Chapter Text
“Allow me to make an offer, one you can’t refuse. No need to choose otherwise … and no other choice.”
Piercing lavender, a ring of turquoise center in those rapacious pair of eyes.
Tick, tock, the sound of the clock. Glaring at those pairs of lavender, Stelle clenches her hand into a fist, the metallic texture of the man’s coin bleeds through her gloves.
The owner of those lavender eyes — As sinister as he is voracious, it was probably a trait of all IPC bigshots like this guy whose name Stelle recalled being ‘Aventurine’ of all things — takes a step closer towards her.
Tug-of-war, push without pull. Though her blood grew cold, the ashen-haired trailblazer held her ground, refusing to give the man any sense of gratification from his attempts at intimidation.
All her attempts were all for naught as instead of backing down, Aventurine only seemed to grow more pleased by her reaction — no doubt, drinking in her expression with perverse pleasure that only an executive IPC corporate slave could indulge.
Then, after what it felt like a thousand Amber Eras, Aventurine backed away from her. Still with that cheshire smile, he raises his hand in a fist.
He opens his hand, revealing the coin that was just in her palm.
Stelle gasped and just like that, the perverse smile of sly gratification returned to the handsome, yet conniving man. Realizing her mistake, Stelle silently cursed and looked away.
Way to go, dumbass.
“Ah, don’t be like that. There’s nothing wrong with a little coin trick.” Says Aventurine, flipping the coin with a flick of his thumb. “No need to avert your eyes. Unless … you’re feeling shy?”
“As if.” Stelle spats without a second of hesitation. She crosses her arms, her pair of citrine staring back to those eyes of honeyed lavender. “... How did you learn to do that?”
“Do what?” He asks coyly, thumb still flicking the fine coin.
“That coin trick.”
“My, my. Aren’t you a curious one, Miss Stellaron.”
He catches the falling coin in his palm before clenching his hand into a fist. He releases it, and shows her his now empty palm. Stelle didn’t need to check her hand to know he already worked his trick on her.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Ah, I suppose it is a rather unflattering nickname. My apologies, Ojou-chan.”
She glares. “I have a name.”
“As feisty as the rumors say.“ He chuckles. “Though … not as honest.”
In the same, frighteningly inhuman speed as before, the IPC agent is back at invading her personal space by hovering his face in a dangerous proximity with her own.
Stray strands of blond, the pale light of the hotel room like a halo on the crown of his hair. Steady breaths, the dizzying scent of his luxurious cologne like toxic fumes encroaching her private room.
Hypnotizing lavender-colored eyes. They were nothing compared to the eyes of the heart-stopping, stomach-churning monstrosities that Stelle encountered in the past.
It was similar, though. The adrenaline, the provocative thrill of danger.
“... You’re too close.” She murmurs, averting her eyes.
“Am I?” He tilts his head in a similar manner to a puppy when it was vying for attention from its owner. “I was under the impression that you are … enjoying this proximity between us.”
Repulsed, Stelle practically growls at him. “Get over yourself.”
Unfazed, Aventurine continues to smile pleasantly. “It’s all fun and games, Milady . There’s no need to get so riled up.”
“You barged into my room without my permission.”
“This was my room just around half a system hour ago.”
“You invaded my personal space.”
“My apologies for that.” He chuckles adoringly, lavender eyes glinting curiously. “Though I do hope you’ll have mercy on poor old me and refrain from telling your lover about our little rendezvous. Like I said, it’s all fun and games. No need to get a third party involved in our little playful squabble.”
Stelle’s brow furrowed. “... Lover?”
He observes her reaction before laughing once more. “My, it seems I’ve discovered that the famed gray-haired Trailblazer lied to thousands of people about her relationship status. Good then. Looks like I can rest easy without the fear of being pursued by a former Vidyadhara High Elder for daring to tease his lover.”
What the —
“There’s no need to look so alarmed, darling.”
A tap on her forehead, Stelle blinks before glaring at the enigma that is Aventurine von IPC hellhole, master of coin tricks, and most probably a stalker and gaslighter who keeps running in circles without giving her a proper answer like any sane person would.
“If you don’t want your personal information to be floating around the universe then you should’ve known better than put yourself out there in a famous influencer’s livestream.”
Guinaifen . Stelle opened her mouth and then closed it.
“Stalker.”
“It's called gathering intelligence, sweetheart.”
“ Stelle.”
“All fun and games, darling. All fun and games.”
Having satiated most of his hunger for messing with her mind, Aventurine takes five steps backwards, returning her personal space that she terribly felt deprived of ever since she found him loitering in her hotel room without permission.
Aventurine smiles at her, all but an ill-crafted mask that does not bother to present itself as what it is. Then, he turns his heel and makes his way to the door.
“Do give my offer a thorough thought. And while you’re at it, think about me too, won’t you?”
Stelle uncrosses her arms. “You forgot your coin.”
“It’s yours to keep. At least, until the next coin trick.”
He loiters by the door, and just when Stelle thought she was done with seeing his aggravating face, he turns to her with one last smile.
“Goodnight, Miss Stelle. May your dreams be a pleasant one.”
Only after he shuts the door does Stelle open her palm. As she thought, it was there; Aventurine’s parting token.