Lena didn't move away.
That realisation didn't come all at once. It slipped in quietly, settling somewhere in the back of her mind before she fully registered it.
She was still standing there.
Still within that invisible distance where the pull in her chest remained steady instead of tightening.
Still close enough that her body didn't react.
And that—
that felt like a problem.
Her gaze drifted slightly, not quite focused on anything in particular as she let out a slow breath.
"…This is getting predictable," she said.
"No."
She huffed softly, shaking her head. "You're really committed to that answer, aren't you?"
"It's accurate."
"That doesn't make it less annoying."
"It's not meant to."
"Of course it isn't."
A faint exhale slipped past her lips as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. It was a small movement, almost unintentional, but even that came with awareness now.
Of him.
Of where he stood.
Of how close she was.
That awareness hadn't faded since it started.
If anything, it had sharpened.
Lena frowned slightly, her fingers brushing lightly against her arm before dropping again.
"…I don't like this," she admitted.
"I know."
Her gaze flicked up to him. "You say that like it helps."
"It doesn't."
"Then why say it?"
"Because it's true."
She held his gaze for a second longer, then looked away again.
"…You're frustrating," she muttered.
"Yes."
That answer came so easily that it pulled a small, unexpected breath of amusement out of her.
Not a laugh.
But close enough that she noticed it.
And that—
that was new.
Lena exhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she didn't quite trust that reaction.
"…That's not normal either," she said.
"No."
She shook her head, pushing the thought aside before it could settle.
"Okay," she said after a moment. "Let's test something."
He didn't respond.
But she didn't need him to.
Lena took a step back.
Just one.
The change was immediate.
Not pain.
Not sharp.
But enough.
That pull tightened, subtle but firm, like something pulling just beneath the surface of her skin.
Her breath caught slightly.
"…Still there," she murmured.
"Yes."
She didn't stop there.
Another step.
This time—
it hit harder.
Her chest tightened, not painfully, but enough to make her pause.
"…Okay," she said under her breath. "That's definitely worse."
"It's consistent."
"That's not a good thing."
"It is."
She let out a breath, shaking her head as she stayed where she was for a moment longer.
It wasn't just the pull.
It was the way her body reacted to it.
The way it didn't want to stay there.
The way something in her instinctively resisted the distance.
That was the part she didn't like.
Slowly, she stepped forward again.
The tension eased.
Not gone.
But softer.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she exhaled without realising she'd been holding her breath.
"…I hate that," she said quietly.
"It will feel natural."
"That's exactly why I hate it."
He didn't respond.
And somehow, that made her more aware of it.
Of everything.
Lena ran a hand through her hair, turning slightly as she tried to reset her thoughts.
"This isn't normal," she said again.
"No."
"And you're just completely fine with that."
"Yes."
She let out a small breath, something between disbelief and acceptance.
"…Right."
A quiet moment followed.
But it didn't feel empty.
It felt… settled.
And that was starting to happen more often.
Lena moved again, slower this time, more deliberate. Not testing. Not reacting.
Just moving.
And as she did—
she noticed something else.
The further she moved away—
the more aware she became of him.
Not just the pull.
Not just the connection.
Him.
The way he stood.
The way he didn't move unless he needed to.
The way his attention didn't waver.
"…You're still watching me," she said.
"Yes."
Her brows pulled together slightly. "You don't get tired of that?"
"No."
"That's unsettling."
"It's necessary."
She let out a quiet breath, though there was no real irritation behind it this time.
"…Everything is 'necessary' with you," she said.
"Yes."
She shook her head lightly, her gaze dropping briefly before lifting again.
"…You really believe that, don't you?"
"Yes."
There it was again.
That certainty.
It should have annoyed her.
It should have made her push back.
Instead—
it just… settled.
Lena leaned lightly against the edge of the table, her fingers brushing against the surface as she exhaled slowly.
"…This doesn't feel like something I can change," she said.
"No."
She nodded once.
Slowly.
"…I figured."
And for the first time—
that wasn't said with resistance.
Just understanding.
Another pause stretched between them.
But it didn't feel tense anymore.
It didn't feel like something waiting to break.
It felt… steady.
Lena glanced at him again, studying him in a way she hadn't before.
Not reacting.
Not questioning.
Just observing.
"You don't explain much," she said.
"No."
"That's going to get annoying."
"It already has."
That made her pause.
Then—
unexpectedly—
a small, quiet laugh slipped out.
Not forced.
Not defensive.
Just… natural.
And the moment it happened—
she froze.
Because that wasn't something she expected.
"…That's new," she said softly.
"Yes."
She looked away again, her expression shifting slightly, like she wasn't entirely sure what to do with that.
"…This is a problem," she added.
"Yes."
She nodded faintly.
Because now—
she was starting to understand what kind of problem it was.
Not the contract.
Not the bond.
Not even the fact that she couldn't leave.
But the way she was reacting to it.
The way it wasn't pushing her away anymore.
The way it wasn't something she was actively fighting.
Lena exhaled slowly, her voice quieter when she spoke again.
"…Where does this stop?"
"It doesn't."
Her chest tightened slightly at that.
Of course it didn't.
She should have expected that answer.
Still—
hearing it made it feel more real.
"…Right," she said softly.
Her gaze drifted again, but she didn't move.
Didn't step back.
Didn't test the distance again.
Because she already knew what would happen.
And for the first time—
she didn't feel the need to prove it.