CASSIAN

Crossing his arms, Cassian leaned against the car and watched Luke from afar as Luke attempted to coax Harry into giving back his luggage. Harry figured out that Cassian and Luke were leaving the Whitlock estate this morning. In protest, Harry teamed up with the pixies to create a distraction in the kitchen. The wicked little things decided to practice juggling for the first time ever with Astrid's favorite teacups. The chaos gave Harry plenty of time to snatch up Luke's luggage.

Standing on the carport with the rest of them, Harry held the grey suitcase to his chest for dear life, making the most pitiful sobbing sounds. At his full height, Luke barely scraped the top of Harry's elbow.

"We'll be back before you know it!" Luke insisted, trying to be all smiles. He opened his arms to accept the bags. "I'll even bring you back a souvenir. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Harry groaned and shook his head even faster.

Cassian quietly laughed to himself. He could honestly watch this all day. Walking out of the house, still pink in the face, Astrid huffed again. This morning has aged the gnome woman an extra hundred years.

Keys in hand, she muttered, "Blasted things. Think they own the place. What would they have done if they broke one? Impossible. Iris bought those for me one summer in Italy. How do you replace that?" She asked the question and Cassian just happened to be the one standing there. Cassian just shrugged.

Things had been... different between Cassian and Astrid. She had stopped hiding when he approached and they had pleasant conversations about the house, daily plans, but usually they existed in comfortable silence together.

Opening the door for her, Cassian smiled politely and helped her inside the black Bentley with white and tan leather seats. The pedals had been modified with pedal extenders, so Astrid could drive as she pleased. Luke insisted they could call a car to take them, but Astrid refused. A little miffed even, she guilted Luke into letting her come. She said, "What's the point of having family if you can't take them to the airport? You will let me take you there for my nerves, won't you? Or will you have me crumble from worry?"

Luke folded as well as Astrid kept up with the laundry.

"Thank you," she said and settled into the cushion that allowed her to see over the steering wheel.

Cassian held onto the door. "Astrid..."

"Hmm?" She hummed, rummaging around, and muttering about sunglasses. A nervous feeling wormed inside of Cassian's chest, festering worse anxiety... but if he didn't say this now, he'd never be able to do it. This wasn't like him. He never needed to provide any form of comfort to anyone before. Not until he met Luke. Not until he barged his way inside this house. Little did he know he was setting himself up for a world of trouble. Without thinking of the consequences of his new environment, Cassian had demanded a room in this house.

Maybe he had been here too long.

It might changed him into something he didn't recognize.

"I promise to keep Luke safe," Cassian said in his gentlest tone. He wanted her to hear his sincerity. He meant it with all the fire brewing in his belly, with every scale on his skin, and with every beat of his heart.

Astrid looked up. She met his eyes and they stayed there, studying each other. Letting out a breath, her shoulders relaxed. She smiled a little. "I know you will, dear."

When Cassian couldn't take it anymore, he let the door go and turned away. He took deep solid breaths before he met Luke's side. Luke sighed, nearly at the end of his rope. A little more whining and Harry might've convinced him to stay or at least take the beast with them to Paris.

"Harry," Luke said, "I'm sorry we have to go but we don't have a choice. Unless you have the Fortress Ring."

Before Luke finished, Harry was nodding furiously.

Luke's lips pinched. Filling his chest with air, Luke placed his hands on his lips. "Really? You wouldn't lie to me, would you? I don't like liars."

Harry froze. His little beady black eyes squinted.

"Do you really have the ring?"

Slowly, Harry shook his head.

Putting his arm around Luke's shoulders, Cassian leaned against him. He could feel Luke tense up, but it'd be more awkward to let his arm drop now. So, he didn't move and kept his focus only on the Sasquatch. This wasn't as high pressure as the situation in the woods. This wasn't life or death but they risked missing a flight, which some might think is equally dire.

"Harry, we have to go no matter what. It's just a question of if we have to buy Luke a new wardrobe when we get there or if you'll be kind enough to save us some money."

After a little more whimpering and weeping, Harry eventually added Luke's bag to the trunk, and they were on their way. Astrid started the drive, feeling confident about the way. She smiled as she explained, "I called in a favor to Arthur Knox—" on the name, Luke straightened. He obviously knew who Astrid was talking about "—and he's going to fly you boys. This way you don't have to worry about answering questions about your magic detectors and all that stuff in your luggage."

"Who's Arthur Knox?" Cassian asked.

"Zipper's ex-boyfriend," Luke said, flinching at the thought of seeing this man.

"My favorite of her exes," Astrid added. "He was so charming."

"But they separated?" Cassian glanced at Luke.

Luke nodded. "They were a little too alike."

Cassian made a face. "Doesn't sound charming to me."

"He was lovely at the service," Astrid argued.

"He's always lovely," Luke said, obviously not trying to pick a fight. Cassian let them talk while he double checked his pockets for his wallet, his ID, passport and by accident the letter from Iris felt out. Ever since the funeral, Cassian kept the letter she left for him in his pocket, waiting for the day he had the courage to read it.

It hit the floor and before Cassian could grab it, Luke unknowingly picked it up.

Wide eyed, Luke snapped his head up. Obviously, he recognized it from all those months ago. Cassian snatched it up and stuffed it back into his pocket. Luke didn't look away. He wanted to ask. He must've wanted to know why Cassian hadn't opened it. Suddenly, his pocket was weighted in gold.

"Cass, was that—?" Luke whispered, but Cassian didn't let him continue.

"Don't. It doesn't concern you."

Luke's brow narrowed. He frowned in a way that was far too familiar as if they just went back in time as if all the progress they made evaporated with that single second. Cassian sighed and tilted himself to be in Astrid's view. "Astrid, would you please turn the radio? I have a feeling this is going to be a quiet car ride."

#

LUKE

If this was a competition to see who was the most stubborn, Cassian would be winning by a landslide. To think anyone ever called Luke stubborn when Cassian Alwyn was living and breathing in this world. It had been a while since the heated look in his eyes meant that Luke wanted to throttle this dragon.

It doesn't concern you, he said.

In what world did Luke's grandmother not concern him?

And Cassian hadn't even read the letter! So, how would he know if the letter concerned him or not? Luke's blood was boiling. If he was teapot, steam would be billowing out of his nose and ears. Cassin was correct to say it was a quiet ride. If Cassian didn't want to talk to him, Luke didn't want to talk to him either.

They arrived at the private runway in a part of town Luke had never seen. The white plane was both smaller and larger than Luke expected being skinnier than any commercial flight he had ever been on. The door and stairs were open and as they got out of the car, Arthur Knox met them with open arms and his signature smile.

"Hello! Hello!" Arthur greeted them and Astrid ran to him first. "It's so good to see you! You're looking marvelous. How's Rose? The last we spoke was before you went to visit."

"You're so sweet to remember," Astrid said, holding her cheek and by doing so, hid half of her blushing cheeks. Arthur was old Hollywood handsome with bright eyes, his gray hair swept back, and that chin dimple thing. The black air pilot suit made him twice as dashing.

"Luke, I'm happy to see you doing well," Arthur said and went in for the hug. Luke patted his back and nodded.

"Thank you for doing this," Luke said.

"Of course! Of course! Anything for Iris's family. Even if Iris and I couldn't make it work, I'd still do anything for you."

It did nearly break Luke's heart when Iris and Arthur split. Looking back, this guy was good with kids. Arthur could pull coins out from behind his ears and then, could make them disappear again. He taught Luke how to roll a coin over his knuckles. He even learned to play chopsticks on the piano, so he could play with Luke.

But between Arthur and Iris, it was a torrid affair.

Made short by a Whitlock's inability to sustain romantic relationships out of fear. Iris wasn't afraid of anything. Except for falling in love. She told Arthur once in a fight that he'd never survive the curse. He was just a man. That might've been their last fight.

"And you..." Arthur turned to Cassian with a furrow to his brow. "I know you."

"You don't," Cassian said curtly.

This happened every time. Cassian would get recognized as Iris's friend and it was his duty to correct them. That they weren't friends. He'd have to make that same heartbroken face, like it nearly killed him to speak ill of the dead.

Not that it concerns Luke.

Apparently.

Luke stood in front Cassian to take the reins of this conversation away from him. With a smile, Luke said, "Thank you, Arthur. I really appreciate this. But are you going to show us around this thing? Is it just us on this flight?"

"Oh, no," Arthur said and put his arm around Luke, guiding him to the stairs. He explained, "Let me introduce you to my co-pilot, Nadia and Stewart, our flight attendant. They're a good bunch and don't be afraid to ask Stewart for anything—Oh! Astrid before you leave come aboard!"

As Arthur guided them into the plane, Luke glanced back at Cassian. He had turned away with his head facing the sky. What Luke wouldn't give to know what he was thinking. 

#

Nine hours later, they landed in France.

The descent was long, but it felt like seconds. Luke's eyes couldn't soak up Paris enough. It was an out of body experience, like he was hallucinating the Eiffel tower. He never thought he'd see it in person. It looked like a spec of nothing from the sky. Everything looked like little dollhouses from the clouds.

Cassian sighed, sinking deeper into his seat. He had slept most of the flight, but Luke had too much nervous energy to do anything but sit upright and twists his fingers red and raw. They barely spoke. Cassian wasn't the conversation starter type and Luke refused to let go of Cassian's comment... but Cassian made Luke weak.

He had gotten up in the middle of the flight to use the bathroom, but when he headed back to his seat, he noticed Cassian had his arms crossed and while he was asleep, he was tipped over in the strangest way. Luke titled his head, watching Cassian for a moment.

Luke's fingers itched to smooth the furrow out of his brow or do anything to make him more comfortable. "How in the world can someone be so tense and still be asleep?" Luke whispered, imagining that he could setup a fancy dinner across Cassian's shoulders and it'd be perfectly balanced.

Clenching his jaw, Luke carefully and slowly touched Cassian's face. It still surprised Luke how warm Cassian was as he adjusted the dragon's head backwards so it'd rest on the seat. Cassian naturally turned towards his shoulder. His grimace didn't lessen in the least and Luke held back a laugh as he realized that was just his sleeping face.

Never in a thousand years did Luke think he'd find anything precious about Lord Cassian Alwyn. Sure, Cassian was a dragon, but he looked like an angel.

But here he was over 30,000 feet off the ground, thinking this might be the most beautiful man in the world and somehow, this man ended up at Luke's side. His... but Cassian didn't start off being Luke's and today more than ever, he got his reminder. Lord Cassian Alwyn was Iris Whitlock's. They were the pair. To everyone, the lawyer, Astrid, Delphine, an even Arthur.

Luke was just the grandson.

An add on.

Luke had never felt jealous of Iris... but there wasn't anything Luke wouldn't do to steep himself in Cassian's history, he'd like to be stained in his colors, his smells, and his touch. He wanted to be special to Cassian. The way Iris was special to Cassian. The way Cassian was special to Luke. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Watch out! I'm coming at you with a double update~ Originally, I was going to update once, but then the chapter ended up being 5k 🙃 So! I broke it up into two. Enjoy! I hope you like it. 

We're out of the house! It feels weird leaving when this whole book has been set in one place. First stop is Paris, Frances! If I make any references to Pairs that don't make sense, please tell me 🤣 I've never been and I'm only using Google and Youtube videos for help. 

But let me know what you think! Should they have taken Harry with them? How would Harry survive in Paris? And is Cassian... soft now? Oh! And I'm so glad some of you mentioned Iris's letter!! It's still around, but Cassian hasn't read it! Why?!

If you like this book, please consider reading my other books!