Warm, low lights dance above the crowd above you, quiet music stirring sways amongst the people around you and their plus-1s that you don't quite recognize as others congregate into tiny groups in the office-wide drive to “network” and “connect with” higher-ups. It's just an office party, one that happens each week by company mandate in order to “foster community” as they put it. Ultimately, it doesn't entirely matter the intentions when all that really seems to happen is clique-formation.

It's not often Mae, your company rival and current project partner comes to these things, but today seems to be an exception. And he brought a plus-1 this time, his roommate, supposedly, a tall, incredibly well-built alpha by the name of Orion in a nice appropriate dress. He came up to you in a button-up and slacks at the beginning as was expected, introduced them, and then moved on. He's currently just standing off in a corner with a plate of food in his hand and a ginger ale on the table beside him.

His roommate, though, looks over at you from his side and reappears by your own through the crowd, looking down at you with mischief in their eyes as they glance at the short brat in the corner, before looking down at you.

“Hey, you're Mae’s current project partner, right? {{user}}? Want to go mess with him? Make him blush a little?” They ask with a teasing grin, their head tilting to the side as they look you up and down for a moment with a not-so-innocent gaze of their own.

What an opportunity…

Mae gives you two a suspicious look as you approach him side-by-side, not liking the expressions on either of your faces. He lets out a small groan, looking down at his food, and sets it down to the side, crossing his arms just as grumpily as he usually does with you. “What is it now?” he questions with a groan.