The Elf, the Cat, and the Human Read online

  Teric knew a few people, but no one he'd be willing to sit by for a semester, so he sat near the back where he couldn't be seen as easily. Shifting lower in his seat, Teric focused on doodling idly in the margins of his notebook.

  A loud bang jerked his head up, and Teric frowned at the rugby player who'd slammed his textbook against the table a row or two ahead of him. Relaxing again, Teric stilled the irritable twitching of his tail, letting his ears flicker away from the noises. Pulling off his glasses, Teric rubbed tiredly at his eyes—he really, really wasn't fond of morning classes.

  "I thought you looked familiar."

  The voice broke into his thoughts and Teric blinked up at Akeid curiously, one of his ears flickering in surprise. Akeid looked perfectly groomed and polished, even at this hour. He was wearing neatly pressed slacks and a sweater vest that made Teric feel kind of grungy in his jeans and the oversized sweatshirt he'd stolen from Edrin.

  "You have ears," Akeid observed, leaning closer to peer at his head.

  "You've got ears too," Teric snapped, turning away. He didn't want to deal with this.

  Akeid sat down gracefully in the chair next to Teric's and smirked. "I don't have a tail."

  Teric flushed, curling his tail around the chair, out of sight. "So?" Teric demanded, because this kind of reaction got old fast. His ears winked irritably down, then forward, and Akeid's pretty blue eyes were even prettier out of the dim lighting of the club.

  "Just odd," Akeid told him, grinning. "We don't get a lot of your kind around here."

  "I know," Teric grumbled, annoyed because he'd been here for two years already, yet it seemed that the novelty had yet to wear off.

  "Sorry," Akeid said, but the smirk that turned his lips as he leaned back in his seat belied that sentiment.

  "Are you in this class?" Teric asked, half out of curiosity and half to change the subject. He couldn't remember seeing Akeid in class before, but it was a huge class and Teric didn't pay much attention to the people around him, especially this early in the morning.

  "Since the beginning of the semester," Akeid confirmed, smiling at him pleasantly. And yes, he was an elf, but did he have to look so handsome just sitting there? "I'm not surprised I never noticed you before, hiding all the way up here."

  Teric shrugged, frowning towards the front of the classroom to where the professor was. He liked his quiet back row.

  "You look different." Akeid didn't seem the least bit phased by Teric's quietness, and Teric sighed, his tail sagging over the side of the chair.

  "What do you want?" Teric asked, tilting his head back so that he could properly meet Akeid's eyes.

  "To talk to you," Akeid told him with another pleasant smile.

  "Good morning, class." The professor greeted, her voice cutting through the idle chatter of the students in front of them. Teric bit down on his remark as silence fell through the lecture hall. Akeid turned away, digging through his fashionable messenger bag to pull out a notebook.

  Winking at Teric, Akeid settled into his seat more comfortably and started taking neat, precise notes from the professor's lecture. Teric stared for a moment before turning back to his own notebook. Akeid probably just wanted his turn at seeing Teric's ears up close.

  *~*~*

  Akeid was taking notes with only half his attention. He could compare later with Jenai to make sure he hadn't missed anything, but for right now he was much more interested in Teric.

  Teric seemed to be having a problem concentrating. He alternately doodled and took notes, sneaking frequent, nervous glances at Akeid. His tail dangled off the far side of his chair, swishing back and forth lazily. It had to be easily the length of Akeid's arm, and he wondered where Teric had hidden it Saturday night. His ears, too, though it did explain the slightly odd hairstyle Teric had sported.

  Right now, Teric was completely distracted by Akeid. Akeid smiled, even as his fingers took notes on some basic physics equation. This boded well for his plans, especially considering that Teric hadn't refused outright to talk to him. Sure, he hadn't exactly been verbose, but Akeid could definitely work with it.

  He'd been surprised to find that Teric was in one of his classes, but it had been a fortuitous stroke of luck. Now he could offer to 'study' with Teric. At Akeid's off-campus apartment of course, because that Edrin dweeb may not have been Teric's boyfriend, but he apparently was Teric's roommate. Akeid smirked—he loved his contacts. He had everything he'd ever want to know about one Peteric Duklovsky at his fingertips, and it was going to be so easy to flaunt it in Edrin's face.

  Now all he had to do was get Teric to agree to meet with him later. Or, even better, right after Professor Clark stopped rambling on about whatever equation she was trying to pound into their brains. He liked that plan. It would give Teric no opportunity to rethink the wisdom of such a meeting and cement Akeid more before Edrin tried to convince Teric to not see him.

  Akeid smothered a yawn, watching Teric out of the corner of his eye. Teric really was adorable, in that innocent, drag-me-to-your-bed-and-make-a-real-man-of-me way. His furry cat ears drooped low on the sides of his head, swiveling and flickering around as he chewed on the end of his pen. He wore glasses too, hooked over the tops of his ears delicately.

  He looked deliciously rumpled and nearly human, too, wearing a bulky sweatshirt with the university's logo plastered across the front and jeans that looked completely unmodified from Akeid's view, despite the tail that obviously dangled from Teric's back.

  Akeid glanced at his watch discreetly. Ten minutes and then he'd drag Teric off for coffee and bagels. A second breakfast, or something. Glancing at Teric, he managed to catch Teric looking at him. Akeid winked, unsurprised when Teric flushed, his ears twitching fretfully. He kept looking until Teric looked away, returning his focus to his mostly note-free notebook.

  Akeid smirked. Maybe he could offer Teric his notes to copy from. Clark finally stopped lecturing and started packing up her things, and Teric's notebook was shut and off the table before Akeid could blink. Akeid raised an eyebrow.

  "Teric," Akeid spoke up, shutting his notebook leisurely as their fellow students streamed for the exits.

  "What?" Teric frowned, pulling his backpack up onto his shoulders. Akeid stood slowly, brushing off the front of his slacks.

  "I simply wanted to ask if you'd like to accompany me to the café for coffee?" Akeid smiled as he slipped his own notebook into his bag. Teric just stared at him for a minute, his tail snaking up to twine around his left backpack strap.

  "I don't—"

  "To talk," Akeid broke in before Teric could finish his statement. "I'd like to get to know you better."

  "Why?" Teric asked disbelievingly. Akeid smiled charmingly, stepping closer to where Teric was standing.

  "Because you've intrigued me," Akeid told him honestly. He was intrigued enough to want to bed Teric. The tail could be fun.

  "Edrin—"

  "He isn't your boyfriend." Akeid asserted. "I took it last night that you wanted me to back off, so I did. Why did you?" Akeid wondered, suddenly curious.

  Teric flushed. "I have ears."

  "So do I," Akeid drawled, glancing around. They were alone, the last straggling students having slipped out the front doors as he looked.

  "I have different ears, and you thought I was human," Teric explained, his ears swiveling to face backwards for a moment before twisting back towards him.

  "Is that the only reason?" Akeid asked, unable to keep the smile from his face.

  Teric shrugged. "It was reason enough."

  "Ah, but I know now, and I'm asking again," Akeid said, watching Teric carefully. He didn't want to overdo this.

  "Your treat," Teric told him, shifting his bag and turning towards the exit. Akeid blinked a moment before what Teric meant figured itself out. Smirking, he followed, getting a good look at Teric's backside as he did.

  *~*~*

  "Teric, you jerk," Edrin complained, shutting the door behind him. Stepping casually ov
er a rumpled pair of jeans and then a small stack of take-out containers, he dropped his books heavily on his bed.

  "Hmm?" Teric looked up, his ears twitching curiously as he met Edrin's eyes.

  "I was late for my ten o'clock," Edrin grumbled, kicking off his shoes. One went under the bed, and Edrin made a face, but left it there.

  "Um, so? Why does this make me a jerk?" Teric asked, turning in his chair so that he wasn't craning his neck anymore.

  "You always wake me up when you come back from that—whatever class. The eight o'clock one," Edrin complained. "And you had my hat."

  Teric laughed. "So you woke up late and couldn't cover that mess of hair?"

  "Exactly." Edrin frowned at him suspiciously. "What were you doing, anyway? You're always back by nine-thirty at the latest."

  "Ah …" Teric flushed, his tail twitching nervously. "I went to the café for breakfast."

  "Oh?" Edrin grinned, throwing himself into his desk chair. It squeaked in protest, sagging under Edrin's weight. "With who, because you don't turn that red over a cup of coffee."

  "Akeid," Teric admitted, his ears flickering nervously. "He's in my morning class apparently."

  "He asked you out?" Edrin asked incredulously.

  "Yes." Teric scowled. "Try to sound more disbelieving next time."

  "No!" Edrin yelped, sitting up properly. "Not what I meant. He saw your ears?"

  "Yes." Teric smirked at him, and Edrin decided he'd been had. Teric's tail wound lazily around the leg of his chair, the tip twitching near the floor. "He didn't fall for the you and me dating thing. I think it's because you're never affectionate with me."

  Edrin snorted. "I'll show you affection, catboy."

  "Don't promise me things like that. It'll get my hopes up." Teric pouted outrageously at him, and Edrin snickered, shaking his head.

  "Are you sure he saw your ears? And tail?" Edrin questioned curiously. He didn't know much about Akeid, but the elf definitely ran with the 'elves are superior' crowd.

  "He did the usual 'you have ears' thing." Teric flipped his ears back irritably.

  "So how'd it go?" Edrin pressed, resolving to threaten Akeid's pretty face later if he was fucking around with Teric.

  "I don't know." Teric shrugged, looking thoughtful. "We just talked for a bit and then he had another class to go to."

  "That's it?" Edrin asked, surprised. Teric smirked, showing off a pointed canine.

  "Well, I didn't really think you wanted to hear the details of our quickie in the men's room," Teric told him, smiling wickedly.

  "Teric!" Edrin protested, and Teric laughed, his ears flickering with amusement. Edrin made a face, even if he loved that Teric would joke with him like this. At least, he hoped Teric was joking. He never could tell.

  "What?" Teric asked innocently, stretching his back out slowly. Edrin watched for a moment before distracting himself.

  "Are you meeting him again?" Edrin asked, curious. Teric nodded absently, slumping down in his chair.

  "Tonight." Teric's cheeks gained a bit of color again. "We're doing dinner."

  "Really." Edrin smirked. "Moves fast, does he?"

  "Shut up," Teric grumbled, his cheeks turning a darker shade of pink. "I have homework now, go away."

  "Fine, fine." Edrin smirked, switching on his computer as Teric flipped on his music and swiveled around to face his desk again. Edrin rolled his eyes as something completely incomprehensible came from the speakers.

  He'd roomed with Teric for both freshman and sophomore year, but he hadn't managed to pick up more than a few Russian phrases the entire time. Teric didn't speak the language that often—usually only on the phone when he was talking to his sister, and Edrin had never bothered to learn more than 'hello' and 'just a moment' and, oddly enough, 'I'm pregnant,' but that one was entirely Teric's fault.

  Teric started singing along softly, and Edrin smirked, logging on and waiting for his applications to load. He liked having Teric as a roommate, and if Akeid was fucking with him, then Edrin was going to have to kick some elven ass. Teric moping was not a fun thing to deal with.

  *~*~*

  Teric fought his nerves as he walked up to the restaurant Akeid had picked out. He wasn't sure dinner was such a great idea, but Akeid had been very convincing when he'd asked earlier. Teric sighed, straightening his jacket. His tail was tucked under his jacket, to protect it from the cold, and his ears were hidden under a thick, woolen ski cap.

  The restaurant didn't seem that threatening. It didn't look overly fancy, and the smells coming from it almost made Teric glad that he'd skipped lunch. Still, he hesitated outside. He could still skip off and tell Akeid he'd overslept or something. Did he really want to be going on a date with an elf?

  "Teric." Akeid's voice came from behind him and Teric jumped, swiveling around. There went that plan. Akeid smiled—and he really did have a nice smile—and caught up to him quickly.

  "Hi," Teric greeted quietly, stubbornly telling his ears that they could not twitch now. The hat would fall off if they did.

  "I'm glad you made it." Akeid told him with another stomach-flipping smile. Teric smiled back, letting Akeid guide him towards the door. Akeid held the door for him when they got there, and Teric rolled his eyes, but entered.

  The restaurant wasn't what he'd expected. It was cozy and warm, with dim lighting and private booths. Akeid took his arm again, drawing him over to the hostess. "We have reservation," Akeid told her with another charming smile. She fairly beamed back, flipping open her book. "Under Lachette."

  "All right, this way." She led them across the room to a corner booth, setting down two menus with a smile. "Ken will be right over to get your drink order."

  "Thank you." Teric smiled, slipping off his jacket and curling his tail around his waist discretely as he did so. Setting his jacket on the inside of the booth, he sat down across from Akeid.

  "Have you been here before?" Akeid asked, his pretty blue eyes watching every move Teric made. Teric's ears twitched nervously, and he tugged off the ski cap before he could knock it off.

  "No," Teric admitted, glancing out at the large dining room. It was still quiet—but it was a Monday night, so Teric really shouldn't be too surprised. There was an older couple on the other side of the room at a small table, but, other than that, there were no other patrons in his line of sight.

  "I recommend the stuffed chicken," Akeid said, and Teric smiled at him with amusement.

  "How's the fish?"

  Akeid laughed, flashing straight, white teeth. "I've only ever eaten the chicken."

  Teric dropped his gaze to the menu, flipping it open as the waiter approached the table.

  "Good evening, sirs. My name is Ken, and I'll be waiting on you tonight. Can I place your drink order?" the waiter reeled off pleasantly, and Teric looked up long enough to catch him staring.

  "Root beer," Teric told him, flicking an ear in annoyance. Not that the waiter could probably tell that.

  "All right, and for you, sir?" Ken asked Akeid, his gaze slipping away from Teric's ears.

  "Hot tea. Anything herbal will do," Akeid proclaimed, and Teric smothered a smile. Of course Akeid drank tea. That was the stereotypical elven thing to do, after all.

  "Okay. I'll be right back with that and to take your order." Ken smiled, tucking his notepad in the little half-apron tied around his waist. Teric flicked his ears in faint annoyance, turning back to the menu. There were a few different choices for fish, and Teric ran through them quickly, ignoring the way Akeid was watching him.

  "I like fish," Teric confessed after a moment, glancing back up at Akeid.

  "I like my tea," Akeid said easily, and Teric smiled, relaxing.

  He really didn't know what to do with Akeid yet. He liked the elf well enough, and he seemed more than a little interested. Teric wasn't sure why yet, though he had a strong suspicion it had something to do with his ears and tail and bedding a novelty.

  Akeid was nice-looking though, so Teric probably wouldn't
have minded if that was all. It was just the dinner and earlier breakfast that were confusing the issue. Twitching his ears thoughtfully, Teric shut his menu carefully, resting his fingers against the smooth, laminated cover.

  "Hmm, and what has you so lost in thought?" Akeid leaned forward, smiling as he drew Teric's attention.

  "Ah, nothing interesting." Teric smiled apologetically. "Just curious, and please don't take this the wrong way—" Teric cut off as the waiter approached again, bearing a tray with their drinks and a teapot for Akeid.

  Setting the dishes out on the table, he pulled out his notepad again. "Are you ready to order or would you like some more time?"

  "We're ready," Akeid said, moving to pour himself a cup of tea. "I'll have the stuffed chicken breast."

  "And you sir?" Ken asked, his eyes straying to Teric's ears for a moment. Teric twisted them back flatly, resisting the urge to snap something rude.

  "I'll have the breaded haddock platter," Teric said coolly instead.

  "Okay and anything else? An appetizer?" Ken asked, glancing hastily back towards Akeid.

  "No, thank you." Ken nodded, dropping the pad back into his apron pocket and tucking his tray under his arm as he left. Akeid smirked, sipping at his tea. "You really don't like people staring, do you?"

  "No," Teric grumbled, stirring his fizzy drink with the straw for a moment. "Would you? I've been here for more than two years and people still stare."

  "Your kind is rare," Akeid said, laughing when Teric made a face. "But what shouldn't I take offense to?"

  "Oh." Teric flushed, his ears twitching nervously. "I was just curious as to your intentions."

  "My intentions?" Akeid laughed again, setting down his steaming teacup.

  Teric shrugged. "I mean, do you want to date, do you just want to sleep with me and are trying to butter me up, that sort of intention," Teric explained, glad that his tail was buried under his jacket so that it wasn't thwacking things randomly under the table.

  "And if I said I'm just trying to buy sex?" Akeid asked, his bright blue eyes intent.

  "You don't have to buy it." Teric shrugged, flushing. "I would've said yes Saturday if you'd seen my ears."