Hello. Hello. Welcome. â€ïž Everything here is the result of a 3:00 AM hyper fixation. Since I'm an INTP, I figured I should probably provide a roadmap so you can actually find my work in this chaos.
A note on support: đ„ Iâm currently improving and focusing on my writing while navigating a job hunt, so if you enjoy my stories and have the means to 'buy me a coffee,' â Itâs 100% optional and never expected, but always deeply appreciated. If you canât tip, a reblog or a comment is just as valuable to me! Ko-Fi
đ Navigation
Love and Deepspace
âĄïž Sylus
đ A Duty Dyed in Crimson
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Part 12 (End)
đ Side Story - these are a compilation of ideas that I did not really think will fit in the main story.
Part 1
Part 2
đïžMini Story
âĄïž Sylus
Before it becomes love, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 4.2k
Note: Next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
Sylus involuntarily stared at the phone resting on his desk.
He had managed to repair it.
Every cracked component had been replaced, every loose wire secured back into place. It looked almost brand new now.
Almost.
His thumb hovered over the power button, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. A deep exhale escaped his lips as he leaned back against his chair, the leather creaking beneath his weight.
The office was quiet.
Too quiet.
In the dim lighting, the glow of the N109's skyline seeped through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting shifting patterns across the ceiling. His crimson eyes followed those shapes absentmindedly, letting the silence stretch around him.
Minutes passed.
Nothing changed.
Eventually, Sylus pushed himself out of the chair.
"...Not now."
The phone remained where it was. He had a bottle of bourbon waiting for him. The living room was just as he had left it. A bottle already rested on the coffee table.
He lowered himself onto the couch facing the front entrance and poured himself another glass.
The amber liquid swirled lazily before he brought it to his lips.
One glass became two.
Two became four.
Somewhere along the line, he stopped counting altogether. By the time he reached for another pour, only a few stubborn drops trickled into the glass.
"...Tch."
Empty.
With an irritated groan, Sylus stood.
The alcohol had settled heavily into his limbs. His movements were slower now, lacking their usual precision.
Halfway, his knee clipped the edge of the coffee table. The impact sent him stumbling forward.
"Fuckâ"
His hand shot out instinctively, catching himself before he hit the ground.
For a brief second he simply remained there, one palm braced against the table, head lowered as the room tilted around him. Then, with another quiet curse, he straightened himself and continued toward his office.
He barely managed to reach the liquor cabinet.
Pulling another bottle free, he twisted the cap off without ceremony and took a long swig straight from it.
The burn barely registered anymore. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
His gaze drifted.
The phone.
Still sitting exactly where he'd left it.
Waiting. Almost mockingly.
Bottle still clutched in one hand, Sylus crossed the room and picked up the device with the other. His thumb lingered over the power button.
Thenâ
He pressed it.
The loading screen illuminated the dark office.
His vision blurred for a second, forcing him to blink several times before the image sharpened again.
Come on...
The loading icon spun.
Then finallyâ
The home screen appeared.
Almost instantly, the phone erupted into life. Message notifications.
Business emails.
Mission reports.
Missed calls.
Updates.
Messages from business partners.
Messages from MC.
The endless symphony of notification chimes filled the office. Sylus ignored every single one. His eyes searched for only one name.
Y/N.
Nothing.
Another long sigh escaped him. He lifted the bottle again, taking another slow drink before staggering backwards.
His heel caught against the leg of his chair.
He stumbled.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
"...Pathetic."
He tossed the bottle aside, completely ignoring the sharp crash of glass shattering against the floor.
He didn't even look. Instead, he opened your conversation. The last thing staring back at him was still his own message.
Unread.
His brows knitted together.
Unread...
Then his thoughts driftedâ
The image Mephisto had shown him earlier.
You.
Walking through the park.
Hand in hand with another man.
His jaw tightened.
Yet almost immediately, another memory shoved itself to the forefront. "She said... her neck needed stitches." Luke's hesitant voice echoed through his mind. "Boss... she left us. We don't even know if she wants to come back."
Sylus closed his eyes.
As if shutting them would silence the words.
Insteadâ
Another voice followed.
"If an apology... an admission that you were wrong to hurt her... could bring her back... wouldn't you do it?"
His grip around the phone tightened. Too tight. The memory changed again.
Your blood.
Warm.
Fresh.
Running between his fingers. His entire body flinched. His gaze instinctively dropped to his own hand.
Even nowâ
He could almost see it. A phantom stain that refused to disappear. After several long seconds, Sylus inhaled deeply.
Then opened your chat once more.
His thumb hovered over the call icon.
One press.
The ringtone echoed softly through the speaker. His heartbeat slowed.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Thenâ
The call connected. Relief flooded through him so suddenly it almost hurt. He parted his lips.
"...Doâ"
"What's the use of calling her multiple times when you already know she's not going to answer?"
Sylus froze. Slowly, he pulled the phone away from his ear. He stared at the screen.
Y/N.
It was your number. He hadn't misdialed. His brows furrowed. Silently, he lifted the phone back to his ear.
"She isn't some toy that'll fall back into your arms because you decided enough time has passed."
"You spilled her blood."
A beat.
"Don't ever forget that."
Then, quieterâ
"Now piss off."
The line went dead. The office fell silent. Sylus remained standing exactly where he was. Phone still pressed against his ear.
He didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
The only sound left was the faint hum of the disconnected call. Several long seconds passed before his arm finally lowered. His thumb curled around the phone. His grip tightened.
For one dangerous momentâ
He almost threw it.
His arm even twitched.
But...
It stopped halfway.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
He lowered the phone instead. The room suddenly felt impossibly empty. He made his way back toward the officeâs couch.
Every step heavier than the last.
Without bothering to turn on any lights, he dropped onto the couch. His head fell back against the cushions. Eyes closed. The silence from the call replayed louder than any conversation ever could.
His phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
MC.
He didn't answer. The screen continued lighting up beside him. Sylus simply let it ring.
The Next Day
Sylus was jolted awake by a harsh, persistent onslaught of knocking on his office door. He groaned, sitting up and digging his fingers into his temples to combat the vicious hangover.
"What?"
Luke opened the door slightly.
âMiss Hunter is here.â
That made Sylus pause. Slowly, he lowered his hand.
"She's here?"
âShe insisted. Said sheâs been trying to reach you since last night.â
Sylusâs eyes flicked down to the phone.
Missed calls.
MC.
No messages from you.
Nothing.
Something in his jaw tightened, subtle but real. He stood up, stretching his towering frame as he walked past Luke. "Get ready for the mission. I'll deal with her."
Luke nodded and retreated, while Sylus marched into the living room. MC was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, a deep, bitter scowl twisting her features.
"What's the purpose of your visit?" Sylus asked flatly.
She scoffed, standing up.
âDo you have any idea how hard it is to get a response from you?â
Sylus didnât move, like the weight of the night still hadnât fully left him.
ââŠGood morning.â
MC scoffed.
âDonât do that. Iâve been calling you all night.â
âI know.â
âThen why didnât you pick up?â
A beat.
Sylus exhaled through his nose.
âPhone issues.â
That wasnât a lie.
But it wasnât an explanation either. MC stepped closer, but the moment she got within a few feet, she sharply stepped back, pinching her nose in sheer disgust.
"Did you fucking drink the whole liquor store? You reek, Sylus."
Sylus merely shrugged, leaning his shoulder casually against the wall. "What's the crisis, Miss Hunter? The one that required you to venture into the N109 zone again."
âYour assistant is causing problems.â
That word.
Assistant.
Sylusâs gaze sharpened slightly.
"Is this about the previous issueâ"
âNo. She went behind my back. She spoke to Captain Jenna about me. About allegations.â
Silence.
Sylus tilted his head slightly and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a dark chuckle. "Now, now. That's a rather baseless accusation, Miss Hunter."
"It's not! Captain Jenna summoned me to the Hunters' Association headquarters last night because of 'gross misconduct' I've apparently committed."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then Sylus spoke.
ââŠAnd?â
That one word shifted everything.
MC blinked.
ââŠAnd? Thatâs all you have to say?â
Sylus didnât answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at her properly for the first time.
Calm.
Detached.
Almost tired.
MCâs face tightened.
"Captain Jenna met up with her yesterdayâ"
"Yesterday?" Sylusâs eyes narrowed, his mind flashing to the park footage.
"Yes! Apparently, some dude was the one who spilled the entire story about what happened at the base. Jenna was furious and demanded the absolute truth from me. I had to tell her everything, Sylus⊠and she sent me home for a pending investigation."
MC stepped closer, desperation leaking into her eyes. "Sylus, you better fix this. I demand that you fix this right now."
"Demand?" Sylus scoffed, a dark, dangerous smirk playing on his lips.
"You're asking me to fix a situation that you entirely caused yourself?"
MC stared at him in complete shock, clearly not expecting him to turn on her.
âIf they spoke to Jenna,â he said slowly, âthen there was a reason.â
MCâs disbelief cracked into anger.
âSo youâre just going to side with her?â
Silence.
Thenâ
âYes.â
Simple.
Final.
MC froze.
For a second, she looked like she hadnât processed it correctly.
MC stepped closer.
âYouâre letting her ruin everything Iâve built.â
Sylusâs gaze dropped slightly.
Then lifted again.
Cold.
"Sorry, I can't help you with your career issues, Miss Hunter. You'll have to fix this yourself."
Silence.
MC stopped moving.
ââŠWhat?â
Sylus turned and walked past her. "What I let out in a moment of trust⊠caused all of this to happen."
Before he could take another step, MC lunged forward, grabbing his wrist tightly to halt his movement.
"Why do you only think about her?! Why are you defending her? I'm about to lose my entire career, and you just don't seem to care! Why?!"
Sylus paused. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his head to look down at her. Her face was completely fallen, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Why are you behaving so coldly to me⊠when I need you the most?" she whispered.
"Miss Hunterâ"
"Why are you pushing me away? You're acting like this because of that bitch! What about me? What about us?"
"Us?" Sylus let out a hollow, mocking laugh. "Now you're talking about an 'us'? What about it? I'm actually curious, Miss Hunter. What exactly are we?"
MC sniffled, her voice trembling. "You love me, don't you?"
"Love?" Sylusâs crimson eyes were completely dead as he looked at her tears, feeling absolutely nothing.
"I don't think so. I've never put a label on anything here, and I gave you plenty of opportunities to do so. But you chose to ignore my advances. Now, when your perfect little world is crumbling and you're about to lose everything, suddenly it's 'I love you' and 'what about us'..." He tilted his head. "How stupid."
MC didnât move.
ââŠThis is about her.â
Sylus didnât answer.
That was his answer.
MCâs voice sharpened again, trying to rebuild control.
"It's because of her, right? That slut is ruiningâ"
Sylus violently yanked his wrist out of her grip, his expression shifting into something genuinely terrifying.
âLeave.â
The word wasnât raised.
But it ended everything.
MC stood frozen for a second longer. Then turned.
And walked out.
The door shut behind her. No echo of resolution. Just silence.
Meanwhile
You were perched on the wide windowsill of Gideon's apartment, sitting cross-legged as you stared out at the sprawling landscape, watching the tiny passerby below. Your phone lay untouched on the cushion beside you.
"Wanna go clubbing tonight?"
You lazily turned your head. Gideon was leaning against the doorway, a bright, easy smile on his lips.
"Clubbing?"
"Yeah. You need to lose that morose cloud floating around you."
You scoffed, turning back to the window. "There's nothing morose about me."
"Uh-huh. And I'm the President of France."
You grabbed a nearby throw pillow and hurled it directly at his face. He caught it effortlessly, grinning as he held up his phone.
"Jen invited us out to that new exclusive spot in Linkon."
"Captain Jenna?" you asked, shifting around. "She still wants to see us after the complete disaster of yesterday?"
Gideon shrugged.
"She's cool like that. Now wanna go or nah?"
You shrugged, a small part of you wanting to escape the heavy thoughts anchoring you down.
"Yeah. Maybe it'll help get my mind off things."
Gideon let out a fake, loud cough. "Like Sylus?"
"Tch. Shut up, Gid. What time are we leaving?"
"Around 10 PM-ish. Dress nice."
Club â Night
Later that night, the bass from the club's massive sound system vibrated right through the soles of your shoes. You were sitting at the sleek neon-lit bar, nursing an Aperol spritz.
You watched from afar as Gideon and Jenna navigated the crowded dance floor together, laughing and moving to the rhythm. You smiled to yourself, they genuinely looked cute together.
Thenâ
âMind if I sit here?â
You didnât look immediately.
ââŠDepends.â
A man.
Overconfident tone.
Wrong kind of confidence.
You already knew.
âI want to be left alone,â you said.
He threw his head back, laughing loudly as if youâd told a joke. Sliding his stool closer, he leaned into your personal space, whispering near your ear.
"Not when you're dressed like that, sweetheart."
You ignored him, taking a deliberate sip of your drink. He pressed closer, his breath smelling of cheap tequila. "Wanna get out of here?"
You shifted slightly away.
You eyed him coldly from the corner of your vision. "I'm good."
"Come on, pretty girl. We can have some real fun. Just the two of us. What do you say, hmm?"
Before you could stop him, he slid his hand onto your thigh, his fingers brushing right where the high slit of your dress parted. A wave of irritation washed over you. You sharply pulled your leg away, your voice hardening. "No."
"Come on. Let's just go. I promise I'll make it worthwhile."
He grabbed your forearm, his grip tightening as he tried to pull you off the stool.
"I said no, dude. Back the fuck off from me right now!"
You wrenched your arm free, stood up, and immediately walked away, intending to head to the washroom to regroup. But the dance floor was packed, and as you pushed through the swaying bodies near the back corridor, a hand suddenly clamped around your wrist again.
It was him. Utilizing the chaos of the crowd, he violently dragged you backward, throwing his weight against the heavy door of the emergency staircase to slip you inside the quiet, isolated concrete hallway. The heavy metal door slammed shut, cutting the blasting music down to a muffled thud.
You were thrown hard against the concrete wall, a painful hiss escaping your lips as your shoulder took the impact. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
He laughed.
âStill talking tough?â
He stepped closer.
Too close now.
Your fingers instinctively slid down to the inner hem of your dress, reaching for the emergency silver dagger strapped tightly to your thigh.
But before your fingers could even touch the hilt, the man froze.
Everything stopped.
Not metaphorically.
Not emotionally.
Physically.
His body jerked.
Forward.
Then still.
A sound â wet, final.
He froze completely.
Thenâ
He was pulled off you.
Violently.
Thrown across the stairwell. Impact echoed.
You stayed still for half a second. Breathing steady. Then slowly looked up.
Just popping in with a little check-in. With everything thatâs been happening in the fandom lately, I was wondering⊠are you all still interested in âBefore it becomes love?
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 4.2k
Note: Next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
Sylus involuntarily stared at the phone resting on his desk.
He had managed to repair it.
Every cracked component had been replaced, every loose wire secured back into place. It looked almost brand new now.
Almost.
His thumb hovered over the power button, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. A deep exhale escaped his lips as he leaned back against his chair, the leather creaking beneath his weight.
The office was quiet.
Too quiet.
In the dim lighting, the glow of the N109's skyline seeped through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting shifting patterns across the ceiling. His crimson eyes followed those shapes absentmindedly, letting the silence stretch around him.
Minutes passed.
Nothing changed.
Eventually, Sylus pushed himself out of the chair.
"...Not now."
The phone remained where it was. He had a bottle of bourbon waiting for him. The living room was just as he had left it. A bottle already rested on the coffee table.
He lowered himself onto the couch facing the front entrance and poured himself another glass.
The amber liquid swirled lazily before he brought it to his lips.
One glass became two.
Two became four.
Somewhere along the line, he stopped counting altogether. By the time he reached for another pour, only a few stubborn drops trickled into the glass.
"...Tch."
Empty.
With an irritated groan, Sylus stood.
The alcohol had settled heavily into his limbs. His movements were slower now, lacking their usual precision.
Halfway, his knee clipped the edge of the coffee table. The impact sent him stumbling forward.
"Fuckâ"
His hand shot out instinctively, catching himself before he hit the ground.
For a brief second he simply remained there, one palm braced against the table, head lowered as the room tilted around him. Then, with another quiet curse, he straightened himself and continued toward his office.
He barely managed to reach the liquor cabinet.
Pulling another bottle free, he twisted the cap off without ceremony and took a long swig straight from it.
The burn barely registered anymore. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
His gaze drifted.
The phone.
Still sitting exactly where he'd left it.
Waiting. Almost mockingly.
Bottle still clutched in one hand, Sylus crossed the room and picked up the device with the other. His thumb lingered over the power button.
Thenâ
He pressed it.
The loading screen illuminated the dark office.
His vision blurred for a second, forcing him to blink several times before the image sharpened again.
Come on...
The loading icon spun.
Then finallyâ
The home screen appeared.
Almost instantly, the phone erupted into life. Message notifications.
Business emails.
Mission reports.
Missed calls.
Updates.
Messages from business partners.
Messages from MC.
The endless symphony of notification chimes filled the office. Sylus ignored every single one. His eyes searched for only one name.
Y/N.
Nothing.
Another long sigh escaped him. He lifted the bottle again, taking another slow drink before staggering backwards.
His heel caught against the leg of his chair.
He stumbled.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
"...Pathetic."
He tossed the bottle aside, completely ignoring the sharp crash of glass shattering against the floor.
He didn't even look. Instead, he opened your conversation. The last thing staring back at him was still his own message.
Unread.
His brows knitted together.
Unread...
Then his thoughts driftedâ
The image Mephisto had shown him earlier.
You.
Walking through the park.
Hand in hand with another man.
His jaw tightened.
Yet almost immediately, another memory shoved itself to the forefront. "She said... her neck needed stitches." Luke's hesitant voice echoed through his mind. "Boss... she left us. We don't even know if she wants to come back."
Sylus closed his eyes.
As if shutting them would silence the words.
Insteadâ
Another voice followed.
"If an apology... an admission that you were wrong to hurt her... could bring her back... wouldn't you do it?"
His grip around the phone tightened. Too tight. The memory changed again.
Your blood.
Warm.
Fresh.
Running between his fingers. His entire body flinched. His gaze instinctively dropped to his own hand.
Even nowâ
He could almost see it. A phantom stain that refused to disappear. After several long seconds, Sylus inhaled deeply.
Then opened your chat once more.
His thumb hovered over the call icon.
One press.
The ringtone echoed softly through the speaker. His heartbeat slowed.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Thenâ
The call connected. Relief flooded through him so suddenly it almost hurt. He parted his lips.
"...Doâ"
"What's the use of calling her multiple times when you already know she's not going to answer?"
Sylus froze. Slowly, he pulled the phone away from his ear. He stared at the screen.
Y/N.
It was your number. He hadn't misdialed. His brows furrowed. Silently, he lifted the phone back to his ear.
"She isn't some toy that'll fall back into your arms because you decided enough time has passed."
"You spilled her blood."
A beat.
"Don't ever forget that."
Then, quieterâ
"Now piss off."
The line went dead. The office fell silent. Sylus remained standing exactly where he was. Phone still pressed against his ear.
He didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
The only sound left was the faint hum of the disconnected call. Several long seconds passed before his arm finally lowered. His thumb curled around the phone. His grip tightened.
For one dangerous momentâ
He almost threw it.
His arm even twitched.
But...
It stopped halfway.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
He lowered the phone instead. The room suddenly felt impossibly empty. He made his way back toward the officeâs couch.
Every step heavier than the last.
Without bothering to turn on any lights, he dropped onto the couch. His head fell back against the cushions. Eyes closed. The silence from the call replayed louder than any conversation ever could.
His phone vibrated.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
MC.
He didn't answer. The screen continued lighting up beside him. Sylus simply let it ring.
The Next Day
Sylus was jolted awake by a harsh, persistent onslaught of knocking on his office door. He groaned, sitting up and digging his fingers into his temples to combat the vicious hangover.
"What?"
Luke opened the door slightly.
âMiss Hunter is here.â
That made Sylus pause. Slowly, he lowered his hand.
"She's here?"
âShe insisted. Said sheâs been trying to reach you since last night.â
Sylusâs eyes flicked down to the phone.
Missed calls.
MC.
No messages from you.
Nothing.
Something in his jaw tightened, subtle but real. He stood up, stretching his towering frame as he walked past Luke. "Get ready for the mission. I'll deal with her."
Luke nodded and retreated, while Sylus marched into the living room. MC was sitting cross-legged on the sofa, a deep, bitter scowl twisting her features.
"What's the purpose of your visit?" Sylus asked flatly.
She scoffed, standing up.
âDo you have any idea how hard it is to get a response from you?â
Sylus didnât move, like the weight of the night still hadnât fully left him.
ââŠGood morning.â
MC scoffed.
âDonât do that. Iâve been calling you all night.â
âI know.â
âThen why didnât you pick up?â
A beat.
Sylus exhaled through his nose.
âPhone issues.â
That wasnât a lie.
But it wasnât an explanation either. MC stepped closer, but the moment she got within a few feet, she sharply stepped back, pinching her nose in sheer disgust.
"Did you fucking drink the whole liquor store? You reek, Sylus."
Sylus merely shrugged, leaning his shoulder casually against the wall. "What's the crisis, Miss Hunter? The one that required you to venture into the N109 zone again."
âYour assistant is causing problems.â
That word.
Assistant.
Sylusâs gaze sharpened slightly.
"Is this about the previous issueâ"
âNo. She went behind my back. She spoke to Captain Jenna about me. About allegations.â
Silence.
Sylus tilted his head slightly and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a dark chuckle. "Now, now. That's a rather baseless accusation, Miss Hunter."
"It's not! Captain Jenna summoned me to the Hunters' Association headquarters last night because of 'gross misconduct' I've apparently committed."
Another pause.
Longer this time.
Then Sylus spoke.
ââŠAnd?â
That one word shifted everything.
MC blinked.
ââŠAnd? Thatâs all you have to say?â
Sylus didnât answer immediately.
Instead, he looked at her properly for the first time.
Calm.
Detached.
Almost tired.
MCâs face tightened.
"Captain Jenna met up with her yesterdayâ"
"Yesterday?" Sylusâs eyes narrowed, his mind flashing to the park footage.
"Yes! Apparently, some dude was the one who spilled the entire story about what happened at the base. Jenna was furious and demanded the absolute truth from me. I had to tell her everything, Sylus⊠and she sent me home for a pending investigation."
MC stepped closer, desperation leaking into her eyes. "Sylus, you better fix this. I demand that you fix this right now."
"Demand?" Sylus scoffed, a dark, dangerous smirk playing on his lips.
"You're asking me to fix a situation that you entirely caused yourself?"
MC stared at him in complete shock, clearly not expecting him to turn on her.
âIf they spoke to Jenna,â he said slowly, âthen there was a reason.â
MCâs disbelief cracked into anger.
âSo youâre just going to side with her?â
Silence.
Thenâ
âYes.â
Simple.
Final.
MC froze.
For a second, she looked like she hadnât processed it correctly.
MC stepped closer.
âYouâre letting her ruin everything Iâve built.â
Sylusâs gaze dropped slightly.
Then lifted again.
Cold.
"Sorry, I can't help you with your career issues, Miss Hunter. You'll have to fix this yourself."
Silence.
MC stopped moving.
ââŠWhat?â
Sylus turned and walked past her. "What I let out in a moment of trust⊠caused all of this to happen."
Before he could take another step, MC lunged forward, grabbing his wrist tightly to halt his movement.
"Why do you only think about her?! Why are you defending her? I'm about to lose my entire career, and you just don't seem to care! Why?!"
Sylus paused. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his head to look down at her. Her face was completely fallen, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Why are you behaving so coldly to me⊠when I need you the most?" she whispered.
"Miss Hunterâ"
"Why are you pushing me away? You're acting like this because of that bitch! What about me? What about us?"
"Us?" Sylus let out a hollow, mocking laugh. "Now you're talking about an 'us'? What about it? I'm actually curious, Miss Hunter. What exactly are we?"
MC sniffled, her voice trembling. "You love me, don't you?"
"Love?" Sylusâs crimson eyes were completely dead as he looked at her tears, feeling absolutely nothing.
"I don't think so. I've never put a label on anything here, and I gave you plenty of opportunities to do so. But you chose to ignore my advances. Now, when your perfect little world is crumbling and you're about to lose everything, suddenly it's 'I love you' and 'what about us'..." He tilted his head. "How stupid."
MC didnât move.
ââŠThis is about her.â
Sylus didnât answer.
That was his answer.
MCâs voice sharpened again, trying to rebuild control.
"It's because of her, right? That slut is ruiningâ"
Sylus violently yanked his wrist out of her grip, his expression shifting into something genuinely terrifying.
âLeave.â
The word wasnât raised.
But it ended everything.
MC stood frozen for a second longer. Then turned.
And walked out.
The door shut behind her. No echo of resolution. Just silence.
Meanwhile
You were perched on the wide windowsill of Gideon's apartment, sitting cross-legged as you stared out at the sprawling landscape, watching the tiny passerby below. Your phone lay untouched on the cushion beside you.
"Wanna go clubbing tonight?"
You lazily turned your head. Gideon was leaning against the doorway, a bright, easy smile on his lips.
"Clubbing?"
"Yeah. You need to lose that morose cloud floating around you."
You scoffed, turning back to the window. "There's nothing morose about me."
"Uh-huh. And I'm the President of France."
You grabbed a nearby throw pillow and hurled it directly at his face. He caught it effortlessly, grinning as he held up his phone.
"Jen invited us out to that new exclusive spot in Linkon."
"Captain Jenna?" you asked, shifting around. "She still wants to see us after the complete disaster of yesterday?"
Gideon shrugged.
"She's cool like that. Now wanna go or nah?"
You shrugged, a small part of you wanting to escape the heavy thoughts anchoring you down.
"Yeah. Maybe it'll help get my mind off things."
Gideon let out a fake, loud cough. "Like Sylus?"
"Tch. Shut up, Gid. What time are we leaving?"
"Around 10 PM-ish. Dress nice."
Club â Night
Later that night, the bass from the club's massive sound system vibrated right through the soles of your shoes. You were sitting at the sleek neon-lit bar, nursing an Aperol spritz.
You watched from afar as Gideon and Jenna navigated the crowded dance floor together, laughing and moving to the rhythm. You smiled to yourself, they genuinely looked cute together.
Thenâ
âMind if I sit here?â
You didnât look immediately.
ââŠDepends.â
A man.
Overconfident tone.
Wrong kind of confidence.
You already knew.
âI want to be left alone,â you said.
He threw his head back, laughing loudly as if youâd told a joke. Sliding his stool closer, he leaned into your personal space, whispering near your ear.
"Not when you're dressed like that, sweetheart."
You ignored him, taking a deliberate sip of your drink. He pressed closer, his breath smelling of cheap tequila. "Wanna get out of here?"
You shifted slightly away.
You eyed him coldly from the corner of your vision. "I'm good."
"Come on, pretty girl. We can have some real fun. Just the two of us. What do you say, hmm?"
Before you could stop him, he slid his hand onto your thigh, his fingers brushing right where the high slit of your dress parted. A wave of irritation washed over you. You sharply pulled your leg away, your voice hardening. "No."
"Come on. Let's just go. I promise I'll make it worthwhile."
He grabbed your forearm, his grip tightening as he tried to pull you off the stool.
"I said no, dude. Back the fuck off from me right now!"
You wrenched your arm free, stood up, and immediately walked away, intending to head to the washroom to regroup. But the dance floor was packed, and as you pushed through the swaying bodies near the back corridor, a hand suddenly clamped around your wrist again.
It was him. Utilizing the chaos of the crowd, he violently dragged you backward, throwing his weight against the heavy door of the emergency staircase to slip you inside the quiet, isolated concrete hallway. The heavy metal door slammed shut, cutting the blasting music down to a muffled thud.
You were thrown hard against the concrete wall, a painful hiss escaping your lips as your shoulder took the impact. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
He laughed.
âStill talking tough?â
He stepped closer.
Too close now.
Your fingers instinctively slid down to the inner hem of your dress, reaching for the emergency silver dagger strapped tightly to your thigh.
But before your fingers could even touch the hilt, the man froze.
Everything stopped.
Not metaphorically.
Not emotionally.
Physically.
His body jerked.
Forward.
Then still.
A sound â wet, final.
He froze completely.
Thenâ
He was pulled off you.
Violently.
Thrown across the stairwell. Impact echoed.
You stayed still for half a second. Breathing steady. Then slowly looked up.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 2.3k
Note: Sooo i'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter but oh well trust the process. and the next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
You laid on your back, eyes stuck on the ceiling, watching the cracks in the peeling paint.
Even when Gideon pulled the blankets away from your still form, your body refused to cooperate. Your mind was somewhere else entirely.
Footsteps returned.
Gideon stood beside your bed and sighed.
âFor the love of whatever is precious out there⊠wake the fuck up, Y/N.â
You turned away, shooing him with a lazy wave.
Silence.
Thenâ
You were lifted.
ââHey!â
Thrown over his shoulder like you weighed nothing.
âUghâyouâre gonna make us fall, you dumbfuck!â you yelled, wiggling frantically in his grasp as you clawed at his back
âLet me gooooâput me down, Gid!â
He only tightened his grip, completely unfazed. âHell no. Youâre taking a shower right now. You still have dried blood stuck to your collarbone. And you stink.â
âHuh? Excuse you! I do not stinkââ
Gideon kicked the bathroom door open, stepped inside, and dropped you unceremoniously onto your feet.
Before you could even process it, he slipped back out and slammed the door, the sound of the lock clicking into place echoing loudly.
âYes, you do, you stinky poo," his voice muffled through the wood. "Now take a shower. I wonât unlock this door until I hear water running.â
You scowled at the locked door, muttering a string of curses under your breath.
âI heard that.â Gideon called out. "Now get on with it, we have a brunch waiting for us⊠And mind those bandages!â
You looked around with a sigh escaping your lips. Left with no choice, you started to take a shower and got dressed with the clothes that Gideon left for you outside.
Once you were done, you paused in front of the bathroom mirror.
The bandage wrapped around your neck looked stark against your skin. Carefully, you lifted your fingers and touched the edge of it. A dull ache followed immediately. Your thought travelled back toward the phone that was face down on the bed.
Still carrying his voicemail.
Whatever he had wanted to say...it didn't change what happened.
You glanced at your reflection one more time before you walked out of the bathroom.
âCome on, bug,â he said. âStop being such a spoil sport. Itâs a lovely dayâthe sunâs shining, breeze is perfect, and weâre chilling under a veranda of a beautiful cafe. What more could you ask?â
You stared at him, slow blinking. Ignoring his poetic nonsense.
âWhere is she?â
Gideon checked his watch.
Then looked at you.
âIn a minute.â
That smirk again. Deliberate.
You nodded and let your gaze drift toward the sidewalk. Couples. Conversations. Warm daylight.
Thenâ
A woman in a Hunter Association uniform entered your view.
Your gaze paused.
Focused.
She was walking toward your table. And she waved. Not at you. At Gideon.
Your stomach dipped slightly.
Oh.
So that was the âdate.â
She approached, slightly breathless and offered an apologetic smile.
âSorry Iâm late. Had to stay at the association till the last minute. Didnât even get to change.â
âAww, donât worry,â Gideon said softly. âYouâre still beautiful.â
She weakly punched his shoulder, laughing as she sat down. Gideon leaned in to peck her cheek, and she returned the gesture before her eyes finally landed on you.
âSo thatâs your friend?â
Gideon leaned back.
âThe one and only. Jenna, meet Y/N. Y/N, this is Jenna, Captain of the Huntersâ Association.â
âLovely to meet you, Y/N. Itâs great to finally put a face to the name.â
She extended her hand. You stared at her outstretched hand in a complete daze.
It was only when Gideon cleared his throat meaningfully that you realized you were making things awkward. You quickly shook her hand.
ââŠNice to meet you too, Captain.â
âOh please,â she smiled. âOff duty, Jenna is fine.â
Food arrived. Drinks followed.
Jenna kept conversation flowing easily. Gideon included you often, talking animatedly.
For a whileâ
It almost felt normal.
Almost.
Once the plates were cleared, Jenna suggested taking a walk in the nearby park, and given how pleasant she was, you agreed to tag along.
The atmosphere softened as you all sat on a bench.
Thenâ
Something changed.
Gideonâs carefree demeanor completely vanished, replaced by a stark, serious expression. He turned to you, extending his palm.
âY/N⊠can I borrow your phone?â
You frowned.
âWhy?â
âJust give it.â
A beat.
You hesitated.
Gideon didn't lower his hand, silently urging you to hand it over. Jenna looked between the two of you, clearly baffled by the sudden tension. Awkwardly, you slid the device into his hand.
ââŠIs something wrong?â
Gideon didnât answer immediately.
He unlocked your phone.
âJenna," Gideon began, his voice dropping to a serious register.
"I know that right now isn't the time to have this type of conversation, but I thought it was vital to bring something forward. And it involves my friend.â
Jenna nodded slowly, her confusion deepening. Gideon reached out, gently holding her hand.
âI know I shouldnât mix my personal life with work, and usually, I keep a clean balance. But what happened yesterday shook me to the absolute core.â
He turned the screen toward her.
A message from Sylus.
She read it.
Once.
Then again.
Her grip tightened slightly.
ââŠWhat is this supposed to mean?â
âDid you notice the bandage on Y/Nâs neck?â Gideon asked bluntly.
âYeah, I did notice it," Jenna admitted softly. "But I didnât want to pryââ
âLook, Iâm going to be very straightforward right now," Gideon interrupted. "Sheâs hurt because of one of your hunters.â
Jenna stiffened.
âWhich hunter?â
You sat frozen, your heart hammering against your ribs as you realized Gideon was about to blow the entire situation wide open.
You frantically tried to catch his eye, silently begging him to drop it, but Jenna was already leaning into his space.
âGidâno, stopââ you intervened frantically, your voice shaking.
âMC,â Gideon said clearly.
Jenna frowned.
âNo.â
She shook her head immediately.
âNo, there has to be some misunderstanding.â
Her grip tightened around Gideon's hand.
âMC isn't like that.â
Gideon remained silent. Jena looked between both of you.
âSheâs impulsive sometimes, yes. Stubborn too. But she wouldn'tââ
Her eyes drifted toward the bandage around your neck. The words died in her throat.
For the first time since the conversation started, uncertainty crossed her face.
âLook Jen, Iâm aware that what happened off work shouldnât impact someoneâs career. But...â
Gideon exhaled loudly.
âI know the Huntersâ Association runs on a strict code of conduct and ethics, and everyone there swears by it. But what MC did was completely out of line. And thereâs one thing I need to clear up right nowâour past does not define us. You know about my past, Jen. You know the circumstances we grew up in. Iâve never hidden the truth from you.â
Jenna nodded quietly, her expression softening with sympathy.
âThe owner of that orphanageâthat well-known entrepreneurâwas a monster," Gideon said, his jaw tight. "He put on a perfect mask for the media, pretending he was doing a great thing for orphans, while secretly forcing us to sell our bodies for his profit. We were just kids.â
âWhat does MC have to do with this?â Jenna asked, her voice turning sharp.
âShe looked down on y/n. Called her a slut. Said she was willingly spreading herself for powerful men and leeching off her boss.â
Jenna shook her head immediately.
âThatâs not like her.â
âLook JenâFor my sake, please call her and confirm itâŠI can tell you donât believe me.â
He looked down at Jenna, his expression heavy.
âI donât want this to damage anything between us,â he added, softer now. âBut I need you to understand why Iâm not letting it go.â
He stood.
âThink about it properly.â
Then looked at you. He gripped your hand tightly, pulling you away from the bench.
You walked silently behind him, your fingers clinging to his as you left Jenna sitting alone in a complete daze.
âWhy did you do that?â you whispered once you were out of earshot.
Gideon stopped, squeezing your hand softly. âItâs the only way to make MC pay for her mistake. She created this situation and Sylus hurt you. She needs to face the consequences.â
âBut Gidââ
âThe twins must be waiting," he cut in gently. "Letâs go meet them.â
Gideonâs Place
By the time you arrived back at Gideon's place, Luke and Kieran were already pacing outside. The moment they spotted you, they practically sprinted forward, throwing their arms around you in a fierce, suffocating hug.
Gideon stayed back, quietly grabbing your suitcase and carrying it inside to give you space.
âBoss lady!â
You hugged them back tightly, a sudden wave of nostalgia hitting you despite only being gone for a single day.
âYou guys didnât get into trouble with him, did you?â you asked anxiously.
They shook their heads.
âHe questioned us,â Luke said. âBut we didnât tell him anything.â
âHe didnât push,â Kieran added.
A pause.
Luke hesitated.
ââŠHe didnât look good.â
âBad how?â
âDark circles,â Kieran said. âAngry. Restless. Something broke in his office while we were leaving.â
You exhaled quietly.
âWhen are you planning to come back?â Kieran asked tentatively. âIf⊠you ever do?â
You let out a long, ragged sigh. âI donât know⊠I need some time to think.â
The twins nodded understandingly. âWe canât stay too long. Donât want to piss off the Bossman any more than we already have.â
They turned to leave, but stopped in their tracks. âOh⊠is your neck okay?â
You hesitated, instinctively touching the edge of the fabric. âYeah⊠Gid had to put in a few stitches. Itâs going to be okay. I guess.â
âPlease take care of yourself, mini-boss," Luke said softly. "Call us if you need anything.â
âBye, boys. Take care.â
You watched them get into the car and drive away, leaving you alone with the quiet rustle of the wind and the distinct, aching absence of a pair of mechanical crow wings flying by your side.
Onychinus Base: Evening
Sylus sat in the dimly lit living room, his posture rigid on the sofa that faced the front entrance. On the coffee table before him lay a fresh bottle of bourbon, a glass of amber liquid, and the jagged, shattered remnants of his smartphone. He hadn't moved from that spot since the twins left.
Mephisto perched on the curtain rail before gliding down at his silent command, projecting the dayâs collected footage.
Sylusâs crimson eyes stayed fixed on the screen.
Thenâ
His jaw ticked when he saw you and a man leaving the park, hand in hand. The footage shifted moments later as Mephisto changed direction.
Too quickly.
Too abruptly.
It never captured you pulling away.
Never captured your annoyed expression.
Never captured Gideon dragging you forward by the wrist while you complained behind him.
All Sylus saw was the image of your hand in another man's.
And for some reason, he couldn't look away.
The sharp click of the front doorknob turning broke the silence. Sylus instantly cut the projection, and Mephisto took flight, retreating back into the shadows.
Luke and Kieran walked in, murmuring to each other, but froze the second they saw Sylus sitting in the dark.
Sylus took a slow, deliberate sip of his bourbon, raising an eyebrow at them. âSo. Managed to drop off her things?â
They both nodded quietly. Sylus hummed.
âAnything else you want to add?â
Luke hesitated.
âShe said⊠her neck needed stitches.â
A pause.
The air shifted immediately.
Sylusâs jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched. âOh. Is that so?â
Kieran finally mustered the courage to speak up. âBoss⊠she left us. We donât even know if she wants to come back. But if an apologyâan admittance that you were wrong to hurt herâcould bring her back⊠wouldnât you do it?â
Silence.
Longer this time.
Sylus leaned back slightly.
âThe chef prepared dinner. Eat. Sleep. We have a mission tomorrow.â
Controlled.
Final.
Kieran let out a defeated sigh, nodding wordlessly as he turned away. âGoodnight, Boss,â he mumbled.
Luke stood his ground for a second longer, staring at the rigid line of Sylus's shoulders. âYou heard me, Luke,â Sylus warned, his voice dangerously low.
âBoss⊠we miss her. Just pleaseâforget it. Goodnight, Boss.â
As the twins' footsteps faded down the hall, Sylus stared blankly ahead. Finally, he stood up, scooped up the broken pieces of his phone, and retreated into his office.
Sitting behind his heavy desk, he deposited the shattered technology onto the wood. He opened his bottom drawer, pulling out the small, precise toolkit he normally reserved for maintaining Mephisto.
With mechanical precision and quiet intensity, his large fingers picked up the tools. And in the dead silence of the base, Sylus began trying to put the pieces back together.
But as the gears and circuits clicked back into place under his steady hands, his gaze remained fixed on the dead screen. He didnât stop. He just wanted the power to return...to see if the silence on the other end was truly absolute, refusing to let the final word belong to anyone but him.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 3k
Note: Next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 6, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
Next Day
Sylus woke up to the fluttering of feathers brushing against his ear and a small weight settling on his chest. He slowly pushed himself upright against the headboard, one hand rising to massage his temple as the dim glow filtering through his room hit his half-open eyes.
âUghââ
He shut his eyes again immediately, fingers pressing harder into his temples. A faint whiff of alcohol hit him next, dull and sour.
His gaze drifted toward the nightstand. An empty bourbon bottle stood there. His glass beside it still held remnants of amber liquid, dried at the rim. He exhaled sharply. That explained the headache.
He barely remembered taking the bottle from his alcohol cabinet, bringing it beside the bed, and drinking until everything blurred after sending that voicemail to you.
After that⊠nothing was clear.
Just fragments.
Noise.
Then black.
He didnât even remember falling asleep.
A small caw pulled him out of it. Only then did he register the weight on his chest properly. Mephisto was lying there in a loafed position, head tilted slightly, watching him with small, beady red eyes. Sylus raised a hand and gently patted the crown of its head.
âHey MephieâŠâ
Mephisto fluffed its wings slightly and settled deeper into him, as if refusing to move. The pressure on Sylusâs chest eased his headache a little. He huffed under his breath.
âNow that your partner, y/n is gone...You remember your real owner.â
Mephisto answered with a soft caw. Since you had arrived at the base, the crow had grown unusually attached to you, always lingering nearby whenever it wasnât needed elsewhere.
Which meant now, with you gone, it had simply returned to him. Sylus clicked his tongue softly and reached for his phone on the mattress.
He already expected nothing. And he was right.
No messages.
No calls.
He opened your chat anyway. The screen lit up too brightly, forcing him to squint. Then he saw it. Double blue ticks under his voice message.
You had listened.
And you had not replied.
Something in his jaw tightened before he could stop it. The silence shouldnât have mattered. It did anyway. He glanced down at Mephisto again.
âWellâŠsorry to disappoint. She did not reply.â
He opened the camera, angled it toward the crow, and took a photo. Sent it immediately.
Dove
Picture
Mephie woke me up today⊠tâwas annoying.
Ig he missed his partner & the usual routine.
Sent.
A pause.
He added another message.
Did you get your neck looked at?
Sent.
Sylus stared at the screen a little longer than necessary.
Then another notification appeared.
MC.
His expression darkened almost instantly. She was asking to come back. Saying everything yesterday had been a misunderstanding. A slow irritation built in his chest. For once, he didnât respond.
He locked the phone and tossed it back onto the bed.
MC could wait.
Something else mattered more right now. He exhaled through his nose.
âTime to start the day Mephisto.â
The crow tilted its head.
âIf she comes backâŠyouâll get to resume your usual routine. For now, shoo and go bother someone else.â
Mephisto stared at him for a second longer and then flew off.
Silence returned.
Sylus moved through his morning routine in quiet detachment.
Shower.
Steam.
Cold reflection.
When he stood in front of the mirror, he wiped a patch of fog away with his palm. His reflection looked off. Not disheveled in the usual sense. Just⊠heavier.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes.
Fatigue sat beneath his skin like something permanent.
His hand rose tracing the love bites you had left, they were already starting to dull in color.
Your bite mark had started to fade.
Barely there now.
ââŠTch.â
He turned away. Dressed and left the room.
He headed downstairs.
The base felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Usually, the twins would be waiting, half-loud, half-annoying or already preparing breakfast.
He frowned slightly.
âLukeâŠKieran.â
No answer. He was about to make his way to the kitchen, when he heard noises from their room, he marched over and swung the door open.
He stepped inside.
And stopped.
The room was a mess.
Suitcases open.
Clothes scattered.
Items spilled everywhere.
And then he saw it.
Your belongings.
Stacked.
Packed.
Sorted.
Deliberately.
His gaze sharpened.
âWhatâs going on here?â
Luke muttered something under his breath.
âLouder.â
Sylusâs voice cracked through the room. Both twins stiffened.
âY/N⊠texted us. She wants some of her things.â
Silence.
âFor what?â
Luke hesitated.
âSaid sheâll be staying away for some timeâŠâ
âStaying where?â
Kieran answered this time, quieter.
âTold us not to tell you. We wanna respect her choice.â
A sharp scoff left Sylus.
âRespect her choice?â
His tone dropped.
âMust I remind you both who you work for? Itâs not herââ
âSheâs our friend.â
The interruption landed harder than expected.
âAnd youâve hurt her, bossman.â
Silence stretched.
Kieranâs voice softened slightly.
âWe know who we work for. We respect you. We respect the hierarchyâŠâ
A pause.
âBut what you didâŠspilling her blood...was too muchâ
The room went still.
Sylus looked at them for a long moment. Then at your belongings again. Then turned. And walked out.
The door closed behind himâfinal, not violent.
He didnât slow down. Didnât think. He reached his office and shoved the door open harder than necessary. It slammed shut behind him.
Blazer off.
Phone in hand.
He opened your chat immediately. Unread. No response. His thumb pressed call.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
By the tenth attempt, something inside him snapped. He pulled the phone away. For a moment, he just stared at it. Then threw it. It shattered violently against the wall.
Fragments scattered across the floor.
Silence filled the room.
A broken screen fragment spun once before stopping completely. The call had never connected.
Sylus stood still.
His hand drifted to his neck. Fingers pressing the fading mark you left behind.
His right eye darkenedâ
A faint crimson glow flickering beneath the surface.
Meanwhile
You felt someone shaking you.
Hard.
âYo y/n, wake the fuck up.â
You groaned and buried your face deeper into the pillow.
âY/N, get up. Your phoneâs been ringing nonstop. Pick it up or turn it off!â
Another shake. Then a kick to your side.
âThe fuckâs wrong with youââ
âGet up, you little shit. It wonât stop ringing. Iâm tryna sleep.â
Nursing your side. You sat up slowly, glaring at your roommate.
Gideon.
Your phone lit up
Twin 1 đ€Ș
2 messages
Sy đŠââŹ
3 messages
10 Missed calls
You stared.
Your phone also still held his voicemail.
You had already listened to it once.
That had been enough.
You didnât open it again.
You ignored it.
The hurt still sat in your chest. You only replied to Luke to confirm the meeting time for your bags.
âWas it your boss?â
You hummed.
âAnd?â
Gideon was watching you now.
âIs that thing of yours still going on with him?â
You threw your phone aside.
âI guess.â
A pause.
âI donât even know anymore.â
âEven after what happened yesterday?â
Your hand drifted to the bandage on your neck. You threw a pillow at him.
âWerenât you supposed to sleep? Why so many questions?â
He caught it.
âNow answer.â
âAnswer what?â
Gideon finally had enough. He hauled himself out of bed, marched over to yours, and dropped his entire weight right on top of you.
âUghâGet off me Gid.â
âNo.â
You tried to push him off, but he remained absolute deadweight. You huffed and dropped your arms in defeat. Gideon chuckled victoriously, shifting to lean comfortably against your side.
âDo you still love him?â
Silence.
Your answer was in your pause. Gideon exhaled. You touched the bandage and sighed. He saw that and exhaled loudly.
âYour obsession with him will kill you one day.â
You turned around and faced him, waiting for him to continue.
âHe showed you that you donât mean anything to him. He hurt you because of his loverââ
âNot confirmed yet.â
Gideon stared at you.
âYouâre so fucked up in the head y/n. A man almost kills you because you were about to swat his lady, and you still say ânot confirmedâ? Youâre too far gone.â
âMaybeâŠâ
He pushed your shoulder.
âGet some fucking help.â
Then, quieter,
âIâve seen you make reckless choices before, y/n.â
âBut never like this.â
He glanced at your neck.
âHe didnât see you as anything more than temporary.â
Your chest tightened.
âHe allowed me toââ
âHickeys.â
Silence.
âDidnât he cover them up?â
Your silence answered everything.
Gideon sighed.
"I know he saved youâhe saved all of us. But old habits don't die, y/n. You thought you left that life behind, but the second he spoke to her, he reduced you right back to a slut. And didnât the fight happen because of those damn hickeys?"
That silence answered everything.
Gideon sighed again.
âThis isnât love youâre chasing.â
A pause.
âItâs destruction.â
Your voice broke slightly.
âSo Iâll never be loved? Is that what you mean?â
Gideon softened, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead before getting off the bed.
âYou can be loved...just not by him.â
The room went quiet.
âHeâs not meant for you.â
You stared at the ceiling. The weight in your chest deepened.
"From now on, treat him just like a boss. Do your job and donât expect a single thing in return."
You heard Gideon dressing up and then he pulled the blankets off you, forcing you to face the day.
âNow fix yourself. I have a brunch with a lovely lady.â
A light tap on your stomach.
âShe said you can come.â
Then he left.
Silence.
Your phone lay beside you.
Locked.
Still.
But even after everything Gideon said⊠Your eyes kept drifting back to it.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Somewhere far away, in an office, Sylus sat surrounded by silence. A broken phone on the floor.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 5.2k
Note: We're going down, down babyyy đ¶ Redemption arc starting soon... Next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the previous parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
While you rushed downstairs, the twins and MC were already standing near the entrance. The three of them wore completely different expressions. The twins looked tense, shoulders rigid as if they were bracing themselves for something.
MC, on the other hand, stood off to the side, her posture stiff and guarded, her arms folded across her chest like a shield.
The sight of her only irritated you further.
You scoffed under your breath, marched toward the key tray by the door and grabbed the first vehicle key you could find.
You needed to leave.
Now.
Before you did something you couldn't take back. Before you broke down in front of all of them. Before you had to hear another word about Sylus. You reached for the door. Only for the twins to rush forward and stop you.
"Where are you goingâ"
One of them caught your arm before suddenly freezing.
"Wait... is that blood?"
The other twin's eyes widened.
"Your neckâ"
You paused.
Your grip on the doorknob tightened until your knuckles turned white. Only now did you fully register the throbbing pain spreading across your throat. Your skin felt unbearably hot. Like a fever was slowly consuming you from the inside. Something wet slid down the side of your neck.
Blood.
A thin stream trailing along your collarbone before disappearing beneath your shirt. You understood their concern. You really did.
But right now none of it mattered.
You just wanted out.
âIâll beââ
âJust let her go.â
MC interrupted.
As usual. The irritation that had been simmering inside you immediately flared hotter. The twins hesitated. Their grip loosened slightly.
Uncertain. Torn.
One of them glanced at MC before tightening their hold again.
"No."
The answer was immediate.
Firm.
"We don't know what happened between you and her, Miss Hunter."
Their voice remained respectful. But only barely.
"She's our comrade."
A pause.
Then softer.
"Our friend."
The words hit harder than expected. The twin swallowed.
"Right now her wellbeing is more important than whatever happened upstairs."
MC opened her mouth to respond.
A different voice cut through the room first.
âLet them be.â
The protest died instantly on her lips.
Everyone turned.
Sylus stood at the top of the stairs. Still. Unreadable.
His expression revealed absolutely nothing. Yet hearing his voice sent another wave of anger crashing through your chest.
Not necessarily...
The words echoed inside your head again.
Over.
And over.
And over.
You couldn't do this. Not right now. You yanked your arm free from the twins. Ignoring their protests. Ignoring their concern. Ignoring him.
You threw the door open and stepped outside. The cool air hit your face. It did nothing to soothe the fire burning beneath your skin.
The door slammed behind you with enough force to rattle the frame. You crossed the driveway in quick strides. Your vision blurred slightly.
Whether from anger, exhaustion or the pain in your neck, you weren't entirely sure. The motorcycle came into view.
Thank God.
You climbed onto it without hesitation. The engine roared to life beneath you. A familiar vibration. A familiar escape.
For a brief second, you glanced toward the house.
Toward the windows.
Toward the people inside.
Then looked away.
You twisted the throttle. The motorcycle surged forward.
And within seconds, you were gone.
Inside the base
Silence lingered near the front entrance long after the sound of the motorcycle had disappeared. The twins remained standing by the door, staring at it as if expecting it to open again.
It didn't.
Slowly, they turned around. Their eyes settled on their .
He was still standing at the top of the staircase.
Still staring at the closed door.
Still silent.
His jaw ticked once. A subtle movement.
But enough to reveal that something underneath his composure had shifted. Despite, the tense atmosphere MC spoke again.
âCouldn't expect anything less from her, to be honestââ
âEnough.â
The word cut through the room immediately.
Cold.
Sharp.
Final.
Sylus descended the staircase with practiced ease. Every step measured. Controlled. As though nothing about this situation affected him. Yet the atmosphere around him said otherwise.
He reached the bottom and stopped.
His gaze briefly swept over the twins. From the way they were standing, he already knew what they wanted. An explanation.
For once, he wasn't entirely sure how to give one. He inhaled quietly. Gathering his thoughts.
âWhat happened to Y/n, bossman?â
The question hung in the air. Sylus paused. Long enough for the hesitation to become noticeable.
"Y/N and MC had a bit of an argument."
His eyes shifted briefly.
"A heated one. I...had to intervene."
The twins exchanged a look. One of them frowned.
âIs that why her neck is bleeding, boss?â
Silence.
Sylus looked away. His gaze drifting across the room before eventually settling on MC. She met his eyes directly.
Unwavering.
Waiting.
ââŠYes.â
The answer felt insufficient even to him. The twins didn't miss it. Neither did MC.
A heavy silence settled over the room. Then one of the twins sighed.
"You better fix this asap."
Sylus raised an eyebrow. The twin continued anyway.
"If we lose her..."
Their voice hardened.
"...we won't stay quiet."
The other twin nodded in agreement. With no hesitation. No fear. Just honesty. For a brief moment, nobody spoke. Then both twins turned and headed toward the hallway. Halfway there, one of them glanced back.
First at Sylus.
Then at MC.
Then continued walking. Leaving the living room behind.
The silence that followed felt significantly heavier. Sylus pinched the bridge of his nose. Exhaled. Then looked at MC.
âCome to my office now.â
His tone left no room for discussion. He turned immediately and walked away.
MC followed.
The moment they entered his office, the tension became impossible to ignore. Sylus pushed the door open harder than necessary. The impact echoed through the room. He walked straight toward his desk and sat down. He remained silent.
MC lingered near the doorway.
Uncomfortable.
Uncertain.
A feeling she wasn't accustomed to experiencing around him.
"Get in."
She immediately obeyed.
"And close the door."
The click of the lock sounded louder than usual. Sylus remained seated.
Hands folded. Expression unreadable.
For several moments, he simply looked at her. The silence stretched.
MC shifted slightly. Sylus noticed. Of course he did. Finally, he spoke.
âCare to explain why you felt the need to follow Y/n to her room and provoke her?â
MC looked down. Mumbled something under her breath. Sylus's eyes narrowed. His hand struck the desk. Not hard enough to damage it. Hard enough to make her flinch.
"I can't hear you."
His voice remained controlled. Which somehow made it worse.
"Say it louder."
MC swallowed.
"I said..."
She hesitated.
"...based on what you told me about her..."
Sylus remained silent.
"And the marks on your neck..."
Her fingers curled tightly into the fabric of her sleeves.
"I thought she was forcing herself onto you."
The room went still. Sylus stared at her for several seconds. Then slowly stood from his chair. MC immediately regretted her choice of words. Not because she thought she was wrong.
Because of the look in his eyes.
Disappointment.
Pure disappointment.
Sylus walked around the desk, stopping in front of her.
âAnd you thought it was okay for you to play my lawyer?â
It wasn't a question.
MC looked away.
"I was trying to help."
Sylus laughed once, without any humor.
"Help."
The word sounded foreign coming from him.
"You asked me about Y/N before agreeing to work with her."
His voice lowered.
âbecause I trusted you enough I answeredâŠâ He paused.
MC remained silent.
âYou took pieces of information. Drew your own conclusions.â
Another pause.
"And decided confronting her was a good idea."
His eyes sharpened.
"All because you saw marks on my neck."
MC clenched her jaw.
"You looked uncomfortable around her."
Sylus tilted his head slightly.
"And?"
The single word immediately robbed her of momentum.
"And?"
He adjusted the collar of his turtleneck. Slowly. Deliberately.
"Did it never occur to you..."
His gaze locked onto hers.
"...that I allowed it?"
MC eyes widened.
"No."
The answer escaped before she could stop it.
âYouâŠthatâs impossibleâŠyou looked so awkward and uncomfortable around herââ
Sylus scoffed.
Of course. Of course it hadn't occurred to her.
"You and I share a connection."
His voice softened slightly. Not in kindness. But in exhaustion.
"I understand your concern."
MC's expression brightened briefly.
"What I don't understand..."
The warmth vanished.
"...is why you thought that concern entitled you to involve yourself in matters that don't concern you."
MC straightened immediately.
âIt does concern me when it comes to you, Sylus.â
Sylus closed his eyes briefly. A muscle in his jaw flexed. When he opened them again, they were colder.
"What happens in my personal life..."
He stepped closer.
"...and the people involved in it..."
Another pause.
"...is not your decision to make. And it definitely doesn't give you the right to act the way you did today."
âSylus canât you seeââ
âEnough.â
The word landed harder this time. But MC wasn't finished. She was frustrated now. Defensive. Trying to justify herself.
âWhy are you defending her so much? Is she that important huh?"
The question burst out before she could stop it. Sylus remained silent.
That silence only encouraged her further.
"She's obsessed with you."
Nothing.
"She forces herself into your space."
Nothing.
"She'sâ"
"Careful."
The warning was quiet. Dangerously quiet. MC ignored it. Big mistake.
"She's just a bitch who spreads her legs for menâ"
Sylus moved. Fast. His hands gripped her shoulders. Not enough to hurt, but more than enough to stop her.
"Quiet."
The room shook with the force behind that single word. MC stared at him. Stunned. Sylus's eyes burned.
"Y/N did what she had to do to survive."
His voice was low. Controlled. But visibly strained.
"Telling you about her past..."
A frustrated breath escaped him.
"...I shouldn't have."
MC shook her head. Still refusing to back down.
"You only keep her around because of that past."
Sylus released her immediately.
The accusation hanging heavily between them.
MC pressed on.
"You're afraid she'll leave."
A pause.
"After all..."
Her gaze sharpened.
"...your biggest source of income just walked out of your house."
Silence. Complete silence.
"That's enough, Miss Hunter."
For the first time that day, Sylus raised his voice fully. The office seemed to vibrate around it. MC immediately fell silent.
"You've been running your mouth for the past hour."
His eyes narrowed.
"And it's seriously beginning to irritate me."
A pause.
"You'll leave for Linkon immediately."
"Sylusâ"
"I'll have one of the twins accompany you."
His tone became final.
"You're dismissed."
The conversation was over. And for the first time since entering the roomâ
MC realized she had lost.
The office door closed behind MC with a sharp click. Silence followed immediately. For the first time since Y/N had stormed out of the house, there was no one left for Sylus to address.
No one left to question.
No one left to correct.
Just him.
And the aftermath.
He stood motionless for several seconds, staring at the closed door. The anger that had carried him through the conversation slowly ebbed away. Leaving behind something far more unpleasant.
A heavy exhale escaped him.
He dragged a hand down his face before turning away from the door. The office suddenly felt smaller than usual.
Quieter.
His gaze drifted toward the large mirror attached to one of the walls. For a moment he simply stared at his reflection.
Then he walked toward it.
Slowly.
Thoughtfully.
As if he wasn't entirely certain what he was looking for. When he stopped in front of the mirror, his crimson eyes settled on his own reflection.
Unchanged.
Composed.
Controlled.
Exactly as always. Yet something felt off. His gaze lowered.
Toward the black turtleneck covering his neck.
A reminder.
A concealment.
A consequence.
His fingers rose to the fabric. Hooking beneath the collar.
He pulled it aside. The marks immediately came into view.
Faded slightly compared to the previous night.
But still there.
The scattered hickeys.
The bruising.
The distinct imprint of teeth against his skin.
Your marks.
Sylus stared at them quietly. His fingers brushed across one of the darker bruises. The skin was still sensitive. A faint sting greeted his touch.
The memory followed immediately after. Your hands gripping his shoulders.
Your laugh. The satisfaction in your eyes when you saw what you'd done.
"Yeah⊠it's like I've marked my territory."
His jaw tightened. Not in irritation.
Something else.
Something considerably harder to name. His fingers continued downward. Stopping where the bite mark sat. The deepest mark you'd left behind.
His thumb traced the outline carefully.
And for a brief moment...far too brief..
he could almost feel the ghost of your lips against his skin again.
The warmth.
The pressure.
The reckless possessiveness.
Then the memory shifted. The room.
Your expression.
The argument.
The blood.
The silence.
His hand dropped. The reflection in the mirror suddenly felt significantly less interesting. Sylus looked down.
Only now noticing the faint reddish stains that had dried against his fingers.
Your blood.
His eyes lingered on it. Longer than they should have. Long enough for the weight of it to settle properly. He had seen blood countless times before.
Spilled it.
Been covered in it.
Caused it.
None of that bothered him.
This did.
A muscle ticked in his jaw.
The image of the crimson Evol wrapped around your throat flashed through his mind again.
The marks left behind.
The look on your face.
The disbelief.
The hurt.
The disappointment.
He exhaled slowly.
"You really know how to make things difficult."
The words were barely audible. Almost lost to the empty office.
No answer came. Of course not.
You were gone.
Sylus glanced away from the mirror. His gaze settling on the phone resting on his desk. For a moment he simply stared at it.
Thinking.
Then he crossed the room. Picked it up and unlocked it.
Your contact was already near the top. His thumb hovered over your name. A brief pause.
Then he pressed call.
The line rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
No answer.
Eventually it disconnected. Sylus stared at the screen.
Waited.
Then called again.
Nothing. Again. Nothing.
The fourth attempt went directly to voicemail. His expression remained unchanged. But his grip on the phone tightened slightly.
Enough to reveal his frustration.
Not at you.
At the situation.
At himself.
At the fact that he no longer knew where you were. Another exhale. Then the familiar beep sounded. For several seconds, he said nothing.
Listening.
Thinking.
Choosing his words carefully.
"Pretty dove."
Silence.
The nickname sounded strange in an empty room. His gaze drifted toward the window. Toward the darkening sky beyond it.
"The twins are worried."
Another pause. Longer this time.
His thumb rubbed absently against the edge of the phone.
"Get your neck looked at."
The words came out calm. Matter-of-fact. As if they cost him nothing.
But he remained silent afterward. Because there was more.
Far more.
Things he couldn't say.
Things he wouldn't say.
Another breath.
Thenâ
"Call when you're able."
A pause.
"...or don't."
The corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile. Not quite resignation. Just acceptance.
"I'll know you'll be stubborn either way."
The line remained silent. He listened to it for another second.
Then ended the recording. The office returned to silence. Sylus lowered the phone. His thumb immediately moved toward your chat.
Waiting.
Expecting.
Looking for any indication that the voicemail had been heard.
Nothing.
No notification.
No response.
No message.
Just emptiness.
For the first time all evening, Sylus allowed himself to acknowledge the uncomfortable truth.
You weren't ignoring him to make a point.
You genuinely didn't want to speak to him.
His gaze drifted toward the mirror again.
Toward the marks still decorating his neck.
Toward the evidence of a relationship that had become significantly more complicated than either of you had anticipated.
The room felt quiet.
Too quiet.
And for onceâ
Sylus found that he didn't particularly like it.
A faint vibration broke the silence.
His phone. He glanced at it. No name. No notification.
Just system noise.
False expectation.
Nothing real.
Sylus stared at it for a moment longer than necessary.
ââŠTch.â
Barely audible.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
Something more restrained than either. He walked past the desk and place the phone face down.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 3k
Note: All I have to say is trust the process. The next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the other parts here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
You marched toward your bedroom and yanked the door open before slamming it shut behind you with more force than necessary. The sound echoed through the room.
Dropping your duffle bag onto the floor, you stood in the middle of the room, your frame trembling with an ugly feeling you couldn't quite name.
Anger.
Humiliation.
Jealousy.
Maybe all three.
What had just transpired between Sylus and you moments ago in his office was replaying in your head in a relentless, suffocating loop. The way his hands had locked onto you.
The heavy, desperate way he had allowed you to kiss him. The dark thrill of him kissing you back, his unspoken permission granting you the right to sink your teeth into his neck and mark his skin as yours... only for him to shatter the illusion by breathing her name.
A hollow, bitter laugh escaped your lips. You turned your head, catching your reflection in the dresser mirror. Your lips were still flush, slightly swollen from the bruising friction of his mouth, but your eyesâŠ
It looked like a total stranger was staring back at you.
"I'm like a moth attracted to a flame..." you murmured to your reflection.
Your voice sounded tired.
"I know it'll burn me alive... but I'm still willing to go towards it."
Your fingers curled into your palm.
"To touch it."
A bitter smile tugged at your lips.
"To feel it."
The room remained silent.
You exhaled heavily before forcing yourself toward the bathroom.
A shower. Sleep.
Tomorrow would be better. It had to be.
Because if it wasn't...
You weren't sure how much longer you could keep pretending that none of this was affecting you. By the time you crawled into bed, exhaustion had already begun pulling at your eyelids.
Still, one final thought lingered.
Tomorrow.
Sylus would probably act like none of this happened.
Like he hadn't kissed you.
Like he hadn't held you against him.
Like he hadn't let you leave your marks all over him.
The thought made something ache painfully inside your chest.
Sleep claimed you before you could dwell on it any longer.
And because of that, you completely missed the knock at your bedroom door.
The next day
You woke up to the sound of loud, animated chatter drifting up from downstairs. Glancing at the glowing buildings in the distance through the window, you let out a defeated sigh. It was going to be a long, exhausting day.
Reluctantly, you dragged yourself out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
A quick shower.
Brushed teeth.
Cold water against your face.
Just enough to make yourself presentable. Eventually, you made your way downstairs. The voices grew louder as you approached the kitchen.
When you walked into the kitchen, the entire household was already assembled. Luke and Kieran were gesturing wildly, talking animatedly with MC, while Sylus sat casually at the head of the table. He was slowly sipping his black coffee, watching the scene play out with an unreadable expression.
His gaze drifted toward the doorway.
Toward you.
The moment your eyes met, he raised a brow. Your stomach dropped.
He was wearing a black turtleneck.
The marks were gone.
Hidden.
Covered.
As if they had never existed at all.
Something unpleasant settled heavily in your chest. Ignoring it, you walked into the kitchen and took the seat adjacent to him.
âMorning.â
The twins paused their chaotic banter to greet you cheerfully before diving right back into their conversation. Across the table, MC smiled warmly and slid a stacked plate of food in front of you.
"Morning, y/n."
A stack of pancakes sat neatly on the plate.
"We wanted pancakes this morning."
She handed you a bottle of maple syrup.
"So Sylus made them for us."
Your grip tightened slightly.
"And he said we should save some for you."
She smiled warmly.
"Dig in."
You looked down at the food.
They smelled amazing.
Which only made things worse somehow.
âThanks.â
You poured a small amount of syrup onto the pancakes. They looked perfect, and you knew exactly how good his cooking tasted, but with his heavy, intense gaze burning into the side of your face, the food felt like ash in your mouth. For now, you stubbornly chose to ignore him.
âWhatâs the occasion?â you asked.
MC beamed.
âFor the success of our first joint mission.â
"Oh."
You stabbed at a pancake.
"Right."
You began eating slowly. A few moments later, Sylus spoke.
âCoffee or tea?â
You looked up.
He was already looking at you.
That stupid grin resting comfortably on his face.
"...Tea."
"Coming right up."
The grin widened slightly.
"English Breakfast or Earl Grey?"
Your eyes narrowed.
"Since when do we have a variety of tea here?"
Before Sylus could answer, MC eagerly interjected.
"Ah, that's because of me."
Your stomach immediately sank.
"I've been taking an interest in tea lately."
She smiled.
"So Sylus bought a few different blends for me to try."
Her voice faded into background noise after that.
Your brain completely stalled out on a single, repeating phrase: Sylus bought tea for her. He didn't do domestic errands. He didn't cater to whims. But for her, he did.
You looked away.
âThen coffee will do the job.â
You stood from your chair.
"I don't want to waste those blends on me."
âNo. No. Itâs fine. You can drink it.â
But you simply shook your head.
"It's okay."
You pushed your chair back.
"I'll just have coffee."
Making your way toward the counter, you reached up and grabbed your mug from the cupboard. The one the twins had bought for you months ago.
A white ceramic mug with Resting Bitch Face printed across the front in bold letters.
A joke.
One that had made you laugh so hard you nearly dropped it the day they gifted it to you.
You wrapped your fingers around the handle.
Comforting.
Familiar.
Safe.
Unlike everything else.
You reached for the coffee canister, but before your fingers could grip the lid, a large, solid shadow loomed over you. A heavy hand clamped down over yours, firmly stopping your movement.
You sighed.
"What?"
âWhy are you acting like this?â
There it was.
The question you'd been expecting. You leaned your hip against the counter.
"Like what?"
A low groan escaped him.
"Acting butt hurt over tea."
His fingers nudged the coffee container further away from you.
"Iâm making some for you and sheâs willing to share. Why are you making this more difficult than it needs to be?"
You stared at him. Irritation immediately flared.
"Me? Making this difficult?"
You let out a short laugh.
"You bought those for her. Not me."
Your grip tightened around the mug.
"So let me drink my coffee and move on with my day."
"You don't even like coffee."
The response came immediately.
Matter-of-fact.
Certain.
Which somehow irritated you even more.
"So stop pretending that's the issue."
You blinked. Sylus crossed his arms. His gaze remained fixed on you.
"You hate bitter drinks."
A pause.
"You always have."
Your jaw tightened.
The worst part?
He wasn't wrong.
"Then maybe I've changed."
"You haven't."
The confidence in his answer made you want to throw the mug at him.
"Good to know you're suddenly an expert on me."
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Not quite a smile. Not quite amusement. Something worse.
"You make it easy."
Your eyes narrowed. For a moment neither of you moved. Neither of you looked away.
The kitchen suddenly felt much quieter than before. The twins had stopped talking. MC had stopped talking. All eyes were on the two of you.
You hated that.
You hated that everyone could probably feel the tension hanging between you. And you hated him most of all for looking completely unaffected by it. Slowly, you lifted your hand.
Toward his neck. Toward the black turtleneck concealing everything you'd left behind. You were just about to brush the fabric asideâ When his hand caught yours.
Firm.
Immediate.
Not enough to hurt. More than enough to stop you.
Your eyes flickered to his. The amusement was gone. His crimson gaze locked onto yours.
Sharp.
Warning.
âStop it, y/n.â
Your pulse quickened.
You tilted your head.
âAfraid sheâll see.â
His hand tightened.
âWhat are you trying to do?â
You blinked your eyes at him, wide and deceptively innocent, a sharp, mischievous smile stretching across your lips while he glared down at you, entirely unamused.
"Me?"
A slow smile appeared.
"Nothing."
Your eyes drifted deliberately toward his neck.
"I'm just trying to see something."
âEverything okay there?â
MCâs voice sharply broke the suffocating bubble between you.
Sylus immediately released your hand, his eyes narrowing at you in one final, lethal warning before he smoothly turned around to face the kitchen table.
The dangerous tension vanished from his face as if it had never been there, replaced by a calm, easy smile.
"Everything's fine."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"It's just y/n being her usual self."
You turned around slowly, gripping the edge of the counter. MC was staring at the two of you, her cutlery resting against her plate, a deeply pensive, calculating expression clouding her features.
âAre you sure, Sylus?â she asked, her eyes shifting from his face and lingering heavily on yours.
âYes.â
The answer came effortlessly.
Too effortlessly.
You looked away first. Suddenly losing your appetite. You set the mug down.
"I'm not that hungry."
The twins looked up. MC blinked.
"I'm going back to my room."
You didn't wait for a response. You simply turned and headed toward the doorway.
"Y/n."
Sylusâs voice called out behind you, but you completely ignored him
You kept walking.
This time, you didn't stop when he called.
And for onceâ
He didn't follow.
Safe inside your room, you threw yourself onto the bed, grabbing your phone and mindlessly scrolling through it, desperately trying to drown out the pounding rhythm of your pulse.
But the peace didn't last long. Within ten minutes, a shadow cut across in your doorway, followed by a sharp, authoritative knock.
âCan I come in?â
MC.
You exhaled through your nose.
âSure.â
MC walked into the room, her eyes briefly scanning your personal space before settling directly onto you. She didn't sit down.
âI wonât beat around the bush,â she said. âWere you jealous that Sylus bought some tea for me?â
You sat up slightly, leaning back on your hands.
âWhy that question?â
She sighed, folding her arms.
âI can tell by the way youâre acting toward him.â
You let out a short breath.
âOkay. And?â
âIâm not trying to fight with you.â
âCouldâve fooled me.â
MC didnât rise to it.
âIâm just saying⊠since last night, things have been weird.â
You looked at her, expression flat.
âAnd last night,â she continued, hesitating slightly, âwhen he came to see me⊠he kept adjusting his collar.â
Your gaze flickered.
Subtle.
But she noticed.
âHe said it was an allergy,â she added, watching you carefully.
A pause.
âBut it didnât look like that.â
Silence stretched.
âIf he has a problem with my actions,â you said, your voice dropping into a dangerously calm register, âhe has a mouth. He can speak for himself. And more importantlyâwho exactly do you think you are to come into my room and trying to lecture me?â
MC looked down her nose at you, letting out a sharp, mocking laugh.
âIs it because youâre in love with him? Is that it? Youâre feeling threatened and jealous by our close proximity?â
âClose proximity?â she echoed, a cold smile touching her lips. âMaybe Iâm blind then. Because all Iâve seen here is a man who looks incredibly awkward and uncomfortable whenever youâre in the room.â
You were about to cut her off when she stopped you.
âHeâs told me things about you, y/n. When I arrived, I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt. But I guess you really are just that type of woman.â
You stood up from the bed, your posture entirely rigid, your eyes narrowing into lethal slits. âWhat exactly are you insinuating?â
âYouâre the type of woman who leeches off a powerful man because you have nothing of your own,â she sneered, stepping closer.
âSylus extended his hand to you and saved you from whatever pitiful, miserable life you were living before this. He gave you a job as his assistant out of pure charity. But you confused his pity for love, and now youâre desperately trying to claw your way into his bed just to keep your claws in his wealthâ
âShut your fucking mouth,â you hissed, a dark, dangerous aura flaring around you. âYou donât know a single thing about me, or how I earned my place hereââ
âYou think youâre special because he tolerates you.â
âMCââ
âNo.â
Her voice cut through yours.
âYou act like youâre entitled to him.â
A pause.
Then colder.
âAnd honestly? It looks like youâre just leeching off whatever attention he gives you.â
Silence.
The kind that doesnât feel empty.
The kind that feels loaded.
âA man like Sylus will never fucking love a woman like you.â
That was it.
Something snapped.
You moved forwardâ
Fastâ
But before you could reach her, something invisible coiled around your throat.
Crimson energy.
Instant.
Restraining.
You froze mid-step, a sharp sound leaving your throat as pressure tightened just enough to steal your breath.
Sylus.
He was there. Standing in the doorway. Expression dark.
âYou were about to do what?â his voice cut through the room.
MC immediately stepped back.
Behind him.
âShe was about to hit me,â she said quickly.
You tried to speak, but the pressure tightened again.
Your hands lifted instinctively to your throat.
âBecause she was standing in my bedroom⊠spouting fucking nonsense about my lifeââ
âQuiet.â
The word hit harder than expected.
With a flick of his wrist, the vein-like crimson energy tightened significantly around your frame, completely squeezing the remaining air out of your lungs. Your knees buckled slightly under the pressure.
Sylus looked down at you, his expression entirely detached, cold, and ruthless. âI heard what she said. There was absolutely no reason for you to try to physically attack her.â
Your chest rose unevenly.
âSo you agree with her?â you forced out.
A pause.
Just a fraction too long.
âMC,â he said finally, without looking away from you, âleave.â
Her hesitation was immediate.
âBut Sylusââ
âPlease.â
That softened nothing.
It just ended the argument.
A beat.
Then she left.
The door shut behind her with more force than necessary.
Silence returned.
Sylus released you. Air rushed back into your lungs. You stumbled slightly, catching yourself on the edge of the bed.
Your throat burned.
Your pulse hammered.
And he just watched you.
Calm again.
Like nothing had shifted.
ââŠWhat did I say?â he murmured, his heavy boots slowly walking over until they stopped right in front of you.
He crouched down in front of you, his large, fingers reaching out to gently brush a few stray strands of hair away from your face.
A pause.
âYou let her words get to you,â he added quietly, âbecause part of you thinks she might be right.â
Your expression tightened.
âI told you before,â he continued, âlittle dove. In your pursuit of making me yours⊠you weren't going to like the way I behave.â
His fingers traced a slow path down your cheek, his eyes dropping to the sensitive skin of your neck. Where his Evol had tightly bound you, the sharp pressure had broken the skin, leaving small, perfectly round beads of crimson blood seeping out against your collarbone.
âIf we keep doing this⊠weâll hurt each other more than youâre prepared for.â
Sylus let out a long, frustrated breath, his thumb lightly sweeping over the wound, smearing the blood against your skin.
That made you laugh...small, sharp, broken.
âYou think Iâm a leech?â your voice shook slightly now, despite you trying to hold it steady. âYou think Iâm just someâa slut demanding you to be mine...because you have everything?â
Sylus froze, his thumb pausing against the column of your throat.
His silence answered too much.
Your breath hitched.
âWhen she said you told her thingsâŠâ your voice dropped, quieter now, more dangerous, âdid you tell her that? Am I just a slut in your eyes?â
âY/nââ
âYes or no.â
A long pause.
â...Not necessarily.â
That landed wrong.
Worse than anything else.
Your face went still.
âSo thatâs a yes then?â
âY/nââ
âDonât.â
A sudden, terrifying calm washed over you. The trembling in your limbs instantly stopped. With a swift, powerful movement, you violently slapped his hand away from your neck, breaking his contact entirely.
You forced your legs to stand, rising to your full height and looking down at him while he remained crouched on the floor. You reached down, deliberately grabbing your phone from the mattress.
Sylus stood up smoothly, his brow furrowing as he realized the heartbroken reaction he expected wasn't coming. He reached out, his hand catching your wrist in a firm grip.
âWhere exactly do you think youâre going in this state?â
You yanked your hand free.
âFuck you.â
You threw the door open and marched down the hallway, leaving the leader of the N109 Zone standing completely alone in the center of your room, staring at the small drops of your blood which stained his fingers.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 2.5k
Note: The next updates will be slow, please bear with me đ„ș
Find the other parts here: Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
As soon as Sylus parked the vehicle in the garage, you didnât waste your time. You pushed the back door open and bolted out, ignoring the tightened gaze he held on you through the rearview mirror.
You hurried to the back of the vehicle and opened the trunk, grabbing your duffle bag while pointedly ignoring the two others stepping out.
As you retrieved it, you were about to head inside when you felt a presence behind you, fingers catching the strap of your bag, holding you in place.
âNot so fast, y/n.â
You felt your stomach churn. The feeling of being acknowledged by him once again elated you, but at the same time, you were pissed by the fact that he had allowed MC to sit in front with him and chose to talk only to her.
Sylus held onto the strap of your bag and pulled you back so that you were standing side by side with him. He knew you were ticked off by something he did, and he found your attempt at running away pitiful yet entertaining.
He glanced at MC, who was retrieving her own bag. As she did, he shut the trunk with a loud clack.
MC stood by the vehicle and stared at Sylus and you, clearly picking up on the tension.
âEverything okay between you two?â
You scoffed under your breath and looked away, while Sylus gave her a small smile.
âAll good, kitten.â He glanced at you, then back at her. âWhy donât you go back to your room and take some rest. Weâll meet tomorrow morning to debrief.â
MC hesitantly nodded, giving you both another look before walking away.
You tried to follow.
Sylus didnât let you.
âJealousy is such an unbecoming sight on you, pretty dove.â He let go of the strap and caught your unoccupied hand and pulled you back.
âDemanding Iâm yours, but then leaving me behind so cruellyâŠ.â He stepped closer, leaning down until his voice brushed your ear.
âThatâs so harsh, no?â
Your breath hitched despite yourself, his warmth sending a shiver down your spine, but the irritation remained.
âWell this is what you get for purposefully ignoring my request of sitting in front with you.â
You backed away from him and snatched your hand from his grasp. You turned around to face him, irked even more by how clearly amused he was by all of this.
âYouâre so full of yourself⊠arenât you, bossman?â Sylus raised a brow.
âIâm glad youâre at least finding this situation amusing⊠while Iâm the only one being affected.â
Sylus stepped closer.
âOh?â His voice dipped. âAffected? You knew what you were getting yourself into. Didnât you, my dove?â
He leaned into your space again. âRemember my words? Your love wonât move the way you think it willâŠâ
He dragged the last sentence deliberately. He wanted to push your limits, push them so far that you'd realize, day by day, the grave you dug for yourself was starting to feel suffocating.
Sylus wanted to see how far youâd go for this obsession of yours. He knew it was a risky game, but he found genuine amusement in it. Your reactions. Your energy. Your words. He kept wanting to see it all.
You tightened your gaze at him.
âFuck you.â
You threw your bag onto the ground and pushed him hard against the back of the vehicle. This action didnât catch him off guard, it only made him look more entertained.
âYouâre acting all mighty, taunting me as you go.â you snapped, gripping his shoulder and forcing him down slightly so you were eye to eye. âBut you forgot something, bossmanâŠâ
Your fingers curled into his collar.
âIâm a freak⊠and youâre that freak who matches my energy so well.â
You reached up and cupped his face.
âYou say my love means nothing to youâŠâ You leaned closer. âAnd yet you hold onto me, seeking me out⊠sending her awayâŠâ
Sylus chuckled. You searched his crimson eyes once again, your lips hovered dangerously close to his.
âYouâre encouraging me to carry onâŠyou want to see how far Iâll go for you." Your breath brushed against him. âAnd being the freak that you are⊠youâre reeling into this, arenât you, bossman?â
He brought his hands to your waist and tugged you against him.
His thumb pressed slightly deeper into your waist.
He didnât deny it.
âYou see y/nâŠI can be an opportunist sometimes.â His gaze flicked to your lips. âYouâre offering yourself to me on a platter. At the end of the day⊠Iâm a man.â
His gaze lingered on your lips.
His fingers tightened slightly.
âA man whoâs liking the attention but feeling also put off by it⊠but because itâs you, and we have a dealâŠâ His voice dropped softer.
âSo go onâŠâ his voice dropped, quieter now. âGo crazy⊠I guess?â
That was all you needed.
You closed the gap, pressing your lips against his, kissing him with a rush of emotions and pent-up tension. Sylus responded immediately, one hand cupping the back of your head, deepening the kiss.
You hummed into it, gripping onto him, your breaths mingling, your chest feeling too full.
You pulled back just enough to peck him again before trailing your lips along his jaw, down to his neck. You kissed, then bit into his skin.
He hissedâbut didnât push you away.
Instead, he tilted his head slightly, giving you more access.
You took it.
Mark after mark, slow and deliberate, humming softly in satisfaction.
Then suddenlyâ
You felt him lift you.
You instinctively wrapped your legs around his waist as your back hit the cold glass behind you, a sharp contrast against your heated skin.
âCareful.â you hissed.
Sylus hummed, leaning back slightly to look at you. His eyes were glazed, and his neck was beautifully adorned with your love bites and the sharp teeth mark from where you had bitten him.
You smiled.
He noticed. His grip on you tightened.
âPleased by your work of art?â
You let out a small laugh, your fingers tracing the marks.
âYeahâŠitâs like Iâve marked my territory.â
A pause.
âEven if youâll pretend otherwise tomorrow.â
Sylus let out a low chuckle.
âWellâŠ.â
And you just knew whatever was about to come out of his mouth next was going to completely dampen your mood and ruin the moment.
You knew he was fully aware of it, too.
âThatâs enough.â
A beat.
âI should check on MC.â
The moment cracked.
You unhooked your legs immediately, dropped back onto your feet, and shoved him away.
Grabbing your duffle bag from the ground, you walked off without giving him a single glance.
Sylus stayed and leaned back against the vehicle, not making a single move to follow.
Slowly, he brought his hand up to his neck, fingers tracing over the fresh, throbbing marks youâd left behind. A faint sting flared beneath his touch, grounding and unwelcome.
A quiet chuckle slipped from himâlow, almost swallowed.
His gaze remained fixed on your retreating figure, sharp and steady as you disappeared from view.
ââŠYou still fall for it.â
The words were quiet. Not meant to reach you.
Just stated.
His thumb pressed once more against the marks before his hand dropped. He adjusted his collar, covering the evidence, expression settling back into something unreadable.
You asked for him like it could turn into something softer if you named it clearly enough and held onto it hard enough.
Sylus lets you, quietly watching as you mistook his attention for permission to rewrite what he had never defined in the first place.
Pairing: Sylus x Reader (implied Non MC)
Genre: Boss x Assistant, Dark Romance, Slow Burn, Psychological Manipulation, Obsessive Dynamics, Power Imbalance Romance & Emotional Tension, Suggestive Themes & Ending not yet decided
Word count: Around 6.5k
Note: Sooo this is a little experiment that i'm trying, I really wanna explore an unhinged side of Sylus with this one. đ Ahh this might become a mini series...hmm but we shall see...đ«Ł
Find the other parts here: Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7
Find my other works here: Masterlist
Kindly let me know your thoughts, feedback, ignore the grammar mistakes and reblogs would be deeply appreciated.
On the way back to the base, you were seated at the back of the car, your head pressed lightly against the glass, eyes glancing at the passing landscape. The city blurred past in streaks of dull light and shadow, the rain from earlier still clinging to the windows in uneven trails. You focused on that, on anything that wasnât the two people seated in front.
MC was talking non-stop.
About the mission. What went right, what almost didnât, what sheâd do differently next time. Her voice filled the car easily, light and animated, completely unconcerned with the tension you were sitting in.
Sylus indulged her. Occasionally a comment. Occasionally a hum. Just enough to keep her going.
You stayed silent.
Ever since MC had entered your daily lives, things had shifted.
Not loudly.
Not obviously.
But enough that you felt it everywhere.
In pauses that lasted too long.
In glances that didnât quite settle.
In silences that now felt heavier than words.
And him...
You could feel it. Even without looking.
His gaze.
The rearview mirror was angled just right. If you lifted your eyes, even slightly, youâd meet it.
That familiar crimson stare.
Watching. Waiting. You kept your gaze outside.
Stubborn.
Fixed.
The mission had beenâŠsuccessful. More or less. You were paired with MC for this one. You loved working alone. It usually less risky. Less messy. Cleaner execution.
But ever since MC appeared, Sylus had insisted on pairing you with her. Teaching her. Keeping her close.
And you remembered exactly when it started.
He had called you into his office after your solo mission.
When you arrived, he was already there, seated behind his desk, posture straight, nursing a glass of bourbon in his hand. The laptop screen lit his face faintly. His expression was set, focused, slightly distant.
âYou wanted to see me?â
His gaze shifted to you. With a slight tilt of his head, he motioned for you to sit in front of his desk. You made your way over slowly, dropping into the chair with a soft groan of exhaustion. He observed you silently.
âYes. Thereâs a change in plans.â
You frowned.
âOkay?â
âYouâll be working with MC for the upcoming mission.â
You let out a heavy sigh.
âAny reason why? You know I prefer to work alone.â
His eyes remained fixed on yours. He took a slow sip of his drink, the ice clinking sharply against the glass as he lowered it.
âThe N109 zone is a new territory for her. So youâre the best option to help her familiarize with the city.â
Your gaze sharpened.
âAnd the twins are no good for this?â
Silence.
âAre you refusing y/n?â
You paused.
âYes.â
âAnd whyâs that?â
You could see his jaw tick, a subtle flash of irritation crossing his features.
âI feel like youâre punishing me.â
His gaze didnât move.
âWhy?â
You huffed.
âBecause I confessed my feelings to you.â
Sylus took another sip of his bourbon and set the glass down on his desk with deliberate force. The heavy thud didn't deter you.
âAnd youâve rejected me saying itâs meaningless for you. That you have a destined partner.â
âCorrect.â
âRight. So now youâre forcing me to work with your lover. Because I confessed?â
Sylus brought his fingers to his temple, tapping them lightly in a slow, rhythmic pattern.
âYouâve gotten bold, y/n. Must I remind you who youâre working for?â
âIâm perfectly aware that I work for you, bossman."
Your voice stayed steady.
"Iâm just saying itâs cruel that youâre forcing your lover on me.â
Your feelings are the least of my concerns,â he replied coldly. âFrom now on, you work with her. Iâm not taking no for an answer.â
That was it.
Anger flaring, you stood up abruptly. Your chair pushed back, the metal legs scraping loudly against the floor.
âUnderstood. "
A beat.
"And if she dies, Iâll bare no fucking responsibility.â
You turned to leave without waiting for a response, but before you could take a step, his hand shot out. His fingers clamped around your wrist, instantly halting your movement.
âNot so fast, y/nâ
His voice was closer than it shouldâve been. The pull was sudden.
Strong.
Your body stumbled back before you could stop it.
And thenâ
His chest behind you. Heat. Solid. Close. Your breath caught instantly.
You froze. Not out of fear.
And that irritated you more than anything.
A quiet chuckle behind you.
âYouâre so tenseâŠâ
His voice dropped.
âYouâre so angry that I rejected you, aren't you?â
You could feel his breath fanning against your skin, sending a violent spike through your pulse. You swallowed hard, desperately trying to maintain your composure.
âIâve got no reason to be upset,â you forced out. âYou rejected me. I moved on.â
A hum. Unconvinced.
His hand moved. Slow. Deliberate. Up your arm. Over your shoulder.
Then to your neck.
You stiffened.
His fingers settled thereânot tightening yet.
Just holding. Feeling.
Then he tilted your head back.
Your gaze was forced upward. Crimson eyes met yours. Unblinking. Watching everything.
âMove on, you sayâŠâ
His thumb brushed your throat lightly.
âBut the moment Iâm closeâŠyour breath gets stuck.â
Your pulse betrayed you.
ââŠyour body freezes.â
He leaned in slightly.
âYour heartbeat spikes.â
A pause.
âYou become so docile.â
His voice dropped.
âYou think I donât see my effect on you?â
You tried to move.
He didnât let you.
âWhat the fuck do you think youâre doing, Sylus?â
âMmh. Nothing you should be worried about, little dove.â
You once again tried to move but he wasnât budging.
âWhat if MC walks in and sees us like this?â
You expected hesitation.
You got the opposite.
âAre you trying to scare me away, little dove?â
âIsnât she your lover?â you shot back, sharper now. âI donât want to be a home wrecker.â
Sylus let out a breathless, mocking laugh. His grip on your neck tightened just a fraction, anchoring you to him
âYouâre adorable when youâre agitated,â he said. âItâsâŠentertaining.â
That wasnât the reaction you expected.
If anything, it felt like youâd just given him more to enjoy.
âThe ever so composed assistant of mineâŠlosing her mind over the thought of being seen.â
Your jaw clenched.
Confusion mixed with something heavier. Something more bitter. You had been so sure. About him. About her. About the reason he rejected you.
And yetâ
He was here. Touching you like this. Holding you like this. As if none of that mattered.
âJust what are you trying to achieve here?â you asked, your voice lower now. âAre you taunting me?â
âTaunting?â he echoed, almost amused. âWhat a strong word.â
His thumb stroked the column of your throat, tracing the rapid beat of your pulse. âIâm merely asking you to do your job.â
âBy touching me so intimately?â
He laughed softly.
âYouâre a good girl, y/n.â
Your breath hitched.
The words hit somewhere they shouldnât.
âYouâll listen to meâŠwonât you y/n?â
You forced out a breath, trying to steady yourself.
âYouâre playing dirty, bossman.â
âMmh,â he hummed, pressing his nose briefly against your cheek. âIf it gets you to complyâŠwhy not?â
âPatheticââ
The word barely left your lips before his grip on your throat tightened significantly. The playful amusement vanished from his face, replaced by a dark, unbidden anger.
âCareful with your words, y/n.â
His voice droppedâcolder now. Sharper.
âIâm being merciful right now.â
A pause.
âDonât force my hand.â
The lethal edge in his tone reminded you exactly who he was. One wrong move, and he could snap your neck without a second thought. You swallowed your pride, lifting your hand to cover his, gently tracing his knuckles in a silent, coaxing gesture. A peace offering.
âIf I agree,â you said, your voice steadier now, âto work with herâŠwhat do I gain from this?â
âOh?â he murmured. âNow weâre talking.â
His hold didnât disappear, but it shifted again. Less threatening. MoreâŠinterested.
âYou have the bargaining power. What do you want?â he continued. âAn increase in salary? New weapons? Holidays? A new vehicleââ
âYou.â
Silence.
Real silence this time.
Even his hand stilled
â...Me?â
You didnât look away.
âYeah. You.â
There was a flicker of something in your chest. Doubt. Pride. Something close to humiliation.
You ignored it.
âI want you.â
He let out a quiet laugh. Disbelief laced through it.
âBold,â he said. âEven after saying I have a lover?â
His grip shifted again. Looser now, but still present.
âAre you asking to sleep with me, pretty dove? Because I can certainly indulge that desire.â
You shook your head.
âNo,â you said, shaking your head against his chest. âNot just a physical arrangement. I want you. In your entirety."
Your gaze didnât leave his.
âI donât know what you have with her. And at this pointâŠI donât care.â
A lie.
A partial one, at least.
âBut if you can hold me like thisâŠtouch me like thisâŠâ you continued, your voice tightening slightly, âthen I think I have the right to assume you feel something.â
Sylus narrowed his eyes, studying your face, searching for any sign of hesitation. Finding none, a slow, predatory smirk began to spread across his lips.
âIs this a way for you to nurse your broken heart?â
âSure,â you said, a faint edge slipping in. âLetâs call it that.â
You swallowed.
âIf I agree to thisâŠto working with herâŠâ
Another breath.
âYou belong to me.â
You knew you were playing with fire. You were standing in the den of the N109 Zone's most dangerous predator, demanding his submission. He could kill you right here and discard your body in an alley. But you wanted to see him squirm. If he was going to force you to watch him with MC, you were going to make him pay a price.
âYouâre not asking me to belong to you,â he said quietly.
âYouâre asking me to become something you can eventually call love.â
Your breath caught slightly.
He noticed. Of course he did.
A faint pause.
ââŠInteresting.â
Not mocking.
Like he had just agreed to study something unpredictable.
A slow exhale left him.
Then he spoke again.
âAlright.â
Simple. Clean.
âI accept.â
You blinked.
ââŠJust like that?â
âYes.â
No hesitation.
But thenâ
his gaze sharpened slightly.
âYou should understand something,â he added.
Your posture stiffened subtly.
âThis doesnât make me yours.â
A pause.
âIt makes you involved.â
Silence.
Then, softerâbut far more precise:
âAnd I donât interfere with things I intend to observe.â
That landed differently.
Because it wasnât rejection.
It was permission to continue wanting him.
He leaned back slightly.
Expression composed again.
âBut Iâm curious,â he said.
Your eyes narrowed slightly.
âAbout what?â
His gaze met yours.
Unblinking.
âHow far youâll go,â he said calmly, âbefore you realize love doesnât move the way you think it does.â
A faint pause.
Then, almost casually...
âAnd whether youâll still want me when you understand that.â
âThat's up for me to decide.â you said, staring right into his crimson eyes.
âGood,â he whispered, his smirk widening. âThen we have a deal.â
Back in the present...
MCâs voice carried from the front again.
ââŠand then I thought I was done for, butââ
âYou hesitated.â
Sylusâ voice cut inâsmooth, but final.
âIâyeah. Just for a second.â
âYou canât afford that.â
ââŠRight.â
A pause.
âYou did well regardless.â
That line lingered longer than it should have.
You felt it.
Even without looking.
âAnd you?â Sylus added after a beat.
Your fingers stilled slightly in your lap.
âHow was the mission from your end?â
You didnât look up.
âIt was fine.â
A pause.
Too brief to be natural. Too deliberate to ignore.
âJust fine?â he asked.
You exhaled quietly.
âYes.â
Before the silence could settleâ
âShe was actually really good,â MC cut in, glancing back slightly. âHandled most of it before I could even react.â
Your jaw tightened just a fraction.
Unnoticed. Or ignored.
A brief pause followed.
Thenâ
âIâd expect nothing less.â
Sylusâ response came easily.
Calm. Neutral. But not directed at her. Not entirely.
Silence settled again.
But it wasnât the same silence as before.
Because nowâ
he had acknowledged you. And then let it go.
Like it meant nothing.
Like it meant everything.
His gaze found you in the mirror again. Like it always did.
It's still in progress. It's either gonna be filled with angst or maybe angst with a happy ending. Not yet decided. (lol just kidding..no happy ending ig).
I should probably stop projecting my trauma on him đȘ. Can't stop tho. Sorry Sycrow.
I noticed a lot of people liked the manga-style Sylus. I decided to make another one. And based on the card from the game. Sleepy Dragon for your feed. =3
