What do loud noises, erratic typing, Mountain Dew, and vending machines have in common? The answer's simple.

Excalibur Gaming Inc.

The 3 designated floors in HoloTech Industries headquarters were filled to the brim with men and women, young and old, crafting together the century's best gaming technology and record-breaking games of the last ten years. In just a short amount of time, Excalibur Gaming produced and sold more King Arthur consoles, KA for short, than Xbox and Playstation combined in the last 20 years

Harry walked through the main floor of Excalibur Gaming, waving to the employees who caught his eye, towards his office. His office compared to the one in HoloTech was much bigger and homier. State of the art lift desk, custom built PC with 3 monitors, and an ergonomic desk chair. The room was complete with soundproof walls, blackout floor to ceiling windows, and a huge projector screen for his in-house consoles.

Harry sighed as he shut the door and silenced his surroundings. He loved his employees but loud is loud and he's thankful he designed his office with soundproofing. He couldn't hear anything but the ticking of his CamelotCon clock.

Harry rolled his head around and dropped heavily into his seat. The day has yet to begin and he still had emails to send, documents to sign, and, if his calendar was correct, a tournament to hold. Harry perked up at the sight of the date on his monitor and felt the excitement give him a harder jolt than the caffeine in his energy drink.

The annual Excalibur Gaming tournament was a huge perk for an EG employee. Not only did you work under a prestigious company and with other creative minds, but every month, the company has an off day that benefits their work. Company retreats to new locations, Bot building, art classes, free-for-all days, and the best day of all days, the yearly gaming tournament.

Employees and aspiring employees looked forward to competing and live streaming the exciting event. With that thought, Harry messaged the technicians he usually hired to run the show on how things were looking. A smile came onto his face as he confirmed his choice on the game. And he knew the person that would be his first guest to the tournament ever.

Do you have the next 6 hours open?

He glanced at the clock and saw the event started in an hour and he had been sitting at his desk for 3 hours. Harry grabbed his coat after receiving confirmation on the readiness of the venue and that the game was in place. As he walked out, the main floor was extremely less loud than earlier in the day as the employees on this floor that were participating and the ones that went to watch had vacated the area and left the few diligent workers who decided to live stream from their desk as they finished projects.

6 hours?

Harry looked down at his phone with a smile as he waited for the elevator to take him to the first floor. He playfully messaged back and pocketed his phone.

"What has you giggling like a schoolgirl?"

Harry looked towards the sound of the voice and gave a boyish smirk in that direction. There stood Jimin Park, Senior Head of the Secretary Department, sipping on a convoluted coffee drink.

Harry shook his head with a chuckle. "Just convincing a guest to accompany me to the tournament."

She looked up from her phone. "A guest?"

The elevator sounded its arrival and Harry waved in front of him for Jimin to go in first. The secretary bowed respectively and gracefully walked into the elevator carriage. He followed after and pressed the first-floor button.

"I can have guests, Ms. Park," Harry sassed.

Harry's phone began to buzz in that moment and Jimin laughed over the rim of her cup.

"Yes, you can, sir. But those smiles look like this is a date," Jimin teased.

The annual gaming tournament.

Harry snapped his head towards the secretary in surprise. She only adjusted her glasses and took another sip of coffee.

"Please, Mr. Edwards. I know when a guy is texting someone they like. Well, have a good date," She comforted as the elevator doors opened and she playfully waved behind her.

Harry scoffed lightly at her exit and soon followed after. He just jumped into the front seat of his Air Cruiser as his phone chimed again.

Oh, really? Well, definitely then.

Great. I'll pick you up in 10.

Harry sat back in the seat with a huge grin as he put the car into gear. As he moved to drive out of the garage, his phone buzzed on the console.

It's a date then. :)

~=~=+=~=~

Meanwhile, Terrence is having a crisis.

Number one, what should he wear? Harry doesn't usually dress up when attending work at EG and he most certainly doesn't dress up often otherwise. Should he be dress casual or completely casual? This is an event at his company, he should be presentable as one of Harry's friends. He reflects Harry as a peer. These concerns ran through Terrence's head as he tossed around several pieces of clothing.

Number two, "it's a date then"?? Terrence tugged at his braid as he dwelled on the message he sent. Is Harry disgusted, uncomfortable, or even indifferent about it? Terrence couldn't exactly guess his response. He so wished he can send another text to jokingly brush off the prior suggestive message. But he knew it would worsen the situation, bringing up something unintentional.

His eye caught the digital clock on his nightstand and he gasped dramatically. He had at least 5 minutes left and he was still standing in the middle of his now messy room, in his underwear. Terrence eventually gave up after another minute of fussing and threw on a wool sweater, jeans, skater sneakers, and an EG beanie.

He sighed as he grabbed all his belongings and stuffed them into his trench coat and pressed in the code for the lobby. When his molecules reassembled in the lobby, Harry was waiting for him as usual. At that second, Harry looked up to meet Terrence's eyes. The charismatic redhead sent Terrence a heart-stopping smile his way, making Terrence's heart flutter.

Terrence noticed that Harry had his usually messy hair in a business style, pulled back and parted on the side. The change in style left his face open and less boyish, but his green eyes were still watching with playfulness. When Harry stood up to greet him, he felt conflicted as Harry was in a sweater with a button up collar sticking out, slacks, and dress shoes under his pea coat.

"Uh, should I go change?" Terrence murmured, feeling uncomfortable in his casual clothing.

Harry looked down at his outfit and waved his hands in disagreement. "No, that's not necessary. My employees will be in more casual clothing than ours, it's fine. I just have to dress up a little for the old farts watching me from HoloTech, I have to 'look presentable at a globally broadcasted event to show your competence as a multi-billionaire CEO.' It's whatever," Harry explained with a nonchalant shrug.

Terrence nodded in understanding and jumped a little as Harry put an arm around him. His cheeks grew warm under the protective arm of Harry. The pair walked out, each with a grin, drunk with glee.

Harry internally was excited to see his little bookworm dressed in his usual worn in fashion. He couldn't decipher the look in Terrence's eyes as he looked over his outfit, but he selfishly wished it was an appreciative look.

More appreciative than you'd give to your friend, but maybe one you'd give to someone you find attractive.

The car ride over to the Capital Building, Harry mulled over Jimin's words. The tiniest possibility that he found Terrence as a person more than a friend. Did he find him attractive? The question brought up all the times he's casted secret glances at Terrence, scanning his body, enjoying their touchy moments, like when Terrence fell asleep during a movie and slept in his lap, Harry more than often just took time to stare at Terrence, the way his nose twitched randomly, his attraction to anything warm as he cuddled into Harry's stomach. Harry remembered the times he was enamored in Terrence's smile and couldn't even form thoughts.

Harry wasn't sure if he was attracted to Terrence but he knew that the possibility had him looking at the bookworm in a new light. A revealing light that he couldn't unsee.

Harry lead Terrence to his car and safely ushered him into the passenger seat. He jogged to the driver seat and quickly settled into the seat, immediately turning on the car and letting the warmer air flood the car.

"I didn't get to say this, but, thanks for inviting me," Terrence acknowledged, his gaze elsewhere as he confessed shyly.

Harry smiled at the shyness that he admittedly finds cute. "No problem."

He put the car into gear as he added a cheeky last word with a devilish smirk.

"After all, this is our first date."