Aegis Core

The Sinner

I watched her from the corner of the room, trying to play it cool, but there was no missing Xena. Even sitting there among the best in the business, she stood out. And not just because she was still in her sports bra, having ditched the bralette from earlier after that little... incident. She didn’t seem to care one bit about the fact that the rest of us were dressed for the occasion, but that was classic Xena—completely unbothered by everyone else’s judgments. And frankly, it only made her stand out more.

Now, after Johnson’s announcement about the break, everyone’s eyes darted toward her again. I smirked. It was the kind of moment that usually had people scrambling to fix themselves up, but Xena? Nah. She’d probably murder someone for making a comment before even considering changing.

When the meeting ended, I kept my distance, watching her as she lingered. She always stayed behind. Always made sure she was the last to leave. There was something about that, something about how she never walked out with the rest of us, like she had unfinished business, or maybe just didn’t like being part of the herd.

I decided it was time to mess with her.

I crossed the room, my boots echoing off the polished floor, and then—bam. She walked right into me.

Her forehead barely grazed my chest, and I couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face as she rubbed her shoulder from the impact.

“Ahhhhhhhhhh man,” she groaned, clearly annoyed.

I cocked an eyebrow, looking down at her with a smirk. "Really? You’re still 5'8 and somehow manage to walk into me like you didn’t see me coming? I mean, I know I’m 6'2, but you’d think that’d make me a bit hard to miss, right?" I teased, knowing damn well it’d get under her skin.

She glared up at me, dark eyes narrowing. “Of course, it had to be you," she muttered, stepping back like touching me burned. "Out of everyone in this place."

"Well, you should watch where you're going, shorty-pants" I said, folding my arms, keeping my tone light. "But then again, it’s been, what? Four years? Maybe you forgot what it feels like to be around me."

She scoffed, her arms crossing tighter across her chest, almost as if she was trying to shield herself from me. “Trust me, Leo. Forgetting you isn’t as hard as you think.”

I took a step closer, lowering my voice and leaning in just enough to close the space between us. "Yet here we are, you bumping into me like it’s old times. Maybe some things don’t change. Though, I’ve definitely changed—got a few inches on you, after all."

Her eyes flashed, and I could tell that anger was simmering just beneath the surface. The tension between us? Yeah, it was still there, crackling like it always had been. But this time, I wasn’t sure if it was going to explode or ignite into something else.

“Still angry, huh?” I pressed, stepping in front of her path, blocking her from leaving. “Therapy not helping? Or is it just that seeing me gets under your skin?”

Her lips tightened into a thin line, and I knew I’d hit a nerve. Hell, I knew how to push all of her buttons. Always had. And she did the same to me without even trying.

“Leo, I don’t have time for your games.” Her voice was sharp, but I could hear the edge to it. Something vulnerable, buried underneath all that rage.

“I don’t play games, Xena,” I said, my voice dropping lower, more serious. “I just call it like it is. And right now? You look pissed. More than usual. Want to tell me what’s really going on?”

Her eyes flickered, like she was considering it for a second. Just one second, she looked like she might let me in. But then, like always, she shut it down. The walls slammed back into place.