“I'm going on a road trip.” Taylor announces as he packs his stuff.

“Oh, fun. Can I come?” Sylvie asks, curious where he was going. She hasn't been able to do anything fun during the tribulation and she was hoping that Taylor could bring some good luck.

Taylor sighs. He wishes he could make this a family thing, but it was just work. “My boss is coming.” Taylor explains as he zips up his luggage. Done with his preparation, he takes a seat on the bed and collapses back into it.

“Boss? You mean Hanz?” Sylvie asks with a raised eyebrow before a knowing smile emerges on her face. “Just the two of you?” She asks, amusement on her face. This dense idiot. I don’t think he knows. Sylvie thinks while suppressing a laugh.

“Yup. Just the two of us. We’re on a demon hunt.” Taylor responds with his eyes closed.

“A demon, eh? Be careful. We wouldn’t want you to get eaten.” Sylvie says before letting our her laughter.

Taylor opens his eyes and raises an eyebrow. He sits up and asks, “Why are you laughing?”

Sylvie simply smiles. “No reason.” She says before grabbing Taylor’s arms and pulling him up. She embraces his body, feeling his familiar touch as she offers her warmth. “Taylor, just remember. When you get back from this trip there will be no judgement. You do what you think is natural.” She says before giving Taylor a kiss on the lips.

Taylor raises another eyebrow, bewildered. “What are you talking about? It’s not like I haven’t killed a man before. This is just business as usual.” He says as he holds onto Sylvie’s waist. Suddenly, Taylor feels a familiar urge and his hands wander to Sylvie’s behind. “Did you want to give me a goodbye gift?” He asks suggestively.

Sylvie smiles, continuing to feel the urge to tease. “Sure. Should I grab the strap-on for this one?” She asks as she gazes into Taylor’s eyes.

Taylor groans, a little unwilling. “Fine. But not for long and only at the end. That thing leaves me lifeless every time you use it.” He says, unsure if he hated it more than he liked it.

Sylvie gives Taylor another kiss. “Okay, baby. Whatever you say.” She says before beginning to unbutton Taylor’s shirt.

…

…

Hanz waves to Taylor from outside of the window as he approaches the vehicle. Taylor smiles bitterly and starts the car.

Hanz opens the door and takes a seat before closing the door. He takes a breath and smiles. “Nice car. It seems… Clean.” He says with a smile.

Taylor smiles, amusement on his face. “It’s an old piece of junk. But it does the job, so I can’t complain.” He says before driving onto the road. “You said West, right?” He asks as he continues to drive.

“Yeah, just West will do. He seems to be moving so I’m not sure where we’ll end up.” Hanz says as he fiddles with the chair and pushes it back.

“Why not just fly over?” Taylor asks. As far as he was concerned, Hanz could do whatever he wanted, but the drive was very much an inconvenience for Taylor.

“That’s no fun. This way we can go sightseeing. I want to track the spread of the Greed Aura in the country. I’m also curious how quickly the Naturalists are evolving in different cities. You gotta work smart, Taylor.” Hanz says with a chuckle.

Taylor smirks. “I guess.” He says before focusing on the road. “By the way, it’s about lunch time. Did you want to grab something to eat?” Taylor asks with a glance to the passenger side.

“Why yes, Taylor. How polite. I would be delighted.” Hanz says with a smile.