“I Want to Know Your Name.”

“Tell me…” Jess pawed at my shoulders.

“No…” I groaned stubbornly and not for the first time today.

“Tell me…!” He begged like a child, digging his thin fingers into my collar with his breath on the back of my neck.

I sighed bemusedly. It was ridiculous.

“Jess, get off my back!” I complained and tried to shake him off, but he was keeping a grip on me like some little koala.

“Tell me…” He tugged at my shirt.

“Goddamn it,” I breathed deeply.

“Have the devil riding on your back today, Balz?” Ghost walked by my room and took note of my despair.

“He won’t tell me his name!” Jess whined and proceeded to paw at me some more.

“Balz?” Ghost crooked an eyebrow.

“No! His first name!”

“Oh, J-”

“Ghost!” I cut him off.

“I was just trying to help… jeez,” Devin walked away muttering something along the lines of “dumb fuck” under his breath.

“Jess…” I pleaded, falling onto my bed face first.

The little koala readjusted himself on top of me and rubbed the heels of his hands up my back as he leaned in close to my face. The pleasantly sweet and fruity scent of his hair and skin overcame me as he whispered, “tell me…”

“Oh, fuck off!” I growled disapprovingly.

“Please?” He suddenly straightened.

I tilted my head to scrutinize this new action. He begged again, pale blue eyes wide like a fawn’s and plush pink lips lightly pursed. My gaze widened with the sight of his sparkling sadly. Guilt slithered down my spine and emotion welled up in my chest-

“No.”

He gasped as if physically hurt and buried his face between his hands, which were clasped in the back of my shirt. He whined like a wounded puppy, which was unmistakably cute, but I felt nothing.

“No…” I groaned, bored.

Then, the whining stopped. I heard a small sound, like a sniff, and I flipped over with difficulty to see. He had brought his hands up to his mouth and his silvery pools were glistening with tears.

“Are you really about to fucking cry?” I indignantly questioned.

He whimpered and closed his eyes. I felt warmth rise up my neck.

“Don’t… don’t you do it…” I tried to hide the desperation in my voice.

I could see his dark lashes shining with wetness as his shoulders shook. His normally alabaster cheeks were flushed pink.

“Jesse, please,” I begged, lifting my hands slowly.

“Don’t you trust me? I thought you loved me!” He cried painfully.

“Please, stop!” I grabbed him and held him close.

Then, sharp pain stabbed into my neck. I yelped in response and pushed him away.

“Tell me or I’ll bite you until you give up!” His voice deepened the way it does when he yells.

“You bit me?!” I iterated in disbelief.

He hissed at me like an irked cat and growled. His fingers pulled at my shirt and I could only sigh.

“It’s Joshua, okay?” I told him.

His expression changed, eyebrows lifting as his eyes returned to their natural doll-like appearance. His grip eased. I could feel my face burning as he watched me intensely. A soft, heart-warming smile flowed across his lips and he offered a small grin.

“That’s cute,” he cooed, leaning in to kiss my cheek.

I scoffed in dismay.

“You’re cute,” his eyes took on a darker sensuality.

I blushed.