Sexual Tension is a Bitch
We enter September with blood on our hands and we're doing good in our classes, arguably the top students, all while not losing a single fight. Tonight we're training in the gym, hand to hand.
"Why are we doing this again?" I ask Xaden as I take off my jacket, disarm my swords and two knives.
"Because you need to practice escaping being pinned." He says yet again, I've asked several times today in the hopes of annoying him into dropping it.
I glare at him, getting on the mat, my boots alongside my things. "I can escape just fine."
He walks over to me, his gaze is dark, the kind where I know he'd burn anyone to ashes if they pissed him off.
"Not fast enough." I turn to Garrick who's training with the next weapon he wants to earn a patch for.
"Don't look at me Vari, I know better than to pick sides." I glare at him, before I feel Xaden taking my hand.
I turn back to look at him, and I'm surprised to find him wrapping my hands up before we spar. I hate wrapping my hands up, I always struggle with it. Always. I shouldn't be surprised that he noticed.
"Thanks." I say softly.
He squeezes my hand before wrapping the other. As I wait for him to do the same to his own, I sit and do my feet. No sense in risking injury in a friendly spar. Once he finishes, we take opposite ends of the mat. I take a breath, and before he can even react, I'm striking at him.
Fighting with Xaden is always a rush. We know each other too well, able to guess what the other is going to do before they even start. So the only way to get an advantage is to do things he won't expect, and do the things he will when he least expects it. Its a dance, to a song only we can hear. We read each others movements like its all we've ever been taught to do.
So while my initial kick to his ribs surprises him, he reacts quick, grabbing my leg pulling me closer. He's gripping my thigh firmly, and it's pressing flush against him. I really should've learned the last time I tried doing the same move. I'm hyper aware of the angle, and how I should've worn pants instead of the shorts they give us to sleep in. Gods I need to focus. I barely register him sweeping my other foot until I make contact with the mats, he's nice enough to cushion my head from the impact, while his body keeps me pinned.
"I hate you." He just grins, one hand pinning both of mine above my head.
"Only way you're leaving is by getting free." And I know he means it.
"Xaden, no one I fight comes even close to you, I can break their grip just fine."
"Still doing this, so shut up and get me off you." I grin seeing the perfect opportunity.
"And what if the plan was to get you on top of me." I don't break our eye contact, and I catch the moment his breath catches. "Although I'll admit, I have always pictured it happening with nothing between us."
I don't even need to pretend right now. I'm just letting the feelings that have been running rampant out. The flirting is easy because of that, the looks, the tone, its all too natural, its all too real with him.
His hold loosens and I flip us over, and now I'm the one pining him down. I lean down to whisper in his ear. "I told you I was good at getting out of holds." I'm closer than necessary, but it's intentional, my lips brush against his skin, and then I'm back on my feet. Garrick looks our way, and I know he has questions about how easily I got out from under Xaden.
In fact the rest of the night, I beat Xaden in every round we run, he doesn't even get the chance to pin me to the mat again. Once we're the only three left Garrick comes over and drags Xaden to the side.
"Hey you said you knew better than to take sides." That gives him a slight pause.
"Cover your ears." I look at him in disbelief. "Do it Vari." I sigh but do so. I feel like a fucking child ignoring their parents. He whispers something to Xaden. They go back and forth for a bit, and I pay it no mind. Garrick finally mimes uncovering his ears, and I do so.
"For the record that was ridiculous."
"Noted." I'm focused on undoing the wraps on my hands when I hear steps fade away, and I glance over to see Garrick leaving.
I look back at Xaden, who's simply watching me. "I meant it you know." The words are out before I even realize I'm saying it. Fuck it. "I've thought about it a lot, you and I, together." I say it casually, even if my heart is threatening to escape my chest right now.
I stand one leg, lifting the other to undo the wraps. Xaden walks over, and bends down, putting my foot on his thigh and untying it for me. He wordlessly does the other one too, and as I'm about to thank him, he puts me on my back again.
"Let me guess I get to leave when I escape."
"That's right." We spend every night for the next week, just like this. Me pinned below him, trying to escape.
He enjoys it far too much, but eventually I manage to do it three times in a row. It's only then he relents, only to move onto two on one fighting. Every match we switch, so all three of us have experience fighting two on one.
Garrick and Xaden against me has me fighting for my life. They fight the same way, although Garrick fights with more offense, and Xaden fights more calculated. I get my ass handed to me just as much as I take them down.
Xaden and I against Garrick always has him exhausted by the end. While they fight the same, Xaden and I are balanced, when he strikes one way, I'm covering his side, and vice versa. Any hit Garrick lands on either of us, never occurs twice. It pushes him, of that I'm sure.
When Garrick and I go against Xaden it's the same thing, while Garrick and I aren't as in sync, as Xaden and I, we both know how to exploit his weaknesses. It's the most challenging training I go through, and it's the same for them.
I'm in early tonight, I wanted to get some practice in with the crossbow, before I'm tested tomorrow for my patch. Garrick and I have both made it a mission to gain recognition with as many weapons as possible. I've finished target practice, only off by a hair for a few targets, but I know I'll pass.
I glance to the doors, but they still aren't here. I debate going to find them when I spot Blake with the same two friends. We make eye contact, and I give him a small wave, about to turn back to the range, when he grins and starts walking over.
"Hey sunshine, you going for the crossbow next?" I nod in confirmation.
"I am, they're testing me tomorrow."
He grins, and I can't help but feel warm inside. "You'll get it" he says.
I glance back at the door, and my idiots still aren't here. "You know, I'm in need of a sparring partner, if you'd be interested." He gestures to one of the empty mats.
"After you." I don't hide my gaze as he takes his shirt off, fuck he's hot. Gods above he could even give Xaden a run for his money.
I take one end of the mat, slipping off my swords and knives, making a small pile on the ground. "First to three points?" I ask.
"Works for me, if its a clear kill position that's a point." I nod in agreement. We weren't using weapons, but there were times where it was clear it would be a kill if we were.
We circle each other on the ring, our eyes tracking each movement, the air has something to it, and the world fades away, all that exists is him and I.
He goes for my face, and I drop out of the way, going to swipe his feet out from under him. To my surprise he doesn't go down, instead he jumps avoiding me. I'm up and across from him, and we're back to circling each other. "I've seen you do that one before." He says addressing my confusion.
I grin. "And here I was thinking you'd be like everyone else." I'm attacking him right after that. I feign going for his face, and as he raises his arms to defend, I go for his ribs. I hear his breath catch from the impact, and don't anticipate the punch he gets on my jaw. I stumble back, and strike his throat, I get him dead center.
Between his coughs he gets a word out. "Point"
"Come on Blake you're making us look bad." He gets the next point by tackling me to the ground, and my head slams down disorientating me long enough for his hands to go around my throat. That seems to be the go to move for a lot of the guys I fight.
"Point." I say, and he immediately let's me go, and pulls me to my feet. I don't miss the fact that he didn't apply any pressure to his hands around my neck. I wonder if he did it because he thought I was weak or because he didn't want to make me think back to that night. I'm a second too slow out of a turn, too focused on my thoughts, and he has my arm pinned behind my back. I'm aware of how warm he feels as I yield again. "Another point." I admit.
It's this round I go against my instincts of keeping space between us. I was right too, because he doesn't expect me to get up close and personal, the crack of his nose tells me as much. "Point." He says as he holds his nose to keep from anymore blood coming out.
"Shit sorry." I say, not meaning to break his nose.
"Its not a problem. Gray's got this." His friend, the redhead, comes over and I watch as he mends it.
"Oh right second years, you all have signets."
"Yup, Gray is a mender, Bruce is a fire wielder." I look at him expectantly.
"And what are you?"
"Gotta win to know that." I grin, rising to the challenge.
"You're on." We circle each other again, and his friends have stopped their own match to sit and watch ours.
I give in to my urge to not hold back. I move quick, not hesitating once in my movements. This time when I sweep the leg, he goes down to his knees, and I have him in a chokehold. He tries and shakes me off, and when that doesn't work he tries and slams me back onto the mat. I have no choice but to get on his shoulders or risk being crushed.
He stands with me on his shoulders trying to choke him out, but the angles bad. With all the movement I'm trying not to fall as he reaches for me, and than the worse idea I've ever had comes into my head. I drop my weight back and to the left, and it works it sends us spinning, I land on my feet, while he crashes hard onto the mat.
I'm on top of him in a heartbeat, pining him down with my legs and hips, hand to his throat. "Say it." I say amused.
He's not mad like I'd expect, instead he looks more like he's impressed. "Fuck point."
I laugh as I get up, offering my hand to pull him up. He takes it and once he's standing, he's looking me over. "Relax you didn't do as much damage as I did to you."
He laughs, and I delight in the sound. Most fights with any guys outside of Garrick and Xaden. The guy is pissed off or says they gave it to me or says I got lucky. Blake however he takes it for what it is; a loss.
"Oh you definitely bruised my ego." He catches his shirt from where Gray tossed it. "Gods I don't think I've ever had to fight that hard since my first fight."
"I'd say I was sorry, but that'd be a lie." I tease.
He just grins. "I believe I owe you an answer." I nod excitedly. He pulls out two of his knives, and holds them out to me hilt first.
I look at him questioningly but take them. I get a feel for it, and I'm instantly in love with them. Each one is perfectly weighted, and the hilt is shaped in a way that best supports my go to grip. My only problem with it, is that they're smaller than I would want. Then to my complete surprise they get larger until they reach the exact length I'd want them to be. I look between them and him in shock.
"Did you change their size?" I question, because I've seen metallurgist work up close, and this wasn't that.
He looks at me surprised but nods. "Yeah most people think I'm a metallurgist."
"That's amazing." I whisper, switching between a reverse grip and normal one, these are incredible.
I almost don't give them back. Still I hold them out, and he just grins and shakes his head. "Keep them,"
I immediately decline. "No I can't,"
"They're better suited for you, and you did technically win them off me."
"Thank you." I say softly. I switch them out with my other knives, and look back up at him. "You know this means I might start sparring with you all the time."
"I'm looking forward to it sunshine."
"Avari you done making friends yet?" I whip around to see Garrick and Xaden looking at me. Garrick looks amused and I just know he's going to tease me, especially about the knives. Whereas Xaden looks pissed off.
"I'm coming." I shoot back annoyed. I turn back to Blake. "Thank you again."
"Don't mention it, same time tomorrow." I nod not even realizing what he had said until afterwards.
I make my way to the boys. "What the fuck was that?" Xaden demands.
"You guys were late and I wanted to spar." I defend, not sure why. I had told him I wanted him, and he hadn't even said anything back.
"Lets see the daggers." I pass them to Garrick who inspects them.
"These are well crafted, better than anything else you have." He mentions before handing them back, he's not wrong, my uncle had offered to get me new weapons, but I wanted the ones I had salvaged from my former home. My dad had made them for me.
"I know." I say excitedly. "They're perfect, almost like they were made for me."
"Mat now." Xaden interrupts. I frown but do as he says, when he draws his own sword, I take my newly given blades out. These would be able to take the strikes from his sword. He looks concerned by the fact that I've chosen them as my weapon but I grin and don't hold back.
I dodge and counter every one of his attacks. Turns out all I needed was the right made weapon. I have one knife at his throat, while the other holds off his sword. He stares in shock, because every other time we do this, I always lose. He doesn't say a word to me for the rest of the night.
I'm beyond confused, like truly confused, so when morning comes I drag him to a secluded corner while everyone else is at breakfast. Garrick just keeps himself positioned at the end of the hallway, out of earshot, but within eyesight.
"The fuck is your problem?" I demand staring him down.
"My problem is you." He growls.
"What?" I question, confused and angry. "Why? Because I sparred with someone else?" I see a slight flash in his eyes that tells me I'm on the right track. "That is the stupidest reason-" I'm cut off when he pins me to the wall.
I go to push him, but it just gives him the opportunity to pin both my hands above my head with one hand. Its like we're on the mats all over again.
"You were flirting." He says voice low.
"You don't get to be jealous Xaden. I let you know how I felt, and you didn't even acknowledge it." I snap back.
I swear his gaze darkens, as he moves closer to me, his head lowering to my ear. "Watch yourself Sunfire." He warns. "The only reason I haven't acknowledged it yet is because we're still unbonded. The second we are, you'll know exactly where I stand." His words sound like a threat but they feel like a promise.
"Then until that moment, you don't get to be mad if someone else shows an interest in me." I say firmly.
He nods, and pulls back, we're still close, and I'm still pinned to the wall. He looks like he's fighting a battle in his mind, but he lets me go. I can't resist the chance to make this harder for him. So as we head back to Garrick, I lean up and press a kiss against his cheek, by the corner of his lips.
He grabs my wrist, the warning clear. I only grin, now I have a new game to play. During the class we have with Blake he's downright possessive an arm securely around my waist, glaring him down the whole time. Blake can't even see his arm around my waist. That's a show just for me. I pretend not to notice either boy, and Garrick finds the whole thing far too amusing.
It's a good distraction from all the people trying to kill us.
The target on me is not as bad anymore, especially during the day. Their killing of the two guys that came after me saw to that. Still it was public knowledge. The easiest way to get to any of us was through each other. While we were a threat in each of our own rights. There was always some idiot who wanted to try their luck.
I had to make my own statement when someone tried to stab Xaden in the middle of the hallway. It was right after class ended and the halls were flooded with everyone making their way to lunch. I saw the flash of a blade, and pushed him out of the way. The dragon scales in my corset protected me, the dagger just bouncing off. I didn't hesitate to throw a punch. It quickly became a fight that ended with some random asshole's blood on my hands. I had slammed his head into the ground so hard it cracked open. I slid my knife through the opening watching the light fade from his eyes.
When someone tried to kill Garrick, gods, that one was the most gruesome murder. A guy attempted to jump him in the washroom, but Bruce was there and one quick show of flames sent him slinking off. That night Xaden dragged him out of the dorms and we took him out to the tree by the river. We tied and gagged him to the base. We argued for half an hour as to how to kill him, but I won that. I voted that we make an example of it.
There was no reason to go after Garrick. Xaden was the son of Fen Riorson and I was a Solaris. Those were reasons to kill us, but Garrick he was just guilty of association. So we cut the guy open, and pulled his intestines out. It was carefully done to spill the least amount of blood, so he'd stay alive. Than we headed back in.
The next morning some poor first year found the mutilated body. Over night different animals smelled the blood, and came for a midnight snack. It was a horrific scene, I heard professor Devera even threw up at the sight. Blood and flesh everywhere, bodies parts scattered, served him right.
Garrick upon finding out looked at both of us. "Do I even want to know who's idea it was?"
"Love you Gare bear." His smile made it all worth it.
"Love you too sweetheart."
It worked though because after that the attacks came to a stop.
--------------------
Today came a new challenge, the Gauntlet.
The whole squad just stares at it. I mean I had a rough idea of what it looked like, Alastair had described it to me. The zigzagging death trap of a trail rises above us, climbing in five distinct switchbacks of 180-degree turns, each increasing in difficulty on the way to the top of the bluff that divides the citadel from the flight field and the Vale. But seeing it with my own eyes, he did not do it justice.
"I'll go first." I declare, as daunting as it was, I had something to prove here.
"Ah yes, your father won the Gauntlet patch the year he ran the course didn't he?" Professor Emetterio says as he walks over to our squad.
"Yes sir. I plan on following in his footsteps." I needed to earn it. To have that piece of him to carry with me.
He nods and turns to address everyone. “It’s called the Gauntlet because this is the cliff that guards the Vale.”
"I can't wait to start." Pierre whispers to Bethany, who looks terrified. She's been smart, sleeping with different guys in our squad. It got them to train her, got her some protection. That won't help her here though. The only way she makes it through the Gauntlet, is on her own.
“As you know, hand-to-hand challenges are on hold for the next two and a half weeks before Presentation so you can focus here.” Professor Emetterio flips a page on the little notebook he carries. “Avari, you’re up first. Then Xaden, Garrick, Annalise, Bethany, Anthony, Alic, Pierre, and Martin.”
A smile curves the harsh line of his mouth as he finishes calling out every name in our squad, and we file into order. “You’re the only squad to remain intact since Parapet. Well done, let's see now if you survive the Gauntlet intact. Wait here for a second.” He walks past us, waving at someone high up on the cliff.
No doubt that someone has a watch. I don't know my dad's exact time, but I know he got the Gauntlet patch. It was enough motivation for me.
“Here we go!” Professor Emetterio walks to the head of our line. “You’ll get your time at the top of the course, if you make it, but remember, you’ll still have nine practice sessions before we rank you for Presentation in two and a half weeks, which will determine if the dragons find you worthy at Threshing.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to let first-years start practicing this thing right after Parapet?” Bethany asks. “You know, to give us a little more time so we don’t die?”
“No,” Professor Emetterio replies. “The timing is part of the challenge. Any other questions?” No one replies.
He then lifts his hands toward the course and flicks his wrist, pointing at various obstacles.
The fifteen-foot log at the start of the uphill climb begins to spin. The pillars on the third ascent shake. The giant wheel at the first switchback starts its counterclockwise rotation, and those little posts they all twist in opposite directions.
“Every one of the five ascents on this course is designed to mimic the challenges you’ll face in battle.” Professor Emetterio turns to look at us, his face just as stern as it is during our usual combat training. “From the balance you must keep on the back of your dragon, to the strength you’ll need to hold your seat during maneuvers, to”—he gestures upward, toward the last obstacle that looks like a ninety-degree ramp from this angle—“the stamina you’ll need to fight on the ground, then still be able to mount your dragon at a second’s notice.”
“What if we can’t make it up?” Annalise asks from somewhere behind me. “What’s the alternative route?”
“There’s no alternative. If you don’t make it, you can’t get to Presentation, can you? Take your position, Avari,” Professor Emetterio orders, and I move to the beginning of the course. “After she makes it past the first obstacle, the rest of you will start every sixty seconds. And…go!”
I take a breath and I'm off. Gods Alastair really did know what he was doing when he trained me. My feet practically glide over the single log spinning parallel with the cliff face and then the raised pillars. It takes me five rotations inside the wheel before I finally jump through the lone opening, I need to get that together for Presentation day. The balls have me slightly worried but I run and jump. I'm slower than I'd want to be getting across. Once I'm on solid ground again there's the metal rods. Those are easy, Alastair made me master these blindfolded. From the last bar I jump and nearly fall from the series of shaking pillars. I move quick and jump down onto the gravel catching my breath. The other logs are just as easy, and I sprint up them like its just another set of stairs.
I am catching my breath when I face the chimney thing. "You good Sunfire?" I hear Xaden shout.
"Fine." I yell back. Before sprinting forward and jumping upwards, making an X formation with my body. If I survive Presentation I owe Alastair a cake, and am going to suggest he starts a business training people for the Riders Quadrant. I make it to the top, and its just the final obstacle. The vertical ramp. This one I have in the bag, I know that because Alastair made me practice on a bigger one. I run, jump, and pull myself up, in a fluid movement. Like I've been doing it my entire life.
"Hey sunshine." I glance over to see Blake with a stopwatch.
"Hi, why are you here?" I gratefully take the bottle of water he tosses me.
"I volunteered." I shake my head amused.
"You just wanted to get out of paperwork." He laughs and nods. We've been sparing together regularly and I've gotten to know things about him.
"You know me too well." I sit there at the top watching the rest of my squad make their way upwards. "You haven't asked."
"I don't want to know it yet. All that matters is how fast I am on Presentation day."
"All that really matters is getting to the top." He corrects gently.
I shake my head tucking my knee to my chest. "Not to me. My dad he earned the Gauntlet badge his year, and I want to earn it too. Its stupid but then its like he's still here with me."
"That's not stupid, its human." I smile, not that he can see. I let my mind wander as I wait for Xaden.
"Question."
"Answer." I smile.
"Those guys that attacked me, the ones Garrick and Xaden killed. I've been thinking about it, someone had to have had set that up."
"That's not a question sunshine." He says amused.
"I'm getting there asshole." There's no heat in my words. "Do you think Selena arranged it?"
"It wasn't her." I turn to face him, catching the change in his tone.
"It was you? Why? How?" The questions flow out of me.
"Its not because I don't think you can't hold your own." He says and I feel exposed. "When I saw you in that hallway, it was the first time I ever saw you without Riorson or Tavis."
"That's not an answer Northenson."
He rolls his eyes amused. "I'm getting there sunshine." His voice is teasing. "Those guys were clearly waiting for the opportunity to catch you without them. I thought it was only right they experience what it would have been like if they were with you."
"How did you even manage to make it happen?"
He nods back down to where professor Emetterio is sending people off. "That part was easy, you're his favourite. All I did was mention what happened and that they might benefit from a good fight, he did the rest."
"You barely knew me, why do that for me?" He shrugs like it was no big deal. As a Section Leader especially one out of my own wing, he shouldn't be interfering. He could get in trouble if someone realized what he did.
"I could tell what kind of person you are."
"And what kind is that?"
"The kind that deserves to be cared for."
My reply is cut off when a few seconds later Xaden is over the edge.
"What happened to your arm?" I ask quickly moving to his side, pulling out the spare wraps in one of my pouches.
"One of the logs." I sit him down, and tend to the wound. The blood made it seem worse than it was, in reality is was just the skin that tore.
I wrap it up all the same, as we wait for Garrick to come over. Almost like I summoned him, he's pulling himself over, out of breath.
"I hate those ball things." I toss him the bottle of water the Xaden just finished with. He downs the rest.
We sit and watch the rest of the squad attempt to make it to the top. As we're about to head back down and inside, I pause and look back at Blake.
"Blake," he looks up at me. "Thank you."
The next two sessions no one else makes it either. By the fourth Annalise makes it as does Pierre, and Garrick looks so relieved she does. By the fifth so does everyone else. The last four sessions are just us working on the parts we have the most difficulty with. I spend a whole session between the wheel, and logs that shake. I make sure that I know the speed, duration, and intensity of how they move like the back of my hand. Its on the last session I take out a blindfold, only for Xaden to yank it from my hands.
"Do you have a death wish?"
"Its how Alastair trained me, to prove I knew it he'd make me run a drill blindfolded."
"A drill." Garrick stresses. "Not the whole course."
"Fine babies." I mutter, taking my place at the front of the line. Once I reach the top, Blake just rips a piece of paper off his clipboard and folds it, handing it to me.
"For when you want to know." I take a seat and wait for Xaden to reach me.
Once he sits down beside me, I wordlessly hand it over. He reads it to himself, and once he folds it again do I speak.
"Well?" I'm worried I might not be fast enough. I know Garrick and Xaden have both run the course in under six minutes. Professor Emetterio says the fastest anyone has ever run it was in four minutes and nineteen seconds.
"Under five." I turn to look at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious?"
"About what?" Garrick asks walking over, I didn't even hear him come over.
"Read it yourself." Xaden passes him the paper.
"Under five minutes." He says excitedly for me.
"Gods I might really get the patch." They both nod and I rush to Garrick, who spins me around in a tight hug.
"Want to know the exact time?" I shake my head.
"Save it for Presentation day." Last thing I need is to get in my head about it.
We all sit on the edge, feet dangling as we watch Bethany still struggle across the logs.
I lean back, letting the sun warm my face. I'm going to make you so fucking proud of me dad. Just you watch.