Saiphee felt his heart race at the way Vantheos was looking at him, that teasing, seductive glint in his eyes. “I’m ready,” Saiphee replied, though he wasn’t entirely sure if he was telling the truth.

Vantheos chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying Saiphee’s nervousness. “We’ll see about that,” he said with a wink, as he finally moved toward the door. “Let’s go, then. Quartz is probably losing his mind by now.” 

Saiphee followed him, still feeling the heat of his teasing words lingering in the air between them. He wasn’t sure what had just happened, but he was certain that Vantheos had a way of making everything feel far more complicated than it needed to be. And yet, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was enjoying every second of it. 

By the time Saiphee and Vantheos arrived at the training grounds, Quartz was already standing there, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his face a picture of frustration. His eyes narrowed at them as they approached, and his lips curled into a scowl.

“Goddammit, both of you!” Quartz exclaimed, his voice thick with irritation. “I was expecting you to wake up Vantheos early so we could get here on time, but now look at you! You’re both late!” He stomped his foot in frustration, the sound echoing through the training area. His mood was clearly soured, and he wasn’t hiding it in the slightest.

Saiphee and Vantheos exchanged a brief glance, both feeling the weight of Quartz’s glare. Vantheos, ever the picture of casual confidence, shrugged nonchalantly, though there was a small, amused grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Relax, Quartz,” Vantheos said, his tone light, almost playful, as he stepped onto the training grounds. “We’re here now, aren’t we? Besides, we can’t rush perfection.”

Quartz’s eyes narrowed further, and he took a step forward, clearly not impressed. “Perfection?” he scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’re both late, and now I’m stuck here waiting for you two to get your act together. Do you have any idea how much time I’ve wasted standing here?” He threw his hands up in exasperation, his frustration evident in every movement.

Saiphee, trying to smooth things over, gave Quartz an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Quartz. We didn’t mean to keep you waiting. We just got a little… distracted.” He glanced sideways at Vantheos, whose smirk had yet to fade.

“Oh, I’m sure you did,” Quartz muttered, rolling his eyes. “You two are always getting ‘distracted’.” He let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as he finally relented. “Alright, alright, enough of the excuses. Let’s just get started before I lose my mind completely.”

Vantheos grinned at Quartz’s frustration, clearly enjoying the way he was getting under the other man’s skin. “Don’t worry, Quartz. We’re ready now,” he said smoothly, stepping into position. “Let’s make this quick. I’ve got more important things to do than listen to you complain.”

Quartz gave them both a pointed look, clearly still irritated, but he didn’t argue further. With a huff, he nodded toward the training area. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. But if you two ever pull this crap again, I swear—” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the threat was clear enough.

Saiphee couldn’t help but chuckle under his breath at Quartz’s antics, but he quickly composed himself, preparing for the training ahead. Despite the tension, he couldn’t deny that there was something oddly satisfying about seeing Quartz this worked up. It almost made the whole situation feel a little less serious, even if Quartz was still glaring at them both. 

Quartz took a deep breath, shaking off his earlier frustration as he composed himself. He turned his attention to Saiphee, who was now standing on the treadmill, preparing for the next part of their training session.

“Alright, here’s the plan,” Quartz said, his tone now more focused and professional. “Just run as you normally would, and I’ll analyze your body’s performance. I need to gather some data so I can tailor your training regimen accordingly.” He stood by, waiting for Saiphee’s signal, his arms crossed as he observed the scientist’s posture.

Saiphee glanced over to where Vantheos was. The man was off to the side, effortlessly going through a series of jump ropes, his movements smooth and rhythmic. Vantheos seemed completely at ease, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. It was a stark contrast to Saiphee’s own growing nervousness.

Shaking off the distraction, Saiphee gave Quartz a quick nod, signaling that he was ready. Quartz immediately pressed a button on the treadmill’s control panel, and with a soft hum, the machine powered up. A holographic monitor flickers to life in front of Saiphee, displaying a series of complex graphs and readouts that would track his performance during the session.

“Alright,” Quartz’s voice came through, steady and commanding. “You’ll start by walking for five minutes. This will give me a baseline of your endurance and overall condition. Once the time is up, we’ll switch it up, and you’ll run for another five minutes. After that, I’ll have enough data to determine what kind of training you need to focus on.”

Saiphee, feeling the challenge ahead of him, nodded firmly. He wasn’t sure what Quartz would find, but he was determined to give it his best. As the treadmill started to move beneath his feet, he adjusted his stride to a brisk walk, his mind focused on the task at hand.

“Just keep your pace steady,” Quartz instructed, his eyes glued to the hologram screen that now displayed Saiphee’s heart rate, calories burned, and other metrics. “I’ll be monitoring everything. Don’t worry about anything other than your performance.”

Saiphee settled into the rhythm of the walk, the familiar hum of the treadmill beneath him providing a comforting backdrop. He could feel the tension in his muscles, but he pushed it aside, concentrating on the task ahead. He knew that the next five minutes would give Quartz a clearer picture of his physical capabilities, and he was determined to show that he was ready for whatever training Quartz had in mind.

As he walked, he noticed Vantheos out of the corner of his eye, still going at it with the jump ropes. Vantheos’ movements were so effortless, his body seemingly gliding through the air with each jump. Saiphee couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy at how naturally strong Vantheos appeared to be. But he quickly shook off the thought, focusing instead on his own performance.

Quartz, however, was still watching him closely. “Don’t get distracted,” he said, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. “Focus on your stats. This is the only thing that matters right now.”

Saiphee’s gaze snapped back to the hologram screen, where his heart rate was steadily climbing. He adjusted his pace slightly, trying to keep his breathing even. Quartz’s voice continued to echo in his mind, reminding him to stay focused, to keep his movements controlled.

As the five minutes of walking came to a close, Quartz gave a quick nod. “Alright, now it’s time to pick up the pace. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Saiphee took a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline start to build. The treadmill shifted into a faster pace, and Saiphee transitioned from walking to running. His legs pushed harder, his muscles working to keep up with the increasing speed. The hologram monitor in front of him shifted, now showing more detailed data on his performance as his heart rate spiked.

Quartz’s eyes remained fixed on the screen, his fingers tapping away at the controls to adjust the settings. “You’re doing well, but we need to see how your body reacts under pressure,” he said, his tone matter-of-fact. “Push yourself a little harder.”

Saiphee gritted his teeth and pushed his legs faster, the wind rushing past his face as he concentrated on maintaining his speed. The challenge was becoming more real with each passing second, but he wasn’t going to back down. He could feel his body working, his muscles burning with the effort, but he kept his focus on the finish line.

Quartz’s voice cut through the intensity of the moment. “Keep it up, Saiphee. I need to see your limits.”