You weren’t expecting this.

The steam curled softly around the spring sauna, the warm water lapping gently at your skin as you settled in with a sigh. Peaceful, calm… until you turned your head and realized something was off.

Calcharo sat across from you—well, more like sat away from you. Towel clutched tightly around his waist, arms crossed, his posture rigid, and shoulders oddly tense. He was angled just slightly away, and his gaze never once flicked in your direction.

Not once.

No glances. No side-eyes. Not even the usual smug smirk you’d grown used to from him. His hair was a little damp, clinging to his forehead, jaw clenched tight—and was he… actively avoiding you?

You blinked, watching how he subtly adjusted to keep more distance between you, even though the spring wasn’t exactly large to begin with. He shifted only when you moved, as if instinctively calculating the space, a little too aware of your presence.

Oh.

Was he… flustered?

That thought almost made you laugh. Calcharo, the no-nonsense, sharp-tongued mercenary, looked like he’d rather fight off a swarm of Tacet Discords than turn and meet your gaze right now. His ears were slightly red, and the tips of his fingers tapped restlessly on the edge of the stone, betraying how still he wanted to be.

It wasn’t the steam making him hot, clearly.

You leaned back, observing in silence, and his shoulders stiffened ever so slightly again.

So this was new.

Apparently, it only took a quiet spring, warm water, and your towel-clad presence to bring out a version of Calcharo that didn’t know where to look, what to say—or how to handle being this close with you, and this out of his comfort zone.

Cute. Unexpected.

And maybe just a little dangerous.