The Rookie

7 - Yawning Tiger

Rory Paine's POV

You could hear a pen drop from all the silence. At first glance looking at Ace, he doesn't seem like a pitcher at all. He's small and not to mention his annoyingly weak personality. He was still in the same hunched over. Although his hands were tightly grasping onto the bedding until the fabric was balled into his hands.

"Ah.. I'm sorry for laughing at you." Jasper interrupts what was the seemingly forever lasting silence. Jasper had a worried expression on his face when I looked at him as he scratches the back of his head in a messily motion, "I didn't mean to hurt you in anyw-"

"Don't worry It's fine!" Snapping my head over towards the voice, to the guy who couldn't even say a full sentence smoothly before. He was now in a upward position, his shoulders and back are relaxed. He didn't even look like the same cowering guy from a few minutes ago. He slowly lifted his head, "I get laughed at.. a lot. It's normal for.. um me."

He begins talking unsteadily again once he looks directly at Jasper. I apathetically stare at Ace as I analyze his features and overall, his appearance. Jasper rushes over to Ace's bed in a dramatic way before sitting next to him. Nic was carefully watching over the situation, of course. He didn't want his little lover boy, Jasper, to be in trouble, "Are you sure?"

Ace just answered with a nod, obviously shaken by the sudden escalation of Jasper darting over to him and whole the situation. His big brown eyes covered themselves with a water film, and he goes back into his position from before. Jasper gets back up, slowly walking over back to his bed with a pouting expression. I let out a long harsh sigh before widely opening my mouth and yawning loudly as I cover my mouth.

"Are you a sleepy tiger or something?" Nic's laugher filled the room directed at me and soon after Jasper burst out laughing, joining him. I narrow my gaze over at him as I frown over at Nic, noticing him tightly holding his stomach. I glanced back at Ace with my hand still covering my mouth, who fixated himself into bed and under the blanket. Although he was facing the wall, his brightly covered ears slightly stuck out from his hair. Not only that but I noticed the back of his neck was also the same shade of pink.

Knowing that it was none of my business, I looked back over to Nic and Jasper who weren't laughing anymore. Instead looking at me and then back a Ace with a uncertain look on both of there faces. I decided not to care for it and instead moved myself into a more comfortable position after kicking my shoes off onto the ground. Sighing again as I point up to the light switch near the end of Jasper's bed, "Turn that off, will you?"

Jasper groans as he crawls on his bed, extending his arm to flick the light off. I hear shuffling on his side of the room before it stops. I lay my arm on my bed, unsure of what was going to happen at tomorrow morning introduction practice. I've always been one to ponder before sleeping, which is common. I roll around in my bed, trying to find that one position that puts me asleep although it never works.

I sigh once again, this time softer than before. Last years events still fresh in my mind, like watching a movie. It was something I wanted to forget, or more, make everyone else forget. It's passive aggressive, but patience is one of my strengths if I say so myself although everyone else would say otherwise. Turning to my side, I look horizontally down towards Ace's bed. He hadn't move at all since his original position when he laid down. I had the wondering thought if he was asleep, but that came and went. I didn't care about whether or not he was, but I still stared toward his direction.

A part of me disliked the idea of having to share a room with one, a pitcher. A group of people that irritated me the most. Unfortunately, changing roommates isn't allowed. The mentality of 'If you argue, get over it or leave", something that I typically find myself having had a lot of trouble with in the past.

My eyebrows close together, the headache from hours ago slowly drifting back. I rubbed my forehead with my hands, massaging it in attempt to make it go away before it returns fully. I sit up, reaching under the blankets for the hem of my shirt. Remembering when Ace first opened the door, how he stood there holding the bottom of his shirt. How small in size he looked compared to us all. I had quickly pulled my shirt up and off my body before using it as a towel to wipe sweat from my face. Throwing the shirt onto my desk next to me. I lay back down feeling as least more comfortable then I did beforehand. The nausea persistent for awhile until it was eventually lost in the awakening of sleep.