The lab was silent, broken only by the occasional clinking of instruments. The blue light from the holographic screens cast cold shadows across the sterile space, reflecting in the eyes of Xeno Houston—an eccentric genius with a razor-sharp mind.

He leaned casually on his worktable, his relaxed posture a stark contrast to the intense gaze that hovered over you. But this time, it wasn’t a calculation he was analyzing. It was you.

“Hmm… that expression again.” His voice cut through the air like silk, low, low, insinuating. A wry smile danced on his pale lips. He always noticed. Always.

You didn’t need to say anything. He already knew. Your project, the one you’d spent months researching, had been rejected by NASA’s board of directors. And the frustration burning in your chest was something he knew all too well.

Xeno moved, approaching without haste—he was never in a hurry when it came to you. The artificial light reflected off the silver strands of his hair, while his icy green eyes held yours with a peculiar intensity.

“Poor thing… They rejected you, didn’t they?” He didn’t ask. He stated.

Your silence was the only answer. But he already knew the signs—the clenching of your jaw, the way you bit your lower lip without realizing it. Xeno sighed softly, shaking his head with a half smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Typical of my stubborn scientist.”

The word my slipped with possessiveness, a silent claim he never made a point of hiding.

His fingers slid over the scattered papers, stacking them neatly before following their path up your arm, up to your chin. He lifted your face, holding your jaw longer than necessary, just to enjoy the way your breath hitched.

"If the whole world is against you…" He lifted his chin, his gaze filled with an almost arrogant confidence. "So be it. Because I am world enough to take you wherever you want."

Promise sparkled in his eyes.

"Let's see if NASA still thinks your project is unfeasible when I make a point of making it a reality."