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Cosmo caught sight of the clothing and gasped. “Look what you did!”

There was something glorious about the utter joy his rose took in everything.

No amount of magic frightened him.

It was as if the universe had offered him someone who simply accepted the oddness that was him.

“I needed clothes,” he explained. “This seemed easier than asking a warrior princess to deliver them.”

Cosmo blinked at him, tilted his head. “Obviously. Yes. Shall we sort through them? You do like red and black, don’t you? I think it suits you.” Cosmo brought him a bright red sweater that was so warm and squishy that he wanted to touch it for hours. “It’s probably too warm to wear this right now, but excellent choice.”

“I can wear it. I’m warm all the time anyway.” He pulled off the borrowed shirt he wore and slipped on the sweater. He might just pet it all day. “Now pants? And a pair of slippers, please. You choose.”

Cosmo laughed so easily. “Of course. Hmm. There are these black pants. Look at them. So sweet. And here are socks and the perfect slippers for exploring.”

Oh, yes. He took what he was offered, wallowing a little in Cosmo’s care.

“Would you like me to brush your hair?” Cosmo asked, so casual.

Hawk thought he might die. Simply expire. Just slump to the bed like a fairy-tale princess in a deep sleep.

Or explode with utter joy. Poof and he would be gone.

“Would you mind?”

He wore his ebony hair in long braids because, while he did keep it clean, brushing it was just an enormous hassle.

The thought of Cosmo caring enough to tend to him in this way? Made Hawk a little dizzy.

“Of course I wouldn’t mind. Let me go get the oil and the brush.” Cosmo scampered off like he was eager to do this chore.

Hawk sat on the bed, legs crossed as he waited almost breathlessly for his lover to come back out.

When he did, Cosmo brought a huge round wooden hairbrush with fine bristles, along with a comb and a tinycrystalline bottle of oil. “We use this on our hair. It keeps it supple. Yours obviously needs some love, but it’s a beautiful color. I always wanted black hair. I dyed mine once, you know. It was a disaster, trust me. Black and pink—not a natural combination. It was kind of great, but not natural.”

He couldn’t imagine. Cosmo’s hair was perfect as it was. “Where do you want me?”

“You can just sit right there, wherever you’re comfortable. I’ll kneel behind you.”

He stayed where he was, and Cosmo climbed up on the bed behind him, settling in to remove one of the dozens of braids that he had controlling his wild mane.

“This is going to be fun.”

Hawk chuckled softly. “No, this is going to be arousing.”

“Oh, naughty dragon.” Cosmo petted him, hands on his back, his hair. He hummed. It was just the best feeling, having Cosmo care for him. He loved the feel of Cosmo’s fingers sorting out all the strands of his hair.

“I can be naughty, I suppose.” But this wasn’t so much about that.

“There’s a time and a place for naughty,” Cosmo agreed. “But this is more basic, more necessary, I think.” Cosmo hummed as he worked, fingers incredibly gentle. “You did a lovely job creating your clothes.”

“Thank you.” Hawk thought so too. It was satisfying to know that the magic had responded so easily. He was a touch rusty.

Possibly quite a bit rusty.

“It’s been a long time since I had to use it—the magic—and when I woke up, it felt as if it was very far away.”

“Well, your heart was all the way across the country. I mean, I’m assuming it’s here, since your magic is working.”