Claire gazed at the glass ceiling, her eyes still trying to roll off the slumber nested on them. An uneventful night sky peered back at her. No moon or stars, smokes or chars. Just an infinity of darkness hovering above her.

A large yawn escaped her lungs as she lazily rolled to her side. Claire snuggled her pillow. She could not remember the last time she slept so peacefully.

We made it back huh?

Her wristwatch was glaring back at her from the bedside table. It was around 10 in the night, almost 14 hours since they got back from the facility and Claire was not even surprised that she slept for so long. She curled up in the bed to prepare herself for the next session of sleep again when her stomach protested really hard. Claire voted to roll her eyes and ignore it again but decided against it noticing how persistently it was biting back at her. The last thing she wanted now was to win a trip to a medical facility for her moaning acute gastritis and be under the spotlight again. Grunting, Claire got up from the bed and dragged herself to the attached lavatory. The sudden outburst of light made her wince.

Claire scrutinized the reflection staring back at her from the mirror. She looked like a mess. Her wavy hair was cooked up in mutts, her eyes were bloodshot and peering out of her sunken sockets and the loose black shirt hanging from her shoulder was doing a poor job of covering the blood-drenched neckline of her tank top. She looked like she paid a short visit to hell.

A long sigh escaped her lungs as she turned the faucet on and splashed the cold water on her face and neck. It was no short of hell to her anyways. Even with all the dirt and blood gone, she looked like a completely different person, even to herself. It felt like she aged up five years there just in two days and never in a million years did she see her getting into a mess like this. Like it was a whole new world where the thoughts of exam fever and next meal felt like puny jokes. It was the world of gunpowder and lifelines.

But Claire was more papers and deadlines. She struggled for her survival there. They struggled for their survival there. If not for Liam...Claire splashed water, hard. A shiver ran down her arms thinking what would have happened to her.

It's just not my world

Wiping her face she came back into the room and sorted some pajamas from the mumbo-jumbo collection that they were provided with. She carefully took the shirt off and nested it on her bed. The last thing she wanted was to rip Rayo's shirt somewhere.

Claire undressed and got into the tub as hot water started filling it. She looked at herself at the full body mirror across the tub. Heat sprang her ears red as she remembered her frame enclosed in Liam's.

He saw me like this?

Claire felt like biting her tongue as her self-consciousness started setting in. She had always been a prim and proper lady. Even Derek and Xen never saw her in sleeveless, let alone a thin tank top. And to think...

God!!!!

Claire hugged her legs tight. It scared her how comfortable she was getting near Liam. At the end of the day, he was a Nix and they were nothing more than captives here. Whether she wanted it or not, she had to keep her guard up. Doubt. Fear. Be paranoid. That is the only instinct that has kept puny bipedal beings like humans ruling the ground for so many years when mammoth beings who once shook the ground disappeared into nothingness.

Claire drowned herself in the water as the reality sunk in. It made her sad that she could not even be grateful right to someone who just put his life in the line for her. She resurfaced and breathed.

But...

While Claire was really thankful to Rayo for lending her own shirt but she did not get why Rayo would bother going to such length when she herself went all the way to the facility and back in her own tank top. True it was the athletic tank top and way more civilized than her camie one but how that was better than she walking around in the same did not really click in her mind.

Maybe to save me from being punished for the mines because they'll be dragged along with us?

Or

Maybe she genuinely felt bad for me because I looked like a deer in a headlight?

Claire was not used to getting good things for free without something in return  She would have believed if Liam did all these

But Rayo...

Claire clicked her tongue. She just could not believe she would do something without an ulterior motive and she had no idea why she felt that way when Rayo had done nothing to make her uncomfortable. She usually was pretty good when it came to gauging people but she just could not get a read on Rayo. She never gave off much to begin with in the first place and that was the trait that made one a formidable opponent.

Revealing nothing and noticing everything

She believed silent people to be one of the deadliest ones on the planet. They are unpredictable and unmoldable into any pattern. Adding that with the fact that she was a Nix Corporal and Claire would have her on watch 24/7 gave her the chills. 

She pulled her hair on her face as a completely reasonable explanation popped in her mind.

Maybe she gave me the shirt to show Liam what he was missing?

She could be a thing for all she knew. Even in Annexa, the name of these demigods rang in a pair. The most compatible Nix duo who instilled fear in the heart of the outlaws all the way from Harlin.

And why not!

Because Claire was absolutely mesmerized by her alpha demeanor and she was straight. She could not fathom the effect she had on other genders.

Claire shook her head. Even if they were a thing, Rayo did not seem like one who acted so desperate. But then again, the last thing Claire wanted to do was assume about a relationship when she had never been in one. In either way, she prayed that she did not have to face either of them before putting anything in her stomach because her mouth tended to betray her when her food deposit ran empty.

Hitting the shower for a long time, Claire finally dressed up and slowly opened the door. The second-floor corridor was dark and empty. Except for the yellow stair lights and some white noises in the background, Claire picked up no other sensual inputs.

Inhaling sharply, she started tiptoeing down the staircase, fingers crossed. Hoping that the other souls were breathing in their own rooms. But as crooked as her luck was, Rayo was standing right by the kitchen counter, nimbly chopping away. They locked eyes, Claire froze and then jumped back at the stair landing in a failed attempt to hide herself behind the glass railing only to realize it was transparent and Rayo could clearly see her curled up in a ball against the wall. She just did not get how they moved without making any noise.

Wait. Why am I hiding?

" Hope you like chicken soup," Rayo said nonchalantly without taking eyes off her business.

Claire cleared her throat, slowly got up and walked to the counter, all the while avoiding eye contact. She felt heat springing in her ears.

Claire awkwardly twirled her finger while waiting for Rayo to finish cooking. Her gnawing hunger was swiftly shifting to a clutched feeling in her gut as the silence started feeling heavy.

" Um.. thanks for landing the shirt back then."

"Hmm, no problem," Rayo replied, phlegmatic.

" I'll return the uniform to you. It's just that it's not really in the best shape," Claire said looking up only to look away as Rayo looked back.

" No worries."

They even reply the same

Claire sighed as Rayo handed her a bowl of soup and the breadbasket. She was pretty sure now about her assumption which made her feel even worse thinking about what rift she caused between her and Liam. She bit her lower lip and cajoled," Um..about last night, me and Liam-"

" It's none of my business really," Rayo appeased with a tight smile. Claire looked at her for a second before looking away. There were no hard glances in her eyes. They were pristine and bright which made that pursed smile look almost genuine. Claire could say she meant it whatever the reason was. She wondered why she did not smile more often.

For a while, no one spoke a word. Claire silently blew on her soup to cool it down while Rayo sat on the other side doing the same.

" Tell me," Rayo suddenly probed, " if you could be any chess piece, which piece do you think you'd be?"

Claire was surprised by this sudden philosophical question.

" Umm ... I'd be the Knight?"

"Mind if I ask why?"

Claire carefully looked at Rayo. She could tell Rayo was testing her for something and the outcome depended on her reply but she could not tell what could possibly come out of it. Gulping down the morsel in her mouth she replied," Well, that's the only piece that can topple over others without having to slay them in the process, like more .... anti-violence? And it can move like in four directions and change it at the last third square. Almost as if.."

" As if?"

"As if it's bounded by the rules but is almost above them. I don't know. It seems like something I would support,"  Claire shrugged, carefully eyeing  Rayo. Her expression was still stoic but her eyes were glinting. Like she just confirmed something for her.

Claire felt wary of her. It suddenly dawned to her that it no one had woken up yet except the two of them.

Are they doing that COD thing again? Maybe this time one with a Nix?

Claire looked at her soup and back at her. Rayo barely touched her own. Slowly, Claire took the bowl and got up from her seat, " I'm feeling really tired. I'm gonna take it in my room and finish it when I wake up," she said gulping.

" Your wish," Rayo shrugged, "but  I must say I love your brain."

Which made her pause. A dangerous notion peeked in her mind.

" What do you mean? Why can't you love my body too?"  Claire suddenly blurted out which made Rayo choke in her soup. She started coughing.

Claire swiftly turned around to run to her room. Only to hit a firm frame standing behind her. A familiar scent of pine hit her nose. She looked up and then looked down and bit her lip.

" No no no no no no," Claire frantically spit out as she looked around for a paper towel. She spilled hot soup on Liam. Again. She could see soup dripping down the bandages through his white baggy shirt.

Why do you move so silently!

Rayo grabbed a roll of paper towel from somewhere and threw it at him. He stood against the countertop and rubbed his shirt. His lips were drawn in a fine line as he did. She could tell he was trying to suppress his laughter from Lord knew what but his twinkling eyes were not doing him any favor.

Of all the two people I did not want to come across now!

Claire again had the strong desire to hide somewhere.
Though he looked a bit pale, he looked in much better shape than he was in the cave. 

And I just gave him a burn

Rayo looked at him concerned while he looked at Claire and back at Rayo with a satirical look on his face. As if expecting something.

"So? Come on tell her bro why can't you love her body?" Liam said looking at Rayo. Rayo looked at him and back at Claire.

" What do you mean?" Rayo asked Claire, genuinely surprised.

" I just... I thought.. you are gonna cut my brain and research on me and sell my whole body and-"

At this point, Liam started laughing. He did not even bother hiding it anymore. Tears rolled down his eyes as he laughed.

"Like bro! Why would you think that?" he said in between laughter, " what did you tell her Ray?"

" I just complimented her."

" How? "

" That I love her thought process?" Rayo looked at her with a look that Claire could not decipher but she was way embarrassed to gawk at her long enough to scrutinize.

Rayo looked at Liam and nodded," I need to speak with you. "

" Ok "

" Now, " Rayo retorted and left the dining space, the grin from her face was long gone.

Liam however was still giggling. He put his hands in his pocket and winked," I'm gonna go find out if she's into girls. Will let you know soon enough."

" That's not what I..."

" It's okay. Phoenix is absolutely pro LGBTQ+ community."

" No! I'm not into girls. I'm into guys. I have the hots for boys. I know for sure!"

" Your life, your choice," he winked, grinning. Clearly, he had a misconception about her choice. Claire pressed her lips shut before she made a fool of herself any more than she already did.

Liam just patted on her shoulder,  gave her a thumbs up and started walking up the stairs whistling, like nothing had just happened.

Claire slumped on the tool and started slurping the soup like crazy. She had no idea why she suddenly thought something so bizarre out of the blue.

Wow! I'm so dumb that even Rayo is surprised. Xen's  kidneys function better than my brain

Claire shook her head and took a large bite again. She regretted having no control over her mouth around Liam. It was almost as if he never found her in any normal situation.

He's gonna think I was shamelessly flirting with Rayo!

She shook her head and got up. An eager urge to run into her room and shut the door and ball into a cacoon peeked in her mind. She started cleaning her bowl after her as the doorbell rang.

Claire frowned. It was almost 11 in the night. Seeing no one
response, she got to the door and pressed the screen beside it. A delivery came for Rayo. Claire asked him to wait and climbed up the stairs. She did not know which room they were in. She peeked through door to door when suddenly creeks and whimpers came from one. Claire halted and gulped. Her ears turned red at the thought of the other side. She contemplated if she should ignore the doorbell and act like she never heard it.

But then again I've already replied

The doorbell rang again. Without thinking anything, Claire knocked on the door and it just flipped open, revealing a shocked Liam standing beside Rayo who was sitting on a chair with her arms crossed.

The door wasn't locked?!

"Yes?"

" There's a parcel for you."

" Coming."

Rayo effortlessly left the room.

" Geez. Have some patience. I said I'm gonna tell you," Liam replied with a grin while fixing his shirt. It was disheveled and so was his hair.

Just like the bed.

Claire looked away and mouthed a sorry. She had no intention of interrupting their business.

But as usual, Liam was completely unfazed. He flashed his boxy smile and said before heading out the room," Sorry to break your heart sunshine but Rayo's not into girls."

Claire sighed and looked at the mirror staring back at her from Rayo's room. She had no doubt now about her hunch which, for some reason, made her sad.

Wait. Why do I care?

So, what do you think huh?
(人 •͈ᴗ•͈)

Are they a thing?

Or our sunshine here has an overactive imagination?
(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧