Interlude [h.s]

twenty-four

Alouette walks in the video room feeling more nervous than she normally would.

She knows the instant Harry's eyes land on her. The temperature in the room changes, and she's pervaded by the daunting sensation of being stared at. A quick look at the space around her confirms what she's already aware of, his green eyes are indeed burning into hers from the other side of the room.

There's a woman she's seen a couple of times before around him, fixing his already perfect hair, stopping every once in a while to check him out and make sure she's doing a good job.

He barely pays attention to the words that leave her mouth, too busy playing with one of the rings on his fingers to consider listening to her. It's composed by a jadeite encased in a chiselled silver frame, Alouette has already seen it before. It's the only one he's always wearing, the one he never swaps with another. He's always worn it in his videos, in his office, even the night before when he put his hand on her thigh. She wonders if it holds a special meaning for him, or if he's simply fond of it.

Harry glances at her and signals her to come closer with a finger, and she does even though she can't shake away the feeling that's a bad idea.

She hasn't seen him ever since the night before, when he stormed out of her bedroom after kissing her. Differently from her, he seems to be relaxed, his behaviour normal, as if nothing happened at all between them. At least one of them can act nonchalantly. The memory of the night before has kept her up for the entire night— from him throwing that knife during the celebration to the kiss they'd shared afterwards.

A part of her is terrified he'll find out the truth about her and kill her, and the other can't stop thinking of the way his hands felt on her body. She's living a contradiction and doesn't know what to do, she hadn't expected something like that to happen. The Revolution hasn't prepared her for that. In their defence, though, they did tell her to stay away from the president, and she couldn't even do that. She knows she hasn't been behaving professionally, but she doesn't mind. After all, if she can manage to make him fall for her it'll be much easier to complete her mission.

The woman walks away, and even though they're in a room full of people, she feels like she's alone with just him.

"Hello, little bird." His cool greeting sends a shiver down her spine.

"Good afternoon, Harry."

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," he states, narrowing his eyes, and she takes a step closer to him. He doesn't stand up from the chair or make a move. His green eyes are focused on her, a calm but attentive look in them that deeply unsettles her. He always looks at her like that, as if he wants to uncover all her secrets with a simple gaze. And his eyes are so clear, so dark and deep that she feels like he could indeed read the words etched in her soul simply by looking at her.

"I go where I'm needed," she replies quietly, taking the lipstick the woman has left behind and opening it. The colour is just a little darker than Harry's mouth, the shade of the heart of a hibiscus, and she raises his chin.

His heart-shaped lips part as she puts on the lipstick, and she focuses on his mouth to escape his stare. He looks at her as if he's trying to tell her to look back at him with his mind, and she grips the tube harder to keep her hand from shaking.

"Done," she states when she's finished and stands up straighter again, giving in and looking at him.

He's about to say something, but is interrupted by someone coming closer to them.

"Are you ready to go, sir?"

Alouette glances at the newcomer, raising an eyebrow when she recognises Mia. She doesn't know if she's annoyed with her for interrupting their conversation, or if she's glad she came around for the same reason.