Page 44 of Group Studies

“Both of you stop,” I said, raising my voice. “Beryl, put me down.”

After another heartbeat of tension pulsed between the two of them, he did. I landed unsteadily on my feet. Blood rushed from my head and I wobbled. Before Beryl could steady me, Ashe gripped my biceps and pulled me into his arms.

“Nope,” I said, lurching away to stand between the two wobbling slightly. “Ashe is the who from last night.” I motioned to Beryl. “And Ashe, Beryl’s who got blamed. Now, I’m either going to my Shell for some alone time or to Professor Garnet’s office for a group study session. What do you two want?”

Ashe narrowed his eyes. “I said I don’t fuck around, Kitten.”

Beryl snorted. “Then why are we still keeping our drowned pussy waiting in the hall?”

Ashe narrowed his eyes at Beryl in disbelief.

I giggled. Wringing a bit more water out of my skirt, I turned down the hall and flounced toward Professor Garnet’s office.

* * *

I scowled at Professor Garnet’s locked office. Although I just sent him a text, I wanted to get out of the hall before the Institute's camera system came back on and Beryl abandoned me.

My phone chimed, and I cheered.

PG: Magic’s green. The rest is mundane.

PG: Know I’m keeping track of our games. I will even the score.

I flushed, understanding the message behind his cryptic text. He lowered the protective magic around his office, he knew I wasn't going in alone.

While I smiled at my phone, Beryl’s nimble fingers picked the lock.

Ashe eyed him. “Who are you?”

I stepped into the room and slipped my wet shoes onto Professor Garnet’s shoe rack. The cloudy afternoon light streamed through the low windows on the far side. After a second thought, I sat on the bare floor to peel off my soggy socks.

Ashe crouched next to me. “I can’t believe no one even bothered to dry you off.”

He scowled at Beryl.

“Have you looked at my jeweled blue babies?” Beryl asked, pointing at his eyes. “Internal only, man. I was doing my best to get her to a hot shower before you came along and slowed the process down.”

A hot shower suddenly sounded terrific. Like a zombie, I stood and walked across Professor Garnet’s padded fluffy office. I guessed the hot water nozzle in his large industrial shower on the first try. My wet clothing stuck to me. After a moment of struggling, Beryl’s smooth, bare arms wrapped around my back and helped me with my top buttons.

“A, can we talk first?” Ashe asked.

I turned to Beryl’s shirtless chest. Ashe hadn’t quite made it into the washroom yet. Both his powerful forearms leaned against the outside of the doorframe, keeping him just outside the washroom. The white shirt of his GS uniform pulled against his bulky muscles as he watched us.

I bit my bottom lip. “Ashe, you don’t have to stay. I pressured you. I transferred into you under duress. It wasn’t right-”

Ashe cut me off. “You would’ve lost your hands if you fucking hadn’t, and I probably would’ve died trying to save them.” He growled. “I meant what I said, even if you hadn’t transferred, you would’ve ended up in my arms.” His eyes flicked to Beryl. “I’m not used to there being a third person.”

“Mage,” Beryl corrected. “Dot’s a powerhouse. There’s no way it will stay just the two of us.”

Ashe angrily slapped the door frame and studied Beryl. I slid over to the shower, shoving my clothing off as I walked, before stepping into the cloud of steam. The air warmed my lungs. Hot water beat against my cold, stressed-out skin.

“Who the fuck even are you?” Ashe repeated. “Where have you been for the last three weeks?”

“That’s such a deep question,” Beryl said. “And honestly, man, you already know. I’m not taking the time to explain it.” Beryl paused. “You stayed at Dot’s side since you arrived. You’ve listened to her, defended her, and though I assumed it was Saff who got her clasps off, it was you.” Beryl paused again. “And yet you’re still here, and she’s still here.”

I wrinkled my nose, feeling like I missed part of their conversation. Popping open Professor Garnet’s body wash, I enjoyed the scent of it before slowly messaging it into my skin, waiting.

Ashe cleared his throat. “Where else would we be?”

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