The Things You See In Me

Chapter 6

"What is it?"

Bodhi can feel her dragon's curiosity as she stares through Bodhi's eyes down at the small wooden box in her open palm.

"A birthday gift from Liam." Bodhi says, unable to keep the silly smile from creeping across her lips as she stalks down the hallway.

Cuir snorts and says, "Yes, I know that. What is inside it? I feel a small weight within it."

The actual gift is inside.

Bodhi's silly smile widens into an even sillier grin as she remembers the somewhat hopeful and rather nervous look on his face as he said those words to her. As he gently placed the gift in her hand like it was the most precious thing in the world.

Cuir chuckles, but holds back from her teasing. Her rider just makes it too easy and a whole lot less enjoyable sometimes. "Open it, then."

"No." Bodhi pulls the gift to her chest, covering it with both hands. She scowls and says, "Not here."

She doesn't know why it feels important, but she doesn't want anybody else's eyes on her gift. A gift meant just for her. A gift Liam took the time to make for her, just because he wanted to.

Cuir sighs. "Fine." She mumbles, sounding disappointed and rather bored.

Bodhi huffs out a laugh and tells her, "I'll come to you and we'll open it together."

Cuir perks up immediately at that. "OK." She practically chimes excitedly. "I will be in the fields shortly."

"OK. Thanks." Bodhi says with a smile.

"Bodhi!"

Bodhi startles and turns to see Liam standing just a few meters away.

Damn him and his perfect stealth. She swears not even Xaden is able to creep up on her as well as this man standing before her.

Her hearts stutters like it always does when she lays eyes on him. But she ignores it like she always does. "What's wrong?" She asks, concerned frown etching its way across her brow.

"What?" Liam looks confused for a split second before breaking out into a little grin. "Oh, nothing. I just...well, Garrick asked if I wanted to go get wasted with him and the others and I..."

Bodhi steps a little closer when he scowls, seemingly mentally berating himself.

"You know what?" Liam is sick of making up stupid excuses just to pretend he's not the entirely pathetic loser he really is just for making up stupid excuses just to be around her. "No. Forget I said any of that. I would just rather hang out with you."

"Oh."

Liam panics then, clearly taking her surprised expression to mean something else entirely. "But if you're busy, I understand." He adds quickly, giving up on trying to sound smooth.

It's been too long since he's seen her, he really doesn't care anymore. Let her think him a pathetic loser, because this is Bodhi; the only person who would never judge him for being a pathetic loser.

"I probably should be resting up like you told me to anyway." Liam doesn't get more than half a step before her hand reaches out and the warmth of her fingers seep through his jacket and shirt right into his skin the moment she wraps them around elbow. He pauses, trying not to look so ridged as he tries to keep his heart under control, then, slowly turns back to face her.

"I'm not busy." She says with a soft smile that makes his stupid heart stutter, and then, a smug little smirk that makes him grin a little, especially after she tells him, "I've completed all my tasks and duties for the day. I just try not to tell Xaden that I finish early, because he'll just find me more shit to do, most of it is the shit he should be doing, but thinks is beneath him."

She scoffs and Liam chuckles when she mutters under her breath, "Pompous a-hole."

He nods and says, "Can't say I disagree. He really does need someone to pull that stick out of his ass every now and then."

Bodhi's grin turns mischievous again—downright evil. She pauses, glances around as if to make sure their fearless leader won't pop out at any moment. She faces Liam, who's glancing around in confusion, then, tells him through a whisper, "I don't think we're going to have to wait much longer for that someone."

Liam pulls back just enough to give her a befuddled look. "What? Who?"

Someone getting passed Xaden Riorson's defences? Someone that isn't Liam or Bodhi or Garrick or Imogen?

Funny.

"He didn't mention anything to me." Liam says with a small pout.

"It's a new development." Bodhi says as she ignores the way his adorable face makes her want to just reach out and squeeze and pinch and kiss those dimples into submission just so she can make they reappear to do it all over again. "Like, brand new."

Liam nods, waits for her to continue. He's highly invested already. This just doesn't happen every day...or ever.

Bodhi waves a hand for him to follow her and once he falls into step beside her, she asks him, "When have we ever known Xaden to actually be interested in anybody, let alone a woman?"

Liam thinks it over and says, "Well, I mean, he's never had difficulty getting laid, but...never. Well, except for—"

"Ah, she doesn't count. That was purely a business arrangement." Bodhi cuts in, then, says, "And try not to freak out, because I think it's actually funny—in a twisted kind of way, obviously—but he couldn't keep his eyes off of Violet Sorrengail, of all people..."

She waits for him to cotton on and Liam doesn't disappoint. Always so quick as he is now. His eyes widening slowly as he carefully asks, "Sorrengail, as in...General Lilith Sorrengail?"

His brows almost reach his hairline when she nods slow and sure.

"Holy fuck." He whispers...then, chuckles and says, "Holy fuck, he must be so pissed off."

"Yep." Bodhi grins and nods. "And he was definitely not staring at General Junior with murderous intent..."

Gods, it feels so good to finally be getting back at Xaden. Even if it is behind his back. He's teased them both for far too long. Of course, unknowingly from one another, but both are now finally able to tease the shit out of their fearless leader.

"Oh, this is going to be so fun!" Liam chirps, looking as amused and as delighted as Bodhi feels.

"My thoughts exactly." She chuckles. Then, pauses just as they reach the entrance to the courtyard. She tries not to blush, mostly succeeds as she tells him, "I, um—Cuir wanted me to wait to open your gift until I got to her."

"Liar!" Cuir rumbles with laughter.

"You, shush!"

"Cuir?" Liam sucks in a sharp breath, eyes widening in realisation, and then, horror. "Oh, shit, you mean your dragon. Shit. Fuck. OK. Shit. Sorry."

"Sorry?" Bodhi is lost, but amusedly so. She chuckles and asks, "What're you sorry for?"

Bless his sweet soul, he's always apologetic for shit that she doesn't even know about, nor does she realise apparently.

Cuir simply chuckles knowingly, but doesn't help out in any way. Typical.

Liam frowns, now more bewildered than anything. "Wha—I... I spoke your dragon's name. That's strictly forbidden, directly from them to us."

Oh.

"Yes, oh."

"Oh."

"Oh?" Liam asks tentatively, arching a slightly amused brow.

Cuir chuckles.

"That's it? I'm not in trouble?" Liam asks, smiling sheepishly as he adds, "I don't know your dragon, but when she didn't eat me, I took that as a good sign as her not hating me."

"Yes. I like him."

Bodhi smiles softly.

Liam seems to catch this. "What?" He grins hopefully. "Am I right?"

Bodhi chuckles quietly, nods. "Yeah, she likes you." She frowns lightly and adds, "But also, she knows I'd be very upset if she ate you."

"Well..." Cuir gives a snooty sniff.

Both Liam's brows arch. He takes a step closer, tone light and teasing as he asks, "Oh, yeah?" He pouts lightly, eyes twinkling as he says, "Doesn't seem like you missed me that much considering how much you fucking thrive around here."

Bodhi scoffs. "I thrive anywhere, anytime, with or without anyone." She replies with some snootiness of her own, swiftly adding offence to the mix as she scoffs again and adds, "How dare you?"

"And, kiss!" Cuir chimes with so much excitement that Bodhi can literally feel the distance tremors under her feet. "And yes, I am here waiting for you on the fields. Hurry up! And bring the boy."

Bodhi blinks, scoffs quietly and replies aloud this time, "I'm literally two minutes away! Calm down!"

Liam blinks, purses his lips to keep from smiling.

"Yeah, make your fun while you can. This is going to be your problem, too, soon enough." Bodhi grumbles back at him, though, she is fighting back a smile of her own. His are just too infectious.

Liam laughs as she snatches his wrist and proceeds to drag him along with her. But really, between the flutters of his heart and their skin-on-skin (because he's still pathetic), he can only feel proud and touched that she already believes—nay, assumes he will one day be worthy of a dragon of his own.