Viridian

Chapter 26

"Enter," Cato calls from behind his door. I quietly step into his room, seeing Cato working at a desk near his bed with various papers spread across it. "I knew you'd be back for more," he laughs, smugly, his eyes glued to the paper he's holding. "I tend to have that effect on women, once they bed me there's just no going back." I give a distracted hum in response as I make my way towards the fireplace to my right. "Well this is new," Cato responds. I stare blankly at the flames crackling against the wood.

"After all of this time to try and get you to shut up—"

"You never told me you had a brother," I interrupt him.

"Oh," Cato simply responds. I turn around meeting his eyes only to find them distant. Lost within a memory.

"Cato?" I ask hesitantly, gently making my way towards him as if he was a delicate egg about to crack.

"It was a long time ago."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask shyly as I trace the edge of his desk with my finger.

"Not yet," he responds.

"I never would have pushed—"

"Stop it, Adhi," Cato cuts me off, taking my hand from the edge of his desk and placing the piece of paper that he was holding in it, placing a gentle kiss on the back of my hand before releasing it.

"What's this?" I ask, looking at the document he gave me.

"Our plan," he states. "Or rather, half of a plan, really," he smiles tightly at me.

"Our plan?"

"For your undercover mission. You didn't really think I would let you walk in there without a strategy?" he smirks, some of his normal personality returning. And then the words sink in.

"Seriously?" I ask, excited and scared at what this means.

"Seriously," he nods.

"When?"

"Two weeks."

"Wow," I breathe, my mind becoming distant. "Soon."

"We have to build up your mind. Last time," he pauses, gentling his tone as he notices the look in my eyes. "We'll be better prepared this time, Adhi."

"I know," I mumble, faintly in response.

Cato takes my hand in his again. "You don't have to—" I pull my hand from his, closing myself off from the sincerity of his words.

"Concerned isn't a good look on you," I snark, locking down the feelings I refuse to acknowledge bubbling to the surface.

"Oh Princess," he smirks. "Everything looks good on me," Cato finished, winking.

"Oh Prince," I mimic his tone. "You should really get these delusions of yours checked out, they're not healthy," I pat his head, earning a chuckle.

"You enjoy fighting me too much," he smirks, leaning back in his chair as he looks me up and down, a spark running through my body where his eyes roam.

"I can't help it," I throw my hands up dramatically. "There's just so much to make fun of."

"Oh yeah?" he quirks an eyebrow, standing up from his chair. "Such as?" he asks, placing both of his hands against his desk, leaning forwards.

"I would tell you," I start, leaning forward against the other side of the desk, looking up at him. "But there's just far too much to cover and we only have two weeks." Cato chuckles, his eyes flaring green briefly, the look somewhat between amusement and lust.

"Give me a summary," he chuckles, leaning in slightly more.

"Your face," I tease, looking down at his lips before meeting his eyes, the green sapphires glowing once again. "I've seen better," I shrug, lying through my teeth.

"Oh yeah?" he smirks, raising his eyebrows. "Well," he begins, lifting his left arm from the desk to meet my face. Cato runs his hand past my ear, untucking a piece of my hair, bringing the pink end between us to look at. "The pink," he shrugs, looking at my hair. "I don't think it's really your color."

"Oh really," I laugh, looking at the bright end of my hair.

"Really," he smirks. "Green however...,"

"Yeah yeah, I get it," I swat his hand away with a chuckle. Cato drops the end of my hair, tucking the piece back behind my ear again and, ancestors help me, but I feel electricity running through my body at that simple touch.

"I should go," I back away from the desk, extinguishing that electric current.

"Alright," Cato says, no doubt feeling my conflicting emotions. I smile internally at the fact that he is probably as confused as I am at what runs through my head.

"Alright," I back away, all but falling down the single step that separates his bedroom area from his living room. "Bye," I mumble, pushing down the knowledge that if Cato had asked me to stay, I wouldn't have had the strength to say no.

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Hi my lovely readers! Oof the tensions in this. For some reason, I kinda like the whole "I'm bullying to hide my feelings for you" thing, but if that's just me let me know. But anyways... yeah. Love ya!

 - Nicole Winters