Experiment 5475

"Soooo, how was your date with Trixe?" Robert's voice, bright and eager, greeted Nathan the moment he stepped into the office, dropping a stack of folders onto his desk with a gentle thump. A smile, soft and involuntary, spread across Nathan's lips, blooming like a secret. Robert grinned, nudging his shoulder playfully. "Oooh, look at you, dude! Come on, spill! How'd it go? What did you guys even do?" Nathan pulled out his chair, letting himself fall back into the worn fabric, his gaze distant, lost in memory.

His mind drifted back to the kaleidoscope of last night. The effortless grace of Trixe dancing, a vibrant, uninhibited grin lighting her face in the studio. The soft, cinematic glow of the drive-in screen as she openly wept through Titanic, her small hand clutching his tightly, her eyes still sparkling, impossibly beautiful even through a veil of tears. And then, the electric jolt of their kiss in the front seat of his jeep, literally sparking a warmth that spread through him.

He remembered the quiet end to the night, after they'd both changed into comfortable night clothes, how she had finally, peacefully, fallen asleep curled in his arms. The weight of her head on his shoulder, the gentle rhythm of her breathing, felt profoundly right.
He had never felt anything quite like this for anyone before, not even Vicky back in college, who had once consumed his thoughts. "Well, we went dancing, then to the drive-in and watched Titanic. She really liked it," he murmured, a fond smile touching his lips.

Robert, already immersed in typing on his computer, hummed in response. Nathan started up his own screen, looking down at the papers piled on his desk. "So, how did the night end? Did you sleep together?" Robert asked, his voice laced with casual curiosity. Nathan hummed again, sliding on his glasses.

Robert glanced over, his eyebrows raised high, an expectant grin on his face. "Well, technically, yes..." Nathan started to explain, but Robert didn't even give him a second, pushing his arm and letting out an excited "No way!" "No! No, not that way," Nathan clarified, waving his hands, a faint blush creeping up his neck. "We just slept in the same bed." Robert looked at him like he'd just spoken in an alien tongue, his face a mask of bewilderment. "Booo! Sounds boring," he declared, turning back to his screen.

Nathan rolled his eyes, a small chuckle escaping him before he forced his attention to the work on his monitor.
Of course, Robert wouldn't understand. And he didn't really have time to explain the quiet reverence of that night in depth. He was still deep into the sprawling, complex project that had consumed his last few weeks, hoping he'd finally be able to get it done before the rapidly approaching deadline. "She's been through a lot in her life," Nathan said softly, almost to himself. "I don't think she's ready for... that. And I definitely don't want to pressure her. It was nice just holding her in my arms through the night." Robert let out a soft puff of air, a genuine, understanding grin spreading across his face. He couldn't help but feel a quiet happiness for his best friend.

Robert leaned his face against his palm, watching Nathan's fingers dance across the keys. "Woow, sounds like you love her or something," he joked, the words light, before returning to his own tasks. Nathan's fingers froze mid-keystroke, his gaze locking blankly onto the glowing screen. Is this love? The thought, stark and sudden, bloomed in his mind. Was this what love felt like? He wasn't really sure. He thought he'd loved Vicky in college, but she ended up not being the one for him, leaving him with a hollow ache. He and Trixe had only met a few months ago. Wasn't it too soon for him to be in love with her?

She was so incredibly nice, so fun, her laughter a bright, clear bell. Not to mention, she'd been through so much. Yet, despite the unimaginable burdens she carried, she still managed to smile, to embrace life, to even try to leave that shadowed past she knew behind. She was so strong; she'd amazed him ever since their strange, chaotic first meeting. Maybe this was love? He adjusted his glasses, the notion settling in his chest, a strange, exhilarating weight.