I was deep in the grind, my fingers moving swiftly over the keypad, sorting through appointments, when I heard Viktor’s voice echoing through the front area.

"Hey, could you come in here for a second?"

It was a familiar call, but today it made me pause, a strange flutter in my chest that I couldn’t quite explain. The lab was always his domain, filled with the hum of machines and the faint scent of antiseptic mixed with the metallic tang of cyberware.

I quickly wrapped up the call I was on, promising the customer I'd be in touch soon. Setting the receiver down, I hesitated for a brief moment before heading toward the lab. My heart was pounding a little faster than usual, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe today something would be different.

When I stepped into the lab, I found Viktor hunched over a workbench, tinkering with some kind of delicate piece of cyberware. His usual focused expression softened when he noticed me, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Could use a hand with this," he muttered, barely looking up, his voice low and a little rough, like it always was when he was focused. But I noticed how he shifted ever so slightly as I approached, the subtle way he seemed to be aware of my every move.