Kaidan came to a stop a few steps back, taking in the way Javi was squaring off with the restaurant window like it had personally offended him.
He didnât comment on it right away.
âLost in your head,â Kaidan repeated, dry, a brow lifting slightly. âShocking. I was starting to think youâd found a new hobbyâstaring contests with reflective surfaces.â
His gaze flicked to the window, then down the street, clocking the options without attaching meaning to them. Just terrain. Light. Noise. Flow of people.
âYou look like youâre deciding whether to walk into a trap,â he said, tone even, not unkind. âIf itâs a bad meal, you leave. If itâs loud, you talk louder. None of this is irreversible.â
A pause. Then, more grounded:
âYouâve been wound tight all week,â Kaidan added, eyes back on Javi. âIf youâre trying to pick somewhere to breathe for an hour, pick the quieter place. Less chaos. More room to think.â
He stepped past him, then stopped, glancing back.
âAnd for the recordâstanding on a sidewalk overanalyzing menus is a worse look than any restaurant you could choose. Commit to something and go sit down.â
Not a command. Just the kind of nudge that came from someone who knew when Javi was spiraling.
Javi was quiet for a few moments longer as his gaze picked apart a few other aspects of the establishment through the large glass window that separated them. When he finally turned to his rider, he shook his head with a small smile. "Your concern is appreciated, but misplaced today. I am not seeking refugio for myself. Not today." He explained.
"When you first started getting to know your mate," He began and turned to face the High Lord, "How did you make certain that everything was perfecto?" He allowed the question to hang for just a moment before he inhaled. "I met a young woman. Ellington. She's one of the many Mikaelsons to call this city their home." He cracked a smirk, "I suppose yo deberĂa darte las gracias, since we would not have crossed paths had it not been for your storm all those months ago."
He adjusted his weight on his feet and continued. "She's agreed to a date - simple dinner. Yet I find myself paralyzed trying to decide where I should take her. Should I take her somewhere closer to her home - within this city? Should I take her to one of the Courts? Will it be too uncomfortable or too casual..." The dragon shook his head and chuckled at himself.












