[Xaden x Y/n] Love on the Parapet

Chapter 24

Y/n's pov

This year's winter solstice was not how you imagined it to go. 

You watch Violet drag Liam towards the food venue, the other cadets already holding wine and champagne glasses in their hands, laughing in their little groups. It was almost nearly midnight, but the party seemed like it was only beginning. From the corner of your eyes, you see Imogen find Liam and Violet, her clinking her glass on top of Violet's instead of to its side. Violet rolls her eyes but smiles at Imogen pushing her pink hair back. 

'Why aren't you having fun?' Hwad asks into your bond. 

'This is not how I imagined tonight. I don't want us to change, but I can't exactly control that. I feel like everyone is just slipping through my fingers.' You reply, feeling childish and selfish, but it was Hwad. Your own dragon, you could trust to understand even your ugliest emotions. 

'I know. Basgiath changes everything. Even your past relationships with others.' She replies, purring lowly. You take a glass of wine, and sit down on the corner table watching everyone get drunk already while you have no one to talk to but your dragon through the bond. 

'Hey, am I that bad of a companion to you Cherry? Well then. Where's your wingleader?' Hwad asks, and you sigh, sipping the wine. 

'The leadership called him for something important. And apparently, he can't tell me because it's something related to the first-year course after the winter solstice.' You reply, remembering Xaden had been distracted by everyone calling him everywhere earlier when you were trying to get ready. Bodhi and Garrick were nowhere to be seen as well, possibly either drunk out of their minds in a corridor outside the hall somewhere or in some random girls' bedrooms which you refused to think about. 

'Oh. So that's why you're upset.' Hwad says, her voice sounding almost too kind for a dragon. A red daggertail at that. 

'I feel like a selfish childish bitch for wanting all six of us to be together. Like they have enough to deal with so I can't ask them to do more for me and give me the relationship we used to have at home.' You say, Hwad purring in acknowledgment. 'Do you have nothing better to do than listen to me complain?' You ask, now wondering whether you were wasting her time. 

'Dragons don't drink or sleep around like you underdeveloped creatures. Even on solstice day. And you better stop being sorry for taking up space. Or thoughts, in the case of your friends and the wingleader.' She replies, and you almost roll your eyes. 

'I would if I could just stop being such a crybaby. Not that I can control that.

'No. They love you, so they want you to be by their side. They choose to take care of you.' Hwad says, but before you can reply, you retract into your seat as Dain Aetos comes over to sit by your table. You avoid his gaze, almost hiding in your wine glass when taking another sip of bittersweet wine. 

'Where's Riorson?' He asks, only glancing at you for a second noticing your mood dropping even more at his presence. 

'Wingleader Riorson, to you.' You reply, Aetos scoffing in answer. You turn to give him a glare, but his brown eyes don't hold any malice, not that you would lower your guard. 

'He is wingleader to you, too.' He says, and you feel your patience running thin at the conversation going nowhere, especially when you made it clear that you do hate his guts.  

'What are you trying to achieve here? Got bored because Sorrengail you follow around like a dog won't give you attention?' You ask pointedly, standing up from the table to leave. From the distance, you see Imogen and Liam's attention turning towards you and Aetos.