"You're doing the same thing. Telling me I don't know my own mind. That I'm too inexperienced to understand what I want. That you know better than I do what's good for me."
"Julian—"
"I spent twenty-one years being told I was too young, too naive, too fragile to make choices for myself. I'm done accepting that. I know what I want. I want you. And the fact that you're fourteen years older or that I'm under your protection or that this is complicated doesn't change that."
Elio's expression softened slightly. Just a fraction. But I saw it.
"I'm trying to protect you."
"From what?"
"From me. From making choices you'll regret when you're older and realize how inappropriate this is. From being hurt by someone who should know better."
"The only thing I'll regret is not taking the chance."
We stood there in heavy silence. Close enough to touch but not touching. The space between us felt charged. Electric. Like the air before a storm.
I could see Elio fighting it. See the war happening behind his eyes between what he wanted and what he thought was right.
His hands clenched tighter. His jaw tensed. His eyes tracked my face like he was memorizing details.
"You should go," he said finally. His voice was rough. Strained. "Before I do something we'll both regret."
"What if I don't want to go?"
"Julian." My name came out almost pained. "I'm trying very hard to do the right thing here. Don't make this harder than it already is."
"Why should I make it easy? You kissed me, Elio. You wanted me enough to break your own rules. Now you're acting like it never happened because you're scared of what it means."
"I'm not scared—"
"Yes, you are." I stepped closer. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body. "You're terrified. Because wanting me means losing control. Means feeling something you can't manage with discipline and order. Means being vulnerable with someone who sees through all your carefully constructed walls."
Elio's breath caught. Almost imperceptible. But I noticed.
I noticed everything about him.
"You see too much," he said quietly.
"So do you. That's why this scares you so much. Because you look at me and see someone who understands. Someone who's fought their way out of cages just like you did. Someone who knows what it's like to be controlled and punished and told they're wrong for defending themselves."
I reached up. Slowly. Giving him time to pull away.
My hand came to rest against his chest. Over his heart. I could feel it racing under my palm despite his controlled exterior.
"I see you, Elio. The real you. Not just the security expert or the disciplined strategist or the man who keeps everyone at arm's length. I see the person underneath. The one who's lonely. The one who wants connection but is afraid to reach for it."
His hand came up. Covered mine where it rested against his chest. But he didn't push me away.
"You're going to destroy me," he said. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Or maybe I'm going to save you."
We stood frozen like that. His hand over mine. My palm feeling his heartbeat. The space between us charged with everything we weren't saying.
Then Elio's phone rang.
Loud. Jarring. Breaking the moment like glass shattering.
