Kankri sat in class on Monday, the memory of Cronus's lips and hands still ghosting over his body. He tried to keep it all in the back of his mind, though that was difficult considering he'd already read all of the lecture notes from this class online. He tried to take notes while the professor spoke, making sure to write everything word for word, but his mind continued to wander. He decided to do something that he normally would never do and sent a text while the professor wasn't looking.

P9rrim, I have disc9vered that 6eing in a realti9nship is rather difficult. H9w d9 y9u put up with it?

I'm no+t entirely sure what yo+u're talking abo+ut, Kanny. Is everything o+kay? Did Cro+nus do+ so+mething to+ yo+u?

N9, P9rrim. It's n9thing like that. I supp9se it may 6e s9mething that w9men d9n't have t9 deal with in relati9nships as much. May6e y9u just d9n't understand.

Excuse me? Was that sexism I read?

It just seems t9 6e the case, P9rrim. As a w9man, y9u simply d9 n9t have the same physical reacti9ns that I d9 and, as such, y9u d9 n9t understand just h9w difficult this is.

I'm so+rry, Kankri, I can't understand what yo+u're saying o+ver the so+und o+f yo+ur co+mplete and utter BULLSHIT. Co+uld yo+u po+ssibly repeat that witho+ut the sexism and tell me what's wro+ng?

6eing in a relati9nship is hard, P9rrim. And I d9 n9t appreciate y9u minimizing my struggles 6y saying that I'm 6eing sexist.

And I do+n't appreciate yo+u igno+ring yo+ur blatant sexism in favo+r o+f talking abo+ut yo+urself.

P9rrim can I just meet y9u after class? I d9n't kn9w h9w to deal with this.

"Vantas." Kankri looked up from his phone. The professor was standing directly in front of his seat, arms crossed and face stern. The lecture had been stopped while he was there. "Now that I finally have your attention, would you be so kind as to put your phone away and to pay attention to the lecture? Unless you'd rather leave and talk to your little friend. I'm sure that whatever it is you're texting so fervently about must be a matter of life or death, otherwise it could have waited the twenty minutes until the end of class."

Kankri put his phone down and averted his gaze. "I'm terribly sorry, sir. I did not mean to disturb class in such an offensive manner."

"Apologize all you want, just know that the next time I see you using your phone in this class, I will have you removed from here."

Kankri looked back up, eyes wide. "Sir?"

"You heard me, Vantas." The professor looked around. "Now where was I? Ah yes, the societal impact of the invention of the radio." He began to pace and again began his lecture. Kankri wasn't even sure why he'd taken the class.

After it was over, he looked back at his phone and saw that he had quite a few messages.

Fine, Kanny. Meet me in the UC. I have to+ walk there fro+m the Arts Building but I'll be there.

Kanny? Are yo+u o+kay? Yo+u never do+n't respond to+ messages like that.

Some of them were from Cronus.

hey kan. your class as borin as mine or is my professor just a useless piece a shit?

oh shit someone just got caught textin

wvait kan is that you?

kan wvhat the fuck you didnt tell me you vwere in this class!

oh shit you aint evwen payin attention no more.

fine ill just surprise ya after class then.

Kankri looked around the room trying to find Cronus, but then he felt hands over his eyes. "Guess who?"

"Cronus stop that! Don't touch me!" He swatted the hands away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! What I do?"

Kankri looked back at him. "I do not appreciate being touched without notice. You know that, Cronus." He stood, gathering his things.

"Hey you didn't seem to mind bein' touched last night." He winked at him.

"Cronus, we are in public! Please do not refer to that so glibly!"

He frowned, "Okay I guess."

"Now if you'll please excuse me, I have to go to the University Center."

""Oh hey, it okay if I go with you?" He smiled broadly, raising his eyebrows.

"I would prefer to go alone today."

"Oh." Cronus hung his head and shoved his hands in his pockets. "No, uh, that's cool. I gotta do a thing anyway. I'll see you later." He started to veer in the opposite direction.

"Cronus I'll see you later tonight."

"Uh, yeah. Yeah okay." He waved goodbye and continued to walk with his hands in his pockets.

Kankri realized that he may have offended him, and that made him incredibly uncomfortable. He hated even accidentally offending anyone.

He made it to the UC and saw Porrim sitting at a booth. He was surprised that she ws there before him, as he was usually so prompt in his arrivals. She waved at him and gestured for him to sit across from her.

"Hello, Kanny. Now, what was it that you were trying to tell me and couldn't get through all of that militant sexism?"

Kankri dropped his head onto the table. "I can't get him out of my mind, Porrim."

"What?"

"He's in my thoughts no matter where I am or what I'm doing. It's beginning to affect how well I can perform everyday actions."

She laughed at him without a trace of malice in her tone. "Kankri that's completely normal in a relationship. What is it that's keeping you from being able to do anything?"

Kankri groaned. "Please don't make me say it, Porrim."

"I've told you already, Kankri. If you're doing whatever it is you're doing, then you can say it. Don't beat around the bush."

Kankri took a deep breath and spoke quickly and quietly. "Last night Cronus may have touched me in a rather intimate manner and he may have also suggested that he wanted to do more than that."

Porrim raised her eyebrows. "How intimate, Kanny?" He mumbled something. "What was that?" He mumbled again. "One more time, Kankri."

He shouted this time. "A hand job, okay!" His face was flushed. He hadn't meant to say it with that much volume. He put his hand over his mouth and slunk back into his seat.

"See that wasn't so hard." She raised her eyebrows. "So you couldn't get that out of your mind then?"

"No..."

"I can understand that. I've had partners that I couldn't get out of my mind in that manner either." She blinked slowly. "Are you completely comfortable with what it is the two of you are doing?"

"Yes I am. Or at least I think that I am. Occasionally he does something that I do not want him to, though it's never in that context." He rested his hands on the table, fidgeting with his thumbs.

Porrim reached across to him and put a hand on top of his. "Kankri I know that I've said this before, but I'm here for you. I know what you've been through and I'm willing to talk you through all of this. Though I may not know the exact physical sensations that you're experiencing, as we have different biological sexes, I still know the mental impact of this. I also know how serious this all is for you."

He laughed once in a sigh. "Thank you, Porrim. You are truly a great friend."

Kankri was glad that he had her as a support system, though he felt terrible telling her all of his problems. She said that she didn't mind, but somehow he felt that she did.