“Hey, Kieran?”
“Mm?”
“I really enjoyed today. But… before we spend any more time together, can I just ask you something?”
“Go for it,” he replied easily, flipping a single gold coin that he’d drawn from his pocket.
“Are you okay with keeping things platonic between us?”
For a moment, Kieran looked oddly taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected this conversation at all.
“I mean, I’m sure you don’t get this a lot, huh?” I laughed nervously. “It’s nothing personal, I just… I don’t think I’m ready to settle into anything serious right now. My whole world justexpanded in a flash, practically overnight—but I really enjoy your company and—”
“Arken,” Kieran interjected. “Hush. You don’t have to explain yourself. Honestly, you just saved me from an awkward conversation that I wasn’t looking forward to. I don’t really do the whole…relationshipthing,” he explained.
It wasn’t lost on me how he’d said the wordrelationshipwith clear disdain, but looked almost apologetic about that as his glacial eye searched my face for a reaction.
“I would like to be your friend, though. I don’t really do that much, either… But for you, I think I’ll have to make an exception.”
I felt all of the tension I’d been holding in my shoulders melt down, ignoring the smallest part of me that felt disappointed. Still, I exhaled in relief. That was significantly easier than I expected.
“I do still need a tour guide,” I mused, fluffing my hair and trying to maintain the casual energy he’d so graciously provided for us.
“Oh, I am anexcellenttour guide, just you wait.”
And there it was again. There was a certain lightness, an ease Kieran brought into every conversation, and I found myself craving it. The comfort of being understood.
“I do have to ask, though,” he said with a sly half-smile creeping up one side of his face. “Is it because I’m terribly ugly?”
I barked out a laugh. “Oh, shut up, you preening peacock. You know damn well how attractive you are.”
“Even pretty men enjoy a good stroke to the ego every now and again,” the cheeky bastard replied with a wink. “Among other things.”
“Platonic,” I reminded him.
“What? You can give platonic handjobs. I’ve given plenty of them.”
I resisted the urge to ask for details.
“In your dreams, Vistarii.”
“Perhaps,” he grinned. “You’re not half bad yourself, Asher. I’m pretty sure you’ll be giving me a run for my money on disappointing all the men in Sophrosyne soon enough.”
“And women,” I added.
“Oh?” he raised a brow and his grin widened. “We’ll just add that to the list of things we have in common, Little Conduit.”
That list of his was growing rather fast.
Chapter Twenty
Kieran
The next day, I found myself meandering through the Market District with my lieutenants.
Given the nature of our work and respective responsibilities, it was rare for Jeremiah, Hans and I to get off early, and rarer still for all of us to get off-shift at the same time. And so naturally, we took advantage of it—making our way from the Guard Headquarters to the other side of Sophrosyne, searching for a bite to eat.
Admittedly, I was lost in thought. I kept letting my mind wander back to yesterday’s impromptu trip to the museum with a certain Little Conduit.