled and gave him a little wave. "Hey. It's been ... oooh four days." He stated, looking at his 'watch' on his wrist before turning back to look at the man. He chewed his bottom lip a little before he looked up at him with a bit of a pathetic look. "I'm sorry ... For whatever I did that made you lock yourself away, I am sorry ..." He smiled weakly before looking down the hall at one of the dorms thath e knocked on, being nosey obviously. He stuck his tongue out then turned back to Caden. "Why did you poof? Was it because I did not kiss you back?"​
 
"No... Yes... Sort of?" Caden sighed heavily, running his fingers through his hair as he stepped back to let the other man in. This was not a conversation that needed to be had in the middle of the hallway. Once Raphael was inside and the door was closed, the blond collapsed back onto his bed, legs hanging off of the edge while he laid back. "It's complicated," he muttered, not sure of how to explain it or if he even wanted to right now. Of course, he couldn't not talk about it forever, either. Still, he was going to hold out until Raphael dragged it out of him.
 
Raphael gladly followed the other into his room, taking the chair at his desk and tugging it out before he swung his leg over the side and straddled the back of the chair. His arms crossed and rested on top of the wood, watching Caden silently. "What's complicated?" He asked, concern to his features as he looked over the man. He did not know what exactly was getting him confused, but he only wanted him happy.​
 
What was complicated? Maybe he should have asked what wasn't complicated. That would have been easier for Caden to answer. "All of it." The blond sighed and finally looked over at the other. "I should hate you. I should want nothing to with you and I should want to forget that you even exist. I know I should. But I don't. And it's more than I don't. I don't, and I was worried when you got hurt, and I kissed you and I just feel something that I haven't before and I don't know that I want to because I should hate you." He'd warned Raphael that it was complicated.
 
Raphael listened to the man before he sighed heavily. He nodded and then slid off the chair to go sit on the corner of the other's bed, turning to look at him. "You should hate me." He admitted and smiled lightly. "I know. That's the only logical way for you to act, and I really do not know why you can even look at me ... but the fates do not work nicely." He looked over at the other with a sympathetic look to his features. "I like you, Caden. I like you a lot too ... But, if you do not think that you could be happy with being with me then ... I will not bother you anymore. I do not want to, but I just ... I just want you to be happy, okay? And if that means you never seeing me ever again, then I can do it."​
 
He didn't know what he wanted and that was the problem. Part of him wanted Raphael to go away and never come back, but the other part-the bigger part-didn't want that at all. That bigger part wanted more, and that confused him, too. "I just don't get why it can't be simple. It was simple for Relic and Tanner. It was simple for Rune and Calder. It's simple for Tomais and Nikkos. For Val and Julien..." Caden didn't realize that he was naming off couples, or that the list reflected what he truly felt.
 
Raphael sighed heavily and shook his head a little. "You think their relationships were easy? Uncle Rune's an asshole who a little bit before Christmas finally told Calder he loved him, after breaking his heart. Tanner and Uncle Relic were easy ... aside for the whole uncle RElic sleeping with Uncle Rune thing. Val and Julien had their complications ... Uncle Tomias had to send someone to the hospital and then wait a few more months before finally getting past a peck on the lips." He laughed, smiling a little more. "Love's complicated, you know. Cupid's a little bitch. I should know, I met him."​
 
He supposed he knew all that in the back of his head but Caden didn't really want to admit it. He liked his woe is me attitude at the moment, thank you very much. Of course, he knew that it wasn't plausible to keep it up forever. The blond groaned and turned onto his side, burying his face into his mattress. Why couldn't life be easy, let alone love? Of course, he knew that that would never be the case and Caden looked up at the other, but without words. He didn't know what else to say or do.
 
Raphael watched the other before he shook his head a little. He pushed himself up from the bed and leant over to plant a gentle kiss to the blonde's cheek, smiling weakly. "If it helps or hinders, I don't know, but I do love you, Caden." He whispered, kissing him once more on the temple before he straightened up with a sigh. "I'll just go to my dorm. Val may be worried ... Or something." He shrugged his shoulders, really just trying to find something to get him out of the dorm so that the man could think a little more.​
 
Caden's eyes closed as he was kissed, and as Raphael left. He let him go, needing the time.

Raphael loved him. That was half the battle, wasn't it? Maybe he was being selfish. The redhead had spent weeks chasing him, trying to make up for what he did and to be his friend because that was all he thought he would achieve. So what right did he have to mope about because it wasn't easy for him? The blond was sure it hadn't been a picnic in the park for Raphael, either! And he was positive that this little fit of his wasn't making it easier.

Caden stood and took a deep breath. He was determined to not be selfish anymore. After a bit more of a pep talk, the blond left his dorm in search for Raphael.
 
Raphael made his way back to the dorm, seeing that Val wasn't there. He shook his head a little, laughing softly before he headed to his bed. Closing the door behind him, he kicked off his shoes and then laid on his back, looking up at the ceiling. He stretched out his arms, flexing his right hand a little. He was happy that he healed faster than most. Now, his arm only felt like he had fallen on it - like it was bruised. Things were fine. He was a little bummed at the moment, but he would be fine. Caden would end up going back to school and finding some cutie up there and well, he would be able to find him when he went back home at the end of the semester. They could still manage to be friends Right?​
 
Caden checked with Tanner and Relic, and Rune and Calder and even Tomias and Nikkos. Raphael wasn't with any of them, and hadn't been. The blond searched around the school a little, checking the gym and the pool and the grounds with no luck at all. He'd bumped into Val on his way back into the school who had suggested checking the dorm. Nodding, Caden went down to Raphael's dorm room and knocked on the door, hoping that the other was there because it was the last place he could think of to check.
 
Raphael perked up when there was a knock at the door. He had been dozing off into his own little world and the knock brought him out of it. He slid from the bed and headed to the door, opening the door and then looking at Caden. He smiled warmly and gave a simple little wave. "Heya! Missed me that much?" He teased, not even thinking that the man had checked the whole school for him. Personally, he would have gone to his form first, but that might have just been his thinking. It was not like he went much of anywhere. Tomias threatened to snap him if he even thought of hot rodding his cars again ... So yea. No car for him.​
 
A thread of relief wound its way through Caden as the door opened. He'd been worried that something had happened to the other man, and had been ready to run down to town and look for him. Of course, he was worried about the door opening, too. It meant that he would have to live up to what he was currently feeling, and that was a scary thing. The blond had always been comfortable ignoring feelings like this.

But it was now or never, and almost before the words had left Raphael's lips, Caden had tilted his head down and kissed the other man once more, letting their lips linger together for an extra half second this time.
 
Raphael blinked a few times, but this time, he was able to kiss the other back. His eyes slipped closed and his hands wrapped around the front of hte other's shirt, tugging him closer while he kissed him, even if for a short moment. Slowly, he pulled back and let out a littlel augh. Looking up at the man, he grinned. "hold on" he whispered, pullingh im closer once more and then he replanted their lips together, kissing him passionately for a little while more than the other had kissed him initially. After a short while, he pulled back, smiling all the more. "Okay. Not a dream." He laughed and then looked up at the other, a faint pink tinted to his cheeks as he did so.​
 
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