WHEN THE SILENCE HURTS

Frustration in Motion

I had barely started my day when Julian appeared at my desk, leaning casually against the edge. “Morning, genius,” he said with a faint smirk. “I’ve already looked over yesterday’s projections. You almost had me convinced you’re human.”

I blinked at him, startled. “Uh… thanks,” I murmured, my fingers freezing over the keyboard. My pulse jumped, and I tried to focus on the spreadsheet, but a strange warmth lingered where Julian’s shoulder had brushed mine.

He leaned closer, lowering his voice. “Careful, you’re distracting me.”

I flushed and looked down, trying to concentrate. But then I saw him.

Lucas Cross. Standing near the doorway again why is he always standing their, does he not have things to do . Not moving, not speaking, just observing, and I could feel the tension radiating off him. His jaw was tight, shoulders rigid, and his gaze was fixed on me — and Julian.

I didn’t understand it. I kept my head down, typing, forcing my chest to stop tightening. But my stomach twisted anyway. There was something in the way he watched us — something sharp, possessive, irritated.

Julian leaned closer again, tapping a cell on the spreadsheet. “You missed a tiny detail,” he said with a teasing smile. “I’d fix it for you, but where’s the fun in that?”

I felt my pulse spike. Julian was playful, teasing, and I couldn’t help but glance up — and Lucas was watching, narrowing his eyes. His hand flexed at his side, jaw tight, and something about the tension made my chest squeeze.

I froze, realizing I could see everything on him. The irritation, the way his eyes lingered longer than necessary, the subtle movements — small shifts, a flex of his fingers, a twitch of his jaw. He looked… uncomfortable. Angry. Frustrated.

And I still believed he couldn’t remember me.

I swallowed, heart pounding, chest tight. I couldn’t make sense of it. He looked like he was furious, and yet he wasn’t saying a word. Not at me. Not to Julian. Just… there. Watching.

Julian chuckled softly, leaning just a fraction closer. “You’re too serious. Relax a little. You’ll ruin that perfect focus of yours.”

I flushed again, feeling warmth creep up my neck. Julian’s presence was a strange comfort, teasing me in ways I didn’t know how to respond to. I laughed nervously, fingers hovering over the keys, trying to focus, trying to work, trying to ignore Lucas standing there like a storm waiting to break.

Every time Julian leaned in, Lucas’ irritation sharpened. His jaw flexed. His eyes flicked to us repeatedly. I noticed it all: the subtle tightening of his shoulders, the way he shifted his weight, the controlled tension in every line of his body. He hated seeing me relaxed. He hated seeing me happy. He hated Julian being near me.

I didn’t understand why. I couldn’t. And that only made my chest twist tighter.

______

Lucas’ POV

Why is he so damn easy to read?

Seeing him interact with Julian — laughing lightly, fingers moving across the keyboard with that quiet focus of his — it’s unbearable. I shouldn’t care. I’ve kept my distance. I’ve ignored him for months. And yet… it twists my chest every time I see him exist outside my control.

Julian is smiling at him, leaning close, teasing him — crossing boundaries I would never allow. And I’m irritated, frustrated, jealous, and obsessed. I can’t look away.

I don’t touch him. I don’t speak. I don’t need to. My presence is enough. And it’s driving him crazy. He thinks I don’t remember him. He has no idea. And that makes it worse — watching him flinch, blush, fluster, and keep typing like he’s invisible.

Every small gesture from Julian makes me grind my teeth. I want him to stop. I want him to see me. I want control. I need control.

I shift slightly, walking past desks under the guise of moving somewhere else, ensuring I’m visible. I want him to notice me. I want him unsettled. He’s mine, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

_______

I kept typing, chest tight, fingers trembling slightly. Julian leaned over again, smiling faintly, oblivious to the tension Lucas radiated. I felt warmth from Julian’s presence, and a confusing mix of emotions churned inside me.

Lucas retreated to the top floor eventually, but the weight didn’t lift. I could still feel the residual tension — the way my hands shook, the way my chest ached, the way my stomach twisted when I thought about his eyes on me.

I didn’t understand it. I couldn’t understand it. I just knew it hurt in a strange, confusing way, and I didn’t know why.

Tomorrow, I knew, would be just as complicated.