Pyris leaned back in his seat, watching the city blur past the tinted windows of his convoy. The hum of the car was drowned out by his own thoughts. Argos was starting to feel way too much like Earth sotis. The dia frenzy, the skyscrapers, the overly polished streets—it all scread future Earth with magic thrown in for kicks.
Not that he hated it, but the resemblance was uncanny.
The convoy slowed as they neared the company building, and Pyris glanced at the press swarming outside. Caras flashed relentlessly, and he could already picture the headlines. Suzie had warned him about the press waiting at the entrance, but he hadn't expected it to be this bad.
The car stopped, and Mira, ever graceful, stepped out first. The caras went wild, catching every angle of her. Her sleek presence silenced so of the crowd montarily, but Pyris knew the mont wouldn't last.
She turned, opening the door for him.
As soon as Pyris stepped out, the flashbulbs exploded. Gasps rippled through the crowd. It wasn't his usual charm that got them; it was the visible bruises and cuts across his face and the faint marks creeping out from under his collar and cuffs.
Even with most of his injuries hidden by his tailored suit, what was visible was enough to send a ripple of questions through the crowd.
He didn't stop. He didn't pose or wave. He just kept walking, his strides long and deliberate. Everyone else bowed as he passed—executives, assistants, staff, even Esralda, Lizzie, and Suzie standing at the forefront. Their smiles faltered just slightly as they took in his appearance, but they recovered quickly.
"Good morning, sir," Esralda greeted warmly, her usual radiant smile firmly in place.
"Morning," Pyris muttered as he brushed past, heading straight for the entrance. The flashes didn't let up until the doors closed behind him.
Inside the elevator, it was quieter, but not by much. The tension from the won beside him was almost tangible. Esralda stood closest to him, her hands clasped in front of her. Lizzie, ever composed, glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Suzie, on the other hand, leaned casually against the wall, but even her usual mischievous deanor was a little subdued.
No one said a word. Pyris wasn't in the mood to explain himself yet, and they seed to sense that.
As the elevator dinged and the doors slid open to his office floor, Pyris stepped out first, not waiting for anyone. They followed, their silence finally breaking as they entered the office.
Esralda was the first to speak. "Pyris… What happened?" Her voice was soft, concerned.
Lizzie chid in, her brows furrowed. "You look like you went through a war."
Suzie didn't say anything, but the way she crossed her arms and leaned against the desk said enough.
Pyris let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Relax. I'm fine."
"Fine?" Esralda repeated, her tone disbelieving. "You're bruised, cut, and—"
"Parting gift," Pyris cut her off, still smiling. "From my dear friend, the Abyssal Labyrinth."
That made them pause. Then, to his surprise, they laughed—light, nervous laughter, but laughter nonetheless.
"You call that a 'parting gift'?" Lizzie asked, her voice tinged with exasperation.
"Better than souvenirs, right?" Pyris shot back, smirking.
The mood lightened a little, but the concern lingered in their eyes. Pyris decided to steer the conversation back to work. "Now, walk through how everything's going with the launch. We're days out. I need to know we're ready."
The briefing lasted hours. Esralda broke down the numbers and projections, Lizzie handled logistics, and Suzie added her two cents every now and then, though she mostly cracked jokes to ease the tension.
By the ti it was over, Pyris was exhausted with all formalities and dynamics. He leaned back in his chair as the last of the team filtered out, leaving only him and Suzie.
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She perched on the edge of his desk, her arms crossed and a sly grin playing on her lips. "So," she said casually, "you wanna cash in that reward I promised?"
Pyris raised a brow, his smirk matching hers. "Thought you'd never ask."
Suzie rolled her eyes but didn't move from her spot. "I wasn't planning to. Figured you'd be too beat to rember."
"Oh, I rember," Pyris said, his tone teasing. "And I'm cashing in."
She tilted her head, her grin widening. "Alright then. What's it gonna be?"
Pyris leaned forward, his smirk turning into a full grin. "Surprise ."
Suzie laughed, a genuine, carefree sound that echoed in the room. "Fine. But don't bla if it's not what you're expecting."
Pyris leaned back again, watching her with amusent. Whatever she had planned, he wasn't worried. Suzie always delivered.
Pyris leaned casually against the edge of the sleek office desk, his sharp gaze locking onto Suzie as she stood before him, her breaths uneven, her chest rising and falling with tension that electrified the air.
His presence was magnetic—commanding, impossible to ignore. His hand moved, almost without thought, finding her waist, pulling her closer.
"You're impossible," Suzie whispered, her voice trembling but laced with a heat she couldn't suppress.
A smirk tugged at Pyris's lips, his eyes darkening with unmistakable intent. "Am I? Or are you just scared of what happens next?" His voice was a low rumble, his thumb brushing a slow, maddening circle against her side.
Her hands hovered, uncertain, before they found their place against his chest. His heartbeat was steady, controlled—so unlike hers, which was racing, loud enough to drown out any doubts. "I… shouldn't be here," she murmured, her words shaky, but her feet didn't move, nor did her hands pull away.
"Then leave," he challenged, his voice softer now, yet laced with daring. He tilted his head, his lips brushing so close to hers that it was more of a tease than a kiss. "But you won't, will you?"
She closed her eyes, her resolve breaking under the intensity of his stare. "Damn you, I can't resist you," she whispered before her hands tightened their grip on his shirt, and she pulled him down to her.
Their lips t—fierce, hungry, like they'd been holding back for far too long.
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