*weird steamy moments*

As time passed, the deadlines were piling up. There were many things that didn't go according to plan, but such things were only to be expected. Although it was much easier when it came to technology, since one could always perform certain steps to fix some errors. When it came to people on the other hand, not so much.

As Talon knocked on her office's door one Friday, late in the evening, he frowned when no answer came from inside.

He was certain that Lux was still at work, pulling another overtime, and besides, she'd let him know when she'd clock out. So receiving no response from the other side was indeed out of character.

He knocked again, a bit louder this time.

Still no response.

A feeling consisting of annoyance mixed with worry nestled in his chest and Talon decided to open the door to her office.

Almost instantly, his heart was that close to stopping.

He had seen Lux lying on her desk, buried in documents, her laptop and tablet still on. For a split moment, the worst had crossed his mind, but as he was by her side within seconds, frantically shaking her, the blonde woke up alarmed, looking exhausted.

Talon then stared at her dumbfounded until she properly awoke.

"Oh, it's this late already? Seems like I dozed off…" She spoke absentmindedly while trying to fix her messy hair.

Her neck was also sore from having slept in such a position for who knows how long.

Talon heaved a sigh as he sat on one of the leather chairs from her desk, facing her. "Don't ever give me such a scare, woman." He then warned, while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Lux was uncertain for a moment what he had meant by that but she quickly grasped the situation from his point of view. To him, it might have seemed as though the worst had happened to her, and understandably so.

"I'm sorry, I don't even remember dozing off. I'm just a little bit overwhelmed now." She said while rubbing her temples and leaning back against her chair.

They were supposed to have dinner that evening and spend some time together.

Ever since setting their paths right, they didn't have much time for romance, given the huge amount of work, as well as exhaustion that came with it; they would have dinner or watch movies on weekends. Or, more realistically speaking, they would just sleep.

"Hmmm, what's happened?" He asked as he got up and walked around the desk, next to her.

He leaned towards her, indirectly indicating her to show her the documents which gave her such a headache.

Sighing, Lux opened some files on her laptop and pulled up the cause of her headache and sleepless nights.

"These are the applicants for testers." She said as she scrolled to the files of each person.

Talon scanned the information with his eyes. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

"And among them, there are a few special cases." At her emphasis, Talon began reading the files Lux stopped over.

In total, there were 4 people who caused her headaches. Among them was someone called Jinx from Zaun, someone called Karma from Ionia, another person called Syndra who was also from Ionia, as well as a quite weird individual going by the name Viego, from Camavor, although neither of them heard about that place.

"What's the issue with these people?" Talon asked while reading through their personal files.

Lux groaned internally. "Well, Jinx's application was submitted by her sister so she wants out of this process. She's also an introverted girl who plays video games all day long. Then, there's a political warfare going on between Karma and Syndra as they represent different factions in Ionia and they both want to put their hands on a collaboration with us. Then there's that Viego guy who's apparently a lunatic. His girlfriend broke up with him because of his obsessed infatuation with her and completely disappeared without a trace and now the young master has become delusional. His secretary, Vex, signed him up for this as means of maybe helping him."

That information was indeed a lot to take in. Talon somewhat knew why Lux had such a difficult time deciding on the applicants. They all seemed to have their circumstances and reasons to sign up.

"Just accept them all. The more bananas they are, the better our chances to see their unbiased opinion about our application." He then said casually, with a shrug.

Lux felt he mouth fall to the ground.

After hours of agonising over who to keep and who not to, he just threw that answer her way. Just like that!

But maybe he did have a point. They needed all sorts of people's opinions, since the application was dealing with troubled people after all. And their circumstances should not matter in the end, as long as they could get the help they needed via using the app.

"Okay, you know what?" She steadied her back and faced her laptop.

Going to her inbox and scrolling through some email chains, she found the one she was supposed to reply to after making a decision regarding the applicants and she quickly wrote a response, only to finally send it away.

"Done." She then turned around, looking smugly at Talon.

He had confusion written all over his face.

"Thank you for your insight. It definitely made things easier." She then added, a bit taken aback by his lack of reaction.

Talon snapped back to reality as a naughty thought suddenly hit him.

Grinning from ear to ear, he loomed over her, his face dangerously close to hers. He could see how she instantly became flustered, her cheeks rosy once again, eyes darting around the room.

"I wonder what caused that guy to become so obsessed with his ex-girlfriend," he then teased, as he snaked his arms around the thin of her waist and placed her on top of her own desk.

Lux gasped in shock, especially since he wasn't done yet.

No, he had to go and tower her, lean over her, with each palm next to her thighs, effectively caging her in his vicinity.

"W-why are you acting like this all of a sudden?" She stuttered, trying to cover her blushing face.

That sense of danger engulfing her whole body, mixed with her beating heart and his perfume were a lethal combination. She felt like she could soon lose herself completely.

"Why, I realised I kind of like the idea of obsessing over my boss in her own office." He grabbed her chin and lifted it to make her look him in the eye. "Especially when she has this expression on her face."

She pouted through her heavy blush.

He kissed her hard.

Her cry was muffled against his mouth as he pulled her closer and Lux instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning more into his touch.

That was the first time they shared a kiss, ever since starting over.

Not that there wouldn't have been other opportunities for it – no, there have been, and plenty at that – but for whatever reason, neither stepped over that invisible boundary. They were also way too exhausted so they opted for cuddles and hugs, followed immediately by falling asleep in each other's arms.

And yet, a fire was ignited in her the moment one of his hands pressed against her waist to pull her closer, while also nestling between her parted legs.

And his kiss deepened as she gasped against his mouth when his hand grabbed the soft skin of her thigh, through her jeans.

She clawed at his hair, pulling at it, messing it up, wanting to taste more of him.

He groaned and she cried out against him as a response.

Talon almost made her lie on her back, against the hard surface of her own desk, despite having a hand cupping the small of her back.

His kiss was burning of hunger and desire and he felt like he could devour her.

Her nails dug into his scalp and it only ignited the burning flames further, his kiss growing hungrier, sloppier, and her response was the same.

There was a sense of impatience between them, a feeling of running out of time and thus needing to savour as much as possible.

Her legs lifted and locked around him as he was leaning over her, her back arching as she clung desperately onto him and into his kiss.

But then he broke the kiss, in need of air and he looked down at the panting mess he'd made under him. Her eyes were glistening with a dangerous shade of blue, her hair was a delicious mess, cheeks rosy and mouth panting heavily.

He could have eaten her up whole.

But that was not the time, nor the place for it.

Straightening himself, much to both of their bodies' objections, he also set Lux to her feet and she cleared her throat awkwardly while fixing her hair and clothes.

Talon could see how disappointed she was that it had ended so abruptly, that it didn't lead to more, but he had other plans in that aspect.

So, without a word, he cupped her jaw again and left a chaste kiss on her forehead. "I want it to be special." He then added, only to chuckle at her pout.

"Meanie," she then whispered, after which she turned her back at him and leaned over to turn off her working space.

Talon, being the cheeky bastard with newfound confidence, hugged her from behind, making her gasp and straighten instantly.

He had his strong arms wrapped around her waist, so it was impossible for her to break free.

"W-what are you doing now?!" She protested, much to no avail.

He then leaned towards her, nibbled and kissed her ear, only to whisper afterwards. "I want you to remember your first time with me, for as long as you live." He said with a dangerous tone, to which Lux could only shiver wordlessly.

He definitely had a way to get under her skin. And she definitely didn't mind.

"So I'll make sure to get hold of all of you, while taking my time." He kissed her earlobe again. "As I should." He bit her gently. "As you deserve."

Was she going to survive that sort of teasing? Her legs had long given out. It was a good thing he held her so tightly.

"Say, how come you're so tender and loving?" She asked nonchalantly, one rainy evening during dinner.

He had stopped midway chewing, and took a moment to look at her quizzically. Her question had come out of nowhere, as the two were currently enjoying dinner over at Lux's place.

Swallowing his food, he looked at her as though she grew a second head. "What do you mean by that? No, what is wrong with being like that?" He then asked, confusion written all over his face.

Lux took a moment to consider her answer.

Talon had so far kissed her passionately back in her office, and that sudden burst of courage seemed to give him wings. He'd kiss her tenderly, or he'd kiss her as though she were the air he breathed. He'd kiss her in passing, or he'd let his lips linger on hers for a second too long, only to kiss her forehead right after. Considering Talon and his geeky antics, it was so out of character for him to express so much affection, not to mention so much physical contact.

Depending on the circumstances or place they were at, he'd never miss an opportunity to shower her with kisses.

"Nothing is wrong with that, don't get me wrong. It's just so… unexpected." Lux then pondered out loud.

Talon shrugged and resumed eating. "There are sides to people you wouldn't always get a chance to see." Lux took a sip of wine as she nodded. "I want to be my best self around you, and give you all I'm capable as a man."

A cheeky grin formed on her lips, behind the glass. "Oh, you certainly are a capable man." She then teased, her voice undertaking a dangerous tone.

He looked at her with a raised brow. She shrugged innocently.

Talon then rolled his eyes as he chuckled with amusement. He loved when she was cheeky, especially when she took him off guard.

Baby blue eyes lingered on his physique for a bit longer, and she had to admit that, with his hair cut shorter, shaved and fringe not covering his eyes, he no longer looked like the nerd everyone took him for. Surely enough, he still had that specific Talon fashion sense with geeky sweaters and T-shirts, but somehow it only added to his charm.

They would spend their afternoons and evenings at each other's place on a regular basis. And since Lux finally finished with moving in and also managed to somehow give a dynamic to her place with all sorts of furniture, it did give off a cozy feeling.

She loved having Talon around.

They would cuddle, kiss, hug, watch series together, go late night shopping or fool around during overtime.

They would do precisely what couples did, give or take a few things.

Perhaps it was his gallant way of handling her or the way his body smelled, or how his voice vibrated, or maybe even the way those honey soaked eyes would stare at her soul – but Lux knew for sure that she wished to remain forever in the embrace of that man.

"People usually try to project what they've been missing at one point in their life towards others," he spoke, catching her off-guard. "Maybe finish your food instead of eating me up with your eyes. You're drooling." He then teased, as he lifted his eyes at her.

Lux wiped the corner of her mouth by reflex, only to glare at him for making fun of her.

His words spoke nothing but truth, however.

"Can I also project onto you everything I wasn't given while growing up?" She then asked softly.

"Yes." Was his immediate response.

"I kind of want you forever."

He chuckled at her childish way of confessing her feelings.

Talon leaned forward, across the table. He shot her one of his knowing grins. "I kind of want you forever as well."

She also rose to her feet, leaning across the small table meant for two, and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. Never missing an opportunity for mischief, she also made sure to flick her tongue over his lips at the last second. Talon faked a disgusted look at her, only to shake his head and laugh eventually.

After finishing their food, Talon helped her clean the dishes. She cooked, so it was only natural that he'd help out. Lux had her own weird habits, some that included a specific way of washing and drying the dishes. So even though Talon offered to do the dishes alone, she vehemently refused.

"Why won't you get a dishwasher? Wouldn't that be more comfortable?" He asked as she handed him another plate to dry.

"Why won't you get me a dishwasher then?" She retorted a second after.

He chuckled. "Should I?"

Lux made a face. "No, of course not. I was just kidding."

He nudged her shoulder using his own. "Should I?"

She looked up at him sporting a pout. "No, thou shall not."

He kissed the top of her head and they both resumed cleaning up. It was a weekday and the long day they had experienced had crawled deep in their bones by that point. Still, given their tight schedules, they still tried to spend as much time together as possible.

"Shall we head to bed?" Lux asked afterwards, while stretching her arms and straightening her back.

"Yes, please. I feel like dying right now from fatigue." Talon quickly agreed.

But since he felt a tad bit more playful that evening, Talon quickly sneaked his arms around her and lifted her up, despite Lux's cries and protests. Still, he ran with her to her bedroom, and she could only lock her arms around his neck and laugh like a child.

"Come sleep, you silly goose," she tugged at his sleeve and pulled him next to her.

"I don't even know what sounds geese make, that's how tired I am right now." He faked a pout, but nestled himself amongst her fortress of pillows. What was with women and their obsession for endless pillow supply?

Lux was quick to take her usual place, cuddled up against him, her head lying on his shoulder.

Her bedroom was furnished in a minimalist way, aside from her bed she had a nightstand with a lamp on, a small dressing and a chair in the far corner.

Not to mention the fact that she was currently cuddled up against that silly man who was gently playing with her hair.

"I can't wait for this project to be over." Talon sighed in the dimly lit room.

Lux couldn't help but agree. "We're done with the testing so we can head into the launch version soon, see how it acts. Marketing is fine, Recruitment has found people for the call center and we're almost done with updating the website to contain the chat option also." She listed all the things they did so far, out loud.

"You said the training for the new people will begin a month prior to release, while the senior agents will receive additional training 2 weeks ahead of launch." Talon then joined the conversation.

"Yes, I've spoken with the Training department and they said the schedule will be fine. They will also have time to prepare. I'll have some things to go through with Vlad regarding the customer support areas, but aside from that we're fine."

Talon kissed the top of her head. "You're working too hard."

Lux pouted. "I want it to be successful, so I can buy myself a dishwasher later." She joked.

Not expecting that sort of answer, Talon needed a few moments until he understood her joke, to which he laughed heartily.

He hugged her tightly against his chest, so much so that Lux was pulled on top of him. "You're already a Challenger dishwasher though." He teased.

"Okay Bronzie," she bit the tip of his nose.

They both chuckled, but soon her lips found his in an achingly sweet and slow kiss. Her mouth moved against his in a slow pace, and his arms could only wrap tighter around the small of her waist. Lux leaned into him, her modest bosom flat against his broader chest, but the way his strong arms held her, she felt as though she no longer knew how to breathe. Having to switch positions, she straddled his lap in that position, and she momentarily heard him hiss.

Lux was about to ask whether something was wrong, but soon his own body gave away the reason.

She broke the kiss only to grin at him devilishly.

Talon tried to brace himself for what was to come.

Feeling cheeky and with a little help from the wine, Lux leaned into his kiss again, this time making sure to slowly grind against his hardened area. Talon jolted at the touch but he could only glare powerlessly at her.

"You're playing with fire, Luxanna." He warned, his voice uncharacteristically low and dangerous – he sounded like melted chocolate.

Talon rarely used her full name, but it only added to the fact that teasing him on such dangerous territory might have been one of Lux's guilty pleasures. Part of her wanted to test his limits and see at what point he'd let go and succumb to her desires, while part of her wanted things to happen naturally, in a dreamy and romantic manner.

She would be fine with either option.

Deciding to push him just a tad bit further, she broke the kiss and moved her lips down his strong jawline and towards his neck. She proceeded to suck on a bit of skin, only to quickly cover it with her lips shortly after. His response was to bury his fingers into her small waist, almost making her feel pain. It was the good kind of pain though.

"Lux." He breathed heavily and she allowed her weight to press onto him further.

She grinned against his skin and bit lightly.

Hearing him groan, Lux wasn't given much time to realise what had happened, but in a matter of moments, her back was against the bed, both wrists pinned to the side of her head, with Talon on top of her. His eyes shone dangerously, while his breath was heavy and uneven.

"You're gonna get it." He warned, a low rumble for a voice. "And you're gonna get it hard." He pressed his lips tightly against hers and Lux could only sigh dreamily into his kiss.

Her back arched and her legs moved to give him the proper space to nestle around her small body. She was on fire. She wanted him badly.

But his kiss ended sooner than she wanted it to, and unfortunately, Lux was left with a feeling of longing as Talon moved to lie down on the bed next to her.

"You're going to get everything you want. But not now." He promised, and sealed his words with a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Lux tried her best not to show her imminent disappointment, since her whole being was aching for him.

But perhaps he was right, perhaps it was a bit too soon.

Yet her entire being was craving to feel him on her, so much so that it hurt.

"Let's sleep," she whispered, after she managed to slightly calm down.

Giving him a quick kiss, they both tried their best to drift off to sleep.

Only League players would get the jokes from this chapter.