Lights, Camera, Orc-tion!

17: Shindig

Norgozi stood on the other side of Kahdreg's door, too close to be considered polite. Wide-eyed and caught in the act of eavesdropping, the orc woman held her hands up. "I didn't want to interrupt anything!"

The answer took Kahdreg by surprise. Or, more accurately, their own response as embarrassment clawed up their body. They could only imagine how Avicia saw the entire situation. Her - childish? Immature? Ridiculous? - boss and their nosy annoying mother. Despite the somewhat understandable explanation, Kahdreg scowled. "Ma, please."

"Don't get your britches in a bundle!" Norgozi waved her hand in the air, as if to brush aside the frown on her child's face. Her expression shifted into an awkward smile. "I was just coming up here to let you know there's going to be... a few extra guests at dinner."

"Define a few." Kahdreg crossed their arms, their scowl deepening. They had told their mother to keep it small, to keep from overwhelming Avicia. Or maybe it was the image of themselves they were trying to protect in the human woman's mind.

"Oh, you know, just some others," Norgozi said breezily, waving her hand to dispel Kahdreg's suspicions.

"How many?"

Mother and child stared down for a moment. Norgozi's awkward smile versus Kahdreg's stern glare. Eventually, the older orc woman sighed, her shoulders slumping.

"I might've told Uncle Drik and he told his husband and maybe they misunderstood and thought it was a big shindig for the whole clan." The sudden explanation, spoken as if it had been a bandaid to rip off, careened from Norgozi's mouth. As Kahdreg tried to make sense of the jumble of fast words, Norgozi theatrically put a hand to her ear, "Oh, I think I hear the potatoes boiling over! Better go get it!"

With that, the older woman bustled down the hallway, making a hasty escape from Kahdreg's realization. When understanding finally settled in, they remained staring at the doorway where their mother had been. Displeasure creased their lips into a frown and a familiar frustration settled between Kahdreg's eyebrows.

With a sigh, they shut the door and turned back to Avicia. They really should have known better, their mother had a tendency to blab her evening plans with others and there was little one could do when a clan decided to drop by for dinner.

"It's going to be a bigger family dinner than I planned." Their shoulders slumped a little with defeat, waiting for the annoyance to flit across Avicia's face. Tension knotted in Kahdreg's shoulders, nerves making their stomach drop uncomfortably.

Though the preparation in Kahdreg's head seemed to be for naught. Avicia sat on their bed, one leg crossed over the other as she leaned an elbow on the foot-board of Kahdreg's old bed, hand cradling her chin. A wry grin curled across her lips, amusement and a smidge of sympathy coloring her words, "So I heard."

Avicia couldn't blame Kahdreg for not knowing this turn of events. From the sounds of it, Norgozi was a big ole blabbermouth and, judging for prepared stiffness in her boss's posture, they were used to these changes creating friction with their friends or significant others. Though there was a seed of anxiety taking root in her chest, amusement took more attention.

"If you want to leave, we can go." Kahdreg sighed as they made their way back over to the bed, situating themselves on the edge beside the human woman. They were particularly careful to not let their thigh touch Avicia's own. "I know you were stressed enough about my immediate family."

Avicia shifted, moving to lean back on her hands. Looking up at her boss, she realized they were trying to not intrude on her space with their hunched shoulders and stiff posture. Between that and the offer to leave, they seemed prepared for her to be angry. Her leg pressed flush against Kahdreg's as she patted them on the fleshy part of their thigh, offering them an understanding smile. "It's fine. I have a feeling things snowball out of control in a place as lively as this."