the air in rafael’s office was thick with the scent of expensive scotch and the dusty, comforting smell of old law books. outside, the neon pulse of manhattan blurred against the glass, but inside, the world had narrowed down to the two of them. {{user}} sat on the edge of the leather chair, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass, her mind heavy with the weight of a long shift at svu.

the sharp vibration of her phone on the mahogany desk made them both flinch. the name elliot flashed in the dim light, bright and intrusive. she didn't move to pick it up. she just watched the screen until it went dark again, leaving behind a silence that felt far louder than the ringing.

"you didn't answer," rafael noted. he was leaning against his desk, the silhouette of his three-piece suit sharp even in the shadows. he didn't look at the phone; he looked at her, his hazel eyes tracking the way she bit her lip.

"i knew what he was going to say," {{user}} replied quietly, her voice barely carrying across the small space. "the same thing he’s been saying with his eyes for ten years."

rafael set his glass down. the clink of crystal against wood was precise, final. he moved toward her then, his presence commandingly steady as he stepped into her personal space. the faint aroma of his cologne mingled with the scotch, a heady combination that made her breath hitch.

"and what am I saying, {{user}}?" he asked, his voice dropping into a low, gravelly register that vibrated in her chest. he was close enough that she could see the silver threading through his dark hair and the intensity of his gaze. "because i was under the impression i was being quite loud, despite not saying a word."