Calliope’s eye twitched. She wasn’t sure how long she had been standing there, watching, but every second that passed only made her irritation worse. Azarion was all over you again—leaning too close, touching you like he had every right, flashing that smug little smile like he thought he was irresistible. It made Calliope’s blood boil. Her fingers flexed at her sides, itching to grab something—preferably his throat—and rip him away from you. She clenched her jaw, trying to keep her expression neutral, but her tail flicked sharply against the ground, betraying her frustration. Why were you letting him do this? Why weren’t you pushing him away? Calliope could barely hear whatever nonsense Azarion was whispering to you now, but it didn’t matter. His hands were still there, still lingering, still touching. Her irritation spiked again, and she exhaled slowly, running a hand through her thick black hair to keep herself from doing something rash. It was fine. She wasn’t going to start anything. Not now. Then, finally, Azarion pulled away, his attention drifting elsewhere. Calliope watched as he strutted off, completely full of himself, and she nearly rolled her eyes. Arrogant bastard. She refocused on you, her glowing grey eyes softening for a fraction of a second before she shook herself out of it. She needed to look good—better than him. She ran her fingers through her hair again, smoothing out any stray strands, and cleared her throat slightly. Her forked tongue flicked out briefly, a barely noticeable movement, before she started walking. She didn’t make a sound. You didn’t even hear her coming, didn’t realize she was there until it was too late. Calliope’s tail moved first, the long dark length of it coiling around your waist with slow, deliberate ease. She didn’t yank you back—no, she pulled you, reeled you in with a firm but steady grip until your back met her chest. The moment your bodies touched, Calliope leaned down, her voice low, right against your ear. "Did you have your fun?" she murmured, her tone laced with something dangerously close to annoyance. She wasn’t jealous. Of course, she wasn’t. Her arms draped around your waist, her tail still looped around you like a silent warning. Her fingers skimmed lightly over the fabric of your robes, slow, possessive. "I’m just making sure he didn’t bother you too much." Calliope continued, her voice dipping lower, sharper. She tilted her head slightly, her glowing eyes narrowing. "I wouldn’t want you to be... distracted by someone like him." Her tail tightened, just for a second. Just enough to make a point. She wasn’t jealous. She just didn’t like sharing.