With a gentle nudge, she pushed me back toward the glass panel behind us, her eyes never leaving mine. I let her guide me, my breath quickening as the cold surface pressed against my back. A shiver that had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with her ran through me. Emily stepped closer, her hands finding their way to my shoulders, then sliding down my chest. Every inch of me was hyper-aware of her touch, and I could feel my resolve, my carefully constructed walls, starting to crumble.

The warmth of her body beneath the fabric of her suit was a stark contrast to the cold glass against my back. My heart hammered in my chest, a frantic drumbeat against my ribs. I could feel her trembling, and that only made it worse. Or better. I wasn't sure anymore.

One hand slid down to the small of her back, my fingers tracing a slow path down her spine beneath the thin fabric of her uniform. I wanted to feel her skin, to memorize the curve of her spine, the softness of her waist. My other hand gently cupped her waist, my thumb making slow circles.

"You have no idea how amazing you make me feel," I murmured against her ear, my voice rough, raw, and probably a little cheesy, but I didn't care. I meant it. Every word. And every word made me want her more.

She let out this soft, musical laugh that filled the observation deck, and even though my neck was burning, I couldn't help but smile. That laugh? It could fix anything. "Well, I'm glad I could be of service," she teased, her eyes glinting... something else. Nervousness? Maybe.

She leaned back just enough to meet my gaze, and I felt like I could get lost in those eyes forever. Honestly? I was ready to. A grin pulled at my lips. God, Rossi, get a grip. "I mean it," I said, quieter now, like the words might break if I said them too loud. Vulnerable wasn't really my thing, but with her? It felt... right. And terrifying.

"I know you do," she replied softly, her hand drifting to my chest. I felt her touch through the suit, light and deliberate. It was like she was tracing the outline of my heart, and for a second, I wondered if she could feel how fast it was beating. Her fingers found the edge of my suit, her fingertips brushing against my skin, a featherlight touch that sent shivers down my spine. Her hand rested there, over my heart, like she could feel it racing, and it was grounding and electrifying all at once.

And yet, a small part of me wanted to bolt. To run. Because this was big—bigger than I’d ever let myself imagine—and it scared the shit out of me. I was pretty sure my brain had officially short-circuited.

"So why didn't you ever ask me out?" Her voice was soft, playful, but she searched my face, looking for something real. There was a flicker of insecurity there, something I wasn't used to seeing from her. It hit me like a punch to the gut.

I froze. Like, full-on deer-in-headlights froze. Did she just ask me that? My lips parted, but nothing came out. Of course, you didn't ask her out, idiot. She's Emily. She's everything, and you're... you. A bumbling mess who can't string two coherent thoughts together.

Finally, I managed to look at her, and I knew my face was a mess with whatever else was swirling inside me. "I... I didn't want to ruin our friendship," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. It sounded stupid even as I said it, but it was the truth. And now, saying it out loud, I felt so exposed, like I'd just laid my whole heart on the table for her to pick apart. Or maybe use as a chew toy.

Her expression softened, her lips curving into a smile so gentle it made my chest ache. But her cheeks were pink too, and that small vulnerability in her made me feel less alone. She reached up, brushing a stray strand of hair from my forehead, her fingers lingering against my skin like she was trying to steady me--or herself.

"Oh, Luca," she said with a quiet laugh, warm and teasing but just a little shaky, like she was nervous too. Her tone made my heart swell, like it was trying to burst right out of my chest. "You're so silly. We've been friends for years, and if anything, it's about time we took things to the next level."

The way she said it, like she'd rehearsed the line, was so damn cute it made me want to grab her and never let go. This is happening. I could barely wrap my head around it. Holy shit, this is actually happening. And I'm probably going to screw it up.

Her words hit me like a shockwave, and for a second, I couldn't breathe. "Really?" I asked, my voice quieter than I wanted, almost disbelieving. "You just... wanted this?"

"Absolutely," She said, her fingers sliding down to intertwine with mine. The warmth of her touch sent a spark straight through me, right down to my toes. She gave my hand a light squeeze, tugging me closer, her confidence making it impossible to resist. "Now come here," she said, her voice a low murmur, and my heart pounded so loud it drowned out everything else. This can't be real. But it felt so damn good.

She pulled me into a kiss, her lips warm and eager against mine. Every nerve in my body lit up like a Christmas tree. I leaned in, one arm wrapping around her, drawing her closer until her body was flush against mine. The thin fabric of our suits did nothing to hide the heat radiating off her, and it was driving me insane. She pressed closer, her free hand sliding up to rest on my chest, and I could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat syncing with mine. I was lost in her, completely. This wasn't just right—it was everything I'd ever wanted and never thought I could have.

"I didn't want to risk losing you," I murmured, hoarse and breathless, my forehead resting against hers as we paused for air. I needed her to know how much she meant to me, and honestly? I just needed her, period.

Her eyes softened as she looked up at me; something in her gaze made my chest ache with something deeper, something vulnerable. She was trembling just a little, and it hit me how much this meant to her, too.

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"You couldn't have lost me, Luca," she said quietly, brushing her thumb along my cheek. Her voice cracked slightly, like she was trying to reassure both of us. "Not now. Not ever."

The way she said it, like she was clinging to the words as much as I was, made me feel less alone. We were both lost in this, figuring it out as we went, and that somehow made it even better.

Her lips found mine again, urgent, demanding. My hands found their way to her waist, and I pulled her closer, wanting to feel every inch of her. I traced the line of her collarbone with my lips, her skin soft and warm beneath my touch, and her breath hitched. The sound sent a jolt through me, and I was pretty sure my heart was about to beat its way out of my chest.

"Luca," she whispered, her voice sounding a little uncertain, maybe. It was a reminder that we were both new to this, figuring it out as we went along.

Her hands were in my hair now, tugging gently, and my heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst. But beneath the urgency, there was a tenderness that made my chest ache.

We pulled apart, breathless, our faces inches apart. Her hand came to rest on my chest, right over my heart, and her touch sent shivers through me. I could feel the rapid beat of my own pulse beneath her palm, a frantic rhythm that mirrored the chaos in my head.

"I've never done this before," I admitted, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. My face burned, and I felt like a complete idiot.

Emily smiled, her thumb brushing along my jawline, and my heart did this weird flip, like it couldn't figure out whether to race or stop altogether. "We have the rest of our lives to figure this out," she said softly, her words landing like a balm on my chaotic thoughts. Say that again. A million more times.

I let out a laugh--soft, awkward, and maybe a little giddy. My cheeks burned as I fumbled with the zipper of my suit, more out of nervous habit than anything else. "Yeah. I got you." I was a mess, but it felt... good. A good mess. "I'm glad we did this," I murmured, my lips brushing against her hair. Her scent clung to me, sweet and warm, and I knew it was something I'd never forget.

She nodded, resting her head on my shoulder. "I feel the same way," she said, and then her voice took on this playful edge as she looked up at me. "And now, you belong to me."

I blinked, her words hitting me sideways. What the hell does that mean? My laugh came out soft, but I could feel the heat rising in my face again. "I guess I do," I said, still feeling unsteady, like I was walking on uneven ground. But I didn't mind. Actually, I liked it. A lot. I was hers, and that realization settled over me like a weird kind of relief.

Her arms tightened around me, pulling me closer, and I felt a shiver run down my spine. "You have no idea how happy you make me," she whispered into my ear, her breath sending a jolt right through me, and I could feel my body responding to her like a puppet on a string. She pressed a light kiss against the curve of my ear, her lips warm and lingering, and then that damn hand went down there, again, and I felt hot. "You know," she added, "You got pretty excited down there." She had to do that, didn't she? Just a little teasing, just to make sure that I would not, you know, get over it.

My face felt warm, because yeah, I did, and then my thumb traced the outline of her perky nipples, and I swear, I almost blacked out. "Hey," I said softly, my voice a little shaky. "You got pretty excited yourself." We could both feel this, and I knew it, and maybe that was a good thing. "We can take this at our own pace." I needed a second, and also, I wanted more, right now, and I hated her for making me feel like this, and I wanted her more than ever.

She let out a nervous laugh, leaning back into me to hide the growing warmth in her face, and that was cute. "You're really bad at taking hints, you know that?" she said, her tone light but edged with something deeper, and I wondered if that 'something deeper' was love, or was it just a physical thing? She rested her head back on my shoulder, "Like back at that portal, the Dust Enclave."

I frowned slightly, caught off guard and completely thrown off my train of thought, and then, that jealous memory went off. "The Dust Enclave?" What the hell was she talking about?

"Level 54 portal, in Mars," She replied, her words deliberate now, and then I remembered her, that girl. "That girl you tried to ask out. You have no idea how jealous I was." Oh. Oh shit.

My jaw dropped slightly, I felt hot, and also confused. "Wait--you were jealous? Of her?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing, my brain was short-circuiting.

She pulled back enough to meet my eyes, her own sparkling with a bit of playfulness, I thought. "Yes, of her. She wasn't right for you--not even close--but you couldn't see it. And the worst part was I couldn't tell you why it bothered me so much." And then she smirked, just like she knew exactly what she was doing.

I blinked, the memory surfacing with a vivid clarity that made me laugh despite myself. "You mean when she turned me down in front of the whole group? That was brutal." I really did not handle that well, and I was still embarrassed by it.

She grinned, her cheeks still pink, which was really cute. "Brutal for you. Satisfying for me." She bit her lip, her eyes sparkling, and I just wanted to kiss her, again, so bad. "I didn't know how to say it back then, but... I guess I've liked you for a long time, Luca." And her words were like a drug, and I wanted to hear them every day, every hour, every minute.

My breath hitched. "Emily..." I started, my heart pounding in my chest, and my palms were sweaty again, and I wanted to kiss her, again.

She cut me off with a light press of her fingers against my lips, and that made me want her even more. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know." What the hell am I supposed to do with that information? I was completely overwhelmed.

I caught her hand in mine, holding it against my chest, and I needed to feel connected to her. "I wish I'd known," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, and everything in that moment felt surreal, and perfect. "Maybe things would've been different."

"Maybe," She replied, her smile softening. "But we're here now, aren't we?" and I suddenly wanted to make that our mantra.

I nodded, pulling her close again, unable to help myself. "Yeah. We are." And that was all that mattered, everything in that moment was all that ever mattered. And also, I was hard as a rock. Great, Luca muttered to himself. Real mature. But her confession about being jealous? That was...unexpected. And the way she was teasing me? That was driving me insane.

My fingers gently intertwined with hers as we stood together under the soft glow of the Triumph of Darron's interior lights, and I could feel that things had changed, that we were never going to be the same. Shit was heavy, and we both knew it, and I was trying so hard to pretend that everything was fine, before I finally broke the silence.

"How about we get some rest now?" I murmured, my voice low as I leaned slightly closer, and I wanted to kiss her again, right then and there, to lose myself in her again. "We've got an early start tomorrow." Ugh, responsibility. And this damn ache in my groin.

She pulled back just enough to meet my gaze, her gentle smile, and her green eyes were sparkling, and my heart skipped a beat, like a nervous little idiot. "You're right. We should get some rest," she agreed, her tone soft but tinged with reluctance, like she was fighting with herself to not ask me to stay, and that was so damn hot.