It was always weird bringing someone new here. Dylan step-slid down to the bottom of the pit with Sakura behind him. Cloud cover hid the stars, and it looked like it might rain. Dylan hoped it held off for a while.
“The last time I was here, me and Izume were watching you beat up Conner Mays.”
Dylan didn’t remember seeing them, but he’d been focused on his anger at the time. “I’m so glad that asshole is gone.” Conner was probably bullying people at a college somewhere.
“Me too.”
They reached the bottom and walked to the pile of scrap wood Dylan had set up yesterday. The scent of sawdust mingled with the smoky tang of ashes from past fires. Dylan flicked a hand, and sparks ignited along the wood.
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but what happened with you and Hanna?”
He hadn’t been expecting a question like that. “We broke up.”
Sakura sighed. “I know that. But why?” She turned from the growing fire to look at him.
“Oh.” Well, it wasn’t like he had any reason to hide it. “She dumped me. She said she wanted to find out who she was on her own, without a boyfriend.” It still stung.
“Huh.” Sakura reached out, using her magic to toy with the flames. “I find it hard to believe anyone would dump you. But…” She licked her lips. “I know it’s selfish, but I’m glad she did, because that means I get to date you now.”
The past few years a lot of girls had been paying attention to Dylan, but it was because he was a town hero after fighting corrupt wardens and killing a dark fae. And of course last school year he’d helped save the town. He could hardly turn around without some girl batting her eyelashes at him.
Sakura was different though. She and Izume had never been afraid of him and had always enjoyed facing him in Major Magical Control. Sakura had confessed that she’d had a crush on him for a long time. It wasn’t because he’d become more popular than infamous.
Dylan tugged Sakura close and kissed her. He’d really liked Hanna and missed her, but Sakura was more like him. Bold, and proud of her skill with fire magic. And she’d been almost fearless during the attack on prom, rushing into the fight against the antitreaty people and coming along to help at city hall.
When the kiss ended, she smiled up at him. “Does that mean you agree?”
“Yeah.” Warmth tingled through him.
She laughed and stepped away. Flames shot from her hands, and she made them dance in front of her. “So is this what you do here? Burn piles of wood?”
“And play with my magic like you’re doing.” He sent a stream of fire into the middle of hers, the magics twining and flowing together. It was an odd sensation, very different from battling against her in gym.
Her smile widened. “Oh wow. This is like what I do with Izume.” Firelight danced in her eyes.
“It’s still weird to see you without her.” They’d been on a few dates over the past few months, but for years he’d thought of Sakura and Izume as a unit. The fox sisters.
“We are pretty much attached at the hip, aren’t we?” She looked at Dylan, her flames still moving even though she was focused on him. “Would it be okay if we sat with you at lunch?” She wrinkled her nose. “Or is that too clingy? I know you’ve got kind of a guy thing going since Hanna left.”
Although sometimes that “guy thing” consisted of Aiden and Tiago trying not to make goo-goo eyes at each other. Dylan didn’t want him and Sakura slobbering all over each other like some couples at school, but he did wish they could at least hold hands.
“Sure, I guess.” Dylan shrugged.
“Such enthusiasm.” Her fire expanded into a ball and surrounded his, like a big fish eating a smaller one.
“Hey!”
She laughed, then her expression turned serious. “Is it weird I like this better than going out to eat and stuff? Don’t get me wrong, I do like dressing up and going out to a restaurant once in a while, but this seems more”—she waved a hand—“natural.”
“No, it’s not weird.” He went over and wrapped his arms around her. “I like it better too.” Dylan nuzzled her neck, the scent of her magic heavy around her. Incense and fur. Under that she smelled faintly of soap and shampoo.
Her breath puffed close to his ear, going a little fast. “Good.”
Dylan brushed her hair aside so he could kiss her neck. She tasted good too, like clean skin and something earthy.
Sakura tugged his face up and kissed him hungrily. Warmth expanded inside him like her fire had, filling him up. He wanted more—more of her lips, more of her hands gripping him. They made it to one of the large, flat rocks near the bonfire and kissed until they couldn’t breathe.
Sakura laid her head on his shoulder as they sat together. “Can’t do that at a restaurant.”
Dylan laughed, trying not to think of the ache in his groin. “Or a movie theater.”
“Well, we could try, but we’d risk getting kicked out.”
Wood popped as the fire slowly consumed it. How serious is this? How serious do I want it to be?
Would Sakura change her mind and dump him like Hanna had?
“Is something wrong?” she asked. “You look serious. Is it something I said?”
“No. Just… thinking.”
She didn’t look relieved. “About what?”
“Us,” he admitted.
“Oh.” A faint scent of fear rose off her.
He was such a jerk for making her worry. “Not in a bad way. I mean, not really.” Dylan sighed. It would be needy and weak to admit that Hanna dumping him had made him insecure. Especially since Sakura had admitted to having a crush on him for years. But what if the reality of dating him didn’t measure up to what she’d imagined?
She was still looking at him expectantly.
“My last two relationships didn’t last long.” There, that was something.
“Do you think I’ll leave? Or do you not want me to get attached?” Her thumb played along the back of his hand.
Geez, nothing like putting him on the spot. “I like you a lot. I’m just… not very good at this dating thing.”
She smiled at him tentatively. “You’re doing a good job so far.”
“The making-out part or bringing you to here to burn things?”
“Both.” Her smile widened, and she leaned in to kiss him.
The soft feel of her lips washed everything away for a moment. Maybe this wouldn’t go wrong. Third time’s the charm, right?