Neo woke to noise.
Not the annoying kind the familiar kind.
" Happy biiirthday to yooou— "
He groaned, rolling onto his side, pulling the pillow over his head like it would magically save him. It didn't. Hands shook his shoulder, laughter filled the room, and the smell of something sweet vanilla and sugar hit his senses.
"Get up, birthday boy!" Pia sang, completely off-key, ribbons already tangled around her wrist.
Aiden was standing at the foot of the bed, clapping like he was being paid for it. "Wow. Eighteen years on earth and you still sleep like you're allergic to responsibility."
His mom leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Happy birthday, my love."
Neo finally sat up, hair messy, eyes still heavy with sleep but his smile? Immediate. Bright. Real.
Eighteen.
It felt strange. Big. Like crossing an invisible line and realizing the ground didn't crumble beneath your feet—it just stretched wider.
"I'm legal," he murmured, half to himself.
"Don't let that sentence leave your mouth again," Maggie warned, already laughing.
They finished the song like they always did. No matter how many years passed, no matter how busy life got, this part never changed. And Neo loved that.
But even as he laughed and accepted the hug Pia nearly tackled him with, his mind drifted.
To Lucas.To yesterday.To the box.
He'd opened it late at night, alone in his room, heart beating like he was doing something illegal even though it was literally his birthday gift. Inside wasn't loud or flashy but it was intimate in a way that made his breath hitch.
Neatly arranged. Thoughtful. Expensive without trying to be.
The kind of gift girls posted online with captions like "he understood the assignment".
Neo had stared at it for a long time before closing the box again, fingers trembling slightly.
This is only the first, Lucas had said.
The thought made his stomach flip all over again.
"So," Aiden said, snapping him back to the present, "are you gonna just sit there smiling like a fool, or are you coming downstairs? We have balloons to fight and neighbors to impress."
Neo laughed, swinging his legs off the bed. "I'm coming. Relax."
As they headed downstairs, the house already half-decorated and buzzing with familiar chaos, Neo felt it-
that quiet, humming excitement under his skin.
This birthday felt different.
Not just because he was eighteen.
Not just because of the party.
But because somewhere between last night and this morning, his world had shifted.
And he had no idea just how big the surprise waiting for him was going to be.
Neo took his time getting ready.
Not because he was nervous okay, maybe a little but because today felt worth savoring.
He skipped anything too formal. No stiff collars, no trying too hard. He settled for something casual but intentional: dark fitted jeans, a clean black top that hugged him just right, and sneakers that still looked fresh enough to count as effort. Simple. Sharp. Different in that quiet way people noticed without knowing why.
When he caught his reflection, he paused.
He looked… good.
Not just physically though that too but settled. Like someone who had stepped into himself without realizing when it happened.
"Okay," he murmured to the mirror, exhaling a smile. "Eighteen."
Downstairs, the house was already warming up.
The gate creaked open and shut every few minutes as neighbors filtered in familiar faces, easy laughter, the kind of people who had watched Neo grow up and still called him small boy out of habit. Someone brought a cake box balanced dangerously on one hand. Another arrived with wrapped gifts tucked under their arm like secrets.
Aiden's parents showed up next, his mom pulling Neo into a hug that lingered just a second longer than usual.
"Happy birthday, sweetheart," she said warmly. "You're officially an adult now don't waste it."
Aiden snorted. "Too late."
Neo laughed, the sound light, unforced.
His school friends trickled in not long after loud, chaotic, already arguing about music. One of them handed him a gift bag and whispered, "Please open this later. For your dignity."
Pia hovered everywhere at once, adjusting ribbons, fixing plates, bossing people around like she'd been waiting all year for this role. His mom watched it all with soft eyes, pride tucked behind every smile as she moved between guests, thanking them for coming.
The house filled slowly. Not crowded. Not overwhelming.
Just… full.
Full of voices.
Full of warmth.
Full of Neo's life as he'd always known it.
Music played low in the background. Someone laughed too loudly near the drinks table. The smell of food drifted through the air, familiar and comforting.
Neo stood in the middle of it all, gifts piling up on a table nearby, heart light, chest buzzing.
It was perfect in its simplicity.
And yet
Somewhere beneath the joy, beneath the laughter and birthday wishes, something stirred. A quiet anticipation he couldn't explain. Like the day itself was holding its breath.
He didn't know why.
Not yet.
But the surprise was already on its way.
And when it arrived.....
nothing about Neo's birthday would ever feel ordinary again.
Samantha arrived a little later than everyone else.
Neo noticed before anyone said anything not because he'd been waiting, but because the room shifted the moment she stepped in. She looked… polished. Hair done, outfit carefully chosen, makeup soft but deliberate. Like she'd dressed for photos more than comfort.
"Happy birthday," she said, smiling as she walked up to him, holding out a neatly wrapped box. Her tone was sweet. Familiar.
"Thanks," Neo replied, taking it easily. He smiled back, genuine but lighter than the one he'd worn earlier with everyone else.
She leaned in for a hug. Neo returned it, brief and polite, nothing lingering. If she noticed, she didn't comment.
Samantha stayed close for a while after that standing beside him when people greeted him, chiming into conversations, laughing at jokes a beat too late. To anyone watching, it looked normal. Like a couple at a small birthday gathering.
But Aiden clocked it instantly.
He raised an eyebrow at Neo from across the room, smirking. Neo just shrugged, lips twitching like he didn't even know how to explain it himself.
Samantha talked about school, about how busy she'd been, about how they really needed to hang out more. Neo nodded, responded when needed, but his attention kept drifting toward the music, toward Pia arguing with someone over cake placement, toward the front gate every time a car slowed outside.
He didn't know why.
At some point, Samantha reached for his hand. Neo let her. It felt… fine. Comfortable. But distant. Like muscle memory more than emotion.
"You seem happy today," she said, studying him.
"I am," Neo answered honestly.
Just not in the way she probably thought.
The party continued to grow warmer, louder. More gifts, more laughter, more plates being passed around. Neo moved from group to group, Samantha occasionally at his side, occasionally pulled away by conversation.
And still....
That feeling stayed.
Like the day hadn't revealed its biggest card yet.
Like something or someone was about to walk in and change the temperature of the room completely.
Neo laughed at something Aiden said, unaware that soon, everything would shift.
And Samantha, standing a few steps away watching him, had no idea that this birthday would quietly mark the beginning of an ending she didn't see coming.
Samantha noticed it first.
Not the noise. Not the laughter.
The absence.
Neo had been smiling all afternoon bright, easy, relaxed but suddenly his attention drifted again. Not toward anyone this time. Toward the gate. His shoulders straightened like his body reacted before his mind could.
Samantha followed his line of sight.
Nothing yet.
"You okay?" she asked casually, sipping her drink.
Neo blinked, shook his head. "Yeah. Just hot in here."
She hummed, unconvinced.
She'd been watching him all day. The way his smile came quicker, the way he laughed more freely, the way he seemed… lighter. And yet distracted. Like someone waiting for a message they pretended not to expect.
Then it happened.
The low rumble of an engine outside the gate.
Not loud. Not dramatic. But deliberate.
Neo's mom paused mid-conversation.
Pia stopped arguing about where to place the drinks.
Aiden's head snapped up so fast it was almost comical.
The gate slid open.
Two black cars rolled in sleek, expensive, unapologetic.
Silence crept in like a warning.
Samantha felt it in her chest before she understood it. That instinctive tightening, the kind that came when something powerful entered a room. Conversations died down. Laughter faded into whispers.
The first door opened.
A tall figure stepped out, tailored coat sharp, presence commanding without effort.
Gasps rippled through the gathering.
"No way…" "Is that-" "That's Lucas Luther."
Of course it was.
Lucas Luther didn't need an introduction. The media had done that for him. The interviews, the headlines, the photos that never quite captured how dangerous calm could look in real life.
Then the second door opened.
Kellan.
Right-hand man. Shadow. The one who never smiled on TV and never needed to.
Adults straightened unconsciously. Some looked away. Others stared openly. Everyone knew who they were even if they didn't know why they were here.
Samantha's heart dropped.
Her gaze flew back to Neo.
He was frozen for exactly half a second.
Then...
"Shit," Aiden muttered, already moving.
Neo snapped out of it and ran.
Not walked. Not hesitated.
Ran.
Straight toward them.
Aiden was right beside him.
"Good evening, sir," Neo said breathlessly, stopping in front of Lucas, posture snapping into something respectful, familiar.
"Happy birthday," Lucas replied smoothly, eyes softening just enough to be dangerous.
Aiden grinned. "Didn't think you'd actually show."
Lucas's mouth curved. "Surprises are necessary."
Kellan nodded once in greeting, sharp eyes scanning the space before briefly landing on Neo again.
Behind them, Neo's mom rushed forward, stunned but composed. "Mr Luther....Kellan you're welcome, please please come in."
The air shifted completely.
What had been a cozy neighborhood birthday party was suddenly something else entirely.
Samantha stood rooted where she was.
Watching.
Neo...her Neo standing confidently in front of two men who terrified boardrooms and dominated headlines. Laughing softly. Relaxed. Familiar.
Like he belonged there.
Like this wasn't strange at all.
Her fingers curled slowly around her cup.
Something was wrong.
Samantha tried to recover fast.
She smoothed her dress, lifted her chin, and walked closer, inserting herself just enough to be noticed. Her hand brushed Neo's arm light, familiar, deliberate.
"Neo," she said with a smile that tried too hard to look natural. "You didn't tell me you had… important guests."
Neo stiffened.
Not dramatically. Just enough.
"Oh...yeah," he replied, distracted, already half-turned toward Lucas again. "Um. They're—"
"Friends?" Samantha finished, eyes flicking to Lucas, sizing him up the way people did when they thought they had the upper hand.
Lucas caught it immediately.
He stepped forward smoothly, just a fraction closer to Neo. Not touching. Not yet. But close enough that the space shifted claimed without being named.
"Lucas Luther," he said calmly, extending a hand that carried weight without warmth. "Neo works with me."
Works with me.
The words landed heavy.
Samantha hesitated before taking his hand. His grip was brief. Controlled. Dismissive in the most polite way possible.
"Oh," she said, blinking. "I'm Samantha. Neo's—"
Before she could finish, Lucas turned slightly, angling his body so Neo was behind him instead of beside him. A subtle block. Clean. Intentional.
"Your mother has done a beautiful job," Lucas continued, already redirecting the conversation, eyes moving away from Samantha as if she'd completed her relevance. "The atmosphere suits him."
Neo's ears burned.
Samantha noticed.
Her smile faltered for half a second.
She tried again.
"Well, Neo, maybe later we can—"
"Neo," Lucas interrupted gently, without raising his voice, "would you help me with something for a moment?"
It wasn't a question.
Neo didn't even hesitate. "Yes, sir."
That was when it became obvious.
The way Neo followed him immediately.
The way Lucas didn't look back to check if he was coming.
The way Neo always did.
Samantha stood there, fingers curling slowly, watching them walk away together.
Across the yard, Kellan leaned casually near Aiden, posture relaxed, eyes sharp.
"You look uncomfortable," Kellan murmured quietly.
Aiden scoffed under his breath. "I'm enjoying this way too much to be uncomfortable."
Kellan's lips twitched almost a smile but he didn't let it form. Instead, his gaze flicked briefly to Samantha, then back to Aiden.
"She's observant," Kellan said. "That could become a problem."
Aiden shrugged, reaching for a drink. "She's temporary."
Kellan studied him for a beat longer than necessary, then nodded once. "Good."
To anyone watching, it looked like casual conversation.
Two men talking about nothing.
But beneath it
Lines were being drawn.
Territory acknowledged.
Warnings issued without words.
Samantha felt it.
She didn't know what it was yet but she knew one thing for sure.
Neo wasn't slipping away.
He had already stepped into something far bigger than her.
And Lucas Luther wasn't the kind of man who shared what he'd already decided belonged to him.
Lucas didn't say anything as he guided Neo toward the car.
It wasn't one of the convoy vehicles still parked down the street. This one sat slightly apart, sleek, black, unassuming until the door opened.
Neo froze.
The back seat was filled.
Not messy. Not chaotic.
Perfectly arranged black boxes of different sizes, matte and glossy finishes mixed together, each tied with thin black ribbons. Some were stacked neatly, others laid flat like they'd been positioned deliberately like an offering.
"Oh…" Neo breathed.
Lucas watched his reaction closely, satisfied.
They slid inside, and the door shut with a solid thud. A second later, Lucas locked it. The faint click sounded louder than it should have. The tinted windows sealed them off from the world from the music, the chatter, the party just a few steps away.
Private.
Lucas turned slightly toward him. "Happy birthday, Neo."
His voice was lower now. Warmer. Personal.
Neo swallowed, nodding, eyes glued to his hands. "Thank you, sir. I....I didn't expect this."
"That," Lucas said, reaching out to brush his thumb lightly over Neo's wrist, "is the point."
The touch was brief. Barely there. But Neo felt it everywhere.
Lucas leaned back casually, one arm stretched along the seat behind Neo not touching him, but close enough that Neo could feel the heat of him.
"Open them later," Lucas added, glancing at the boxes. "Not here."
Neo nodded quickly. "Okay."
Silence fell but it wasn't empty.
Lucas's fingers lifted again, this time adjusting the sleeve of Neo's shirt, slow and deliberate. "You've been flustered all day," he said mildly. "Did Samantha contribute to that?"
Neo's head snapped up. "N-no... I mean—"
Lucas hummed softly. "You didn't look at her once."
Neo looked away again, cheeks warming. "I didn't notice."
A lie. A bad one.
Lucas smiled. "Good."
His fingers traced lightly along Neo's forearm, stopping just before his elbow. Not possessive. Not aggressive. Just… claiming space.
"You handled yourself well today," Lucas continued. "With everyone. With her."
Neo finally looked at him then. "I didn't do anything."
"You stayed where you belonged," Lucas replied, eyes steady. "That's something."
Neo's breath hitched at the implication.
Lucas leaned in just slightly, close enough that Neo could smell him clean, dark, familiar. "Enjoy your night," he murmured. "Celebrate. Smile. Let them think today is simple."
Neo didn't realize he was holding his breath until Lucas shifted closer.
The space between them vanished not because Lucas touched him again, but because he could. One knee angled toward Neo's, their thighs barely brushing. Neo's fingers curled into the fabric of his own jeans, grounding himself.
"You're quiet," Lucas said softly. "That's not like you."
Neo shook his head. "I just..." His voice cracked, and he stopped himself, swallowing hard.
Lucas noticed everything. The way Neo's chest rose too fast. The way his lips parted like he wanted to say something and didn't dare.
"Use your words," Lucas murmured.
Neo squeezed his eyes shut for half a second. When he opened them, his gaze was unfocused, wrecked. "You keep doing things," he whispered, "and then acting like nothing happened."
Lucas tilted his head. "Is that a complaint?"
"No," Neo said quickly. Too quickly. "It's... I don't know what to do with it."
Lucas reached out then, fingers sliding under Neo's chin, lifting his face just enough to make him look. Not forcing. Never forcing.
Neo's breath hitched immediately.
"Tell me," Lucas said quietly. "What do you want to do?"
Neo's lips trembled. He tried to look away, but Lucas's thumb held him right there, steady and unyielding.
"I want you to stop," Neo whispered.
Lucas waited.
"And I want you not to," Neo added, barely audible.
The silence that followed was thick, heavy, electric.
Lucas's thumb brushed once once over Neo's lower lip. Neo shuddered like he'd been touched everywhere.
"Careful," Lucas warned softly. "You're asking for things you're not ready to handle."
Neo exhaled, shaky. "Then don't tease me."
Lucas leaned in just enough for their foreheads to almost touch. Almost.
"Then don't look at me like that," he replied.
Neo's hands came up without permission, fisting into Lucas's suit jacket, desperation finally slipping through his control. "Please," he breathed not loud, not dramatic, just honest. Raw.
Lucas went still.
For a moment, Neo thought he'd crossed a line.
Then Lucas's hand slid to Neo's waist, firm now, grounding, possessive but restrained.
"Not tonight," Lucas said, voice low and steady. "But don't ever beg unless you mean it."
Neo nodded quickly, breath uneven. "I meant it."
Lucas's grip tightened for half a second promise, warning, ownership all wrapped into one.
"I know," he said.
Then he pulled away, unlocking the door again like nothing had happened.
"Go back to your party," Lucas added calmly. "Enjoy being eighteen."
Neo stepped out on unsteady legs.
And as the door closed behind him, one thought echoed louder than the music, louder than the laughter.