That was a good question. Why did I want to spend more time with this shy, awkward shadow witch? There was something about him that pulled at me, something beyond the electric spark when we touched or the adorable way he blushed. Maybe it was because he looked at me like I was just Silver, not a prince or a captain or anything else. Just... me. Although, even to my ears, that sounded kind of dumb.
“Maybe I’m procrastinating on homework,” I said instead of voicing those thoughts. “Or maybe I just like watching you turn red every time I look at you.”
On cue, his cheeks flushed again. “I don’t—that’s not—” He took a deep breath. “Fine. If you really want to help, you can move the benches while I mop.”
“Your wish is my command,” I said with an exaggerated bow that made him roll his eyes.
We fell into a surprisingly comfortable rhythm after that. I moved equipment and benches out of his way while he worked his shadow magic on the floors and walls. Sometimes it worked perfectly. The dirt and grime would vanish into the darkness without a trace. And sometimes it went spectacularly wrong, like when he accidentally extracted all the paint from a section of wall, leaving bare concrete exposed.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed after the third mishap, throwing his hands up in frustration. “I’m going to get fired at this rate.”
“No, you won’t,” I assured him, helping him clean up the conventional way where his magic had failed. “Coach Flannery ismore understanding than you think. Plus, he’s got a soft spot for students who are trying their best.”
“How would you know?” Ash asked, using a regular mop to clean up the puddle his shadows had created by extracting all the moisture from a section of tile.
“Because he saw something in me three years ago when I was just a freshman who’d never played football before,” I admitted, thinking back to those early days. “He gave me chances when I messed up. Lots of chances.”
Ash paused, looking at me with genuine curiosity. “Wait, you never played before college? But you’re team captain now.”
“Dark elves are naturally athletic,” I said with a shrug, trying to downplay my skills. “But I grew up... somewhere that didn’t really have traditional sports. My parents were more concerned with other kinds of training.”
“What kind of training?”
I hesitated, suddenly aware I was skating too close to revealing things about my royal upbringing. “Political stuff. Boring as hell. Football was my rebellion.”
Ash nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. “Well, you’re obviously good at it. I’ve heard people talking about you around campus.”
“All good things, I hope?” I flashed him my most charming smile.
“Mostly about how hot you are,” he replied, then immediately looked like he wanted to disappear into the shadows he controlled. “I mean, that’s what other people say. Not me. I don’t—I haven’t been?—”
“It’s okay to think I’m hot, Ash,” I laughed, enjoying his flustered state far too much. “I certainly think you’re cute.”
His head snapped up so fast I was worried he might have hurt himself. “What?”
“You heard me.” I winked at him, feeling a strange thrill at his shocked expression. “Why do you think I’m still here helping you clean?”
“Because you’re... bored?” he suggested weakly.
“There are a lot more entertaining ways to cure boredom than cleaning locker rooms,” I pointed out, moving closer to him. The shadows around his feet seemed to stretch toward me, like they were curious. “Yet here I am.”
Ash stared at me, those blue eyes wide with disbelief. “You’re... flirting with me. Why are you flirting with me?”
“Because I want to,” I said simply. “Is that a problem?”
“I just... guys like you don’t usually notice guys like me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I frowned, genuinely confused by his statement.
He gestured vaguely at me, then at himself. “You know. You’re all...that. And I’m just the janitor who can’t even clean a bench without breaking it.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his description. “First of all, you’re not a janitor. You’re a student with a job. Second, your shadow magic is fucking amazing, even when it goes wrong. And third...” I stepped even closer, close enough to catch the scent of whatever soap he used. It was something earthy and pleasant. “I like what I see when I look at you.”
The shadows around us seemed to pulse with Ash’s heartbeat, darkening and lightening in a rapid rhythm. His cheeks were flushed, his lips slightly parted in surprise. Gods, he was adorable.
“I don’t understand,” he whispered.
“What’s not to understand?” I asked, reaching out to brush a strand of dark hair from his forehead. “I think you’re cute. And I also think you should go get coffee with me sometime.”
