𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 - 𝐿.𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑏𝑦

3.

 "So how long do you get to stay with me?" Lee asked, as we sat down to eat. Lee had ordered a bacon sandwich, and I did the same because I didn't know what was on their menu. I hadn't had bacon in such a long time.

"Around six hours," I looked at my watch, "now around five and a half." I laughed.

"Well, we should make those six hours count." He winked at me and smirked.

Is he flirting with me already? God, I hate men. I picked up my sandwich and began to eat.

Lee and I talked and ate for approximately twenty minutes, then got up to leave.

"Don't you have to, you know, pay?" I asked.

"Here? No. They don't make me pay for some reason. I always told them I don't have any money. It's strange how they don't make me pay, because that's something the Magisterium will never approve of. All they want is their money and good reputation." He laughed as he slipped his hands into his leather pockets. He must be really hot in all that leather. I thought.

"So, what do you do for a living, Lee?" I said.

"I'm an aeronaut. Did I mention that already?"

"Oh, right. You did. My bad."

"No! It's okay. My memory isn't the best, either. I mean, let's flip this question around. What do you do for a living?" He looked at me, instead of the ground this time.

"Oh! Well, I'm the only female Scholar at Jordan College in Oxford. I don't know if you've heard of that or not, being from Texas and all." Magnus fluttered over to my shoulder.

"Of course I've heard of Jordan College. And you're the only female Scholar? How? How did they let you in?"

"Oh, uhm, well. My father is very strict. He works for the Magisterium, so he forced me to work there and forced them to let me work there." I explained.

"Do you at least like it?" He asked. We turned around a corner and Lee sat on a barrel and I leaned against a wall.

"I do, actually. I get to study a cool object called an Alethiometer," my hands started to flail around. They do that when I talk about stuff I find interesting, "it has these cool symbols that tell the truth, but it takes years to master and it's kind of like a clock but it moves on its own with the power of your mind-" Lee stopped me.

"I get it. I get it. I mean, at least you're enjoying something you were forced to do. Not many people like that. And that Aletheioma-thingy sounds interesting." Lee reached in his pocket and pulled out a small box and lighter. A cigarette box, to be exact. He lit the cigarette and started to smoke it.

"You- you smoke?" I asked.

He looked at me. "Oh. Yeah. It's a bad habit of mine I've been trying to break."

I stared at him. "Well, I don't think you're doing so well." I laughed. He rolled his eyes at me and continued to smoke. He looked quite handsome with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

"I don't know, it just helps me with stress and whatever. It takes my mind off things. And yes, I know it's bad for me. You seem like the kind of person who would tell me that."

I raised my eyebrow at him and he laughed. "What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You just seem like the kind of person who was raised like that."

"Okay, then."

I talked to him for around an hour. He was very interesting. He told me all about his family while he smoked a few more cigarettes. He told me about his hobby as an aeronaut and his arctic hare daemon, Hester. She was very talkative. More talkative than most daemons I know, including mine. Magnus hated to socialize.

As Lee and I were walking through Trollesund, I came across the Gyptians again with Lyra.

"Hello, Y/N." John Faa, the king of Gyptians said. "I see you have met someone."

"Yes, I have." I looked at Lee and smiled.

"Lee Scoresby. I can fight and I can fly. I don't come cheap and neither should I. You'll get gold for gold." He reached out his hand for John to shake, and he did so.

"And I think he will be of some great use, being an aeronaut. That's what we need. Someone who can look overhead and warn us of any trouble brewing." But Lee looked at me. He whispered in my ear:

"You didn't tell me about joining your team. I don't even know what you're doing."

I replied, "we need to save children from the Gobblers! And we need you to help us. Desperately." I was starting to get anxious.

Lee sighed. "Fine, I'll help you," I jumped up and down a little, but Lee was still going apparently, "only if you'll give me good food." I laughed.

John Faa sighed. "Yes, Mr. Scoresby. We'll give you good food for you to join us."

Then, Lyra walked up to Lee. "I'm glad to have you on our team, Mr. Scoresby."