"'Cause I care about him?"
Cameo’s cool gaze assessed me for several long moments before he let out a long sigh. "I see. Carry on, I'm going downstairs."
"Okay, just watch out. Indi and Marcus are a bit… tense."
"Oh, are they fighting again?" Cameo asked, his tone cheerful. "Dessert and a show."
He quickly pecked my temple, a little bounce in the alpha's step as he headed downstairs, calling, “Are we hitting each other?”
I shook my head at his antics, continuing down the hall. Joon and Indigo’s bedroom was empty, leaving only one other place that the omega would’ve gone to sulk.
At the end of the hall, the door to Joon’s nest was shut, and there didn’t need to be a sign that said ‘caution, moody omega!’ for me to get the message to leave them alone. But I didn’t care about that one bit.
My omega needed me, and I was going to show up for them.
I knocked and waited. But there was nothing. So I knocked again. And again, nothing.
"Joon, can I come in?" I called.
The silence on the other side of the door was deafening.
"Come on, I just want to talk," I said, slight irritation seeping into my voice.
This time, I knocked a bit harder. "If you don't answer, I'm just going to come in."
I couldn't even hear the sound of footsteps on the other side.
"Fine, I warned you," I said, trying the doorknob; luckily, it clicked open. I pushed it open slowly, spotting Joon curled up on the cushions with his earbuds in and a drawing tablet in his hands.
It was clear he was locked in, lost in his own little world. His brows furrowed in irritation—or maybe concentration.
Was being nosy when I already knew he was pissed at me the best move? Probably not. But would that stop me? Also no.
I tiptoed closer to him, trying to catch a peek at what he was working on, but it was really hard to make out.
Joon had zoomed into a spot with a lot of lines, so I couldn't see what it was that well. There was a lot of red. Cherries maybe?
I tried to lean a little closer, but it was a mistake. I overbalanced and had to catch myself on the cushions, making Joon look up at me.
"Can I help you?" he asked, pulling out his earbud.
The part of me that was still scared of getting in trouble clinched at the harshness of his tone, but I tried to remember what Indi said. "I wanted to say sorry for upsetting you."
"Who said I was upset?" he asked, eyes turning back to the tablet dismissively.
"Your face, mostly."
Realistically, we both knew that stomping up the stairs after storming out was more than enough evidence that he’d been upset… But pointing that out probably wouldn’t have done me any favours, so I didn’t bother.
His face contorted slightly. I wasn't entirely sure why at first, since the expression was difficult to read, but then it hit me. He was trying not to laugh.
"Fair enough," he got out stiffly, still holding it in.
Something moved on his shirt, and I jumped, assuming it was a bug.
But luckily, it was just a little pink noodle clinging to the omega’s chest.
"Didn't you lose Potato by forgetting her while you were drawing?" I asked, moving to sit beside him in the nest.
