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You hadn’t been dating Sylus for all that long. After however-many times he’d made his feelings known, you’d finally realized he meant it.
So now much of your routine was the same, with the added knowledge that he could - and would - show up whenever and wherever if he thought he’d be able to get even a few minutes of your time.
Which he did frequently.
The first few times you’d gone out as a couple, it had been in Linkon. You’d gone to the mall, gone to the claw machine, a few restaurants, anything he could think of squishing into your busy days and his equally busy nights.
And of course, when you were able to, you went to him.
The N109 zone had almost become a second home faster than you even realized it. Sylus was ever the gentleman, and you’d quickly found yourself leaving things in his home, until eventually you realized you had enough at his that visiting for a few days didn’t even require packing a bag.
Sylus, of course, loved this.
He loved seeing you walk around his home completely at ease, perfectly content to remain here with him until work called you back.
He felt no reason to hide how happy this made him.
Which is exactly how this conversation had started.
“Don’t you have a big bad boss reputation to uphold?”
Sylus smirks down at you, amused even as your confused frown grew.
Sylus was clingy. Amazingly so. And he was happy to show it by showering you with anything he could - his time, his money, his anything. He willingly deferred everything to you.
He knew you could handle yourself, he wasn’t worried. So he made no effort to hide how he worshiped you. No matter who was watching.
Your frown shifted into a halfhearted glare, “Sylus.”
“Kitten.”
You huff and roll your eyes, disengaging yourself from his hold and walking away. Leaving him to trail after you, quite happy to follow behind.
The base was quiet for the moment, the twins out taking care of some business or another, Mephiso resting somewhere out of earshot. You walked towards the kitchen, not really hungry but needing to do something with your hands. Or else you’d probably throw something at him.
“We talked about this.”
“We did. However, I never said I agreed.”
You give him a sharp look, “I seem to recall you saying something about a target on my back.”
He crowds you into the counter, your back to his chest as you prepare a meal, his arms wrapping around your waist as he leans down to rest his chin on your shoulder.
“Which is possible. But I also know that anyone who tries anything will have to deal with you first. And you can be very scary, sweetie.”
“Don’t sweetie me. And what about you? Onychinous and your livelihood rely on your reputation.”
He shrugs. Your eyes narrow.
“Sylus.”
He sighs, finally pulling away from your back and leaning against the counter next to you. You look up at him and see his eyes soften when he meets your gaze. His hand comes up and cups the side of your head, thumb rubbing softly on your cheek.
“Sweetie, I promise. I am in no more danger than I was before. Onychinous doesn’t rely on my reputation, it relies on me. They can come for me as much as they want, it won’t change anything.”
You huff, “That doesn’t make me feel better.”
His brow creases and his hand drops, “You know the kind of man I am. I am not one to run from a threat, you know that. If it comes to it, it will be dealt with. But I will not stop showing you what you deserve.”
You stare at him a moment longer, his gaze just as unrelenting as your own.
But in the end you know he’s right. He wouldn’t let threats like that bother him, and certainly not threats that weren’t even made yet. And you really didn’t want him to stop, either.
Your finger raises as you point at him, “If something happens, I’m blaming you.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Stop that.”
His grin just widens, “Not even in private now? How will I survive?”
You roll your eyes, “As if you’d listen in the first place.”
He laughs, “Now you’re getting it.”
You shake your head, trying and failing to hide the pout on your face. You choose instead to focus your attention on the vegetables in front of you, chopping with a bit more force than truly necessary.
Sylus watches you for a moment, then plucks the knife from your hand.
“Hey-”
He shakes the knife dangling in his fingers, “Violence against innocent vegetables is a crime of the highest order, kitten.”
You give him a half hearted glare, jumping to your tip-toes to try and take the knife back.
He raises his hand higher and clearly out of your reach. His lips twitch as he looks down at your annoyed pout, then wrapping his other arm around you again, pulling you to his chest.
You go easily, your arms wrapping around his neck even as you continue to give him a stern look.
“Still worried?”
You hesitate, then sigh, “...yes.”
He sets the knife down, fully enveloping you in his arms. Your head falls to his chest as you relax. His hand rubs little circles on your back, further encouraging you to relax.
“For the record,” he murmurs in your ear, “Anyone who thinks to underestimate you will learn quickly. You’re no threat to my reputation…unless you plan on overtaking it.”
You snort, “You are unbelievable.”
“The option is always on the table.”
You roll your eyes, smile finally coming back. When you look back up at him, his own smile matches yours. A soft look in his eyes that has you completely forgetting you’d been worried - and trying to make food.
—
Your next day-off was only a few days later, and Sylus had sent you a text to be ready for him to pick you up late that afternoon. He didn’t specify what you were doing, but the attire he’d somehow gotten to your front door had you assuming a nice dinner or another auction.
Turns out it was both. After a lovely dinner - where you refuse to look at the prices for your own sanity - and to finish the evening off Sylus surprises you with an auction.
You questioned his choice of surprise until he mentioned a high-end protocore he thought you’d like, and what better way to get it to you than having you by his side in the first place?
The auction was located deep within the Charon Market, an unassuming building with the only thing giving away its use being the armed security standing outside the doors.
They give you both a nod in greeting as Sylus guides you into the lobby, one hand on your back. He moves you through the crowd with ease, people quickly shifting to the sides to avoid being the one to block his path.
For a majority of the auction, this is how it goes. He walks the two of you from item to item, eventually sitting down in the auction hall, never once stepping more than a few feet from you. It makes you find the comm he had you put in your ear a bit useless.
The entire time, you felt the eyes of what felt like hundreds follow you. The sensation never felt threatening per say, but like usual when standing next to Sylus, people noticed him.
And thus, you as well.
You needed a break. And preferably a drink.
Sylus frowns up at you as you stand, “Do you need something?”
You shake your head as he goes to stand with you, “Just going to grab a drink. I’ll be right back.”
He hesitates, like he wants to follow, but you know that the next few protocores were ones he’d been interested in. Besides, like he said, you could handle yourself.
So in the end he squeezes your hand, giving it a quick kiss, “Keep your eyes open.”
You squeeze back, giving him a smile before turning back to the lobby. If you remember right the bar had been on the far side, near the door.
The room is now mostly empty, most of the clients seated in the auction room now, so you could clearly see the few people left watching you as you walked.
You hoped you looked more confident than you felt.
The bartender looks down at you, recognition hitting immediately as you order a glass of red wine. He doesn’t ask for any payment so you assume Sylus has a tab open. Or that this was hosted by Onychinous, so billing you - and thus the boss - would be a bit backwards.
Either way, you turned back to head the way you came.
And slammed directly into a taller man, who you didn’t recognize. His back was to you, but he’d stepped back from the person he’d been discussing with, stepping practically onto you as you tried to step away from the bar.
The red wine, not even a sip tasted, immediately covered the entirety of the front of the dress.
Not a huge deal. Sylus could easily have it cleaned, or just buy a new one, but damn it, you’d been tense for awhile now and that wine had looked really good.
You let out an aggravated sigh, and the man finally turns to look at you. He opens his mouth, and judging from his expression it wouldn’t have been an apology.
Your expression immediately drops further, and then the man behind him suddenly pulls him away, whispering quickly into his ear.
You watch the color drain from his face, his gaze drop to the brooch pinned to your dress, then back to your face. In a split second he seemed to go through multiple emotions, finally landing on something between panic and horror.
The other man is steadily pulling him away from you, not nearly as panicked, but still clearly not trusting the non-violence to last.
A quick glance at the auction room’s door confirms that Sylus hadn’t suddenly appeared.
These men were terrified. Of you.
Surprise hit you first, then a sense of satisfaction you 100% blamed Sylus for.
You slip into this character almost too easily, a pout forming that did nothing to hide the annoyance still in your eyes. A drenched dress was very uncomfortable.
“You ruined my dress.”
The men start talking over themselves, to the point you aren’t even quite sure what they are saying. You are pretty sure one offers to buy you a whole bottle - which merely gets an eyebrow raised from you in response (why take a bottle they can afford when you could ask Sylus for any bottle). There are multiple apologies, and then at one point they start talking about paying for your dress - or cleaning fees, whichever works.
You let them continue to ramble, turning back to the bar, setting the empty glass on the counter. The bartender immediately hands you a fresh glass and repours the wine. You turn back to them, expression calm.
Which, in hindsight, might have frightened them more. You know that calm Sylus, when you think he’s angry, is a terrifying sight to behold.
Attractive, but most don’t see it that way.
A smile lifts the sides of your lips, the comm now feeling like a welcome addition. Your hand moves to your ear, “Sylus, do you mind coming out for a moment? I’d rather not walk back in with a ruined dress.”
The men stiffen further, but your gaze watches the door and within seconds Sylus is pushing the door open and walking quickly into the lobby. His concern quickly shifts to curiosity when he sees the men frozen in front of you, and the wine staining your dress.
“What happened here, kitten?”
You give a halfhearted glare at the petname, rolling your eyes as he approaches. You open your mouth to explain, but the one who bumped into you is already bowing his head to Sylus, apologizing profusely.
Sylus ignores him, instead walking directly to you, checking to make sure you were okay. You give him a smile to let him know you were completely fine.
Sylus’ gaze drops into a professional expression as he turns back to the men. They both remain still, gazes on the ground. For a moment you wonder if they truly think Sylus would kill them for splashing wine on you.
You honestly weren’t quite sure either, and for that reason you placed a hand on his shoulder, effectively holding him back without much effort at all.
He sighs, looking down at you, then back to the men, “Leave. Now.”
The men stumble back, but not before thanking you profusely.
Not Sylus. You.
By the time they are gone, you’ve turned to Sylus who looks far too satisfied for a man who’d apparently been ready to spill blood over some spilled wine.
“Why do you look so smug?”
His grin widens, “I don’t believe you need to worry about my reputation, sweetie.”
Your brows crease, about to ask for clarification, when you figured out the logic he’d followed.
The men had panicked the second they’d realized who you were, they’d become even more afraid when you’d called Sylus, then they’d thanked you when Sylus had let them go.
“Oh my god.”
Sylus raises an eyebrow, his arm wrapping around you as his
evol glides across the front of your dress, cleaning the fabric, “Yes?”
“They think you’re like my attack dog or something.”
An amused chuckle comes from above you, “Do they?”
“Like if I told you to do something,” You look up at him, surprise and disbelief blending together, “you’d just…do it.”
He hums a soft sound, sounding a bit too close to agreement, but other than that he says nothing.
“Sylus,” a slight warning in your tone.
He just smiles, “Perhaps they were smarter than I initially gave them credit for.”
Your gaze snaps back to his, “Sylus.”
He pulls you close as he opens the door, leaning down into your ear, “Now imagine how they’d react when they see how you fight.”
Your mouth drops open, ready to argue back, but he’s already pulling you into the hall once again.
But you couldn’t exactly deny it.
You mutter a soft, “Unbelievable,” under your breath. The only indication he heard you is the answering chuckle you feel subtly shaking his chest.