clear. Ravi could hear it in his voice. And that was wrong, that’s what it was. To make that assumption and basically cut Sora out of the fun. Ravi would figure out later who was stupid enough to do that and then have many, many words with them.
“It’s part of why I wanted to date you,” Sora admitted after a moment. “Because you’ve never done that. You always start a joke and then give me a grin like you’re inviting me to come and play. I feel more included because of it, and life’s become vastly more fun. Do you do that intentionally, to make me welcome?”
“No? I mean, great if that’s how it’s working, but it’s more habit on my part.” Ravi slowed the car to make the next curve, as they were traveling through a steep section of the mountain. “Ever since I was knee-high, I’ve tried to make the clan laugh. They were so depressed after the war, and Hoheit in so much pain, they all needed to laugh. I’ve been cracking jokes for hundreds of years. I don’t always get a good response, but I try.”
“Ah. It makes sense to me, that your nature is so. Wind dragons are notorious pranksters at heart.”
Ravi blinked at this. “Are we really?”
“Oh, yes. We have many wind dragons in the clan. They’re all like you in some way. Quick-tongued pranksters with a tendency to be impulsive. They’re also incredibly light of foot like you are. You didn’t know?”
“Not one bit.”
Ravi thought about the implications of being able to meet a wind dragon. There was a lot that he didn’t know, that he’d figured out on his own. How his wind ability worked, for instance. He turned wistful at the idea of having an hour to ask the many, many questions he harbored.
“You think I can maybe meet a wind dragon from your clan?”
“I’ll make sure it happens.”
“Every time you make me a sweet promise, it makes me want to do naughty things to you.”
“Sounds like incentive to me.” Sora ducked in closer to steal a kiss as Ravi stopped at a crossroad. “I like doing things for you.”
Seriously, this man. Ravi would ask the cosmos what to do with him, but actually, he had too many ideas as it was. He kissed him back quickly before continuing to drive.
“I want to do things for you, too. So far, you’ve been helping me and my clan, and I haven’t been able to do anything in return.”
“Well, the situation rather called for it.”
“I mean, not arguing, but not my point, either.”
“You’re already helping me tremendously by pulling my clan out of hiding.”
Ravi gave a bzzt, like a game show host when a contestant gave the wrong answer. “Try again. Something more personal.”
“Take me flying?”
That wasn’t at all the question Ravi had expected. He blinked a few times, processing that.
“Sure? I mean, I love to fly, I’m all for it if you want to go on a trip with me.”
“It’s not often the dragons of my clan will take one of us flying, unless it’s their mate or there’s some task that requires it.” Sora’s voice turned soft and wistful, a little nostalgic. “But the few times I’ve been up, it was glorious. So liberating, as if gravity’s hold on me had fallen away completely. I loved every second of it.”
Now he was talking Ravi’s language.
“There’s no freedom like sailing through the sky. I hear you there. As soon as we have everyone settled, let’s go for an evening flight, yeah?”
Sora sounded like a child being offered some forbidden treat. “You mean it?”
“Absolutely. I have a harness fitted to me. I’ll strap you in and we’ll take off.” Ravi bounced a bit in his seat in anticipation. “This will be fun.”
“And a reward for hauling grumpy people out of an airport. Most of the clan doesn’t view flying on an airplane well.”
“Ha! Not surprised. My clan only does it out of strict necessity. Wait, didn’t you tell me you travel a lot?”
“I do, but usually alone. It’s not something my family joins me on.”
“Really? But like…isn’t staying in one place all the time boring?”
“I’ve always thought so. There’s so much of the world to see, after all. Why stay in one corner of it?”
“Exactly.”
Sora gave him a nod, both of them firmly on the same page. “Then, you’ll take trips with me?”
“You bet I will. Ooh, where should we go first?”
“Now, that’s a question. It also begs the question—where all have you