Ix felt a twinge of anxiety around the fact that he'd never actually told Nova what he did. Aside from one disastrous encounter with Grilka, they'd manage to avoid the Krotazi and all the questions eir presence raised. Kreska was even being polite enough to keep her fucking mouth shut, for once.

It was a conversation he'd successfully managed to steer around with everyone he'd dated so far.

So far since Liao, anyway.

"He thinks minding your own business is a crime," Ix said, leaning against her. He still wasn't thrilled that the two of them were meeting at all, but having her put up a united front was helping. "Both," he said. "It's been almost a decade now, he's still not over it." This was an unnecessary jab, but Ix couldn't help it. It was fucking irritating. Why couldn't his ex just let him make decisions of questionable morality in fucking peace like everyone else's?

"I'm not jealous," Liao snapped. "You don't wonder about his nice apartment?" he asked Nova. "The nice cars, the shady friends? Why he knows a kingpin?"

"Your conspiracy theories about the Krotazi Ambassador and your determination to start a war have been duly noted," Ix said. His head tilted enough to touch Nova's. "Either find something illegal and arrest me for it, or move on. Like I have."

"Nothing illegal ever happens around you. That's what they pay you for." Regardless, Liao was more sullen than indignant.