Chapter 10

The campus cafe was packed as usual but Messiah managed to find a quiet corner to study. He had his airpods in, trying to focus on this business paper but his mind kept drifting. He ain't been sleeping right again - too many thoughts he was trying to avoid.

"This seat taken?"

He looked up to see Javier standing there with his bag and what looked like art supplies. Before Messiah could say anything, Javier was already dropping into the chair across from him.

"You always studying," Javier said, pulling out his sketchbook. "You that worried about your GPA?"

"Nah just got a paper due." Messiah went back to his laptop but he was aware of Javier settling in, spreading his stuff out like he ain't plan on leaving no time soon.

They fell into comfortable silence, just the cafe noise in the background. After a while Messiah found himself actually relaxing, the tension in his shoulders easing bit by bit. Something about Javier's presence was... he ain't even know. Just different.

"You want some?" Javier pushed half his sandwich across the table without looking up from his drawing.

Messiah started to say no but his stomach growled right then. He grabbed the sandwich with a quiet "good looking out."

"Always trying to feed somebody," Javier said, but he was smiling slightly. "My mama got me like that."

"She cook a lot?" Messiah found himself asking before he could stop.

"All the time. You should come through for Sunday dinner sometime." Javier glanced up. "No pressure though."

Messiah focused on his food instead of answering. The thought of family dinners brought up too many memories he ain't trying to deal with.

Like he could read his mind, Javier changed the subject. "You got practice today?"

"Nah coach cancelled. Got a game tomorrow though."

"Word? What time?"

Messiah looked up. "Why?"

"Cause I'm asking?" Javier raised an eyebrow. "Maybe I wanna see what all this soccer shit about."

"It's at 2," Messiah said after a minute. "But you don't gotta come."

"I know I don't gotta. I want to." Javier went back to his drawing. "Unless you don't want me there?"

"Do what you want." But something in Messiah's chest felt warm at the thought of Javier watching him play.

They worked in silence for a while longer until Messiah's phone started blowing up - the group project group chat going crazy about meeting tonight.

"These niggas getting on my nerves," he muttered, muting the chat.

"Group projects be like that." Javier leaned back in his chair, stretching. "You want help? I'm pretty good at that business shit."

"Nah I'm good." Messiah started packing up his stuff. "Got work in a bit anyway."

"Ight well good luck with them annoying ass group members." Javier was gathering his supplies too. "See you at the game tomorrow chiquito."

Messiah just shook his head at the nickname, shouldering his bag. But he caught himself thinking about tomorrow's game on his way to work - wondering if Javier would actually show up.

His shift dragged by slow as hell. Some lady tried to use expired coupons again and his manager was being extra annoying. By the time he got home he was dead tired.

His cat greeted him at the door like always. "At least you ain't complicated," he said quietly, filling the food bowl.

After showering and putting his bonnet on, he was laying in bed scrolling through his phone when a text came through.

"Good luck tomorrow. Show them what you got"

Messiah stared at the message from Javier for a long minute. Finally he typed back:

"Whatever"

But he was kind of smiling as he put his phone down. Just a little bit though.

Sleep came easier that night, his dreams full of warm eyes and gentle hands and somebody actually wanting to see him shine. Part of him was scared of what that meant - getting attached only led to pain in his experience. But another part... another part was starting to wonder if maybe Javier was different.

Across town, Javier was in his room finishing up some sketches. He kept thinking about how Messiah's guard dropped a little more each time they talked, how sometimes he caught glimpses of who dude really was under all them walls.

His sister FaceTimed right as he was about to roll up.

"Javi! You coming to my dance thing next weekend right?"

"'Course I am. When have I ever missed one?"

They talked for a bit, her telling him about school drama while he worked on his drawings. After they hung up he found himself sketching something new - a design he could already picture on Messiah's skin.

"Getting ahead of yourself," he muttered, but he didn't stop drawing. Something about Messiah made him want to be patient, to take his time breaking down them walls the right way.

His phone buzzed with another text from his dad but he ignored it. He had more important things to think about - like what time he needed to leave tomorrow to make it to the soccer game on time.