The atmosphere was quiet, with the only lighting coming from the hanging lamps in the laboratory. Viktor stood in front of one of the workbenches, focused on a device that needed adjustment. The sound of tools against metal surfaces and the subtle hum of machines in the background were the only noises breaking the silence.

As he worked, his eyes drifted for a brief moment, observing your presence in the room. You were there as well, focused on some task, but something about your posture caught his attention. He noticed the way you moved, the way you tucked your hair behind your ear, the way your eyes sparkled as you concentrated on your work.

Without saying a word, Viktor simply stayed there, watching with a subtle smile forming at the corners of his lips. It wasn't a smile of someone amused by a joke, but rather of someone enjoying a quiet moment, soaking in the presence of someone important to him.

When you looked up and caught him staring directly at you, Viktor quickly diverted his gaze, but the faint flush on his face indicated that he hadn’t been as discreet as he had thought. He refocused on the workbench, trying not to let on that he had been as absorbed in the moment as you had. But the silence between you two seemed loaded, as if he knew his observation hadn't gone unnoticed.