[justpush]

Austin felt like someone was watching them from the entrance to the canteen, but he tried not to think about it and just put a portion of food on himself, as long as it wasn't his hated fish. "Can we not talk about my shyness anymore? Such talk won't help anyway," he said quietly to him as he took the tray. He handed it to Pierce as well.

At Kinney's further words he blushed sharply. He looked at him with seriousness "Don't say things like that out loud" he said embarrassed, stroking the back of his neck "It's not appearance that matters to me, it's character.... Although in my opinion he is handsome..." he muttered and started to put the salad "You don't know him so please stop talking bad about him... What if I said that about you?" he looked at him, wanting to lecture him in a cultured way.

[chrome]

A huff comes from the jaguar as he accepts the tray handed to him by Austin, brows furrowing as the cougar tries to change the subject. "Nah, I think we should talk about it. You not wanting to talk about it is you just being shy. Fight through it. No reason to run if there's nothing biting at your heels." A devilish grin as McKinney hastily reaches over to grab a large portion of fish onto his plate- bypassing the salad. "How would you know what would help and what wouldn't? Have you ever even tried?"

Chuckling at the redness that spread across the other's face, McKinney couldn't help but be pleased with the reaction his comment got him. "And that's another thing!" McKinney adds with a pointed finger, moving along the line towards the other meats- the chicken did look good too. "How would you even know what Brayson's like? Have you ever had an actual conversation with the guy?" McKinney's genuinely curious about that, considering he'd never seen the two together before. The last part has Pierce laughing out loud though, earning him a few stares as he did so. "What could you possibly have to say about me? That's bad, I mean. I'm not so terrible."

[justpush]

Austin sighed quietly. He'd never met such a cat who said everything he wanted. Pierce was unusual in that respect. However, the couguar did not want to talk about it, so he kept silent on the subject. "I talked to him once... The first day when I came here" he just said and put the chicken on his plate. He didn't even know why he was saying all this to Kinney. After all, he was just mocking him, right? Just like with that letter...

Without further monologue he moved off, looking for a free table. When he found one with his eyes, he headed in that direction. He didn't look to see if Pierce was coming. He knew that he would manage. He took a seat and before he started eating, he put his headphones in his ears. He always liked to listen to music during meals.

[chrome]

Pierce looks baffled as the cougar simply walks away- leaving the majority of his questions unanswered. An offended noise leaves the back of his throat as he hurries to snag a few more food selections before he decides to follow. Inviting himself to join the cougar's dinner whether the smaller feline wanted him to or not. McKinney could certainly be stubborn sometimes. He drops his tray noisily to the table, wanting to make enough noise to catch the attention of Austin- who seemed to be trying to block the jaguar out with his headphones. "Nu-uh. We're not done. Walking away like that? Rude, first of all. What happened to being shy?"

Sitting down heavily, McKinney lifts his fork to poke at the meat that had originally had the majority of his attention. "Secondly! I'm curious and my inner cat needs to be satisfied." A piercing glance towards Austin as the jaguar languidly sticks a fork full of fish into his mouth. "I want to hear you talk shit about me."

[justpush]

Austin looks at him and removes headphones from his ear. He doesn't understand his anger. He looks at him like an innocent victim. He waits patiently for him to finish speaking. "First of all... I knew you wouldn't let go and follow me, and I just wanted to find a free table. I didn't answer because I didn't feel the need to. We are not close after all" he said calmly and logically "So I don't have to answer your question" he concluded.

Then he looked at him a little puzzled and gestured for him to come closer. When their faces were close together the couguar blushed slightly "You know.... I don't mind, but are you a sadist? Or a masochist? I'm confused by those terms..." he said quietly to him "It's rude to speak ill of someone.... Does it give you pleasure?" he asked curiously

[chrome]

Chewing his fish, Pierce places his elbow on the table and rests his cheek in his open hand, listening to Austin's answer. Despite the other young man's words the catlike smile never left his face. His prodding didn't seem to go to waste- the conversation they were having now was much less one-sided than it had been during lunch. McKinney found a little victory in that. "Yeah well if you put it like that you and Brayson aren't close either but you were willing to profess your love to him this afternoon." A pause around another mouthful. "Are you still going through with that, by the way?"

McKinney had to admit; he was a little surprised to see Austin motioning him closer and yet he does so without hesitation. Knew there was more to the cougar than the shy quiet feline he'd met this morning. Pierce interrupts his own thoughts with another laugh towards Austin's question. "Is that the question running through your head right now?" he asks, meeting their eyes together- Pierce's lit up humorously. "You are more wild than you seem."

The jaguar leans back against his seat with a small shrug, intending on answering honestly. "I wouldn't really consider myself one or the other," he answered casually. "Maybe more of a mix of both worlds, yeah? Besides, I'm not speaking ill of anyone. Every word that comes out of my mouth is the cold, honest truth." Another little shrug of the sport player's shoulders. "Sometimes the truth hurts, isn't that what they say?" A heavy sigh as he thinks more about it. "I mean, I guess they also say that if you have nothing nice to say you shouldn't say anything at all but we can't all be perfect."

[justpush]

Austin blanches slightly, feeling more and more red cover his cheeks. Pierce knows how to talk to him to embarrass him. He is a master of this. As the jaguar finishes his monologue, Austin thinks intensely before responding. Kinney's words made him have to analyze things. "I think I'll give up... It wouldn't make sense anyway... He's popular and I'm a couguar who doesn't eat fish and is shy" he shrugged his shoulders, playing with his fork in his salad. He also rests his cheek against his palm. He stares tastelessly at his meal.

"Sometimes I regret some things... Why couldn't I be strong, confident? It would make my life easier" he mutters under his breath and puts the tomato in his mouth "I'm like a herbivore at best... I wish I was at least half like you... I envy you" he replied and looked at him out of the corner of his eye "I just don't understand why you are still so interested in me? Because I'm a 'wild cat' too? Or because I'm clumsy in life and it makes you laugh?" he asked, putting his fork down on the tray "Answer me please..." looked at him with seriousness. His eyes glistened slightly. His fingers moved restlessly on his thigh. "If you are amused by my awkwardness then please let it go.... Laugh on the side. That's what the rest do when they find a scapegoat" he said quietly with no joy in his voice.

[chrome]

Nodding at Austin's answer, McKinney swallows down his mouthful. "Don't take any offence to this; but that's probably for the best. And that's not because he's popular and you don't eat fish- which is weird, but not exactly a deal breaker, you know? It's because you two know nothing about each other. What if you start dating and don't like how he chews his food? Or how he sleeps with socks on? You gotta learn about each other before you say the big 'L' word."

The jaguar's brow raises as the cougar's emotions shifted, eyes wet and head downturned. McKinney cocks his head as he looks across the table towards the smaller feline, and he can't help but chuckle lightly though not for the reasons Austin spoke of. "You don't understand why I'm interested in you? You pretty much already said it- I mean in a weird roundabout way you said it. We're nothing alike; you're the strangest cat I know. But that's what makes you interesting in my opinion. I don't want to laugh at you, I'm just an amused person, it's who I am. I told you already; you make me curious and I want to know more." A snap of McKinney's fingers. "You're an enigma! That's the word. Damn, that was bouncing around my head way too long."

[justpush]

Austin is surprised how Pierce has changed. Couguar thinks he’s interested in his behavior. Silently without comment, he began to chew a piece of meat in his mouth. Every now and then he looked at Kinney. He was looking for words... “I hardly know you, so I’m afraid to say anything about myself. So I apologize, but that’s why I don’t want to talk about it”, he said, putting the tray aside as he drank the water from the bottle. “I still have something to do. Then I hurry, and I think our paths will part”, he said, without the shadow of a lie he smiled lightly: “Find someone who is more approachable. That’s not a problem for you”, he said and patted him on the shoulder. He wanted to get up and leave. He couldn’t eat because of the stress he had before.

[chrome]

For the first time in awhile a momentary frown appeared on McKinney's face; it wasn't common for people to have an immunity to the jaguar's predatory charm and yet here was this shy little cougar who seemed intent on dropping him like a hot potato. "Well I mean you did just meet me today, really." Pierce pointed out, pointing his fork in Austin's direction. "So it makes sense that we don't know each other but how else are we supposed to get to know each other aside from talking, hm? How on Earth do you make friends if you don't talk to strangers?" The jaguar pointed out, the grin returning to his face.

McKinney's gaze followed the cougar's hand as it fell on his shoulder, giving the larger cat a few good pats. That made him chuckle a bit. "You think our paths will part then?" he asks curiously, eyes set on the cougar. "Well perhaps, but the school isn't all that large... I'm sure we'll cross paths again. Perhaps more than once." Seeing the other's uncomfortable, stiff posture, McKinney shakes his head with another chuckle as he stands with his tray. "Fine- I'll play a little game of cat and mouse," he starts, moving away from the table to give the other the space he needed. For now at least. "And fyi; I'm definitely the cat."

[justpush]

Austin blushed a little because Pierce said. He quickly left the cafeteria and felt his gaze. Only in the bathroom, when he washed his face with water, did he sober up. What was he thinking arguing with a Jaguar? He was so stupid. He grabbed the shoulder of his backpack tighter and tried to forget about his new "friend". He had important duties in one minute...

Actually, Corden had a one friend for a few years. Due to an event in the past, he withdrew a little from the lives of others. He probably just felt with someone he trusted. Although Axel didn’t always have much influence on him... With this letter he managed to persuade him, but when he suggested going with him to a party organized by the students, Austin refused. He was uncomfortable, insecure. He preferred the library. There he spent his Friday evenings. He went to library every week and sat late into the night reading old Victorian romance novels with a smile on his face. He loved it... And so it was today. He took his seat at the window and opened a thick book.

[chrome]

McKinney was pretty excited. There was always a party somewhere around campus on Fridays and this week proved to be no different. The jaguar was heading down the hallway with a medium sized group of people, happy chatting buzzing around him, but as they passed the door to the library Pierce caught sight of a familiar looking face buried in the pages of a book. Stepping away, he waved the group off- telling them to meet him at the dorms later before the party. Instead he quietly made his way into the library, silent as any feline, until he threw himself into the chair behind Austin at a separate table, letting out a heavy sigh to announce his presence if the noise of him flopping down into the chair wasn't enough.

"Whatchya reading?" He asks, peering over the cougar's shoulder without any sense of personal space. "Gross," he comments, moving back to his own chair with a groan. "Not a single picture." A cheeky grin as he rests his chin against the hands he has resting against the back of his own chair. "You're not going to the party tonight?" McKinney asks, bringing his gaze to Austin's face. "Brayson's gonna be there," he added with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

[justpush]

Austin thought he was going to recover from the things that were stressing him in the library. One of the reasons for this was Pierce, who told him so much that the couguar wondered if the way he talked to Axel was strange.

And that’s what he thought when he read the book, until he saw Kinney, who seemed to be in a good mood again. “This is Victorian moral literature. What did you expect?” he asked, putting the book aside. He wanted to be polite to the person he was talking to. “I know it’s a party and I know about Brayson, but I’m not going. It’s not my climate. I don’t like lively places. Besides, I’ve never been to a party and I don’t even know how to prepare for it...” He shrugged slightly, “And I will anticipate your surprise... There are people who have never been to a party before.”

[chrome]

"That's lame," Pierce comments, sitting backwards in the chair to face Austin. "Sounds like the perfect place to meet new people, actually socialize. That's something you should try." The jaguar's quiet for a moment, staring at the cougar before him. "I could help you out with that you know- I mean not that there's a whole lot to prepare for, it's a party. You know? Meant to kick back and relax, let loose." A small shrug from the large cat. "My recommendation though? Definitely need a change of clothes, there's no way you could dance comfortably in those."

A raise of his brow as he cocks his head with a grin. "Let's go," he tried suggesting. "You should at least go to one party during University, it's like....law or something. Follow me around, I don't care! No one would give you any shit if you stick around me." Not even an exaggeration- McKinney had more than proved his strength fighting his way through Freshman year.

[justpush]

Austin looks at him bewildered. He's supposed to go to the party? Tonight? And with Pierce... That's unreal. At first he freezes motionless, but then he sobered up a bit. "I think it's a bad idea... Let it go, huh?" she tries to convince him. His knees are trembling under the table from stress and he can feel a few new grey hairs have arrived. Once again by Kinney. Internally he is shaking with anxiety. What if he humiliates himself in front of the others? Or will he ridicule Pierce and the jaguar will torment him later? A myriad of dark scenarios flit through his head....

He touches his lower abdomen gently with his hand. Soon is his day, when his inner couguar will crave copulation, semen, offspring. These are the only few days in a month when he takes strong medication and is more focused than usual. His parents have talked to him about safe sex, but he is not convinced, even when it comes to condoms or other types of protection.

[chrome]

McKinney groans, leaning heavier against his chair. "You're so stubborn, you know that?" Pierce commented, though he was clearly not one to talk. "How could you possibly know it's going to be a bad idea if you haven't even gone yet? I never had a bad time at parties," he adds with a wave of his hand. "Everyone's there to have a good time and let loose, you're not going to be bothered." A pat on his own chest. "I am a part professional, you can trust me."

A raised eyebrow towards the cougar's overwhelmed nerves, he took the other's touch to his abdomen as a motion of anxiety. Bumping the smaller cat lightly against the back of his shoulder with his arm, McKinney doesn't give up trying to coax the cat out. "Besides, you know they're waxing the hallway floors this evening, right? Not exactly going to be real quiet in the library for much longer."

[justpush]

Austin is under pressure. Pierce is right to some extent, but his old demons still linger in him and the anxiety is strong. He can't seem to get it out of his head. The bad visions keep coming and his body feels really stiff. Only when the back of Kinney's arm hits him lightly does he return to normalcy. His body stops trembling.

"I don't know... Maybe I'll just stay in the room? You'll have to babysit me at the party, and you'd probably want to take it easy and relax... I'll just ruin your evening" he said and stood up abruptly, closing his book. His mood even on reading his favourite literary genres had changed.

[chrome]

Sighing heavily when the other feline stood, shutting the book with a heavy thud. It was clear that Austin was bothered and perhaps pushing and prodding wasn't exactly the tact to use on the cougar, but it was the only one Pierce was good at. Holding his hands up in defeat, McKinney leaned away from the back of the chair, moving away from the standing Freshman. "Fine," he spoke, shaking his head in obvious disproval. "I get it. You really don't want to go."

The jaguar too stood up from his seat with a languid stretch. "Whatever, suit yourself, I guess. I'm going back to the dorms for a few, find something to wear, pick up a few drinks." Starts off towards the library door with a small wave. "Have fun...doing whatever it is you've gotta do."

[justpush]

Was that rude? Refusing Pierce? Maybe for once he should lift up his honour and pride and agree? Many objections ran through his head, but then for the first time he acted on impulse. Leaving the book on the table and putting his rucksack on his back he ran out of the library in a hurry. He started looking around the corridor. The dormitory for carnivores was to the right, so he ran there as well, hoping to catch up with the jaguar.

Unexpectedly, he succeeded. Kinney was just coming up the stairs. "Pierce..." he said quietly, then raised his voice slightly "Pierce!" when their gazes met, embarrassed he lowered his gaze "I'll go with you.... But I probably won't have as much fun as you..." he added

[chrome]

The sound of his voice being called had McKinney turning quickly enough, ears practically perked at the familiarity of it. Meeting Austin's gaze, despite the obvious nervousness shown in the cougar's eyes, Pierce couldn't help but grin. "You'll never have a good time with that pessimistic attitude," the jaguar chided teasingly. "I told you that we're both going to have a good time. Trust me, I know what I'm talking about."

McKinney ran his gaze over the cougar, calculating things in his head before shrugging. "I don't think you'll fit into any of my clothes," the jaguar admitted. Austin was much smaller than the large, muscled jaguar and he'd been swimming in probably Pierce's tightest shirt. A thoughtful hum. "C'mon, maybe my younger brother has something suitable." Pierce continued up the stairs, expecting the cougar to follow him now that he'd gotten him to agree. "He's a freshman like you but you probably didn't realize we're related." A shrug from the Junior. "He's a coyote like our dad."