The Voice from the Bookstore (2)

Adrien detected the mirth in the guy's voice. He's teasing me, Adrien thought to himself.

Taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he turned around to thank the guy again. Adrien, whose eyes had been facing down, slowly looked up. His eyes gradually traveled up the guy's body, taking in the firm figure hidden behind the layers of fine clothes. "Thank y-" his voice died in his throat as his eyes met sparkling red eyes that were framed by thick, golden lashes.

"Hmm? Cat got your tongue?" The second prince asked, a smirk curling the corners of his lips. He looks way too pleased for some reason, Adrien assessed.

Adrien gave a quick bow of his head, casting his eyes to the ground. "Thank you, your Highness."

He's attractive with an attractive voice! He's also tall! This is unfair! This guy has to have some kind of flaw!

"Drop the formalities. You do not need to use them with me while we are inside of the Academy." The Prince's voice sounded a little agitated, and Adrien could no longer detect the mirth that was once in it.

Taking the chance, Adrien lifted his head. The second prince was no longer leaning as close to Adrien as he had been and the smirk he had previously been wearing was gone. The humor that had been making his eyes sparkle had dimmed.

"Th-then what shall I call you by, your Highness?" Dammit! No one told me that I'd have to talk to anyone from the royal family this soon! Wait, no one told me anything! This is all that damn novel's fault for not introducing a character like Prince Mikyle in the story! I don't know how I'm supposed to act around him!

"Hmm, how about my name?" Prince Mikyle leaned closer, and his eyes sparkling with humor once again. "Can you do that, little kitten?"

Kitten! "Kitten!" Adrien screeched in his mind and out loud. Is this guy messing with me or flirting with me?! Wait. . .I remember Nadeline mentioning that the second prince had come out of the closet a couple of years ago. . .so is he flirting with me? No, that isn't the face of someone who is interested. Besides, he doesn't even know me. . .or at least I don't think he does. Adrien felt like his mind was going to explode. And what's up with the weird . . .pet. . .name? Is this how he views me?

"Yes. Kitten. You look and act like one," the second prince stated, laughter making his voice sound deeper. His finely sculpted face leaned in closer, causing Adrien to hold his breath as his heart beat frantically against his ribcage.

Adrien found himself taking a step back, ramming his back into the corner of the books behind him. The arm that held the two books that Prince Mikyle had given him swung up to his chest in a defensive posture.

It was then that Adrien remembered that he was in a romance fantasy novel. Dammit, these kinds of situations always pop up in novels! But why am I in one? I'm just a background character!

"Prince Mikyle, I don't appreciate your blatant teasing." Adrien's voice came out even and strong, even if he was still holding his defensive posture.

Prince Mikyle leaned away, his eyes curving up as he laughed. "It's still not what I want to hear, but it's an improvement." He backed away from Adrien, turning around as if to leave. "Oh, and if I were you, I would get used to my 'teasing', as you so put it."

Prince Mikyle left after that, leaving Adrien confused and slightly scared. I can't handle someone like him, Adrien thought rationally.

On weak knees, he made his way to a table to read, one that was in the opposite direction of where prince Mikyle had gone.

* * * *

"Prince Mikyle, I don't appreciate your blatant teasing."

Adrien was looking up at him with tears pricking the corners of his eyes. The pout that he wore and his red-tinged ears made Mikyle laugh.

Cute, Mikyle thought to himself, enjoying Adrien's aggrieved face.

Mikyle leaned away from the boy, deciding to give him some space. "It's still not what I want to hear, but it's an improvement." He backed away a few steps, watching as Adrien's frown deepened.

He turned around, his back now facing Adrien. "Oh, and if I were you, I would get used to my 'teasing', as you so put it."

With his keen senses, he heard Adrien opening and closing his mouth a few times, curse words uttered quietly under his breath.

Hmm, he really is cute. He has very vivid facial expressions and his reactions are just too funny.

Mikyle made his way back to the table where Lianna was sitting.

"Something good must have happened, Kyle," she commented upon seeing his smile, fondly using his nickname.

"Mhmm. I found a lost kitten that was just too adorable not to play with." His smile widened as he thought about Adrien.

This was the first time he had felt interested in someone like this. It isn't a bad feeling, Mikyle though to himself, deciding to see what exactly this feeling was and how much it will grow.

* * * *

Kitten? I can't believe I got compared to a kitten.

Adrien groaned, wanting to bang his head against the table. He had half an hour left before his next class but was finding it difficult to focus on the books before him.

He didn't have time for this, whatever this was! He still needed to find a way to make money since he hadn't heard anything back from the art broker or Nadeline. He also needed to find a way to avoid the Count and the twins because there was no way he was going to put up with them once the semester was over.

"Is it alright if I sit here?"

Adrien looked up, moments away from pulling his hair out. Lady Aefre Ceciles was standing by the table, a book in hand.

"Sure," Adrien answered in a daze. Why Her again? Please tell me she doesn't have a thing for me. Adrien looked at Lady Aefre, suddenly finding that last thought very strange. Why do I feel like she looks like a female version of Adrien? The only difference other than our gender is the little bit of blue in my hair.

Adrien shook away those pesky thoughts. He realized that prince Mikyle had put him on edge more than he had originally thought.

Lady Aefre sat down in a seat across from him. She flipped open the book she had brought with her.

Adrien tore his eyes away from her, suddenly feeling strange-or more like having his head filled with strange thoughts. He lowered his eyes and tried to focus on the words written in the book.

"You left the class early into it. Were the questions difficult for you?" Lady Aefre asked.

Adrien looked up at her, wondering why she was suddenly talking to him. Maybe he was just reading too much into things. "They were actually very easy."

Lady Aefre's eyes widened minutely, a physical sign that she did not agree with his words.

"Which question did you have the most trouble with?"

"Number four on the first quiz," Lady Aefre answered immediately, her voice soft.

Number four? Oh, I remember which one that one was now. "The answer was twenty-three."

Lady Aefre's eyes widened again and she looked as if she wanted to argue with him but couldn't formulate the words she needed.

"Would you like for me to walk you through it?" Adrien asked, having the sinking suspicion that her answer differed from his.

Lady Aefre nodded her head. "If you do not mind."

Adrien pulled out a sheet of paper from his bag and wrote the question down on it. He then worked out the problem step by step, explaining the process to Lady Aefre.