Faewolf

Kiya had to rush the next morning to get to his biology class in time to grab a seat in the front row. The mammoth building was like a huge concrete set of building blocks--set in the middle of the woods. But at least it wasn't far from his dorms. Kiya trudged up the stairs to the lecture hall entrance, which was at the back of the large slanted room. He made his way down another set of stairs to the front of the hall. Dropping his backpack onto the chair next to him, he started to pull his books out just as the professor began speaking. Kiya tried not to show how grumpy he was about being up so early for a nine o'clock class, but he was failing, slouching in his chair with a frown as he took notes. He glanced up from his notebook when the professor began to introduce the graduate students who would be working with the class.

"Your teaching assistants this term will be Rachael Burrows, Darren Turner and Brian Fenwick," Professor Steinhart was explaining and then going through the instructions of how to sign up for specific sections.

When Kiya looked at the TAs, he felt a frisson of unexpected pleasure. His attention was riveted on Brian Fenwick. Brian looked to be in his mid-twenties, and was probably six feet tall. He had short red-brown hair, a slightly tanned complexion and looked lean and muscular, filling out the button-down work blue shirt and 501 jeans in a way that made them look oddly more fashionable than the designer jeans and t-shirts most students wore. He wasn�t just attractive, he had an intensity that captured Kiya�s attention. The man shifted under the attention of the students, head turned a bit to the side. He had a physical presence that made Kiya want to reach out and touch him.

The teaching assistants, including Fenwick, went to take their seats at the other end of the front row and the professor began his lecture. Kiya couldn�t take his eyes off of Brian, willing the man to look at him now. Kiya knew about the rule prohibiting teachers from dating students, but that didn't stop him from looking. And he was frustrated that the man didn�t seem to notice him at all. Fenwick glanced his direction several times but didn't look directly at Kiya.

The professor talked about the syllabus and what they should expect in the class. It actually didn't sound as difficult as Kiya had thought it would be. He'd just have to keep up with his notes and read the book. But he had to admit that he wasn't giving the instructor up front his complete attention as he angled his body in his attempts to see more of one particular T.A.

With more than a hundred students all trying to sign up for sections, Kiya had to struggle just to get to the wall with the sign-up sheets on them. Once he finally reached the wall, two of Brian's sections were filled out, completely full. The last one was close to being filled up, and Kiya quickly went about writing his name down, restraining himself from writing more--like his phone number. It was only when he stepped back that he realized the time of the section, making him curse under his breath. Friday, at nine in the morning again! Friday was to be Kiya's day off; a day he was looking forward to just sleeping in. He glanced back at Fenwick thinking that he had better be worth it.

Fenwick was sitting at a table at the front of the room surrounded by half a dozen other students, apparently answering questions. Kiya couldn't help notice the way some of the girls were looking at the gorgeous man. Which only annoyed him further. That was it--he wasn't going to wait until Friday to meet Brian. He pulled his book bag up onto his shoulder and went back to the table, carefully pushing his way through the other students so that he was directly in front of the TA. He ignored the sounds of discontent, holding his hand out for Brian to shake.

"Professor Fenwick, I'm Kiya White Cloud, and I'm looking forward to taking your section," he said, making sure to give him a brilliant smile.

Brian looked startled and some of the other students snickered. But the man took Kiya's hand. "Just call me Brian. I'm not a professor, just a graduate student." He smiled and Kiya could see his eyes were brown, a kind of light brown that almost made them look golden--like dark amber. Brian's own glance into Kiya's eyes was brief and then he quickly looked away, his face appearing flushed.

Kiya could almost get lost in those eyes, thinking that Brian looked even better up close. So maybe sacrificing his day off would be worth it. "Brian," he repeated, nodding as his hand tightened around the man's slightly. "I'll have to remember that."