Chapter 29: In-Flight Generosity

The quiet whirr of the jet engines filled the cabin as Zara stirred from her sleep, blinking away the fog of dreams. She slowly sat up, stretching her arms and feeling the stiffness in her neck. How long had she been out? She quickly glanced around and noticed the bright daylight streaming through the cabin windows, suggesting they'd been in the air for quite a while. Her eyes landed on a spread of food on the table right in front of her—a tantalizing array of fresh fruit, croissants, pancakes, and scrambled eggs.

She didn't even hesitate; her stomach had been rumbling since she'd boarded, and all that napping had left her feeling starved. Without waiting for an invitation, she picked up her fork and started eating, savoring each bite. Halfway through her first pancake, she glanced over to see Xavier on his laptop, typing away as if they weren't thousands of feet above ground, floating in a world of clouds.

Zara hesitated for a second, fork mid-air. Shouldn't she at least ask if he'd eaten? She looked over at him, trying to appear casual. "Hey… have you eaten yet?"

"No," he replied, eyes still fixed on his screen.

"Oh," she said, blinking. She glanced down at her half-empty plate, slightly guilty that she'd already devoured most of it. Too late to offer him any of this now. But hey, there was more food onboard, right? She called over the flight attendant, asking her to bring Xavier another plate.

She leaned back, turning to Xavier, and in an uncharacteristically gentle gesture, reached over and softly closed his laptop. "Come on. Take a break for a minute. I just ordered you a fresh plate," she said with a small smile.

He raised an eyebrow, his usual cool expression unchanging as he looked at her hand resting over his laptop. "Generous, aren't we?"

Zara smirked. "Absolutely. Some of us are just natural caregivers." She shot him a playful wink, adding, "You're lucky to be on this plane with someone as considerate as me."

Xavier leaned back, his gaze still fixed on her with a faint smirk of amusement. "You know," he said, tone perfectly dry, "that plate you're eating was actually meant for me."

Her fork hovered mid-air. She stared at him, mouth open in surprise, as the realization sank in. The food she'd all but inhaled was supposed to be his. But Zara wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her flustered. She calmly took another bite, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Well, maybe next time you'll eat faster," she teased, her voice laced with defiance. "Anyway, you should be thanking me for ordering you another plate." She placed her hands on her chest and gave a mock bow. "You're welcome, oh grumpy one."

He shook his head, his lips quirking up into the faintest smile. "Noted," he said, a single eyebrow raised in bemusement. But even as he resumed his calm, collected demeanor, she noticed he hadn't tried to reopen his laptop. Instead, he was watching her, his eyes lingering on her face as she polished off the last bite.

Zara reclined back in her seat, feeling oddly at ease. The tension that normally filled the air whenever they were together had thinned out, giving way to something lighter, something she hadn't expected. She stole a glance at Xavier, who now seemed relaxed as he accepted his fresh plate of food.

"Alright, alright," she said, watching him finally dig into his meal. "I'm practically a saint for ordering you that food. Don't let it go to waste."

He chuckled—a rare sound that caught her off guard. "Is that so?"

"Absolutely," she shot back, an impish grin spreading across her face. "You should be extremely grateful. I mean, not everyone would put up with your constant icy stares."

Xavier rolled his eyes, but he seemed amused. He finished his food in silence, then leaned back with a sigh, regarding her with an unreadable look. Zara returned his gaze with a raised eyebrow.

"What? You got something on your mind?" she asked.

"Just curious," he replied, his tone calm but probing. "You're… unexpected."

"Oh?" she laughed, tossing her head back. "Unexpected good or unexpected bad?"

"Good," he replied almost immediately, which surprised her. She felt her cheeks warm, and she shifted in her seat, avoiding his gaze. He hadn't even flinched, like he hadn't just paid her the most surprising compliment she'd ever received from him.

"Well… you're not as terrible as I thought either," she muttered, trying to keep her voice light.

The rest of the flight continued in silence, but it wasn't the usual cold silence she was used to with him. It was a companionable silence, and she found herself stealing glances at him every now and then, as he eventually returned to his laptop, and she slipped her headphones back on.

And though she didn't realize it, Xavier was watching her too, a thoughtful expression softening his normally steely gaze.