By the time the day drew on and the sun was high in the sky, the rest of the group had found their way to the outdoor kitchen. Most of the baking had been concluded by now so Louis was able to step out of his apron.

After trying lots of what the outdoor kitchen had to offer, they slowly drifted off to pay a visit to the temporary shack and stalls that served snacks and offered up games to the students.

The day drew to an end with all the students gathering at the clearing again so that medals could be given away to the winners of the various sports. Both cooking clubs were also given an honorary mention as they had fed a good number of the students although they weren’t required to.

Afterward, it was time for them to make their return journey back to the academy. The sun was starting to set as they filed back into their carriages, soft conversation flowing in and out of open carriage windows.

After a peaceful journey, the carriages ambled down the cobbled stone ways of the academy where the students got off in an orderly manner and headed straight for their respective dorm buildings to get a good night’s sleep after their very active day.

From their carriage, the only duo that didn’t go into the second year dorm building was Nael and Errol who went to the third year dorms instead while the rest filed into the dorm building in the middle. They all separated at the foyer as they all stayed on different floors, Claude going with Henri to his dorm room.

Nael offered to give Errol a piggyback ride to their shared dorm room, the older Alpha agreeing without protest.

"If you fail on purpose again, I’m going to be very angry." Errol scolded from his spot on his back, his voice drowsy.

"I’m not going to do it again," Nael said contritely, although he knew that it didn’t matter if he did or not, next time, Errol wouldn’t be here anymore for him to go to.

He tried not to think too much about it but the year was going by too fast, far too fast.

"What are you going to do after college, Errol?" He asked out of the blue as he opened the door to their dorm room.

He waited for a beat and then frowned when he didn’t get any response, glancing behind him to find Errol’s head lolling off his shoulder, his boyfriend was fast asleep.

Nael just smiled and gingerly placed him down on their joined beds, absently helping him undress as he waded through his thoughts. He had thought much about what he wanted to do himself, it wasn’t like his father cared about what he decided to do with his life.

He pushed Errol’s strawberry blonde hair out of his face, he would try asking again in the morning, Errol definitely cared about what he would do with the rest of his life. There was no needed panicking endlessly about it, if everything went alright the most he would have to spend apart from Errol would be a single year - he could do that.

...He wasn’t sure he could do it.

He had hyper-fixated on experiencing as much of Errol’s last moments at the academy as he could, and as he did that, time flew past. His last Sports Ball, his last dance in college, his last club meeting, his last final examinations...

"Nael? Are you alright?" Errol tilted his head to the side as he asked, it was the night after their last exams and all three dorm buildings were rowdy but especially the third year dorm building as this was their final year.

Nael snapped out of his haze, what was he doing getting caught up in his head? Errol should be out there with the rest of the Alphas from his year but he was content to spend the time with him. He looked up at Errol who had just come out of his own bathroom, wearing his dress shirt and loose pair of the bottoms of his night clothes.

"Yeah... what are you going to do after college?" The question slipped past his lips before he could stop them, after the night he had asked the same question to a sleeping Errol, he hadn’t asked again.

Maybe it was because he was a little scared about what his boyfriend’s answer would be...

Errol laughed lightly at this, gently getting on the bed. He couldn’t understand how his mates could have so much energy to yell and jump around, he was so drained from the stress of the exams and he just wanted to sleep.

"There’s no reason to sound so dismal," He teased lightly, inching closer. "You know what? Maybe I won’t do anything, maybe I’ll wait for you to come out and take care of me." He added, finding his own words very funny.

After getting comfortable in Nael’s arms, he realized that he was the only one laughing. He sat up slightly to look at Nael’s face and found that he had a very serious expression on, "Ah, Nael, I was just joking," He said blankly.

"But I wouldn’t mind doing that," Nael said, still sounding far too serious for what was supposed to be a good-natured tease.

Errol should have expected this answer, "I shouldn’t have put that idea in your head," He muttered, looking away.

Nael moved swiftly, holding his waist and switching their positions so he was underneath him while he hovered over him with the most determination Errol had ever seen in his eyes. "Promise that you’ll wait for me to come to take care of you," Nael asked earnestly.

Errol clamped his lips shut, knowing that if he promised him, he would have to do it. Thinking about it, Errol had never really put much thought into what he wanted to do. He knew that his dad worked for Audie’s father, and his mother also had a job.

He always had pretty good grades so he could probably get a job wherever he wanted but he doubted he could get that far, now that Nael had latched onto whatever silly idea he had cooked up in his head.

It didn’t help that the light in Nael’s eyes finally returned for this very reason, he had noticed his boyfriend get increasingly distracted as the weeks and months went by. He was still as attentive as always but Errol couldn’t help but notice the absent stare in his hazel-gold eyes.

"That’s a little severe don’t you think? How about I help out a bit?" He tried to bargain.

"There’s no need for that-" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"How about, we discuss this when you’re done with college," He tried again, not letting Nael get all of his words out.

If it came down to having an argument about the matter, Nael would eventually wear him down so his only choice was to postpone it.

Nael’s eyes trailed down the column of his neck and returned back to his eyes, "We can do that but you can’t get a job before then," He was quick to block off Errol’s loophole.

"Fine, fine," Errol agreed, he doubted that his mother and Celine would let him work even without Nael stopping him. "So we have a deal?"

Nael closed the distance between them, "Yeah we d-"

"We have arrived!" Audie announced pompously, all but kicking the door in. He didn’t bat an eye at the suggestive positions they were both in, when everyone in your friend group was more or less a couple, you tended to grow an immunity to these things.

"...And we’ve got wine!" He added, striding in like he owned the place, Valentin and Jacques coming in after in.

Nael leveled an unimpressed look at his loud friend, still hovering over Errol with both hands on either side of the Alpha. "I don’t remember inviting you."

Errol held Nael’s forearms as he watched them all come in with a growing smile.

"That’s cause we’re not here for you," Audie jabbed a finger at him, "Now get off Errol so we can celebrate."

Nael reluctantly did so, a dark scowl still on his face. "Errol doesn’t like to drink," He said darkly.

Valentin just went straight for a comfortable spot on the rug to sprawl on while Jacques got on the bed, getting very comfortable with his arms behind his head as he leaned against the headboard, his legs crossed at the ankles. His black hair had grown out, giving his previously hard-cut profile a softer edge.

"Cram it, we’ve got nonalcoholic wines as well," Audie was quick to say.

"I don’t mind drinking a bit today, it’s not every day you finish college after all," Errol said goodnaturedly.

Audie beamed at this, "Errol’s got the right idea..."

The celebrations might have started a little cold but by the time wine bottles started getting emptier, it got louder. Nael was as clingy as he always was whenever he was drunk but he was also easily provoked, getting into baseless arguments with Audie and Valentin.

Jacques and Errol joined in when the conversation moved to the experiences they had during their childhood.

"Vale, remember when Audie convinced you to go with him down the hill behind Nael’s old house inside barrels," Errol said energetically, slurring slightly.

Valentin shuddered visibly, "I don’t know what made me agree to that."

"It was fun though!" Audie chimed in excitedly, weaving on his feet.

Valentin pointed an accusatory bottle at the other, "Yeah, for you! I smacked into a tree and got knocked out."

Everyone else found this funny but Valentin who fumed, his face heated.

"Must not have been so bad because you agreed to do it again," Jacques said, sounding like he was on the brink of laughter.

Valentin shot him another glare; the second time, they had all decided to give it a go again, and this time Valentin was the only one to smack into a tree, again.

It didn’t have to be said out loud to send them all into loud bouts of laughter, Valentin hiccuping loudly from how upset that made him, which only spiraled into an endless cycle of laughter.