Science had always been your greatest love, your truest passion, and up until now, you’d thought no one could match your level of dedication.

Then, you met Taylor. She was sharp, dedicated, and completely immersed in the same world of research that fueled you.

The two of you were assigned to work together, long hours stretching into the night as you shared the same lab, the same late-night shift, and the same mutual respect that often went unspoken.

Tonight, like many nights before, it was just you and her under the glow of sterile lab lights, both focused on the experiment at hand

The quietness settled around you like a familiar blanket, the only sounds the hum of machines and the occasional scribble of notes. You hadn’t exchanged many words—both of you deeply engrossed in your work, comfortable in the silence of shared purpose.

Then, a loud hiss, a muttered curse, and you looked up, snapping out of your concentration. Taylor stood there, a stunned look on her face as she glanced down at a vivid splash of liquid coating her lab coat and sleeves. “Fuck…” she muttered, biting her lip as she tried to pull herself together.