my boss and his friend

Mr. Carter's house:

As he sat in his office Daniel suddenly busted in with his arms crossed. "Do you know how to knock?" He said his eyes still on his computer screen. "What's this I hear that you were with Anthony last night?!" Daniel asked.

"See now you've lost your privilege of coming into my house." Mr. Carter said.

"You better not have touched him!" Daniel said.

Elliot closed his computer and looked up at Daniel, "and what if I did?"

"Consider our friendship done!" "We promised if anything happened we will both be there!"

Elliot raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair as if Daniel's words amused him. "You're overreacting," he said calmly. "Nothing happened that crossed any lines."

Daniel's jaw clenched. "That's not the point. We made a pact—if anything were to happen with Anthony, we'd both be involved, no secrets."

Elliot chuckled darkly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You're acting like this is more than it is. I was just testing the waters, making sure he's…comfortable."

Daniel stepped closer, his arms dropping to his sides, tension radiating off of him. "Comfortable? This isn't some game, Elliot. I actually care about him."

"You don't think I also care!"

"If we keep throwing ourselves at him he'll run away from both of us." Elliot added

"What else can we do than?" Daniel asked.

"Don't worry I have a plan." Elliot smiled up at at his friend.

Daniel eyed Elliot suspiciously, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "A plan? What kind of plan, Elliot? Because if this is more of your manipulation, count me out."

Elliot stood up and walked over to the window, his back to Daniel. "Relax. It's not manipulation, at least not in the way you're thinking. We can't come at Anthony head-on, not yet. He's too cautious, too wary. We need to build trust, make him feel safe."

Daniel crossed his arms. "And how do you plan on doing that? You think he's just going to magically trust us after everything?"

Elliot turned back to face him, a calculating smile on his lips. "It's simple. We back off for now, give him space to breathe. Let him come to us, naturally. When he feels like he's in control, that's when he'll start to rely on us. We offer him support, friendship… until he can't imagine not having us in his life."

Daniel frowned, still not convinced. "And what if he doesn't come to us? What if he decides we're too much?"

Elliot's eyes darkened, his voice lowering. "He won't. Anthony's smart, but he's also vulnerable. He's overwhelmed at work, isolated. We just need to show him that we're the ones he can count on, the ones who understand him better than anyone else. Once he feels that… he'll stay."

Daniel took a deep breath, unsure. "And this isn't just about controlling him? Because if I feel like you're going too far—"

"Then stop worrying." Elliot cut him off, walking up and clapping Daniel on the shoulder. "Trust me, this will work. We'll play the long game, and in the end, Anthony will be ours. No pressure, no games—just patience."

Daniel hesitated, searching Elliot's face for any sign of deceit. But all he saw was cold, calculated confidence. Finally, he nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Fine. We'll do it your way for now. But if I feel like you're pushing too hard—"

"You'll what?" Elliot raised an eyebrow. "We're in this together, Daniel. We both want the same thing."

Daniel swallowed, knowing that the line they were walking was thin, but also knowing that Elliot was right about one thing—if they kept pushing, Anthony would only run further away. "Alright. Let's do it."

Elliot smiled, satisfied. "Good. Now, let our little plan begin."

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at Nexora Systems Anthony's pov:

As I was in the lounge making myself a cup of coffee Mr. Thompson walked up to me with an angry expression mixed with annoyance, I stopped what I was doing and waited for him to start going off on me.

"Pack your bag, you're accompanying Mr. Carter and Sir Daniel to a contract signing." He informed.

"Why me?" I asked.

"Don't ask me stupid questions, just get your stuff they are waiting for for you." He said as he walked out of the lounge room.

I stood there, my coffee half-made, my mind racing. A contract signing? With both Mr. Carter and Daniel? I couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to be more complicated than just paperwork. I quickly put down my cup, my appetite for coffee replaced with a slight knot of anxiety.

As I made my way back to my desk to grab my things, my thoughts kept drifting to the strange encounters I'd had with the two of them lately. Daniel's teasing, Mr. Carter's intense stares—it was hard to ignore the tension that seemed to follow us whenever we were alone. And now, I was supposed to spend even more time with them outside of the office.

When I reached the lobby, Mr. Carter and Daniel were already there, deep in conversation. The moment they saw me, they paused. Mr. Carter nodded in acknowledgment, while Daniel shot me a grin.

"Ready to go, Anthony?" Daniel asked, his voice light but with a glint in his eyes.

I nodded, managing a polite smile. "Yes, sir. I mean… Daniel."

"Good," Mr. Carter said, his tone firm. "Let's get moving; we're already running late."

As we walked out of the building and headed toward the sleek, black company car waiting for us, I noticed that I was sandwiched between them on the back seat. The silence was heavy, filled only by the hum of the engine as we drove. Every now and then, I could feel their eyes on me, as if they were watching my every move.

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As we pulled up infront of a very big building there was security guards standing at every corner, Mr. Carter said Daniel got out leaving me scared in my seat.

"Are you going to sit in here the whole meeting?" Daniel asked

"No." I replied quickly getting out.

"Don't be intimidated, they are not going to do anything to you." He said throwing his arm around my shoulders."

I stepped out of the car, my nerves flaring up as I took in the massive building looming before us. The place looked like a fortress, with security guards stationed at every corner, their eyes scanning everything in sight. Daniel's arm around my shoulders was surprisingly reassuring, even though I could feel the weight of his presence just as much as the tension of the surroundings.

"Just follow our lead," he murmured as we walked toward the entrance. Mr. Carter was a few steps ahead, radiating authority as he exchanged a brief nod with one of the guards, who promptly stepped aside to let us pass.

As we entered the grand lobby, I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous energy building inside me. The whole place had an intimidating air to it—sleek marble floors, high ceilings, and polished walls reflecting the sterile brightness of the lights.

Mr. Carter glanced back, catching my eye. "Stay out here, it won't take long." He said as we reached the meeting room, "yes sir." I said but not very confident. I don't know why but this place made me scare.

"Be a good boy." Said patting my head like I was some dog.

I watched as Mr. Carter and Daniel disappeared into the meeting room, the heavy doors closing behind them with a soft thud. Left alone in the hallway, I felt strangely exposed, as if every security guard and passing executive were watching me. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, glancing around, trying to blend in even though I felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

After a few minutes, I noticed a small lounge area down the hall, complete with a few plush chairs and a water dispenser. Figuring it would be better than just standing around, I made my way over and sat down, my gaze shifting between the closed meeting room door and the bustling activity in the hallway.

The minutes stretched on, and I tried to calm myself by reminding myself this was just a meeting. Still, the unfamiliar surroundings and Mr. Carter's parting words echoed in my mind. "Be a good boy." It was condescending, sure, but somehow the tone had held a strange edge, almost a test of sorts.

Just as I was beginning to settle, someone appeared at the corner of my eye. "Hey their," the man said with a big smile on his face.

His appearance was frightening but his face makes him appear like the kindest man ever, "Who did you come here with" he asked. "Mr. Carter." I replied nervously.

"Wow!" He smiled as he leaned in close to me, he analyzed my face looked at me up and down. He gently grabbed chin turning my face to the left and right, "where did he find you at?" He mumbled to himself.

"How much does Carter pay you?" He asked, before I could even open my mouth Mr. Carter and Daniel appeared.

"Why are you integrating my employee?" Mr. Carter asked, "I'm just asking a simple question." The man replied, "get up, we're heading out." Mr. Carter said grabbing my hand.

"You should learn how to mind your business." Daniel said to the man.

I quickly stood up, feeling the firm grip of Mr. Carter's hand pulling me away from the stranger. The man gave me one last unsettling smile, his gaze lingering a moment too long, before he turned back toward the meeting room without another word. I followed closely as Mr. Carter led me down the hall, Daniel walking beside us, throwing a protective glance back at the man.

As soon as we stepped outside, I felt a rush of relief, the fresh air calming my racing heart. "Who was that?" I asked, glancing between Mr. Carter and Daniel, hoping they'd explain.

"Just someone who's better left alone," Daniel muttered, his tone sharper than usual. "Don't worry about it, Anthony."

Mr. Carter's expression softened slightly as he looked down at me, his grip on my hand loosening. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really." I replied, "Come on, you can't refuse when he offers. It's rare for him to treat me." Daniel jumped in, "please just say yes, I'm pretty hungry." He begged grabbing my hand. I couldn't help but slightly smile, being around them could very intimating but it could also be funny watching them act like little kids.

I looked over at Mr. Carter who was looking at Daniel shaking his head, "can you not you act like a kid for once." He said.

"I could use a little snack." I said.

Mr. Carter sighed but didn't seem displeased. "Alright then," he said, leading us toward a sleek black car parked near the entrance. I climbed into the backseat, with Daniel eagerly sliding in beside me, grinning like he'd just won a prize.

As we drove, the city lights began to blur together, creating a mesmerizing backdrop outside the window. "Thank you so much for this Anthony!" Daniel suddenly hugged me his arms wrapped around my waist. "Elliot is so heartless, he never treats me. Can you imagine that, After being friends with him for almost 2 decades."

"Can you shut up?" Mr. Carter said giving him a stare, "Elliot?" I said looking at him.

"Yeah, that's your precious boss name." Daniel laughed.

"You don't look like a Elliot sir," I chuckled. Mr. Carter raised his brow, "What is that supposed to mean?"

I swallowed, realizing my comment could have come off wrong. "I mean… you just seem more like a 'Mr. Carter.' Serious, powerful—you know, like the name fits the role," I explained, hoping he'd let it slide.

Daniel chuckled, nudging me playfully. "See? Even he thinks you're a bit too intimidating for a name like 'Elliot.'"

Mr. Carter, or rather, Elliot, rolled his eyes but there was a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Is that so?" he asked, his tone teasing. "Well, I suppose I'll allow it—this time."

As we pulled up to an elegant, dimly lit café with a cozy atmosphere, Daniel's enthusiasm seemed to double. "This place has the best pastries," he said, practically bouncing out of the car. "Elliot might be a little intense, but he does have good taste."

We found a corner table, and soon enough, the table was filled with an array of pastries and snacks. Daniel immediately started digging in, practically sighing with delight as he took a bite. I glanced at Mr. Carter, who was watching us with a raised brow.

"Are you just going to sit there, or will you actually try something?" he asked, gesturing to the pastries.

I picked up a small chocolate tart, taking a tentative bite. The richness of the chocolate melted in my mouth, and I couldn't help but smile. "Okay, you were right—this is really good."

"See? I told you," Daniel said, flashing me a grin before turning to Mr. Carter. "And admit it, Elliot, you enjoy this too. Just because you're all 'serious boss' doesn't mean you don't have a sweet side."

Elliot shook his head but finally picked up a pastry, taking a small bite. For a moment, the three of us sat in comfortable silence, sharing a rare moment of calm amidst the usual chaos. And as strange as it felt, I realized that maybe, just maybe, I was starting to feel a little more at ease around them.

TBC