Praise Me [BL] COMPLETED

Chapter 16

[Caesar’s POV]

Morgan yawned next to me, looking completely bored while one of our professors explained what we'd be doing over the next three days as we stayed at a lodge. He listed off pointless activities for us to do but I'm sure he knew we wouldn't, judging from the way he flew by them. Eventually he sighed and dismissed us, "It's your senior trip, do what you want."

The owner of the lodge looked offended. "We still have rules of course, please keep that in mind. I prepared activities especially for you! It'll be fun, I promise. I even got my kiddos to help me out." She looked around the large group of seniors. "Oh! I see we have some little ones with us~" She stared at the small group of hybirds.

Audrey finally pointed a finger to her chest, looking incredulous when she realized the attention was on them. "Little one? I'm 21." Chet bobbed his head in agreement, ears flopping and standing out the most as he stood 2-3 heads taller than everyone else.

I draped my arm on Harrison's head, making him look up and go crosseyed. "Caesar?"

I ruffled his hair before dropping my hand. "Is this your first school trip?" He fell in step next to me as we made our way into the lodge and towards the designated boys rooms.

"Mhm! I didn't really wanna go since it's a senior trip but Declan made me and then Chet made everyone else go." He peered up and smiled. "But I'm happy I did. We can't go on anymore trips together since you're graduating so we'll have to make this the best one." He nodded in determination as his fists curled against his chest.

I dropped my bag on a random bunk and abruptly pulled him against my chest, making him let out a squeak of surprise. "Ugh," I sighed, "you're so cute." His tail started wagging, making my lips quirk up. "We'll have to go on a trip ourselves then."

His ears perked. "Really?"

"Mhm, Morgan and I usually go somewhere during summer so you'll have to come. I'll kidnap you if I have to."

He laughed into my chest. "I'll make it easy for you."

Chet came bounding into the room a few minutes later, dragging Morgan along who looked disheveled. "I found you!" He let go of Morgan. "I don't need you anymore, thank you."

Morgan looked confused as Chet dragged Harrison out of the room. "The f**k? He grabbed me out of nowhere and didn't even say anything."

"He probably thought you knew where Harrison was." I let out a huff of amusement while he dropped his bag on the bunk above mine.

"You think they'll actually make us do that other s**t? I only came for booze."

I shrugged and leaned back on the bed, about to pick up my phone but Morgan grabbed it. "What're you-" My words were cut off by his lips. He lightly pushed at my chest until I was laying down and he was on top of me. My hands found their familiar place on his hips as he pulled away. "I thought we weren't going to do anything." I teased.

"Changed my mind when I saw an empty room." And then he was leaning back down and pressing his lips to mine while his hair tickled my cheeks.

We kept it pretty innocent, not that shameless to actually start anything while rooming with other people. He pecked my lips a final time and pulled away, choosing to sit on my lap while he checked my phone. "It's not even noon yet." He seemed displeased with this, wanting the day to pass so he could drink already.

I was about to suggest we go do something outside but the door opened, guiding both of our attentions to Oliver, one of Morgan's closest friends. My mood immediately decreased seeing him.

Morgan slid off my lap and sat at the edge of the bed while I sat up. "What's up?" He ruffled his soft waves out of his face, rings catching the light as he did.

"That guy grabbed you out of nowhere so I was wondering where you went." Oliver glanced at me. "Hey, Caesar."

I stared at him dully, not hiding the fact that I didn't want him here. "Hey."

Morgan stole a glance at me. "Oh yeah, sorry about that. What were you saying?"

"It was nothing." His fingers drummed against the door. "Some of us were going down to check out the lake for later. Did you wanna come?"

Morgan easily agreed. "Yeah, I'll come in a sec." Don't get annoyed, don't get annoyed, don't get annoyed.

Oliver stalled by the door, not seeming to get the message, but Morgan didn't seem to care as he leaned over and kissed me. It said a few things neither of us wanted to say aloud. "You coming too?"

My eyes wandered to Oliver but Morgan's fingers pressed into my cheek, drawing my attention right back. "You should come." He pecked my lips once more before standing up, hand extended out for me to grab. I accepted it because it was Morgan, and because it was Morgan, he didn't look at Oliver as we stepped by him.

Though, that didn't stop our eyes from meeting. I'm sure my eyes were just as cold as his.

-

Night couldn't come any sooner, everyone seemed to anticipate when the professors finally went to "bed" and turned a blind eye towards the cases upon cases of alcohol. "You're all adults." He threw a hand over his shoulder as he ascended the porch steps. "Break something and I'll personally kill you. Don't bother me unless someone's dying."

Declan handed me a beer while we walked down the trail towards the lake. "Have you seen Harry recently? I haven't seen him since lunch."

"I saw him with Chet a little while ago." I patted his back. "He's a big boy, stop worrying so much."

As we got closer to the lake, the volume in the music increased, booming from the scattered speakers a group of kids set up. A bomb fire was already going, growing in flames as more wood was added.

Not the biggest fan of alcohol, I slowly sipped at my drink and watched Declan down two cups. "You're gonna be hammered."

He was already starting on his third while we sat at the dock. "That's the point." He glanced at me, somewhat hesitant to say anything. "You good? I wasn't sure if you wanted to talk about it, but you've seemed kind of- off? since earlier."

I brushed him off, waving a dismissive a hand while giving him an easy grin. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Alright." He clanked his drink against mine. "If you do wanna talk about it, I probably won't remember tomorrow. Take that however you want."

I snorted. "Yeah, thanks."

"Can I see your phone?" I raised an eyebrow and slid my phone from my pocket to hand to him. "You don't have a watch, right?"

"No, why?"

"Cool." He stood up and I was about to follow suit but he kicked his leg out and pushed me into the water.

The water wasn't hot nor cold as it drenched my clothes, it was just there. When I came to the surface, Declan was kneeling at the edge of the dock with a grin on his face. "I'm gonna hold onto your phone until later. I'll tell you if someone important texts. Get drunk or something, you're always playing parent."

He stood up after I started climbing the ladder. "If you and Morgan wanna f**k, I have condoms!" He started jogging away before I could get close, making me sigh, though I felt a bit amused. I'll get him later.

I looked down at my dripping clothes and didn't hesitate to chuck my shirt off.

Lauren ran into me a few minutes later, giggling and out of breath. "Oh, s**t!" She blinked at me. "Oh, it's just you. Why're you wet?"

"Declan pushed me into the lake."

"Was it warm? I was gonna go swim."

"You're drunk, i***t, don't do that."

"Alright, alright." She waved off and looked over her shoulder, letting out a squeak when she saw Hudson. "Hide me! He's been chasing me for the past 30 minutes!" I'd bet my right hand they were gonna f**k tonight.

I gave her a boyish smirk. "Why should I?"

"I'll let you borrow my camera for your project?"

"And?"

"And? You're a stingy bitch."

I shrugged. "Hud-!"

She slapped her hands over my mouth while looking panicked, as if she didn't want him to find her. "You're rooming with Hudson and Declan right? I'll get them out of the room so you and Morgan can be alone." Declan was gonna crash in his girlfriends room and I could already tell where Hudson was gonna be. Still, I nodded and she dropped her hand.

"There's a little space under the dock over there. You can hide there until he leaves." She followed where I was pointing and gave me a grateful salute.

Only a minute later did I run into Hudson. I stopped him with a hand to his shoulder and gestured over to the dock. "Lauren said she's waiting for you over there."

"Lauren?" His eyes widened. "Really? Thanks, man." I nodded and sent him off with a pat to his shoulder.

I could hear her scream when he quickly found her, making my lips pull into a grin while I strayed from the trail. "What're you smiling for?" A pair of arms wrapped around my back before Morgan's head popped around my side. "Oh, you're wet."

I turned around to see him properly and hummed. "Declan pushed me into the lake."

"Did he take a picture?"

"I don't think so."

"Damn." His head tilted up. "I've been looking for you."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm, I think Harrison was too. He was with me for a little while but his friends were bored so they went back inside. They're playing uno again, isn't that cute?" It was a little cute, choosing a card game over alcohol.

"Are you going inside too?"

He nodded against my chest. "Yeah, that's why I was looking for you. Oliver wants to go drink in his room instead."

I frowned. "You're going to his room?"

"Yeah? He asked me and we're just drinking so it's fine." He glanced up. "He just doesn't wanna stay outside anymore. We're not going to sleep." Don't get annoyed, don't get annoyed, don't get annoyed.

"Still, do you need to go to his room alone?"

His frown matched mine. "Other people are going too and I came looking for you so we could go together."

Stop getting annoyed. "Okay."

"Why're you mad? We've talked about this before."

"I'm not mad, babe. Let's just go."

I went to walk away but he grabbed my hand. "No, you're mad. What did I do?"

"You didn't do anything so let's just drop it."

"What is there to even drop? I'm confused why you're mad. I already told you it's not like that with him."

It would've been annoying if it were anyone else. But it wasn't anyone else, it was Morgan, so I couldn't even find it right to feel annoyed. He naturally attracted people with his easy going personality. God, it was so easy to get along with him, he was just like that, able to make friends with anyone and everyone.

"I know." I ran a hand through my hair, unable to stop all the thoughts of the times I've seen them together flooding my head. Them walking to class, them going out to eat, just them together annoyed me. "I know you don't like him but you know he doesn't feel the same. And I'd get it, you can't help who you love, but he doesn't respect our relationship. Even Declan's said something about him continuing to hit on you."

"..I talked to him about it. I'll talk to him about it again."

"How many times have you talked to him about it? I know you're childhood friends but that shits annoying."

"I'll tell him to stop, I'll be more serious this time."

"You weren't serious before?"

"No- you know that's not what I meant." Morgan dropped my hand and frowned. "I don't know what else you want me to do. Do you want me to stop talking to him?"

Yes. "No, you've known each other since you were kids. I didn't mean you have to cut him off just-" I sighed. "I don't know, Morgan. It bothers me seeing you guys together. I don't really want you going to his room when you're both drinking."

"You think I'm gonna cheat on you? Seriously?"

"No, what the f**k? I wouldn't think that about you. I'm just saying, if he does that s**t while he's sober, I'm sure he's not gonna care even more when he's drunk."

The following silence surrounding us was almost deafening. "..Okay, I won't talk to him the rest of the trip."

"Morgan, c'mon, that's not what I was saying."

"What were you saying? Do you want me to talk to him or not? Just be straight up, you said it bothers you when we're together. I said I won't talk to him, and that's a problem now too."

"Well, no s**t, it bothers me. I don't wanna be one of those over controlling boyfriends who says you can't talk to someone but it's hard when he hits on you all the time, even after telling him to stop. You're really close, I get and respect that, but he doesn't respect us. It makes me not want you around him at all."

It was silent again, and I started to worry that he was angry.

"Can you just not go see him tonight? Just spend tonight with me and I'll drop it."

The silence carried on as he grabbed my hand and started to walk back up the trail. I couldn't see his face, his hair served as a curtain as he looked down, seeming to be avoiding looking at me. He's upset, I should've just kept my mouth shut.

While walking upstairs, one of the bedroom doors opened, allowing the muffled music to start trickling into the hallway.

Oliver stood there and blinked at us. "Oh, I was about to come look for you. I was starting to miss-" Morgan walked past him, arm extended back as he held my hand while I trailed behind him.

The silence stuck as he clicked the door shut and slipped his shoes off. I felt bad.

I didn't know what else to do except watch him, watch him crawl into my bed, and watch him face the wall, unmoving even as I hesitantly laid next to him in the too small bed.

Minutes seemed to pass as we laid there wide awake and lost in thought. "I'm sorry." It was soft but seemingly loud in the silent room.

"You-"

"I know I'm being selfish, so I'm sorry."