hi, my name is noa (or you might know me as heaven) and iโve been writing stories pretty much all my life. i figured itโs time i finally share these stories with the world.
this space is where iโll be documenting my stories, progress, and the characters that live in my head. hopefully, itโll also become a place where you find new favorites along the way. i post mainly original works, but iโll throw the occasional fanfic in every now and then. the majority of my stories and what i enjoy are sapphic/wlw media. so if you like yuri, i got you.
iโm an acting student, singer, and songwriter. music is a huge part of my identity, so itโs bound to bleed into my posts from time to time. youโll probably see that reflected in themes, moods, the occasional recommendation, and me sharing music of my own.
i also plan on sharing music i love under some posts. iโm especially into r&b and k-pop, so expect a lot of that here!
one of my protagonists (in a work thatโs not released yet) isnโt necessarily a horrible person but she makes awful decisions, and i think thatโs so freeing. sometimes writers get caught up in the โmy protagonist is the good guy so they have to good, literally.โ but thatโs really not the case, characters should have flaws, especially if theyโre your main protagonist. as readers we want to watch them grow!!
From the steps of Metropolitan Hall, Manhattan glittered in every direction. Inside, chandeliers threw warm gold across a sea of black suits and jewel-toned dresses. The Reed Dynamics gala was in full swing, the biggest event the industry had seen all year.
At the center of it all, as always, was Natalia Reed.
Her gown was black and simple at first glance, but with every step she took, the light caught a faint shimmer in the fabric. Her hair was straightened and slicked back into a bun, exposing the sharp line of her jaw. Even when standing still, she was captivating.
She worked the room the way she worked a boardroom. A few words and smiles, handshakes that were shorter or longer depending on how much time she wanted to give. Natalia hated events like this, but she understood how important they were. Clients, investors, and competitors were all under one roof on a night where the Phoenix Project officially entered the world.
Ana stood near the main entrance with a tablet in her hand, greeting guests as they arrived. She had chosen a deep emerald dress that fit tight at the waist before loosening around her legs. Nothing flashy. Clean neckline, no patterns, simple jewelry. But it still felt grander than her usual work clothes.
She caught her own reflection in the glass doors into the ballroom and sucked in a small, quiet breath. Part of her job tonight was to make sure arrivals went smoothly.
The other part, apparently, was watching Natalia.
Every time Ana looked toward the ballroom, she found her. A circle of people usually hovered around her, leaning in, laughing a little too hard. It was ridiculous, but Ana had to stop herself from scowling at the back of their heads.
"Stop glaring. You'll scare off the donors," Oliver murmured beside her, suddenly appearing with two flutes of champagne.
Ana rolled her eyes and took one. "I'm not glaring."
"Right," he said, already amused. "Your face just naturally looks like it's ready to fire people."
She fought a smile and finally gave in, the corners of her mouth curving. "Shouldn't you be working?"
"I am. Keeping an eye on our fearless leader." His gaze flickered toward Natalia, then back to her. "And of course, the one who's keeping the whole thing running."
Before she could respond, someone called his name across the hall. Oliver lifted his glass to her in a small salute, then melted into the crowd.
Ana's attention snapped back to the entrance when the next pair walked in.
Julia Towner knew how to make an entrance. Her satin navy gown caught the light in smooth, liquid ripples. A delicate necklace rested at her collarbone, her red hair curled. Beside her, her assistant Derek Ford wore a dark suit with a patterned tie so bold it somehow worked.
He let out a low whistle as he took in the hall. "Damn. Reed Dynamics knows how to throw a party."
"Try not to sound too impressed. People might think we were dying to be here." Julia replied, her tone dry but amused.
"We are here to work, remember?" he said.
Julia's eyes scanned the ballroom until they landed on Natalia near the stage. Her mouth curved. "Speak for yourself. I multitask."
"Uh huh," Derek muttered. "That went great for you last time."
She shot him a look that said shut up without needing the words, then started across the room.
Natalia felt the disruption in the crowd before she saw her. Conversations quieted, heads turned. Finally, Julia reached her with Derek a step behind.
"Natalia," Julia said warmly. "You've outdone yourself. This is beautiful."
"Thank you, Julia." Natalia said politely. "I appreciate you coming."
Derek stepped in with an easy smile and offered his hand. "Derek Ford, Julia's assistant. I've heard a lot about you, Ms. Reed."
"I'm sure you have," Natalia said, shaking his hand with a firm grip.
Derek's grin widened. He leaned closer to Julia and stage-whispered, "I like her."
Julia had to pinch her lips together to keep from laughing out loud.
Before the conversation could go further, Ana walked up to them, clipboard in hand.
"Ms. Reed, the tech team is ready. They're just waiting on your signal," Ana said.
Natalia's focus shifted to her immediately. "Good. Thank you, Ana. Make sure they stay near the control booth until Phoenix is done."
"Got it." Ana nodded, then glanced at Julia. Her smile faltered a little. "Ms. Towner. Nice to see you again."
"You as well." Julia replied, her smile just as strained.
Derek looked between the three women and bit back a smile. "Oh this is going to be so fun." he muttered under his breath.
A few minutes later, the lights dimmed, and the room went quiet. A single spotlight illuminated the stage. Natalia stepped into it.
She had added a blazer over her dress, giving her a sharper silhouette. Oliver and project manager Margot stood behind her at a respectful distance. Behind them, a large screen displayed the Reed Dynamics logo.
"Good evening," she began. There wasn't a single note card in her hand, no hesitation in her voice. "Thank you for joining us tonight. Reed Dynamics has spent years pushing the limits of what technology can do for business. Tonight, I have the honor of introducing our most ambitious project yet."
The logo dissolved into a new graphic: a stylized phoenix in motion, wings unfurling around the words 'Phoenix: Rise to the Next Level.'
"The Phoenix Project," Natalia said, stepping slightly to the side so the emblem sat over her shoulder, "is our answer to a problem every company faces. Too much data. Not enough clarity. Phoenix is a cloud-based, AI-driven platform designed to understand your business from the inside out. Resource allocation. Real-time analytics. Risk management. All of it, gathered, processed, and translated into decisions you can act on."
She gestured toward the screen. "Phoenix does more than look backwards. It anticipates what comes next."
Margot moved forward, her posture straight, eyes bright with pride. "Phoenix learns. It recognizes patterns before humans can. It can flag potential bottlenecks, re-route supply chains, suggest new marketing angles, and do it all in real time with minimal input. Think of it as a strategist built into your system."
A demo rolled behind them. Dashboards updating live, red alerts shifting to yellow and then to green as Phoenix optimized a fictional companyโs operations. Social media graphs responded to changing trends. Budget charts adjusted instantly as new variables dropped in.
"We've already tested Phoenix with several pilot partners," Margot continued. "In three months, they saw an average reduction in operational inefficiencies of 40% and an increase in measured productivity of 30%. And we're still refining."
The murmur that ran through the crowd was different than it had been all evening. Less polite and more impressed.
Oliver took his place next, hands resting lightly on either side of the podium. "Phoenix is a rebuild, not just a bandage over poor infrastructure. We want to help companies dominate in their fields. And for those who already do, we plan to keep it that way."
He spoke about trust, about Reed Dynamics' track record, about clients who had grown from small names into industry leaders. Then he turned slightly toward Natalia and gave a small nod.โจShe returned to the center. "Phoenix is more than just software to us. It's a promise that Reed Dynamics will keep leading, not following. To our partners in this room, existing and future, we are ready to rise with you."
Applause erupted and wrapped around them. It swelled, filling the hall.
From near the back of the crowd, Ana clapped until her palms stung. The adrenaline of watching Natalia command the room hadn't worn off yet. When Natalia's eyes skimmed the hall and found hers, Ana lifted one hand and gave her a small thumbs up.
Natalia smiled, genuinely smiled, for the briefest moment before the voices of approaching executives swallowed her up again.
Beside the bar, Derek muttered to Julia. "Okay. That was terrifying."
"In a good way," Julia corrected quietly, eyes still trained on the stage. "She still knows how to leave a room speechless."
"If Phoenix is half as good as they say, we're gonna be very busy," he muttered.
"We'll adjust." Julia took a sip of champagne. "We always do."
The night moved on in a whirl of conversations, handshakes, and laughter. Waiters wove around the room with trays of expensive appetizers, a jazz trio played softly in one corner. Investors clustered near Oliver and Margot, asking questions and requesting meetings. The Phoenix logo looped on screens around the room, glowing over everything.
It took Ana longer than she expected to find a quiet pocket of air.
Eventually, she slipped through a set of glass doors onto one of the balconies. The city beneath her was bright and endless, the sounds of the gala muffled behind her.
She braced her hands on the railing, taking a slow breath.
"You hiding?" came a familiar voice.
Ana turned to see Natalia a few feet away, also alone. The blazer was back off, draped over her arm, the neckline of her dress catching the light.
"Justโฆ decompressing," Ana said. "You were incredible up there."
Natalia leaned her hip against the railing, facing the city rather than her. "Thank you. I'm just glad no one tripped, choked, or lost the demo feed halfway through."
Ana laughed. "Your standards for disaster are very specific."
"They come from experience."
For a moment, they just stood there, side by side, staring out at the river of headlights below.
Ana swallowed, then asked, "You're not worried about Bellum? Julia, the reps they sentโฆ all of that?"
"I'm always worried about Bellum," Natalia said, and there was no point in pretending otherwise. "But tonight wasn't about them. Tonight was about Phoenix. About us."
Ana nodded, even though she still felt some tension. "They're paying attention."
"Good," Natalia said. "They should."
Before Ana could reply, the balcony door opened behind them.
"Am I intruding?" Julia's voice floated through the air.
Of course she had found them.
Ana straightened, shoulders back. "Not at all."
Julia stepped onto the balcony, moving towards the two women. "I wanted to say congratulations," she said to Natalia. "Phoenix is impressive. Truly."
"Thank you." Natalia replied. Her tone didn't give anything away, but Ana could see the tiny shift in her posture.
Julia's hand came up to rest lightly on Natalia's arm, fingers brushing her skin.
"I know how much work something like this takes," she added. "You should be proud."
"I am." Natalia said simply.
There was a moment of tense silence.
"Well," Julia said, dropping her hand. "I'll stop hoarding you. I just wanted to say my piece before the rest of the crowd drags you into whatever networking ritual they've planned."
Her eyes flicked briefly to Ana, assessing, then back to Natalia. "Enjoy your night."
She turned and slipped back inside.
Ana let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "She's persistent," she muttered.
"So are you," Natalia said, amusement in her voice.
Ana looked over at her, and this time she didn't pretend the flutter in her chest was anything but what it was. "I guess I am."
The wind picked up slightly, brushing cool air across her bare arms. Goosebumps rose on her skin. She wrapped her hands around her upper arms.
"Cold?" Natalia asked quietly.
"A little," Ana admitted, but she made no move to go back inside.
Natalia glanced at the blazer still hanging over her arm. After a brief pause, she stepped closer and settled it over Ana's shoulders. Her fingers grazed Ana's collarbone as she adjusted the lapels.
The touch was barely anything. It lasted a second, maybe two.
Ana felt it everywhere.
"Better?" Natalia's voice had dropped, low and close to her ear.
Ana swallowed, aware of how warm the inside of the blazer was. It smelled faintly like Natalia's perfume, clean and expensive and familiar now. She nodded. "Yeah. Thank you. You didn't have to do that."
Natalia turned back to the view. "I don't like seeing my employees uncomfortable."
Ana huffed out a soft breath. "Is that all I am?"
Natalia glanced sideways at her, the corners of her mouth lifting. "You're a lot of things. Employee. Occasional nuisance. Full-time lifesaver."
"Full-time?" Ana smiled. "Finally, an accurate title."
Natalia laughed quietly, and the sound warmed Ana's chest. "Don't push your luck. I'm still your boss."
Ana smiled, her chest tight in a way that had nothing to do with her dress. She shifted, pulling the blazer a little tighter around herself.
"You know," she said, softer now, "you don't have to hold everything by yourself. I know this company is your baby, orโฆ whatever the corporate version of that is. But you don't have to be the only one who holds it together."
Natalia sighed softly. "That sounds nice," she said. "And unrealistic. If I stop holding it, it drops."
"Maybe," Ana said. "Or maybe other people catch it."
Natalia looked at her fully this time. The noise from inside, the music, even the city itself seemed to fade a little. "You really think that?"
"I think you have built something amazing," Ana answered. "And I think you're allowed to let people help you protect it."
Natalia swallowed, looking down. "You say that like it's easy."
"I never said it was easy," Ana replied. "Just that it's possible."
Natalia's eyes were gentle as she looked back up at Ana. "Thank you," Natalia said quietly. "That means more than you know."
Ana held her stare, her heart thudding in her chest. For once, she stopped pretending this feeling was a crush she could overlook. It was there, fully and completely.โจThe balcony door opened.
"Ah, found you." Derek announced as he stepped outside. "Julia sent me. She says she wants a 'friendly little chat' before she gets dragged into more small talk."
He made air quotes, his smile mischievous.
Natalia sighed, her professionalism slipping back into place. "Of course she does. Thank you, Derek."
He nodded, then looked at Ana, recognizing the blazer around her shoulders. "Nice jacket. You lookโฆ cozy."
Ana gave him a flat look. "It's called basic human decency."
"If you say so," he replied with a quick grin, then retreated back inside.
Natalia watched the door close, then straightened. "I should go see what she wants before she makes a scene."
Ana nodded, pushing down the urge to ask her to stay. "Good luck."
Natalia smiled a little. "I think I will need it."
She held Ana's gaze for one more lingering second before turning and walking back into the noise and the lights.
Ana stayed where she was for a while, alone with the skyline and the weight of the blazer on her shoulders. Her fingers slid along the lapel, tracing the place where Natalia's hand had been.
There was no point in pretending anymore. She was in deep.
the emotional whiplash iโve gotten from a life simulation game is crazy๐ญ wdym my characterโs โstraightโ best friend realized she was in love with herโฆ after my character had gone on a successful blind date with a very sweet girl??? great plot point for a story tho, might write something inspired by it
Sunlight beamed onto Natalia's desk the next morning, painting across her workspace. She stared at her monitor, fingers hovering above the keyboard. None of her focus was landing where it needed toโฆ dinner with Ana kept replaying in the back of her mind.
She exhaled and straightened in her chair. Exactly why I don't let anyone get closeโฆ
Emotions were unpredictable and inconvenient. They pulled her off-balance. There was nothing she hated more than being off-balance.
A knock at the door cut into her thoughts.
"Come in."
Ana stepped inside, carrying a neatly stacked bundle of documents against her chest.
"Morning, Ms. Reed. This is the finalized event agenda and the guest list for the gala."
Natalia accepted the papers, scanning them briefly. "Thank you, Ms. Alvarez."
Ana lingered for a second before adding, "I also checked the seating arrangements. Bellum's table is two over from ours. Close enough to keep an eye on them, far enough to avoid any accidental conversations."
"Good," Natalia nodded. "We can't afford any missteps."
Ana nodded in return, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She turned toward the door, but Natalia's voice stopped her.
"Ms. Alvarez."
Ana glanced back.
"Your attention to detail, I appreciate it."
Ana's smile was small, but it automatically softened everything about her. The tightness in Natalia's chest eased for a second before she pushed the feeling away.
"Of course," Ana said gently, then slipped out of the room.
Natalia let out a slow breath. She was letting Ana in, she could feel it. And yetโฆ she wasn't sure she wanted to stop.
By mid afternoon, conference room A was buzzing. Department heads leaned over laptops and folders, pages rustled, and voices overlapped. But it all came to a halt the second Natalia stepped in the room, a word didn't even have to leave her mouth.
"The press coverage is lined up well," Michael from PR said, tapping his notes. "Business Weekly and Fortune both confirmed live coverage."
"Good." Natalia said flatly. "Updates on the Phoenix Project?"
Margot, the project manager, shifted in her seat. "We're on schedule for the unveiling, but there's skepticism about its adoption rate. The tech is ahead of market readiness."
"Then we make space for the market to catch up." Natalia stated. "The project speaks for itself. Our job is to amplify that."
Silence fell over the room as Natalia's words and gaze settled on them.
After the meeting, Ana's stride synced naturally as they moved into the hallway.
"You were on fire in there," Ana said, unable to hide the admiration in her voice. "It wasโฆ energizing. I feel like I could run a marathon."
Natalia looked at her sidelong. "I didn't realize I was giving a motivational speech."
"Well, consider me motivated." Ana grinned.
A hint of a smirk touched Natalia's lips. She didn't reply, but she did feel an annoying warmth spread through her chest.
That night, the building emptied slowly, but Natalia stayed behind as usual. Her office glowed from the otherwise dim hallway as she combed through the gala plans line by line inside.
The city glittered outside the window but her focus was zeroed on the screenโฆ until her phone buzzed against the desk.
Julia Towner.
For a second, she considered ignoring it. But a feeling similar to guilt overrode that choice.
"Julia."
"Natalia." Julia purred. "Just checking to make sure you received Bellum's confirmation."
"I did."
Julia's smile was evident in her voice. "Wonderful. I'm excited to see you there."
"Let's skip the act," Natalia sighed. "I know what Bellum is trying to do."
A soft laugh floated through the phone speaker. "You always assume everything's some kind of strategic power play. Maybe I just missed an old friend."
"Don't." Natalia said.
Silence.
Then Julia's voice dipped. "We were a lot more than friends once. I know you remember."
The memories hit before Natalia could brace herself. The brightness of Julia's red hair under streetlights, the taste of champagne on her tongue, laughter echoing off university hallways.
"Whatever we were," Natalia said, gripping the phone tighter, "that's not what this is. And it's not something I plan on revisiting."
Julia hummed, almost amused.
"We'll see," she whispered. "Goodnight, Natalia."
The call ended, leaving Natalia staring at the city, throat tight. Julia had always had a way of getting under her skin before she realized it was happening. She hated that some part of that still hadn't changed.
The next morning, Ana noticed a shift immediately.
Natalia sat hunched slightly over her desk, not slouching but drained in a way Ana rarely saw. Her movements were slow and unfocused. The room felt dimmer even with the blinds open.
Ana stepped into the doorway of her own office first, grabbed the extra espresso she bought on instinct, then crossed the hallway to Natalia's door.
"Ms. Reed?" she said quietly, holding out the cup. "Extra hot. Figured you might need it."
Natalia looked up and the exhaustion in her eyes was unmistakable. Her defenses slipped without her permission.
"Thank you," she said, her voice rough.
Ana's lips pursed slightly. She wanted to ask, wanted to press. But she could tell the timing wasn't right.
"If there's anything else you needโฆ besides caffeine, I mean. You can count on me."
Natalia stared at the steam rising from the cup, her expression softening in a way that tugged at Ana's heartstrings.
"I know," Natalia murmured.
Ana walked back to her office, heart beating fast, already replaying the look she'd seen in Natalia's eyes.
thatโs the feeling, the one iโve been reaching for all this time
fear.
a game of the mind, a ploy in effort to prove a point that isnโt there.
or maybe it is.
it definitely is.
there and real and scary, with no way to get rid of it.
no cure, no home remedy
not even an explanation. thoughts that enter without invitation
ones with the power to ruin something thatโs already so beautiful on its own.
something iโll cherish until the day i die. something that causes my heart to feel heavier until it weighs me down completely with guilt, pushing me to say words i know iโd regret uttering for the rest of my life.
and i pride myself on being self-aware.
i know the outcome, i know how the story goes.
so why is reality so difficult to accept? why canโt i be satisfied with whatโs in front of me?
why is a single brush enough to make me forget reason? why do i hide myself away knowing what i want is out there.
sitting.
but not waiting.
not for me. dreams so big with signs that say off-limits.
maybe one day iโll gain courage
maybe one day that flower would flourish
one day hope turns into truth neither can ignore
or maybe iโll be stuck yearning for what i already had before.
honestly less of a poem and more so a brain dump of thoughts i just had to get out or else iโd explode. yes, this is based off of real life. being aro-spec is sooo weird because you almost never like anyone and then when you doโฆ itโs all consuming.
Ana tried to tune it out as she walked through the main hallway, but there was a stubborn knot in her stomach that wouldn't budge. Ever since the meeting, Julia kept drifting through her mind. The way she looked at Nataliaโฆ like she already had a claim on her.
Ana hated that look, the feeling it gave her. And she hated that she noticed it all.
But she shoved it aside because she had real work to do.
Her phone rang. It was the event coordinator again. She pinched the bridge of her nose and answered the call.
"Yes, the venue is confirmed." Ana said, weaving through the office. "And yes, the guest list is final. I'll send the updated version tonight. There's no wiggle room at this pointโ"
She rounded the corner and nearly collided with Natalia.
"Ms. Alvarez." Natalia steadied her with a hand at her arm. "Distracted?"
Ana's breath caught for a split second before she hung up the phone so fast she barely remembered doing it. "Just multitasking."
Natalia's face shifted into something softer, a little teasing. "Watch your step. I can't have my secretary limping around before the biggest event of the quarter."
"I'll do my best not to endanger myself on company property." Ana replied with a small smile, falling into step beside her. Natalia's floral, expensive perfume floated in the air between them.
"Heading to the conference room?" Ana asked.
"No," Natalia said. "I'm going out."
Ana faltered a bit, brows furrowing. "Out?"
"Lunch." Natalia rarely clarified anything to anyone, the fact that she bothered to explain made Ana's pulse stutter unexpectedly.
"Should I add it to your schedule?"
Natalia paused at the door to the C-suite lobby. "No, I'll be back in an hour. Focus on the guest list."
Ana nodded, but she couldn't help being curious. Natalia didn't just wander off in the middle of the day. It feltโฆ odd.
The answer arrived a few hours later.
Ana was typing out yet another catering revision when the sharp sound of heels echoed across the marble floor. She looked up just in time to see Julia Towner glide through the office.
She didn't even glance Ana's way as she passed her office, moving with the arrogance of someone who expected every door to open before she reached it. And of course, she made a beeline for Natalia's office.
Ana stayed frozen where she sat, pulse drumming loudly in her ears. For an irrational second, she considered calling security. But she didn't, she stayed still. Professional.
Barely.
When the door shut behind Julia, it felt like the universe closing her out.
Inside, Julia sat without being invited to, crossing one leg over the other.
"You're late. Which I don't understand, we left the same bistro 30 minutes ago." Natalia muttered, settling behind her desk.
"You're as charming as ever." Julia said sarcastically. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything vital."
"Only the running of a multi-million dollar company." Natalia replied dryly.
Julia laughed. "I miss that about you."
Natalia closed her eyes and sighed. "What do you want?"
Julia stood and wandered toward the window, studying the skyline. "You're hosting a gala next week, aren't you? To show off your Phoenix Project."
Natalia stiffened. "How did youโ"
"Sources," Julia said with a shrug. "Would be a shame if it got overshadowed."
"If that's a threatโ" Natalia started, standing.
"It's not," Julia said, turning to face her. "It's a warning. Bellum has reach, Natalia. Be sure the people around you are worth trusting."
Natalia didn't move, but a flicker of irritation crossed her face. Julia didn't offer anything else, she slipped out the door with a satisfied smile.
As she walked down the central hallway, she passed Ana who'd just come back from the break room. Their eyes met for the first time that day.
"Good luck." Julia said with a shrug.
Ana frowned. "With what?"
Julia didn't answer. She just kept walking.
The moment she was gone, Ana slowly began walking again. She headed to Natalia's office, knocked once, and stepped inside.
"Everything okay?" she asked quietly.
Natalia didn't look up immediately, but the tension in her shoulders said enough. When she finally met Ana's eyes, her voice was noticeably tired.
"It's nothing I can't handle."
Ana didn't believe that for a second. "If there's anything I can doโฆ"
Natalia's gaze warmed just enough to make Ana's heart flip in her chest.
"Thank you." she said quietly.
Ana nodded and slipped out before she said anything she couldn't take back. As she walked back to her desk, there was this unsettling feeling that whatever storm Julia had brought was far from over.
Once again, Ana arrived at Reed Dynamics before the sun fully rose. It was the perfect amount of quiet for productivity, maybe today she could finally get ahead of her work. She slid her bag under her desk, booted up her computer, and reached for her notebook.
She stilled.
A sleek white envelope sat neatly on top of her keyboard, angled precisely like whoever had left it wanted to make sure she saw it. Her name was written across the front in gold, looping letters.
Ana's brows knit together. No one ever left her anything. Ever.
She opened it up.
Bellum Incorporated was embossed professionally on heavy card stock.
Ms. Alvarez,โจIt was a pleasure meeting you yesterday. I look forward to seeing you again.โจWarm regards,โจโ Julia Towner
Ana stared at the signature, irrational annoyance pooling in her veins. Why would Julia send something to her? They barely spoke. And Julia didn't strike her as the "courtesy card" type.
Ana glanced toward Natalia's office. She wasn't sure if she should bring it up. She wasn't even sure why she wanted to bring it up. Before she could overthink it (again), a familiar voice cut through the silence.
"You look like you just saw a ghost."
Ana jumped slightly, turning to find Camille peeking her head through Ana's office doorway, iced coffee in one hand. She completely forgot she asked Camille to swing by before heading to her client meeting.
"Jesus, Camille," Ana whispered, hand pressed to her chest. "Do you knock?"
"You don't lock." Camille countered, sauntering in. Her gaze dropped immediately to the card still in Ana's hand. "What's that?"
Ana's jaw tightened. She tucked the card back into its envelope before answering. "Something from Julia Towner."
Camille blinked. "Julia Towner? Likeโฆ that Julia Towner?"
Ana nodded and Camille continued on. "Why is she sending you notes? Was there some millionaire mixer that I didn't know about yesterday?"
"It's nothing." Ana muttered, closing the card inside of her desk drawer a little harder than necessary. "She came to see Natalia yesterday, I had to bring her to the office. That's all."
Camille stared at her like she'd just announced an engagement. "Oh my godโฆ you don't like her."
"I barely know her." Ana corrected quickly, "I don't dislike herโฆ But I definitely don't like her either."
Camille's grin was immediate. "Jealousy looks good on you, babe."
Ana groaned. "Get out of my office. And give me my coffee."
Camille winked, handed over the coffee, stole a pen just to annoy her, and left.
But Ana couldn't ignore the way her own smile remained.
Meanwhile, inside her office, Natalia had been equally rattled, though for very different reasons.
She'd spent most of the day replaying Julia's unannounced visit. The way Julia smiled โ like nothing between her and Natalia had ever endedโฆ it all churned uncomfortably in her stomach.
A knock snapped her out of it.
"Come in."
Ana stepped into the doorway, seemingly normal, but Natalia noticed that something was off โ that she was a little more wound up than usual.
"Is something wrong, Ms. Alvarez?"
Ana shook her head. "No. Just wanted to confirm your schedule."
Natalia nodded, letting Ana list the day's meetings, calls, and a Phoenix progress review. But when Ana turned to go, Natalia felt a strange impulse she couldn't explain.
"Ms. Alvarez."
Ana paused in the doorway, hand resting on the frame.
Natalia cleared her throat softly. "About Julia's visit yesterdayโฆ I'd prefer you didn't read too much into it. She and I haveโฆ a lot of history, but that's all it is. History."
Ana blinked, caught completely off guard. She hadn't expected Natalia to bring any of it up, especially not like this. For a second, she wasn't sure how she was meant to respond.
"Of course." she said, hushed.
Natalia nodded once, settling it. And there was the smallest flash of vulnerability in her eyes before she looked away.
Ana wondered who Natalia had been trying to reassure. Her? Or herself?
By mid-week, pressure was high throughout the company and word had spread fast: Bellum had launched a campaign targeting one of Phoenix's core markets.
Natalia gathered her senior team in Conference Room A, the harsh fluorescent lighting only amplifying the stress in the room.
"This is a direct hit." Sarah from marketing said, practically vibrating with frustration. "They're using strategies we showed them last year."
"We'll adapt." Natalia said. "Bellum wants a reaction and they want us off our game. We won't give them that satisfaction."
The room went silent, the authority in her voice shifting everything back into alignment. But Ana could tell just from her body language that she wasn't as put together as she seemed. This was personal for Natalia. She didn't even have to say Julia's name for the people in the room who knew her best understood exactly where this was coming from.
When the meeting broke, Ana stayed behind.
"Ms. Reed, do you have a moment?"
Natalia looked up from her notes. "What is it?"
Ana inhaled slowly. She'd debated saying this all morning. "Is this about Bellum? Orโฆ is this about Julia?"
Natalia's eyes narrowed. "Why do you ask?"
"Because it feels like it is." Ana said. "And I think you should knowโฆ she sent me a card earlier this week."
Natalia stilled, some mix of emotions flashing across her face. Surprise? Annoyance? Concern? Whatever it was, it quickly slipped back under her usual mask.
"What did it say?"
"Nothing meaningful." Ana said. "Justโฆ polite nonsense. But I was just confused as to why she sent something to me."
Natalia leaned back, tapping her finger lightly on the desk. "Julia doesn't do anything without a purpose. Thank you for telling me."
Ana nodded, turning to leave. But halfway toward the doorโ
"Ms. Alvarez."
Ana turned.
Natalia's gaze gentled for the briefest moment. "I appreciate yourโฆ attentiveness."
Ana's breath caught. "Always."
She slipped out of the room before her expression could give her away.
That night, as the sun dipped below Manhattanโs skyline, Natalia stayed in her office long after the building went quiet. Julia's reappearance wasn't something she prepared for. Everything in her life suddenly felt so turbulent.
But Anaโฆ she was the one steady thing in the middle of it.
since iโm aro (haha, yes an aroace girl that mainly writes romance) iโd LOVE to write a character whoโs aroace or a story that centers around aromanticism. but itโs such a spectrum and looks different on everyone and i never know how to approach it. but i truly do believe we need more aroace media because itโs practically nonexistent.
Ana got to work early the next morning, the sky still shades of orange and pink with some blues mixed in. The building was still quiet but her mind was loud, Natalia's text from the night before replaying more times than she'd like to admit.
Thank you for dinner. See you tomorrow.
It was simple, neutral, barely two sentences. But from Natalia? It meant so much more. It was like a small opening, something Ana hadn't expected.
She settled into her desk, coffee warming her palms, keyboard clacking in a steady rhythm as she sorted through her morning tasks. Everything felt manageable, almost peaceful, until her phone lit up with Camille's name.
Ana winced before answering. She ignored her call last nightโฆ she was getting Natalia's food. "Good morning, Cam."
"Stop trying to be cute. Spill." Camille's voice was already at full throttle. "You stayed late again, didn't you?"
Ana straightened a stack of printouts, the phone on speaker. "I didn't stay late. She was workingโ"
"And?"
"And I convinced her to eat something. That's all."
Camille scoffed. "Ana. First of all, leaving the office at 8 when you get off at 5 is in fact staying late."
Ana tried to interject โ something about how she wasn't really working so it didn't count โ but Camille kept going.
"Secondly, you convinced Natalia Reed to eat dinner? That's basically emotional intimacy for her."
Ana rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the warmth creeping up her neck. "It wasn't like that, she justโฆ listened. For once."
"Did she smile?"
Ana hesitated. "I don't know if smile is the word."
Camille hummed, knowingly. "Uh-huh. Cracks in the glacier. A historic moment."
Ana laughed softly, glancing around to make sure no one was walking by. "It's complicated. She's complicated."
"Everything with her seems to be, which is exactly why you need to be careful." Camille warned.
Ana didn't respond, not because she disagreed, but because she didn't know how to explain how she felt. It's not like she was head over heels in love with Natalia or anything, she was just curious.
Yeah, curiosity. That's what it was.
The call ended, but Camille's words stuck with her long after.
Around noon, while Ana was reorganizing timelines for the Phoenix Project, her desk phone rang. It was really only there for the C-suite receptionist to alert the secretaries of a person or a package โ one of the two was waiting up front for Natalia apparently.
"Hi, Ms. Violet." she answered.
"Hey Ms. Alvarez, a delivery's here for Ms. Reed."
"On my way."
Ana made sure her work was saved before swiftly exiting her office, rounding the corner and heading down the main hallway. When she reached the reception desk, a delivery guy stood with a bouquet of white lilies neatly arranged in a sleek vase.
"For Ms. Reed?" he said as she approached.
Ana signed for the flowers, frowning as she read the small card tucked between the petals:
Looking forward to working together again. โJulia
An unexplainable unease settled in her stomach. She carried the vase to Natalia's office and knocked lightly.
"Come in." Natalia called.
Ana stepped inside, heading towards her desk. "You got a delivery fromโฆ Julia?"
Natalia's head snapped up abnormally quick. Her eyes moved from Ana, to the flowers, to the floor, then back to Ana all within the span of a second.
She reached for the card slowly. "Julia Townerโฆ" she muttered to herself.
"Do you know her?" Ana asked.
Natalia's eyes met hers, jaw tightening by a fraction. "She'sโฆ an old acquaintance."
Not a friend. Not a colleague. An acquaintance. For some reason that made Ana feel even worse about all of this.
She nodded once, then stepped back. "I'll leave you to it."
Natalia didn't stop her.
The lilies sat in their spot on her desk, filling the office with a sweetness that Ana suddenly really disliked.
Later that evening, Natalia sat in the dim glow of her desk lamp, the lilies casting pale shadows her workspace. Her gaze drifted to the card again, fingers brushing its edge.
Julia was officially back. After years. After everything.
Natalia leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes for a moment she'd never admit to needing. Images flickered through her mind like old film: young adults who had no idea what they were doing, staying out past midnight, a face framed by messy auburn underneath her. Julia was the wildfire to her ice.
Including Oliver, they were a trio. Unbreakable. Until the fracture.
Julia had once been the only one who understood parts of Natalia she never showed the world. The only person who got past the armor.
But understanding hadn't been enough to fix what ultimately broke them. Natalia exhaled slowly, steadying herself. The past was over, she refused to dig it up.
And then there was the issue of Ana who seemed dead-set on making cracks and slipping through them. She'd been a calm constant, managing to ground Natalia in ways she didn't have the capacity to unpack.
That was its own kind of unsettling.
Meanwhile, Medley was bustling with its evening crowd, forks clinking against plates, a soft indie pop playlist in the background. Ana sat across from Camille, poking at her salad with more force than necessary.
"White lilies." Ana muttered. "Who even sends flowers to an office? It feels soโฆ showy."
Camille arched her brow. "You sound jealous."
Ana nearly choked on her water. "I'm not jealous."
"Mmhmm."
"It's unprofessional." Ana insisted. "That's all."
"Right." Camille smirked. "Totally about professionalism."
Ana pressed her lips together. "I'm serious. Whoever Julia is, Natalia reacted. I could see it, there's something there. And I can't figure it out."
Camille's teasing softened. "Tread lightly, Ana. People like Natalia? The one's who don't show their cards? They also don't show their scars, usually for good reason."
Ana stared down at her salad, shoulders deflating. "I know."
"Hey, don't get all pouty. I just don't want you getting caught up in whatever they have going on." Camille murmured.
"I'm not poutyโฆ" Ana said. While pouting.
"Aw, you poor baby." Camille chuckled, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand, offering reassurance.
Ana tried to enjoy the rest of her night with her best friend, but the flowers, the name, Natalia's faceโฆ it all morphed into one big frustrating image in her mind. And she couldn't help the feeling that she'd already walked her way into something way bigger than her.
๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ: even if no one else sees itโฆ nataliaโs softer than she appears to be
๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ: 928
๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฒ: daniel caesar ft. kali uchisโ get you โค๏ธโ๐ฉน
Reed Dynamics was the center of Natalia's life, and she was the center of the company. Meetings always shifted around her, like the sun's gravitational pull on the planet's. She sat tall at the end of the conference table in the Phoenix Project meeting that morning. Her posture was straight, her expression poised, and her voiced pointed enough to make even the seasoned team leaders swallow hard.
Ana watched from her seat near the corner, tablet balanced on her knee. This was Natalia in her purest form: sharp, commanding, impossible to ignore. Most people in the room were terrified of her. Ana wasn't. But that was just becauseโฆ she noticed things other people didn't.
The Phoenix Project โ the company's current crown jewel โ was on a strict timeline, and Natalia treated it accordingly.
"We need a two week extension." the marketing manager stammered, voice shaking. "There's just no way toโ"
"No." Natalia didn't even look up from the budget breakdown. "You have the resources. Meet the deadline."
The manager shrank back. A few people avoided eye contact entirely.
Ana on the other hand hid a small, involuntary smile behind her tablet. Not because she was laughing at these people's misfortune, but something about Natalia when she got like this wasโฆ tantalizing to her.
When the meeting ended, Natalia left swiftly with Oliver at her side, already going over next steps, her stride quick enough to force him to keep up. Ana lingered behind with the Phoenix team, collecting stray printouts and answering anxious questions with as much assurance as she could give. She felt bad for them, deadlines at Reed Dynamics weren't suggestions. Everyone knew that.
By noon, she was buried in emails and launch timeline revisions. Then her phone vibrated across her desk, a FaceTime call from Camille.
Ana sighed, answered, and propped the phone against her monitor. "Hey."
Camille's grin filled the frame. "Wow, you look alive. Barely."
"Thanks." Ana muttered, scribbling a note on a launch checklist.
"So, lunch?" Camille asked.
Ana froze. Shitโฆ Right. She agreed to lunch before the Phoenix madness exploded. Her fingers ached and her brain felt like static, so the thought of sunlight and fresh air was tempting.
She exhaled. "Give me ten minutes."
"Perfect. I'm at Medley."
Medley was a pretty small and cozy neighborhood cafe that Ana and Camille frequented. The scent of espresso and toasted bread hit Ana as soon as she walked in. Camille was waiting by the counter with two drinks in hand, dressed like she walked out of a fashion blog. Breezy, unbothered, and painfully cool.
Ana's tailored pantsuit felt stiff in comparison.
"You look exhausted." Camille said as soon as they sat.
"Again, thank you for your kindness."
"I'm serious, your job's gonna age you a decade."
Ana stirred her iced coffee. "Ugh, you sound like my mom."
"Well, your mother is a wise woman." Camille sipped her drink. "So? How's the Great Ice Queen of Midtown?"
Ana rolled her eyes. "Don't call her that."
"Ooh, so protective." Camille teased. "You two bonding yet?"
Ana hesitated. Her mind flicked back to last night, the brief pause before Natalia told her to go home, the slightest softening of her eyes.
"She's unpredictable." Ana said finally. "Closed off, mostly. But sometimes she says things thatโ" she broke off, searching for the right phrasing. "It feels like she sees more than she lets on."
"Uh-huh." Camille said, unimpressed. "And the latest romantic gesture?"
Ana lowered her voice, leaning forward. "Last nightโฆ she told me not to come in before 8."
Camille paused, then burst out laughing. "Ana, please. That's not flirting. That's labor law compliance."
Ana pressed her lips together, frustrated at her friend's dismissal but also trying to suppress a smile. "It's the intent behind it, Camille!"
"Or she's just, you know, being a decent human being."
Ana didn't argue. She didn't know how to explain the feeling, how something simple from Natalia felt like something else entirely. It felt like attention, like a moment of beingโฆ considered.
But she kept that thought to herself.
Back at the office, Natalia sat at her desk flipping through the newest Phoenix progress report, her jaw tense. She didn't like second guessing herself, but something about the project's pacing was off. She tapped her pen in a quick, agitated rhythm.
A soft voice broke through her thoughts.
"Trouble in paradise?"
Natalia looked up, startled. Ana stood in the doorway with a folder against her chest.
"Do you ever knock?" Natalia asked, no actual annoyance in her voice.
"Not when I bring good news." Ana walked in and set the folder on her desk. "The marketing team sent preliminary numbers. They're actually on track again."
Natalia flipped through the report, tension easing from her shoulders by a fraction. "Good." she said. "Let's hope they stay that way."
Ana lingered. She didn't mean to, she justโฆ always did.
Finally, Natalia looked up. "Was there something else?"
Ana's breath caught for a brief, embarrassing second from the eye contact. "Just wanted to make sure you had everything you needed."
There was a pause โ small but there โ before Natalia replied. "Thank you."
The phrase was quiet, and a little warmer than expected.
Ana blinked. She'd heard the words come out of Natalia's mouth beforeโฆ at least she thinks she has. But rarely was it ever directed towards her. And never was it said like that.
"You're welcome." she said softly.
She left the office before she could overthink it. But a smile tugged at her lips the entire walk back to her desk.
Taxis honking, sirens wailing, all of the usual Manhattan noise seeped through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Natalia Reed's office โ sitting 45 stories high. She stood behind her desk with a tablet in hand, her eyes scanning through projections for the Phoenix Project, the company's newest business-operation optimizing platform.
"Ms. Reed?" a soft voice said from the doorway.
Natalia didn't need to look up to know who it was, the smell of vanilla and citrus gave it away. Ana Coleman-Alvarez stepped through the threshold, a stack of organized folders tucked under her arm.
"Your ten o'clock with the Darian Technologies investors is in Conference Room A." Ana said, placing the folders on Natalia's desk. "I finalized the slide deck and printed revised copies of the proposal."
Natalia nodded once, her eyes still on the tablet. "Good."
Ana hesitated briefly. Not enough to be obvious, but enough for anybody paying attention. Someone like Natalia never seemed to be paying attention.
"You haven't eaten anything since the 7 a.m. coffee," Ana said quietly. "Just a reminder."
"I'll eat when I'm hungry." Natalia said, already grabbing her blazer from the coatrack.
Ana let out a barely audible sigh. "Yes, of course. But it wouldn't be the best look to multi-million dollar investors if the CEO of a company fainted from malnourishment mid-presentation."
Natalia paused for a beat and looked at Ana for the first time all morning. "โฆLet's hope it doesn't come to that."
With that, she brushed past Ana and her heels clicked as she made her way down the hall. The door closed and Ana watched her silhouette fade through the frosted glass, running a hand through her hair. Natalia was an impossible woman; stubborn, brilliant, intimidatingโฆ irresistible. She shook the thought from her mind almost as soon as it formed, heading back to her own office to prepare for the meeting.
Conference Room A was a different world from Natalia's office, somehow it managed to be even more sterile. And hostile. The Darian Investors sat stiffly on the opposite side of the table from Ana, not a friendly face in sight. Papers, folders, and notepads sat uniform on the table, impatient feet tapped beneath it.
But as soon as Natalia walked in the room, the air changed. The investors and Reed Dynamics employees alike straightened instantly. Ana smoothed her skirt as she stood, taking her place by the TV screen displaying the presentation slides with a remote in hand. Natalia stood on the opposite side of the screen, shoulders back and eyes assessing every face in the room.
"Welcome to Reed Dynamics, gentlemen." she says with a polite nod. "And allow me to introduce the only tool the business world will ever need."
The meeting passes in a whir of wildcard questions, solid answers, and an almost choreographed cohesion between Ana and Natalia. Ana had committed the presentation to memory and clicked between slides at the perfect moment as if it was second nature. Meanwhile Natalia navigated loopholes and intentionally confusing language with a robotic precision, not leaving any room for doubt on the investorโs end.
It went perfectly.
By the time the meeting wrapped, the stiffness and tension dissolved into excited praise and eager handshakes. The deal wasn't done yet, but they were just on the cusp. Natalia returned to her office with her chin a little higher, shoulders a little looser. Victory suited her well.
โฆBut the moment COO Oliver Pierce stepped in, the victory soured.
"We've got a problem."
Natalia sat her tablet down. "Define 'problem.'"
"Bellum Inc. is undercutting us on the Lockhart contract. They're offering AI integration with a full PR re-brand. Julia Towner's leading it."
That name hit Natalia harder than she wanted to admit, a jolt going through and freezing every inch of her body.
"Julia Towner." Natalia repeated quietly, mostly to herself.
Oliver studied her, leaning in as his voice became a little more personal. "Did you know she was back in New York?"
Natalia looked past him, gazing at nothing in particular as her thoughts and old memories took over for a moment.
"I heard." she said finally. "Set up a meeting. I wanna know exactly what we're dealing with."
Oliver nodded before heading out, leaving her in a thick silence.
Meanwhile in the break room, the smell of old coffee filled air. Ana leaned against the counter, switching between scrolling through her phone and texting her best friend Camille.
Camille: How's your ice queen today? Any cracks in the glacier?
Ana smirked.
Ana: She's fine. And glaciers take centuries to melt, you know that.
She hit send just as Natalia walked past the doorway with a completely different energy than she had after the meeting. Her shoulders were stiffer, the sound of her heels sounding closer to stomps than steps. Ana's brows furrowed a little as she strained her neck a bit to watch her walk around the corner.
She sat her coffee down slowly. The entire office could feel the shift whenever Natalia was in a bad mood, but Ana in particular felt like it always hit her a little harder. Maybe its because she works so closely with her, maybe it was something else.
She wasn't sure what could've shaken Natalia that much, but she planned on finding out.
