Boundaries

Tish: unspoken

{Tish}

"So how did it go?" Grant asked us as we walked in. It didn't look like he or Ralph had moved in our time gone. The balloons filled one corner of the room in a panoply of color.

"Tish threatened some hunters, we got in trouble with Sasha, and I think I broke a rib," Conor replied. "It went all right."

He smiled at me, and I was glad to see that he seemed more relaxed.

"You're getting better at jokes, funny man," I replied, making a face at him. "I forgot my stupid glasses in the training room, and Boyd tried to start something in the cafeteria. The rib is Conor's fault."

"Hardly," he grumbled. "How are you, Ralph?"

"I'm fine, Conor. Grant and I had a lovely chat. Peter dropped by. He said he'd be glad to sit with me if you'll let him."

Conor wrinkled his nose. "Maybe."

"Peter's risked a lot for us," I told him. "And nothing happened; Ralph's a tough dude. You have to trust us a little, Conor."

Conor frowned, as if he wanted to argue with me but he didn't say anything. I made a mental note to ask him about it later and shrugged off the conversation we weren't having.

Ralph yawned. "Do you want to wheel about or I'll call it a day? I'm pretty wiped."

"We can call it," Conor agreed. "I'm going to be sore, I know it."

He collapsed in the chair on the other side of Ralph's bed. Grant rose, nodded to Ralph and we turned for the door.

"Hey Tish," Conor called. "Thanks for the shoes."

"Thanks for coming with me to the cafeteria," I smiled. "See you around, Conor."

We left the room. Grant gave me a sidelong glance to which I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever you're clearly wanting to say, say it when we get out of earshot," I hissed.

Grant sniggered, but didn't say anything until we made it to the other side of the building and into my room. Both of us peeled off the glasses and tossed them onto the table. We could leave them off so long as we stayed in our wing: Sasha's bone she threw us.

"You like him," he said in a singsong voice. "And before you protest, remember we dated once upon a time ago. I know your mating call when I see it."

"He's not available," I shot back. "His girlfriend could kill me in a blink of an eye. So stop making this into a big deal. I don't want to spook Conor out of teaching me because you're teasing him."

"I had no plans to tease him," he said loftily and flopped down on my bed. "Just you. Out of earshot."

"Good, because I will gut you if you make Conor uncomfortable," I told him. "Seriously Grant. I'm adult enough to admit that I like him. A lot more than I was expecting. He's sweet. He's genuine."

"Aw," Grant laughed.

"I'm not going to expound on his virtues just so you can harass me," I said hotly. "But he's also a mess. He doesn't know how to process all these emotions he's feeling: loyalty towards the pack, worry for Stefa, his affection for me. He trusts me. He trusts you. We cannot break that, especially over something as dumb as a crush. Something will either come from it, or it won't. We have an eternity to figure it out."

Grant rolled onto his stomach. "I take it you're not mates, then."

"Based on what I've seen, no," I admitted. "I'm not sure that such things matter, especially since Conor and I aren't anything anyway."