A Human’s Guide to Surviving Magical Mishaps by Kit Bryan

Ashton straightens up, back stiff and looks at me with a raised eyebrow. I roll my eyes at him.

"Before you go reading into the offer in some way that I don't understand I'm going to make myself clear. I don't know what social rules you live by, but you just look like you could use a hug right now. I have no idea what else you might take from a hug but I'm offering comfort and friendship. Just so we're clear." Sure Ashton is gorgeous and a total sweetheart most of the time, but I can't risk liking him too much. He's going to leave eventually and I can't follow him. Still. I hold my arms open waiting to see if he takes me up on my offer. He stares at me for a moment with a sort of bemused expression before smiling, nodding and opening his own arms to me. I lean forward and hug him and it is super awkward. He sort of lightly drapes his arms over my back and we just kind of sit there. After a few seconds I can't help myself. I start giggling out of control. Ashton lets go of me and sits back, although he keeps his hands on my shoulders. "What is it?" He asks, looking very confused by my borderline insane behaviour. I still can't stop laughing.

“I'm, I'm sorry.” I manage to force out between bursts of laughter.

"That was just... So awkward. I think we messed that up. How do you even mess up a hug?" I am practically choking with laughter and I can barely breathe. I'm fairly sure that it's not even that funny, but it's been a long day and night and I'm just so tired and relieved and amped up all at the same time and suddenly it just seems like the most hilarious thing in the world. Ashton nods solemnly.

"You are right.” He agrees, then his serious expression gives way to a mischievous grin and before I know what's happening he hooks his arms around my waist and pulls me onto the bed and into his lap. He wraps his arms around me properl in a tight hug as I squeal in shock and am immediately struck by another round of giggles, or I would be if I had any air left to laugh with.

"What are you doing?" I instinctively struggle against him trying to sit up, but his arms are iron and I can't get loose, not that I'm actually trying all that hard. Mostly I just want to see his face.

"I cannot have you thinking that I give terrible hugs. I must prove myself." Ashton declares dramatically, a hint of laughter in his voice too. I continue to try and sit up but it's hopeless so I just give up, lean against him and collapse into the hug Ashton buries his face in my shoulder and I can feel his heart racing even though his breathing is deep and steady. We probably stay like that for fifteen seconds longer than is normal or acceptable before I try to sit up again. This time he lets me go. I tumble as I try to move backwards off of his lap and he catches my waist while I steady myself on his arm. I immediately let go, absolutely horrified and throw myself off the bed as fast as I can manage.

"I'm so sorry, I totally forgot about your injuries. Are you okay? You shouldn't have pulled me in like that, did you hurt yourself? I scold him. Ashton just grins and shrugs.

"It was worth it." He responds shamelessly. I glare at him and place my hands on my hips. Ashton laughs at me.

“I am fine and I will recover. You do not need to worry about me Kat." He assures me. I stare him down wanting to be sure he means it, but then again he can't outright lie to me. So I guess it's true and... Wait... Did he just call me Kat? I don't think he's called me anything other than Katerina before and even that was only because I insisted he didn't need to speak to me so formally. I don't know what exactly, but something has shifted. He seems far more comfortable than someone who is all bandaged up should be and his mood has improved significantly in the last two minutes. I guess the hug worked if he is feeling better but I'm starting to think it was a much bigger deal than I originally thought, even with my clarification beforehand. I can't bring myself to regret it though. It turns out that when Ashton isn't on his best behaviour he's a lot more cheeky than I originally thought. An idea strikes me. Something that I want to test. “Hey Ashton, can you wait here until I come back. I want a glass of water.” I keep my tone casual and do my best not to make eye contact or look at him for fear of giving myself away. I must do a decent job of playing it cool because he agrees easily and doesn't seem suspicious.

"Yes. I can wait." He nods and I stroll out of the room, carefully closing the door behind me. As I suggested I would, I head to the kitchen and get a glass of water, but instead of returning to him I settle down in one of the kitchen chairs with water and my phone and with a grin on my face, I wait. Time to test a theory.

It takes about ten minutes for Ashton to realise that something is off. I know because I can hear his footsteps as he moves around in his room. When I reach the fifteen minute mark he starts to get impatient.

"Kat? Katerina?" He calls out to me. He's just loud enough for me to hear him but he is clearly concerned about being too loud and waking dad. Despite this, he doesn't come to find me. Interesting. My theory is starting to look more promising. I don't want him to freak out too much so I answer. I don't have to speak loudly for him to hear me.

“I'm in the kitchen.” I answer simply, giving no hint as to my evil plan. Muahaha. Silence for a minute before he responds.

"Are you coming back?" I pull myself out of my seat and wander back down to his room where I stand on the outside of the door but don't open it.

"Why? Is there a problem in there? I don't know if I feel like coming back. I might just hang out in the kitchen instead." I answer, doing my best not to laugh.

"But I-" Ashton cuts himself off and I know I have him. My theory is correct.

"You what? You aren't stuck are you? You did say you would wait until I came back. Worried I'll make a liar out of you?" I ask, finally breaking and laughing. I can hear Ashton gasp.

"I thought that you were a sweetheart but I may have judged too quickly. You are acting like a little monster!" He insists. Now that I know the truth I can see that he avoids lies. He can't say I am a monster, so he says I'm acting like one. It's that inability to lie that I'm counting on though.

"So I was right then? Are you stuck?" I am sure I sound positively gleeful.

"Not exactly. Technically it is possible for me to leave the room. But it would be... wrong of me to take back a promise. Dishonourable even.” He sounds cranky, but I can also hear a hint of amusement in his tone so I know he isn't really upset. "So what you're telling me is that it's really not that hard to force you to stay put after all. I just have to use your own rules against you." I smirk at the door. He can't see me but it's just as satisfying.

"This is terribly unfair of you." He grumbles and I giggle again and tap the door lightly.

"And what are you going to do about it?"