look of yearning.
Aiden gave the Ben a little wave so he would go off happy.
A tall junior named Petrarch or Boccaccio or something like that sighed: “More fencers.”
“I’m like fine art, Rossetti,” Aiden told the junior. “No need to comment on me. Just admire.”
A muscle-bound individual lumbered by, stopping to say “My man!” and hit Seiji hard on the back. Seiji made the face of someone who’d just bitten down on his spoon. Aiden and Harvard tried not to smile. Harvard hid his grin better, because he was the kind one.
“A surprise before breakfast,” observed Aiden. “You know people not on the fencing team, Seiji? And these people are willing to acknowledge you in public?”
Seiji shrugged.
Nicholas bristled in Seiji’s defense. “Seiji’s extremely popular,” he claimed.
“I assume you’re making some sort of joke,” said Aiden. “Anyway! Who would like to talk to me about the crime spree in Kings Row?”
Eugene made a sound suggesting the moans of the damned. There was a gray tone to his typically golden skin and circles under his usually twinkling eyes, as though he hadn’t slept. Aiden eyed him with sudden wild suspicion. Could Eugene Labao be the master criminal, the news of whose exploits were ringing through Kings Row?
“I think Eugene would like to spread a rumor about these notorious crimes,” Seiji announced.
Eugene began to explain the full story about Kings Row students dropping in on Weirs Fine Jewelers and smuggling a huge array of watches, and the report that some concerned citizen had seen the criminals hiding their stash in their own room, in a weary voice.
Aiden had never seen Eugene more dispirited about spreading gossip. Aiden was also personally disappointed there were no gold bars.
“It’s definitely watches. I have no idea where people came up with gold bars.” Eugene made a helpless gesture. “Rumors get so out of hand.”
“So these people are hiding stolen goods in their room?” asked Aiden. “Uh, devilish cunning, I don’t think. The reputation of these people as master criminals may be somewhat exaggerated, that’s all I’m saying.”
Harvard nodded. “I’d hide the stolen goods in someone else’s room.” Eugene started, and Harvard frowned. “If I were a master criminal, which I’m not. It’s hard to believe anyone at Kings Row would do anything this awful.”
Eugene gave a strange bubbling laugh. “I know, right?”
Aiden decided that Eugene couldn’t be the master criminal. The guy choked during fencing matches and appeared to be having a nervous breakdown right now for no reason. Master criminals needed nerves of steel.
The entire dining hall was buzzing with whispered tales of criminal exploits. Only Seiji, sitting across the table and instructing Nicholas on nutrition, seemed wholly unconcerned.
“If someone saw the cache of stolen goods,” Aiden said, leaning across the table, “then someone knows who these people are. Everybody’s room has been searched! Why has the stash not been discovered? Did they move the stolen goods?”
“Not everyone’s room has been searched yet,” Seiji said in disapproving tones. “I don’t know why.”
“Some of the guys with rich dads and lousy tempers must have made it clear they’d put up a stink about being searched,” Polidori commented.
The little sparkly junior looked impressed by his friend’s intelligence. The tall junior didn’t talk a lot, but he wasn’t stupid. Aiden appreciated this.
“That is very wrong, Dante,” Seiji announced flatly.
“Wow,” said Aiden at the same time. “I have a rich dad and a lousy temper. Why didn’t I think of forbidding them to search my room?”
There were two types of people in the world, Aiden guessed.
“I wouldn’t let you do that,” Harvard told Aiden. “And you’re not as nasty as you like to think.”
He reached for Aiden’s hand, which was swinging by the side of Aiden’s chair in a convenient location for Harvard to grab in case Harvard might want to. Harvard not only laced their fingers together, but also brought Aiden’s hand to his lips and kissed the back. Then he let their joined hands rest on the lapel of his uniform blazer, against the golden crown over crossed swords of his captain’s pin… and his heart. Harvard did it all absentmindedly, as though he didn’t have to think about his actions because it came so naturally.
Aiden lifted a coffee cup to his lips purely in order to make a Can you believe this? face behind it.
There went Harvard again, raising the ideal boyfriend bar to the sky. Could the man not be stopped?
“Aw, are you having faith in me, sweetheart?” Aiden murmured. “That’s so nice. And so misplaced.”
Harvard murmured,