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Esther stood, taking her phone with her. There wasn’t any great way to make a serious face while lounging tummy-first on her bed, and he needed to know she would not be manipulated by his puppy eyes this time. “Uther, you are not coming with me. This is my job, and I can’t just bring people with me willy-nilly.”

“One, I can’t believe you just willy-nilly-ed at me, and two, you visit me at work all the time.”

“You work at a restaurant. It’s a public place. I work in a private residence.”

“Bitch, you just want him for yourself.”

“Hey!” She shot a warning finger at the screen. “You know how I feel about using that word.”

Uther sighed dreamily, ignoring Esther’s comment. “He’s like a young, queer Aragorn, which is literally my dream man.”

She couldn’t argue that point. It was probably August’s long hair. Or his brow ridge. God, that man could rock a strong brow ridge. But— “I’m more of a team Legolas, personally.”

Although, that wasn’t quite right either. If she was honest with herself, she was drawn to boldness with a hint of danger. But the closest comparison was when Eowyn ripped off herhelmet, long blond hair flying in the wind, proclaiming, “I am no man,” before stabbing the Nazgul. There wasn’t a male example quite as sexy.

“You and your pretty guys. Just date a girl already.” Uther and the camera spun so she was looking down on him as his hair fanned out in a golden halo. “What I wouldn’t do for a hot, chauvinistic pig likeNew HopeHan.”

She ignored his joke about dating women. “We’ve been over this. You are a treasure and deserve to be treated like one.”

He flipped over again, forcing her to look away to avoid motion sickness. “You know I like them alpha. This is kink shaming, and I will not stand for it.”

The corner of her mouth twitched, despite her best efforts to remain serious. She’d had her doubts when first befriending an undergrad, but god, she was so lucky to have found Uther. He was just as quiet around new people as she was, but once he got going, there was no shutting him up. She wasn’t born with one of those personalities that opened up to people. Or even gave off an approachable vibe.

She thought of the blond girl at the front of her anthro class, Ashley. Always with the brightest smile and this vibe like she knew everyone, even when she was meeting them for the first time. It was unfair. There was something enticing about her. Like she had a glow you wanted to be around. Speaking of Ashley, Esther needed to text her to set up a time to meet for that assignment. She didn’t want to be the reason Ashley did poorly in class.

“Hey.” Uther snapped in front of the camera, drawing her attention back to the screen. “Stop daydreaming about men with long, blond hair and remember that I am your bestest friend and in need of this gesture of love from you. I can’t actually talk to him, so I need any opportunity for face time outside of class that I can get. Pleeeeeeease.”

He put on his puppy face, and Esther rolled her eyes. She knew this was coming, and yet some annoying muscle in her chest contracted as his bright, blue eyes doubled in size. “Okay?—”

“Yay!” The camera shook as Uther leaped from the bed and ran around his room.

“Uther, sit down and look in my eyes.”

He plopped belly-down onto his bed, his legs kicking behind his head, and bit his lip to hide his smile. It was the best she would get.

“Because you’re my friend,” she said, “I willnotlet you come to work with me and embarrass both of us.”

“Esther! I thought you loved me I’m going to cry how dare you say that to my face.” His entire run-on sentence was a single breath.

She winced at his use of the L-word. He was using it more and more lately, and maybe she needed to talk to him about that. But not right now. “But because you are my friend, and I need a ride, you can pick me up from work. And if you happen to come a few minutes early, you can hang out for a bit and wait.”

Uther was back up and dancing around his room. She did her best to look serious and not laugh with him.

“Do not abuse this,” she yelled as he continued to dance. “I need this job to graduate.”

“You are the love of my life. I would never let you down. I will name our first child in your honor. Not your name because, um, Esther? Blah. But I will think of your beautiful face while naming Baby Han.”

“Didn’t you just say you thought Han was hot? This feels like a conflict of interest.”

“Legolas then. Again, in your honor.”

Esther grabbed her bag, bid Uther adieu, and set off for the historic Platt house. She didn’t need a ride. Plattsburgh was sucha small town. It was barely half a mile to the place. But it would be dark by the time she clocked out, and she felt better getting a ride. And Uther would never let her be if she didn’t give him something.

She pulled out her phone while she walked and stared at the blank text addressed to Ashley.Don’t overthink it. This was a school assignment, not some chance to form a closer relationship with another human being.

Esther

Hey Ashley, it’s Esther.