How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 113 113- Do Not Flirt With Him During A Fight
LEXI
I spend the rest of the weekend holed up with Blake and it’s really nice. We don’t do anything particularly exciting. Movies, talking, a bit of reading, a lot of just… Existing in the same space. There’s something easy about it. Comfortable. Like the world outside the room can’t quite reach us. But that isn’t reality
and by the time Monday rolls around, I am absolutely getting stir crazy. I need to move. I need to do something. And Blake… Well Blake is stressed. Not in
an obvious way. He’s not pacing or snapping or anything like that. But I can see it in the way his shoulders stay a little too tense, in the way his eyes
constantly flick over everything like he’s assessing it, in the way he hasn’t relaxed properly since the cafeteria incident. Meals, in particular, are a problem.
I’m not worried. Poisons, drugs, apparently those don’t really work on me. Not in any meaningful way. But they DO work on him. Which means every time
we sit down to cat, he looks like he’s about to interrogate the food. I’ve already offered to check his food. More than once. Every time he said no. Firm.
Immediate. End of discussion. This morning is no different. We’re sitting in the cafeteria, and Blake is just… Staring at his plate, poking at it slightly with
his fork, eyes narrowed like it personally offended him. I sigh heavily.
“This is ridiculous. Just let me check it.” I mutter. Again. Blake doesn’t even look at me.
“No.” He answers. Flat, immediate and firm. I raise an eyebrow.
“This is silly, Blake.” I say, leaning forward slightly.
“Give me one good reason why not.” I demand. He finally looks at me.
“Because it’s not your job to protect me.” He responds immediately, I make a frustrated sound, dropping back slightly in my chair.
“Seriously?” I say. He doesn’t respond.
“You are the one following me everywhere, rearranging your entire schedule to protect me, hovering over me constantly, and then there’s this one thing I can do for you…” I gesture to his plate then I continue, my voice rising slightly,
“Something which you wouldn’t even NEED if it wasn’t for me, and you won’t let me do it?” I point out. I shake my head, exasperated.
“That really bothers me, Blake.” I tell him honestly. He frowns, clearly not expecting that.
“I accept that you’re better equipped to physically protect me than I am.” I go on, more firmly now
“But this is something I’M better suited to.” I tell him. Blake opens his mouth slightly like he’s about to argue. So I don’t let him.
“Back when I asked about the defence classes, you’re the one who told me it was okay if I couldn’t fight.” I remind him.
“That I could do other things, focus on what I enjoy, what I’m good at. That we could balance each other out.” I continue, holding his gaze.
“Well, if you don’t let me do the things I’m actually good at… There is no balance.” I explain. That lands. I can see it in his face. He goes still for a second, like he’s actually thinking it through instead of just reacting. Good.
“I don’t want a babysitter, Blake.” I add more quietly, but more seriously.
“I don’t want you to just… Take care of me.” I soften slightly, just a little.
“I want us to be taking care of each other.” I conclude. There’s a long pause as he looks at me. REALLY looks at me. Then, slowly, he exhales and nods. It’s tense, reluctant. But it’s there. He pushes his plate toward me. I light up immediately.
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17 pm P P P P
Chapter 113 113 Do Not Flat With Him During A Fight
“I
unble to hide the vile that spreads across my face. This matters. More than just the food I take his fork and lean in, taking a small, careial We Now that I knew what I’m looking for, what it feels like, I don’t need to overthink it. There’s that subtle flicker of magic, that quiet internal
check Noching wacks Nothing triggers It’s fine 1 slide the plate back toward him
“Time to will gowned “I say brightly Bloky watches me for half a second, then, without hesitation, he starts eating. No second guessing. No rechecking. Just trust Something warm vetties in my chest. He DOES trust me. Not just in general. Not just vaguely. But in this. In my abilities. In what I can do. And maybe be’s just not werd to needing help et accepting it well. That’s something he’s going to have to get used to.
we dead will to classes after breakfast as ual Potions is fine Completely uneventful, which honestly feels like a miracle at this point. Basic Spellcasting is exactly as boring as it always is The professor drones on, and for once, he doesn’t keep glancing at me like I’m vome kind of exhibit. I guess the novelty of Tok, the uneven has finally worn off Thank goodness Shifter Basics, however. Well it sucks. Professor Cage is in rare form today, which is really saying Vomething sisatering he’s always insufferable. He keeps making these pointed little comments aboul rodents who haven’t demonstrated their shift yet.” He doesn’t say my name. He doesn’t even look at me. But he doesn’t need to Everyone in the room knows exactly who he’s talking about Me And Blake. Blake, of course, yeast rolls his eyes and ignores it like it’s beneath him. Which, to be fait, it is He teams back slightly in his chair, posture loose, expression bored, like he couldn’t care less. I can tell it bothers him though Not a lot. But enough still he doesn’t the to it Doesn’t react. Doesn’t engage. And werd. That seems to irritate Professot Cage even more So I follow Blake’s Irad I don’t react I don’t look up I don’t take the bait. It’s harder than 1 expected Because I DO care. But Blake. He makes it look easy I find myself watching hom for a moment, thinking back to all the times people have said things about him, right in front of him, behind his back, online, everywhere. He always says it doesn’t bother him I’m not sure that’s entirely true. I think it probably bothers him less than it would bother me. He doesn’t value their options. He doesn’t need their approval. But still… It can’t feel good. Then again, they don’t respect him, but they do fear him. They acknowledge his power, ha strength, what he’s capable of And I guess… In a way, that’s a kind of respect. Just not the kind that makes you feel good about yourself I wonder if that’s part of why he insists he isn’t a good person. That he’s selfish. That he only looks out for himself. Because that’s what people have always told him. And if I’m being completely honest Part of that is true. It is part of who he is. What he values. If he didn’t value me so much… I don’t think I would like him nearly as much Because he wouldn’t try as hard. He wouldn’t put in the effort. He wouldn’t care the way he does. But he does. And that effort, that’s what makes it easy to trust him. That’s what makes me feel I’m abruptly dragged out of my thoughts. Professor Cage has gone silent. The shift in the room is immediate. Everyone notices. He pulls out his phone, frowning at
whatever he’s reading.
“Excuse me, I need to step out for a moment. Practice your partial shifts. Vil be back shortly.” He says abruptly. Then he turns and rushes out of the room. I blink. Well. I’m not exactly upset about that. Honestly, I’d prefer if he just… Stayed gone. I turn toward Blake, about to say something when the classroom door flies open. Hard and sudden. Everyone jumps slightly. And then… Nothing. No one standing there. No movement. Nun! Just the door. Wide open, I stare at it. Then slowly glance at Blake.
“What is it?” I ask the Academy aloud. The door creaks open a little wider. I’m not stupid. That’s a message. The Academy wants us to leave. And it wants us to do it now. I meet Blake’s eves, but he already knows. He gives a sharp nod, his entire posture shifting in an instant from relaxed to alert.
“We leave Now.”
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Professor Cage is being cagey… he’s totally in on trying to kidnap the unicorn… Academy is catching on to it and wants them to run
5 days ago
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
