Lights, Camera, Orc-tion!

14: Favor

For a short beat of time, Avicia couldn't answer Kahdreg. The weight of his head pressed gently against hers, his eyes closed as he took a deep, sighing breath. She swallowed, letting her eyes traced over Kahdreg's features - closed eyes, lashes against his cheeks, the slope of his nose, the crease of the scar at the corner of his lip - before finding her voice. "What do you need, sir?"

At that, Kahdreg's lips twitched, a wry grin curling at the corners as his eyes cracked open. Her heart stuttered, just slightly, at the expression, warmth in her cheeks threatening to turn her face pink.

In Kahdreg's head, he mused over Avicia's continued use of sir - and her initial use of xir - for himself. A subtle delight seared through him every time she said it. Then again, just his name being on her lips caused a slight jump in his chest. Not to mention the irony of her

Whatever he found amusing, he didn't share with her. Avicia noticed a stiffness bled into the smirk as he replied, "Kallinaera called me yesterday."

Oh no. A chill coiled in Avicia's stomach. When she'd suggested they return the lingerie and spend the proceeds, she thought the siren would be too embarrassed to ask about the scanty underthings. Apparently Kallinaera knew no shame.

"She had mixed up the gift bags and the lingerie was hers," Kahdreg continued before Avicia could say or do anything, straightening from his stoop. A disappointed chill dropped into Avicia's stomach as he gave her space.

With a roll of his eyes, Kahdreg sighed and pushed a hand through his hair. Memories of the call from last night flickered through his head. Her dangerously sweet tone shifting to something more barbed and annoyed as she realized what had happened. Thinking of it still gave him an unsettled feeling in his bones. "She was pretty peeved."

"Oh, no." Though the pressure from his head leaning on her lifted, a different weight pulled at Avicia. The faint unwanted thought of Kahdreg being irritated with her wriggled into being.

Almost careless, he gave a single-shouldered shrug. "I explained what we did and offered to pay her back,"

"But-"

Kahdreg held up a hand, a frown creasing at his lips. His stomach dropped a little, recalling the siren's words and request. "She decided to ask a favor instead. That I attend her birthday party."

"Oh," was all Avicia could think to say.

"About a month from now, we'll be on a cruise."

The furrow between his brows deepend and, faintly, Avicia wondered if Kahdreg was considering the strain of such a favor. Or was his expression a visual representation of his frustration with her and her childishness?

"Oh," Avicia repeated, feeling untethered and trying to gain footing. A cold and unpleasant feeling coiled at her core, not quite enjoying the thought of Kallinaera alone with Kahdreg. Especially not out on some party yacht in the middle of the ocean. Though she knew he wasn't interested in the siren right now, could that change with the right atmosphere?

Not that she could do anything about it. He'd already agreed to the favor. And it had been her fault he had to agreed to it. If only she hadn't been spiteful under the guise of intentional obtuseness.

She couldn't meet Kahdreg's gaze, her eyes wandering off and focused on the wires and other maintenance gear in this dark corner of the studio. Guilt and personal displeasure sobered Avicia's attitude.

Her body language - averted gaze and slumping shoulders - spoke enough to Kahdreg for him to pick up on her discomfort. He waited a beat, to see if she'd voice her discontent. It didn't take much to realize she was off-put by the thought of him with Kallinaera, though whether it was jealousy or concern for his wellbeing was another question. Though Kahdreg shamefully hoped it was a little bit of both.