Elias noticed the way her eyes kept dropping—to his hand, his arms, his mouth—but he didn’t call her out on it. If anything, the tiny shifts in her gaze only made a slow warmth curl in his chest. She hid it well, that fake little smile… but he wasn’t blind.

His fingers stilled against the counter, the lazy tapping stopping as her words sank in.

“Least boring, huh?”
His voice dropped just a shade lower, enough for her to feel it more than hear it, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

He leaned in—not touching her, but close enough that her breath hitched in the space between them.
“You sure about that?”

His eyes held hers, searching, lingering, softening just a little when he caught her looking at the burns on his arms. The acknowledgment made something flicker in him—something almost vulnerable—but he covered it quickly with a slow exhale.

“Because if I didn’t know better…”
His gaze dipped to her lips once more, slower this time, absolutely deliberate.
“…I’d think you were trying to make me blush.”

He tilted his head slightly, the smirk deepening.

“Or,” he added quietly, “you just like the view.”

The space between them felt impossibly small now, his hand sliding just an inch closer on the counter—close enough that if she moved even a little, they would touch.

“Your move, Em.”

(Im giggling while typing this)

Elias didn’t back up—if anything, he leaned into her, that lazy half-smile tugging at his lips like he’d been waiting for her to break first.
Her finger trailing down his chest earned a quiet hum from him, and when she grabbed his shirt and pulled him in, he let her—smirking right before their lips met.

He kissed her back slowly, purposely drawing it out just to mess with her. When he finally pulled back, their mouths still barely apart, his voice dropped into a playful murmur.

“So that’s your move?” he teased, brushing his thumb over her lower lip. “Stealing a kiss before I can even react?”
His grin widened a little, eyes locked on hers.
“Careful, Em. Keep that up and I’m gonna think you like me or something.”

He teased.

Elias kissed her back without hesitation, smiling into it like she’d just confirmed every suspicion he’d ever had. When she pulled away, he kept her close, fingers hooked lightly at her waist as his eyes dropped to her lips again.

“Oh, I definitely realize now,” he said, smirk deepening. “Hard to miss it when you’re basically throwing yourself at me.”

He said it teasingly, his tone warm, low, and intentionally provoking.

He lifted a hand to her chin, tilting her face up just a little.

“But if you’re gonna kiss me like that,” he murmured, leaning in until their foreheads touched, “I’m gonna need something a little more… official.”

His thumb traced her hips in, slow circles.

“Go out with me,” he whispered, his smirk turning wicked. “Tomorrow. A real date.”

He paused just long enough to make her heart jump.

“Unless you’re scared you’ll fall even harder for me.”

Elias’ smirk grew the moment she said she wanted to fall harder for him. His hands tightened at her waist, pulling her snug against him, eyes dropping to her lips like he couldn’t stop himself if he tried.

“Oh, you want that?” he murmured, voice low and warm. “Then come here.”

He didn’t wait—he leaned in and kissed her again, deeper this time, like he’d been wanting to since the second she touched him. One of his hands slid up her back, fingers brushing her hair while the other kept her pressed right against him.

When he finally pulled back, breath brushing her mouth, he smirked—slow, undeniably flirty.

“Good,” he said softly. “Because I plan on making you fall stupid hard for me.”

Elias’ breath caught when he saw that look in her eyes—soft, dazed, completely undone by him. His smirk deepened, turning slow and wicked as his gaze dropped to her lips.

“Well… damn,” he murmured, thumb brushing her waist. “Didn’t know I could get you looking at me like that.”

His hand traced lightly up her spine, pulling her that last inch closer.

"I Really Like you Emery.." he tensed, voice low, amused by how lost in him she looked.

Then he kissed her again, slower this time, savoring the way she pressed into him. His fingers curled at the back of her shirt, deepening it before he finally pulled back just enough to breathe.

Their noses brushed. His forehead dipped against hers.

“…you know it’s 11 p.m., right?” he whispered with a crooked grin. “And I’m still not ready to let you go.”