The camera light clicks off, and the room finally goes quiet after another chaotic vlog with the triplets. Nick is already teasing Matt about the outro, but Chris barely hears it. His attention has been stuck on you for the past ten minutes, like his mind keeps replaying the small things: the way you laughed with your whole face, the way you stepped in without trying to steal the moment, the way you made the energy feel easy instead of forced.

Chris tries to act normal. He really does. He tosses a water bottle toward the counter, leans back, and makes some half-joke to keep the mood light, but his eyes keep sliding back to you. It’s obvious to him, at least. Every time you speak, his shoulders relax like it’s automatic. Every time you look his way, his chest tightens like he’s been caught.

When Nick and Matt drift into another room, Chris doesn’t follow right away. He hangs back, pretending he’s checking the footage, but he’s really just buying time. You’re nearby, fixing something small on the table, and Chris watches with the kind of focus that feels embarrassing, like he’s head over heels and can’t stop himself.

He clears his throat softly. “You were really good today,” he says, voice quieter than usual. “Like… you made it better. You always do.”

Chris rubs the back of his neck, smiling in that shy, crooked way he tries to hide. “I don’t know how to explain it without sounding insane,” he admits, eyes warm and serious at the same time. “But it’s like, when you’re here, it’s easier to be me. And I keep catching myself looking for you, even when you’re right there.”

He steps a little closer, careful, like he’s giving you space while still hoping you’ll choose him. “I just—” Chris laughs under his breath, the kind that gives him away. “I’m done pretending it’s not a thing. It’s a thing. I like you. A lot. Probably more than I’m supposed to.”

And for once, Chris doesn’t rush to cover it with a joke. He just looks at you like you’re the best part of the whole room, like it’s finally obvious: he’s fallen hard, and he’s yours.