he had ever felt in his dormitory despite living there for most of his life. Something about living in such a huge house felt… right.
Shaking off the strange thought, Eridan left the house and stopped on the porch, choosing it as the middle ground between waiting for his Master inside the house or at the gates. Waiting inside the house would be considered too disrespectful, but he cringed at the thought of waiting for Idhron at the gates like a domesticated animal for its owner. So the porch it was. Eridan hoped Idhron wouldn’t get too offended. Idhron didn’t seem like a stickler for stupid traditions just for the sake of it, but who knew what kind of mood he was in after his trip.
But there was no reward without a risk. These first days of his probationary apprenticeship would set the entire tone of his relationship with his Master. He had no intention of being a pushover. He might make Idhron displeased, but Eridan wanted to test the boundaries, to test how far he could actually push them.
He kept his gaze down, but he didn’t need to see Idhron to feel him approach. It was the strangest feeling. The bond that tied them seemed to tighten and vibrate the closer his Master got. Eridan caught his bottom lip between his teeth, breathing evenly, in and out. In and out.
As Idhron’s shiny black boots came into view, Eridan dropped to his knees fluidly and said, “Master. Was your trip fruitful?”
A hand took his chin and tipped it up.
Blue eyes swept over his new clothes before focusing back on his face. “It was,” he said. “I see you worked on your shields in my absence.”
Eridan nodded and dropped his gaze, the tips of his ears burning. The desire to hide his conversation with Javier from Idhron had been a good incentive.
“Shall we test them, then?” Idhron said mildly, his thumb moving along Eridan’s jawline until it was pressed against Eridan’s telepathic point.
Eridan shuddered, the bond between them pulsing with need.
“Not good enough,” Idhron stated.
Was it his imagination or did Idhron really sound a little breathless?
“I’m sorry, Master,” Eridan said, glaring at the wooden floor of the porch. “I will try harder.”
Idhron released his chin. “You will,” he said. He headed inside the house, clearly expecting Eridan to follow him. He did, of course.
Idhron led him toward his study. Along the way, Eridan quietly instructed the house’s AI to have Idhron’s favorite meals delivered as soon as possible from the kitchens. Personally, Eridan always found himself in a better mood if his stomach was full, and he hoped that was true for his Master, too.
Idhron sat in the chair behind his desk and gestured for Eridan to take the seat to his right.
Eridan did as he was told and folded his hands in his lap, the picture of a perfect apprentice.
Judging by Idhron’s narrowed eyes, he only managed to make him suspicious.
“Have you done the assignment?” Idhron said.
Eridan pouted, thinking about the message he had received from Idhron a few days ago. “About that. I’ve never heard of Masters assigning their apprentices homework. I still have initiates’ classes I have to attend, you know.”
Idhron didn’t look sorry for him. “Have you?” he said, his tone colder.
Eridan sighed. So whining his way out of doing homework wasn’t a line Idhron would allow him to push. More was the pity, but good to know.
“I have, Master,” he said, smiling innocently when Idhron gave him a hard, assessing look. “Thanks, by the way. I had lots of fun doing those tasks.”
He had expected Idhron to be angry—or his unemotional version of it, anyway—for attempting to play him, but the older man’s gaze seemed almost… appreciative?
“Did you now,” Idhron said without much inflection.
Eridan nodded, trying to squash down the urge to impress him. What was wrong with him? It wasn’t about impressing Idhron. Or rather, it wasn’t about impressing Idhron for the sake of impressing him. He wanted to be promoted to a real apprentice. That was the goal. Nothing else.
“I wasn’t sure what to do at first,” Eridan admitted. “You just told me to learn five other people’s secrets without getting caught, and I wasn’t sure what method you wanted me to use. And I’ve never been good at reading people’s minds, so I was a little bit frustrated.” That was putting it mildly. He had been fuming that Idhron had set him up to fail. It wasn’t as though Idhron didn’t have access to