Cronus sat in his room a few days after Kankri had told him about his dreams. They'd been keeping their distance from each other since Cronus was worried that he wouldn't be able to keep from touching Kankri. He texted him.

hey babe, you vwanna get some food?

N9, Cr9nus. I am 6usy w9rking 9n my Calculus.

uh yeah okay. guess ill talk to you later then?

Yes. N9w I must take my leave. I have t9 meet a study gr9up.

see you later, babe. lovwe you.

I l9ve y9u t99.

That was reassuring. His short responses had been worrying him, and all that Cronus wanted to do was to go down to his room and hold him or kiss him or even just be in the same room. He tucked his phone in his pocket and got ready to go outside. It was starting to get a little chilly and it just gave him an excuse to wear his favorite leather jacket. He tucked his lighter, which he'd finally gotten fluid into, and his cigarettes in one pocket, while his wallet and keys went in the other.

He left his room and sauntered to the dining hall, ready to just sit in his solitude and brood for a little while. Maybe he'd sketch a little. No, he'd probably start composing a new song in his head while he ate. He went quickly through the line. It was eight at night, so there honestly were only a few stragglers there. After getting his food, he sat at a booth on his own, feet thrown up on the seat across from him when a rather curvaceous dame slid in across from him. He made a face. She certainly was hot, but what the fuck was she doing there? "Can I help you, doll?"

She smiled, red painted lips parting to reveal shockingly white teeth beneath. "You're Cronus, yes?" Her accent was thick, though Cronus wasn't sure what it was. Something Asian that probably ended with -nese or -ean.

"Yeah, I'm Cronus, in the flesh, babe. What can I do you for?" She knew who he was. That meant that he had to give her the time of day.

She rested head in her hands while her elbows sat on the table. "Kankri sent me."

"What? Why the fuck would Kan send you?"

"I'm his very good friend." She closed her eyes and her grin widened. "I just got back from his room. We had good studying."

"What? But he... He just told me that he was going to a study group for Calc..."

"Oh? I don't know about that, but we studied long and hard." She made a little noise in her throat. "It was so good studying with him." She bit her lower lip and suddenly he felt like she was implying something other than studying.

And he didn't fucking like that. He spoke through his teeth. "So how do you know Kan exactly?"

"Hmm? He's in my Anatomy class. He's very good at it." Again that tone. That tone implying something. He didn't trust it. He didn't trust her, but the fact that she was making him not trust Kankri was the most troubling

He took a drink of his soda, but didn't break his line of vision with her. "Yeah, he's pretty good with shit like that." He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "He gets pretty uncomfortable with a lot of it, too, though."

She shrugged. "He seemed comfortable with me." She brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"What are you even fuckin' doin' here?"

She laughed, a crystal sound. "Kankri sent me to tell you that he won't be coming to your room for some time. He wants more space. Needs it. Wants to be with his very good friends. I think he just wants more good study time." She smirked. "I enjoy my study time with him. His anatomy lessons are very good."

Cronus sighed. This chick shouldn't be getting to him. But she just had this way of getting under his skin. He couldn't help it. He'd always been the jealous type. The thought that there was even an iota of truth to her story made him want to get up and strangle her. Instead reached into his pocket and put a cigarette in his mouth. Sure, he couldn't light it, but it fell good to have something between his teeth to keep him from chewing on his tongue. "Yeah, I'm sure that he has the greatest time in the world explainin' just how the fuckin' nervous system works. I bet he gives long fuckin' lectures on it and everythin' don't he?"

"Oh he doesn't lecture me." She bit her lower lip. "He speaks so kindly when we study."

"Yeah, and he speaks kindly when he thinks people are too fuckin' retarded to understand what he normally says, too, but that don't make them special."

"But I am special. We're good friends." She raised her eyebrows. "Very good friends."

He frowned. "Yeah you said that already. And you might be his very good friend but I'm his fuckin' boyfriend."

She furrowed her brow. "Oh? He never mentioned you as anything but a good friend. I think maybe you should think about what that means for the two of you." She slid out of the seat and as she moved to leave, she put her hand on his shoulder. "If you want you can come to my room when you're lonely." She smirked. "I would love to get to know you better." And with that she left.

Cronus watched as she left, her hips swaying back and forth enticingly. He looked back at his food. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. He pick up all of the food he had left and threw it away, sulking out of the dining hall. He lit his cigarette and took a long draw of it. He couldn't believe what she'd been insinuating. Kankri wouldn't do anything like that.

Though he didn't really know. He'd said that he wasn't gay. Was he just some experiment to Kankri? Was he just some passing thing for him? Maybe he only had issues with other men because of him. Maybe Cronus really was just an experiment.

He took another long drag while he walked, letting the smoke tendrils drift from his nose and mouth as he walked.

This was the last thing that he needed. He didn't need this doubt. Or the worry. All that he needed was to go to Kankri's room.

He just didn't want to be alone.