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It was just getting dark outside as Violet got up from where she had been laying on a mat (after Imogen had yet again knocked the wind out of her) to head to the door. Garrick had been watching her all evening, waiting to see her walk out of the training gym. It had been three weeks, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about the fact that he hadn’t stopped thinking about you once since you’d met. He had so many new questions to ask, and he wasn’t sure why he wanted to ask them. He had never felt the need to truly get to know someone before, other than the other marked ones. He was usually a bit too focused on not dying and making sure the other marked ones survived (and that they didn’t give them all away) to worry about getting to know people. He had to admit that it was nice to have something else in his life other than the constant threat of death and violence.
He gave Violet half an hour, and sparred with Bodhi halfheartedly until he couldn’t take it anymore and made his way towards the flight field. As he walked through the tunnel, he tried to calm himself down so he didn’t act like a total fool (especially in front of Violet who would totally tell Xaden). It didn’t work.
The second he stepped onto the flight field, he felt his dragon in his head.
“I’m coming to join you. I have not seen this rider’s dragon in quite some time; I’d like to say hello.”
“Could you not.” He snarkily replied. He didn’t need his dragon in his business any more than he already was. Besides, apparently your dragon was so antisocial he didn’t even want to be seen by Tairn, so he doubted that Chradh would have much luck.
“Already here.” Of course he was.
He felt the wing beats, and stopped to wait for Chradh to touch down. He went to say something, but stopped when he saw you sitting with Violet…leaning against a dragon that was nearly as big as Tairn. It was massive, with claws that looked more vicious than Sgaeyl’s and a daggertail whipping around behind it in a gesture that showed off its annoyance. It wasn’t its massive claws, or the tail flicking around that made Garrick pause, though. It was the way his brown scales seemed to gleam with the fading sun’s light, making it appear as though he was soaking in its power. The way they seemed to mirror the green of the grass where he lay. He was, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful dragons he had ever seen.
“Wow.” He says to Chradh as they make their way over to the two of you. His dragon snorted in response.
“His name is Spriolag. He may be antisocial, but he is powerful and dangerous; and so is his rider. I don’t want you near either of them without me.”
He chose to ignore the last part; you were a rider, of course you were dangerous. He heard you laugh at something Violet said, and it made him smile; he loved that sound. The dark chuckle that almost reminded him of his father’s laugh, the smile that came with it small and real.
“We should be heading back. I have some studying to do.” He hears Violet say, and he knows that she knows. He just hopes that she won’t mention anything to Xaden. At least, not before he’s ready. He doesn’t even know what he’d say, and he’s choosing not to think about that right now.
Violet and Tairn face them just as he’s nearing the two pairs of rider and dragon, and Violet gives him a nod as you wave your farewells to Violet, wishing her good luck. He watches them make their way across the flight field, and jumps a little when he notices you beside him. He hadn’t heard you move at all.
“Glad to see you succeeded at keeping her alive.” You remarked. Garrick snorted.
“Don’t worry, she made it difficult.” It was true. She hadn’t improved nearly enough at sparring, at least according to Imogen and Xaden. He opened his mouth to ask you how you’d been - but the sounds of a scuffle behind the two of you and a pained noise from his dragon made him stop and whirl around, already reaching for the dagger at his side.
He saw your dragon close his jaws around Chradh’s neck - and his eyes snapped towards you, feeling a hundred feelings rush through his head; betrayal, anger, fear, a pain that he was trying really hard to ignore - but then your eyes met his, and they were just as panicked, just as angry, and suddenly all he was was confused as hell.
“What the fuck?” Was all he managed.
“Told you. Antisocial. Although this is unusual.” You responded, as you searched the ground for something. He wasn’t sure how you were so calm , was this a normal thing your dragon did?
“Chradh?” He ignored how panicked he knew he sounded.
“I’m fine.” His dragon grunted, and it eased some of the pressure on his chest.
He reached for his blade again; clearly you weren’t going to stop your dragon - this was what he got for trusting so easily, he supposed - and flinched as he felt something fly past his head, hitting your dragon square between the eyes. A rock. You’d thrown a rock at your dragon .
Your dragon let go, with a look on his snout that Garrick could only describe as shock. Garrick couldn’t help himself, and he let loose a loud laugh that you soon joined in on. The two dragons simply watched you with mirrored exasperated expressions on their faces.
After you both had recovered, he felt Chradh in his mind again.
“Nothing was wrong; We were simply…roughhousing.”
“...What?” He saw a mirrored look of confusion on your face, so he knew you were probably having the same conversation with your dragon.
“We grew up together. I have no further interest in explaining dragon customs to you; talk with your mate while we catch up. Away from the two of you, since clearly your mate is prone to violent outbursts to protect you, and I have no interest in being pelted with pebbles.” He was still reeling from whatever had just happened, so he didn’t even register what Chradh had called you before the two dragons began to saunter off into the forest. Great.
“Since when do dragons roughhouse ? That’s not exactly…dignified.” You commented from his side. He chuckled in response, turning to face you. You blushed a bit.
“Hi?” You questioned.
“You threw a rock at your dragon.” He said incredulously.
“It was the only thing I could think of at the time.” You defended.
“No, no, it was…amazing. That took some serious balls.” He clarified.
“Oh. Thank you. Honestly I’m just glad it worked, even if everything was fine. That was…terrifying.” You said quietly.
Hearing you describe what had just happened as ‘terrifying’ warmed something in his chest - and made him realize that the fear he’d seen in your eyes wasn’t of him or his dragon; it was for him and his dragon.
“Yeah, I’m wide awake now, that’s for sure.” He joked.
You stepped closer, into his space, and touched the side of his face with your palms. He froze, staring into your eyes, seeing the utter relief there (and something else that he couldn’t quite place; fear?) made him lean into your touch. He understood; how many times had he needed to hug Xaden, or Bodhi, or Imogen, to reassure himself that they were really okay? He realized, in that moment, the truth of Chradh’s earlier words. Your dragon clearly really was that dangerous, or you wouldn’t be as freaked out. He put that aside, for the moment, choosing to instead wrap his arms around your waist, drawing you in closer.
“I’m okay.” He says quietly.
You kiss him, hard , and suddenly you’re holding him up more than he’s standing on his own feet because fuck if that wasn’t exactly what he wanted . It left him breathless, the way you kissed - it said everything you didn’t and he let himself get lost in it, let you sweep him up in it until he couldn’t think about anything other than you and where you held him in your arms and how good your lips felt against his and -
“Are you quite done?” Fucking really ?
“You cock-blocking bastard.” He knew, by the way you’d pulled away, and the heavy footsteps, that the dragons had chosen this particular moment to return. Fucking nosy busybodies.
He groaned into your shoulder, not nearly ready to step out of your arms. You chuckled, a few steps lower than normal and he couldn’t control the shiver that spread through him in response.
“You need to rest, Garrick.” Fuck he loved the way you said his name.
“I need something else more. Right now.” He half-whispered, half-growled into your shoulder.
“On the flight field?” That was a good point. He looked around, and noticed that it was considerably lighter than it had been.
“How long have we been out here?”
“A few hours.” Fuck. He really did need to go back inside.
“When will you be back?” He finally stepped out of your arms, missing their warmth immediately.
“I’ll hopefully come to see Violet again in three weeks. I have been…kept busy, lately.” You said, a twinge of sorrow in your features that Garrick did not like.
“See you in three weeks, then.” He says decisively.
“I really, really hope so.” You respond, emotions still roiling in your eyes.
You stepped in again, pressing a sweet, all too chaste kiss to his cheek.
“Goodnight, Garrick. Be safe.” You say seriously.
“What, you think Violet can suddenly handle herself now?”
“Violet has been poisoning people to win challenges; she’s doing fine .”
“She’s been what ?” He stammered.
“Shit. Sorry; don’t tell anyone obviously.” You sheepishly answered.
“No, of course not. That’s…pretty badass.” He could see why she and Xaden got along now - she was just as ruthless as he was.
“Now, you really do have to go.” You chuckle, and he groans, but turns and walks across the flight field.
He hears the wing beats that signal your departure, and finds that he misses you already.
“I’m so fucked.” He hadn’t even meant to say it to Chradh, just to himself, but it wasn’t as if Chradh stayed out of his business anyway.
“You are falling in love. I always forget how dramatic you humans are. ” Chradh snorts as they reach the entrance in the rock face.
“You aren’t dramatic enough! Spriolag could’ve killed you and you just stood there!”
“As I said. Dramatic.”
He doesn’t respond, simply heads up the tunnel and to his room to at least try to sleep.
“Where have you been?” Fuck.
“Xaden, not now.” He was tired and he didn’t feel like explaining anything. Especially not about…whatever was going on.
“Falling in love.” Gods, his dragon was such a busybody .
“Not now!”
“Yes now. Violet won’t tell me who she’s meeting. You know, you’re…what have you been doing?”
“Why won’t Violet tell you?”
“Don’t deflect. What have you been doing, and who have you been doing it with?”
“I don’t feel like describing what I was just doing, and I don’t think you want to hear it - unless of course you want to wake up Imogen after.” He snarks.
“Whatever, fine, I don’t even care that you’re hooking up with a lieutenant, who is he ?” He chose not to correct Xaden’s assumption. Besides, Xaden was clearly getting pissed. He didn’t know Violet very well, but he knew Xaden. He couldn’t stand not knowing something, especially if that something had to do with Violet.
“Why isn’t Violet telling you?”
“ I don’t know! ” He practically yells. Garrick pulls him into his room; he didn’t need the entire hall hearing them.
“Look, I don’t know why she won’t tell you either…” He wasn’t sure why he was hesitating. Yes, you were his business, but you clearly also knew Violet, and he didn’t know her well enough to understand why she wouldn’t want Xaden knowing about this small part of her life. But he’d known Xaden for years. He trusted Xaden, even if Violet didn’t. So he told him your name - it made him realize that he didn’t know your last name. He vowed to ask next time he saw you. Xaden chuckled at the fact that he didn’t know your last name and he chose not to respond, too tired to care.
After Xaden finally left, he laid in bed and tried to sleep, but it wouldn’t come. He couldn’t stop thinking about why Violet hadn’t told Xaden your name.
Who exactly were you to Violet, and why were you something that she felt comfortable with Garrick knowing about but not Xaden?