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“That’s the third invitation today,” you say. “Are you wearing a new cologne?”
When you lean over the counter to take a sniff of the tiefling in front of you, he looks so appalled at your gesture that he stumbles backwards.
“No,” Rolan huffs. “Get your nose away from me.”
“I’m just saying, Rolan. It can’t be your looks.”
He visibly bristles. “And why not? You don’t think anyone would be interested in the master wizard of Ramazith’s Tower?”
Of course, they would be, you want to say, but don’t want to stroke his ego. After all, this is the sixth day in a row that someone has asked Rolan out on a date. To say that it’s getting under your skin is an understatement.
The way he says his title, so proud of himself with his chest puffed out, makes you deflate a little. You could explain to him why this is rubbing you the wrong way, but you’re not sure he’s ready for that sort of conversation.
“I’m sure they are interested, otherwise why would they ask in the first place?” you say. “But don’t you think this has happened a little suddenly?”
Last week, the shop was as normal as ever with its frequent customers and the occasional fascinated person who wanted to browse, but come Monday, there was a shift. There weren’t just customers anymore, there were people interested in purchasing something other than tomes and potions—Rolan’s precious time.
People of various backgrounds were suddenly lining up to speak to the master wizard, as he so loves to say, with the express interest in taking him out on a date. Some were more formal than others, but most would just bat their lashes and ask if he was free on the weekend.
And Rolan would politely look each one of them in the eye and turn them all down.
It’s surprising that he isn’t being more pompous about the whole thing. When he told you about the first attempt from a curious stranger, you were expecting him to be grinning ear to ear and saying “Well, obviously, they want a piece of yours truly.” But he didn’t. He told you what happened, shrugged when you asked him why, and went back to work.
The fact that he isn’t questioning the sudden change of pace is more confusing than it happening in the first place.
“Someone’s probably spread some poetic nonsense,” Rolan says. “I wouldn’t look too deeply into it.”
Well, that gets your blood-rate spiking.
“But you have to admit it is strange,” you insist.
“As if you aren’t involved in this too,” he says, gaze firm. “How many people flirted with you today? I saw that rouge put his hand on your back.”
“That’s not what we’re talking about right now, Rolan. We’re talking about you.”
“And I ended that conversation to talk about you instead. So, will you answer my question or shall I do the math myself?”
The muscle in your jaw tightens, and you give yourself a moment to breathe so that it doesn’t pop.
“I don’t know, I’m not counting,” you say.
“I would say three,” Rolan muses, crossing his arms. “Two already had their eyes on you the second they walked through the door.”
“Are you being skeptical or jealous?”
Rolan’s shoulders tense and he shoots you a glare. “I could ask you the same.”
Now, you’re crossing your arms, and Rolan and yourself are in the midst of a staring battle with the only objective being to out-snarl the other person. If you’re lucky, your gaze won’t just topple him to the ground but push him through the foundation altogether.
Neither of you win. Cal throws his voice into the middle of the playing field before an actual fight breaks out.
“Getting lost in each other’s eyes again?” he calls.
Rolan’s tail whips as he spins around and your brows practically hit the ceiling.
“As if!” you say.
“I shudder at the very thought.” Rolan grumbles.
Cal merely laughs. “Sure, like I believe either of you two with what’s been going on.”
There’s a hitch in his step before what he said registers in your head, but the second it does, both you and Rolan share a glance that turns your accusatory staring onto his brother.
“What are you talking about, Cal?” you call out.
He freezes, his tail going stiff. “Nothing, I’m just teasing you.”
“What do you know?” Rolan prods, stepping closer to him. When Cal turns with that toothy smile on his face that only means trouble, Rolan bursts. “You know about the suitors, don’t you!”
“Maybe…”
“Who told you? Did Lia say something?” you ask.
“Well, Lia and I did have a conversation…but that was before people started asking you both out.”
You blink. Rolan flexes his hand. Cal grins like the damn Cheshire Cat.
“Are you telling me you had something to do with this?” you ask.
Cal scratches the back of his head. “I might’ve asked a few people to make a move on you two for the week…”
“Why in the blazing hells would you do that for!?” Rolan shouts.
There’s your answer to all of this oddity for the past week, even though it deflates you a bit to know that Cal is the only reason why you were being flirted with at all…but you’re more focused on why he felt the need to do this in the first place.
“You two are obviously pining for each other and not doing anything about it, and it was starting to bug Lia and I, so we needed to give you both a push!” Cal explains.
“By having other people ask us out?” you question.
“Well, have either of you said yes?” Cal asks like he’s a mad genius. “Ergo, the only date you want to go on is with each other, otherwise you’d have taken anyone else up on their offer. And Rolan wouldn’t grumble to himself so much if he weren’t jealous that you were being flirted with by people other than him.”
“I’ve not been grumbling,” Rolan starts, but Cal jabs a finger at him.
“You’ve been a pouting mess, it’s embarrassing. If you weren’t so pent up, I’m sure I would’ve heard something from your bedroom by now.”
Rolan’s eyes bulge out of his head like two lightning bolts. “You little—!”
“Oh, got to go!” Cal smiles, dashing for the staircase. “Enjoy your conversation! Don’t be babies about it!”
Rolan attempts to catch his brother before he can run away, but is too late. He turns on his heels to look at you like a clockwork component, and you stifle the giggle from the way you can practically hear him squeaking.
“That was…” he starts, but shakes his head. “I apologize for Cal.”
“Don’t be,” you say. “It was just what we needed, I think.”
“It…was?”
Nodding your head, you take a step closer to him, and the poor master wizard looks like he’s going to shrink into himself. Alright, so it was a bummer that people flirted with you due to instruction, but you’re going to have to thank Cal for getting the ball rolling because if it were up to Rolan, he’d keep all his feelings close to his chest and then one day he’d die.
Better to get straight to the point.
“It’s true, you know? I have feelings for you,” you say, “and I was jealous about all the attention you were getting.”
The Adam’s apple in Rolan’s throat bobs. “You mean it?”
“I do.”
He sucks in a breath so harshly it’s a surprise that he doesn’t choke on it, and those eyes of his flash lightning again as he rakes a hand through his otherwise composed hair.
“I…like you as well,” he admits, “and I was also jealous. I turned them all down for a reason.”
You try not to let your happiness fill your heart too much in case it floats away from you, so you steel yourself to remain calm, to act like an adult, and not to scare Rolan off. You’re not going to get another opportunity like this, especially not if he has any say in the matter.
“Well, I think it’s good we finally admitted it,” you say, showing him a smile.
“I suppose so,” he hums. “Is that why you looked so glum about people’s offers towards me?”
When you figured it was good to get this all out in the open, you hadn’t meant that, but you’d probably end up talking about it anyway, so you let out a sigh.
“Yes, but also no,” you say, and Rolan’s brow arches. “Whenever you boasted over the attention, you’d refer to yourself as the master wizard, and I was worried that was why people were asking you out—because of your status—and that you believed it, too.”
There’s a moment of silence between you two where Rolan doesn’t say anything, instead, concentrates hard on what you just said. You’re worried you’ve offended him or worse that you’ve pushed him away somehow, and that this whole confession has burned down in flames before it even sparked.
“I see,” he murmurs, his eyes flickering brighter if that were at all possible, and then he takes a step forward and gently holds your hands. “What is your opinion, then?”
Great, now you have to articulate your feelings in a way that sounds coherent, when really anytime you’ve yearned over Rolan it’s been an affectionate mess.
“I think…you’re amazing,” you start, then squeeze his hands, “but when you’re being yourself.”
His brow raises, signalling you to continue. Of course, he’d want to hear everything you have to say when it’s a compliment regarding him.
“I met you before you became master of the tower, and it was before that when I fell for you also,” you say. “I can’t lie and say you’re not impressive or successful when you clearly are, but those aren’t the reasons why I like you so much. For some strange reason, I like you the most when we’re throwing quips at each other.”
Rolan chuckles, and you catch a glimpse of the fangs behind his lips. He’s so gorgeous, it’s unfair.
“All this to say is…whether you’re accomplished or not, I want to be right where you are.” you smile, feeling your heart flutter at that one hell of a confession, and then quickly worry. “If you’d have me, of course.”
His thumb rubs against your skin and he takes another step forward, pushing past the invisible boundary that was always there between you both when this was simply friendship. The way he looks at you now crumbles away any misunderstanding.
“I’d miss our bickering,” he says, his lips curled up a little too smugly. “To say no to you now would be like denying myself oxygen. It’s unthinkable.”
He raises your hand in his, pressing a soft but warm kiss to your knuckles, and you realise right then and there that you’re screwed. Argumentative Rolan is challenging enough, but now you’ve got romantic Rolan, and that’s going to be a whole different challenge to get used to.
“I believe it’s about time I asked you properly,” he says. “Will you go out with me?”
Your teeth sink down into your bottom lip. “Now, I’d have to think about it…”
The look that comes over his face is borderline offended, and you laugh, tugging him towards you and bumping your nose against his.
“I’m only teasing.” you chuckle. “Of course, I say yes.”
“Only teasing…” Rolan murmurs, brushing his nose along yours, towards your cheek, and ghosting his breath above your lips. “I fear I won’t last you…but what a good way to go.”