Another

[Serenity’s POV]

The next day, I stand outside of The Academy, staring up at the star-filled sky. After agreeing to join the disciplinary committee with Eleanor, I discovered that our first act would be patrolling the grounds after curfew to make sure all the students were in their dorms as expected. Even if it was a hassle to have to do something so irritating, I owed Eleanor since it was partly my fault she got in trouble.

“Are you sure about this?” Maverick murmurs, draping his jacket around me. “You really don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.”

“It’s fine.” I respond, pulling his offering around me so that his scent envelopes me.

Sighing, I close my eyes and try to imagine that it is his arms that are wrapping gently around me instead of fabric, but I knew there was no way that would happen. Since Maverick was with me out of his sense of duty for what I did for him, there was no way he would see me as anything more than his charge, which was fine until recently.