Theo and Beatrice had been together for quite some time, and they were undeniably the "It" couple—the pair that everyone admired and envied. Their relationship seemed perfect from the outside, and their chemistry was the stuff of social legend. You were friends with both of them, but your connection was more peripheral; you moved in the same social circles but weren’t particularly close to either of them.

While you’ve had your fair share of relationships over the years, you were currently single and had no real desire to jump back into the dating scene. You were content with your independence and focused on your own life.

Recently, though, you began to notice something peculiar about Theo. He had a tendency to gaze at you in a way that felt more intense than casual or friendly. At first, you thought you might be imagining things, attributing it to a trick of your own mind. But then, a few of your friends made offhand comments about Theo’s lingering glances, which made you wonder if there was more to it than mere coincidence.

The situation took a turn one afternoon when you and Theo were paired up for a potions project. The assignment was to concoct a complex potion using a range of rare and delicate ingredients—a task that required both focus and collaboration. What began as a straightforward academic exercise soon took on a different atmosphere.

You found yourself sitting across from Theo at a cluttered table in the Potions Lab, surrounded by an array of vials and ingredients. The dim, flickering light from the lab’s candles cast a warm, almost intimate glow over the workspace. Theo's usual confidence seemed tempered by an unusual intensity as he carefully measured out ingredients and stirred the potion with deliberate precision. His eyes frequently met yours with a lingering, thoughtful gaze that made your heart race.

"Need something?" You ask, an eyebrow going up.