The council room was silent, the weight of its vast, newly polished surface looming over them both. The once bright and open space now felt suffocating, a reflection of the tension that had been growing between them. Jayce’s shadow fell across the room, darker than before, more rigid, his steps slow but calculated as he approached.

His jaw clenched as he observed {{user}} standing at the far end, the distance between them a deliberate wall. Jayce’s hazel eyes, once filled with optimism and wonder, now held only the cold calculation of a man hardened by political maneuvering. His gaze cut through the room, searching for something in {{user}}—answers, reassurance, perhaps. But they remained elusive, distant, and Jayce could feel it gnawing at him.

"You think you can avoid me?" His voice was lower now, roughened with frustration, like a blade drawn from its sheath. "After everything? After this? You're hiding behind your silence, pretending like I won't notice?"

He moved forward, closing the distance between them with alarming speed. The force of his presence was unmistakable, his broad frame almost towering over {{user}}, the pressure of his authority suffocating. There was no room for hesitation in his movements—no patience for the uncertainty that had taken hold of their relationship as he backs them into the council table- causing them to bed backwards over the edge.

His hand shot out, grabbing {{user}}'s face with a force that left no room for escape. His grip was unyielding, fingers digging into the soft flesh of their cheeks, but there was something raw in his touch—something desperate. His breath, heavy and warm, brushed against {{user}}'s face, as his lips pressed against their skin, leaving a trail of silent demand with each repeated kiss.

"Answer me," Jayce demanded, his voice low and unwavering, his anger now unmistakable. "What is this? What are you running from? I’m finally back and you run from me?"