Bound by the Waves

Chapter 11: Settling in

"Alright, alright, I'll stop," Kate said, raising her hands in mock surrender, though her grin remained as mischievous as ever. I rolled my eyes, and Xaviel gave her a chuckle, clearly amused by her persistent teasing.

With our introductions and mingling out of the way, our teams began to make their way through check-in. I was balancing my luggage upright, focused on keeping it from tipping over as we maneuvered through the line, when I felt a sudden, familiar presence beside me.

Before I could react, Xaviel reached down, taking hold of the handle of my luggage with one hand. He lifted it effortlessly, his fingers brushing against mine just long enough for me to notice. "I'll take this," he said smoothly, nodding toward the rest of the line.

"Uh... thanks, but I'm fine," I replied, a little thrown off by his unexpected act of helpfulness.

Xaviel's gaze met mine, a challenge in his eyes. "Consider it an olive branch, Sydney. Besides, it's better if we're both hands-free-saves time for the check-in."

Before I could argue further, Kate popped up beside us, her eyes practically shining with a new level of excitement. "Look at that! Team leaders, united in action already," she whispered to me, her smirk full of barely contained amusement. "You know, you really do make a cute team."

I shot her a glare, whispering, "Kate, please."

She gave me a playful wink but raised her hands again, backing away as she whispered, "Message received."

Just then, two young nurses from Xaviel's team, Ella and Anna, appeared beside Kate, catching on to the conversation. Ella, grinning, chimed in, "Oh, so the leaders are already sharing responsibilities, huh? Setting an example for the rest of us?"

Anna added, "You know, this mission's looking more interesting by the minute."

Kate laughed, giving them an exaggerated nod. "Oh, trust me, this is just the beginning."

I felt my face warm, trying to wave them off. "Alright, that's enough. Let's focus on the mission."

But Ella and Anna only chuckled, clearly entertained, as they exchanged knowing looks. Their teasing lingered in the air, making me all too aware of Xaviel beside me, carrying my luggage without a word.

Determined to ignore the jokes, I turned back to Xaviel, but he seemed unbothered, his expression calm and neutral as if he hadn't noticed their comments. I took a deep breath, brushing off my irritation, and followed him through the line, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in my stomach.

After we completed check-in, we moved toward the boarding gate and eventually settled into our seats on the plane heading to Aramora. The hum of engines filled the cabin as we prepared for takeoff, and I allowed myself a moment to relax. I was seated with Kate on my left, while Xaviel was further down the aisle, already surrounded by a few of his team members.

About an hour into the flight, I glanced over toward Xaviel's row, only to spot a flight attendant leaning toward him, her posture casual yet unmistakably flirty. She laughed at something, her hand briefly resting on the edge of his seat. Xaviel, however, seemed unaffected, giving her a polite but indifferent nod as he glanced out the window.

Caught off guard by the sight, I quickly looked away, hoping he hadn't noticed me watching. I turned my attention to the in-flight magazine, trying to act as if I hadn't seen a thing. But, as luck would have it, Kate noticed my little moment and leaned closer, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"Oh, so you were watching," she whispered, nudging my arm lightly. "Jealous already, Dr. Alvarez?"

I shot her a warning look. "I was just... observing. Nothing more."