A Dance with Danger

Bonus 1

**Estelle's POV**

I sit in front of the vanity, watching Tiberius for what feels like the fifth time as he struggles with my bonnet. His brow furrows in concentration as he tugs at it again, trying to get it to stay in place.

"Ti-bear," I call, amused by his frustration. Knight Prince Camryn is at school, and Santiago is napping, leaving me to enjoy a quiet afternoon.

"It keeps slipping!" he grumbles, clearly irritated by my stubborn bonnet. I can't help but laugh at the sight of him, trying his best to keep it on my head.

I lean forward and fix the bonnet myself, smoothing out the edges with ease. He huffs in exasperation, clearly feeling defeated.

"Why do you need this thing anyway?" he asks, the question half-complaint, half-curiosity.

I look at him in mock disbelief, trying to hold back a grin. "I'm Black, Tiberius. Every Black woman has one for her hair! Are you jealous?"

His face is a mask of indifference, but I can tell he's trying not to laugh. "No," he mutters, though his tone betrays him.

I raise an eyebrow, teasing him further. "Tiberius, are you and my bonnet having a competition? Who can outlast the other?"

He doesn't answer, his hands moving absentmindedly as if to avoid admitting anything. I can see the tension in his jaw as he tries to hide a grin.

"I knew it!" I laugh, victorious in my little game.

Tiberius finally lets out a breath, defeated but not entirely annoyed. "It's just... ridiculous. A piece of fabric," he mutters, but I can tell he's warming to the idea, even if he won't admit it.

"It's not ridiculous, Ti. It's part of who I am. And it's cute," I reply, my voice softening, "You could try wearing one. Maybe then you'd see the appeal."

He snorts, shaking his head. "Not happening," he declares firmly. But there's a playful gleam in his eyes, and I know I've won this round.

Sighing dramatically, I stand up and walk over to him. "Fine, keep being jealous then."

Tiberius's eyes narrow playfully. "I'm not jealous," he insists. "But you've got a stubborn streak as big as your head."

I laugh again. "Says the man who can't even handle a simple bonnet."

He grins now, the earlier tension melting away between us. "I'll let you have this one," he concedes, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Good," I reply with a wink. "Because, honestly, it's kind of fun watching you struggle."

He let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't get why it has to be so complicated." He shot me a sideways glance, clearly not ready to admit that he was maybe, just maybe, a little curious about it.

I rolled my eyes, but my smile widened. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah, well, you're not so innocent either," he shot back, his playful tone returning. "I can see right through your little teasing."

"Teasing?" I said with mock offense. "I would never."

Tiberius leaned in closer, eyes twinkling mischievously. "Right, just like you never sneak extra snacks when you think no one's looking."

I blinked, stunned for a second. "That's a low blow, Ti. A very low blow."

"Is that what this is all about? You're mad because you can't find the Doritos bag? Fine. It's in the cabinet. Go ahead and raid my stash," I teased, shaking my head in mock resignation.

"I knew it," he said triumphantly, striding over to the kitchen. "I always knew you had a secret stash."

As he walked off, I sat there for a moment, grinning at the easy banter we shared. Despite how different we were sometimes, moments like these made me realize how important it was to have these silly, carefree moments with him.

"Ti," I called after him, "you forgot to fix it again."

He peeked his head around the corner. "Yeah, well, I'm not doing it for you anymore. I'll let you wear it however you like."

"Alright, alright," I said, standing up and walking over to him. "But don't be surprised if I start calling you 'Ti-Bear' every time you try to mess with my hair."

Tiberius made a face, but I could see the hint of a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'm starting to think I might prefer the bonnet over that nickname."