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“Should I even share that I practice magic?”
“Yes. My mother is an experienced charms mage, who works as an engineer. I want her to be impressed with you and to know you’re skilled.”
Vega purses her lips. “Is that why you’re a charms professor?”
“Huh?”
“You did what would make your mother happy, not what would make you happy.”
How did she figure that out? V’s golden eyes stare into mine, and it’s like she’s seeing me. All of me. Her gaze is shattering the glass box I built around my heart, reading me like a book that’s begging to be opened. She takes her time, caressing every page, and I feel so vulnerable.
I cough, desperate to change the subject. “So, what job should we say you have? It needs to be something you can discuss in great detail. I’ll do my best to make sure they don’t pick our story apart.”
“The only things I can discuss in great detail are charms, stars, and how badly I want to take your clothes off. You choose.” She bites her bottom lip, one eyebrow raising, and I swear my entire body was just set on fire.
“You’re into working out. Could we choose something like that?” I say, refusing to give in to my desire.
“Sure. I’ll say I design and work on fitness equipment.”
“Perfect.” I turn away from her, shifting my body and staring out into the sea. The water is crystal clear, and there are small octopi scattered throughout these depths in every color. We must be nearing Octopus Island.
seven
VEGA
Indigo lookslike a pile of nervous energy. One of her hands is clasped over the other to hide her shaking, and she’s lost her beautiful smile in this anxious daze. I want to wrap my body around hers, skin on skin, but we’re in public, so instead I pull her legs over mine and rest a hand on her thigh. It’s a little romantic in gesture, but nothing too far. I just need her to know I can anchor her and all the big emotions she’s experiencing.
The ferry docks, and we get in line to exit, both of our familiars in tow. Octopus Island is only a few hours from the Northern part of Magia Island, where we departed from. I’ve never been, but it seems to be a popular destination. There’s tons of humans and elves as we get off, even an orc. He stands nearby, and I nod at him in recognition.
The people traveling to Octopus Island all look like they’re going home or visiting a loved one, just as Indigo does, and I get the feeling it isn’t exactly a tourist destination. Sleeping Island, which is another island in the Magia Archipelago, is. I’ve heard many great things about their events and celebrations. It’s honestly a bit odd how little I’ve heard about Octopus Island in comparison.
Indigo widens her violet eyes, jolting me from my chain of thoughts.
“I have a lot of baggage,” she says, and I look at her with my eyebrows furrowed. The line is moving forward.
“All you brought was that little suitcase,” I say, half-teasing. I’m pretty sure that’s not what she meant, but I say it anyway to ease the tension. We step off the platform and onto the dock.
Indigo smiles and tilts her head, giving me a funny look. “No, V, I mean emotional baggage. You’re going to witness a lot of it this week. I love my family, but you’ll see all the bad stuff too.” She rubs her hands down her face. “Myown anxiety, my mother struggles with her mental health, my father has no backbone, and my sister and I can’t seem to fucking get along.That’swhy I never visit home. It’s a lot.” There’s the faint welt of tears in those violet eyes, and my blood boils. If her family manages to make her feel this awful when they aren’t around, it’s going to be a struggle to hold my tongue when I meet them.
“You made a good choice in bringing me with you. I can carry you through this week, and I’m strong enough for you and all your baggage, no matter how much it weighs you down.” We walk towards a line of cars, looking for our rental.
“You think you can handle a week with a walking, talking anxiety disorder with mommy issues?”
“Do you think you can handle a week with a lonely orc who's got a dead mom and daddy issues?” I retort. I’m not afraid of her mind or her pain. I’ve weathered just as bad of storms myself.
“Jeez, Vega,” she says, her bright eyes wide with shock.
A tall, lanky human approaches us with a set of keys. “Indigo Watson?” he inquires, and she nods, pulling out her I.D. He hands her the keys, and she pops open the trunk of the silver SUV. Placing our bags inside, I close the trunk and get into the passenger side.
Indigo is in a knee-length black dress with long sleeves. She presses the start-up button, the car pulling energy from its magi-battery, and I buckle my seatbelt, ready for the week ahead. It’s a week of service, a week of convincing her family that their daughter is good enough, when the reality is that she’s better. It is also a week to convince her that I am worth the trouble. A week formybrain to figure out how we can continue seeing one another withoutherbrain falling apart, scared everything will be ripped at the seams. Here’s to hoping nobody from work spots us.
I won’t let this woman go without a fight. Sometimes it’s impossible to even approach women… they see a massive orc approaching them and balk. Afraid of the big bad magical wolf. Orcs are massive, sure, but that doesn’t make us dangerous. To be fair, men have a history of being dangerous towards women for thousands of years, and it’s only recently gotten better. If I were a small woman without magic, I’d probably be afraid of a big muscled being, man or not, too.
But I’ve rarely felt a connection like this. I’ve been so busy picking up the broken pieces of my life that I forgot to find someone I want to use my strength to protect. That is, until now. I sound ridiculous… I’m not in love, we barely know each other, but something tells me Indigo is worth falling for.
* * *
Pulling into the complex of the condo we rented for the week, Indigo’s face is turning red as she parks in the garage. Momiji and Freja are asleep next to one another in the backseat, and I try my best not to wake them.
