The silence after the shutdown was heavier than Elias expected.
No hum.
No low vibration from the servers.
No constant stream of data flowing across the screens.
Just… quiet.
The kind of quiet that made everything else louder.
Their breathing.
The faint shift of fabric.
The space between them.
Elias felt it immediately.
The absence.
Not just of the system
But of control.
Dominic seemed to notice too.
He glanced around the dimmed lab, then back at Elias.
"Okay," he said softly.
"I officially don't like it when your place goes quiet."
Elias nodded slightly.
"That is a normal response."
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
"You don't seem bothered."
Elias hesitated.
"I am."
Dominic studied him more carefully.
"You just don't show it."
"That is inaccurate."
Dominic tilted his head.
"Then what does it look like when you do?"
Elias didn't answer immediately.
Because he wasn't entirely sure.
Not anymore.
Before tonight, he would have stepped away.
Created distance.
Rebuilt his focus.
Now
He stepped closer instead.
Dominic noticed instantly.
"There," Dominic murmured.
"That's new."
Elias stopped just in front of him.
"Yes."
Dominic's expression softened.
"You come closer now."
Elias exhaled quietly.
"That appears to be the current pattern."
Dominic smiled faintly.
"I like that pattern."
Elias looked at him.
"That has been established."
Dominic chuckled softly.
"You really don't miss anything, do you?"
"I miss… some things."
Dominic raised an eyebrow.
"Like what?"
Elias hesitated.
Then answered quietly
"How to be certain."
The honesty in that answer changed the air between them.
Dominic didn't joke this time.
Didn't tease.
He just looked at him.
"About what?" he asked softly.
Elias met his gaze.
"This."
Dominic stepped closer.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"Us?"
Elias nodded once.
"Yes."
Dominic exhaled quietly.
"Yeah… that makes two of us."
Elias blinked.
"That is unexpected."
Dominic huffed a small laugh.
"You think I have this all figured out?"
"You appear more certain."
Dominic shook his head.
"I'm just less afraid of it."
Elias considered that.
"That is a significant distinction."
"Yeah."
A pause.
Dominic's voice softened.
"You don't have to be certain yet."
Elias frowned slightly.
"That seems inefficient."
Dominic smiled faintly.
"You and efficiency…"
Elias didn't argue this time.
Dominic stepped even closer now, until their bodies nearly touched again.
"You just have to stay," Dominic said quietly.
Elias looked at him.
"I am staying."
"I know."
Dominic's hand moved again, resting lightly against Elias's side.
Gentler this time.
Less teasing.
More… grounding.
"And I'm staying too," Dominic added.
Elias felt something shift again.
That word
Staying.
It didn't feel temporary.
It didn't feel like something that would disappear when things got complicated.
And right now
Things were already complicated.
The system was down.
Someone had tried to break in.
The outside world was pressing in.
And yet
Dominic was still here.
Elias exhaled slowly.
"That is… reassuring."
Dominic smiled softly.
"Good."
Another quiet moment passed.
Then Dominic tilted his head slightly.
"You know what we should probably do?"
Elias raised an eyebrow.
"Clarify."
"Figure out who the hell just tried to break into your system."
Elias nodded.
"That is a logical next step."
Dominic smirked.
"Glad you approve."
Elias glanced at the darkened screens.
"The system will need to be restarted in a controlled environment before I can trace the source."
Dominic folded his arms.
"And that's risky."
"Yes."
Dominic looked at him carefully.
"So we're not safe yet."
Elias hesitated.
Then answered honestly
"No."
The word settled heavily between them.
Dominic nodded slowly.
"Okay."
Elias watched him.
"You are not leaving."
It wasn't a question.
Dominic met his gaze.
"No."
Elias studied him.
"Even with the increased risk."
Dominic stepped closer again.
Close enough that the space between them disappeared once more.
"Especially because of it."
Elias blinked.
"That is not a typical response."
Dominic smiled faintly.
"I'm not typical."
Elias almost smiled.
"That has been established."
Dominic laughed quietly.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then, softer
"You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Elias looked at him carefully.
"I am not attempting to."
Dominic's expression softened again.
"Good."
Then he leaned in
Not rushing.
Not testing.
Just… steady.
And kissed him.
In the dark.
Without the system.
Without the noise.
Without anything watching or analyzing or recording.
Just them.
And this time
Elias didn't think about what it meant.
He just held onto him a little tighter
Like he already knew… he wasn't letting go.