Chapter 2 #3
He’s the responsible one, the one who keeps people in line. But right now his fists are clenched at his sides, and I’m slightly worried his gaze alone might kill Elias before he can actually be helpful about the whole magic flashlight issue.
The people at the bus stop are definitely staring now, and not just at my naked chest.
I step forward, grabbing Colten’s arm before steering him away.
“Right,” I start, laughing awkwardly, “Uh, great talk. We’ll contact you later about the whole spell situation.”
“Patrick,” Elias calls after us, looking half like he wants to follow, and half like he wants to stay as far away from Colten as possible, “you should really consider—”
“Later!” I yell over my shoulder. Elias smartly does not follow.
We do not stop walking until I find a quiet spot to pull Colten aside, to give him a chance to cool down.
Colten’s shoulders are still tense, his jaw tight. His eyes are firmly stuck on the ground, glaring at it like it personally insulted his mother.
I nudge him lightly with my shoulder. “Hey.”
He doesn’t answer.
“Hey,” I say again, softer.
He exhales slowly, closing his eyes. “I’m fine.”
“You sure? You almost decked one of the Papadakis,” I point out.
He groans, running a hand over his face.
“Look, it’s not even that bad,” I tell him.
He turns toward me, finally looking up. There’s a dullness to his gaze, and his expression is deeply unamused, but he’s looking at me. I can’t help but grin, glad he’s not completely gone.
“Really,” I tell him, measuring out an inch with my thumb and forefinger. “It’s just a little glowing.”
“A little glowing,” he repeats, like he’s testing how stupid that sounds out loud. “Right, because spontaneous bioluminescence is famously a minor inconvenience, up there with a paper cut.”
“And only we can see it! So it’s not like anyone will make fun of your height and the fact that you can glow.”
Colten punches my arm, but it barely hurts. “If you’re trying to be reassuring, please stop, you asshole.”
“Actually, this could be useful,” I say thoughtfully, holding his hand to keep him from punching me again.
He narrows his eyes. “How? I need you to be specific, so we don’t end up with homemade ‘salami’ disintegrating the floor again.”
“Well, night drills would be easier, right?” I say, trying not to think of the meat I forgot about under my bed when we lived in the dorms. “You’re basically a giant portable flashlight now.”
He stares at me, blinking, his fist tightening in my hand like he’s considering his life choices, or maybe mine.
“Say that again,” he says, very calm. “So I can be sure I heard it correctly before I decide whether or not to push you into traffic.”
“You’d miss me,” I say.
“I’d visit your grave to make sure you stayed there,” he replies instantly.
“Aw, you do care,” I say, grinning wider.
And then, he laughs.
It’s quiet, maybe a little reluctant, like it had to fight its way out past everything else, but it’s there.
The dullness in his gaze fades, something sharper and more familiar taking its place as he rolls his eyes at me.
I loosen my grip on his hand, which is apparently a mistake, because he immediately lands another punch in the same spot.
Okay, that one actually hurt. I don’t react because I’m strong and brave, and also I refuse to give him the satisfaction.
“You’re unbelievable,” he says, shaking his head.
“I know,” I reply, smiling at him.
He lets out a big sigh, some of the tension leaving his shoulders.
“Does this mean you’re finally willing to finish the drills you skipped earlier?” he asks. “Or should I start billing you for wasted time? Because at this point, I’m considering it.”
“Oh wow,” I say, raising my eyebrows. “Using magical medical conditions to manipulate me? That’s low, Colten. I expected better from my free personal PT.”
“You forfeited the right to quality care when you compared me to a flashlight,” he shoots back.
I consider pretending to argue, but under the bit of lightness he regained, he still looks a little shaken.
So I just shrug and say, “Fine, if you want drills, we’ll do drills.”
Colten nods before taking a large, steadying breath and heading back towards the field. I quickly follow after him, keeping an eye on his expression in case he tries to punch me again.
Or in case he decides to go after Elias again.
“Let’s be quick, before your nipples fall off,” Colten says.
I snort. “That’s not a thing.”
“Aren’t I a flashlight?” he reminds me. “Anything’s possible, so I’m not ruling it out.”
I have to agree with him on that point. Besides, the afternoon sun is starting to dip lower across campus, and the air is getting chillier.
After the second time I shiver, Colten wordlessly hands me his leather jacket. I take it. It’s too small for my shoulders, but I can put it on like a cape, the warmth from his body surrounding me.
I take a deep breath in; the scent of his bergamot shampoo is as wonderful as always. I should steal his shampoo one of these days.
Colten walks beside me, quiet again but not tense anymore.
I bump his shoulder lightly. “Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“If you start flying, you have to warn me first.”
He rolls his eyes. “Shut up, Patrick.”
I grin because he’s smiling when he says it.