“I study all aspects of magic and have given many similar seminars in the past,” Adrissu countered, his smile still lingering despite Kian’s bullheadedness. “I was helping the student body at large. Why should I deprive them of new knowledge only for your sake?”
“You—!” Kian snapped, mouth twisting in anger. He took a heated step toward Adrissu—the thought he might try to strike him was laughable, so Adrissu remained exactly where he stood. The smaller man glared up at him for a long moment, color rising up his neck and in his cheeks. “You know that’s not what I meant. I—I wanted to—”
The human’s mouth snapped shut, and he finally looked away, scowling.
“Wanted to...?” Adrissu prompted. Kian scoffed.
“I just... wanted to say,” he muttered, wincing as if every word stabbed through his tongue as he said it. “That I guess I... misjudged you. I don’t know. I didn’t expect you to... research this kind of stuff. You’re smart.”
“I founded this school,” Adrissu said, lowering his voice in case anyone was in the hall or outside the door. “I made it possible for you to be here today. You didn’t remember that I’m intelligent? You thought this was all for show?”
“No!” Kian snapped, shaking his head. It seemed impossible for his face to flush any warmer, yet somehow his face grew redder by the minute. “Can you try and be a little less insufferable? I’m trying to fucking compliment you.”
“I see,” Adrissu said, folding his arms across his chest. He had no idea what Kian was trying to accomplish, but at least it seemed Kian was just as uncertain. “Proceed, then.”
Kian frowned up at him. There was a familiar heat in the gaze between them; Adrissu’s body ached to reach for him, but he kept his arms firmly where they were and his feet planted on the stone floor.
“Why do you have to be so fucking hot?” Kian growled. His eyes flickered back and forth, but kept landing on Adrissu, who grinned over at him.
“I think you are... predisposed to feel that way about me,” he replied, his voice softer now.
“I don’t want this,” the human groaned, shaking his head. “I don’t want to... feel like this toward you.”
“I understand,” Adrissu said, his heart beating rapidly in his chest now. The most primal part of him wanted to lunge forward and take Kian as his own, but he kept the urge tightly tamped down. “I felt much the same the first time around. But things can’t be changed now. And eventually it does all start to make sense, in a way.”
Kian was silent, staring at him with an unreadable expression. His mouth and eyes were as tense as ever, but something in his face had shifted that Adrissu couldn’t quite place. Finally, the human’s eyebrow twitched as if he were flinching, and he snapped, “Are you going to kiss me or what?”
Adrissu stifled a laugh. “I wasn’t planning on it, no. First of all, you’re still a student, and I am still the headmaster, regardless of our status in a previous life. And second, I think you might punch me if I tried anything.”
Kian laughed. Adrissu’s heart fluttered; as perpetually angry as the human seemed, he’d made himlaugh.
“I guess you’re right,” he finally said, shaking his head with a slight grin. “Maybe that would be a bad idea.”
“As long as you’re a student, yes,” Adrissu said.
“Well, I came here in the first place because the lecture sounded interesting to me,” Kian continued. “Obviously I still want to study all this on my own, but... Maybe we could study together sometime.”
“I don’t want to give the appearance of favoritism,” Adrissu said slowly, considering the offer. Being able to spend more time with Kian could be a double-edged sword; he missed his mate, but if any instructors or other students were to suspect anything, it could end disastrously. “But... Perhaps we can meet once every week or two, outside of school hours. I do want to help you with everything you’ve set out to accomplish.”
“I won’t tell anyone,” Kian said quickly. “It’s fine. I don’t really see my family anyway, and I have a few friends, but...” He shrugged. “They know I prefer to study alone. So they probably won’t notice. Can I come to your office?”
“Occasionally,” Adrissu said, then sighed. “But, ah... my home would likely be more... discreet.”
Color rose in Kian’s face again, and he looked away. “Okay. I know where it is. I... remember.”
“Good.” Adrissu took a slow step back, creating more distance between Kian and himself. He only trusted his self-control so far. “Let’s try to keep it to days when there are no classes in session.”
“Okay,” Kian repeated. For a moment they stood in awkward silence, Kian’s eyes darting about again. “Um, well... I should get going. I have an exam to study for, so...”
“Don’t let me keep you,” Adrissu said, turning toward his desk to gather up his papers and hide his smile. While he had hoped he would see Kian again today, their meeting had gone far differently— farbetter—than he had allowed himself to imagine.
“I’ll see you later, then,” Kian said. Adrissu glanced over his shoulder as the human turned away. His face was rosy pink, the color rising to the tips of his ears. He always felt attracted to his mate, of course, but something about this iteration’s easily flushed skin was especially sweet.
“Goodbye, Kian,” he replied softly, turning back to his desk, and a moment later, the human’s footsteps trudged up the stairs. The heavy wooden door swung open, then closed.
Kian turned up at his office the next afternoon.
“There’s a student here to see you, Headmaster,” Eris said, looking uncertain as she stood in the doorway of his office and glanced back behind her. “Um… Kian Farrow, from the transmutation department.”
