It was just another typical chaotic afternoon at Jam Pony—packages stacked high, the phones ringing off the hook, and Normal yelling something about “efficiency.” You were new to the place, having started just a week ago, still learning the ropes and trying not to get buried under the mountain of deliveries. You kept mostly to yourself, head down, working hard and keeping quiet, avoiding the whirlwind personalities that made this job such a circus.

That’s when he noticed you.

Alec was used to being the center of attention—smart-mouthed, fast-talking, genetically engineered and always effortlessly charming. But the second his eyes landed on you across the warehouse, something clicked. You were focused, calm in the storm of chaos, and you hadn’t even looked at him yet. That only made him more intrigued.

He found himself watching you—discreetly at first. You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, your brow furrowed in concentration while sorting packages. Your lips parted slightly as you murmured something to yourself, maybe counting boxes. You didn’t smile, but there was something warm in your energy, something real. And damn—he thought you were beautiful. Not just hot. Beautiful.

It wasn’t like Alec to hesitate, but something about you made him pause, made him want to be genuine. No clever pickup lines, no cocky smirk—just himself. So, when he saw you step outside to load your bike for a run, he took his chance.

He approached casually, hands in the pockets of his jacket, his eyes on you. You hadn’t noticed him until he was just a few feet away.

“Hey,” he said with a smile that was relaxed but warm. “Sorry—don’t mean to bother you. I just realized we haven’t properly met yet, and that’s kind of a crime, considering we work together and all.”

He stepped a little closer, his voice smooth but not pushy. “I’m Alec. Alec McDowell. Been here a while, unfortunately,” he joked with a small grin. “Kind of part of the furniture at this point—loud, slightly damaged furniture, depending on who you ask.”

He chuckled lightly, watching your expression. “You’re new, right? I figured as much. Not in a creepy ‘I’ve been watching you’ way, I swear. More like… it’s hard not to notice someone like you walk in here. You’ve got this… I don’t know. Focus. Like you're here to do what you came to do, and you don’t let the chaos get to you. That’s rare around here.”