19:33 Tue, Apr 28
How Not To Fall For A Dragon
Chapter 146 146- Never Let Him See You Blush Over Him
BLAKE
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I stare down at Lexi asleep in my arms, her breathing finally slow and even, her body relaxed in a way it hasn’t been for days, and I know
I should feel the same relief settling into me, but I don’t. Not entirely. Because she’s here, safe and close where she belongs, and that part
of me is satisfied, grounded, steady… but everything else is not. She wants to go to my home again. A do-over. I tighten my hold on her slightly, careful not to wake her, and try to make sense of that. I don’t get nervous. I don’t care enough about most things to feel like
this, but I care about HER. I care what she thinks, what she does, what she might decide, and that makes this… difficult. My mind immediately tries to jump ahead, to assume what she might mean by it, and I shut that down before it gets out of control. It can take years, YEARS, for someone to accept a dragon properly, to understand what it means to be tied to one of us. We court. We give gifts. We prove ourselves over time, slowly, deliberately. And I’ve barely even started. She barely kept one gift. One. And that was BEFORE she knew what it meant, before she understood that claiming me would mean accepting everything that comes with me, my instincts, my
possessiveness, the parts of me that don’t fit neatly into her world views. That isn’t something anyone decides quickly, not even among other supernaturals who understand bonds and longevity far better than humans do. By those standards, we’re young. Too young for something permanent. Not that it matters to me, I made my decision almost immediately. Why wouldn’t I? She’s rare, powerful in ways she doesn’t even understand yet, and every part of her draws my attention. But it’s more than that. She’s kind. Stubborn. Infuriatingly good. She cares about everything, about people, about consequences, about doing the right thing, and somehow she still chose me. She didn’t turn away. She didn’t walk off when she realised what I am. She stayed. She compromises, in small ways, over and over again, and I find myself doing the same in return, not because I have to, but because I want to. That’s how I know this isn’t just instinct, not just a dragon claiming something valuable. I want her to CHOOSE me. That’s what she did from the very beginning, and it’s what I’m still waiting for now. But that’s exactly why this has me on edge. She wants to go back to my home. A do-over. And I don’t know what that means. What if my parents are there? The thought alone makes something cold settle in my chest. They won’t be careful. They won’t be kind. They will see what she is and react accordingly, and if they push too far, if they make her uncomfortable, if they scare her, she will leave. And I won’t be able to stop her without becoming exactly what she fears. And then there’s my hoard. What if she sees it again and remembers how angry she was, how trapped she felt? What if that’s all she associates with it now? What if she decides I’m too much? The worst part is that I don’t know what she’s planning. A do-over implies intention. A decision she’s already made. And I can’t anticipate it, can’t prepare for it, can’t control it. I exhale slowly, trying to force the tension out of my body, but it doesn’t go anywhere. Lexi shifts slightly in her sleep, her hand curling against my shirt, and I go still, holding her just a little tighter without thinking. She came to me. She chose this. Again. And somehow that makes everything worse, because now there’s more to lose. I stare up at the ceiling, wide awake, thoughts circling endlessly, knowing sleep isn’t coming anytime soon and not even trying to pretend otherwise.
By the time Lexi starts to wake, I’m beyond restless. I haven’t slept at all, not even for a minute, and my arm has gone completely numb under her weight, but I haven’t moved. I didn’t want to wake her. Didn’t want to lose the one part of the night that actually felt… right.
“Hey, you’re awake,” she murmurs, her voice soft and drowsy as she smiles up at me.
“Yeah,” I answer simply, not bothering to mention that I never actually went to sleep. She shifts closer for a moment, pressing into me and taking a slow breath like she’s grounding herself, then lets out a quiet groan and pushes herself upright. The second she moves, my arm tingles painfully as circulation returns, and the space she leaves behind feels… wrong. Empty.
“Sleeping with you is like being wrapped in an electric blanket,” she says, stretching her arms above her head.
“Or a giant hot water bottle. You’re so warm.” she adds. I stare. I can’t help it. The stretch, the sleepy expression, the way her hair falls around her shoulders. My brain just… stops working. She catches me staring, and a soft blush creeps across her cheeks. It’s faint, but
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19:33 Tue, Apr 28
Chapter 146 146- Never Let Him See You Blush Over Him
noticeable enough to be incredibly distracting. I clear my throat, forcing myself to focus.
“Do you really want to go to my house again today?” I blurt out. No tact. None. I blame the lack of sleep. Lexi tilts her head slightly, studying me.
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“Yes,” she says, like it’s the most obvious answer in the world. That does not help.
“Right… when?” I ask, my tone a little stiffer than I intend.
“After breakfast?” she suggests, then pauses, her expression shifting as she really looks at me.
“Actually… you look like you’re about to crawl out of your skin. Is something bothering you?” She asks. Of course she notices. She always
does. And I can’t lie. Not to her.
“I am…” I hesitate, then force it out.
“I want it to go well.” I answer. That feels… insufficient. But it’s the truth. And it’s more than I’m used to admitting. She softens
immediately, like she understands more than I’ve actually said.
“I want it to go well too,” she says gently. Then she shifts, moving closer again, sitting beside me instead of across from me this time.
“I know we’re really different, Blake. But I think we can make it work.” She says softly. I don’t interrupt. I don’t want to.
“I guess the main thing I’m worried about… Is that I’ll ask too much of you. Or ask you to be someone you’re not.” she continues, a little more uncertain now. That thought… That I can deal with. That’s something I know how to answer. I turn toward her fully, the tension in
me shifting into something more focused.
“You won’t,” I say immediately. She looks at me, searching.
“You’re right, we are different,” I continue.
“We don’t think the same way. We don’t value the same things.” I take a breath.
“But I know one thing for certain.” I pause a moment and make sure I have her full attention.
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“I love you.” The words come easier now than they did before.
“Which means… yes, my first instinct is to be selfish. To prioritise what I want.” I say as I shrug slightly.
“But what I want is you to be happy.” I point out. That’s the part that matters.
“That means what benefits me most… is your happiness,” I say.
“So if that means bending rules, restraining my instincts, choosing not to hurt someone because it would make you uncomfortable… Well
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19:33 Tue, Apr 28
Chapter 146 146- Never Let Him See You Blush Over Him
then those are small sacrifices.” I explain. I mean that. Completely.
“The benefit I get from having you at my side outweighs any effort it takes to keep you there,” I continue.
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“I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I’ve crossed lines.” I say reluctantly. Her expression flickers slightly at that, but she doesn’t interrupt.
“But I’m learning. And I’m going to keep learning. Because I’m not interested in just being some fake version of myself that you can
tolerate.” I add. I hold her gaze.
“I want you to choose me. The real me.” I tell her sincerely. Not a softened version. Not a safer version.
“Me.” I say again. For a second, she just stares at me. Then she blinks. And her eyes fill with tears. Shit. Immediately, my stomach drops.
That was not the reaction I was going for.
“Lexi…” I trail off.
“I’m okay. I’m okay, I just…” she cuts in quickly, rubbing at her eyes. She sniffles slightly, then laughs under her breath.
“I’m really relieved,” she admits. Relieved?
“Yeah, because now I know… As long as we both keep choosing each other, we’ll be fine.” she continues softly. Something in my chest
eases. Not completely. But enough. I pull her into my arms again without thinking, holding her close, and this time she leans into it easily. She tilts her head up and presses a soft kiss to my lips, gentle and certain.
“You know what. I’ve changed my mind.” she murmurs when she pulls back. I raise an eyebrow slightly.
“Breakfast can wait. Let’s go to your place now.” she says. Of course she says that now. When I’m already on edge. When I haven’t slept.
When I’m absolutely not prepared for whatever this do-over means. I stare at her for a second, then let out a quiet breath.
“Alright,” I say. Because if she’s choosing this, then I am definitely not going to stand in her way.
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R Visitor
i wanted her to say lets stay in bed.
20 hours ago
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