56- Courage and courting
He heads into my room and I take a minute to think. I’m proud of myself, sure I wanted to avoid that
conversation, but I survived it, I didn’t run away. I follow Bemy into my room. where he is tucking his
phone and his tie into his pocket.
“What time is it anyway?” I ask, I’m so out of it. I feel like I slept a long time, but there was daylight
coming through the windows, which means either we slept for only a couple hours. OR we slept
through the night and it’s daytime again.
“It’s about one, we slept almost 24 hours. I’m not surprised I slept that much, you’re like a knock out
drug to me, but you must have been really tired to have slept so long.” He looks at me contemting
something. I just shrug.
“I did say I haven’t been sleeping well.” I sort through my drawers looking for somethingfortable to
wear. I haven’t really been doing muchundrytely either. I really need to catch up on my housework.
Eventually I settle on a pair of leggings that I’m pretty sure are clean and a random light grey t–shirt
with blue butterflies printed on it. I throw a bra and pair of underwear onto my pile of clothes and at the
sight of Bemy lounging on my bed, scamper into my bathroom, closing and locking the door behind
me. I can hear himughing softly through the door. I get dressed and pull a brush through my hair,
then step out the bathroom to find socks and shoes. Pretty sure that this is as good as it’s going to get,
I tell Bemy I’m ready to go get food.
We head out together and take a short drive to a nearby bakery. Surprisingly I’ve never been here but
Bemy has and insists that the food is great. We take our ce in the short line. I notice Bemy is
shuffling around awkwardly and shooting sideways nces at me. I make eye contact and tilt my head
sideways in question. He gives a smile, looking a little embarrassed to be caught watching me. Then
he asks;
“I… are you going to be mad at me if I try to pay for your food?” He speaks cautiously, like he’s worried
I will react badly.
“You really want to, don’t you?” I confirm. We only just made up, I don’t want to fight him again, and not
over something so small as paying for my lunch. Bemy nods his head eagerly.
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56- Courage and courting
“Yes, I do,” he confirms.
“Then no, I won’t get mad at you.” Bemy beams at me. I don’t really understand why he is
so happy about something so small, especially since it really seems like I am the one benefiting from it.
We order some pastries and Bemy pays for the food, ncing sideways at me as he does so and
still smiling brightly. Then we find a ce to sit in the back corner of the bakery at a little table with a
vase of dusty, stic flowers decorating it. I’ve only taken a couple bites when Bemy speaks.
“I have something I should probably admit.” he looks a little guilty, I am instantly on guard, but trying
really hard not to panic. I don’t want to fight with him again. That might be my new mantra. Learning to
slow down, listen andpromise is hard, but I’m determined to do it if that’s what it takes to make this
work.
“What is it?” I ask cautiously. Bemy must be able to see how worried I am because he reaches
across the table and takes my hand.
“It’s nothing bad, just… a Shifter thing you probably don’t know about. The reason why it makes me
happy to pay for your food.”
“Oh… okay.” I try to keep the doubt from my tone but I’m almost positive Bemy can hear it because
he squeezes my hand lightly.
“Providing you with food is a sort of… courting ritual for Shifters.” He pauses and waits for me to say
something but I don’t really know what to say, so I stay silent and wait for him to continue his
exnation.
“Often, it is something that Shifters will use at the beginning of a rtionship to show interest, it’s
basically a bit like flirting. Other gifts of things like clothes are also considered a sign of interest. Really,
any gift that shows that you can provide for your potential mate, ist considered to be courting.” He
ducks his head down between hunched shoulders and peers up at me, waiting for my reaction.
“So… the reason you insist on paying is that it’s your way of… flirting?” I ask incredulously.
“Yep.” He answers shortly.
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56- Courage and courting
“…And… the dress you got me?”
“Yeah, that too.” he nods and gives me an awkward grin. I’m baffled, does this mean he liked
me from the start? But he was so rude to me.
“But, even back then?” I’m not even sure I mean the words as a question but Bemy answers
me anyway.
“If I’m being totally honest? I was interested in you right from the start. Well, I was interested once I was
done freaking out and being worried about my sister. Basically a little while after you kicked me out of
your home and I had a minute to think about things and realise I was being ridiculous.” He looks a little
ashamed of himself and I can’t help but crack a smile. Of all the things to happen, I never expected my
soul mate to literally juste knocking on my door. I think back over Bemy’s exnation. So he has
be
attempting to court me, almost the whole time we’ve known each other. I’ve probably been identally
sh sort of intentionally rejecting him all this time. That can’t be good for his self–esteem. He should
know better than to flirt in a way I don’t understand. Then again, I ran away when he flirted in a way I
did understand. Oh for goodness sake, I need a manual or something.
“Ryann? You’ve gone very quiet, it’s a little rming.” Bemy prompts me. I shake myself from my
thoughts.
“Oh, sorry. Uhm… so for the Shifter… courting… flirting… stuff. How… I mean… what… what kind of
response are you hoping for exactly?” I stumble through my question not exactly sure how to ask what I
want to know. Bemy seems to understand my question though.
“It’s rtively straight forward. If a male offers food, he is hoping that his potential mate will ept the
food and in doing so ept that the male is courting her. Although it doesn’t count if it’s offered to a
whole group or if it’s in your own home, that’s just being a good host.” he adds. I nod slowly.
“So me refusing to let you pay was…not what you were hoping for.” I finish awkwardly. Bemy gives a
half smile and a smallugh.
“You could say that. It definitely was not a promising sign for me. And when you threw that. money at
me after we fought at dinner… ouch.” I give an ufortableugh and pull my hand from his, sliding
it under the table. I decide to change the topic from food.
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56- Courage and courting
“What about with the clothes?” I question, although I suspect the answer to this one is straight forward.
“Wearing them of course” Bemy smiles at me. I roll my eyes. Of course.
“Right…so what I’m getting from this, is that every Shifter I’ve met probably already knows… what’s
been happening.” I might not have known Bemy was flirting, but Megan, and all the
Bemy shrugs.
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other Shifters I have spent time with would have to be stupid to miss. Megan, and all the
“Only the ones you’re close to. Remember, except for my sister and Darrien, they wouldn’t know I paid
for your dress, and they haven’t all seen me getting you food.” he reminds me. Okay, that’s a little less
stressful. It would be really embarrassing to think everyone else knew and I had no idea. Particrly
since I already knew he and I are fated.
“Alright, well is there anything else I should know since you have apparently been using all the Shifter
methods of courting without my knowledge?” I cross my arms over my chest and stare him down in a
fake interrogation. I intentionally put on a ridiculously stern expression, I do want an answer, but mostly
I just want to break the tension a bit. Heughs at me. I drop my arms and pick up the bottle of water
Bemy got me earlier.
Strings of Fate