“I knew you’d come around,” Miles grinned when Iris said that the reality shows were growing on her. “No one can fight it forever. These shows are just too good.”

[color=#b97703]“Except for Jay,”[/color] Caspian reminded him. Though he and Miles found some of the shows entertaining, their friend always slouched with his nose in his phone if they put one on the TV. The other high born was more of a fan of shows that were more action-packed and thrilling.

“I don’t buy it,” Miles folded his arms skeptically. “He says he doesn’t like them, but I’m pretty sure that’s just because he’s trying to look like he’s too manly for dating shows. I’d bet money that he watches them when he’s alone.”

[color=#b97703]“I doubt that,”[/color] Cas disagreed. [color=#b97703]“If he’s watching any reality TV in his free time, I’m sure it’s shows about random trades like metalsmithing or glassblowing or something.”[/color] That was where he’d put money down in a bet. Knowing his friend was fascinated with trades that weren’t taught at the capital university, he was sure he’d win.

When Iris smiled at him, discreetly confirming that she did care about him for who he was, Cas returned the expression affectionately. He’d already known that she wasn’t after him because of his status. When they’d met, she hadn’t even known her own last name, yet her feelings had formed and persisted all the same. It was why he loved her and was determined to fight as hard as he could to be with her. He still didn’t have a plan as to how he would get his father to accept that he was in love with a former member of the rebellion, but even if it took time, he wasn’t going to give up. He cared about her too much for that.

“You know, you’re a lot cheesier in real life than the gossip writers make you out to be,” Miles snickered, referring to all the articles that came out about Aspiria’s “playboy prince.” The writers were so far off their mark, it was comical.

[color=#b97703]“I don’t tell them what to say,”[/color] Cas rolled his eyes. [color=#b97703]“They just know what gets them more readers. Girls in the capital are way more interested in reading about a hard-to-get guy who drips with sexuality than they are in hearing about the real me, who spends most of his time with two idiots and has never been in a long term relationship. Since the lies they put out aren’t slandering, I just don’t do anything about them. It’s not worth my time.”[/color]

“And it gets you lots of attention from hotties around the city, right?” Miles added, waggling his brows suggestively. “Don’t try to deny it. It’s nice to have gorgeous women fawning over you.”

Cas shook his head exasperatedly, wishing his friend wouldn’t keep pushing the subject while Iris was around. It would have been a lie to say that he [i]never[/i] liked the attention. It was a nice stroke to his ego to know that there were so many people who were interested in him. However, he didn’t actually want to date any of them. The amnesiac rebel girl was the only woman he wanted to be with. So, trying to move on from the uncomfortable conversation, he turned back to the TV and changed the subject, [color=#b97703]“Do either of you have any favorites this season? The couple onscreen now look good together.”[/color]