begging

---

## **Hot Things**

Eren knew two things about Kael.

One: he ran hot.

Two: he was absolutely insufferable about it.

“You’re doing it on purpose,” Eren snapped, tugging at the collar of his shirt for what had to be the tenth time.

Kael didn’t even look up from his book. “Doing what?”

“This—” Eren gestured wildly between them, nearly knocking over his iced drink. “This *heat thing*. You’re like a walking radiator.”

“I’m sitting still.”

“You’re *radiating*,” Eren shot back. “There’s a difference.”

Finally, Kael glanced up. Slow. Calm. Annoyingly composed.

“You’re the one who chose to sit this close.”

Eren froze.

Because—unfortunately—that was true.

The rest of the library was basically empty. He could’ve picked literally any other table.

Instead, here he was.

Across from Kael.

Again.

“…Shut up,” Eren muttered.

Kael’s mouth twitched.

Not a full smile.

Just enough to make Eren’s stomach flip in a way that was deeply inconvenient.

---

It wasn’t just the heat.

It was everything.

The way Kael *looked* at him—like he was trying to solve a puzzle he had no intention of putting down. The way he leaned just a little too close when he spoke. The way his voice dipped lower when Eren got flustered, like he knew exactly what he was doing.

Which—Eren was increasingly convinced—he did.

“You’re staring again,” Kael said.

“I am not.”

“You are.”

“I’m thinking.”

“About me?”

Eren choked on absolutely nothing. “No?!”

Kael tilted his head. “Liar.”

Oh, he was going to commit a crime.

---

It got worse when Eren’s heat started creeping up.

Not full-blown.

Not enough to lose control.

Just enough to make everything sharper. Louder. Hotter.

Especially Kael.

“You smell different,” Kael said quietly one afternoon.

Eren went completely still.

“…You can’t just say that,” he hissed.

“It’s not a bad thing.”

“That’s not the point!”

Kael leaned in slightly.

Too close.

Way too close.

Eren could feel the warmth of his breath, could feel the way his body reacted instantly, traitorously, leaning in before his brain caught up.

“Relax,” Kael murmured. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want.”

“That’s not reassuring,” Eren said weakly.

“It should be.”

“It’s not.”

Kael’s eyes flicked down briefly—to Eren’s lips—then back up.

And that was worse.

So much worse.

---

The first time Eren lost his composure, it was entirely Kael’s fault.

Obviously.

“You’re burning up,” Kael said, reaching out before Eren could stop him.

His fingers brushed Eren’s wrist.

That was it.

That was all.

Eren made a sound.

A very undignified, very omega sound.

And then—

“Oh my god,” he groaned, immediately covering his face. “Pretend that didn’t happen. Delete it from your brain.”

Kael didn’t move.

Didn’t pull away.

If anything, his grip tightened just slightly.

“Say that again,” he said, voice rougher than before.

“I will actually die.”

“You won’t.”

“I will simply pass away on this table.”

Kael leaned closer.

“Eren.”

His name shouldn’t sound like that.

It definitely shouldn’t make his knees weak.

“Stop,” Eren whispered.

“Stop what?”

“Talking like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like—like—” Eren gestured helplessly. “Like you’re trying to make it worse!”

Kael was quiet for a second.

Then—

“What if I am?”

Eren stared at him.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“And you’re not pulling away.”

Oh.

Oh, that was—

That was a very good point.

---

Things escalated after that.

Not all at once.

Just… little things.

Kael sitting closer.

Eren not moving away.

Hands brushing a little longer than necessary.

Conversations that dipped just slightly into dangerous territory.

“You’re sensitive,” Kael noted one evening, voice low.

Eren glared. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t.”

“I strongly dislike you.”

“Mm.”

Kael’s fingers traced lightly along Eren’s arm.

Eren inhaled sharply.

“Kael.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you like this?”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re trying to kill me.”

Kael’s lips curved.

“Working?”

Eren buried his face in his hands. “Unfortunately.”

---

The breaking point came when Kael finally cornered him.

Not literally.

But close enough.

The hallway was empty, the lights dimmer than usual, and Eren had made the mistake of thinking he could just *walk past* without incident.

He was wrong.

A hand caught his wrist.

Warm.

Firm.

Eren stopped.

Slowly, he turned.

“Hi,” Kael said.

Eren swallowed. “Hi.”

Neither of them moved.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” Kael said.

“I have not.”

“You walked into a different building to avoid passing me on the stairs.”

“That was strategic planning.”

Kael stepped closer.

Eren didn’t step back.

“That sound you made earlier,” Kael said softly.

“Don’t.”

“I’ve been thinking about it.”

“I said don’t—”

“Wondering if I can make you do it again.”

Eren’s brain short-circuited.

“Kael.”

“Yes?”

“That’s illegal.”

“It’s not.”

“It should be.”

Kael’s hand slid from his wrist to his waist.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Giving him time to pull away.

Eren didn’t.

Of course he didn’t.

“You’re really not helping your case,” Eren whispered.

“What case?”

“That I shouldn’t—” he stopped.

Kael leaned in.

“Shouldn’t what?”

Eren exhaled shakily.

“This,” he said, and grabbed Kael’s shirt.

The kiss wasn’t gentle.

It wasn’t planned.

It was heat and instinct and weeks of tension snapping all at once.

Kael responded instantly—like he’d been waiting, like he’d been holding back just long enough to make this inevitable.

His hands tightened at Eren’s waist, pulling him closer, and—

Oh.

Oh, that was—

“Kael—” Eren gasped against his mouth.

“Yeah?” Kael murmured, not pulling away.

“That’s—” Eren’s voice broke slightly. “That’s a lot.”

“You said don’t hold back.”

“I didn’t mean *immediately*—”

Kael kissed him again.

Slower this time.

Hotter.

Eren melted.

Completely.

Utterly.

Disastrously.

When they finally pulled apart, Eren looked wrecked.

And Kael—

Kael looked very pleased with himself.

“I hate you,” Eren said breathlessly.

“No, you don’t.”

“…No, I don’t,” Eren admitted.

Kael smiled.

“Good.”

Eren groaned. “You’re so smug.”

“And you like it.”

“I do not—”

Kael kissed him again.

Eren made that sound.

Again.

Kael actually laughed this time.

“Oh, you absolutely do.”

Eren hid his face in Kael’s shoulder.

“This is humiliating.”

“This is mutual,” Kael said, voice softer now.

Eren peeked up at him.

“…Yeah?”

Kael leaned down, brushing his lips against Eren’s ear.

“Yeah.”

Eren shivered.

“Okay,” he said weakly. “That was unfair.”

“Nothing about this is fair.”

“…You’re so corny.”

“And you kissed me first.”

Eren paused.

“…I did do that.”

Kael smirked.

Eren groaned again.

“Don’t make that face.”

“Which face?”

“That one. The ‘I know exactly what I’m doing’ face.”

Kael leaned closer.

“I do know what I’m doing.”

Eren’s breath hitched.

“…Yeah,” he said softly. “That’s the problem.”

Kael’s hand slid back to his waist, warm and steady.

“Doesn’t sound like a problem.”

Eren hesitated.

Then—

“…Yeah, okay,” he admitted. “Maybe not.”

And this time, when Kael kissed him—

Eren didn’t even pretend to resist.

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