No, but it does make my living situation awkward.

For a while, all you do is sneakily dress up while tucked away under the blankets. It was a little weird when people filtered in and out of the room as they would in any other house, but once you were off the couch, everything returned to normal…More or less, at least.

You were now living in a house where two women had taken sexual advantage of you. Alexandra on more than one occasion, but now Amara who’s able to poker face her way through every conversation like nothing is out of order.

Flora spends most of her time with Kenji to maintain the illusion that you two don’t have an affair with each other. You aren’t sure how blind Amara is to the detail, but you guess it’s a good sign Amara isn’t actively doing anything to keep you separated when you’re under the same roof.

With that said, you perform the gymnastics of ignoring Flora; you end up doing more to hinder your advantages while you are with her than anyone else ever could, so you end up ghosting Flora until it’s midnight while everyone else is asleep.

You wait for extra long in your room, trying not to daze off as the remaining effects of Amara’s **** are fought off before searching for Flora in her room. Your knocks are soft, but it still disrupts the house's silence at night. It’s tense before Flora answers the door, but when you step in, it only worsens as you realize there’s a lot of unfolding.

“What is it now?” Flora asks.

“I don’t know where to begin,” you admit with a heavy sigh. “It feels like everything’s been messed up since I got back working with Amara’s smuggling gig.”

Flora frowns and sits at the foot of her bed. “I’m sorry, Warren.”

You shake your head, giving your head a slight throb. “No, don’t worry about it. It’s– nothing. Really, I wouldn’t burden you with me.”

“It’s my fault, though,” she looks down bashfully, her eyes swelling with undesired tears. “What’s happening to you?”

You, sir, beside Flora. She reached for your hand and apologized again, but nothing else could be done. She tries to offer different ideas to escape the ARS, but they’re all pipedreams or too far from reality to attempt.

Eventually, you push for a subject change and ask what she was doing this morning with Amara and Kenji. She seems **** to talk about it at first but explains that it seemed like an attempt to get Kenji to stay longer as an ARS contractor.

When you ask why she was there, she scoffs. “I got medical supplies. Amara wanted to make sure whatever she was getting was useful.” She rolls her eyes and then crosses her arms. “I played nurse for that bitch Alexandra most of the evening after we ate dinner.”

You first find it a little humorous, but then you think of something. “Is it possible to dope her?”

Flora perks. “What do you mean?”

“You know. Knock her out for however long.”

She fidgets, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of doing such things. But, she humors you despite that. “We need a plan first, don’t we? As in, we escape when this happens.”

“We’ll have to wait for a caravan or something, so we aren’t just running wild on our own,” you say. “But, why not bring it up now, right?”

Flora chews idly inside her mouth, unsure if she will continue teasing the idea or not. “If I’m caught, I’m sure you’ll be the one punished. Not me. You’re expendable and irreplaceable.”

“Even if it’s me that gets punished— you could use it as an opportunity to get out of here.”

“I can’t get back alone. I need you with me!”

“I’d recommend getting used to the idea that you’ll be alone if the occasion calls for it,” you tell her gently despite her snapping at you. She apologizes and sulks. “Amara is just out to embarrass me, and Alexandra’s fucked in the head even though I pulled her ass out of the frying pan. I thought something changed, but after today….”

As you trail off, Flora brushes her shoulder against you. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” you grumble, suddenly being awkward in your thoughts. Flora is supposed to be the one in trouble, not you. “I said you were worth the effort, didn’t I?”

She rolls her eyes before she tries to smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” you push her back to study her. She doesn’t look fragile. Instead, she seems genuine. “There’s nothing you can do. It isn’t your fault, OK?”

Flora stands up, taking your hand and pulling you up. “Fine. If that’s how you want to be, then get out of my room and get some sleep. I can’t have you sleep in here again. It’s pointless for us to play with fire if all the others try to get you in trouble.”

“Sleep does sound nice…”

She finally laughs. “Yes, it does. Now get out of here. Please.”

The following day, the weather is sunny and warm. There’s an immediate change in the streets. Everything is melting, and there’s movement all over town—especially Tiny’s Tavern.

Amara dispatched Kenji to keep an eye on things— primarily bounty hunters or other undesirables. Surprisingly, Kenji tries to get you to go instead, but Amara waves the idea away.

Alexandra looks unwell after breakfast and drags herself back to her room. This leaves you, Flora, and Amara as the remaining freehand.

You’re about to retreat to your room when Amara bumps into you. She looks more bitchy than usual, but you hold your tongue and smile, despite her rude entry into your space.

“Well, well,” she says without a blink. “You look much better today than yesterday…and the day before.”

“Much better,” you reply, stepping slightly back. “Not that there’s a reason to be disgruntled anymore.”

Amara smirks, looking smug and evil. She straightens her lips and places her hands on her hips. I could use another night to unwind.

“Not unless we could get someone else to join us,” you say half-jokingly.

“We could bring Alexandra. Get to stretch her legs and warm up to the idea of moving again. Spring will be on top of us before we know it.”

“She’s a big girl,” you reply. “She’s tougher than she looks right now. You’d best let her rest and recover at her own pace, especially if she’s sick enough to bedrid herself.”

Amara hums. “So, you really want Flora to come along then? You think she’d like to watch?”

Her comment burns in your head, but you don’t chase her remark with anything more than a dull stare. Instead, she pushes you slightly, forcing a synthetic laugh from her lungs. “I’m kidding. You ought to know that.”

“I didn’t say anything,” your voice comes out throaty, and it indicates to her your frustration. She uses this to her advantage and narrows her gaze at you.

“You’re fond of Flora, aren’t you? I’ve seen how you sneak a few glances at her. I bet you’d like to have her all to yourself. I bet you’d **** her like the others. Like you did Scarlet, Alexandra—“

“—I’m not having this conversation with you,” you cut in sharply with your words. Her eyes flash before they widen. She suddenly looks unstable and feisty. You hadn’t considered Amara that much of a fighter, but her change of expression makes your body tense.

“And what if we do? What the fuck are you going to do? Huh? Hit me? Do it if you think you’re all that,” Amara squares up surprisingly well against you. Her smaller tight frame swells as she straightens her back. “Scarlet should have shot you in the leg instead. Alexandra would have left you in the snow and reported back unharmed and ready for the next task.”

“Instead, you're stuck with me,” you grunt. “So why make it hard yourself?”

“Because the more I watch you, the less I trust you. I ought to discard your contract and have Kenji toss you out. I could do that, even now.”

“And here I thought you needed me.”

“No,” she swallows and glances at you. “You’re a fucking burden on the mind. And I’m sick of having to worry about you.”

Amara steps back, her hands at her sides. “What the fuck am I supposed to do with you?”

“You could terminate my contract and let me off the hook,” you smile at her, hoping she’d either ease off or do something to break the tension. Instead, she curses.

“I hate to leave enemies behind with details that could get me killed later down the road.”

“You’re making me more complicated than what I’m worth, Amara.”

This remark makes her laugh slightly, catching you somewhat off guard. “Issatso?”

“Yes, ma’am. Though I’ll admit it is rather flattering, you think I could cause so much damage to you,” you eye her as you suspect she’s going to say something to you, but she doesn’t. “What makes me so complicated?”

“You’re grossly likable, but your background makes you repulsive in every way imaginable,” she looks away, her eyes traveling down to the floor. “I think I actually hate you.”

Your chest deflates as it burns. “And you call me complicated…”

“Don’t get all worked up. Now that we’ve established raw history together, I know you have less-than-favorable opinions about me too.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the most charming and lovable boss anyone could ever ask for. What thing have you done to make me not like you?”

“Oh, my,” she says as she rolls her eyes. “How about you? What thing have you done to make your employer think you’re the best hire of the century? Your fuck-ups haven’t led my thoughts astray.”

“Haven’t you heard of the saying ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’?”

“You have to make three left turns to get to the right,” she casually says, staring at you as if she’s offered you life-changing advice. “You catch me, Warren?”

“I’m not fetching anything,” you lie, now wondering who else could be connected to you and your secret plot for Flora. “Whatever. Do you need me to do something for you or what? I know you’re not talking to me out of the goodness of your heart.”

Amara crosses her arms, her eyes landing on yours as she filters through countless tasks in her mind. The gears are turning, but the words aren’t forming. “There’s nothing out there for the likes of you,” she decides.

Kenji disrupts your meeting by walking through the front door. You and Amara share a glance at each other, and for a moment, you suspect her to release Kenji on you; instead, she clears her throat and greets him.

Kenji pokes through the cabinets and finds an oatmeal bar before joining your circle. “Yo.”

“Back so soon?” Amara’s voice is tight, and she looks annoyed.

“Yeah,” he says between bites. “Caravan poked through, so I left to avoid contact.”

You perked up. “This early in the year?”

He swallowed and burped. “Yeah. They were talking to one of the staff members at Tiny’s Tavern, but honestly– I didn’t want any of those guys to talk to me. They looked roughed up.”

“Not a fan of rag-tag party members?”

He shakes his head. “More like ARS involved ****. Christ knows we left enough hardware making our way here to arm a miniature army. Or a couple of dozen groups of mercs and raiders alike.”

Amara shifts her weight. “Business is good then. We’ll just have to make deals with the other side when we start heading out.”

“Might be better just to head back,” Kenji says, tossing the wrapper of his bar away. “Without Scarlet or me, you’re running a dangerous game.”

“Small contracts then,” she counters. “Don’t want the others to get upset with our trade.”

“Others?” You ask.

“Questions,” she sighs, shutting you up.

“Those caravan guys, do we need to worry about them?”

Kenji shrugs. “Not likely. They’ll be here until it’s warm, though, so we might want to lay low unless you want to kill all of them now.”

“Nah,” Amara chases quickly. “No point in that. Killing a whole caravan in a place like this will attract a lot of unwanted attention. Besides, that’s awfully risky, even with the goons we have here.”

Amara blinks and looks at you. “Stay inside. Don’t run off and do anything stupid, yeah?”

“Nothing stupid to do.”

Kenji grunts. “Give a man with nothing to do, and he’ll learn what he can do.”

“I haven’t heard that one before,” you tell him. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Just now,” he goes back to the same cabinet he found his snack and fishes out another one. “Amara is right. If you fuck around with those guys, they’re bound to do something about us. ARS are ghosts here, and it should stay like that while I’m here.”

“Not while you’re not?”

Amara rolls her head at Kenji, her brows knitting.

He smiles friendly enough and unravels the wrapper. “Of course not while I’m here. It’d paint a negative color on my people.”

“We’re your people as long as you’re contracted with us,” Amara remarks. He gives another smile, which is more comprehensive and playful, he shoots Amara a wink, but you have a feeling he means that gesture for you.

“Since you’re here then,” Amara picks up, now eager to leave. “You’re in charge of dinner. Alexandra is sick, and Flora is busy watching over her.”

“And how about Visser?” Kenji’s smile is gone, and now he looks annoyed.

“I don’t trust him,” Amara answers flatly. “But I know I can trust you.”

“And what about you?” Kenji chases her.

Amara pauses at the entry of the kitchen. “I’ve got to take a bath.”

When she’s gone, Kenji looks at you. “Well then. What are you going to do?”