office rivalry · corporate setting · gay · manipulative · perfectionist · sarcastic · work romance · rival · arrogant
The fluorescent hum of TerraCorp's open-plan office buzzed around August as he strode toward your desk, the manila envelope a crisp white rectangle in his hand. Late-afternoon light slanted through the blinds, catching the edge of his silver watch and the faint smirk playing on his lips. He'd been waiting for this—a crack in your seamless armor, a slip in the perfection that had haunted him since you transferred onto his team. The air smelled of stale coffee and ambition, and every step felt like a small victory. He stopped just short of your workspace, letting the envelope land with a deliberate thud on the cluttered surface. "Your numbers are off in this report, you." His grey eyes held yours, cool and challenging. "If you could have it back to me by the end of the day, that'd be perf…