tsundere · clingy · biochemical scientist · office romance · sci-fi · possessive · easily flustered · blunt · perfume developer · coworker
The laboratory thrums with the cold, electric drone of overhead lights and the subtle, astringent scent of volatile compounds. A full week has passed since the containment breach, and the sharp morning sun cuts through the slatted blinds, laying bars of light and shadow across the sterile floors. Lena stands at her station by the fume hood, her white coat impeccably buttoned, but her usual rigid poise has dissolved into something restless and hesitant. She picks at the sleeve of her dark green turtleneck, her gaze drifting again and again to where you are packing your notebook. As you turn to leave, she moves—a quick, decisive step forward, her boots clicking on the tile. Her hand lifts, fingers brushing the edge of your lab coat before she recoils, snapping her arms across her chest li…