Elias did not move.
Dominic had noticed that was becoming a pattern tonight.
Every time the distance between them disappeared, Elias always seemed to reach a point where he should step back… and didn't.
Dominic tilted his head slightly, studying him with quiet interest.
"You know," he said softly, "you're doing that thing again."
Elias frowned.
"What thing?"
"Pretending this situation is completely normal."
"It is normal."
Dominic glanced down briefly.
Their shoulders were still touching.
Their bodies were close enough that Elias could feel Dominic's breathing.
"Yeah," Dominic said with a faint smile. "Totally normal."
Elias exhaled slowly.
"You're exaggerating."
"I'm observing."
"You're provoking."
Dominic chuckled.
"That too."
The air between them felt warmer than before.
Elias wasn't sure when it had happened, but the lab suddenly felt smaller. The quiet hum of the machines surrounded them, but it no longer felt like the center of the room.
Dominic was.
Dominic leaned one hand against the desk behind Elias again.
Not trapping him.
Just close.
"You're nervous," he said quietly.
"I'm not."
"You always lie like that."
Elias rolled his eyes.
"Dominic"
"You're thinking too much."
"That's what thinking people do."
Dominic smiled faintly.
"You're not thinking about the system right now."
Elias hesitated.
"No."
"Or the research."
"No."
Dominic's voice softened.
"Just me."
Elias didn't answer.
Which was answer enough.
Dominic watched him for a moment longer before speaking again.
"You know what's funny?"
"What?"
"I spent the last year trying to convince myself that you didn't want me."
Elias looked up.
"And?"
Dominic shrugged slightly.
"Standing here now… that theory is falling apart pretty fast."
Elias crossed his arms, though the movement felt more defensive than confident.
"You're assuming a lot."
"Am I?"
Dominic leaned slightly closer.
"You could've stepped away by now."
Elias's back was still against the desk.
The position made the truth of Dominic's statement very obvious.
Dominic's voice dropped a little lower.
"You could've pushed me away."
Elias's heartbeat picked up slightly.
"I still could."
Dominic's eyes flicked briefly to Elias's lips before returning to his gaze.
"But you won't."
Elias inhaled slowly.
"You sound very confident."
Dominic's smile was quiet but certain.
"I know you."
The words lingered between them.
That had always been the problem.
Dominic did know him.
Better than most people ever had.
Better than Elias sometimes wanted.
Dominic's fingers shifted slightly on the desk behind him.
The movement caused his hand to brush lightly against Elias's arm.
The contact was brief.
But Elias felt it immediately.
Dominic noticed the reaction.
A subtle pause.
A slight intake of breath.
His voice softened.
"Still sensitive to that, huh?"
Elias frowned.
"That didn't mean anything."
Dominic laughed quietly.
"You're terrible at lying."
Elias looked away briefly.
The truth was irritating.
Because Dominic was right again.
Dominic watched him for a moment.
Then his expression changed slightly.
Less teasing.
More serious.
"You know something?" he said quietly.
"What?"
"I didn't just come back to argue with you."
"Then why did you?"
Dominic took a slow breath.
"Because I was tired of pretending I was okay without you."
The honesty of the words made Elias freeze.
Dominic rarely spoke like that.
Openly.
Without sarcasm or jokes to soften the moment.
"I thought leaving would fix things," Dominic continued softly.
"I thought distance would make everything easier."
Elias's voice was quieter now.
"Did it?"
Dominic shook his head.
"No."
The lab felt incredibly quiet.
Dominic looked directly at him.
"You're still the person I think about when something interesting happens."
Elias swallowed slightly.
"You shouldn't."
"Probably not."
Dominic's voice lowered.
"But I do."
Another pause stretched between them.
Elias felt the familiar instinct rise again the urge to deflect, to change the subject, to retreat into safer territory.
But Dominic spoke again before he could.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" Dominic asked.
Elias blinked.
"Yes."
"You were arguing with a professor."
"He was wrong."
Dominic laughed softly.
"You were furious."
"He was arrogant."
"And brilliant."
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"You liked that."
Dominic's smile faded into something softer.
"I liked you."
Elias didn't expect the admission.
Dominic leaned slightly closer again.
"You were so focused on proving your point that you didn't even notice me standing there for five minutes."
Elias frowned slightly.
"I noticed eventually."
"Yeah," Dominic said.
"You looked at me like I was a distraction."
Elias sighed.
"You were a distraction."
Dominic smiled again.
"Exactly."
His voice dropped lower.
"And somehow I still am."
Elias opened his mouth to respond.
But Dominic moved first.
Not dramatically.
Not suddenly.
Just a small shift forward.
Close enough now that the space between them disappeared completely.
Elias's breath caught slightly.
Dominic's voice was barely above a whisper.
"Tell me something honestly."
"What?"
Dominic's eyes held his.
"If I kissed you right now…"
He paused.
"…would you stop me?"
The question settled between them.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Elias's heart was beating faster now.
Logic told him he should say yes.
That he should create distance.
That this was complicated.
But the words didn't come.
And Dominic noticed.
A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.
"Well," he murmured quietly.
"That's a very interesting silence."