Taylor looked at me, her expression calm, waiting for me to say something. I glanced at Alexia and Shenna, silently pleading with my eyes. Thankfully, they caught the message.
Alexia stood up first. "We'll give you two some space," she said casually.
Shenna followed, still giving me that look, but she didn't say anything. They both walked out of the room, leaving just me and Taylor.
I took a hesitant step forward. "Can I sit with you?"
She nodded gently. "Yes, you can."
I sat down beside her—but not too close. A respectful distance. For a few moments, neither of us said anything. The silence wasn't heavy, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either.
Then I finally spoke. "About last night… I'm sorry I didn't come. I—uh—I overslept. I only woke up this morning."
Taylor turned to me, her expression softening. "It's okay. I understand. You're tired. You're the leader of the Federation—you carry a heavy burden." She paused, then added warmly, "There's no need to apologize to me."
She looked into my eyes, sincere. "If you're still tired, you can rest. We can have our date whenever you're ready."
I looked at her, grateful for her kindness, and shook my head gently. "Let's do it this afternoon. How about that?"
She thought for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "That's fine with me."
I stood up, the weight in my chest feeling a little lighter. "Alright… see you in the afternoon."
As I reached the door, I glanced back at her one more time. "Thank you," I said softly.
Then I stepped out.
Just outside, Shenna and Alexia were waiting, their arms crossed as they stared at me.
I met their gaze and nodded.
Surprisingly, they nodded back.
Maybe they didn't hate me after all.
When the afternoon came, I made sure not to sleep. No way was I going to mess this up again.
The first thing I did was check my appearance. I stood in front of the mirror, giving myself a once-over. I wasn't going for anything fancy—this wasn't a formal event—it was a date, something simple and real. Still, I had to look like I gave a damn.
I chose a clean black shirt, the kind with sleeves that hugged my arms just right—not too tight, but enough to show I hadn't been skipping training. The material was soft and breathable, perfect for the warm afternoon breeze. Over that, I threw on a light gray jacket with a slight military cut—casual, but sharp enough to remind people who I was.
For pants, I wore dark jeans, well-fitted, and slightly faded at the knees—broken in just enough to be comfortable but not ragged. I even took a moment to fix my hair, brushing it neatly to the side, fighting off the wild curls that loved to rebel at the worst times.
I checked the mirror one more time. Not bad.
I took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and stepped out of my room.
He goes to Taylor to fetch her then descrub Taylors outfit then they will strool around the federation talking with each other, max already prepared a venue where they will eat together his personal chief prepared their food
I made my way toward Taylor's roam, each step lighter than usual, though my heartbeat was a steady rhythm in my ears. I wasn't nervous this time—not exactly—but there was a kind of electricity buzzing under my skin. Anticipation, maybe. Or just the feeling that something important was finally going right.
I reached her door and knocked twice.
A moment passed before the door opened—and when it did, I nearly forgot how to breathe.
Taylor stood there, smiling softly.
She wore a sky-blue blouse that hugged her frame gracefully, its sleeves light and flowing, catching the breeze as she moved. Her skirt was a soft beige that reached just past her knees, simple but elegant, swaying gently with each step. Her hair was tied back in a loose braid, a few strands falling freely around her face, framing her features in a way that made her eyes look brighter than usual.
No armor. No weapons. Just Taylor—natural, warm, and beautiful.
"Hey," she said, a little shyly.
"Hey," I echoed, then cleared my throat, remembering to speak like a functioning human. "You look… great. Really."
She chuckled. "So do you. And look at you—awake and on time."
"I'm a changed man," I said with a smirk, offering her my hand.
She took it without hesitation.
We left the building and began strolling side by side through the Federation's main complex. The place looked different today. Quieter. More peaceful. The afternoon sun bathed everything in gold, and even the wind felt like it was in a good mood.
As we walked, people we passed gave us knowing glances—some nodded, others smiled. A few soldiers saluted out of habit before realizing this wasn't official business.
"Is it just me," Taylor asked playfully, "or is everyone staring at us?"
"They're not used to seeing their glorious leader walking hand-in-hand with someone who isn't barking orders," I replied.
"Hmm," she teased. "Maybe you should do this more often. You're less grumpy without a clipboard."
I laughed, genuinely. "Don't tempt me. I might ditch the paperwork entirely."
We passed by the training field, where a few recruits were sparring under light supervision. One of them waved and whispered something to a friend, who immediately looked our way.
Taylor grinned. "You're officially gossip now."
"Oh no. My worst nightmare," I said dryly. "Next thing you know, they'll be writing fanfiction."
As we neared the west wing of the compound, I turned toward a smaller path leading away from the usual traffic. "Come on. We're going somewhere special."
Taylor raised an eyebrow. "A secret Federation lab?"
"Better," I replied. "No experiments. Just food."
A few minutes later, we reached a small rooftop terrace, converted for just one purpose tonight: our dinner.
Fairy lights strung across the rails glowed faintly, even in the late afternoon sun. A table sat in the center, covered with a white cloth, set with polished silverware and simple flowers in a vase. The scent of grilled meat, herbs, and fresh bread wafted through the air.
Max was standing nearby, adjusting something on the table. He looked up when we arrived and gave a satisfied nod. "Right on time. Everything's ready, boss."
"Thanks, Max," I said, and he gave Taylor a respectful nod before heading off with a smirk I pretended not to see.
As we approached the table, my personal chef—Chef Laseya—stepped forward, wearing a crisp apron and a proud smile.
"Tonight's menu," he announced with theatrical flair, "starts with fresh garden salad with citrus vinaigrette, followed by grilled rosemary chicken, mashed herb potatoes, and roasted vegetables. And for dessert… chocolate lava cake, just as requested."
Taylor turned to me, surprised. "How did you know?"
I shrugged, trying not to look too smug. "That's a secret."
Chef Laseya bowed dramatically and stepped back, leaving us to our evening.
I pulled out her chair for her, then took my seat across the table. The sun was beginning to dip lower now, casting long golden shadows over the terrace. It was quiet, but not the empty kind—just peaceful.
Taylor looked around, then back at me. "This is really beautiful. You didn't have to go this far."
"I wanted to," I said simply.
And I meant it.
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