Starfish

11.2

Ardus punched in the security code and let himself into his apartment. As the door slid shut behind him, his shoulders sagged and he ran his claws through his barbels as he let out a long, low sigh. Sea gods, that woman... "Doctor, is that you?" A voice startled him andArdus let out a surprised bellow. "What are you doing here?!"

Athe came walking out of the hallway to the back of the apartment, looking perplexed. "It's window-cleaning day," he said, "I come on the same day every month." Ardus blinked at the cleaning cloth in one hand and a bottle of solution in the other. He ran his schedule through his mind and realized that he'd lost track of time. Aku send a hurricane, am I that out of it? "Oh, er, good. Thank you for coming."

"Of...course." Athe gave him a strange look. Then, after a pause, "So, how was lunch with Doctor Nina?"

Ardus gaped. "How did you...?"

Grinning, Athe balled up the cleaning cloth and stuffed it into his pocket. "Ardus, how long have I been working for you?"

"Ah... Twelve years."

"Exactly, and I've known you for longer. Which means I know your routine. And every time I clean the windows you shut yourself in your office and ignore me until I'm done. Until today, when for the first time in twelve years I show up and you're not here."

"That does not mean I was with Doctor Nina."

Athe straightened a framed print on the wall. "You spend twelve years hiding in your office on window day, then I come and not only are you not here, there is a convalescing woman within walking distance, for whom you happen to be responsible. Also," he sniffed the air, "you cooked. Don't deny it, I see the dish. What did you make?"

"Er..." Ardus felt his face heat. I should have made something else! "Baked eel."

Athe's smug smiled rained like a low tide, his pores flashing yellow. His eyes flicked between the dish and Ardus's face. "Ardus... You haven't made baked eel since..."

"I have so! Just because-"

"Ardus," Athe stared him down. "I think we need to talk about Doctor Nina. I think you need to talk about Doctor Nina."

For a moment Ardus held his composure. He stared back at Athe, holding himself still and straight and for once glad his pores wouldn't give him away. I do not need to talk about her, I want to talk about her. But If I talk about her, then I have to think about her. And If I think about her... He saw her in his mind's eyes, leaning over the table with her pretty little face turned up to his and her tunic hanging open, taunting him. Ardus's chest tightened around his lungs, his heart twisting on itself. Then his eyes drifted closed and he moaned, a pitiful sound.

"Why don't you sit down? I'll take that," Athe plucked the covered dish from his hands and took it to the kitchen. "Can I have some?"

"Have all of it, I do not care." Wandering into the front room Ardus sank onto the couch and let himself sloop sideways, laying on his arm. "Athe... I am in trouble."

"Trouble, you say?" Athe said from the kitchen, scooping leftover eel into a bowl and setting the heavy dish in the sink. He came back with a bowl and as hort glass. "What sort of trouble are you in?" He gasped, "Doctor! You didn't-"

"Of course not!" Ardus bellowed, offended. "I would never harass a woman!"

Athe grinned. "I'm joking. Here," he handed Ardus the glass, sailorfruit juice with a slice of tidepool melon and some white foam algae liquor splashed over the top. "You've just eaten, but this will loosen you up abit, get the grit out of your teeth. Now tell me, how did you end up at Doctor Nina's apartment, and what made you make her baked eel, your specialty?"