CASSIAN

After going over all of Iris's ledgers and her field notes, Cassian had already found the code. He just didn't realize it was key to getting into the basement. That revelation paired well with Luke's skeleton key, and they were able to gain access to the Iris's real storage room. Not the little closet in the library. Everything magical they've managed to find had been from Iris's personal library... walking through the basement raised the scales across Cassian's arms.

Magic laid across this room thicker than the dust. Everything here smelled a little old, a little like neglect. Boxes were piled into old wooden shelves alongside things that flickered in dusty glass cages and hummed inside of bags. There were even old chests with frozen locks that felt piping hot. And in true Iris fashion, there were speakers in the corners. Cassian put on a Frank Sinatra record earlier and he could still hear old Blue Eyes voice trickle and fight past the grime.

"No wonder she kept this underground," Cassian said, off handedly as he was impressed by the life still burning in the hanging lights. "All this stuff is asking for trouble."

Luke hummed in agreement.

He wandered through this warehouse like he probably browsed aisles in the grocery store. Cassian stayed a few steps back, following Luke closely and watching his edges as Cassian waited for the white of Luke's aura to change. Something in here must fancy the human's interest and darken that pure aura into green... but white it stayed, and Cassian was forced to question things that were once so simple. Cassian wondered if fire was still hot, was the sky still blue, and if he could still fly.

Luke didn't make any sense.

After another beat of silence, of only the words to Somethin' Stupid played in the background, Cassian couldn't take it anymore and asked, "So... How is Astrid enjoying her visit to her daughter? Rosie, was it? I assume they're close."

Cassian wouldn't know.

Without turning to look at Cassian, Luke browsed the strange racks. He developed enough self-preservation not to touch anything. Cassian studied him, just noticing how long Luke's neck was and he wondered if his hair was freshly cut. His golden blonde locks were so neatly trimmed.

This man didn't make sense.

He'd wear crisp button ups, but they'd be too big, and he'd pair them with old sweatpants. Sometimes he'd even wear a hefty wristwatch, but house slippers with holes.

If Cassian ever saw Luke dressed in a tuxedo, he was sure the human would match it with clown shoes or one of those horrific beer hats.

"It's alright, Cassian." When Luke spoke, it sounded like he was smiling. "You don't have to make small talk with me if you don't want to."

Cassian nodded, unsure when he said he didn't want to talk to Luke, but he supposed he never gave Luke any reason to think differently. Forcing down a gulp of well-deserved medicine, Cassian chose the other side of the warehouse and explored, humming along to the music. Eventually, they met in the middle and in the dim light, Cassian remembered Luke's eyes were blue and there was a freckle underneath his brow that he had never noticed before.

"Guess, we'll catalogue it all tomorrow," Luke suggested.

"I guess so."

He let Luke walk back upstairs first, taking a moment to watch him leave.

His aura was still the same.

But deep down, Cassian felt different about it.

#

Cassian opened the fridge and grimaced.

Something was off.

Grumbling, Cassian closed it and opened it again.

Still the same.

Still wrong.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked. He waltzed into the kitchen wrapped up in a quilt. Apparently the creative processed required very little production, complaining, and several naps. If Cassian hadn't looked Luke Whitlock up on the internet, he'd never believe Luke composed anything.

"It's the pantry," Cassian said. He had been going back and forth in the kitchen, attempting to find the enchantment with hopes of reigniting it. Maybe that was one of Astrid's jobs: keeping the magic in this house alive. Magic was a lot like fire and needed more kindling and oxygen to keep it burning. "I think whatever enchantment providing the food has been broken."

He marched to the shelf that normally housed the chips he liked, which was now void of any food. Cassian already went through his second, third, and forth choices. "Usually, whenever I want something, it's there, but the pantry hasn't been restocked in a week."

"Lord Alwyn," Luke said, which already jerked at the end of Cassian's nerves. Typically, when referred to as a Lord, it came with a level of respect and fear. Luke said it like Cassian was a child who needed their hand held as they crossed the street.

Cassian Alwyn had never been teased in his entire life.

And he didn't like it now.

Luke's eyes were shining like sapphires under sunlight. He never looked more alive. Practically guffawing, the human mocked Cassian, "Have you been eating my snacks?"

Cassian paused. Neither man moved. Even the air was standing still. Everything hit Cassian all at once and the shame crashed into him like a wrecking ball crushing his bones into dust.

Taking a deep breath, Cassian attempted to keep his cool, despite seeing the steam wafting from his skin. "I presumed the pantry was enchanted."

Sputtering into laughter, Luke said, "No! It's not! Cassian, those are my snacks! You've been eating my snacks. I was wondering what was going on. I just assumed the pixies were the culprits! Wow! You eat Flaming Hot Cheetos? When? Where? I'm actually dying." In the throes of having his laughing fit, Luke clutched his chest because of course, this would be thing that finally broke his heart. Luke was nearly collapsed on the floor by the time Cassian had enough.

"Luke," Cassian stated, his voice heavier than a rock plummeting to the bottom of a lake. "Go put on your shoes and grab a coat. This instant."

"What?" Luke sighed, wiping an actual tear away. "Why?"

"There's not a moment in this world that I will allow myself to be indebted to a Whitlock. We're going to wherever you go to replenish the pantry and I shall replace the snacks."

"You wanna go to the store with me?"

"It's not something I want. It's something we must do. Go. Shoes. Now."

"Right away, Lord Alwyn."

And as Luke called him that again, Cassian couldn't avoid the dower look on his face. He'd rather be shot than suffer anymore of Luke's relentless teasing.

#

LUKE

Luke was so delighted, he had to cover his mouth to keep Cassian from hearing him giggling. He couldn't stop smiling. If Luke went back in time and told himself on the day of Iris's viewing, when he met Cassian, that he would one day see that dragon pout and blush, Luke wouldn't have believed it. He would've bet Cassian would sooner murder him.

But Luke would've been wrong.

As if it were Christmas, Luke slapped some clothes on and yanked whatever shoes he could find first onto his feet, which included his nice jeans he rolled up, a clean white shirt, and a button up shirt to leave hanging open. The moment he had his sneakers threaded Luke darted out of the room. He skidded past a bathroom, hurrying inside to fix his hair a little.

But there was no time to waste.

A part of Luke thought this dragon was going to take it back and he'd just give Luke a check, but Luke needed to see Lord Cassian Alwyn in a grocery store because it sounded like a fever dream. He rushed down the stairs to meet Cassian already waiting at the front door with his arms folded and a scowl permanently attached to his brow.

"Are you ready?" Cassian asked. "You don't need a coat?"

"No," Luke said, unable to hide his anxiousness to leave. "Let's go."

His grimace deepening, Cassian grabbed the doorknob before Luke and asked again, "Are you sure?"

"I'm good. I swear."

Nodding, Cassian opened the door and offered Luke the car keys. "I can't drive."

"No problem," Luke said and snatched the keys up before scurrying to the black Lexus still in the driveway from the last time Luke had to leave the house. It was another one of Iris's secret cars and Luke planned to drive it until the tires were bald.

Climbing into the passenger seat, Cassian still wasted Luke's time and asked, "Are you sure you're ready? You have your wallet? Your phone? I can run inside and grab you a sweater."

"It's spring, Cass. I'm probably overdressed."

With a little shrug, Cassian pulled the seatbelt over his chest. "I've never been successful at gauging the weather. I'm always running hot."

That tickled Luke's curiosity. Without thinking, he reached over to press his palm against Cassian's neck. At first Luke was struck by the heat as if Cassian had spent the day basking in the sun. Then, the surprised kicked in as Luke caressed his skin that was softer than expected. He expected to feel the scales.

But all that sat underneath his hand was a man.

Catching Cassian's eyes was like catching on fire.

Sucking in a breath, Luke took his hand back. "Wow. Yeah. You are pretty hot."

"You think I'm hot?" Cassian asked and Luke could feel him grinning.

"I think you're not buckled."

Cassian chuckled, but dutifully buckled himself and Luke had to remind himself this wasn't just a man. This was a dragon. Luke wasn't just a man. He was a Whitlock. Cursed. The Enemy. The only thing keeping Cassian in this car was a missing ring. Nothing else.

Luke ran the engine and as it roared to life, he glanced at Cassian. The millisecond their eyes met again, Luke snapped his eyes forward and didn't lift his gaze from the road again. He needed to focus. Not get distracted. Not let anything confuse him.

#

Less than ten minutes inside the grocery store, Cassian had filled the cart with enough snacks to successfully host a kindergartener's birthday party. Luke curled in his lips to avoid any immediate or disruptive laughter. He didn't want to scare Cassian off.

For as long as possible, Luke wanted to savor the way Cassian's brow furrowed as Cassian would reach for a strange flavor of cereal he'd never heard of and mumble something like, "How odd. I bet this is just awful."

To then toss said cereal into the cart and continue along.

This was the best experience Luke ever had a grocery store.

Hurrying around to the front of the cart, Luke walked backwards as he smiled and teased Cassian. "Should we run down the cookie aisle too?" It was also fun seeing Cassian among other humans, towering above them and being without the anxiety of wondering what other people thought about him. People walking by would stare at him as he passed. Even they knew something was different about him. An attractive difference.

Luke shrugged a little. "Should we go on the hunt for some soda pop and candy? Or are you an ice-cream kind of kid?"

Cassian glowered at him. "Are you mocking me?"

"I would never mock you, Lord Alwyn."

"Why must you call me that?"

"Because you make that face—"

Luke walked backwards out of the aisle, and he stepped wrong on someone else's cart. He fumbled back and pushed the cart, immediately overcome by shame. He stood up straight, retreating closer to Cassian as he profusely apologized. He'd give this woman twenty dollars if she promised to forget the whole thing.

"Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry," Luke said. "So sorry—"

The owner of the cart, the woman who seemed a bit older in age with smile line and flecks of grey in her hair. She shook her head with a laugh, glancing between Luke and Cassian. "It's alright. It's alright. I used to play around in public too much with my boyfriend too—" As she went on, Luke was too stunned and flustered to interrupt "—You know you'll last if you continue to play like this in public when you get to be my age."

"Oh, no, we're not like that," Luke insisted, waving his hand, and taking a full step away.

"Really?" She blinked. Her brow narrowed as she reexamined the two of them, but finally pursed her lips and shrugged. "You might want to think about it."

With that, she strolled away.

You might want to think about it.

Those words now hung heavy in the air between Luke and Cassian. Luke glanced at Cassian who was looking back at him. Luke's face warmed. He could see it in his face. Cassian was thinking about it. The thought landed in his head. Maybe by force, but those words crossed his mind and even worse his eyes.

"Guess I'm never walking backwards again," Luke mumbled, saying something about needing more milk at home too... but he couldn't run away from that woman's words. He wasn't thinking about what it'd be like to date Cassian before and yet, now that was the only thing he could think about. He may have escaped to the dairy section, but he never cooled off.

And neither did the look in Cassian's eyes.      

AUTHOR'S NOTE

This. Is. My. Fav. Chapter. I'm just vibing and writing cute things. It's nice before I continue writing the drama going on in MMHMAM. Haha. I just think Cassian is so cute 😂 And Luke is in DANGER. I'm this old woman. Let's be honest. 

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I appreciate all your comments. How do you think feelings are progressing? Anyone look up the Frank Sinatra song 👀 And the grocery store! How domestic! What would you think seeing Cassian at the grocery store buying a bunch of junk food? Lol. 

I plan on updating MY MATE HIS MATE AND ME tomorrow. I'm also making another uquiz (for fun) called "Who's your perfect mate from the Bonnett Universe?" So hopefully that'll be fun! 

See you soon!