Damien sat alone in his office, the city skyline stretching endlessly outside his windows. The hum of the air conditioner and the soft tapping of his fingers on the desk were the only sounds. Yet, in the quiet, his thoughts betrayed him.
Elias, he thought, for the hundredth time that day. The way he worked, calm under pressure, the way he held himself even when Damien criticized him, it kept invading his mind. It was infuriating. "Why can't I stop thinking about him?"
He pushed himself back from the desk, pacing. The memory of Elias brushing past him in the hallway, his hesitant glance when handed a task, even the faint way he held his cup of coffee, how beautiful he looked while sitting in his car all of it lingered. Damien shook his head, scowling. Damn. I need to focus. He's just an employee. Nothing more.
But nothing else came to mind. The office meetings, the deals, the endless calls all faded when he remembered the subtle strength Elias exuded. It frustrated him, and worse, it confused him. He hated feeling this way; he hated that Elias made him feel vulnerable, even slightly.
Meanwhile, across the office, Elias was trying to concentrate on his own work. But every time he heard the soft click of Vivian's heels approaching or the sound of her laugh echoing in the halls, irritation surged through him.
"Why does she have to be here?" he muttered under his breath, frowning at his screen. Her visits weren't work-related; she was always hovering around Damien's office, and every time she appeared, it felt like a deliberate intrusion.
Elias tightened his grip on his pen. I don't get this. Like what's a crime for a fiancée to visit her man, I seriously don't get why it's bothering me so much."I don't understand what's happening to me." he muttered under his breath.
He could feel the tension in his chest growing, the strange flutter of frustration and something else he didn't want to acknowledge. Every time Vivian leaned close to Damien, she would laugh at something he said, Elias's hands itched to leave his desk and storm out.
But he stayed. He forced himself to keep working, fingers tapping furiously across the keyboard, trying to push the thoughts down.
The day stretched long, filled with quiet, unspoken tension. Damien's mind was constantly on Elias; even when he was with Vivian he couldn't help but steal glances at him.
Elias's mind was also consumed with irritation and frustration. He couldn't even believe he was angry at an innocent couple spending time together. Neither could shake the growing storm quietly brewing between them ,a storm neither wanted to admit.
******
The office was quieter than usual, sunlight spilling across the desks. Elias had been buried in spreadsheets when a familiar voice broke his concentration.
"Mind if I join you?"
He looked up to see Adrian-tall, charming, and annoyingly cute holding two cups of coffee. Elias hesitated, then gestured toward the empty chair.
"Sure," he said cautiously.
Adrian set a cup beside Elias's keyboard, leaning casually on the edge of the desk. "You've been grinding all afternoon. Thought you could use a little pick-me-up."
Elias offered a faint smile. "Thank you."
Adrian's grin widened, eyes twinkling. "You handle this office pressure better than anyone else I know. Calm, collected and it's really impressive."
Elias shifted, uncomfortable under the attention. "I'm just doing my work."
"Yeah," Adrian teased, leaning a little closer. "But you do it well. Makes the rest of us notice."
Elias felt heat rise to his cheeks and focused on his screen, trying to ignore the flutter in his chest.
They both continued chatting and smiling so casually.
Unbeknownst to him, Damien had returned from a meeting and had paused mid-step when he saw Adrian leaning closer, laughing at something Elias said. Every casual touch, every easy laugh, triggered a sharp pang of jealousy.
Who does he think he is? Damien thought, chest tightening. "They're actually having fun instead of working". Did I employ them to be a nuisance. "This is definitely unacceptable".
Elias glanced up and froze. Damien's eyes were locked on him-cold, intense, unrelentingly possessive.
"Seems you both have a lot of free time on your hands?," Damien asked with a rather cold sharp tone.
"We're sorry sir, we just took a little break". Adrain replied
Damien just rolled his eyes and then he walked away
"I'm sorry about that, you almost got scolded because of me." Adrain apologized to Elias
"It's okay, it's not your fault our boss is all work and no play. Elias replied sarcastically and they both bursted out laughing.
"Do you mind if we exchange contacts?" Adrain asked
"Not at all." Elias replied and dialed his number on his phone.
"Thank you," I'll leave you up to your work. Adrian replied and left smiling. Elias breath a sign of relief and went back to his work.
Damien was at his office and he saw everything, and for some reason he felt jealous, and angry.
Days went into weeks and the attraction between them was getting hard to control.
Damien always vents himself out by multiplying Elias work load, and still calls his work out in meetings. He figured doing that might help him get rid of his feelings, but it never really did work.
Meanwhile!. Elias and Adrian got closer too along the line. They hung out a few times by going to bars, coffee shop to talk and ease their stress away from work. Adrian was also a big help to Elias cause he was always helping him out his workload.
It was evident to Elias that Adrian was attracted to him, but he pushed it aside, and would also brush off conversations that would relate to Adrian confessing his feelings to him.
One night, Damien leaned against the edge of the bar, a glass of whiskey half-forgotten in his hand, eyes locked on the scene before him. Elias... laughing. Elias... dancing. And Adrian, that ever-charming colleague, twirling him effortlessly. Their joy was infectious, the kind of careless happiness that made Damien's chest tighten in ways he didn't understand.
Why did this hurt so much? Why did the sight of Elias laughing with someone else make his jaw clench, his stomach twist? He felt a strange, suffocating heat inside him, a mix of jealousy, frustration, and something he couldn't name. Everything Elias did seemed to pierce right through him, and he hated himself for feeling this way.
Damien slammed his glass down, the sound echoing across the bar. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath, anger flaring at himself. He could feel his control slipping, his mind racing with unbidden images of Elias in Adrian's arms.
He couldn't let this happen. Not here, not now.
With a storming gait, Damien turned on his heel, stomping out of the bar into the cool night, forcing himself to leave before he made a scene, before he ran to confront them. The jealousy clawed at him, but he swallowed it down, gritting his teeth.
••••••
The office was deserted, the hum of the air conditioning the only sound. Elias was gathering his things when Damien appeared behind him, steps slow, deliberate, and commanding.
"Why do you let him get so close to you?" Damien's voice was low, sharp, and filled with a barely restrained edge.
Elias froze, gripping his bag. "Excuse me?" His tone was careful, but the sarcasm peeked through.
"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about?, Damien asked sharply. "I really don't know what you mean, Sir." Elias replied sounding confused.
"I'm talking about the guy who always hovers around you here," what's your relationship with him". Damien asked
" Oh!, you mean Adrian? He's... my friend. Elias replied with a soft smile
"And you think it's okay for your friend to hover and lean close to you whenever and however, even on your working hours?" Damien asked with irritation.
"He's doing his job, Sir." He often helps me out, and we being close at work, doesn't stop us from working or performing our duties perfectly. And also I didn't realize I needed your permission, on who and how I should relate with my friend." Elias said sarcastically.
Damien's eyes narrowed, sharp and intense. "It's not about permission. I'm asking why you let him lean over your desk, brush against your arm, laugh like that..." His voice trailed, heavy with unspoken tension.
Elias swallowed, feeling a pang of guilt mixed with irritation. "And why do you care so much?" he shot back, sarcasm laced with hurt. "You have Vivian around, You're always... hovering. Isn't that enough?"
The words struck Damien like fire. His chest tightened, and for a moment, he simply stared at Elias, fury and something deeper brewing in his gaze. "You don't understand," he said finally, voice low and controlled. "You have no idea what it does to me... seeing him there, laughing at you. You think I like watching that?"
Elias's lips pressed into a thin line, eyes blazing. "Maybe I don't care what you like. I really don't owe you anything."
Damien's breath hitched, frustration and desire mixing dangerously. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them, the air thick with tension. "You think you get to flirt around in my office, and I'll just let you?"
Elias looked away, throat tight, trying to keep his sarcasm sharp. "I really don't know why you're bothered about it, it's none of your concern."
Damien's hands curled into fists at his sides, then, without thinking, he grabbed Elias by the shoulders, spinning him slightly so their eyes met. The intensity of Damien's stare left Elias momentarily breathless.
"I can't..." Damien muttered, voice rough, full of emotion he didn't want to admit and before Elias could react, Damien's lips were on his.
The kiss was abrupt, forceful, desperate. Elias froze, stunned by the rush of heat and desire, but Damien's grip was unrelenting. For a long, electric moment, time seemed to stop. Damien's hands moved to the sides of Elias's face, tilting it, deepening the kiss, almost like trying to claim something that wasn't yet his.
Elias tried to pull back, confused, angry, and frustrated, but Damien held him in place, lips and hands demanding attention. Their breaths mingled, hearts pounding against each other. The kiss lasted, electric and consuming, until Elias finally broke away, gasping for air, eyes wide.
Damien stepped back, chest heaving, jaw tight. "I'm I'm sorry, he muttered and Elias ran off trembling confused and aching in ways he hadn't expected.