Irina stared at her reflection, the faint smile lingering on her lips as the warmth from her earlier annoyance settled into something softer, more intimate. Her heart still beat faster than she would like, but she couldn't deny the strange comfort she felt from this small exchange with Astron. Somehow, despite his walls, despite the distance he always kept, there were moments like this—moments where she could feel something more.
"Why do you always have to be like this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
–"Like what?" came Astron's teasing reply, though the warmth in his tone was unmistakable.
Irina shook her head, realizing there was no point in pressing him further on that. He'd deflect as usual, and maybe that was fine for now. But there were still things she wanted to know. Her thoughts drifted back to the broadcast, to his involvement with that guild.
