That startles a laugh out of Aster. “Really?”

“Really. It’s the main reason why Han and him get along so well. They both get real passionate about stuff, sometimes so much that it’s almost scary,” Damien says wryly. “If Flynn had even a drop of magic in him, I’m sure Han would’ve dropped me for him in a heartbeat.”

“He wouldn’t.”

Damien laughs. “Okay, maybe not. I’d give it a 50/50; I do have my uses after all.” He settles back in his seat languidly. “But overall, from what I know about Flynn, I’d say he’s a decent guy.”

“Decent guys don’t snub their fiances when they meet them after years of silence,” Aster mutters bitterly. “And I’m sure as Hale they don’t skip out on breakfast just to avoid seeing them.”

“That’s true too,” Damien concedes. His face seems to soften. “I’m sorry.”

“Why’re you apologising so much? It’s weird.”

“But you were looking forward to seeing him again. Weren’t you?”

Her fingers lace together again; lace, lace, lace- tight enough for the tips of her fingers to turn red. She can’t bring herself to look away. 

A finger taps on the back of her hand. When she looks up, she’s immediately met with Damien’s gaze. All of a sudden, she’s overwhelmed by the urge to cry.

She tamps down the feeling. When she speaks again, her voice is small. “…How could I not look forward to seeing him?”

The look on Damien’s face is gentle.“You want me to talk to him?” He asks. “Find out why he’s been acting this way towards you?”

Yes. 

No. 

“I don’t know,” Aster says. “I don’t wanna drag you into anything.”

“Since when have you ever dragged me into anything?” Damien says wryly. “Not once have I ever done anything in my life that I wasn’t willing to do of my own volition.”

“Yeah, but… what if he starts avoiding you too? Aren’t you guys friends?”

“And aren’t you my best friend? I’d say in terms of rank, you far outstrip him.”

It’s so ridiculous that Aster has to laugh. “You’d better not let anyone hear you say that last part. Who knows what they’d do to you?”

“Let them at me. I can handle it.” The look on his face is so stupidly cocksure that it has Aster cracking up even more. “I mean it, Aster,” he says, with a certain kind of gravity. “If it means ruining whatever kind of friendship I’ve built with Flynn over the past year, I’d gladly throw it away if it meant sticking up for you.”

It’s the truth. Aster knows, not just because he’s resorted to using her actual name instead of the nickname he’d pinned her with since they were kids. But because they’ve been together far too long for Damien’s words not to ring true. 

“I know,” Aster says. Because if their roles had been reversed, if Damien was the one in her shoes, she’d be saying the exact same thing to him too. 

“Good.”

She wonders if the way they are now is a testament to their friendship; the way a year-long eternity dwindles to nothing in the space of her study, feet tucked atop her desk as she watches the silver in Damien’s ear glint in the firelight. 

“I missed you.”

Damien’s eyebrows raise perceptibly, clearly not expecting that from her so out of the blue. But then his face softens, every sharp edge giving way to a single, fond smile. 

“Glad to know I wasn’t the only one.”