Page 6 of Misfit (Starshine)

Garrett hadn’t been idly boasting. Arlon lost many, many more times. No matter how strong of a stance Arlon adopted, how well he distributed his weight, within a few strikes, Garrett found an opening and got him on the ground with ease.

The fear of being overpowered dwindled the more it happened. By the time they stopped at the lunch bell, they were both a little more scuffed and bruised, and Arlon was too tired to be afraid. After the last takedown, Arlon stayed on the ground even after Garrett got up.

“You’re definitely picking things up,” Garrett said, and Arlon was satisfied that the man at least sounded a little winded.

“Where the hell did you learn how to fight?” Arlon asked as he tried to rub away the dirt that stuck to his sweaty arms. It was a losing task.

Garrett grabbed the waterskin and took a long sip before he said, “My mother taught me. She’s the best warrior my clan has ever seen. Passed those lessons onto me whether I wanted them or not.”

“I’m seeing the family resemblance.”

Garrett chuckled and said, “You can walk any time you want. Or did you forget that you asked for this?”

“Guess I did,” Arlon said with a grin. “Was expecting some tips, not an entire godsdamned retraining.”

“Gotta actually have some training before you can be retrained,” Garrett teased, and Arlon reached out with one leg to deliver a half-hearted kick. “You want to hit the baths? I feel like I’m making mud sitting here.”

The question made Arlon pause. Being fully naked made him uneasy for a lot of reasons. Even while fucking or casting with Fawn, he liked having that small bit of armor, but to go to the baths, shedding his clothes was a necessity.

But after today, his hesitation felt silly. Garrett had overpowered him countless times without hurting him. Every time Arlon tapped, Garrett respected it, and that alone made the other man feel… safe.

Besides all that, Garrett had called them friends, and the word had settled like a ball of warmth in his chest.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Garrett offered him a hand up, and Arlon took it.

They walked in a comfortable silence through the atrium, but as they reached the hallway through the main tower, Fawn emerged from her office.

She was likely on her way to lunch, but she looked them over as she approached, taking in the significant amount of dirt that clung to them.

“Is your fighting club drawing blood now?” she asked, looking pointedly at Arlon’s knees that were caked with a bit of dried blood and dirt.

She’d seen plenty of bruises on him since Garrett started training him, but this was the first time he’d earned anything more. It felt like a strange point of pride .

“We were just going to wash off,” Arlon said.

“That was my fault,” Garrett said quickly. “Keep forgetting we’re sparring on dirt instead of a mat.”

Fawn hummed as she looked between the two of them. “What kind of mat?”

Garrett rubbed the back of his neck. He seemed a little flustered, and Arlon wondered how much experience he had with the Grandmaster. Going off the wide-eyed look he gave her, it wasn’t much.

“Um, we used to weave them out of yak fur in my clan,” Garrett said. “But dirt’s not so bad. At least the evocation yard isn’t gravel.”

“Gods, that makes me hurt just thinking about it,” Arlon muttered.

Fawn hummed again, amusement dancing in her eyes. “Let me see if I can’t find you something softer than dirt to land on.”

“Oh,” Garrett said in surprise. “Thank you, Grandmaster.”

Fawn leaned up to kiss Arlon’s cheek. “Enjoy your bath.”

The pride in her smile warmed him, and as he and Garrett continued down the hall, Arlon couldn’t shed the grin that tugged at his lips.

Garrett waited until they were surrounded by the steam of the baths before he broke the silence. “I heard the rumor that you were… close with the Grandmaster.”

Arlon turned away from him and checked to be sure the baths were empty before he lifted his shirt off. He’d always been self-conscious about his size, but being side by side with Garrett, when the man was just as big and scarred as he was, made him feel a little silly.

“I am.”

He shed his shoes and pants just as quickly before he slipped into the relative cover of the water. It stung every scrape on him, but he let out a sigh of relief at the heat .

Garrett joined him a moment later, and as the other man sank to sit on the bench across from him, Arlon couldn’t help but appreciate the way his muscles moved.

“Sorry if that was a weird question,” Garrett said. “I get that it’s how magic is made, but I’m still getting used to the thought that everyone I talk to is fucking in some way or another.”

Arlon let out a huff of a laugh. “Don’t have to worry about that with me. I’ve only ever made magic with Fawn.”

“Same with me and Bridgette,” Garrett said. “She’s starting to branch out a bit, but… I don’t know.”

“Haven’t found anyone you want to fuck around with?” Arlon teased.

Garrett’s eyes darted to Arlon before darting away just as quickly. “I wouldn’t say that.” He gave a wry grin as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Gods know the Crux has no lack of attractive people.”

Arlon looked at the other man curiously. “You and Bridgette are married, right?”

“Yup.”

“Does it bother you that she’s casting with others?” Arlon asked.

“No,” Garrett chuckled. “You know where she worked before here. Now, instead of just imagining what she did with her clients upstairs, I get to watch.”

Arlon swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. Something about that idea embedded in his head—both of them. He was grateful the water hid how his cock twitched.

Garrett didn’t seem to notice as he leaned back before scooping water up to wash the dirt from his chest. “You don’t have to answer this, but why haven’t you cast with anyone else?”

Arlon sank a little further into the water and crossed his arms over his chest, remembering the awkward moment he’d had with Magda a few weeks ago. “They look at me and see a Wolf. I’m not interested in being that for anyone, even as a fantasy.”

Garrett tsked in sympathy. “No, I get it. A couple months after Bri and I got here, this pretty little noble—I think her name was Sabine? She asked if I wanted to take her as my war bride for the night.”

“Fuck. That’s a hell of a way to say hello.”

“That’s what I thought,” Garrett chuckled as he started to unwind his long braid.

“Needless to say, Sabine went to bed unconquered that night.” He finished freeing his hair before he sank further into the water, wetting the strands until they hung straight down his back.

His tone sobered a little as he said, “It kinda… I don’t know.

Messed with my head a bit. I like the idea of making magic with others, but… ”

Arlon grabbed a washcloth to help scrub the dirt and blood from the scrapes on his knees. “I get it. Magda said she wanted to see how the Wolf made magic and I just…” He sighed. “If I’m going to fuck around, it’s going to be with people who see me as a person, not just some fantasy.”

Garrett let out a long breath as he sank down, letting his head rest against the lip of the pool. “Here, here.”

He seemed completely at ease in Arlon’s company, and it was a nice surprise to realize that Arlon felt the same way.

It didn’t feel weighted or awkward being naked around the other man, and he sank a little more comfortably into the water to just enjoy it.

They soaked in a companionable silence until chatter sounded at the top of the stairs.

With a shared look, they came to an unspoken agreement before they got out and got dressed.

“See you tomorrow morning?” Garrett asked as he re-braided his wet hair.

It was an easy answer. “Yeah, see you then.”