“You must’ve been exhausted from being a Voyager…” Saiphee murmured quietly to himself, almost as if speaking to the sleeping man. He knelt beside the bed, his fingers brushing lightly against Vantheos’ hair, as if the action was instinctual. The touch was gentle, almost tender, as though Saiphee were trying to soothe away the weariness that Vantheos must have felt from his long, tiring journey.

For a moment, Saiphee simply watched him, his hand resting in Vantheos’ hair, feeling the warmth of his body radiate even in the quiet, dimly lit room. It was a rare, vulnerable moment—one that Saiphee would never admit he cherished. Despite the chaos of their lives and the endless responsibilities they both carried, this brief, intimate moment of peace was something Saiphee couldn’t help but hold onto.

As he sat there, lost in the simplicity of the moment, he felt a quiet sense of connection to Vantheos. The man who was always so strong, so distant, so focused—here he was, vulnerable and asleep, far from the warrior he so often portrayed. Saiphee smiled softly to himself, brushing a stray lock of hair from Vantheos’ forehead before standing up slowly, careful not to disturb him. 

A low, husky voice suddenly broke the silence, sending a jolt of surprise through Saiphee. "Do you like my hair that much?" The voice was teasing, playful, and unmistakably Vantheos, who had stirred slightly in bed. Saiphee’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly turned to face the man, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment. Vantheos’ eyes were half-lidded, a lazy smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he glanced up at Saiphee, clearly aware of the effect he was having.

Saiphee flinched, feeling caught off guard by the sudden shift in the atmosphere. “Oh—uh, sorry for barging in…” he stammered, feeling flustered under Vantheos’ gaze. “Quartz needed us for training, and you weren’t responding, so I…” His words trailed off, his mind racing. Something about the way Vantheos lay there, relaxed and effortlessly confident, his physique and voice making the moment feel oddly intimate, stirred something in Saiphee that he wasn’t ready to acknowledge.

Vantheos chuckled softly, a deep, rich sound that made Saiphee feel even more self-conscious. “Ah, shit, really?” he groaned, stretching his arms above his head with a slow, deliberate motion that only seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders and toned frame. He reached for his hologram intercom, tapping a few commands to bring up Quartz’s missed calls. The screen was flooded with a long list of unanswered attempts. “Looks like I’ve been ignoring him. Not that I care,” Vantheos added with a shrug, his voice dripping with casual indifference.

He glanced back at Saiphee, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he flashed that trademark smirk again. “Well, since you’re already here, might as well make yourself comfortable,” he said, his voice now laced with a teasing warmth. With a lazy movement, Vantheos patted the edge of the bed with his feet, clearly inviting Saiphee to sit. “Have a seat, will ya?”

Saiphee hesitated for a moment, his heart racing as he tried to keep his composure. There was something about Vantheos in this relaxed, almost vulnerable state that made everything feel more intense. His presence, his voice, even the casual way he sprawled out on the bed—it all seemed to draw Saiphee in, like an unspoken invitation to get closer.

Unable to resist the magnetic pull of Vantheos’ presence, Saiphee finally took a seat on the edge of the bed, trying to maintain some distance, though it felt almost impossible with Vantheos so close. His mind raced, and he could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, but he couldn’t help but be drawn to the effortless confidence that radiated from Vantheos, even in such a laid-back moment. As Saiphee settled in, Vantheos shifted slightly, his body language relaxed yet somehow commanding, his eyes never leaving Saiphee. There was a subtle power in the way he carried himself, even when he was lounging in bed, and it made Saiphee feel both at ease and completely on edge at the same time.

“So,” Vantheos drawled, his voice low and smooth, “what’s the rush? Quartz can wait. You’ve got me now.” His words hung in the air between them, full of unspoken meaning, as if he were silently daring Saiphee to respond in kind.

Saiphee, still trying to process the strange mix of emotions swirling inside him, couldn’t help but let out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, well, I guess we’ll have to wait for Quartz to stop blowing up your intercom,” he said, trying to keep his tone light, though his heart was beating faster than he’d like to admit.

Vantheos’ smirk widened, and he leaned back against the headboard of the bed, his arms crossing casually behind his head as he settled in. “He’ll get over it. He always does,” Vantheos replied with a shrug, his eyes glinting with that familiar spark of mischief. “But you? You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”

Saiphee felt the weight of those words, and for a brief moment, the world outside Vantheos’ room seemed to disappear. It was just the two of them, caught in a strange, intimate moment that neither of them seemed ready to break.

Saiphee swallowed, trying to steady himself. “Right. Well, I guess we should get to training…” he began, though his voice sounded far less certain than he would’ve liked.

Vantheos chuckled again, a deep, throaty sound that sent a shiver down Saiphee’s spine. “Training can wait,” he said, his voice oozing with that irresistible charm. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”

Saiphee blinked, caught off guard by Vantheos’ laid-back confidence, but before he could respond, Vantheos’ eyes softened just slightly, a flicker of something more genuine passing through them. “But I’ll let you decide, Saiphee. What do you want to do now?”

The question hung in the air, and Saiphee found himself unsure of how to answer. He had come here for a reason, but at this moment, with Vantheos so close, so at ease, the lines between duty and desire felt blurred. All he could do was sit there, his mind spinning, as he tried to figure out what came next. 

“We should probably head out before Quartz ends up in trouble with the Madams,” Saiphee suggested, trying to sound firm, though his words were laced with uncertainty. He glanced at Vantheos, who was still lounging comfortably in bed, clearly not in any rush to move.

Vantheos raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into a playful smirk as he looked Saiphee up and down. “Why? You’re the one joining me for training, not Quartz, right?” he teased, his voice dripping with amusement. “You’re not looking to ditch me already, are you?”

Saiphee felt his cheeks flush, his heart skipping a beat at the way Vantheos was looking at him. He hadn’t expected to be called out like that. “Well, I just thought we should—” Saiphee stammered, his words faltering as his fingers began to fidget nervously.

Vantheos’ smirk widened as he noticed Saiphee’s reaction. “Hahaha! You’re cute when you get all flustered,” he chuckled, clearly enjoying the effect he was having. His voice dropped lower, a teasing, seductive tone creeping in. “I mean it, though. You’re here with me now. No need to rush off so soon.”

Saiphee froze for a moment, the teasing in Vantheos’ voice making his pulse race. He hadn’t realized how nervous he was until now, and it only seemed to make things worse. Vantheos noticed, of course, and the glint in his eyes only deepened as he leaned forward, his playful expression shifting into something more intense.

With a low chuckle, Vantheos sat up in bed, stretching leisurely as he pulled on a tight shirt that clung to his sculpted torso. Saiphee couldn’t help but notice the way his muscles flexed as he moved, the sight of his abs clearly defined under the fabric. Years of being a Voyager, fighting monsters, and pushing his body to its limits had left him in peak condition.

“You’re spacing out again, Mr. Scientist,” Vantheos teased, snapping his fingers in front of Saiphee’s face, making him jump in surprise.

Saiphee blinked rapidly, caught off guard. “Oh—uh, sorry!” he laughed awkwardly, trying to regain his composure. “I guess I was just... thinking.”

Vantheos leaned back against the headboard, his eyes glinting with amusement as he watched Saiphee. “Thinking, huh? What about?” he asked, his voice playful but laced with an undeniable edge. “You’re not getting distracted by my abs, are you?”

Saiphee’s face turned crimson at the suggestion, and he quickly averted his gaze. “No! I wasn’t—uh, I mean—no,” he stammered, flustered.

Vantheos chuckled softly, clearly enjoying the effect he was having. “Relax, I’m just messing with you,” he said, his tone shifting back to something more casual. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up and walking over to his wardrobe. Saiphee couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly confident Vantheos was, even in such a casual state.

“Have you had breakfast?” Vantheos asked nonchalantly, his voice smooth as he pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants. The fabric clung to his legs as he adjusted them, his movements fluid and easy.

Saiphee blinked, a little caught off guard by the change in subject. “Uh, yeah, I’ve had breakfast,” he replied quickly, though his mind was still racing.

Vantheos flashed a grin as he turned back to face Saiphee. “Good,” he said, his voice light and teasing. “Wouldn’t want you to get hungry while we’re training.” He gave a little wink, clearly enjoying the way Saiphee was reacting to his every move.

Saiphee cleared his throat, trying to focus. “Right, yeah, we should get going then,” he said, his voice a little shakier than he intended. He wasn’t sure if it was the teasing, the proximity, or something else entirely, but Vantheos was making it difficult to keep his thoughts straight.

Vantheos stretched lazily, glancing at Saiphee with a sly smile. “You sure you’re ready for training, or do you need a little more time to recover from all that ‘thinking’?” he teased, his voice dripping with playful challenge.