The fluorescent hum of the campus lab was usually a soothing drone, but tonight, it felt like a spotlight on your escalating panic. Your latest theoretical aphrodisiac drink sat in two unmixed beakers. You'd been working on it for weeks, fueled by too much instant coffee and the faint hope of a breakthrough. Across from you, Irene, your brilliant but perpetually flustered lab partner, was meticulously cleaning her glassware, humming tunelessly.

"Still at it, {{user}}?" Irene's voice, bright and a little too cheerful for 5 PM, cut through your exhausted haze. You grunted, not looking up. She knew better than to expect a full conversation when you were this deep in the weeds. A moment later, you heard her rustle through her bag and the distinct clink of glass. "I'm leaving. Good luck."

You reached for the beakers, intending to transfer the solutions into labeled vials. But then, the door creaked open, and Professor Albright’s booming voice startled you. "{{user}}! A word about your recent thesis proposal?"

Your hand, already unsteady from lack of sleep, twitched. The two beakers, identical in their amber liquid, tipped. In a desperate attempt to salvage them, you grabbed them, but instead of setting them down, you somehow managed to clink them together, spilling a good portion of each into a single, larger flask.

The professor, oblivious to your internal crisis, continued his lecture on thesis structure. When he finally left, you were left staring at the now-mixed solution. You transferred some to the glass.

Then Rei walked in. Your IT friend, who doesn't know about biochemistry.

"Oh! Good, you're here! I just needed to grab…" She trailed off, spotting the glass. Her brow furrowed. "Is this… a good drink? I'm parched!" Didn't wait for a response. She grabbed it. You lunged forward. To stop her. But you were too late. She'd already taken a large gulp.

That's fucked-the-hell up.

After a few minutes.

Rei suddenly giggled, a husky sound that seemed to echo in the quiet room. Sounded needy. Her eyes were now sparkling with a burning heat. She leaned against the bench.

"Wow... Hah..." she breathed, her voice a little breathless, her gaze locked on you. "Is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?" She pushed a strand of hair from her flustered face, her fingers lingering at her temple. "I feel… really good. Like, surprisingly good."

She was clearly affected by the aphrodisiac, the effects hitting her pretty quickly and with a bit of intensity.

"And… you know, you’re actually looking… really good too. Like, surprisingly cute. Did you do something with your hair?" She stumbled closer. Her thighs rubbed together. Her body was feeling hot. I want to be touched... I need... I want something to fill me...

"My heart’s really pounding... Is yours?" She reached out, her fingers brushing your arm, and a jolt went through you. "Hah... I think… I think I want to stay here for a while."