[Sam260]

Erick took the container and popped the lid off "I have to be honest... I don't have classes until ten this morning - I should have told you last night, but I was so excited about just spending time with you... It slipped my mind." Erick said as he nibbled on one of the treats that Jace had brought - he noticed that Jace wasn't looking at him, at all, and frowned "Is something wrong?"

[Littleittyboy]

Jace shrugged "It's okay, more time for me to study I guess" he said softly and went to grab his book out before stopping and sighing softly "What did you mean...when you said 'it's not like you don't know what a guys body looks like'...?" He asked, hoping the answer was something completely irrelevant to his train of thought at the moment

[Sam260]

Erick giggled softly and spread his arms wide - it was not that wide, but... still - "I just meant that I'm sure you've seen guys naked before... Although if you haven't, I'm sorry... I wasn't implying anything... It's just that... Ye'know, locker rooms, showers, everyone looks Jace." Erick licked his lips slightly and looked up at Jace through thick black lashes "Can you forgive me? I didn't mean to make it sound so vulgar and bad."

[Littleittyboy]

Jace went and sat down next to him looking at his hands, he cracked his knuckles lightly as he thought "Its okay, it's just my brain and you know...people making rumours about me and the men I've been with" he sighed and laid back on the bed closing his eyes rubbing his forehead. "I hate college" he said quietly

[Sam260]

Erick frowned and laid down beside Jace, snuggling up against his side - Erick put his barefoot against Jace's pant leg, rubbing up and down lightly "Everyone hates college... It's a fact of life." Erick said quietly, lifting his head up and putting it on his closed fist as he looked Jace over slowly "Besides, whatever rumors are out there about you - I've never heard a single one... No one gossips with me." Erick snorted and dropped his head down, right on top of Jace's broad chest.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace felt his heart skip a beat before he awkwardly sat up clearing his throat a little and rubbing his neck "Well, um, what did you think of breakfast today?" He asked gently pulling his books out of his bag quickly trying to make it work related worried about how fast he was catching feelings.

[Sam260]

Erick licked his lips lightly and smiled, he was giddy inside with the fact that Jace was the one who was now feeling flustered around him. Erick took pity on him though and bounced back off of the bed, "It was delicious, maybe some more cinnamon, but otherwise amazing." Erick said with a happy smile on his face. He pulled his computer chair over and sat down in it, crossing his legs Indian-style as he looked up at Jace, his blue eyes twinkling with merriment "I'm glad you accepted my offer to help..."

[Littleittyboy]

Jace smiled at him brightly "So am I" he said flipping through the book humming quietly to himself as he did. He yawned lightly and rubbed the back of his neck, his shirt riding up slightly revealing the small tattoo he had with two names on it, 'Miranda' and 'Sara'. He went back to concentrating on his work humming continuously to himself as he did

[Sam260]

Erick saw the glimpse of ink, and was instantly curious, but he didn't want to ask about it and distract Jace from working - he finally was concentrating on the words and it was a relief. Erick hadn't been sure, at first, that his teaching method would work with Jace, but... Once the older man actually sat and paid attention, it was like a fish taking to water.

Erick explained things to Jace when he had too, but he otherwise stayed silent, taking in the other man's features as he watched him work. They studied right up until the alarm on Erick's nightstand went off - a warning that he had to get to his classes soon or he would be late.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace hopped up when the alarm went putting his things in his bag "Are you ready to go sir?" He said bowing dramatically before pretending to grab a walkie talkie "The eagle I said leaving the nest. I repeat, the eagle I see leaving the nest" he said grinning brightly at Erick before he held his hand up like a gun and dramatically opened the door "Coast is clear" he said and winked at Erick

[Sam260]

Erick giggled and followed after Jace, grabbing his book bag on the way out of his room. He locked up after pulling the door shut and then looked up at Jace "East wing is my first stop, Special Agent Jace." Erick said with a smile, obviously playing along with Jace's little rouse.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace nodded, keeping his face serious "Sir yes sir" he said and held his hands up like a gun as he went around each corner yelling clear even if there were people there. He grinned back at Erick chuckling softly as they made it to the east wing "Eagle has made the destination" he said standing tall like a guard

[Sam260]

Erick leaned up on his tiptoes, setting a hand on Jace's shoulder as he leaned up to place a gentle kiss just on the underside of Jace's jaw - since that was as far as he could reach in flat converses "I thank you, Special Agent Jace, for delivering me safely to my first class. Shall I see you in an hour and a half?" he asked quietly, his blue eyes sparkling with happiness as he dropped back to the flats of his feet, hand still lightly holding Jace's shoulder.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace smiled brightly at him "You will see me in an hour and a half" he said and dramatically bowed before heading off to his literature class. He had an in class test which was marked and returned there and then so when he went to pick up Erick he was quiet, or more accurately, silent as he started walking Erick to his next class.

[Sam260]

Erick stopped outside of his next class and looked up at Jace - he hadn't minded the silence, his own thoughts stuck on a trick question the professor had asked before class let out - but now it was kind of bugging him "Did something happen in your last class?" Erick asked quietly, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace sighed a little before leading Erick outside instead of to class, he went and sat on his bench. He loved his bench, he could see the whole courtyard from here, it was his calm place. He looked at Erick then down at his bag ashamed of himself. He opened his bag and pulled out a test handing it to him "I told you I'm too fucking dumb" he said, his aggravation at himself clearly showing, he had gotten five questions out of sixty correct. He put his face in his hands as he felt himself start to tear up, a couple escaping through his fingers and dropping on his jeans

[Sam260]

Erick took the test from Jace's fingers and looked it over slowly. It was a standardized test, meaning the answers were on a separate sheet of paper to the questions. Erick went back and forth, then figured out the problem "That's because you missed the first number, Jace... Apparently your teacher is an idiot too if he didn't catch this." Erick sighed and turned around in the bench, putting both test papers down on the table top, he skimmed over each question, found the corresponding answer and giggled "You're not dumb, at all..." Erick said quietly, his eyes wide as he looked over at Jace.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace looked at him tearfully, tears falling down his cheeks, he couldn't stop them. "Yes, I am, all of them are right, I should have quit years ago" he said brokenly. He stood and went to a tree a couple feet away where there was a clear piece of missing bark, Erick would have realised why in just a few seconds, as Jace began punching it over and over again cutting and grazing his hands as he did yelling at himself. He felt so worthless, he hated how dumb he was. After a while he just slid to the ground completely defeated. "If I fail any of the classes this semester, I'm done, I get kicked out of college...I've tried so hard for so many years...and it could just all disappear...I promised I would make them proud...I promised"

[Sam260]

Erick frowned as he stood up and went over to Jace, he wrapped his much smaller hands around Jace's large ones "Jace... Listen to me, you didn't fail that test... You just bubbled the wrong lines... It happens, and..." Erick took a small breath and released it quietly "I can convince your professor to let you take it over again... You just have to pay attention to where you're bubbling at." Erick lifted one of his hands up to Jace's cheeks, wiping away the tears from it as he looked into the older man's sad green eyes "You didn't fail." he said seriously and adamantly.

[Littleittyboy]

Jace felt weak, and he hated feeling weak, especially in front of people. He looked away from Erick chewing on his lip a little and shook his head "It's fine...it's not worth much anyway...like 2% or something" he sighed a little and looked at Erick "I'm sorry, I should get you to class" he said standing quickly and grabbing their bags handing Erick's to him.