"We are," Hawke told me. "We've been a thing for about a year now, but it's complicated." And he lifted a hand. "Because of those things we can't talk about, which includes but is not limited to courts, loyalties, crowns, magic, and expectations."
My eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something."
"I am," he admitted. "And it's the sort of thing that could make you hate me, but all signs are pointing to you not caring. Um, we've kinda been hinting around it."
"Who's we?"
"Me, Torian, and Aspen, mostly."
"And I don't seem to care?" I asked.
"No," He said. "You said something about not giving a shit. There was also a whole thing about your own magic. Jack kinda seals the deal."
"Rain-Morrigan," Jack mumbled sleepily.
Which made Hawke grin. "See? I can't tell you, but I was trying to do the right thing. I don't want to be a dick, Rain, but I do want to kiss you. I want to flirt and not feel like I'm going to get shot down or laughed at." He breathed out a little laugh. "And I've kinda been rambling on about you with Keir. You know, both of us crushing on the same girl."
"Ok, so what is this?" I asked, gesturing around us.
"This," he said, "is a guy trying to suck up, see if it's out of line, and make up for it by teaching a beautiful girl how to do advanced math. It could very well be a slightly nervous guy trying to figure out if being a flirt is going to annoy the hell out of you, or if kissing goes well withlearning."
My fingers tightened around his, drawing him closer. "I learn best when getting kissed. Just know that I'll get nervous if Aspen or Keir are around. See, I'm really trying to embrace this new fae lifestyle I find myself immersed in."
"Oh, but the fae do it better," he said softly, leaning in.
I just lifted my chin. "Yeah, you really do."
This time, our lips met in the middle.
Chapter Forty-Five
RAIN
Come to find out, I really did do better in math if I was distracted. Friday morning, I flew through the test, surprised to find most of my answers were in the list of options! Clearly, kissing and cuddling with Hawke while he explained the concepts of how letters and numbers mixed together had been exactly what I needed.
Seeing him waiting for me in the weapons closet for my detention class? Even better.
Granted, he hadn't flirted with me in front of Keir, but we had traded a few looks. Keir had also noticed, so that evening, I'd gone out of my way to tell him what had happened. What shocked me the most was that Keir had just nodded before saying he knew. Evidently, Hawke had come back to the boys' side "gushing" about me.
I was trying to just roll with this, but Aspen either knew I was confused or she really did need to check on her plants. Either way, she convinced me to head down to the atrium with her. First, we checked on the Elysium Burst, which I had given the overly original name of "Bubbles." After it made me giggle a few times, we checked the others.
Just as she was finishing up, doing her best to teach me the names of all hundred-some-odd plants in the atrium, I saw a very cute man leaning against the willow tree with an old-fashioned paper book in his hands.
"Hey, Keir!" I said, making him look up.
He quickly shoved a piece of folded paper between the pages and sat up. "Rain! Hey, where's..." He paused when my girlfriend came around the corner. "There she is. Why are you two awake this early?"
"It's noon," I pointed out.
He lifted a brow as if that proved his point. "And you have breakfast about now on the weekends."
"I had to check my plants," Aspen said, walking close enough to catch my arm and drag me that way. "You've been a stranger."
"Mm, I've been busy with tutoring while you, Aspen, have been learning magical bullshit."
"It's not bullshit," she said around a laugh. "It's dragon shit! Much, much bigger."
"Ugh, how long until you're done with that anyway?" I asked.
