Niles was still on break from the university, and after the lake adventure, Ashton was excited to see what other fun things Niles had planned for them. But to Ashton's horror, Niles decided that instead of taking trips, they should dedicate the rest of the summer to teaching Ashton how to read and write.

Ashton was very disappointed, to say the least. He did his best to wheedle his way out of as many lessons as possible, often sneaking outside when he thought Niles wasn't looking. But Niles was persistent, and whenever he caught Ashton in the garden, he'd make Ashton sit down and learn right then and there with the garden pixies. 

At least the pixies liked the lessons, dutifully copying over letters with pieces of pencil lead until they got bored and started drawing all over the paper instead. Sometimes, they even started throwing the pencil lead at each other, and it was usually then that Niles would call it quits. Ashton would always privately thank the garden pixies afterwards.

It's not that Niles was a bad teacher. No, he was a very good teacher, loads better than Lucy had been (though... it wasn't exactly hard to be a better teacher than Lucy). Niles as a teacher was patient and clear, and Ashton found himself actually picking up the language after a few weeks of lessons. 

Unfortunately, despite having the best teacher, Ashton simply hated studying. He'd never been much of a scholar of faerie texts, so learning a whole new written language was torturous.

They were having one such tutoring session, about three weeks after their weekend at the lake. It was a perfect summer day outside: blue skies, bright sun. But Niles had cornered him inside and sat him down on the couch, promising to take him to the aquarium and a new wooded park if he sat still for an hour. 

Ashton had agreed, but he couldn't stop himself from staring out the window longingly.

"Ash, focus," came Niles' voice from beside him, and Ashton blinked back to look down at the paper in front of him.

After all of Niles' relentless lessons, Ashton was finally at an intermediate reading level. Satisfied, Niles had shifted his focus to writing. Before he was allowed outside, Niles had firmly told him that he needed to copy over the five sentences he had written out for him.

Ashton sighed and got to work. Niles tried to watch, but Ashton petulantly covered the paper with his hands, refusing to let Niles see it until he was done. Niles rolled his eyes, but he turned away, picking up a book and letting Ashton write privately.

Ashton did his best; he really did. But the longer he tried to write, the sloppier his handwriting got until it was an illegible scrawl. He looked at it and shrugged before tapping Niles on the shoulder and handing it to him.

"Here," he said. "I think it's even better than last time."

Niles began studying it, and Ashton took the opportunity to stare openly at Niles, taking all of him in. His human was staring at the paper, brows furrowed as he tried to make out Ashton's barely legible human writing. Distracted by the way Niles' dark hair fell across his shoulder, Ashton almost missed it when Niles turned to him, shaking out the paper and pointing at it.

"Ash, what the heck is this supposed to be?" he asked in exasperation, and Ashton blinked back into focus from where he was staring at his human's lips.

"Umm, human writing?" he hazarded, wondering what he could do to get his human's dimple to appear.

Niles gave him a look of disbelief, and Ashton smiled winningly. Niles just took the paper back and looked at it again, grumbling to himself.

Ashton went back to staring at Niles, trying to ignore the longing need to be close to his human. He had dialed down the funny business since their trip to the lake, choosing to be on his best behavior to make up for crossing the line. Well, he threw that out the window now. 

Taking full advantage of Niles' distractedness, Ashton lay down on the couch and draped himself across Niles' lap, stretching out comfortably and gazing up at him. Niles didn't get as flustered by these actions as he used to, but he sometimes did if Ashton could catch him off guard. 

Niles blinked down in confusion before letting out a tired sigh. "Ash, what are you doing?" he asked.

Oh, he doesn't seem bothered by this at all, Ashton realized. Is it because he's... finally comfortable with me? Or is he just... tired and annoyed?

"Writing in human is hard," Ashton complained, dismissing his thoughts and turning onto his side to face Niles. "I'm exhausted. I need a break."

"You shameless sprite," came Niles' response, but he didn't sound annoyed. If anything, it sounded like he was trying not to laugh. "Fine. Do whatever you want. It's not like I can stop you, anyway."

Ashton smiled to himself. Niles couldn't be more far off. If anything, Niles was the only one he'd listen to. He thought it was obvious, given his (albeit reluctant) willingness to suffer through the dreaded reading lessons. 

He closed his eyes and pressed his face against the front of Niles' shirt. Above him, he could feel Niles rest his hand on his shoulder, and Ashton relaxed against him. He was just congratulating himself on his sneaky tactic to get in Niles' lap when he felt Niles move his hand around to his back, touching the stumps of his wings carefully.

Ashton stiffened, and Niles froze, his hand still on Ashton's scars.

"Sorry," Niles was quick to say. "Does that hurt?"

"No," Ashton assured him. "They stopped hurting a long time ago."

When it was clear that Ashton was fine and that he wasn't going to push Niles away, Niles continued to feel along his wing stumps. "You don't even have any phantom pain?" he questioned.

Ashton shook his head. "No, my clan magicked it away."

"Hmm, that's good." Niles moved his hand away from Ashton's back and rested it on his shoulder again.

"Sorry, I should've asked before I touched you," Niles said after a moment of silence. "I'm just so used to you wanting me to rub your back that I didn't realize you might not feel the same way anymore."

"No, no," Ashton hurried to correct him. "I don't mind if you touch me. If it's you, it's fine. I just... forgot what it felt like, I guess. I didn't let anyone back home touch my back, so... I'm not used to it anymore."

Niles didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure though?" he asked. "Not minding something is pretty different from actually wanting it."

If anything, Ashton wanted Niles to touch him, so he grabbed Niles' hand and returned it to where it had been on his back. "Yes," he said firmly. "Please don't stop."

Niles let out a short chuckle before he started rubbing Ashton's back again. "Whatever you want," he murmured.

Ashton relaxed. It had been so long since he had allowed anyone to touch his scars, and he focused on the feeling now. It was startling at first, a sensation he was no longer used to.

But being surrounded by Niles' scent and his heartbeat was so achingly familiar, so desperately comforting, that Ashton couldn't help but settle in, closing his eyes again and basking in the calmness that rushed over him.

***

Summer slowly turned to fall, and as Ashton's five-month deadline approached, Niles felt his willpower crumbling. He had so many good reasons to not be with Ashton, but he wasn't satisfied with any of them.

It certainly didn't help that Ashton was just so... perfect. He was cute and sweet and wild and funny, all of his antics enjoyable: the way he'd gasp and point at something in order to distract Niles enough to sneak outside during a reading lesson. They way he'd slip his hand into Niles' and then sneak glances at him, like he was making sure Niles wasn't about to shake him off. Even the way he'd burn practically everything he tried to cook was endearing beyond belief. 

Niles never knew if he should laugh or roll his eyes at Ashtons not-so-subtle actions and quirks. He had so much light and energy, and he was so attentive to Niles. Who wouldn't fall for someone so lovely?

Even now, Ashton was leaning his head on Niles' shoulder as they sat together on the couch, watching an ocean documentary (per Ashton's request, of course). Niles swallowed. It was almost like Ashton could sense his resolve slipping and was doing things like this on purpose.

Ashton tilted his chin up to look into Niles' face. "Is this alright?" he wanted to know, and Niles didn't know what to say.

Yes? No? He had no idea, so he said nothing. When Niles didn't answer, Ashton settled his head back down on Niles' shoulder and grabbed his hand. Niles watched as Ashton flipped his hand over, tracing the lines of his palm with a finger.

"Was living as a sprite really so terrible that you had to come all the way back here?" he asked suddenly, and Ashton paused.

"No," Ashton said thoughtfully. "It was hard at first, but after a while, I really came to love that side of my heritage. And besides," he added, "if it was really that hard to live underwater, then I could have used my wish to regrow my wings."

"So why...?" Niles began, but Ashton interrupted him.

"You're here," Ashton said simply. "You're the only place that feels like home to me."

Niles stopped talking at that, and Ashton resumed running his talons along the lines in his hand.

Home, Niles mused silently. He says I feel like home to him. He went back to watching Ashton play with his fingers, noticing how much larger Ashton's hand was than his own.

And what does home feel like to me? he wondered. Does this feel like home? This does feel... nice. I do like having him here near me. It's... comforting. Which is confusing.

***

Niles lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Ashton. I just said goodnight to him, and I already miss him, he realized. And I... can't wait to see him tomorrow.

He flinched at his own thoughts.

I... think I really like him, he admitted to himself. Just thinking the words made his stomach flip, and he groaned, running his hands down his face. He pictured Ashton, with his soft, wild curls, wide grin, and curious eyes, and he couldn't help but smile at the image.

What do I do now? he thought helplessly. I think I've really fallen for him.

***

Mara and Lucy returned from a fall visit to the Oaken clan a few days later, and Lucy immediately demanded a game night.

"Those deep woods faeries don't have any real games," she groused. "All they like to do for fun is race to see who can fly the fastest."

"We do have vala," Mara pointed out, and Lucy just groaned.

"That's not a real game!" she complained. "That's just poking a rolled-up pill bug with a stick and seeing who can get it over the finish line first!"

Niles laughed and brought out the board games. Lucy was the only one who liked them, but everyone else tolerated them for her sake. Mainly because the ways she tried to cheat were always so funny and creative.

The night wore on, and as Niles watched Lucy and Ashton argue over the rules of Monopoly, he had a moment when he finally just knew.

I always want it to be like this, he realized. I always want him to be here.

Ashton was scowling, upper lip curled up to reveal the pointed tips of his teeth. Niles' heart fluttered just looking at him.

He's so cute, Niles thought. He caught himself in the middle of a lovesick smile, and he shook his head, trying to plaster a neutral expression on his face. And wow, I've really got it bad.

"Niles," Ashton said grouchily, pulling him out of his thoughts and into the argument. "Can you please tell Lucy that she's wrong?"

"Hey, who's lived with humans for longer, huh?" Lucy snapped back. "I'd definitely know the rules to this game better than you would. I've been playing it since before you were born!"

"You're not even that much older than me!" Ashton protested, and Lucy stuck her tongue out at him.

Niles looked over to see that Lucy had been trying to convince Ashton that he had to give her two of his properties as payment for "bailing him out of jail," and he couldn't help but laugh.

"She's just trying to trick you," Niles assured Ashton. "Don't listen to her. She's the worst."

"Aha!" Ashton exclaimed, pinning his property cards down against the table to stop Lucy from sneaking them over to her side of the board. "I knew it! You're nothing but a liar and a cheat!"

Lucy scowled at Niles. "Dang it, Niles, I just about had him, too."

Mara sat there serenely through it all, secure in the knowledge that she was beating everyone— Ashton because he was terrible at the game, Lucy because she was having too much fun trying to cheat, and Niles because he was distracted by his thoughts about Ashton.

Niles tried to rein in his thoughts and feelings, but it was too late. He was in love with Ashton. and he could no longer lie to himself and deny it. 

Now all that was left to do was tell Ashton.

________________________________________________________________

A/N: NEXT CHAPTER. Idk who's been more patient throughout this entire process: Ashton, the readers, or me. Why did I let it take 2 books for them to finally get together? I will never know. Shame on me. 

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to vote and comment. How do you think Niles is going to tell Ashton? A grand confession? Roses? A trip to the aquarium where he's trained a bunch of fish to spell out I love you, Ashton? Who knows! You'll find out in the next part!