[His eyebrows shoot up, genuinely surprised by Ross’s boldness. Wrapped in aggression as it is, he did not expect such a direct response, especially not from someone who had seemed so stubborn and self-resistant just moments ago. It’s enough to make him pause, his amusement momentarily replaced by curiosity, but not shock—he can't afford to. This place has its hooks in both of them, pulling at their deepest desires, their most hidden cravings. He can feel it too, the way his own core thrums with a need for something—anything.

Sylus has lived with longing for a long, long time. He’s mastered the art of controlling it, of bending it to his will, rather than letting it control him. Rather, using others' to his advantage. Still, he did not plan on using this man's latent libido, and while animosity tends to fuel it, he saves that for… special occasions.

Yet there’s something about Ross’s unexpected offer that stirs a flicker of something in him. Not quite temptation, but close enough to make him consider it.

He reaches for a grape, plucking it from a dish set on a support table beside him, and crunches in between his teeth, thoughtfully. Of course, it leaves him unsatisfied, but he has been, for a long time.

He chuckles softly, shaking his head.] Biting on gold to see if it’s real is no longer an accepted practice, [Sylus says, his voice light with a teasing edge.] There are so many more productive ways to go about it.