#biney

• ✾ • ⊰✩⊱ ◇◆◇ 7𝘽1968 | 171𝙈03 • ✾ • ⊰✩⊱ ◇◆◇

BRIAN MOSER, who watches you trace his crimes like poetry. he loves to see how obsessed you are about catching him.

you are the lead crime scene investigator—the one they whisper about in the lab, the one whose gloves never tremble. your precision unnerves them. but what they don’t see is how the case breathes inside you. the ice truck killer isn’t just a name on paper; he’s a pulse you’ve started to feel beneath your own.

there’s no perfect crime, you say to yourself. people always leave something behind, even if it’s just a trace.

but what you don’t know is that he’s standing beside you now, in the pale gleam of fluorescent light—rudy cooper, quiet, courteous, unthreatening. he leans closer as you examine the evidence, pretending to look where you’re looking, when all he sees is you.

your focus bothers him. the way you tilt your head when you find a pattern, the faint curl of your lip when something finally makes sense. he imagines your eyes on him with that same concentration.

sometimes, when you turn away, he speaks softly. “you work too hard.” and you almost smile. you never notice how his gaze lingers after you leave the room, how his fingers hover near the objects you’ve touched, as if memorizing the warmth you left behind.

“weren’t you looking for debra?” you ask, confused on why he’s standing beside you instead of fetching for his girlfriend.

“oh, deb… she just arrived.” he says before retreating from your office.

when you go home and pin more photographs to the board, red lines threading through your sleepless thoughts. the ice truck killer is elegant, clean, intelligent. you almost admire him. the world blurs at the edges when you think of him; the distance between hunter and hunted dissolves.

somewhere across the city, brian reads the headlines, your name printed beneath them. he traces the letters with his thumb. he tells himself it’s just fascination… but the truth has teeth.

he dreams of you standing over his next tableau, the two of you framed by the flash of camera light. he imagines whispering in your ear, you finally found me, and your breath hitching—not in fear, but in understanding.

because in his mind, you already belong to him. not debra, not dexter, just… you. the one who sees beauty where others see horror. the one who could love the monster because you recognize the art in his ruin.

༒︎ EASY stalker!BrianMoser x f!reader

♰ WARNINGS: stalking, voyeurism/somnophilia, non-consensual sexual themes, obsessive behavior, implied sexual content, psychological manipulation, dark themes. MDNI

♰ NOTE: This is a psychological thriller and intentionally disturbing. Not romantic.

You crash onto your bed, completely drunk. You really thought you’d be able to handle more than four drinks—unreasonably confident, as always. You don’t even notice that your window is wide open, but the cold air drifting in feels nice against your flushed skin. It doesn’t take more than five minutes before you’re completely passed out.

It doesn’t take Brian more than a second to sneak in.

He’s feeling thankful tonight. You left the window open for him,

How thoughtful of you.

Your bed is positioned far enough away that he doesn’t risk disturbing you. Not that you’d wake up anyway. He knew what bar you went to, it was a different one, you were still easy to find. He also knows about your fake bitch friends who pressured you into drinking more than you should have—that’s beside the point.

In a way, he’s thankful for them too.

Now, what would he steal this time?

He already has a decent collection of your panties, most of them stiff with his dried-up cum. He’s never taken your bras before. He never really saw the appeal, didn’t understand how they’d benefit him—but experimentation is healthy. He snaps out of the thought, his gaze drifting away from your drawer and back to you.

It’d be nice to see your face up close.

It’s been a while since he’s been able to really look at you. His new job at the Miami Metro Police Department—just a cover to get closer to his brother—actually has him working real shifts. How inconvenient.

You were never supposed to show up in his life.

You were an anomaly.

But that random night changed something. The night he saw you at your most vulnerable. No one else saw you like that—the day you tried to end it. You were standing on your porch, ready to climb over, until your phone rang. Mysteriously, that call made you stop. You went back inside.

He’s always wondered who could have made you change your mind that fast.

It fascinated him.

Now you’ve become part of his routine. A constant variable. And you’re really starting to get in the way of his plan.

He walks slowly toward you. You’re a mess. Hair tangled across your face. Makeup still on. Shoes half-kicked off. Your purse loosely hanging from your fingers. He kneels beside you.

You look smaller like this—oblivious, Easy.

He stares for a few seconds, debating whether he should fix your hair before he mutters a quiet, fuck it. He gently brushes the strands away from your face, revealing your features. His expression softens. He wants more. To feel more.

But he’s cautious.

Your lashes are so long. Is it the mascara? No. You’re perfect—with or without it. His eyes linger on your lips. He can’t get enough of them. He wonders how they’d feel against his. How’d they feel while you suck his cock, forcing it down your throat while you cry relentlessly. He pictures your mascara smudged, your face ruined after he’s done using you.

The quiet room fills with the faint sound of his fly unzipping, fabric shifting as he pulls down his boxers.

Damn it.

He couldn’t help himself. Who would pass up this opportunity?

He shoves part of his shirt into his mouth, biting down to silence himself as he begins stroking slowly. His eyes close. Muffled whimpers escaping. He doesn’t look away from your face.

Shameless.

Right in front of you.

The most vile fantasies flood his mind. He can’t wait to truly have you. Can’t wait to keep you in his freezer, all to himself. Wrapped carefully. Preserved. He’d promise to be delicate.

“Fuck—”

The word comes out muffled, followed by a shaky sigh—and then realization.

He just came on your sheets. He stood still, staring at it for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed.

It was dangerously close to your face.

For a moment, he considers cleaning it up. The thought lingers for a few seconds before he abandons it. Instead, he pulls himself together, zipping up his pants and shifting his attention back to his original plan. To your hamper.

Another pair of panties wouldn’t hurt.

He digs through until he finds a navy lace pair. Cute. He smiles at the thought of you buying them, wearing them. They seem new. Fresh.

He lifts them to his nose, inhaling deeply. The scent alone is intoxicating, Like a drug. He folds the lace between his fingers carefully, almost respectfully. He’ll be kind and just take one tonight, it’s been months since he’s been doing this and you still haven’t caught on, well not that he acknowledged any changes from you. He didn’t believe you were any more intelligent. He turns to look at you again, watching you. Your breathing remains slow. Uneven. Alcohol-heavy. He steps towards the bed once more—eyes scanning you again. There’s something about seeing you like this that unsettles him—not because he feels guilt, but because you’re unpredictable. You weren’t supposed to survive that night on your porch. Statistically, people who reach that point don’t reverse course so easily. Something interrupted you. Something tethered you back.

He hates variables, he doesn’t understand.

If he wanted to, he could end this right now.

You wouldn’t even know. Though the thought doesn’t excite him the way it should. That’s what irritates him most. And now you’re off getting drunk like any other bitch, reckless.

His jaw tightens.

He doesn’t like when you’re careless.

Careless people get hurt.

His gaze drifts to your purse dangling loosely from your hand. Slowly, carefully, he pries it free and sets it on your desk. He rummages through it with quiet precision.

Lip gloss.

Wallet.

Keys.

A Polaroid.

He pulls it out almost immediately, and It catches him off guard. Some random guy stands behind you, gripping your shoulders, smiling wide—too wide. Possessive.

Brian’s expression changes.

How did he miss this?

How did he miss him?

It’s not like he wants a relationship with you. The idea almost offends him. But the thought of someone else touching you—standing that close, claiming space around you—makes something cold and violent shift inside his chest.

He wants to be the only one watching you, the only one taking “care” of you. He’s not even worthy of you, does he even know anything about you?

His thoughts spiral.

Was he the one who called you that night on the porch?

Or worse—

Was he the reason you were there in the first place?

Brian doesn’t realize how tightly he’s gripping the Polaroid until the corner bends beneath his fingers. The paper creases slightly. He forces himself to breathe.

Control.

He slides the photo into his pocket. The lace panties follow.

He can’t stand being in here another second. The room feels different now—contaminated. If he stays, he might do something impulsive.

He wouldn’t.

He shouldn’t.

Not yet.

He takes one final look around, scanning for anything out of place. The purse goes back beneath your hand on the floor, positioned almost exactly how it was, adjusting it slightly. You shift faintly in your sleep, murmuring something incoherent. His eyes flick to you. Scanning you again.

If he wanted to hurt you, you wouldn’t stand a chance.

If he wanted to teach you a lesson, you’d never see it coming.

No.

You don’t get to ruin this because you can’t manage your impulses.

You’re lucky he’s disciplined.

Because if he wasn’t, you wouldn’t be waking up tomorrow.

You just need structure.

“You’re sloppy,” he mutters under his breath, voice low and steady. Scolding you as if you could hear him.

He checks his watch.

2:03 a.m.

“What a waste of time,” he thought.

He’s just angry.

That’s all.

He’ll go back to normal soon.

He always does.

He moves toward the window, pushing the screen up just enough to slip through. The night air outside is damp and heavy. Gravel crunches faintly under his shoes as he lands silently in the narrow strip of grass beside the building. He straightens his shirt, retrieves his coat from the grass and slips it on, zipping it up. Taking one last look at the window—

The window stays open.

Anyone could look in and see you like that. Ruined. Unaware.

You make it too easy, but exposure suits you.

His expression stays blank as he steps off the grass and disappears into the dim parking lot lights.

2nd fic I had up in da drafts i finished idk if I’ll keep going w this, i actually wanted it to make it more “dark” but im j not good at writing psychological thriller without it sounding corny and performative……..

ask & u shall receive !! not proofread, but try your best to enjoy :)

⚠︎

brian eyed you from afar, the sound of gloves snapping against his skin ripping through the otherwise silent room. his office smelled heavily of chemicals and sanitizer, undoubtedly caused by the many prosthetics scattered throughout the room.

slowly, he approached you, your heart pounding harder and harder against your chest with each step the tall man took towards you. he stopped right in front of uou, his frame towering over you and staring down at you, like a starving wolf who had just cornered a rabbit. his dark eyes pierced through your own as you swallowed. your throat remained dry as he leaned down and gently gripped your leg, his fingernails very slightly digging into your sensitive skin through his gloved fingers.

your bottoms had already been removed, as you couldn’t exactly have your leg molded with pants on. part of you regretted agreeing to this, why your legs specifically? he couldn’t have found anyone else to help him make his newest prosthetic? apparently not.

brian chuckled softly as he pointed out your blatant nervousness, his hand resting on your knee. “relax. you’re safe, this won’t take too long.” he hummed with a sickeningly charming smile, attempting to calm your nerves and only making them worsen.

it was embarrassing to you even though brian was acting as if it was any other day… well, it probably was for him, but you weren’t used to being in your underwear around men, much less brian. you had your fair share of fantasies about the dark-haired man, not that he would have any clue. still, this was embarrassingly arousing for you. you just had to lie down against the exam table and silently pray that it wasn’t obvious how intoxicating his touch was against your flesh.

the firm foam padding pressed uncomfortably against your back as you inhaled deeply, trying your best to hold back the shivers and failing miserably.

brian’s gloved hands wandered up your calf, to your knee and stopping at your mid-thigh. you were practically holding your breath, staring up at the white ceiling as you tried your best to act unbothered by how close he was to your most sensitive area.

“uhm…” you shifted against him, clearing your throat as your voice shuddered. you swallowed once more as your eyes connected, heat rushing rapidly through your entire body.

with a darkened look in his eyes, he allowed his hands to continue roaming up more and more towards your clothed pussy, ignoring how violently you were shaking as he did so. if you didn’t know any better you’d think you were having a panic attack of some sort. the rubber of his muted blue gloves glided against your panties, creating a surprisingly pleasant contrast against your cotton-covered clit.

you were too scared to speak up, not that you would have told him to stop or anything. and brian knew it. his long, white coat reeked of sanitizer, the scent piercing your nostrils as he inched his body closer to yours. you tried your best not to make sound as he gently circled your wetness through the fabric.

“you’re perfect, you know that?”

his voice sounded so full of hate and love at the same time, scaring you more than you already had been. you didn’t exactly know why brian scared you as much as he did, and you were even more clueless as to why you chose to involve yourself with him anyways.

perhaps you were just plain stupid.

your skin slightly jumped against his palm as he slid his hand down your tummy, nipples hardening through your shirt as his hand slid under your covered privates.

the fluorescent lights above you made you feel as if you were rising from your own body, brians fingers against your entrance enhancing the feeling even more.

the plastic latex of his gloves felt strange against your clit, yet you silently enjoyed it anyways. it was a brand new feeling, a feeling you weren’t sure you enjoyed yet. it’s brian, you figured. anything brian does is something i enjoy. two fingers inviting themselves into your heat, plunging deep into you as your back arched slightly. brian placed his free hand against your knee, pressing against it slightly as to keep you from subconsciously closing your legs.

the sound of squelching and soft pants filled the air, brian’s eyes never leaving your face. you couldn’t decipher his look, wether it was admiration or anger. maybe the mystery behind his emotions is what drew you in. maybe it was purely his looks, or how naturally charming brian had been since the two of you met.

fear was always present in the back of your head whenever brian was around, and the more you thought of it the more you realized that maybe that’s exactly what you liked about him.

it excited you to no end, and as the feeling of his digits deep down inside of you moved against your heat, you felt as if you were already approaching your climax. you quickly abandoned your futile attempts at trying to quiet your moans, allowing your sounds of pleasure to escape from your throat freely. brian seemed to enjoy this, having sped up as his thumb connected to your clit, arousal coursing through your veins.

after abruptly pulling his hand away, the absence of brian’s fingers inside of you pulled your conscious back into your body, causing you to whine in complaint. you had been so close.

it was as if something completely foreign had come over you, licking your pretty lips as you began to beg for contact. this seemed to have thrilled brian. with a quick rip and snap, his gloves were removed. he hastily locked his lips to your own, saliva swapping between your mouths as the two of you messily made out.

the two of you were practically eating eachother alive, his left hand holding the back of your head surprisingly gently, his fingers intertwined in the locks of your hair as his other hand returned to your pussy, dipping his fingers in your panties yet again.

“i’ll take care of you, baby. trust me.” brian hummed after pulling away from the kiss, his lips now being slightly puffy and wet from the saliva, as well as your own.

he leaned in close to you, inhaling your scent. you smelled absolutely divine, brian’s bulge poking through his pants as he moved his left hand from the back of your head, gently pushing you back down against the exam table. he used that hand to push your legs open even wider, removing his right hand from your cunt to palm himself through his pants. the sight of you made him go crazy, his hardened cock struggling against his coverings.

you shimmied your panties down your hips, the sight of brian desperately trying to pull his dick out of his pants encouraging you to slide your panties off. your panties dropped to the cold tile floor, spreading your legs back open immediately just for brian.

he quickly unbuttoned his pants, the sight of your cunt leaking causing him to rush to free his cock from it’s bindings even more. his dick sprang from his underwear shortly after his pants had been unzipped, the tip of his dick leaking, desperate to be inside of you.

his thumb found its way to your clit once more, causing your already sensitive spot to become even more sensitive. he had teased you so much already, why must he be so cruel?

his dick pressed against your hole as your heart pounded in your ears relentlessly. you began to speak, softly. “please be gentle—AH!” shocks surged through your brain as he disregarded your plea, his thick cock bottoming out inside of you as your walls fluttered around him. he began to thrust, rough and fast. he lifted your shirt, licking his lips as he exposed your breasts. your hardened nipples against the hospital air seemed to excite brian even more, considering how much rougher he had become at the sight of them. your brain was malfunctioning the faster he went, wetness seeping from your cunt as your chest bounced up and down. brian’s cock slid in and out of you roughly, your slick coating his dick generously and making it much easier for him to be aggressive with your fragile body.

drool seeped from your mouth, and with each time his tip slammed against your cervix was one more little zap to your brain.

all you could focus on was just how good brian was fucking into you, his dick pummeling into you as his finger slid against your clit simultaneously. your fingers roughly gripped the medical-grade vinyl below you, your moans getting stuck in your throat as your eyes squeezed shut.

a leg of yours was lifted up onto brian’s shoulder, the sudden stretch causing you to approach your climax rapidly, you felt as if your organs were all oozing from each and every pore on your body in the best way possible, your cunt squeezing brian’s cock intensely. your final moan was quickly cut off by brian’s large palm covering your mouth, your eyes rolling into the base of your skull as you came on the doctor’s dick. your pussy fiercely milked his cock, begging for his cum to be emptied into your pussy.

he gave you exactly what you wanted, sinking his teeth deep inside of your shoulder as to muffle the pleasured noises from his peak. this caused you to cum yet again somehow, completely turning your brain into a fuzzy mess.

his gentle lips pressed against your own once more, his dick remaining buried deep inside of you momentarily before he pulled out, stuffing his dick back into his pants and tucking his shirt back in as to maintain his professional appearance he had entered the room with.

embarrassment flooded through you as his cum began to seep from your hole, and you began to search for your panties you had so irresponsibly kicked off earlier. you had barely noticed brian left in a rush after picking something up, shoving whatever it was in his pocket before excusing himself.

you decided to forget about the underwear, rushing to get your pants back on and leave the building. humiliation creeped up behind you as you practically ran out of the hospital without even trying to say goodbye. you had only realized later that night that the thing brian had picked up was most likely your panties, which caused you even more embarrassment.

burying your face into your pillow, you felt your lower stomach churn. you let him finish inside of you and steal your panties. how careless could you be?

“silly, silly girl.”

Brian moser x fem!reader

Word count: 1.2k ish

An: so I hope I can reach an audience with this but oh well ! I really enjoy writing this idkkk when I’ll fully write smut (hopefully soon)

Warnings: Fluff, sexual tension but no actual smut and kissing.

Masterlist

The only light in your bedroom came from your lamp and the faint glow of the streetlight bleeding through your curtains.

Your phone, face-up on your bed, silent.

Too silent.

You stared at it.

You shouldn’t be waiting for him.

You knew that.

Brian Moser was a bad idea wrapped in charm, danger mixed into his smile. He had this way of making the world feel smaller when he was around. Like it was just the two of you and everything else was background noise.

Your phone buzzed.

You grabbed it too fast, heart thudding like it had been caught doing something wrong.

Brian:

You awake?

You smiled despite yourself.

You:

Unfortunately.

A second later, your phone rang.

You answered before you could overthink it.

“Hello?”

His voice slid through the speaker, low and lazy, like he was already smiling.

“Hey. You sound lonely.”

“I am not lonely,” you said, lying automatically. “I’m… peacefully alone.”

“Mm,” he hummed. “Those are usually the nights you want company the most.”

You rolled onto your side, staring at the wall. “You don’t know that.”

“I know you,” Brian said softly.

Your chest tightened at that. He always said things like that like he had you figured out. Like he was picking out every single thing about you. That should have made you feel uneasy.

Instead, it made you feel seen.

“What are you doing?” you asked.

“Thinking about you in your room” he whispered.

After what like like hours you spoke.

You exhaled a quiet laugh. “Shut up.”

“Cute,” he murmured. “You laugh when you’re nervous.”

There it was again. That feeling of being gently, terrifyingly known.

You shifted on your bed, tugging your blanket higher around your waist. “Why’d you call?”

“Because I didn’t want you to fall asleep without hearing my voice.”

Your stomach flipped.

“That’s… unfair,” you muttered.

“I know.” His voice softened. “Do you want me to come over?”

Your brain screamed bad idea.

Your heart said please.

“It’s late,” you said weakly.

“So?”

Another pause, like he was choosing his words carefully.

“I won’t stay long. I just… want to see you.”

You stared at the ceiling, pulse racing.

“…Okay.”

His smile was audible. “Be there in ten.”

You barely had time to sit up before there was a quiet knock on your door.

Your heart leapt into your throat as you padded across the room and opened it.

Brian stood there in the dim hallway light, jacket half-unzipped, hair slightly messy like he’d run his hands through it on the way over. His eyes found yours instantly, that familiar spark lighting up his face.

“Hey,” he said softly.

You stepped aside to let him in, suddenly aware of how small your room felt with him inside it.

He glanced around, amused. “Your room always feels… warm. Like you.”

“That’s not creepy at all,” you said, trying to sound unimpressed.

He laughed under his breath. “You say that, but you let me in anyway.”

You shut the door behind him. The click sounded louder than it should’ve.

For a second, neither of you moved.

The air between you felt charged, like something was about to happen if either of you took a step closer.

Brian did.

Slowly.

Carefully.

He stopped in front of you, close enough that you could smell his cologne, feel the warmth of him.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

You nodded, even though your heart was going feral in your chest.

“Yeah. Just… surprised you actually came.”

“I always come when you ask,” he said. “Even when you pretend you didn’t.”

Your breath caught. “You’re such an asshole.”

His lips curved into that crooked smile you hated loving. “And you’re still here.”

He reached out, hesitating just slightly before brushing his knuckles against your hand. The touch was light, barely there but it sent a shiver up your arm anyway.

“You’re warm,” he murmured.

“So are you,” you replied, then immediately regretted how soft it came out.

Brian’s gaze dropped to your lips.

The room went quiet.

Too quiet.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked.

Your answer was a whisper. “Yes.”

He didn’t rush it.

Brian leaned in slowly, giving you time to pull away. When you didn’t, his lips met yours in a soft, careful kiss.

The kiss deepened naturally, your hands finding his jacket, fingers curling into the fabric as he stepped closer. His hands settled at your waist, warm and grounding, pulling you gently against him.

You kissed him back harder this time, emotion bleeding into it. The kind of kiss that said I missed you and stay all at once.

Brian exhaled against your lips, a quiet sound of relief.

“God,” he muttered softly. “I’ve wanted to do that all night.”

You laughed breathlessly.

“Me too..”

Your chest tightened.

He searched your face, something vulnerable flickering behind his eyes. Then he kissed you again more desperate than the first time.

Eventually, you pulled back just enough to breathe.

“You can stay a little,” you said. “If you want.”

His forehead rested against yours.

“I do. But only if you’re okay with it just being this.”

“This is… more than enough,” you admitted.

He smiled, softer than you’d ever seen it.

“Good,” he said. “Because right now, I just want to be here with you.”

The words settled between you like a promise.

You swallowed, suddenly aware of how close he still was. How his hands hadn’t left your waist. How the room felt smaller, warmer, like the air itself was leaning in to listen.

“Then stay,” you said quietly.

Brian didn’t move away.

Instead, his thumb brushed over your hip in a slow, absent motion that made your breath hitch before you could stop it. His eyes flicked down to your mouth again, like it was a habit he couldn’t break.

“You do that on purpose,” he murmured.

“Do what?”

“Look at me like you’re daring me to mess up your night.”

You scoffed softly. “Maybe I am.”

That did it.

He leaned in again, this time without asking, but slower than before like he wanted you to feel every inch of the distance disappearing between you. His lips found yours in a deeper kiss, unhurried but heavy with meaning. The kind that lingered, that pulled something low and warm into your stomach.

You kissed him back instinctively, hands sliding up his chest to curl lightly into the collar of his jacket. The fabric crinkled under your fingers as you tugged him closer without even realizing you were doing it.

Brian let out a quiet breath against your lips, something between a laugh and a sigh.

“You’re trouble,” he whispered.

“So are you,” you shot back, breathless.

His hand slipped from your waist to your lower back, guiding you back until you felt the edge of your bed against the backs of your legs. He didn’t push you down. He just stayed there, close enough that you could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing.

The kiss slowed, softened, then deepened again like he couldn’t decide whether to be careful with you or not.

You broke the kiss first, resting your forehead against his.

“Brian…”

“Yeah?” His voice was low, roughened in a way that made your pulse jump.

“This feels dangerous.”

His smile was small but honest. “Most things that feel this good are.”

For a second, you thought he might pull away. Instead, he pressed another kiss to your lips, slower this time, like he was trying to memorize the shape of your mouth. Then another just to the corner of your lips. Then one along your jaw, light and teasing, not quite enough.

You sucked in a quiet breath, fingers tightening in his jacket.

“Are you trying to kill me or something?”

He huffed a soft laugh against your skin. “Relax. I’m being good.”

“That’s debatable.”

His lips brushed your jaw again, lingering just long enough to make your thoughts spiral. When he finally pulled back, his eyes were darker, his smile more restrained.

“Say the word and I’ll stop,” he said gently.

The care in his voice surprised you. It made the moment feel safer, somehow. More real.

You didn’t say the word.

Instead, you leaned in and kissed him again, your hands sliding up into his hair this time, fingers threading through it. Brian made a quiet sound at the back of his throat, something pleased and dangerous all at once, as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

The tension between you built slowly, like a held breath neither of you wanted to release. It wasn’t rushed. It was charged. Every small movement his thumb brushing along your side, the way your fingers tightened when he pulled you closer.

When you finally pulled apart, you were both smiling a little, breathless in that soft, giddy way that came from wanting something and choosing not to cross the line just yet.

Brian rested his forehead against yours again.

“You’re really trying to make it hard for me to leave.”

You smiled back. “Maybe I don’t want you to.”

His expression softened, something tender breaking through the edge of his usual confidence.