It’s been weeks since Embry made a contract for the third time. Or the second time. Technically. Since latching onto your mother’s spark was less a consciously made contract and more the primal will of an unborn.

This third binding feels right, though, and the young Mage breathes cloudy puffs into the evening air. It’s still cold once the sun vanishes behind the hills, but the shiver he’s acutely aware of isn’t caused by the dropping temperature.

Right now his magic feels… like a comfortably low thrum under his skin and reminds him, oddly, of the sated feeling of sex.

Embry never associated a contract with anything remotely sexual. You just don’t. With Berinn, sex was merely a way to scratch an itch. And one time was enough to understand that the Page would never reach the itch to properly scratch it. It was good. Just not worth risking the contract for a second or third serving.

With Kuo, and to his own chagrin, he always feels close to just grabbing and claiming.

Consequences be damned.

And it’s bad because, although the contract forging was charged with so many emotions and such overwhelming intimacy, the Page slipped through his fingers and huddled back into a zone of neutrality paired with a blank face shielding Kuo’s emotions. He understands why the Page does it. He knows it’s sensible and the right decision.

It feels wrong though.

Embry constantly wants to ruffle the Page’s feathers with merciless flirting and teasing. He knows it’s a bad habit. So fucking bad. He shouldn’t risk everything. But there are strange dreams and an embarrassing amount of painful boners every time he smells that combination of spark and herbs so unique for his Page.

So he really tries to be good, observing the Fledglings, some Pages and peasants mingling around the fireplace.

“You good?” Aik asks and unceremoniously plops down next to him on the low wall.

“Yeah. Just don’t feel like leaving my spot right now.”

Aik hums and sips his beer. “Not even for plum dumplings or him?” he asks slyly and gestures to Kuo standing close to the fire.

The cooks hand out the sweets to patient kids and adults and Embry really loves them but, right now, he’s glued to his spot and forced to watch with envy. He doesn’t want to do something stupid as he is already completely overwhelmed by his Page licking his lips, chasing the sugary juice of the plum stuffing.

The gesture might be completely innocent, but it kills Embry to watch. For him, it’s borderline obscene. He’d do everything to slip his tongue into the Page’s mouth and taste the plum, the sugar, the spices and, foremost, his Page.

“Yo, Em. You’ll drool if you don’t close your mouth.” Aik snickers and claps his shoulder. “Man, to have it so bad so fast. Who would have thought?”

And Embry agrees.

Who would have thought?

Benji runs up, a huge smile on his face, and starts talking animatedly to the taller Page. Kuo nods and wipes his hands absentmindedly on his trousers, and Embry mourns the waste of sugar. He would have volunteered to lick every single finger clean.

And instantly huffs at his own thoughts. Come on, get a grip. On these hips… his hands would mould themselves perfectly around those slender hip bones.

Embry feels his face heating up again, and his trousers become uncomfortable at an embarrassing speed. Again.

“Wanna go walk a bit and see where Carla is?” Aik offers, but Embry is ready to bolt.

“I forgot something. Don’t wait on me,” he mumbles and tries to find Kuo with his eyes one last time. His Page is about to get dragged away by Benji, who is oblivious and happily talking about who knows what. But Kuo just stands there, a light tint to his ears and face, eyes just a little bit glassy… staring at Embry’s crotch.

And yes, it’s obvious, and that's why Embry really wants to leave quickly. To be caught wasn’t his plan. Having fantasies and wet dreams is one thing. Lusting publically another.

Kuo’s eyes shoot up, staring at him, frazzled, lips slightly open, and Embry runs.

There’s no way this can go on forever. But maybe this will go away sometime, or any time. Sooner or later. Maybe. Hopefully.