The Shock and Awe Effect

"…First of all, Cleao, Stephanie was a man!"

Cleao laughed outright, crossing her arms over her chest. "Well, that would explain a lot, fairy boy!"

Orphen growled audibly which neither stifled nor detoured Cleao's wicked laughter. His blood was near boiling by the time she had quieted somewhat.

"And besides, he - well - she's married!" he bellowed over her noise, trying to regain at least some dignity after her previous insult. He had never been one to stand for much in the way of Cleao.

Cleao's eyes widened considerably after a moment of sweet silence. A second was all it took for her to come up with her next accusation. "It's Letitia, isn't it? I knew it! I just knew it!"

He rolled his eyes once again. She had been spouting out every name she could think of for the previous hour. In the past sixty minutes, he had denied having a romance with each and every single one of them. Which was true, for the most part. Orphen was a healthy male, after all. The occasional escapade was not an uncommon occurrence for him. Of course, that had all been put to a stop once he met Cleao Everlasting. She was virtually his chastity belt.

Orphen shook his head. "You tried that one already, Cleao."

"Oh," she said meekly, putting her hand to her chin in thought, "Well, Orphen, whenever you're ready to 'fess up, I'll be in my room. Hmph!"

Cleao stomped from the Tower library, almost trampling Majic.

"Cleao, what's wrong?" he called after her, concerned.

She made a loud, frustrated scream that caused Majic to cover his ears. "I don't want to talk about it!"

Majic shrugged and headed into the study. Orphen was already hunched over a book, a hand combing roughly through his hair. He looked mad and/or deep in thought. Either way, Majic knew Cleao was the reason for it.

"Master, what happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it!"

Majic groaned, "That's what she said."

As if on second thought, Cleao re-entered the room. She looked determined. The two stared at her in silence, waiting for her to say something, seeing her struggle to catch her breath. She opened her mouth to speak but just eyed the two of them with a dangerous air about her.

Orphen's breath hitched when Cleao scooped up an almost damsel-like Majic into her arms and kissed him. Actually kissed him. This wasn't just a quick brush of the lips or a peck between friends, this was a wet, open-mouthed smooch. Majic looked uncomfortable with his arms tucked close to his sides, his eyes wide, and his ears turning red. But she persisted in her display of sudden affection.

When she released him she made eye contact with Orphen and knew – yes, she knew – that she had gotten the desired effect out of the scene. She tapped Majic's lips with her finger, having the men believe she meant that there was more where that came from, and she slipped from the room.

Orphen was in shock.

Immediately after, the interrogation began. Orphen pulled his apprentice close by his upper arm and pointed at him.

"What did you do to her?"

Majic choked, "Me? Nothing, Master, I swear!"

He growled but didn't have the heart to do anything. Besides, Majic was blubbering like a baby, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. Even Orphen couldn't imagine hitting someone as pathetic as that. He wasn't done with him yet, though.

"Was it any good?"

Majic's eyes widened as he wiped away the tears quickly. He tried to recall the feeling of Cleao's kiss and realized that it was good – very good – even if he was too focused on his surprise the moment it happened. Somehow he knew Orphen wouldn't appreciate that answer even if he was being completely honest. So he smiled slyly instead and avoided the question altogether.

"You're jealous, Master."

Orphen didn't – no, couldn't – answer right away.

Him? Jealous? No. Never. Couldn't be. Maybe some other guy who actually cared. But not him.

Majic understood and nodded. Next thing he knew, he was blushing up to his hairline, touching his lips in remembrance of the fervent lip lock his long time traveling companion gave him. "But yes, Master, it was good. I think…I think I even felt it in my toes."

Orphen was angry. He was sad too. Oh crap, he was jealous.

----------

Later, still within the confines of the library, things died down. At least, on the outside. Hartia, Letitia, and Eris joined Majic and his master that afternoon, all working on their own research respectively. It was quiet. The only sound was that of crisp pages turning. Silence was not something Cleao Everlasting dealt with very well. So when she strolled into the room, a mischievous grin gracing her face, Orphen guessed that it would be troubled waters up ahead.

She casually deposited herself onto Majic's lap, brushing back his hair from his forehead. He blushed a deep berry red. Orphen refused to let her know just how much that bothered him. He didn't even look at the two, immersing himself in translating the next few lines of his text. Next, though, he started to hear cooing sounds and admitted defeat, having read the same sentence at least twenty times over.

He allowed himself a glance only to see something unexpected. Eris was sneering at Cleao beside her, clearly seething. He was almost amused.

"What are you doing?" Eris demanded. Cleao blew into Majic's ear again and he reared back, ticklish. "Majic! What is she doing?"

"Just making him happy. Got a problem with that?"

This didn't sit well with Eris. Quite frankly, it didn't sit well with him either, but he wasn't going to say a thing. He would rather sit back and watch how it played out. Cleao kissed Majic on the cheek and made her move to leave, but Eris was quick on her heels. The two began a screaming match which resulted in a fight, running and yelling ensued.

Letitia chose this moment to say something. "Cleao is acting strange, don't you think?"

At this point, Majic was trying his best to calm them both, using his soothing voice to call out, "Can't we solve this rationally? Please?"

"I haven't noticed," Orphen grunted back, flipping the pages in his book in mock concentration.

"I do believe she's paying more attention to Majic than normal. I thought perhaps you two were…?" The question fell from her lips before she could finish it. Hartia looked up too, interested.

Orphen leaned back and gave up trying to get anything done. "She seems to think that you and I have a fling."

Letitia laughed shortly. Hartia too enjoyed a chuckle. "We both know that, that would not happen."

"Right, because I could never imagine myself with a hag like you. No offense."

Normally someone would reply, "None taken." But she was offended. A lot. The hectic air already surrounding the room drove her to do the next action. She kicked him under the table - straight in the groin and Orphen winced only to see odd lights swirling behind his eyelids. He shouldn't have said that, he guessed.

Letitia and Hartia stomped from the room in seek of solace. Orphen took this has his cue to end the fight. He limped to Cleao, holding her back by her arms as she struggled and writhed against him. Eris was currently restrained by Majic.

"Take care of her, Majic. I've got Cleao." Orphen guided her towards her makeshift room in the tower by her elbow, still in so much pain that he teetered while he walked.

"Orphen! Let me go!"

He snickered, "Not on your life. You'll just run away."

They both knew he had a point.

"Sorry Majic is otherwise occupied. I know you would have liked for him to be doing this."

Cleao grumbled under her breath before she said, "Why? I don't like Majic. Just because I kissed him doesn't mean I have a thing for him. I can kiss whoever I want. Why do you care, anyway?" She stepped in front of him and the two were forced to stop. He didn't bother to answer. "Well, mister sorcerer, do you care?"

He urged her on again and the two fumbled towards her bedroom. Orphen sighed heavily. "Just stop it, Cleao." He groaned softly, the pain still biting at him.

Cleao wrinkled her nose and tore her elbow away. "What's wrong with you? You're walking funny."

He didn't want to bring it up because it was embarrassing, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get her off his back. "Letitia kicked me."

Cleao cackled loudly just like Orphen knew she would. It was just like her to find light in his misfortunes. She grabbed his hand. He tried not to think too hard about her skin on his when she started tugging him past the threshold of her doorway and into her room. "Come on."

She began rummaging through her things. Orphen just whistled softly, taking in her clothes scattered all over the floor and suddenly something about her demeanor changed. He could tell, too. It was seeping from her in large waves.

"Why?" was all Cleao said to interrupt his meaningless path of thought, her hands gripping the bureau tightly, all thoughts of her search gone. With that one word, though, he understood completely.

----------

Two weeks, 1 day, and 7 hours. That was exactly how long it had been since she'd seen him. She cursed herself for actually being dumb enough to count. That was something giddy schoolgirls or girlfriends did. She was neither. Still, the idea of his reappearance was comforting in its own way. Because not only was Orphen coming home, but he was going to kiss her. Kiss her silly. He just didn't know it yet.

Before he left, things were going smoothly. They were spending almost every waking moment together and people were starting to notice. Even thickheaded Orphen himself could tell. He would tease her about it every chance he got, calling her a lost dog trailing after its owner. She was too stubborn to turn her back on what had started. She was here to stay and he was going to have to learn to deal with that.

She heard a stumble and knew that he was back. Lai, who was with him, walked past the room and smiled in greeting. Orphen came following soon after, a weary look on his features. He didn't exactly perk up when he saw her either. She caught his sleeve before he could get away and tugged him into the library.

"Cleao-" he started, but was at a loss for words when her hands slid from his ribs down to his hips, pulling him insistently closer to her.

She leaned in close, hip to hip, soon to be lip to lip. "Shut up," she uttered menacingly. He watched when she shut her eyes, moving towards him, puckering her lips softly. It was the perfect invitation. And yet, it just wasn't right for him. He wasn't in this moment. His mind was somewhere else.

When nothing came she opened her eyes to see him scratching his neck, glancing anywhere but at her directly. She huffed and pushed him away.

"What's your problem, Orphen?" she asked angrily. There was no doubt she was furious – but she was also hurt. She hoped he couldn't see how much his rejection had actually affected her.

He shrugged. "What do you mean? There's nothing wrong with me!"

She shook her head. She couldn't believe he didn't get it. Maybe he was just playing stupid so he didn't have to tell her how much he hated her. "Okay, so, you might not have gotten the gist. Let's try this again."

Before she could come closer Orphen yelled, "No!" It was louder than he initially intended, though. "I mean, how about not. We could talk?"

Orphen hated talking, that much she knew. He was always telling her she should close her mouth. His suggestion just fueled the fire. "I don't want to talk, damnit! I thought…"

He didn't know what to do. She was crumbling before him.

"I…" the glint in her eyes was suddenly different, less somber, "Who is it?"

Orphen gulped. What was she talking about?

"Come on, Orphen, who is it? If not me, then who else?"

He balled his fists. "God, Cleao, that's not it. Quit yapping, I'm tired. I've got some last minute stuff to get done down here."

She denied his request.

"Don't tell me to be quiet. I want to know. Was it…"

---------

He knew it was over for him. He had to come clean now, lest the jealousy begin to eat at his heart, down its very core. He didn't have any excuses. "I was stupid, wasn't I?"

She spun to meet his gaze, hope glimmering there. "You were?"

Orphen rolled his eyes. "Yeah, don't you think so?"

"Well…" she began but made quick work of Orphen's composure, pushing him back so he fell against her bed, following him. She straddled his waist. "You've never been very bright, let's just get that out in the open."

Her hands moved to his belt. His breath caught. She peered to look at him through lowered lashes. They were moving forward now, no obstacles in sight.

"And you're doing that because…?"

She threw the belt across the room and fumbled with the button next. "I figured you'd need some ice. You want it to be functioning properly, don't you?"

He couldn't argue with that logic. She was right, no matter how tantalizing she was making the job. When he glanced up next she had thrown off her shirt. He quirked an eyebrow at that.

"And your top…?"

"Like I said, we have to make sure it's functioning properly," she sighed contentedly, "Are you going to kiss me now?"

His jaw dropped. Cleao was absolutely gorgeous, straddling him, trapping him in her bed with no escape. He had no idea she could disarm him this way. She hid her talents well.

Orphen was in awe.

She draped herself across his torso, lowering her face closer to his, tucking her hair behind her ear, and licking her lips. Cleao used one finger to close his jaw. She mumbled quietly, "Yeah, I have that effect on people," before she kissed him. Hard.