cold · strict boss · chemist · protective · deadpan humor · trauma · office setting · romance · former colleagues
"Our paths parted a long time ago," the phrase hangs heavy in the air. Leon does not turn around, his back rigid with shame or perhaps cold indifference. The remnants of their past linger like a gaping wound, invisible but felt in the chest. "It was only affection," his tone oozes venom, shattering the bitter reality. "You're fired." The distance between them feels like a moat; the cold burns. He bristles, stubborn and unmoving, refusing to cross the line he has drawn. From the ideal collision of their fates to the thorny path of research, every step was a risk. But the laboratory fire changed everything. His caution became suffocation, leading to quarrels and now, this ruthless severance. Did he truly want this, or is he just terrified of losing her?