"Tell me the truth, Eli. Did the coma… Knock out the charm in me?"
Eli's blush came on like a sunrise, flooding all the way to the tips of his ears. He stumbled back a step, nearly tripping over the edge of the carpet. "O-of course you're still charming, Riven."
Riven pouted, unconvinced. "Of course you'd say that. You're my friend. You have to say that."
Those words hit Eli in a place he hadn't been expecting, and they didn't feel nearly as warm and safe as they once had. Friend. Just… A friend.
He swallowed, gaze dropping to his boots.
Riven's tail flicked, considering him. Then, with the most audacious seriousness, he declared, "Then make it up to me."
Eli looked up, startled. "Make it… Up to you?"
"Yes." Riven lifted his chin, as if pronouncing a royal decree. "Sneak me some good wine. I want to get drunk tonight."
Eli's brows shot up to his hairline. "Absolutely not!"
