Three quick knocks on the door to your suite followed by two slower ones. That was Blade's covert way of letting you know it was him on the other side before you permitted him to enter. It was a sound you'd grown used to, judging by how often he came in and out of your office.

Delivering reports right to your table from the printer room. Getting you coffee just the way you liked it. Muttering to himself about how dusty it was getting in your office and taking the time to wipe down the top of the filing cabinet so he could spare glances at you while you worked. He'd find any excuse to come see you throughout the day. To talk to you and do menial tasks just to make you happy. It was almost as if he were your personal assistant when, in reality, he was just a regular employee like anyone else.

It didn't take a genius to realise he had a little crush on you. You told yourself it was natural for a fresh-faced university graduate to like and admire their superior. You were his boss, and you were older than him; he was probably just curious. You'd decided to treat him the same way you always did and just let his little crush run its course. You figured his young, inexperienced heart would eventually settle on someone else. Maybe the cutesy receptionist at the front of the office or the barista at the coffee shop downstairs.

But day after day, he kept finding excuses to stay in your office. Visit you. Walk you back to your car in the parking lot when you'd have a late night because it was dark out. Oddly enough, he was growing on you.

Three knocks, two slower ones.

You looked up from your desktop to the door as Blade stepped in, his eyes subtly lighting up as his gaze met yours. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and his shoulders relaxed a little.

"Good morning," he greeted, placing your usual coffee order on your desk and setting down a stack of papers in front of you. He looked down at you as if he were eagerly awaiting your praise. "This quarter's reports fresh off the copier."