#lads n109 zone

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Surrounding Characters: Luke

Age: 18

Birthday: Unknown

Occupation: basically whatever Sylus needs done

Workplace: primarily Onychinus' base

Details:

Luke is the older of the "808 twins" (the younger being Kieran). His name means "light-giving". Hence, he is the twin who "stays in the light".

Luke's voice is higher/lighter than Kieran's. He's described as having a vivacious and unpredictable nature. His horns have a ring on the right horn and his hood has "06" written on it.

Interesting Facts:

He has a love of ice and often consumes it. At first, it was only to numb pain. But it later developed into a thrill for the cold.

He frequently copies things he sees Kieran do

His ideas often end up as messes that Kieran has to clean up

[novthirty]

Thinking about Fruit Vendor! Sylus who actually establishes a produce company to keep up the ruse — only to become way more invested and passionate about it than he initially expected. 

It starts off as an inside joke, a made-up background he spews bullshit about to MC’s friends and colleagues. But one day, he gets a text from one of your friends that he met at an engagement party, asking if he had connections to any wholesale suppliers. And he finds himself rather stumped (a feeling he doesn’t particularly like). 

Never let it be said that Sylus isn’t a good actor, but a little research never hurt anyone. It's all for the ruse, he thinks, as he begins researching the stock market and existing suppliers in Linkon. But you see, the moment he finished the first business article, the gears of his mind already started turning. A few hours later, he has an endless compilation of research and a whole business venture planned out. (Luke and Kieran are probably confused as hell as to why their boss is suddenly interested in selling fruits, but they're probably used to his random entrepreneurial ideas and investments. It's not as if it doesn't pay off.)

Onychinus has all sorts of business dealings, both legitimate and fronts for the organization’s… less than legal pursuits. A produce company would fit right in, he thinks, with the added benefit of maintaining his fake identity as “Skye.” Before he knows it, he has a whole operation underway — one that’s legal, at that — and it ends up being far more successful than he expects.

His first clients are contacts he made from being at your side in various events and gatherings. Spewing enough bullshit about seasonal fruit quality and the weather affecting shipments and growth had gained him quite a few connections over the months, and it paid off now that he had a legitimate business to back up his claims.

Eventually, the company expands enough to start harvesting rare and premium quality fruits. It turns a high profit during the holiday seasons, where the advertisements and special packaging entice people to buy it for occasions and gifts. With his draconic tendencies, it was only inevitable he’d expand into this area of business; it’s like another type of treasure for him, especially when he gets to bring you home the rarest and highest quality fruits.

Throughout this, he ends up investing in a farm for the business, one that exclusively supplies the company and his other business fronts. I can imagine that it becomes a passion of his, to run a sustainably-run farm that pays well and offers benefits to its farmers, slowly building up a rural community. With Onychinus being all bloodshed and crime, he’d take pride in contributing to something that truly helps people (and of course, to build something you would be proud of). 

He drives you out to the farm occasionally, when you both need a break from the city. Cue the mini Stardew Valley AU where you guys put on your overalls and tour the farm, the managers briefing Sylus on crop production while you’re chatting with the farmers, getting to know the people who make up the heart and soul of the place. 

i don’t know how to end this but tldr; sylus may be the criminal overlord of the n109 zone, but never let it be said he isn’t a damn good boss and business owner

[ryllen]

(( main story update ))

[sylussyenjoyer]

sylus is fuming.

he’s almost 100% certain that for the past couple of days you’ve been doing everything in your power to drive him crazy.

he’s having one of the busiest work weeks of his career to date - errands to run constantly, piles of paperwork, people to “converse” with and countless meetings to attend.

of course, this sudden surge in people wanting to trade with sylus had to occur during your week of vacation that the association graced you with.

sylus rarely ever finds himself in situations where he gets overwhelmed, but more often than not these days he finds himself sitting at his desk being absolutely swamped with calls, while you get to prance around his office being an absolute tease. while he does his best to keep up with work, he can’t help but notice how you hike up your skirt more and more each day, how you button your shirt lower and lower and how you carry yourself in a more provocative manner now than you ever have before.

during days one and two, sylus thought he must’ve been imagining it - surely you wouldn’t be that petty, right? he’s just as upset as you are that he can’t spend as much time as he’d like to with you this week, but there’s nothing he can do until the market calms down.

days three and four you got bolder, wearing less and less in front of him, pretending to drop your phone, bending over with your ass sticking out directly in front of his face. you didn’t notice how his half hard cock poked through his pants under his desk, and how he had to adjust his breathing and try his absolute hardest not to fall apart right then and there. when he wasn’t working at home, you’d take it upon yourself to send some photos and videos of yourself that seemed innocent for the most part, but maybe one of the straps of your dress would find itself creeping down your shoulder, or maybe the camera was angled slightly downwards towards your cleavage, or maybe you decided to make an inappropriate gesture or two…

day five would’ve been worse, but unbeknownst to you at the time sylus had other plans. he was growing sick and tired of having to sneak to the bathroom during meetings to get rid of the “problems” you were creating for him, and he certainly wasn’t fond of having to wait out the ones he couldn’t take care of.

sylus was always patient with you, no matter how much he needed you, he always took his time and made sure to thoroughly enjoy every part of you, but the past few days had really been taking a toll on his resolve.

his desire for you was burning and he was about to boil over.

so when you strut through the door of his office he wastes no time letting you know how he feels.

and of course you know what you’ve been doing to him, you can tell by the way he curses under his breath and makes his way towards you that you’re in for it now, he’s finally gonna give you that attention you’ve been craving, and you know you won’t be disappointed.

“did you really think you would get away with this, kitten?”

he’s behind you, whispering in your ear and pushing himself up against your back, and you can feel his cock hardening through his pants as he rubs up on you. his arms wrap around you as one of his large, rough hands massages your chest while the other one reaches down to start playing with your desperate pussy.

you’re so hungry for him, just one touch down there and your legs are already buckling under the pressure of wanting him to fuck you senseless.

as you head to the bed, sylus can’t keep his hands off you. everything’s rushed and your tongues are intertwined, clinging onto each other and clumsily kissing like you’ve never had the chance to before.

he’s never been this wild, practically ripping your clothes off your supple body, running his tongue all over you, unable to stop himself from taking in your scent.

he rushes to take his pants off, his now fully hard cock resting elegantly against his abs. the veins are popping out, and the tip is a delicious bright pink that sends a shiver down your spine and a devilish flood of wetness straight to your pussy.

“is my pretty girl proud of doing this to herself?”

he’s slapping it around your entrance, teasing you while you writhe up against him.

when he slips it in, you choke out a cry of relief and pleasure as you feel him fill you up. his deep exhale as he bottoms out inside makes you feel close already, and you can’t help but move your hips impatiently, making him hiss from the feeling of your insides squeezing around his cock.

“always so tight for me, missed this so much, fuck.”

he throws his head back and lets out a guttural moan as he starts moving, pulling out halfway before fucking himself into you, hitting your deepest parts over and over again as you cling to the sheets and arch your back, hoping to feel him even more.

you swear you can see him bulge through your stomach and the sensation makes you moan louder, especially as he takes a hand and gently pushes down on your belly while picking up the pace. it’s enough to make you feel like you’re being broken by him, and you’re getting more and more addicted to it by the second.

“so good for me baby, driving me crazy like this.. need to cum in you so bad..”

you can’t bear to hear his voice now, not when your eyes are rolling back and your toes are curling and you feel your sanity slipping away as he fucks you into the mattress - you can’t believe how unfair he’s being.

but you’ll take his cum of course, it’s all you’ve been thinking about for the past 5 days and you’ve been yearning for it and dreaming about it and now you’re under him, right where you belong, begging for it while he looks down at you with that erotic gaze of his, those red eyes glowing and burning, almost as hot as the seed that he pours into you.

and he doesn’t pull out immediately, he lays down next to you with his dick still inside, plugging up your hole so nothing spills out, and you both hold each other.

you nuzzle into his chest and feel so comfortable with his load stuffed inside you and his arms around you. you lift up your hand and move his white hair out of his eyes, landing a quick peck on his cheek. those eyes which were holding you in your place just minutes ago had changed to look at you with adoration and love, and you can’t help but let out a small “i love you” to which he responds by running his fingers through your hair, landing a kiss to the top of your head, pulling out, and lifting you off the bed.

he carries you to the bath and you wash up together while he cradles you in his arms and whispers sweet nothings to you.

ooh my loves this is a long one!!!!! what a doozy. i love a pathetic working man !!!!! say it with me!!!!! also lemme know if i should start working on more plot/scenario based fics like this or if you prefer my braindead ass drabbles hehe <3

[rafayelscutiee]

the gotham city of lads

[sayangrafayel]

Crow family Pt. Lifespan of a cat

Luke: Hey, look at that cute cat! We should really get one for the base.

Kieran: You want to take care of a cat for that long?

Luke: What? How long do they live?

Kieran: Somewhere between 13-20 years, maximum.

Luke: What!? That's almost like a human lifespan!

MC: You.. you think a human's lifespan is only around 20 years?

Sylus: Fair. We live in N109 Zone.

[kentofic]

Aaaaa could you pls do #19 with Sylus for the christmas prompts? 🥹

(Also heyyy, hope you’re well! Sending you love! 🥰💕)

anything for you my dear 💗💗 thank you for the prompt! and i hope you’re doing well too !! 🥰

Head over heels - Sylus x reader

You’ve learned exactly two things this evening:

You should always, always test the treads of new shoes before braving a wintery evening walk.

The N109 zone needs to salt the damn sidewalks.

“Sylus, would you stop that and help me,” you say through gritted teeth. You’re clinging to a lamppost, your legs unsteady and slipping beneath you.

“Thought you said you didn’t need any help, sweetie,” Sylus snickers.

You groan. You had, in fact, said that the first time you almost ate shit on the walk home. But this is the fourth time your new boots have skidded out from under you on the icy sidewalk, and you’ve come to regret turning down the arm he offered.

Sylus, of course, is gloating. The lens shutter sound of his phone camera clicks repeatedly as he snaps blackmail photos.

“Is this all it takes to bring the valiant Miss Hunter to her knees? A bit of ice?” he grins.

Your frown deepens, and you try to pull yourself into a more dignified position, but your feet slide on the icy concrete. You squeak as you hold tighter to the lamppost, your feet slipping in a frantic sort of dance until you finally find a precarious balance again.

“This is all your fault. You’re the one who bought me these boots,” you glower at him.

“I assumed you knew how to walk, kitten. Forgive me.” His shit-eating grin is illuminated by the light of his phone. You’d like very much to smack it off his face.

Finally, he slips his phone back into his pocket. He extends a hand towards you—the picture of a gentleman, if it weren’t for his self-satisfied smirk. You scowl, but you’re not above accepting his help at this point. You reach a mittened hand out to his, stretching your arm as far as you can, but you can’t quite close the distance without losing your balance. Sylus takes a step closer, about to clasp your hand in his, but then there’s a blur of movement and a grunt of surprise and—

He’s flat on his back, limbs akimbo. He looks up at you from the icy ground, bewildered and disoriented.

You literally point and laugh—howling with mirth, shoulders shaking. Sylus heaves himself into a sitting position, unimpressed, as you double over with the force of your laughter. You’re giddy with delight at the karmic justice that has unfolded; Sylus, however, isn’t so accepting of fate.

There’s a snap, a curl of red mist, and the world suddenly tilts as Sylus pulls you down to the ground with him, his chest to your back and his arms wrapped around your waist. He lands straight on his ass, you in his lap, and you shriek as the two of you slide several feet down the sidewalk, spinning as you go. By the time you’ve skidded to a halt, you’re both laughing and breathless.

“You absolute bastard. I hope you ripped a hole in your fancy pants.”

“You want the whole world getting a peek at my ass? Thought it was for your eyes only, sweetie.”

“Sylus!”

You wriggle and kick in his grip, but he just buries his face into the softness of your hair, still chuckling and trying to regain his composure. He must be a sight—the infamous leader of Onychinus on his ass in the street, giggling like a schoolboy, with his pretty Hunter in his lap. He savors the moment a second longer before dropping a kiss to the top of your head and releasing his grip.

You extricate yourself and find your way back onto your feet, warily testing the grip of your shoes on the sidewalk. Finding it adequate, you extend a hand to Sylus and help pull him up. Neither of you fall this time. You dust off your hands and turn back in the direction you were walking, ready to resume your treacherous journey.

Sylus stops you with a hand at your waist. You turn to look at him, then you’re suddenly scooped up into his arms, bridal-style.

“Um??” you squeak as he shifts, settling you more comfortably in his arms, your head nestled against his chest. Your feet dangle—your useless boots finally freed from their futile task.

Sylus glances down at you, a twinkle in his eye, as he starts walking in the direction of home.

“Cross your fingers for me, kitten. If I go down again, we go down together.”

[peascrabbles]

summary: Your life as a humble delivery driver is upended when you meet the feared leader of Onychinus one day. content: 18+ minors do not interact, suggestive themes, delivery driver au, fluff and humor, a very hectic meet cute, light angst, sylus does crime lord things, and as such violence, blood & injury, use of "good girl" wc: 13k (and counting) about: This is an ongoing, impromptu collaboration with @thechaoticarchivist and myself which begun with a worldbuilding muse and became a full fledged fic! We've been writing it in alternating turns, on the fly, with neither writer having any clue where the other is going to take the story next. The parts written by @thechaoticarchivist will be indicated with this colour, while parts written by @peascrabbles will be in this colour. For those looking for the latest part – please scroll down until you find the "special delivery" banner!

It’s been a long day, you were exhausted and a little worse for wear after that last batch of Wanderers forming near the truck, not to mention some of the, ahem, deliveries to specific places tonight.

But it’s fine. Drop off the box, snap a photo, haul ass back to the truck.

This last one, though…

Pulling up to the Onychinus base is an experience all on its own. The skyscraper looms ominously above as you approach, heart jumping like a rabbit being hunted in your chest.

Usually these are also a drop and run, but today the ancient and large looking chest you had in your truck needed a signature. Of course it did.

You didn’t know what was in the box - you didn’t want to know. The less you knew, the better.

A couple of other coworkers had this previous experience before. Both had said they were greeted by someone in a bird mask - neither of them had to face Sylus. You could only hope your luck hadn’t ran out just yet.

With practices ease you climbed out of your seat and detached the dolly on the wall. Fluid movements of opening the rolling trunk door, kicking down the ramp, and getting the box on the foot of the dolly -

Gods, this thing was heavy - what was in this-?

Nope. Not your concern.

With a grunt you eased it back to an angle, slung the strap of your tablet around your neck, and headed backwards down the ramp.

With a sigh, you reminded yourself the pay was worth you. Good enough you only had to work four days a week to have all your needs met.

For now, it was worth it.

The wheels of the dolly creaked as you pushed it the slight incline to the double doors, thankful there weren’t those silly small stoop steps to fight with tonight.

No, just having to ring the doorbell of the Onychinus base and wait for a man in a bird mask.

Doesn’t sound insane at all.

You could hear the chime echoing through the space on the other side as you waited, eyeing the area around you. Not one, but two security cameras were installed in shadowy nooks above, and you faced one of them long enough you hoped someone would be down soon.

They were. You could hear the faint, measured steps of someone approaching the door, the lock sliding free, the doorknob jiggled and then in opened to a large giant filling the space.

Not someone with a bird mask - no. Snowy white hair, garnet eyes narrowed in distrust. Sylus.

Clearing your throat, you shakily grabbed for the tablet, pulling it free and holding it out to him. “I need a signature, sir.”

Did your voice always sound like that? So shaky?

With a flick of one hand while he signed with the other, dark missed swirled around the chest, floating it inside.

You just blinked. Then with a steadying breath, you kicked up the bottom of the dolly, collapsing it into a smaller form, and tucking it under your arm. You took the tablet with the other.

“Thank you,” you said, turning back the way you came, too afraid to look this man in the eye.

“Have a good night,” he drawled back, the tone deeper and kinder? than you anticipated. He then turned to step back inside, the door shutting and locking as you made your way back to the truck at a fairly rapid pace.

You didn’t take a full breath until you had climbed inside once more, slamming the trunk door shut at buckling yourself in the driver’s seat.

Then a deep breath. Two.

Alright, on to the next drop.

Your coworkers hound you when you clock in next, covetous vultures looking for the scoop on your encounter with the enigmatic Onychinus leader.

You actually met Sylus himself? Is he actually eight feet tall like in the rumours? Someone shoves that person aside – I've heard he's a total heartthrob – another voice chimes in – They say he eats souls!

There's a collective moaning and groaning when you dismiss them with a flippant, he just took the package and that was that—you refuse to think about why you kept his good night remark to yourself—and though they bother you for a few days more, you eventually bore them and life returns to normal.

Normal,except for a mirage of scarlet eyes swirling in your memory on long drives, flashes of white hair in between packed traffic—

Normal, except for a broken record playing in your head in dulcet tones, have a good night, have a good night, have a good night—

Normal, except your luck has truly, finally bottomed out, and the last package you're scheduled to deliver on every shift thereafter is to that cursed address.

Every single one requiring a signature.

Behind the silent eyes of the surveillance cameras, someone must be watching, waiting, because soon enough the doors open before you've even had the chance to knock.

And every time, he is the one to greet you.

Do the bird masks even exist? Was that some kind of collective hallucination?

The alternative is too terrifying to fathom.

Or is he going out of his way to personally receive you?

You've never crossed any of the organisations that flocked around the crumbs at Sylus's feet, or heaven forbid, Onychinus itself. No outstanding debts. You have no secrets he'd want to know, no information that could be remotely useful. You're an upstanding member of the Zone. Or the closest thing to it, at least.

So surely there's nothing he could want from you.

Seventh delivery of the week. The door swings open when you reach the landing, and as usual—when did this all become routine?—he is there, standing like some kind of guard to the underworld beyond the yawning entrance.

The dull fear that hasn't left you since your first meeting with him comes roaring to life and hits you like a splash of ice water, when instead of his regular unreadable expression, there's a flicker of recognition.

The number one rule you've stuck by to survive in this hellhole. Never make yourself known to anyone higher in the chain.

"Another delivery, hm?" he teases in a lilt.

You're so fucking screwed.

Hacking into the system was child's play, and Deepspace Deliveries keeps a photo of all their staff on file.

Three minutes - if he was being gracious with himself - to find you and your schedule.

You intrigued him; the way your body moved almost on autopilot with the ease of someone who has been doing the same repetitious job for years - facials of almost boredom as you delivered most things to the sketchiest of places.

(Mephiso's report of your route gave him an insight to things it was best you were unaware of.)

The only time you seemed to fully be present is when you drove up here, to Onychinus. Sure, it was mainly out of fear; he knew what he represented. Knew of his own reputation.

He had constructed that reputation for a reason, after all.

What he needed to work on was the timing of your deliveries. One of these days, he was going to make sure that you ended at the base. Maybe then you would be more willing to take up his offer for a drink inside before the long drive back.

One day, it's not you that pulls up, but a small whip of a thing - bright and bubbly, smacking on a piece of gum as she unloads the box with a surprising amount of strength for someone of her stature, carrying it to the door, humming some pop tune as she works.

Carmine eyes watched in bemusement, covering the slight concern of where you have gone. Ah, Becky. He's heard of Becky.

It's not every day someone lays out a gang member with a one handed bazooka cannon. The Hyena in question spread her story far and wide - this driver was not to be messed with.

And now she travelled around, happy as a lark - unknowingly one of the most feared people in the Zone.

Becky held eye contact. Coming in at a solid five feet with her uniform boots, her presence was one of a Queen, not a simple worker.

"Evenin', Mr. Sylus," she greeted, pulling the tablet free to hand to him for his signature.

"Becky," Sylus replied, quickly signing and trading the tablet back for the package. "You weren't who I was expecting tonight."

"Yeah, well, last minute switch. You know how it goes. Sure they'll have everything cleared up by tomorrow," she said with a wink. Then she was skipping back to the truck, a thrown wave behind her. "Have a good night!"

It wasn't that you had switched shifts with Becky...just routes for the evening. And you were all over her like dog hair on black clothes when she returned.

"Yes, yes. Calm down," she said, reaching up to pat your head. "It is exactly what you think." And then, with a giggle, she headed to the break room to clock out.

Sylus watches your replacement for the night drive off through his office window, fingers tapping thoughtfully on a sleek mahogany desk.

You already scurry like a mouse back to the safety of your truck, and now you're trying to evade him entirely?

That won't do at all.

This will pose no hindrance to him, he'll make sure of it. Perhaps you need a reminder, at any rate, that this is his territory you're running around in.

What on earth does Sylus want with you?

Becky's removed any semblance of doubt - he expects you to deliver these stupid packages to his door, and must have dug around in Deepspace Delivery's aged systems (you've told them a million times to update the security) and arranged for you to be his courier.

But he never does anything - not that you give him the chance to. Thoroughly unnerved by this unwelcome development in your life, this fixture that he's made himself into your schedule, you've perfected the art of placing as much distance between him and you. Holding your tablet at arm's length, and sprinting back to your truck as soon as you retrieve the pen from him. He never says a word about it. Merely stands at ease, watching you go with an amused gleam in his eyes.

You do know this: nothing happened either after you swapped routes with her. Your house didn't burn down overnight. No white-haired (and extremely handsome, your brain supplies) demons came to whisk you away.

Emboldened by this finding, the next day, you decide to swap with her again.

When you call her in the morning to beg this additional favour, your speakerphone struggles with how loud she laughs. Sure you wanna do this, hun? she asks, still snickering.

You don't quite get what she means. Yeah, I mean, if he wanted revenge he would've had me stuffed in a barrel somewhere already.

Alright, if you say so. She hums, and adds, Word of warning, though. Cats like it when their prey tries to run.

Your bravado is very much fading away as you enter the Zone. You glance at your sideview mirrors skittishly, make your deliveries at record speed, suspiciously eye every pedestrian that passes by just in case they've been sent to deal with you.

But again, nothing happens.

Until.

You're about to make a right turn at an intersection, navigating to the next address on your list, when two cars race past and crash into each other, blocking the road.

Woah, close call. But no big deal, really, your GPS redirects you -

Into a massive, packed crowd of people, blockades put up everywhere that takes you even further off your path. What the hell? N109 Zone Annual Street Party?

The throng is a dense, living mass, pressed on either side of your truck, and forces you away, away, from your next delivery. That's becoming the last thing on your mind, however; you have to concentrate on not running anyone over.

You move at a snail's crawl, and the constant blasts of confetti in the air, blaring music, and sheer number of humans surrounding you make seeing your way ahead impossible.

It's here that an ancient part of your brain stirs to life, and it sends primitive signals down your nervous system: Danger ahead. Something's not right. A creeping uncertainty in your stomach.

But you can't exactly stay here forever, stuck in the middle of this party, can you?

You roll along, unseeing, unknowingly, along a path that has been predetermined for you since you crossed the boundary into his domain.

When you finally break free, you breathe a sigh of relief, ready to get back on track - windshield wipers clear the confetti - and you're confronted with an all too familiar behemoth of obsidian black glass.

The doors are wide open.

Standing in their gaping maw is your impending doom, dressed impeccably as ever.

You're frozen in your seat, and he points at his lips and mouths two words, ever so slowly -

Got you.

You stare, that’s all you can do at first. Stare and grip the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip. How had he…

You were frozen in fear - a mouse caught in a trap. Heart beating so fast and so loud you were sure it was now the leading beat of the parade now behind you.

What do you do? You had a job to do, and yet, here he came, slowly walking toward you truck - a predator stalking his pray.

His snowy hair seemed to glow under reflective neon lights, face hidden in shadow except for those ruby eyes. You swore they were glowing.

Slowly, as if afraid to let him know your intention, your hand started to slide down to the gear shift.

Run. Flee. Don’t let him on the truck. Get out now, while there’s a break in the parade -

Your radio crackled - dispatch. Your name gurgling out of the speakers.

Eyes never leaving the man now halfway to you, your motion switched from the gearshift to the mouth piece. “Here, Boss.”

“Becky will be by in a bit to finish your route.”

Blinking, you’re breath hitched. “Wh -what?”

“Your route - Becky’s got it. When you deliver this last package, you’re done for tonight.”

Oh…okay, how did he…?

Sylus was at the open door now, bending down to fit, filling the full space of it, a smirk across his face. “I do believe you have something for me, but won’t you help me bring it inside?”

You're locked onto his every movement, eyes blown wide to track his position, changes in his breath and demeanor. Thoughts moving slow as molasses through your brain, its resources dedicated to raw survival response. Something for him...?

It takes you a good while to reply, all the while trying not to shrivel under that knowing, assessing gaze of his.

"You... you weren't on my route tonight," you say, voice wobbling a bit with uncertainty and unprocessed adrenaline. "I don't have a package for you."

He leans against the frame and laughs, just a little breathy huff that sends your mind spiralling in another direction entirely. The Onychinus leader knows things like joy and laughter? And - god - why does it sound so good?

"Out of the many things you are, little mouse, a fool isn't among them," he says, eyes lowering as they graze over every inch of you, white knuckled on the gearstick, your other hand gripping the seatbelt for dear life just to have something to hold, "but I'll give you a hint, this time."

He comes closer, closer, closer, until the space between your breaths are shared, until there is nothing left in the world but him, him, him, nostrils filling with the scent of his clean clothes, skin mingling with his warmth.

You barely register the light poke on your nose.

"My delivery is sitting right in front of me as we speak."

"in front of me..." the words rattled around in your brain, ears filling with the sound of static.

What did he want? Did you do something unintentionally to deserve his wrath?

Except...that wasn't the facial expression you saw him don. You held his gaze, more out of confusion than anything, as you watched that gray eyebrow jump as the realization of his words sank into your bones. The corner of his mouth turned upward with a hidden secret.

Could you exactly turn down the leader of Onychinus' offer? It didn't seem like the smartest idea.

But then there was also the issue of the truck the two of you were in. No doubt it would be stripped down to it's framework if both of you left it out in the open.

As you opened your mouth to relay this, a BANG BANG sounded from the side of the truck - the drumming clearly made by a fist on the metal outing, followed by the familiar pop of a bubble of gum.

Both of you turned toward the sound to see a familiar head peak around the side of the door. "Hiya, babes. Here to take over." She then looked at Sylus, unafraid, and said, "Mind giving me some room?"

With a deep chuckle, he shook his head, taking one step back down to the ground as Becky clambered on, motioning for you to get up. Standing on numb legs, face thoroughly perplexed, you glanced between the two of them, before focusing back on Becky who was tugging at your vest.

"Left mine at home, and you're now off duty anyway - give it here."

You did, letting the reflective blue striped plastic fall from your arms, and handing it over out of reflex. "Off duty?"

A manicured hand pushed you back toward the door, and you stumbled, only to be caught and balanced by a larger, warmer set.

"Have fun, you two!" Becky yelled out over the roar of the engine starting, a cackle breaking through the night as the truck rumbled back down to the now empty street.

Your blood was rushing in your ears, your whole body felt numb. What. Was. Happening.

"Shall we go in?" the baritone voice of the demon asked, smooth and certain, as if this was all completely normal. And for some, irritating, reason, it seemed to smooth over your nerves like a shot of whiskey.

With a deep breath, you looked at your....captor? That didn't exactly seem like the right term, but you didn't have another to explain what was going on.

What you did know was that you weren't stupid enough to stand out here, alone. So you nodded, gesturing toward the base with your open hand. "Lead the way."

So he did.

Upon crossing the threshold to his lair, you say your silent goodbyes to your loved ones. For good measure, you throw in a prayer to any deity who might take pity on you.

If anyone's out there, please protect my passage into the underworld. If my 4.8 star customer satisfaction rating and stellar performance reviews ever meant something, please help me make it through today unscathed. Or at least mostly intact. I can work with that.

Trailing along, you pointedly look everywhere but the sinful sight directly in front of you. You are certainly not paying any mind to that robust, well defined back, the endless line of his shoulders, the delectable tapering of his waist, or his prowling gait, subdued power and confidence in each click of his dress shoes on polished marble floors.

Yes, in fact, the architecture in here is quite fascinating.

The hallways of the Onychinus base are not nearly as dark as its exterior, contrary to your expectations, and not a monochromatic black either—they're contrasted with a deep crimson, lit candles nestled in their sconces at regular intervals, giving the place an almost inviting glow.

Paintings line the walls, the subject matter seeming to focus especially on demons and angels and depictions of inferno. Well, that's a bit overt of him, isn't it. You pass display stands containing objects you're sure cost the entire net worth of your whole family tree, and probably a few generations back.

He breaks the silence when he walks by a strange glowing orb tucked on a velvet pillow.

"To your right. That was in your first delivery to me."

The ancient looking chest. "What is it?" you ask, curiosity getting the better of you.

"A rare bioluminescent ore, ground into a smooth sphere." He pauses, then adds with a tinge of amusement, "It's speculated to have fortune telling properties. I haven't verified that yet."

You make a neutral noise in acknowledgement, unsure if you should even be making idle conversation with this man. This whole situation is ridiculous. What went wrong in your life to end up here? And where is he leading you? Maybe a torture chamber?

For his part, he doesn't seem to mind your quiet, and as you follow him deeper into the base he continues to point out the items in his collection that you delivered. Antique guns, precious gems, worn books, elegant but nonfunctional record players.

An odd feeling is borne in you with each addition he makes.

Sylus. Someone who was not quite a stranger, even before this whole mess. His was a name you've always heard in conspiratorial tones. He crashed into your life without a single regard for the impact he created, but there were lines. Boundaries. Even though he tested them, the physical ones always remained. You, a mere delivery driver at his door, and him, standing on the inside.

But now - you've irrevocably stepped past them, seeing the real traces of the brief interactions you've had, your packages unwrapped and placed into his home. Something strange, and soft, blooms in you at the thought—something that you immediately try to squash into nonexistence again.

Oh, you are absolutely not even going to entertain that idea.

Are you?

You're so lost in this sudden internal turmoil that you crash face first into him when he stops walking.

"Ow— what the fuck—" Your aching nose can confirm, his back is very solid.

He glances over his shoulder at you. "Unusual of you to be distracted around me. Something on your mind?"

You would rather be tortured on the spot than admit to anything you were just talking about.

"No, uh, just..." Come on, think of an excuse. "...was trying to remember if I wrote a will or not."

He chuckles. The sound travels straight down your spine, making you involuntarily shudder. Fuck, did he see that?

Sylus turns around, and your throat goes dry. You weren't ready to see all of that—it's an entirely different beast, viewing him front on.

"Now, why would you need a will? I'm beginning to think there are some major misunderstandings here." He gestures to his left, toward a staircase leading into darkness. "Go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Oh, so that's where the torture chamber is.

"Uh," you hesitate, feeling confronted with your fleeting mortality, and glance nervously at the staircase, "can't you keep walking ahead of me?"

Another breathy laugh. He really needs to stop with those.

"I would, but I need to adjust the thermostat. You seem to be a bit cold," he remarks, a brow quirked.

He definitely saw.

Maybe the sweet release of death isn't such a bad thing after all.

Watching Sylus disappear down another hall, you turned back toward the staircase - only the bottom first few lit from the candle light around you.

With one more backwards glance, you took a deep breath and walked toward the foot of it, staring up, up, up the spiraling steps.

Because of course he has a spiral staircase to oblivion. Was that more a heroic trait or a villainous one?

A heavy sigh escaped your lips - you were in too deep at this point. If a torture chamber is what truly lie ahead and death was inevitable, you would come back and haunt Becky the rest of her life.

Your boss, too, because why did he know you were here?

Each footfall of your work boots echoed as you climbed, no matter how softly you tried to step. Curiosity kept you moving, even as your legs burned from exertion, until finally you came to the top - a door, the edges outlined by a faint glow of a light from within.

Hands felt around the smooth surface until you found a doorknob, twisting and opening it inward with ease, and what you saw was once more not what you expected.

Your mind supplied, 'den', but that wasn't exactly what it was...or not the sort you typically had open to visitors.

The dark wood floor was mostly hidden under a large, plushy rug with an intricate design. A pair of arm chairs faced a massive fireplace inset in the black wall to the left, and a small table sat between them, a canter and two glasses on top.

To your right and toward the back of the room were wooden shelves filled with books and records, some newer but the majority of them old and well loved. A record player sat in the back corner, nestled at the conjunction of the shelves.

But what really took your breath away was the wall right in front of you. Not so much a wall as floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the expanse of the N109 Zone.

Seeing the city from this window was extraordinary, in every sense of the term. From here, you could only see the beauty - the way the lights danced brightly in the dark forever night of the world it was trapped in.

You stepped as close as you dared, hands behind your back in fear of marring the glass with fingerprints or clouds of your breath.

From here the city looked... well, like a city. No different than a view of Linkon from your favorite rooftop bar. High enough that the cars looked like toys and the people nothing more than specks.

And for a moment you felt very, very small.

The back recesses of your mind supplied a thought to your given situation about the white haired man currently adjusting a thermostat to your comfort: a view for a king overlooking his sovereignty.

No. A dragon overlooking -

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

You screamed, leaping away and tripping over your feet, only to be once more saved by those large, warm hands - the fingertips of one wrapped with ease around he circumference your arm, the other splayed wide over half your rib cage.

Nope. No. Not today.

"Careful, sweetie, wouldn't want you getting hurt." Sylus helped put you back on your feet, and you stood close enough now you could smell the cologne he was wearing - a mix of something that reminded you of spices and wood smoke.

Holy shit you were losing your mind. That's not was normal people noticed about each other.

Sylus slid his thumbs in the pockets of his pants, cocking his head just so to one side as he watched you - those carmine eyes taking you fully in from your head to your toes - as you took a step to the side to create a healthy amount of space between your bodies.

Nothing about the uniform you currently wore was flattering on anyone, but yet under his gaze, something still stirred warmly in your belly.

When his eyes locked on yours again, that hint of a smile reappeared in that upturn of his lip. He nodded his head toward the chairs. "Care to join me for a drink?"

You blinked, arms wrapping around yourself to keep from doing something insane, and then nodded. "Sure."

Distance and a short reprieve is precisely what you need right now. A chance to compose yourself. Forget the searing brand his touch has left on your skin.

You walk over and allow yourself to be swallowed into the plush chair. His footsteps recede further into the room, muffled by the rug underneath him.

A short moment later, the beginning chords of a piano flow into the room, the warm tones of a cello following it soon after. The instruments form pleasant and delicate melody together, harmonies weaving around each other like paramours in courtship.

"Salut d'amour. Elgar."

He comes beside you, long, graceful fingers wrapped loosely around the decanter, pouring deep golden liquid out into a wide-rimmed tumbler—the first glass offered to you, before he serves himself and sits, one leg crossed over the other.

Love's Greeting. The French words are shaped his tongue far too well, doing nothing to subside the heat kindling inside you. Your grip around the glass tightens. If it's a deliberate choice, the implications—the suggestion he could be making—surely someone of his repute is more inclined to subtlety than this—

"What are you thinking so intensely about?" his amused voice inquires.

You, you confounding bastard, is your mind's reply, but all you do outwardly is mutter under your breath, nothing, and tip the liquid up into your mouth, drinking it in one gulp.

Half expecting, half hoping that it would burn on the way down—maybe it would banish your idiotic delusions or otherwise wake you from this fever dream—but it's horribly palatable. A malty, caramel-sweet whiskey with not the least bitterness or harshness.

Much like the man sitting beside you.

The interplay of the piano and cello reaches another gentle swell, and he... you think he hums to it, but the sound coming from him is so abstracted from the song that you can't tell.

"Elgar originally wrote this composition for his then fiancé, titling it Liebesgruss in honour of her German heritage." He takes an indulgent sip, his Adam's apple bobbing, up, down, inside the strong column of his throat, before he continues. "He sold it for a pittance to a publishing firm, and it performed poorly until it was renamed to Salut d'amour for greater appeal."

His garnet eyes slide from you to the fireplace. "He never received any of the dividends even after it was popularised. An unfortunate fate for an earnest piece of art."

You aren't sure what to say to that. Trite responses emerge which you dismiss immediately (oh, interesting, oh, nice.) The music you blast in the truck was nothing like this. Classical music was out of your depth, let alone classical music history.

In fact, this whole place is out of your depth. You're an alien that's crash landed onto a new planet.

The immeasurable wealth and opulence that occupies his home a stark contrast to the aging, whitewashed walls of your tiny apartment. The priceless whiskey that you chugged in expectation it'd be like the cheap liquor you buy at the corner store. And him, most of all, a face plastered on wanted posters, a figure of myth and notoriety—who, instead of living up to his infamy, has showed you nothing but his strange brand of consideration.

The song comes to an end.

"Why?" you blurt out.

His eyes flicker back to you. "Hm?"

"Why do this? Getting me to deliver your packages, rerouting me to your base today, inviting me in, all of it."

A boulder has been dislodged from your throat, and it rolls uncontrollably down a hill. Liquid courage, indeed. "It makes no sense. I'm nobody. I don't have anything offer you. Money. Power. Access." You count them with your fingers. "You've got everything you might want, or a way to get it. So why?

What do you want with me?"

In the eternal seconds that hang after your outburst, he doesn't speak. An inscrutable expression on his face, betraying nothing, save for—calculation, perhaps. Options being weighed in his mind.

When did you lower your guard around him, enough to spill your honest thoughts? How strong was that whiskey?

Sylus finishes his drink, slowly. Places it back on the table. Rises to his full height, somehow taller than he's ever seemed to you, and takes one, two, strides, to stand in front of you.

You wish you could turn back time and stuff the words back into your mouth.

He leans down and braces himself on the armrests, sealing you in. Calm as he watches the quickening of your breaths.

"I'm not too sure myself," he says in a low, provocative husk, his head dipping toward you, "I brought you here hoping I could find out."

The provocation works, and the remaining strand of your self restraint snaps loose.

Oh, fuck it.

You're going to kiss the living daylights out of the Onychinus boss if it's the last thing you do.

You catch his wrist in your hand, taking hold of his collar in the other, and tug him toward you, closer, closer, closer—

—when the door slams open and two male voices call out.

"Finally found you, boss –"

"What're you doing all the way up here –"

Then abrupt silence.

You both freeze and turn. Two men, clad in dark clothes, faces concealed with bird masks have tumbled through the entranceway, paused in mid motion upon seeing you.

They swivel their heads toward each other.

"Uh, Kieran?" the one on the left says in a loud stage whisper.

"Yeah, that's the target we intercepted earlier," the one on the right hisses back.

They both scratch their heads and pivot around, yelling in unison as they run back out.

"Sorry for interrupting you, boss! Please don't kill us!"

A fleeting thought crossed your mind, as the door slammed shut at their departure, that you could now confirm the bird masks were not a myth at all.

But then the air settled, still thick and heavy with the truths laid bare from before. You were the first to turn back, to realize the closeness of your bodies - your grip still tight on his wrist and his collar.

Your eyes locked on the pale column of his throat, how it led up to a jawline sharp enough to cut glass and, gods above, his side profile was one you could study for ages.

The fullness of his lips, even as the corner tilted downward in agitation.

His nose - the prominence of it, how smoothly it sloped downward.

You didn't want to just kiss him. No, you felt the urge to devour him. To mark up his throat and jaw with your teeth -

Alright, maybe that whiskey was a little stronger than you thought.

But it didn't change the truths that were in your mind. You were in the Onychinus base, alone with what was essentially the man who controlled everything he could see out of those windows.

And you had no way home....outside of him.

So, if you were to do something, fate could not have laid it out more perfectly.

All your life, you had been the good kid. Never gotten into trouble, always on time to any appointments. Hell, you've never turned in a library book late.

There were times that you had always worried that you were missing something - days you prayed to any deity that might be listening to add just a little excitement in your life.

And then you got this job.

And then you were promoted to specifically delivering in the N109 Zone.

And now you were here, a breath away from the leader of it all, still really wanting to kiss him.

Those garnet eyes slid to you again, almost molten in the firelight, a smirk quickly replacing his look from before. "Like what you see?"

A gulp. A nod.

And then he was leaning impossibly closer, your vision filled with only him. The ghost of his breath against your lips, "Then be greedy, kitten, and take what you want."

That was all the encouragement you needed. Your hand moved quick, yanking his collar down and pushing your mouth forward to crush the little space there was between you two.

And, oh.

Sylus' lips were so soft and full against your own.

The kiss began slowly - two souls moving slowly, like a dance, to learn the rhythm of each other. Gentle, tender.

But once the pace was set, there was a shift. A spark to kindling, and your hand slipped into his white tresses, pulling him ever closer. Tongues and teeth fighting to establish dominance.

His wrist was free from your grip in less than a second, and you felt yourself being pulled from your position, hands at your waist, being spun and quickly backed into a wall.

Lips never leaving your own, his hands began to explore your frame - fingers so gentle as they trailed over your shirt it almost set you aflame.

And right as you felt a tug at the hemline, a question without words, there was another knock.

An animalistic growl slipped out of Sylus, his grip on your hip tightening almost painfully, his head dropping to your shoulder.

"What?" Low. Dangerous. A predator whose meal was interrupted.

"Uh, boss, so...we know you're busy, but Mr. Koby is downstairs."

"You've postponed this meeting twice? And he said he's not leaving until you talk."

You were barely comprehending the twins' words as Sylus was currently leaving slow, open mouth kisses up the column of your neck. A whimper slipped out at the sensation of his mouth and his knee pushing its way between your thighs.

This was absolutely the best and worst decision you had ever made in your life.

"Uh...boss?"

Sylus nipped at your jaw, following the bite with careful lick of his tongue, and you used his shoulder to stifle the sound that slipped out of you. "The last thing I want to do is deal with Koby," he told you, voice low, the words dusting over your skin and sending a pleasant shiver down your spine.

"But he is known with becoming extremely disruptive when he is ignored, and I'm afraid that interruption may be worse then the current situation." Long fingers pulled your chin towards him, and he left a searing kiss on your lips.

"I won't be long, hmm? Make yourself comfortable here for a bit."

You nodded, pliable putty in this man's hands.

"Good girl," and then with one last, quick kiss, he was pulling away from you and slipping out the door.

Oooh, what had you gotten yourself into?

If one were a fly on the wall, they would see his familiar figure leaving the warmth of that cosy upstairs bar, the warmth of you, and an altogether different man approaching the meeting room where his unwelcome guest awaits.

Sylus sloughs off the tenderness your presence graced him with, thumb wiping the glistening traces of you from his bottom lip, eyes hardening into cold rubies.

He stops when he reaches the entranceway and addresses the twins in a clipped tone.

"You know what to do."

They're gone within seconds.

This was a minor annoyance that he might've not bothered to take care of—but his hand's been forced, hasn't it?

He almost finds it amusing. Admirable, even. Koby's reputation in the Zone was accurate: he did have a bull-headed approach to business which made many wonder how he managed to stay alive, avoid stepping on toes despite his habit of showing up unannounced to chase up on matters.

No more.

A boisterous voice, paired with a wide smile - stark white veneers, gel-slick hair - greets him. "Mr. Qin! Finally got a hold of you," he stands and extends his hand. Sylus ignores it, sweeping past to sit on the black leather sofa opposite to him.

"Get to it."

To his credit, Koby makes a swift recovery from the slight and clears his throat. "Very well. The preparations are complete. I'll confirm the final catalogue, and once you approve, we can discuss the contract..." He goes on to describe a litany of precious collector's items, though Sylus isn't listening.

On paper, it wasn't a terrible idea. Koby had offered to assist with the goods procurement for an upcoming auction, hosted by a shell company belonging to Onychinus. His connections with foreign brokers had been of particular interest.

It'd been progressing smoothly, when Sylus's intelligence network alerted him to unusual activity from his associate.

His prospective curator had developed an elaborate plan to siphon resources provided by the organisation to offshore accounts, over the course of months, once an ongoing partnership was established.

A high insult to treat Onychinus like a personal golden goose. However—these recent encounters with you had him in good spirits, the most lenient he's been in a while; he decided to take it easy, merely blacklist the man from every single company operating in the Zone and call it done. Career destruction, yes, but he'd be making it out alive.

That was until the fool decided to wander in, interrupting Sylus in the middle of a far more important engagement than hearing him prattle on about a catalogue that—a flick of his wrist, checking his watch—ah, no longer belonged to him anyway.

"The deal's off."

The words fall like a hammer into the room, stopping Koby mid sentence about potential price negotiations.

"I- what?" he sputters, blinking dumbly.

"I don't need your services. In fact," Sylus stands, adjusts his cufflinks, as a phone buzzes in the man's pocket, "I don't think you have anything to offer any longer."

He's white as a sheet, his eyes not leaving Sylus—funny, you'd given him that expression not an hour before, though it was far more charming on you—when he picks the call up.

"What is it? ...What? The warehouse was attacked?" Energy gathers at Sylus's hands, crackling with potential. Alarm grows on Koby's features and all at once he surges toward the door, which is opened a crack, seeking escape.

He doesn't make it more than two paces. A seething ball of crimson-black energy engulfs the man mid-step, cutting off his bloodcurdling scream. Sylus observes, face a blank slate, bored while his Evol tears and rends what was once a man into nothing.

His skin prickles with awareness, and he glances at the door—meeting your eyes through the narrow gap there, wide with mounting horror.

A curious mouse crept down the stairs, following the men far behind each turning corner, and watched this sordid affair unfold. Witnessed what you have known all along and wilfully ignored.

For a moment, the world froze. Time suspended indefinitely as two pairs of eyes locked on each other: one in fear, the other in surprise.

Surprise morphing to confusion that there was something here that did not belong.

You didn't know what had compelled you to come down those stairs, initially. Maybe it was a fear of being locked in, only to find the knob turned easily under your hand when you reached for it.

Curiosity was by far your worst trait.

And there was something exciting about seeing Sylus in action - the man that the world feared versus the gentle giant that had elicited feelings from your core that you swore you had never felt before.

Even in this limited amount of time. This short interaction.

You didn't know what you were expecting. You knew the rumors; the stories from those who did make it out alive due to a sheer fluke that you doubted fell on Sylus.

But witnessing it...that was different.

A life dissipated into nothing in front of your eyes by a lazy flick of the wrist.

While your jaw had lowered into a silent scream, his face remained so passive... this event nothing more than a routine way to deal with a pest.

And then the worst possible thing happened next - he saw you. You weren't supposed to be here. Hadn't you just agreed to stay put in that pretty room in the high tower?

Had your brief tryst not been enough to pacify you for a few minutes?

Sylus to a careful, measured step forward, and you took one back.

His hand reached out, hand open, offering to pull you back to his warmth, but there was a worried look etched into those pretty features. "Sweetie -"

You didn't wait. Didn't want to know what came after that. Instead you ran, as if the devil himself was chasing you.

Which he might very well be.

Down the long hallways, out the door, and into the streets of N109. Your lungs screamed, your legs ached, and you did not stop. You couldn't stop.

You didn't know why there were tears streaming down your face.

Luke and Kieran had ran after you, only to be stopped by a firm command. Even donned in masks, Sylus knew there was bewilderment on their faces, bodies still poised mid run.

"Boss?"

"I'll go," is all he said, grabbing his beaten, brown leather jacket as he made his way to the door.

>> Pick me up at E. Now.

<<Becky: ?? Be there in ten.

As you pocketed your phone, a hand fell on your shoulder - had he followed you? You shrugged it off without a thought. "Please leave me alone, Sy-"

The hand grabbed your arm in a bruising grip, flipping you around, and the cool metal of a gun barrel was pressed into your forehead.

Your gulp was auditable as you lifted your hands slowly in surrender. "Look, man, I'm off the clock. Got nothing you want -"

"Oh, I'm sure we can figure out something, sweet cheeks -"

But then the gun was falling to the sidewalk with a clatter, the robber gurgling as his hands clawed against something invisible around his neck, airways cut off in a split second.

Oh, gods. He did. But he also quite possibly just saved your life.

It was almost ironically cinematic the way Sylus' large form unfurled from the shadows of the alley, the way his white locks now dyed a blood red in the moonlight - those jewel toned eyes even sharper in the dark.

The closing of his fist was your only warning, squeezing your eyes and turning away, as if it would change the outcome of a man who had crossed the leader of Onychinus on a night turned sour.

Your nails dug deeply into your palms, the pain grounding, and for a moment there was nothing outside of the distant hum of traffic from surrounding streets.

You didn't dare look - you weren't sure what that would do to you.

But Sylus crossed the space in three easy strides, his touch almost featherlight as fingertips touched your cheek.

He wasn't expecting you to jump away. Wasn't expecting the fear that now clouded your vision, the way your pulse jumped frantically in the vein on your neck.

"Please," you croaked. "Don't. I ... I can't..."

"Alright, let's just talk."

"No! I -" a pained laugh escaped you as you ran a hand through your hair, searching the street for a familiar truck. Elysium was only about half a block down, so she should see the two of you from either direction.

"Sweetie -"

"NO! Don't call - I can't -" A whine escaped you this time, an animal trapped and preparing for it's demise. "I need...space. I need... I don't know what I fucking need. I'm just a delivery driver! How the hell is this happening?"

He had reached for you again, instinctually, but now his hand dropped lifelessly to his side. He wasn't what you needed right now.

As much as he wanted it to be. As much as he wanted to pull you to him and talk this out and come to an understanding, because this wasn't a surprise to you. Shouldn't have been a surprise to you.

He watched, his throat thick with emotion, as you backed against the brick wall and slid down to the ground, curling in on yourself.

Sylus made no move to approach you. No move to comfort you while his mind screamed at him to do so. He didn't want to make this worse.

Didn't know how to make it better.

So, instead, he stood and waited. Close enough no one would think twice about trying something foolish with you, but far enough away that he wouldn't trigger you turning that gaze onto him again.

Something deep inside him had cracked apart with that look you sent his way - and all he could think was that he never wanted to see you look at him like that again.

Sylus flagged down the blue truck when he saw it. Stepped back into the shadows as Becky jumped down, pulled you up and on. Her green eyes looked at him with concern, and then were back to you.

Once buckled in, with a nod to the man slipping silently back into the shadows he had appeared from, she was off.

The first few minutes of the ride were quiet. The streetlights slid odd patterns across the dash and on to the two people inside.

Becky, for the first time since you had known her, stayed silent for longer than two minutes. She would glance your way every so often, but didn't push. Just waited.

And then you opened up. "He kissed me."

It was hard for her not to react, but you could see her jiggle of excitement.

"And I kissed him first."

Becky might explode if you continued your story this way, so you took a deep breath, and started from the beginning.

"So...what should I do?"

With a deep breath, Becky shook her head. "That's up to you."

"Becks -" "No, I'm not making this decision for you. I am also going to remind you that my morals and opinions are...skewed.

"You know I'm from here, right? Grew up a few streets over - thought I made it when I was able to move to Linkon. I remember how elated I felt, the joy that came with getting a sunburn those first few weeks because I spent too much time outside." She smiled faintly as the memory as the smell of aloe cream filled her mind.

And then those bright eyes hardened, just a little. "The honeymoon period always wears off though. Only took a couple months for me to realize that the only real difference between the two cities is that here, in the Zone? Everything's already out in the open.

"My first thought when you told me what he did was, oh, that was sweet - he tried to make sure you didn't see it. That was kindness, just not the type you're used to, Straight and Narrow."

You rolled your eyes at the terrible nickname, but your arms still tightened around yourself.

The silence was a loud enough answer for her. "Look, you have a decision to make. And you need to really sit with yourself and think about this. Is this worth the risk of pursuing?

"I mean, on the one hand, he did essentially stalk you and force you to have a drink with him."

"Oh? Just gunna leave out your part to play in that?"

A giggle escaped her, and for a brief moment when she threw a smirk your direction, a pair of crimson eyes appeared in your mind. You shook them away.

"Well...I did think it was kind of cute how hard he was trying. But that brings up my other point - this is The Sylus. You would want for nothing with him. Physically, too, I bet," she added with a quick wink.

"Becky!"

"What? I have eyes, too!"

You snorted in response. "He is really pretty."

A firm nod of agreement, and then Becky, pulling your conversation back on track, brought you an ultimatum. "Here's what I'm willing to do, hun. For the next week, I'll take your Zone shifts. Mickey can help cover mine; he's scary enough, he'll be fine. You are going to stay on the Linkon shifts. Distance and time is what you need right now."

"And at the end of that week?"

"At the end of the week, you tell me if you want your shifts back. Deal?"

You took a shaky breath, then nodded. "Deal."

It's the mundane sight of your tiny studio apartment that cripples you at last, how the place is untouched by the utter chaos and absurdity of the day you've had.

Half-drunken coffee cup on the counter. A pot of uneaten ramen noodles on the stove. Clothes, mixed dirty and clean, exploding over the couch and other surfaces. Your shameful collection of empty wine and liquor bottles in the corner. It's all so dreadfully ordinary.

You're the only thing that's been permanently altered here, deposited back on Earth after being kidnapped to another world.

Too exhausted to think any more, you let the mindless leash of routine take over. It puppeteers you into the bathroom.

A shower, then. That was agreeable enough.

Uniform peeled off. You probably have to burn this particular set. Or, a devil on your shoulder offers, maybe you should hang it up and never wear it again, never taint the the ghosts of his fingers that trailed on your shirt and danced at the hem.

No, that's your lust talking, a voice of reason on the other side intervenes. Don't you dare forget how you met that man's terrified eyes in his final moments, his wordless plea for help. You truly want to pine after the one who caused that pain?

The conglomeration of your mind in the centre is the worst of it, because why can you not come to an answer? It should be simple, obvious. A no-brainer. He's a killer.

You try to shove your circling thoughts into an unused corner, but Becky, ever the disruptor, chimes in at the last minute. Everything's already out in the open.

Groaning, you kick off your socks, flinging them to the far wall.

There's no denying that. Not once has he pretended to be anything he isn't. You can't claim your innocence in the matter. It was you who'd set aside the truth of him right in front of you, lost in insinuations of the romantic music he played for you, inhibitions loosened by smooth whiskey, surrendering to temptation wrought in flesh.

You step into the shower, set the the water to scalding, just what you need right now. Body soaped up, scrubbing memory from your skin.

Without meaning to, you pause when your hands skim your hip, unbidden recollection of his bruising grip there, how his touch in that moment was not of a transient fling seeking only to sate his base needs, but one that laid claim to you. Needy and possessive.

He has never pretended to be anything he isn't. Crime lord. Murderer. Ruler of a lawless territory. A really good kisser—fuck, don't think about that—you literally watched a man die by the same hands—

You slam your forehead rather unkindly on the wet tiles.

There's going to be a place in hell reserved for you when you die.

The twins have never quite felt as unsettled as they do when Sylus walks back through the door hours later.

Not any of the times he came back limping and bleeding, nor when he was riddled in bullet holes, nor when the rare deal fell through for him.

This sight of him, unblemished but changed, is far more disturbing. Proud shoulders, always fixed into perfect posture, slackened. The tightness at the corner of his eyes, drawn taut. An uncharacteristic faltering of his gait and incessant ticking in his jaw.

He doesn't give them time to venture any words of reassurance or comfort, retreating into his office, door firmly shut. The night has just begun. Even sleep will be denied to him as a distraction for some time yet.

So he works, works through the growing perception of the hollowness in the air around him, through the slow and torturous engraving of your unfiltered fear into his memory, through the sting of accepting that there will be no more waiting for you to come to his door. No more of that bright spot alighting the mundanity of his days.

How many faces has he seen in the past wearing that same expression? Hundreds? Thousands?

None have given him the stirrings of regret.

And if there's anything he's honed in all the time he's been given, it's to listen, pay attention, to changes in the world and in himself—and this discomfort in his ribs, the pricking of his nerves in your absence, the raw chafing of your stricken face in his mind's eye all tell him one thing:

He must find a way to amend this. Find a way back to you.

You're having a shitty week.

Three days in, and nothing in particular has happened. The weather in Linkon is perfect, sunny but not too warm, no rain forcing you to sprint between your truck and people's doorsteps. Traffic lights seem to be turning green at your behest, and aside from a few nippy dogs, work is about as good as it gets.

Life is uneventful, predictable, exactly how you like it—so what's up with this itching under your skin?

The city, with its well-maintained sidewalks and precise civil planning, has never grated on you so much.

Fed up with your own frustration, you pull up to a curb on a suburban road during your break and video call Beckyfor the nth time.

She picks up on the second ring and shoots you a winning smile, lounging on her couch. "What's up, sugar?"

"I need you to take me out or something. I'm losing it." You prop the phone on the center console so you have your hands free to gesticulate at her for emphasis. "I mean, everything's fine. Just peachy. But I'm... I dunno, on edge."

"First of all, nope," she pops the p extra hard, "you're still banned from alcohol. No matter how much I adore you, I am not playing your personal janitor again so soon."

You wince. Alright, you deserved it.

On your first day back you convinced Becky to do a bar crawl with you and ended up consuming your body weight in alcohol and then some, on an admittedly misguided quest to reset your memory.

At one point you threw up dinner and maybe some lunch (there was a lot of it) all over her. She took you back to the apartment covered in the mess, washed you, and tucked you in. Cleaned the kitchen up, threw your clothes in the washer. And confiscated your secret stash of alcohol.

"Anyway, have you even tried to think about it?"

You blink owlishly at her. "About what?"

A groomed eyebrow is raised at you in an infamous look of hers that sends people running for the hills. "Keep playing dumb with me and the next time I -"

"Okay, okay, fine! No, I haven't. I don't even know what there is to think about." She nods for you to continue, and you slump into the drivers seat, sinking down, staring listlessly at nothing. "We met. We kissed. And then I got a reality check about who he is and that was it.

"Becks, we're nothing to each other. Pretty much strangers. I don't even understand what he saw in me to fucking- put up a blockade- I still can't believe that happened," you mutter. "Maybe it's just best if we both just move on with our lives."

The words taste like sawdust in your mouth.

"Your nose might crack the windshield, Pinocchio." she cackles at you. "I took a screenshot of your face just then. Wanna see it?"

Oh shit, you were on video with her.

There's a ping on your phone with a notification, Message from Becky - attached image, that you scramble at lightning speed to swipe away before you glimpse it.

Mortified, you gape at her. "Delete that thing right now, I swear to -"

That only eggs her on, and the screen shakes with her roaring laughter. "I'm doing a delivery pretty close to Onychinus HQ tomorrow. Maybe I should drop by and show him -"

"Oh my god, fine, I'll consider it!"

"There you go." Becky wipes tears from her eyes, grinning ear to ear. "Doesn't it feel good to be honest with yourself?"

Though you're smiling too now, you flip her off in response, and she gives you an air kiss before you hang up.

Damnit, it does feel good.

Feeling a little more clear minded after your mid day chat with Becky, you finished your monotonous delivery route, dropped off the truck at dispatch, and trekked the half a mile home.

But first you mad a stop at the small coffee shop near your apartment for a hot meal. You made a mental note to grocery shop soon.

Dinner for one while you watched the latest episode of your show, then time to tidy up the apartment, shower, and scroll on your phone for a bit in your bed.

A nighttime ritual as familiar your face in a mirror.

When the second alarm chirped to remind you how late it actually was, you plugged your phone into your charger, clicked off the lamp, and settled into your blankets.

The problem was you were still wide awake. It wasn't that you didn't want to sleep, your shift started early in the morning, but that your brain couldn't seem to settle .

You had already tried counting crows sheep, running through a meditation exercise, and listing out every prime number you knew (an old trick your dad had taught you), but nothing was working.

Lights from a passing car would dance through your window and onto the ceiling, and you thought back to the neon patterns that would dance across your dashboard during shifts.

An engine would roar too fast through the neighborhood lanes, and you were reminded about the multiple road races you had witnessed as you delivered packages. Or sometimes went with Becky just to enjoy.

And every so often, tail lights would send a splash of red across your ceiling, and your mind would slip back to the obsidian glass tower, candlelit sconces, a view of a kingdom, warm hands and even softer lips -

With a groan you flipped over, burying your face into the cool pillow case. If your body got a separate vote than your mind, you'd have already been back there.

Becky's words repeated quietly in your mind about being honest with yourself.

Because if you were, if you were really looking into your past choices, you already knew your answer.

Yes, you were an upstanding Linkon citizen, but you had agreed quickly when your boss talked to you about switching to N109 shifts. And it wasn't just the time and a half pay with your schedule changing to after hours that had sold you.

You were excited for something fresh. Different.

Something that would challenge you - stretch and mold the gray matter of your mind from the rigorous black and white beliefs that were instilled in you since you were young.

It had only taken two tandem rides for you to quickly learn the truth at the core of the Zone - that was also how you had met Becky.

Everything's out in the open.

The N109 Zone, in the most basic definition, was a land of lawlessness. But it was also a land of freedom - a land where the truth was laid bare and everything was fair game because survival of the fittest was the only real law.

And isn't that what Sylus had done? Just protected what was his, in the most primal of ways? A lion protecting his pride and his territory?

Were you a part of that pride?

A silly thought...one that carried significant weight in your mind.

With a heavy sigh, you rolled over enough to snatch your phone, scrolling quickly to your work schedule.

The last day of your given week from Becky was one of your off days.

With a click of the power button, you set down your phone on your nightstand, and settled into your bed with a new resolve: Come Friday, you would give Linkon one more chance to win your heart.

Although you were quite sure that someone had already stolen it away.

~~

You would at least give Linkon a fighting chance, come Friday. Dressed in your favorite outfit, you headed out for a day of personal enjoyment. The weather was perfect, sunny with a slight breeze - one of the few things N109 couldn't offer.

But a fire was plenty warm. Stop. Focus.

A breakfast at your favorite diner to start, and you managed to land your favorite table near the open window where you could people watch both customers and passerbys.

And then you witnessed a group dining and dashing.

That was...messed up. You tipped your waitress extra.

A quick stop at your favorite thrift store; your plan was to window shop unless something caught your eye.

The problem is what caught your eye were the two women stuffing clothes in a bag and just walking out.

There were cracks in the facade you believed in. The foundations of your core breaking a little more as you properly looked at the world you thought you had known all your life.

Grabbing a premade sandwich from a convivence store, you made your way down to the park, found a quiet patch of grass, and sat to eat your lunch and read your book.

But your mind drifted along with the clouds, and once more you found yourself studying the reality around you. The beauty of the colors - flowers vibrant and petals wide under the afternoon sun.

Rays of light sifting through the canopy of leaves above to craft dancing shadows in the grass that moved freely with the wind. Picturesque. Postcard perfect.

And then there was a horrid squeal from the bushes, pulling your attention immediately. A bunny darted out, fast as it's cottontail could move, but the falcon was faster.

A deadly nosedive, talons outstretched, and it was over in a matter of seconds. With a shriek of success, the falcon feasted on it's prize.

The grass continued to sway. The shadows continued to dance. The flowers' petals remained bright.

The world moved on.

No one was mad at the falcon for doing what was only natural.

No one pitied the bunny for being too slow.

The strongest were always the ones to survive.

Sylus hadn't lied to you about who he was - hadn't forced you to bare witness to something that would make most shutter. He had done nothing in any way, shape, or form that had suggested he wanted you to be any different than the weird delivery driver he had grown fascinated with when he invited you inside his home.

It was you that had gone out of your way to cross that unspoken boundary. You who had seen part of his true self, a part not truly hidden, that had forced you to confront your own willful ignorance of it all.

That's what truly had scared you that night. That some quiet, ancient part of you recognized and accepted this truth as normal. Nature taking its course between the strong and the weak.

So yes, Sylus was cruel, ruthless, and ruled with an iron fist. He would strike down those that dared oppose him with little thought. But he was also kind, soft, and clearly as prone to wanting to be loved and accepted as any other human you knew.

And you realized, with a sudden clarity, that both things could be true at the same time.

With a decision firmly in your mind, you headed back.

At your apartment, you called Becky, and without much forte stated, "I'm taking my route back."

There was a shifting noise, an amused hum at your declaration. "Oh? Are you sure?"

You nodded, forgetting she couldn't see you, eyes on a separate screen as you scrolled through a dessert menu. "You don't happen to know if he likes sweet things, do you?"

An amused brow quirked upward. "I can find out."

In the end, Becky helped you pick out a small almond cake with pomegranate glaze from a bakery open wonderfully late.

You showered, changed into something a hell of a lot more flattering than your drab uniform. Something that made you feel bolder; one that with the right movements would tease a sliver of your smooth skin in all the right places.

With a breath and a nod to yourself in the mirror, you were off, picking up the cake on the way to the the Onychinus base. During the long drive, you practiced what you would say in your mind repeatedly until it would flow from your tongue without hesitation.

You wanted this. You were willing to try. But there needed to be ground rules, boundaries established that should not be crossed without consent from the other party. And then you would apologize about crossing his.

The ominous obelisk of a tower cast a long shadow under the blood red moon, masking your car in shadow as you parked. Your heart jumping like a rabbit being hunted in your chest as your eyes drifted up, up, up the skyscraper's many floors.

Your heels clicked too loudly on the sidewalk, up that slight incline to the door.

A shaky finger pushed the doorbell, the other hand crushing the top of the take out bag into submission.

You could hear the chime echoing through the space on the other side as you waited, turning your face toward one of the security cameras just so, wondering who would greet you tonight.

Rapid steps approached the door, the lock sliding free, the doorknob jiggling and flying open to reveal a disheveled giant whose body easily filled the space.

It wasn't what you were expecting - the deep bruise colored circles under his eyes, his snowy hair a mess, as if he had ran his hand through it one too many times.

While he was dressed impeccably as usual, there was a franticness to his body language that had you concerned. His crimson eyes were wide in surprise. In fear. In confusion.

And that moment - the space between one breath and the next - felt like it stretched on for an eternity until his words shattered it, setting everything into motion again.

"You're here."

The statement heavy with disbelief. He reached out, fingertips gracing your cheek as soft as a butterfly's wings, confirming that it really was you and not another dream.

You let him, letting the touch ground you, solidify your resolve. With a small smile, you held up the paper bag clutched in your hand.

"Special delivery."

The silence hung around the two of you, a thick, palpable thing. You were the first to attempt to push through it. “Can we talk?”

Apologetic. Soft, as if you were afraid of having the door slammed in your face, which you felt you more than deserved.

“Yes - of course.” He was stumbling backwards quickly, in a way that was so un-Sylus like it gave you a brief pause.

You slipped through the doors, the sound of them shutting behind you feeling more quiet than final this time. And then you were led down vaguely familiar hallways, up a familiar staircase, and into a room you could never forget the view of as long as you lived.

You followed him to the armchairs, still tilted just so toward each other, as if even they were still gossiping about what had previously happened here.

You both sat, slightly stiff as if you each were testing a delicate line, unsure of the weight that would break it. You sat the paperbag, it's shifting crinkles much too loud in this moment, on the floor in front of the small table, still donned with the canter and two, clean tumblers.

Sylus made an open gesture to the set. "Would you like a drink?”

With a shake of your head, you sucked in a breath to calm your racing heart that was trying to escape your rib cage. The pulse of it echoing in your ears.“No, thank you. I am afraid that may have caused the issue last time.”

You saw the flinch, almost invisible, in his movement backwards - the twitch of a finger, the way his torso seemed to lean backwards just so. But you reached for his hand, touching the top of it with your fingers, gently, questioning, finally looking at him properly. “Not for the reason you think.”

He looked back up at you then, those ruby eyes widening just a little. Relief. Confusion.

“I don’t regret what happened in here last time,” you started, pushing through the fear, the lump in your throat. “But I do with what happened after.

“Alcohol and I have an…interesting history. While most people joke about liquid courage, for me, that’s exactly what it is. Flows all my worries away with the burn down my throat. And it tends to lead to me being a little too brave at times.”

Sylus’ breath hitched just slightly, barley perceptible, at the comment, and, with a heavy swallow, you pushed forward. “You had asked me to remain upstairs, and I didn’t. I thought…well, it doesn’t exactly matter what I thought, what happened was that I crossed a boundary I shouldn't have. While it is true we had no reason to trust each other, I gave you my word, and then immediately went back on it, and for that, I apologize.”

Sylus said nothing as he watched your face - watched how your eyes darted back and forth as they searched his. The heaviness and guilt and truth of your words evident in the scrunch of your eyebrows, the pull of your lips, the bob of your throat.

But then your eyes dropped to where the two of yours seemed to dance in question, and he flipped his over, palm up. Forgiveness in silence. And you, hesitantly at first, began to explore it with your own.

Tracing each finger, each line and bend with the tips of your own. So light it was almost painful.

“I needed time away, not because of you, but because of me. I…” your lip slipped between your teeth, gnawing on it as you carefully chose which words you would use to lay your heart bare. “I was scared. And I have come to realize that I was scared not of what you did, but how quickly part of me had just accepted it.

“I have been raised all my life that the world functions on black and white truths, and so I knew, fundamentally, what I was witnessing was wrong. Or should be wrong. And with you being the one who did it, that I shouldn’t be near you.

“So I ran back to what I knew was safe. What I knew well. Or..thought what I knew well. Someone I hate to admit is wise told me the only difference between here and Linkon is that one hides the truth and the other lives their truth. And if you tell her I said that I will deny it to my grave.”

His chuckle, light and a bit strained, eased something tense in you. Allowed you to continue.

“I didn’t want to believe it. It went against intrinsic values I thought were at my core. And then I came to a painful realization: That I was living proof of it.”

With a breath, you laid your palm flat against his, aligning your hands, though his dwarfed yours significantly. You looked up, meeting his gaze once more.

“You have never once lied about who you were. And asking me to remain here wasn’t hiding anything I didn’t already know. But I have been delivering in the Zone long enough to know I have more than once been compliant in crimes I don’t even know of. And turning a blind eye does not make me morally superior. Pretending it doesn’t exist is how I was raised, but it doesn't make me better than anyone else.”

Your fingers fell into the spaces between his, and his longer ones folded around yours perfectly. Two puzzle pieces clicking into place.

“This is turning into a very long winded apology, but, in the end, I realized that I had to be truthful to myself, and what I want. And I want you, Sylus.”

Your eyes dropped from his to your clasped hands, his thumb rubbing smooth strokes over your own. You pushed through the next question before you could chicken out of it. “So, if you’re okay with it, I would like to start over. Properly, this time. And, maybe we set some ground rules while we’re at it?”

Your lip slipped between your teeth again as you waited his reply, stealing a glance under your lashes.

But what you saw made your heart sputter. Because Sylus was grinning, and it made him look so soft, so young despite his role here.

Rule one. No discussing work unless the other person asks about it.

Sylus looked impassively at the man writhing below him, bent over in pain on a concrete floor spattered with blood, some spots dry, some fresh. One hand pinned under the heel of his black leather shoe.

Through a shrill, agonised moan, the man begged. "Please, sir, I didn't know he was targeting Onychinus! He never mentioned the name. If I'd known"—he cut himself off with a gulp as the mist in Sylus' open palm flared, its wielder's growing impatience made clear—"we've had a successful partnership for years, sir, just this once –"

A ringtone playing in Sylus' pocket interrupted him. The tones of you passionately belting out a rock ballad were amplified in the cavernous space of the warehouse, bouncing between steel pipes and walls.

His lips twitched with the reminder of the late night karaoke session with you and the twins where he'd obtained the recording. His Evol trailed down to wrap around the man's mouth as he pulled out his phone, a long finger pressed to his lips to drive his point home.

"Hey, sweetie."

"Hey. I'm on the way home now. Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing too interesting." The man stiffened at Sylus' smile. It wasn't an expression anyone in the Zone wanted to see on his face, except a precious few. "Just some overdue cleanup."

It was more or less the truth.

"How was your day?" he asked. A rather transparent move to shift the attention away from him. He wondered if you'd call him out on it. "And yes, you can talk about work. I want to hear everything," he added.

The short pause before you replied told him you were aware of his redirection, but you let it be. Remaining behind the boundary. You started with the disappointing breakfast you had with Becky at a trendy brunch spot; raved about how well the truck was running after a much needed fix-up at a reputable mechanic he referred you to; ranted about a pack of tiny chihuahuas that terrorised one of your deliveries, admonishing him when he laughed. Sylus listened intently, absorbing every word. Enjoying your voice. He badly wanted to be done with this chore soon, so he could come see you.

You were in the middle of another story when he rocked forward on his foot; an idle movement done without thinking. His full weight shifted on the hand still trapped beneath his shoe.

Sylus shoved his Evol down the man's throat to smother his cry of pain, but for all his power he couldn't possibly retrieve the sound of snapping bones, nor pull back the soundwaves from their path through his phone's speaker to your ears.

The following silence was heavy. He didn't have a good read on what your reaction was like on the other end, and it worried him a little.

"Sorry. I stepped on a branch," he offered, more an attempt to introduce some levity to the moment than a viable explanation.

You let out a small sigh. His heart clenched. He really was worried now. Was it too much, after all? You'd reached a compromise with him; that while you acknowledged this place between light and dark he resided in, you had no desire to witness the brutality that lurked within it. Two times seeing men die before your eyes was enough. And he understood that, readily accepted these terms. Had been doing well so far, until this foolish mistake of his. If it became too much for you, he would accept that too.

The man was beginning to choke, and Sylus retracted his Evol enough to let him breathe, but keeping him quiet. No need to make this any worse.

"It's alright, Sylus. I know you've been taking extra care to keep me from seeing or hearing any of that stuff. I appreciate it, so don't worry. Just... finish up, and I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

Relief washed over him. "Okay. I'll be there soon."

As soon as the call ended, Sylus snapped the man's neck.

He sent a quick pager to the twins to take care of the mess, heading out of the warehouse to where his bike waited. Gave himself a once-over in the side mirror to wipe away the specks of blood that had made it on his face, neck, hands; checked his clothes for the same. When Sylus was satisfied with his appearance, he got on the bike, the engine roaring to life as he sped away. His destination—Linkon; the prospect of your company spurring him on, faster down the highway linking his city and yours. to be continued!

taglist (please comment or otherwise reach out if you'd like to be added/removed from here!)

@blessdunrest @dolceaspidenera @humanitys-strongest-brat @unknown-ends @h0neylevi @napa-the-yappa @phisen

note from pea: we'll be doing dedicated posts like this from now on for future parts of this fic! I've been trapped in the outer realm all weekend and was foaming at the mouth to get back home to do this!!

[voidsylus]

sylus tries to grow flowers in n109 zone

so the new timelock showed that once sylus settled in the n109 zone after saving us, he tried to recreate our taurus city like that day with us in the field of flowers and just as he promised

just to not only find out that it won’t bloom but he tried to console himself into thinking that the timing wasn’t right but you can see the hope drains his eyes and sadness erupts

nothing is more painful than sylus and our flower symbolism which is constantly referenced in almost every card and cafe interactions. the entire event has me in tears because all he’s ever wanted was to be happy with us but fate refuses to let it happen

[mephistostwin]

Away from Him

SYLUS X NON-MC! READER

Part 2 Part 3

Reminders:

I do not own the characters, this is simply a story that I made up inside my head.

The plot and story line does not follow the events in the game.

MC, Sylus, and other characters' personality and behavior here are not the same as what's in the game.

I'm a first-time writer so please be understanding with the wrong grammars and misspelled words.

Expect that I probably did not use tumblr correctly because this is the first time that I will post an au here.

If this is not your type of story, please scroll up and ignore this post.

Some scenes that are like the scenes from other works are pure coincidence. I never intended to copy anyone's hard work and this is based on my imaginations alone.

Open for constructive criticism but be mindful of your words.

Description:

You are Sylus' best friend for 10 years. You already saw the versions of him that no one had ever got a chance to know or see. For the past years that you had been with him, your feelings for him grew and you thought that someday, you will become more than friends. Until something or someone appeared.

~~

Everything were all going well for the past years and months—until she showed up. You tried faking your reactions whenever you see them together. At first, you really did a great job at hiding your thoughts into playful and teasing manner. You shipped them and acted like you really love to see them being clingy to each other— but MC was not having it.

MC looked sweet and kind at first. She will constantly hug you and give you compliments. Because of her treatment towards you, you almost accepted the situation and move on so they can enjoy their time without a jealous eye piercing at their souls.

But it all changed one day when Sylus and MC finally announced that they are an official couple after five months of fixing their connection. You really never minded it and you started to hurt your own feelings and ego so you can be able to heal. To your surprise, MC's behavior changed. She became evil, possessive, hateful— every bad attitude, you name it.

She started pulling Sylus away from you and she will make it obvious that she does not like when he's around you. You normalized it when it first happened because you understand that no woman will like when their man is around other girls—but she tried to make you envious.

She will pull Sylus for a kiss or sit in his lap around you on purpose. She will look into your eyes and smirk as she do almost inappropriate things to or with Sylus in front of you. There are also times when she will confront you alone and shove it in your face that Sylus will never like or will never be with you because they are tied to a bond in every lifetime.

It is hard for you to avoid them both because you are Sylus' secretary. You arrange his meetings and some paper works and it is impossible to not cross paths with them. Of course, MC is always following him like a shadow. She will throw dirty looks at you when you go inside Sylus' office because of work purposes.

You wanted to tell Sylus about MC's behaviour because after all, you are still the best friend that he used to defend from any bad people. But you refrained yourself because you do not want them to fight over you and eventually ruin the connection that they built— already built in every lifetime.

But even Sylus has changed. He will give you extra works on purpose and it is obvious that the two of them planned it. He also became harsh and offensive when he talks to you. You tried taking his insults as a joke but you can't because it is clear that he meant to say it to hurt your feelings.

--

Today is nothing different. You are walking towards his office to hand over all the important papers that you have finished for the day. After you give this to him, you will head home and probably cry to sleep for the night. That became your routine for the past five months and fortunately, you can sometimes sleep without crying due to exhaustion. But most of the time, you will have a breakdown even if your body begs you for some rest.

As usual, Sylus is on his desk and typing in his laptop. His desk is clean and there is almost no papers because he passed some of his job to you because he had an urgent meeting with some of his business partners. MC is sitting in the chair in front of his desk. She's focused on spending Sylus' infinite money on online shopping.

It took less than a second for them to notice you as you entered the room. MC's eye roll and arched brow never missed your vision but you did not mind it, you are already immune to it. However, Sylus' nonchalant expression and eyes still hurt you. It's like someone is gripping at your heart tightly and wants to crush it under their palms. Sylus never looked at you like that long before MC came. Your Sylus was not like that.

“Here are the paper works that you gave to me earlier. I also have set all your meetings for this week. So far, there's no problem and adjustments to your appointments.”

You said like the usual times. The difference is just the tone is now more formal like you are a stranger working for a man that is hard to please or impress with normal work and conversation.

“Right... the only problem in the company is you...” MC murmured but she obviously wants you to hear it. She gave you a fake smile and a stare that holds grudges for no reason. You brushed it off and ignored the anger and pain that is building inside your chest.

“If there is nothing that you want me to do, I'll head home now.” You said with a slight and forced smile. Sylus looked up to you and brushed his hair. He smirked at you like he wants to fill your system up with anxiety.

“I want you to resign...” You were already expecting that he will say this because he always joke about this everytime that you are in his office while MC is also there. You gave him a nod and a smile like what he said was nothing serious.

“Is there anything else that you want?” You slightly tilt your head. He shaked his head and smiled— not to you, but to MC.

“Now, please leave us alone and leave. Wouldn't want my kitten to be distracted by some... dramatic person.” He said it like it's casual and not something that can hurt your feelings. You were already used to his new behavior towards you but everything that slips from his mouth never failed to shoot daggers to your already-fragile heart.

You gave them a faint smile and turned away from them and walked towards the door. You closed the door as you went outside his office but the pain that is throbbing in your chest made you grip the handle of the door.

You cleaned up your desk and put all your belongings inside your bag. You are planning to do his last request. Just as when you are heading out of the building, you saw the twins— Luke and Kieran— walking towards you.

“Hey... you brought out more bags than usual... don't tell us that you're finally leaving us all alone?” Kieran said, disappointment is evident in his tone. You smiled at them but pain is still showing in your eyes.

“As a loyal employee and a friend, I have to fulfill my boss’ last request...” You said with a kidding tone but the twins are obviously not happy about it.

“Don’t leave us with that girl... She's clearly fake. We wouldn't want to be around her suffocating energy instead of your warm presence.” Luke begged while caressing your hands that are gripping your bags.

But your decision is now final and you are willing to stand firm for it. You comforted the twins and you told them that they are going to be fine because you guys will still contact each other. You bid all your goodbyes with a lot of hugs and tearing up like you are gonna be separated from them forever.

You walked to your car and drive to your home. Each place that you pass reminds you of the memories of you and Sylus together that you should forget because he already belong to someone else— even before you came.

When you got back home, you started your night routine even if your body feels like it will collapse because of the pain and exhaustion that you are holding for such a long time. After your routine, you head straight towards your desk to fix your resignation letter.

Every letter and word that you type adds a heavy feeling that makes you sick. Your past self would never imagine that your bond with Sylus will end this way.

You stayed up all night because of fixing your resignation letter and booking a plane ticket to Linkon city. You also found an expensive apartment there and it already have all furnitures and essential things. Fortunately, you still have your card that Sylus gave you as gift for your birthday last year. You were too shy to spend it because you already save up tons of money because of your high salary but you never knew until now that it will be useful for you this time.

You get to sleep for 2 hours after packing all your things. Your alarm went off at 8:00 am and you had no choice but to wake up and get ready. Your flight is at 11:00 am and you still have almost 4 hours to prepare yourself.

After you prepared, you placed all your bags inside your car. You drove off to a near restaurant to have your breakfast and to buy a takeout lunch for later.

Just as when you are about to drive to the airport, you remembered that you did not prepare the requirements for your car to be transported to Linkon city. “Fuck, why am I being so unfortunate now? argh, I'm so dumb for forgetting my car...”. You curse yourself until you suddenly remembered a memory.

“Hey, don't curse yourself. You're too precious for that, sweetheart. It's not your fault.”

His voice and his memory rang into your mind. You did not instantly notice the hot tears slowly running down your cheek. You were not the type of person that swears on others but you can't help it. “You’re such an asshole, motherfucker.” You say as you wipe your tears.

Finally, you arrive at the airport. You decided to just book a ticket for your car to be transported to linkon even if it will take a lot of days to have your car again. You definitely had no choice.

“This is what you get when you suddenly act on something without a lot of time for preparation...” You murmured to yourself as you finished your transaction about your car at the lobby.

-Timeskip-

After hours in the air, you finally landed in Linkon city. The warm sunlight and comforting air greeted you. For a moment, you felt a relieving presence in your surroundings.

Away from trouble... Away from him.

You had to book an uber to get to your apartment. “If only I prepared the requirements for my car earlier...” you sighed in disappointment.

After you arrived in your apartment, you slipped into your comfortable casual clothes. You tried to stay awake but your lack of sleep pulled you into the darkness as you relax yourself on the comfortable couch.

You woke up to be greeted by the dark sky and shining moon that you can see outside in your balcony. You checked the time and it is already 6:45 pm. You forced yourself to stand and make your appearance more presentable. You are going to a nearby coffee shop that you saw earlier and you hope that they are still open.

After getting ready, you head out and walked a not-so-long distance from your apartment. The coffee shop is just five buildings away from the building of your apartment.

You are happy that you manage to come inside the coffee shop because they are still open until 10 pm. You ordered your favorite drink and snack. All of it taste delicious and kind of boost your mood. Your table is in front of the glass wall and you enjoyed the view of the towering buildings and cars passing by.

You were happily eating your meal until someone spoke beside you, startling you and almost made your snack slip out of your hands. “Can I sit here with you?”

“Ow, sorry for shocking you...” A man with a purple hair smiled at you. You gave him back a smile. The one that is not forced but genuine. You don't know why but his presence carry an unknown feeling that soothes your worries. But you won't admit it because of course, you just met him tonight in less than an hour— less than a minute, rather.

You gave him a hesitant nod and adjusted your position so he can comfortably sit beside you.

“I never saw you here in this area before... are you a new resident?” He asks as he sips his drink.

“Yeah... I actually just came earlier and I happen to see this café on my way here and thought that maybe I can give it a try.” You smiled as you looked down on your lap. You are shy to talk to someone else about your day because you are used to yapping to the twins or him.

“Oh, that's really nice! I can recommend you a lot of amazing places that are near here.” He giggled. His cute gestures while talking makes you want to pinch his cheeks.

You guys talked until both of you finished your meal. You really enjoyed the stories that he told you— or maybe, you just like the excitement in his eyes as he talks about things that you cannot relate to.

“Where do you live? I'll accompany you to make sure that you get back home safely.” He said as he looks down on you. You are a lot smaller than him and it makes you embarrassed but you hide it.

“I live in that building— just five buildings away from here.” You pointed.

“What a coincidence! I also live there!” He excitedly said as he chuckled. “Which floor is your apartment in?” he asked.

“Fifth floor, apartment 502” you shortly replied, sleepiness evident from your eyes and tone.

You guys talked again as you both walked towards the building. He never ran out of stories and it is also convenient for you because it helps you to stay awake as you both walk.

You both reached the door of your apartment. You turned and looked at him to say thank you and good night.

“Thank you... I never really asked for your name after all that yapping we did.” You both laughed.

“I’m Rafayel, by the way. And also, I live here in 501— In front of your apartment... hehe...” he massaged the back of his neck as he let out an awkward and shy chuckle.

“That’s nice to know! But you're full of secrets huh..” you teased him and he smiled.

“My apologies...” he hesitated to continue his words because he also does not know your name yet.

“Y/N... My name is Y/N.”

“Yeah, Y/N. What a lovely name.” You smiled at his compliment and lightly pinched his arm while giggling.

“Uhh before I forgot, here's my contact number. I'm literally living just in front of your home but I rarely come out because I usually paint or I'm not home because of something... Maybe you can call me when you need help.” He handed you his phone so you can type his contact number on yours. You also typed your contact number in his phone so he can also call you when he needs help.

“It’s nice to meet you, Raf! But I really need to rest now, my body is screaming for some sleep.” You warmingly smiled at him and he blushed because of your smile and the nickname that you gave him.

“Take a rest now, Y/N. I'll see you again tomorrow. Bye!”

You wave your goodbyes to each other as you faced the opposite side of the hallway to go inside both of your own apartments.

You did your night routine. You put layers of layers of skin care and body care in the bathroom and it made you sigh in relief. You felt clean and it makes you happy.

After your pampering routine, you head to the bedroom to get some rest for the night. You jumped on top of the soft bed and hugged your pillows as you pulled the blanket towards your fragile body.

You are so sleepy but you still managed to stare at the ceiling and rethink all the things that happened even when your heart begs you to stop hurting yourself. It is painful but you can't help to get your mind away from the thoughts about it. It is like your mind is not your own, but his.

But out of all the painful memories that you reminisced about, you still smiled at the thought of having a new friend and life in a new city. Maybe, just maybe, you can start a new life without him. Away from the memories of him.

You are so drawn on the memories of the past and what could have been if MC never returned. A part of you wants to free yourself from his life but a part of you also wants to come back and make him realize that you are the one that stayed with him in this lifetime.

But you do not stand a chance with fate.

You remembered the things that MC told you that made your heart ache. “We’re tied by fate, while you? oh, you're nothing but his little secretary for years... and you will stay in that place while you watch us be connected and build our future family...”.

She was aware...

She was fucking aware of the feelings that you have for Sylus that you buried just for the sake of their bond. Her evil character that was disguised before really makes you amused.

You begged your mind to stop replaying the evil things that she said. You pulled your hair and curled up into a ball. Your tears run in your cheeks as your heart tightens. Tugging your shirt did not help and it makes you more miserable.

You love him but your mind tells you to hate him for throwing away everything that you did just for his bond with MC. You hate the way that he picked the months that he is with MC than the years that you stayed for him, no matter what the situation is.

Darkness slowly took over you as your chest became more tighter, making it hard for you to breath. The pain is suffocating you but you can't do anything about it. After all, he is still the medicine for the pain that he also caused.

You felt your eye lids becoming more and more harder to keep open until you decided to let the darkness completely consume you.

“I don't know what will happen to me but I know that I wouldn't want to see you in the moment that I wake up.” You said as you slowly closed your eyes, still crying because of the pain.

“I love you Sylus... but I'm slowly starting to hate you...”

(Note: Idk if this will reach a lot of readers and I don't know if I should do a part 2 hehe)

[love-and-deepspace-wiki]

Onychinus' Base (Part 1)

Location: N109 Zone

Details:

Onychinus' Base is one of Sylus' places of residence (because, according to his Memory, he has many). During the protaganist's first time there, its appearance led her to conclude the owner hadn't lived there in a long time.

There are a lot of rooms to cover at the base, so bear with me lol. Since we have way more details to cover for the bedroom, I'm gonna have to do a part 2 just for that.

Areas & Rooms:

Okay, the areas I'll cover in this post are the following:

The Base Entrance

The Hallway

The Armory

The Boxing Gym

The Gem Vault

The Dining Rooms(?)

(A brief note concerning "Bedroom Adjacent Room")

The Base Entrance:

The main story includes a scene where the protagonist meets Sylus in a dining room(?), where he gives her ten minutes to eat her fill before meeting him at the base's entrance. When she goes to meet him there, we see Sylus reclining against his motorcycle. The protagonist descends a short set of steps to join him. And judging by the appearance of the skyline behind it, it seems to be in an elevated area?

This scene pans downward and then momentarily shifts slightly to the left. For that reason, please enjoy my screenshot patchwork masterpiece.

The Hallway:

The second time the protaganist wakes up at Onychinus' base, she's being held in the gem vault (covered later in this post). Upon leaving the vault, she enters a hallway.

From the hallway, she mentions that one of the corridors has several small, crystal vases on a shelf by the wall. In them are several drooping, withered flowers.

It is through this hallway that she accesses various places in the base. Namely, the "Dining Room #1", the boxing gym, and the armory.

According to Kieran, she'd see the base's exit by going "straight down the hall" (left).

And it potentially connects to a garage (based on when she enters the hallway from the armory; right).

The Armory:

At the start of Sylus' "Captivating Moment" Myth, the protagonist finds him the armory at the Onychinus base (top left).

This Myth story mentions them exiting the armory through a door. And, immediately after exiting, Sylus is depicted in the hallway mentioned previously (top right).

The Boxing Gym:

The boxing gym is said to be located in the "corner of the base". In the scene preceding its onscreen debut, the protagonist is standing in the hallway we previously discussed. She then turns to the left to leave the hallway before arriving at the gym. It is a large room that includes a boxing ring and a punching bag.

The Gem Vault:

The gem vault is the second room the protaganist wakes up in at the base when Luke and Kieran are monitoring her. This room is frequently shown in-game. But in Sylus' storyline for the "Yes, Cat Caretaker" event, this room is what is shown when they are in his gem vault.

While the gem vault interior "isn't brightly lit", the protaganist describes it as "still illuminated by dazzling and colorful gems". She goes on to state that Sylus was sitting through "mountain-like piles of gems" and crystals.

After Kieran opens the door so she can leave the room, the protaganist is shown in the hallway again. And by entering the door ahead, she enters "Dining Room #1" where the subsequent scene occurs.

The Dining Rooms?

There are two different rooms that seem like dining rooms. But their purposes are not specified in-game. There's "Dining Room #1" (the one where the protagonist overhears Sylus' conversation with an unknown person) and "Dining Room #2" (the one where Luke and Kieran help the protagonist in the "Midnight Stealth" memory)

"Dining Room #1":

The protaganist describes this room as calm and "beautiful, from the clean white tablecloth to the silverware sparkling under the light to even the ice bucket with bottles of red wine". At that time, the table was filled with countless dishes and Sylus gave her ten minutes to eat as much as she wanted.

"Dining Room #2":

This is the one featured in the "Midnight Stealth" memory. In this scene, Luke and Kieran help the protaganist strategize in her efforts to get Sylus' brooch. It's not the same room as "Dining Room #1" because this one features checkered flooring and couches. Additionally, the walls are quite different.

The "Bedroom Adjacent Room" Note:

Technically, there's one more room other than the bedroom. We get a glimpse of it when Sylus kicks the protagonist out of his room in "Midnight Stealth". But since it's literally right outside his room, I'll cover it in part 2.

(Welp... in retrospect, I should have said I'd cover it in part 3 😂)

[1423nam]

Worse than wanderers

[kimcheesiee]

SYLUS' EEPY VOICE IS SO ASDFGAWKGAWKDLAJD—

--------------------------

i'm going feral over this man i need to be put down fr— 😩😮‍💨

[kamisatomay018]

Confessions of the Heart

Sylus x MCreader (female)

Warnings: angst to fluff, angry sylus and reader, hurt/comfort, kissing

Wrote this after being inspired by what @bookfreakk posted. I hope you guys enjoy!

Sylus was the most infuriating man you had ever met. Since the day you landed in the N109 Zone, you couldn’t stand his haughty, arrogant and smug nature. You two would always argue, especially after the man made you shoot his heart. It made you panic, though back then you never understood why. You always believed he had killed your grandma and Caleb, and your hatred for the man ran deep. But something about his battered, bloody self tugged at your heart, conflicting you.

As time went by, you grew to hate his teasing, his games, his schemes. In your mind, Sylus was everything you never wanted in a man- arrogant, cold, prideful and most importantly- a goddamn Criminal.

Then why was it that your heart skipped a beat every time you looked into those dangerous ruby eyes? Why was it that you found your heart searching for the silver haired man even after you returned to Linkon? It bothered you so much, after all you hated him, hated his guts…right?

Or so you thought. As you lay in bed alone at night, your mind kept recalling the memories of the time your evol linked the two of you together- the closeness of being in the closet, his deep, teasing voice calling you Kitten, his tall, buff body and his stupidly handsome face. Fuck, it was too much. That was when you realised, to your absolute horror, that you loved him. You loved Sylus, and as much as he infuriated you, as much as you wanted to claw his eyes out, you also wanted to grab his face and kiss him.

Fuck.

No, this was so wrong. You couldn’t love him, he was a criminal, wanted by the Hunters Association. Being with him meant bringing disaster upon your life. And that man could love no one. The Sylus you knew kept people around depending on how useful they were to him. He wasn’t one to get attached, no. He was the leader of Onychinus, he was a bloody murderer. There was no way you both could ever work out.

And as much as it made your heart hurt excruciatingly, you buried these ridiculous feelings for him deep down. Perhaps it was just a convenience crush, maybe it was because he was physically attractive. But no matter how much you tried to deny it, you had fallen for his teasing, his boasting, his pride. You had fallen for Sylus.

Perhaps that is what led to your current situation. You glared at the silver haired man sitting in front of you, breathing heavily as you seethed in rage. There he was, sitting ever so casually as he bled, having suffered multiple wounds all over him after a ridiculously dangerous mission you had no idea about. Luke and Kieran had called you over in a panic, never having seen their boss this way. Sylus was basically untouchable in the N109 zone, which is why seeing him battered and bruised like this did unspeakable things to your heart.

“Are you out of your fucking mind Sylus!? Why would you go face so many people ALONE!?” You spat in anger, watching as he simply rolled his eyes, his evol surrounding him to heal his wounds. “Seems like a certain kitten has her claws out tonight” He all but spoke teasingly, only fuelling your anger.

“Is everything just a fucking joke for you!? Why would you ever think that this was a wise choice!?” You raised your voice, agitated by his nonchalant behaviour. Sylus frowned at this, standing up to look you in the eyes. “Enough now kitten. I will tell Luke and Kieran to not bother you with such trivial matters in the future.”

Trivial? You looked at Sylus as if he had lost his mind, your eyes burning with rage. Did he not care about his own life? Did he seriously not understand why you were so angry? Oh of course he wouldn’t, he wasn’t capable of loving someone at all. “Shut up Sylus! Why are you always so arrogant and prideful!? You may be strong but you are not invincible! Walking into a room full of armed men and trying to kill them is a stupid choice!”

Sylus felt himself get agitated at that. You had no idea just why he had chosen to kill those men, just why he had put his life on the line. His ruby eyes glared down dangerously at you now, his tone sharp. “I said, enough. Do not speak on matters you know nothing about. I can handle myself.”

You scoffed angrily, hating that you really did not know anything about his mission. Sylus had been strangely distant with you over the last month, making your heart clench in pain every day. You hated how you still loved him, despite his recklessness. “Oh yeah? You can handle yourself? If you truly were able to then you wouldn’t be here nearly dead!”

Something in Sylus snapped as you yelled out those words. He hated being doubted, he hated being considered weak even after he had conquered the entirety of the N109 zone. And he hated being doubted especially by you. By the one woman that he loved more than his own life, the one woman for whom he was ready to risk everything he had. He clenched his fists in anger, glaring down at you as his own voice raised now “Don’t you even try to doubt my abilities. And frankly Kitten; why are you so bothered by me dying? A few months ago you were glad to put a bullet in my heart. So why the concern now huh?”

Hearing those words was your final straw. You could no longer contain your anger, nor your feelings. “BECAUSE I LOVE YOU! AND I HATE IT!”

Silence, pin drop silence was all you were met with after your outburst. Sylus stood there, motionless, not being able to believe what you had just said. A huge part of him felt relief, so much relief because only heaven knows how much time he had spent being hopelessly in love with you. But the other part? Heartbroken it was, because you admitted that you hated loving him.

For the first time since you’d known him, you saw a rare emotion in Sylus’ eyes that you couldn’t quite understand. Was it anger? Was it sorrow? Was it..hurt? Your own hands trembled as you realised the weight of what you had done. Confessing your love for him was a dangerous move, one that could be potentially disastrous. But your heart could no longer help it. The sight of him bloody and injured, staggering onto the couch was too painful for you to bear.

“Why do you hate loving me kitten..?” You heard his deep voice say, much softer than before. Still as agitated as you were, you glared at him, responding. “Because I know you would never love me back. You..you don’t even know the meaning of love, do you? You only keep me around because I’m useful-“

You weren’t even able to finish your sentence before you found yourself pinned to the wall, Sylus’ face inches apart from your own. He was seething in anger once again, as if your words had hurt him more than the stab wounds he had a while ago. “How dare you assume that I do not know what love is, when I have spent Every.Single.Lifetime loving you, waiting for you..How dare you assume that I kept you around just to use you? After everything I do for YOU?”

You felt your lips part in shock as the weight of his words sunk in. Your anger slowly melted away as it was replaced by raw emotion. You looked into those hypnotising red eyes, searching for some form of mischief, some form of deception or teasing. But there was none. He looked at you with anger, but also with something so much more intense, something that made your heart race.

“You..you love me..? And..what do you mean by everything you do for me?” You asked him, voice soft as confusion swirled in your eyes. Sylus let out a shaky breath, his big warm hand cupping your cheek. “Sweetie..you have no idea how long I waited to meet you. I have always protected you from the shadows, keeping a watch to ensure your safety. Why do you think I went alone on such a dangerous mission? To wipe off The Nest, to wipe off the people who have hurt you, who have made you cry. I know you deemed me as someone incapable of love, but I have spent every second of my life loving you.”

Overwhelming guilt was all you felt at his confession. You had judged him so harshly, when he was out there seeking revenge on your behalf. Eradicating people who meant you harm. Putting his life on the line for you.

Tears filled your eyes as you cupped his cheeks, watching the way he immediately closed his beautiful eyes, nuzzling in your gentle touch. Your heart ached as you finally realised that the intense emotion he always looked at you with was Love. You were just too oblivious to realise it. “Sylus I..I’m so sorry..”

He looked at you again, chuckling softly as he shook his head, this time hugging you as he placed his hand on your head. “No need for any of that sweetie. I wasn’t exactly the best at showing my care for you. I may not show it but I do love you kitten. There is no love purer than mine.”

Tears rolled down your cheeks as you felt relief and happiness wash over you all at once. You hugged him back so tightly, as if afraid he would disappear. “Do you have any idea how scared I was when I saw you like that? I..I thought I’d lose you..” Hearing your shaky voice tugged at Sylus’ heartstring, leading him to hug you closer.

“Ah so that’s why my kitten was bearing her claws.” He teased you again, trying to lighten the mood. Seeing you cry was the last thing he wanted. But to his amusement, all he was met with was a gentle punch to his chest and a tearful “shut up” from you. That only made him chuckle more, leading him to pat your head.

“Don’t worry sweetie, you’re not getting rid of me that easily. Besides..” he gently raised your chin, making you look into his eyes. “I will always find my way back to you, you have my word.”

You knew Sylus always kept a promise once he made it. You smiled tearfully, nodding as you got on your tippy toes to rest your forehead against his, making him smile affectionately. His strong arms wrapped around your waist, steadying you like he always had. “Don’t scare me like that again. You mean more to me than any revenge Sylus. I need you by my side..”

Oh you were gonna be the death of him. Your sweet words only increased his love for you even more, something he thought wasn’t possible. “I will always get rid of anyone who dares to even think of harming you. But, I will be more careful. Can’t have my kitten crying like this again, I prefer it more when you give me that exasperated expression of yours.”

You laughed at his words now, shaking your head. “God you’re so infuriating.” He chuckled at your words, looking at you with the same teasing glint in his eyes, only this time, they were also full of tender love. “And yet you love me sweetie.”

You rolled your eyes at his smug voice, but you weren’t able to fight the loving smile that made its way on your face. “Alas, I do” Sylus smiled wider at that, leaning closer until your lips were a mere inch apart as he whispered “And I love you more than anything else.”

The next thing you felt were his soft lips engulfing your own in a kiss that was filled with longing and passion. You kissed him back immediately, heart fluttering with love as you realised just how hopelessly you had fallen for this man. The big, bad leader of Onychinus; the criminal wanted by the hunter’s association, the prideful infuriating man. But now you realised that in this moment, with you, he was just Sylus. Your Sylus. World be damned, he was all you wanted.

Tags: @radiantbrilliance

[grabby-smitten]

── Confinement [MISSING]

The renowned artist Rafayel has gone missing...

[sayangrafayel]

Texting

MC: You're so nocturnal

MC: Always up so late

Sylus: I'm sorry

Sylus: I stay up

Sylus: Protecting the city for you.

MC: ...Well you have a very twisted way of doing that, but you do you!