"Cole?"

The sound of his name startled Cole Bradford out of his daydreaming. Head tilted, his father gazed at him with a frown of concern. Realizing he'd spaced out, Cole cleared his throat.

"Sorry," he said. "Got a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to be rude or anything."

His father chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's fine!" He said and felt embarrassed by his quick objection. For some reason he couldn't even begin to explain to himself, he wanted to keep his fleeting encounter with Alix a secret for a while longer. A week had passed since they'd met and it still felt unreal to him. Goddamn, to stumble into the cosplayer who had motivated him to try his hand at it himself? After all those years? Talk about a coincidence.

And she either didn't recognize him or didn't remember him at all. Cole couldn't fault her for that. Six years ago, he'd ambled along the stands of the New York Comic Con, accompanying his best friend there. Ryan's usual partner for events like these had canceled at the last minute and he'd asked Cole to come along. Cole hadn't wanted to at first. Yes, he loved comics ever since he could remember, but going out in crowded places like these was... risky to say the least.

He didn't need to worry about paparazzi and such, but with his father being the CEO of the electronics empire that was Nova Tech... If someone recognized Cole in the crowd, took a photo and put it on the net, it wouldn't exactly be the best for the business. It was unlikely, but as it had happened once, Cole didn't feel eager to repeat the disastrous experience.

So, equipped with a cap, sunglasses and a hoodie (though in retrospect, it had only made him more conspicuous, Cole thought), he'd gone along with Ryan.

And after Ryan's panel had ended, at some point, they'd decided to attend the masquerade. The one event specifically designed for cosplayers, allowing them to show off their costumes and acting skills. Alix had come out sporting black hair, a light brown jacket with wings drawn on her back, a white bodysuit underneath it and dark boots. At first glance, compared to her competitors, she hadn't seemed like anything special. But then she'd started speaking and while Cole didn't know much about anime, the way she'd just transformed into her character the moment she'd stepped on the stage... It had stolen his breath away.

Her time in the spotlight had been short, but it had left its mark on him.

He remembered asking Ryan if he knew more about who that cosplayer was later that day. He'd followed her Instagram and he'd dived head first into the world of cosplay. He hadn't looked back since.

Except his family didn't know. Going to comic cons incognito was one thing. It was quite another to show up there wearing intricately made costumes representing comics characters and superheroes.

"Your mind still on vacation?" His father asked him, bringing him back to reality. A more tedious reality anyway.

"It wasn't a vacation, Dad," Cole protested. "I needed some time to myself to... think."

"Fair enough, but you're back now. When would you be ready to come back to work?"

And just like that, Cole felt his headache making a comeback. His father definitely had a superpower when it came to that.

"Yeah about that..." Cole started saying.

"I'll tell the team you're ready to come back next Monday," his father said, not even bothering to look up from his desk as he shuffled some papers.

Cole gaped at him. Seriously?

"Before I left, I said I wanted to switch departments. We've already talked about this. I don't want to stay on the Software Development side. I want to try my hand at designing games with Nova Games."

His father stared at him steadily. "And I recall I said I'd think about it."

"So what? You won't even let me try?" Cole said, disbelief coloring his voice. A year away and this was the long awaited result? "Why?"

"Connor doesn't think it would be a good idea."

"Ah yes," Cole said before snorting derisively. "As usual."

"What is that supposed to mean?" His father asked, his frown and the way he set his jaw indicating that Cole was threading on thin ice.

Cole rubbed the back of his head, trying his best to act indifferent. "Just what it sounds like. Connor knows best, right? More of the same."

"Are you questioning your brother's decision?"

Of course not, Cole thought, restraining himself from rolling his eyes. How could perfect Connor ever be wrong? Who am I to have a say in anything here?

"That wasn't what I meant," he said. Even to himself, it sounded like a pale attempt at an apology.

"It sure sounded like it," his father retorted, no longer in an affable mood. "Now if you're done being childish, is there anything else you'd like to discuss with me before going back to work?"

And just like that, they were back to square one. It didn't matter what Cole wanted to do with his life, what his career goals were. If his older brother deemed him unworthy of working by his side, then that was that. No room left for debate.

Maybe it was the fact that he'd gone so long without seeing his family on a regular basis. Maybe he'd just reached the end of his patience. Maybe he'd finally grown tired of being told he wouldn't ever be as good as the rest of the family or that he didn't deserve to occupy a job with more responsibilities. He didn't know what caused it, but in that moment, he did what he hadn't thought himself willing to do for years.

"All right then. If that's how it is, I'll just go and resign," he said and the nonchalance in his own voice caught him by surprise. As if the enormity of what he'd just said hadn't reached his brain yet. Or maybe it had already short-circuited and that was why he was acting in such a rash way.

His father stopped typing on his laptop and his eyes came to rest on Cole, contained anger clear in them. The same color as his son's, they now looked downright stormy.

"I'm sorry? What did you just say?" It was a testament to his father's self-control that his voice remained so steady.

"I said I'm resigning," Cole repeated, keeping his tone neutral. The decision might've been impulsive, but the thought of quitting had more than once crossed his mind. A bubble of hilarity swelled in his chest. Thank God he did not let himself laugh out loud. It would've only made things worse, but the absurdity of the situation stunned him. It had taken Cole a whole year of time off and coming back home to figure out he had to leave the family business. Talk about being slow on the uptake.

"You can't be serious," his father protested.

"Dead serious and long overdue," Cole said with a shrug. "I should've done this a while ago. I'll send the team an e-mail myself to explain the situation, so don't bother yourself with that."

He made his way to the door of his father's study, only to be stopped in his tracks when his father's authoritative voice, Hugh Bradford's trademark, resounded in the room. "You're not walking out of here without a decent explanation for your lack of respect and your immature attitude."

Cole grinned. "Watch me," he said and walked out.

                                                                 ***

Back in his apartment, he stared out the large window wall and down at the traffic in the surrounding streets of the high-rise building. He composed Ryan's number and called before he could talk himself out of it.

If he applied anywhere else in the business, employers would take him in without hesitation, but it wouldn't be based on merit. His family name would do all the legwork. And that... that was the very reason he'd felt the need to leave. If he kept relying on his family's prestige and good name to succeed in the field he was passionate about, he'd just end up hating himself.

"Ryan Banks speaking," his friend said when he picked up the phone.

"Hey, it's me," Cole said as way of greeting.

"Hey. Been a while. I'm guessing you're back?"

"Yeah... About that." He pinched the bridge of his nose, his headache a bit more pronounced now. He'd have to pop a Tylenol if he wanted to get some rest later that night. "I might've resigned from Nova Tech."

"I... Wait, what? I did not hear what you just told me. You've got to be kidding."

"Why? Is it that much of a surprise?"

"Well, yeah... I mean, after spending so much time and effort trying to impress your family, especially your father, I'd thought you'd stick around that place forever. Maybe even die working your ass off there," he added, trying to lighten things up.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." He frowned, though in good humor, his free hand coming to rest on the inside of his elbow. "Why the hell would you pester me about giving it up to come working for you in that case?"

He could almost picture Ryan shrugging at his question. "Dunno. I thought stranger things might happen. You never know."

"So is the offer still on the table? And please," he insisted, "do not hire me just because we're friends or because you think you have to. Either I'm good at my job or I'm not. If you pity me for a second, I'll kill you."

"And we don't want that, do we?" Ryan laughed. "We may be good friends and all that, but if you think I'd hire someone based on anything other than competence, then you don't know me at all. I wouldn't have asked you if I thought you couldn't do the job."

Cole sighed, relieved. "Thank God. I knew I could count on you."

"Good. Now, when would you be ready to start?"

"As soon as possible," Cole replied resolutely.

                                               ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Second chapter already! If you've enjoyed this chapter, please like and/or leave a comment, it would mean the world to me!

Jane and Cole will finally meet out of cosplay next chapter... It's going to be a good one! 😍