Taming the Devil

Chapter 16: The Breaking Point

Progress had spent the night tossing and turning, the images of what happened in the cafeteria replaying in his mind. He couldn’t stop thinking about Almond’s words, the way he had clung to him so desperately. There was something unsettling about it, something Progress couldn’t quite put his finger on. But his stubborn heart refused to acknowledge the truth his friends had warned him about.

The morning came quickly, and as usual, Almond was there, waiting for him by the school gate. Progress had hoped for a moment of peace, but that hope was dashed as soon as he spotted Almond’s familiar form leaning casually against the gate, a lazy smile on his lips.

The moment Almond saw Progress, his expression immediately shifted into something more needy, more clingy. He straightened up and walked toward him, eyes glimmering with an intensity Progress couldn’t ignore.

"Morning, Progress," Almond said, his voice soft and sweet, but there was an edge to it that made Progress’s skin crawl.

"Morning," Progress replied, trying to keep his voice casual, though he couldn’t shake the feeling of being trapped.

Almond’s eyes never left him as they walked into the school together, and with every step, Progress felt like his personal space was being invaded. It wasn’t just the physical closeness—it was the possessiveness, the way Almond’s gaze seemed to pierce through him, like no one else existed in the world but them.

“Where have you been?” Almond asked, his voice almost childlike in its curiosity. "You didn’t spend much time with me yesterday."

Progress tried to shake off the unease creeping up his spine. "I had to hang out with my friends, Almond. You know that. We can’t always be together."

"But I don’t want you to be with anyone else," Almond whispered, his voice almost a plea.

Progress stopped walking for a moment, staring at him in disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"

Almond shrugged, his smile returning, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I don’t like it when you’re with them. They’re not as important as me, right?"

Progress felt his stomach twist. He knew Almond could be clingy, but this? This was something else entirely.

Before Progress could respond, the bell rang, signaling the start of class. Almond took Progress’s hand without hesitation, his grip tight and possessive, and led him toward the classroom.

As they entered the room, Progress tried to pull his hand away, but Almond’s fingers only tightened, refusing to let go.

"Almond, seriously, let go," Progress said quietly, his voice edged with frustration.

But Almond simply gave him a look—a soft, pouty expression that made Progress feel guilty for even asking. "I just want to be with you, Progress. Please don’t leave me."

The rest of the class went by in a blur. Almond stayed glued to Progress’s side the entire time, whispering in his ear, asking him questions, acting like a clingy child who couldn’t stand being apart for even a second.

And no matter how many times Progress tried to get some space, Almond was always there, lurking in his peripheral vision, watching him, waiting for him. It felt suffocating.

---

After class, Progress had planned to meet his friends in the cafeteria, but Almond followed him, like a shadow, never straying too far. His grip on Progress’s hand didn’t loosen even when they reached the cafeteria.

Meepoh, Ohm, and Per were already sitting at their usual table, but when they saw Almond trailing behind Progress, they exchanged uneasy glances.

"Progress, come on," Meepoh said, trying to sound casual, but there was worry in his voice. "You okay with this?"

Progress didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Almond, who had practically planted himself next to him, his eyes locked onto Progress’s every move.

"Yeah, I’m fine," Progress said, though he didn’t sound convincing, not even to himself.

Meepoh sighed. "We’ve talked about this before, Progress. You need to be careful with Almond. He’s not... normal. He doesn’t understand boundaries."

Progress frowned. "He’s just a little clingy. I told you before, he’s not dangerous. He’s just lonely."

But even as he said it, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that he was lying to himself. Almond’s actions weren’t just clingy—they were obsessive. Possessive. And no matter how much he tried to deny it, a small part of him feared what Almond might do next.

Almond had been eerily quiet during the conversation, his gaze fixed on Progress, his expression unreadable. When no one was paying attention, he casually slid his hand onto Progress’s knee under the table, squeezing it gently.

Progress flinched, his body stiffening in surprise. "Almond," he hissed, his voice low. "What are you doing?"

Almond didn’t answer. Instead, he simply smiled up at him, the same innocent smile that had always fooled Progress into thinking Almond was just a naïve, lonely boy.

But now, Progress couldn’t ignore the darkness in Almond’s eyes—the possessiveness, the obsession.

"I told you, Progress," Almond whispered, so only he could hear, "you’re mine."

---

The rest of the day felt like a nightmare to Progress. No matter where he went, Almond was right there, always just a little too close, always touching him, always watching him with those intense eyes.

And with every passing moment, Progress felt like he was losing control, like he was slowly becoming trapped in a world where Almond was the center of it all.

As the bell rang for the end of the school day, Progress tried to break free, but Almond followed him all the way to the school gate.

"You’re not going anywhere without me," Almond said, his voice low, his tone demanding. "I don’t like being apart from you, Progress."

Progress sighed, his patience running thin. "Almond, enough. You can’t control me like this."

But Almond’s eyes only darkened, his grip tightening once again, making Progress’s heart skip a beat.

"You don’t understand, do you?" Almond’s voice was cold now, no longer the sweet tone he usually used. "You belong to me, Progress. And I will do anything to make sure you stay by my side."