“So, what is your favorite food?” Hero asked.

“Coffee.”

“That’s not food.”

“It comes from a bean and that’s food!”

Hero laughed, their conversation carrying on in this manner for hours. They talked, sharing their likes and dislikes, favorite bands and music, where they liked to travel to, the activities they enjoyed, and random stories from their pasts. Hawk had to be very careful on what he shared so he didn’t raise any suspicions or questions in Hero’s mind he couldn’t answer.

When it came to the topic of coworkers, Hero asked Hawk what exactly he had against Alerik.

“Couldn’t say,” Hawk said honestly. “It isn’t that I hate him, but his entire existence annoys me. It’s fun to annoy him back.” He grinned broadly.

“Your canines are longer than the rest of your teeth,” Hero pointed out randomly. “Did you know that?”

Hawk touched the tip of one incisor with his tongue and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, but it doesn’t bother me. Makes me look extra devilish.” He glanced over, giving him a sinful, toothy smile, his tongue licking the other fang, his eyebrow cocked, pushing his hair back from his face.

Hero’s heart skipped and he averted his gaze, his face heating up almost instantly.

Hawk felt it and stopped, realizing what he had done. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mean—”

Hero shook his head. “It’s fine,” he said. “I mean…it’s not a secret I think you’re—” he couldn’t even finish, he was so embarrassed.

Hawk grinned and tilted his head. “That I’m what? Sexy? Gorgeous? Sinful?”

Hero didn’t even need to respond with words. Hawk could feel his attraction, feel how Hawk was affecting him. He looked away, folding his hands loosely over his knees. He closed his eyes and focused a little bit of his energy toward Hero, trying to calm his heart and his nerves. Both of them were surprised that it worked.

After a few minutes of silence, both of them gazing out over the city, taking in the soft red glow that was beginning to break over the horizon, Hero said softly, “Does it bother you?”

“You already know the answer to that,” Hawk replied.

“I want to hear you say it.”

Hawk swallowed, his hands clenching. “No, it doesn’t. Besides, it isn’t like I don’t think the same of you.” He looked down. “I almost kissed you earlier. I really wanted to but I knew it would have been a very bad idea.”

“Why?”

Hawk’s eyes glanced over as his head leaned back, his brow furrowed. “Because it wouldn’t have ended there and I didn’t want that for you.”

Hero raised a questioning brow.

Hawk sighed and turned his face away, closing his eyes. “You’ve heard I have a reputation at work.” It wasn’t a question. “It’s not entirely inaccurate. I’ve slept around…a lot, even with a few people from work, most of which don’t even work there anymore.” Or don’t remember. “Fuck ‘em and dump ‘em, that’s what I do, or did. I haven’t been with anyone for a while.”

“Why not?” 

A door closed in the link and Hero knew he wasn’t getting an answer to that one. All Hawk would say was, “It didn’t end well.” He ran a hand through his hair and let it come to rest on the back of his neck. Leaning his head back, he grinned at Hero. “What surprises me is how they wasted no time in telling you what a manwhore I am.”

“Or was?” Hero smiled.

Hawk shrugged. “Either way. Who was it that told you? I’m just curious.”

“Charlotte.”

Hawk’s whole body tensed, his eyes going dark. Hero shuddered at the waves of anger and hatred that radiated throughout Hawk’s entire being. It was so strong and heavy, Hero became lightheaded and nauseous almost instantly. Sensing what was happening, Hawk focused in on himself, drawing back and calming himself down. To Hero, it was almost like a dark fog was lifting, taking with it the sickness it induced.

Hero sat with his head in his hands, shaking, breathing deeply. Hawk’s heart was pounding, eyes wide. He had no idea his reaction to her name would affect Hero so badly. But then, he also had no idea he would react that way at all. The worst part was he wanted to reach over and touch him, to hold him and apologize, but he knew that would only make it worse. He couldn’t touch him…no matter how badly he wanted to, he had to refrain.

“I’m—sorry, Hero, I didn’t know that would happen.”

“You really hate her,” he said, his voice shaky. “I’ve never known anyone to hate someone so deeply.”

Hawk swallowed and continued to watch him, helpless. He tried to switch his energy back to how it was before, to help him like he had before, but somehow he couldn’t seem to do it. That darkness that had broken out of him was still swirling around, numbing him, making it almost impossible to find what he needed. All he could do was sit and wait.

It took a few minutes, but finally Hero was calm enough to raise his head and take a deep breath. “That sucked,” he exhaled. His eyes flashed to Hawk, the fire within them burning into his soul. “Never do that again,” he said firmly. “Ever.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Work on it.” Hero stared at him, daring him to try and make some sort of excuse. “That hurt, Hawk. I almost puked and passed out from the amount of hatred you have for her. How you manage to contain that level of toxicity within you is beyond me, but I had better never experience it again. You’re no longer alone in there, just like I’m not alone in me. That’s something we both have to remember every minute of the day. We might not share the same emotions, but we can feel each other, sense almost everything about each other. Good and bad. Whatever problem you have with her isn’t mine.”

Hawk stared down at his feet, the grass bright in the dawning light. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had spoken to him that way and he had no clue how to respond. Even at his peak, no one dared chastise or yell at him, not even the Kings. Likely it was due to his unpredictable and volatile behavior. No one wanted to be at the end of his bad mood.

Now, however…

He sighed. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I should have been more careful.”

“You didn’t know,” Hero said more gently. “Now you do and now you can be more aware of it.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the sun appear over the mountain where Hawk had said it would, the trees lighting up as though set ablaze. It really was a truly remarkable spectacle. Hero relaxed, folding his arms on top of knees and allowing a small smile to grace his lips. His relaxation spilled over into Hawk who gratefully accepted it. 

He hadn’t been surprised Charlotte had opened her mouth to Hero. She had made it clear to him she could use his friends against him at any moment. If that meant spilling a dirty little secret or two just to see what Hero would do, whether he would still accept Hawk or turn from him, then it was all the same to her. What surprised him was his own strong reaction to it. She could tell anyone else she wanted to, who cared. But she told Hero…a man he barely knew, a new employee, even. If he wanted to be petty, he could go to the management and file a report of malicious gossip against her.

Alerik deserved petty.

Charlotte deserved pain. He had to make it clear to her she was playing with fire when it came to Hero, and Hawk would burn her if she so much as thought to weaponize Hero against him. He had to protect Hero from her, that much was evident, especially if she found out about their bond. Charlotte Graves would enjoy terrorizing Hawk through that connection and he knew it.