When I came to stand in front of his door, his identity screen popped out. Rafe came to stand behind me. Right behind me. I could feel the heat of him spreading over my back. I squeezed my eyes closed, my hands fisting at my sides and I tried to take in deep breaths and not think of him.

Hot breath against my ear, tickling the strands of my hair there.

"Place your bracelet against the identity screen," he whispered.

I sucked in a breath.

I knew what he was doing. He was giving me unrestricted access to his room.

"No," I said.

"Do it, Hills." He said.

I shook my head, strands of my hair whipping my face.

I wouldn't do it. If I did, I would be tempted to-

He caught my wrist in his hand, albeit over my long sleeved shirt, and tugged it to the screen. He pulled my sleeve back and placed the bracelet against the identity screen. When he let go of my hand, I pulled it away, crossing my arms against my chest in silent mutiny. He placed his own bracelet against the screen and the screen blinked once and the door slid open. I thought I caught a smile ghosting his lips in my periphery, but I didn't turn to confirm it because...well, I was rebelling.

I stood still, trying to not acknowledge the fact that he had just trusted me with something so...intimate.

"Are we going to stay out here the whole night or go in?" He asked.

"I'm thinking about it," I said to him.

A small puff of air brushing against my temple let me know that he was chuckling silently.

But he waited.

He waited until I decided to step in, without a single word to encourage me or any sign of annoyance. I realised that if I had said that I hadn't wanted to enter he would've stayed out with me until I wanted to...or he would've let me go back to my room...Or dragged me-kicking and screaming-back to the Health Centre.

As I entered, I looked around for Ryx, when I didn't spot him anywhere, I turned around to give Rafe a concerned look.

"Where's Ryx?" I asked.

"Before that.." He said and in a move so quick I didn't feel it, he had my communication device in his hand.

Had he just taken that out my pocket?

"What are you doing?" I asked, reaching out to grab my device back.

He held one finger up, telling me to wait.

Ignoring him, I reached for my device again, locking my fingers around his forearm. Whatever Ace had given was in that, if he found it, then whatever help Ace had done for me would be..undone.

"Rafe, I'm serious. Give it back." I said, standing on my toes to get it from him.

But Rafe had my device in pieces in four seconds. My heart thudded in shock as I watched him remove a small black chip out of the larger black piece that Ace had put it into.

I had frozen.

Rafe's eyes slid to mine, they looked dark and assessing as I swallowed, settling back against my heels and crossing my hands. He looked at the small black chip in his hand, holding it in between his index and thumb and running his thumb over it.

I licked my lips.

"You better fix my device back." I told him, acting like the fact that he'd found the chip wasn't a big deal at all.

His lashes lifted and he looked at me. He held up the chip.

"You were alone, were you?" He asked me, mocking my statement from before.

When I didn't say anything, he held up the chip between his index and thumb so that it was vertical. I looked at his eyes and back to the chip he held up right in front of my face.

I watched as his fingers pressed it a little and let out a small gasp when the chip snapped in two pieces. My wide eyes snapped up to look at him as he tossed the pieces aside.

My jaw dropped following the path of the now destroyed chip.

"Who was with you?" He asked me again.

I looked up at him.

"What did you just break?" I asked him, because well...I was actually curious and I didn't know what it was in the first place.

He stepped closer, crossing his arms and staring down at me.

"Tell me who it was." Rafe said.

I tilted my head and gave Rafe an 'Aw, shucks' look.

"Are you used to everyone always listening to you?" I asked.

Rafe's now dark eyes narrowed, "What are you trying to say?" He asked.

"That you're a spoilt brat." I said, smiling wide.

Rafe snorted and rubbed a hand down his face.

"Why are you not telling me?" He asked me.

"I'm not not telling you anything, and even if I were," I said and held up a finger, "Hadn't I agreed with you when you wanted space?"

He opened his mouth but I intercepted.

"Nuh-huh!" I said holding my finger up higher in front of his face. "When I can suck it up, you can suck it up."

Rafe's lips pursed and I knew I had him.

Ha!

"Now where's Ryx?" I asked.

Rafe walked to the wall near his gigantic bed, pressed his bracelet to the identity screen that slid out. My eyebrows raised as a small door, enough to fit Ryx in it, opened up. Ryx came out like a good boy, staring up at his master as if for instructions while he sat down obediently.

I rolled my eyes, walking over to Ryx, slapping Rafe on his bicep with the back of my hand lightly.

"Why are you such a hard-ass with him?" I asked, bending on my knees to hug Ryx. Then I stilled, realising I had sort of touched Rafe, granted through clothes.

I looked up at him from my kneeled position, over my shoulder, throwing him an apologetic expression.

"Sorry about that...reflex." I said.

Rafe just lifted one shoulder in a lazy shrug and I went back to coddling Ryx, who stood stock still, his eyes flitting from me to Rafe and back.

I let out an exasperated breath and looked at Rafe as if to say, 'See what I'm talking about?'

With a small smile lighting up his face, he murmured something in his language, his eyes on me.

I blinked. "Was I supposed to understand that-"

I was interrupted by a tongue on my lips. Laughing, I pulled Ryx into a hug, letting him lick me while I smacked kisses on his muzzle. I sat down, my back leaning against the wall, stretching my legs out and Ryx settled himself with his paws and his head on my lap.

Making affectionate sounds, I leaned down, nuzzling his head. I ran my hands through his soft fur as Rafe settled opposite me with his back leaning against the side of the pearl shaped bed, his own legs spread out next to mine.

"You are going to spoil him," Rafe informed me.

"Someone should." I said, tossing him a stern look. Ryx's ears flicked up towards us.

I ran a finger over the ear closest to me, rubbing my thumb over the soft inner side. Ryx shut his eyes, letting out a low growl.

"He likes being petted." I stated.

"I pet him," he said, almost defensively.

I nodded, "Sure, sure." I said.

"Want me to prove it?" He asks and I looked up at him. He raised an eyebrow and I shrugged.

"Okay." I said, raising to meet his challenge with my own eyes.

Rafe let out a low whistle and said something. Ryx sat up, his tail wagging and jumped onto Rafe. Rafe let out a laugh, rubbing his hands over Ryx as they all but wrestled with each other.

I smiled at the scene before me, leaning my head back against the wall, my arms resting on my thighs stretched out before me.

A few seconds later both Rafe and Ryx stilled, whipping their heads to look at the place where the door would be. Ryx let out a low growl and Rafe tossed him a look which quietened him.

"If it's someone else, here to shoot me, tell them to come back later." I said, stretching a little and letting out a yawn.

Rafe tossed me a look.

"You have no sense of humour," I stated.

"I have a perfectly intact sense of humour. I just do not appreciate your idea of what is funny." He said, his dark eyes sliding to mine with a dry look, just as the entrance of Rafe's room opened.

Wow. Unrestricted access to Rafe's room. Who was this blessed soul?

When blonde hair and blue eyes stared back at me seeming to be a little in shock, I realised the bane of my existence had come to see Rafe.

I was feeling way to comfortable and sleepy to muster up any resentment right now, so I just tossed her a lazy wave as Rafe got up to go to where she was standing. Ryx, who looked as disgruntled as a dog could, let out a huff and settled back against me-this time with his side pressed to mine, his head turned away as if he didn't like the sight of Anya.

Or maybe I was just transferring my feelings onto him?

Anya was staring at me, her eyes flitting to Ryx, shock resonating in the light blue of her eyes.

I dropped one arm over Ryx's middle at my side as I gave her a sleepy smile.

"'Ssup?" I said.

She ignored me, her eyes going back to Rafe, who came to stand before her. She murmured something and he continued to stare at her impassively.

He asked her something and the line of her jaw tightened.

Oooh. She was pissed.

She crossed her arms and stuck her hip out to one side, her lips pouting a little. This woman could pull off making the petulant expression of a child look attractive.

She said a few words to him and he nodded, tilting his head in the direction he wanted her to go. She went, all hips and sway.

I snorted softly, looking down and petting Ryx, whose steady rhythmic breathing had me relaxing further. Another yawn slipped through as I watched Rafe and Anya head into the Computer-Genius Room (CG Room) attached to this one.

I shook my head.

So much drama with these two.

Maybe I should just sleep, Ryx being my pillow. Not a bad idea.

Resting my head, somehow, on poor Ryx, I curled up perpendicular to him. Though he huffed out a breath, Ryx didn't seem to mind at all. Just as I was dozing off, a sharp yell startled me out of my slumber. I sat up quickly, Ryx got up too, bounding to the CG Room. I followed him, wondering what happened.

Anya's face looked flush, her hands fisted by her sides, her chest heaving. Rafe looked...well he looked normal, his usual steadfast self.

Ryx padded over to his master with his eyes on Anya, his hackles raised.

Anya turned her head to look at me, her eyes narrowing.

"This," she spat, her words carrying more of the accent of their language than usual, "is all your fault!"

My eyebrows scrunched as Rafe quickly said something to her, but she ignored it and started to head to me.

Rafe caught her forearm, dragging her back to where she'd been standing as they exchanged quick words as Ryx's growls increased in frequency.

"Ryx," I murmured to the distressed dog and he turned to look at me, his dark intelligent eyes piercing.

"Come on," I said, "Let's go, let mommy and daddy fight in peace."

I said heading over to him to tug him out of the room, which simmered with anger.

Ryx looked up at Rafe and Rafe nodded his head and Ryx followed me out quietly.

"Do not just walk away." Anya snapped at my back and I turned around surprised.

"What is your problem?" I asked, genuinely confused.

Rafe was speaking to her, his voice stern, hard in way I'd never heard before.

She ignored him, roughly tugging her arm out of Rafe's hold and she stalked up to me.

"My problem is-"

Rafe caught her hand again, turning her away from me to face him, his dark eyes angry and almost spitting fire, though his expression remained stoic.

But his eyes always gave him away...

He said something to her and she said something back.

I threw my hands up in the air, "What is going on?" I asked, exasperated, because this was ridiculous.

Both of them ignored me, continuing to spit words at each other. Actually, she spit them out, he just replied in a steady but cold tone.

But when she said something, I watched as a transformation came over him. The line of his jaw hardened, his eyes became impossibly darker, his nostrils flared and his spine straightened further.

Okay. Clearly he'd hit an all time high in the level of pissed-offness.

He said something to her and she gasped. She stared at him in open shock. Then a sneer took over her expression.

She turned to me then.

"Your temporary District Shift has been approved." She told me and I gasped.

Oh my God. That was awesome!

Rafe stared down at her, his expression betraying his shock.

"What are you talking about?" He asked her, "Her request had been denied."

Yes, thank you for that.

Anya tossed her head, flicking her hair off her face, as she turned to look at him.

"You denied her permission. I pulled some strings." Anya said, putting on a mocking expression of understanding as she pressed a hand to her heart, "She really looked like she wanted to go and as I am her District Leader...correction, as I was her District Leader, took it upon myself to tend to her emotional needs."

Okay, clearly she'd done this as some kind of revenge. Not that I cared. I got to see Ren. But what's this about talking about being a District Leader in past tense?

Rafe said something else and I glimpsed a flash of hurt on Anya's face before she twirled on her heel and walked out of Rafe's room.

After she left, I lifted my hands and twirled.

"Whoohoo!" I said, busting out a few moves.

"You are not going." Rafe told me, as he walked past me, his shoulder brushing against mine-not very gently-as if he were angry with me.

"Um. Yes, I am." I said, following him out of the CG Room, "In case you hadn't heard, Anya-"

"Anya," he told me, whipping around to face me, his arms crossed as he glared down at me, "Does not possess any right to sanction District Shifts."

"How so?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"She is not a District Leader anymore." He said.

My jaw dropped five feet.

"What?" I asked, then something clicked and my eyes opened, "Oh my gosh. Did you just fire her?"

His brows scrunched in confusion and I realised I had to explain myself.

"Remove her from the position." I clarified.

He stood silent for a few minutes staring down at me.

"Possibly." He finally said.

I blinked in shock.

"What did she say?" I asked.

Rafe's eyes narrowed, a flash of amber spilling into his iris before it was engulfed by black again, "Something I did not like."

I tilted my head to the right, contemplating what he said.

"It was something about... me?" I asked, pressing a finger to my chest.

He stayed silent, staring down at me, his anger still wafting in waves from him.

I took that as a yes.

The walls I'd built around me shook.

"You fired her because she said something about me?" I asked again, a smile lifting my cheeks, unbidden.

He considered me seriously for a few seconds, before turning away to pick a thin data pad off his bed and walk to his couch.

"Do not go falling in love with me, now." He said as he settled in it, data pad in hand.

I snorted, "Don't flatter yourself," I said, as I followed his steps to join him ignoring his dark look at my retort.

We both sat silently for a few seconds while Ryx came to sit in front of us, watching us intently.

I turned on the comfortable seat, one arm resting over the back of the couch and one leg bent on top of the couch while I faced the profile of Rafe.

"As sweet as that is, wasn't it unnecessary?" I asked.

He threw me a look before looking back at his data pad and typing at it.

"I did not do it for you, I did it for me." He said.

My brows furrowed.

"What?" I asked and waited while he seriously considered his data pad.

I plucked it out of his hands and tossed it over my shoulder so that it fell behind me on the couch.

Rafe turned impassive eyes against me and raised one eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

He let out a slow breath, "I mean that I fired her because I did not like what she said." He said.

"But what she said was about me." I said.

He gave me the best deadpan expression of my life as if to say 'So? What's your point?' and I just raised my eyebrows.

"Oooookay." I said finally, turning away to face the wall.

"Your punishment has been revoked." He told me, nonchalantly, as he reached across me for his data pad.

When his breath brushed my lips, my breath caught and he stilled. My heart picked up pace as I tried to think about something else but how close he was to me.

He quickly leaned back, opening something on his data pad again. I was silent for sometime, before what he said struck me.

"Wait...what?" I asked him.

"Your punishment has been-" he started and I stopped him with a wave of my hands.

"What did you do for that to happen?" I asked him.

He stopped doing what he was doing on his data pad and looked at me. Finally.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You did something. I'm sure," I said.

He must've bargained for my punishment to be revoked.

"What did you do?" I asked.

He stared at me for a long time, before letting out a slow breath.

"You should get some sleep," he said finally.

I could feel the stubborn tilt to my jaw and I know he saw it, because his lips curled a little in amusement.

"Tell me." I said, crossing my arms.

He stayed silent.

"I will undergo my punishment if you don't tell me what you did-"

"I agreed to be his Second-in-Command." He said.

I stilled.

"And you don't...you don't want to be?" I asked, swallowing.

Rafe considered the question seriously, a tilt to his head and furrow between his brows.

He just chuckled then.

"I do not mind it," he said, starting to stand.

I stood up too, reaching out to catch his arm, but stopping.

"But you don't want it either," I stressed again, dropping my arm to my side.

He took a deep breath and let it out, looking away, his hand that didn't have the data pad in its clutches, flexed and fisted.

"No...I do not want it either." He said.

I grinned, "Okay. Tell you father to go screw himself, I'll keep my punishment, thanks."

Then I turned to walk away and plop myself on his very comfortable looking bed.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

I turned around, half-way to the bed.

"I mean," I said, "That I would rather not eat than have my friend end up sacrificing his life career for me."

Rafe stared at me for a few seconds and I realised he was stumped.

"Don't go falling in love with me now," I mocked him, a triumphant smile splitting my face at the chance to say his line back to him.

He stared at me for four seconds before barking out a laugh.

"Do not flatter yourself." He said and tossed me a reflection of my triumphant smile at saying my line back to me.

I rolled my eyes at him and turned away, a secret smile, I couldn't control lighting my face.

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TA DAAAAAAA! Vote and comment sweeties! Also, if there are typos. Ignore the crap out of them! Until next time, Unicorns! :)