Aidan glanced at Fabien in annoyance. Class had started ten minutes ago and he was still fast asleep, clinging onto Aidan’s arm.

He hadn’t noticed when Fabien leaned forward, face pressed against the desk. It wasn’t until his arm was pinned under Fabien’s that he noticed the other man was asleep. He had tried multiple times to remove his arm and each time he was met with a powerful resistance.

Fabien wasn’t just using his strength—he was unconsciously using his magic. Aidan had been excited to witness someone’s else’s magic, even if it was just a small portion of it. However, he didn’t welcome the inconvenience of his arm being used as a pillow for Fabien’s head.

When the teacher interrupted class to ask what the ruckus was about, Aidan quickly dismissed the matter and left it at that.

He ignored the smug stares from the other students and stopped trying to free his arm. He let out a sigh as he turned his attention back to the lecture, trying to ignore Fabien.

“As I was saying,” Machin continued as if nothing had happened, “magic stems from the very earth we are a part of. It is in the very air we breathe—the water we drink—the words we say. Magic is at our very core, as much a part of us as it is of nature. That is why each human possesses some form of magic, even if it is small.”

Machin turned to face the blackboard, her small frame seeming to take over the entire class. She drew a rough sketch of the human body and turned back toward the students. “The core of our magical powers stems from our center and flows outward to other parts of our body. Some people have a strong core while others a very weak one.

“That only becomes an issue if you are wanting to take on a job that requires more magical energy. The most important aspect of the core is the aura. Each aura is different and often reflects the experiences you have throughout your life. Sometimes your aura becomes fixed, and will never change. Other times, your aura will be in a constant shift because you are constantly experiencing drastic life changes.

“A balanced aura is something that no human has ever achieved. Research has shown that a balanced aura produces colors beyond our wildest imagination. A typical aura consists of light and dark in a constant battle for control. There are no colors simply because magic in a constant battle knows no true balance.

“Research has found, through a systematic coding system, that if someone were to see a balanced aura, that someone’s own aura would become balanced. Researchers believe that this would create some tie between the two people and that the tie is only possible if there was a previous connection prior to seeing the balanced aura. They believe there has to be a prior connection before anyone can see an aura, let alone a balanced one.

“Auras are important to understand, even if you never gain the ability to see them. They can reveal a person’s deepest secrets or help you better understand a situation. A true master of auras would be able to detect the slightest change in a person. Right now, there are only ten master aura readers in our world.” Machin gave the class a hard look as she surveyed the room before continuing.

“Another important thing to understand when talking about auras is the myth of angles. Angels of Light and Angles of Darkness are said to be creatures stronger and more magnificent in power compared to humans. But I will discuss that after you properly learn about auras and can understand the significance behind them. I am not expecting you to fully understand auras for they are constantly changing and shifting.” Machin finished in an unyielding voice.

“The proper materials for this class should be arriving at each place of residence by evening. I am assigning chapters one through three for next class. You will write a one-page analysis explaining the significance of what you’ve read in relation to auras. Class dismissed.” Machin gathered up her belongings and quickly left through a side entrance.

Aidan let out a silent sigh of relief when class ended. Chairs scraped against the floor as students stood and collected their things, quickly leaving to hurry to the next class.

Aidan couldn’t help but smile at learning so much about auras. Ever since he was a child, he had been able to sense auras and read them. It was relieving to know that it was possible to develop that skill. He didn’t fancy trying to hide it.

Taking a deep breath, Aidan turned in his chair to face Fabien, still clutching his arm as if it were a life raft. “Wake up,” he demanded as he tried freeing his arm once more.

A stronger wave of power hit him as Fabien held on tighter. Aidan’s eyes narrowed in anger. He jumped to his feet and all but tackled Fabien to the ground, knocking over a few chairs in the process. “WAKE UP YOU LAZY ASS!” Aidan roared just as Fabien’s eyes opened wide.

Aidan met those quicksilver eyes and was surprised to find a vulnerability to them. Confusion swam just below the surface as Fabien pushed himself to a sitting position and came face to face with Aidan.

“More. I want to see more.” Fabien demanded in a quiet whisper. 

Aidan’s forehead crinkled in confusion. “More? What the hell are you talking about? We have class in thirty minutes—”

Fabien suddenly grabbed the front of Aidan’s t-shirt and pulled him forward into a kiss. When Aidan tried to pull away, Fabien grabbed the back of Aidan’s head and pulled him closer, deepening their connection.

Aidan was on the verge of using his magic to stop him when he was suddenly blinded by an aura cast in shadows. He could still feel Fabien’s lips moving against his but he wasn’t seeing the physical world.

Shadows of all colors ranging from almost black to almost white filled Aidan’s vision. They swam in a way that reminded him of Fabien’s eyes, the color constantly shifting— constantly moving. It was such a beautiful thing to see. So beautiful that Aidan almost wished it would never end.

A sharp pain pierced his mind when he felt himself fall backwards into the leg of a chair. His eyes snapped open as he braced himself with his hands to keep from falling on his back.

He quickly pulled away from Fabien and was surprised at how easy he could do it. However, that surprise soon turned to shock when he saw Fabien’s body give out and collapse against the floor.

Anger bubbled just below Aidan’s control as he took in Fabien’s still form. “Fucking damn,” he muttered as he rubbed his lower back. “What the hell just happened?”

Ignoring the fact that he had been kissed by Fabien, he quickly rose to his feet and slung the other man’s limp arm across his shoulders. They were going to make a terrible first impression for their other classes seeing as how Aidan didn’t plan to attend the last two.

Aidan waited until they were safely outside, hidden by the relentless rain, before he used a big of magic to give him strength. Fabien was heavier than he looked and still passed out.

With the aid of his magic, it only took Aidan fifteen minutes to reach his house rather than thirty.