Zayne, as always, remained completely unfazed, holding the stolen device high above his head like a schoolyard bully hoarding a toy. His expression was impassive, his glasses reflecting the dim light of the room, but Caleb could see the amusement lurking beneath his usual deadpan demeanor.

“No.”

Caleb’s eye twitched.

“Zayne, I’m warning you-”

Zayne tilted his head, his grip tightening around the small cylindrical device. “You’re in no position to make threats.”

Oh, that was it.

Caleb lunged.

It wasn’t his best move, considering his new center of gravity was still a pain in the ass to adjust to, but he was not going to let this arrogant doctor win.

Zayne, of course, had been expecting the attack. He sidestepped at the last second, letting Caleb’s momentum carry him forward-

Which resulted in both of them crashing into the bed behind them.

Caleb’s legs tangled awkwardly with Zayne’s, their bodies colliding, the device clattering to the side. He barely had time to curse before Zayne - the smug bastard - twisted, flipping their positions so that Caleb was pinned beneath him.

The weight of him was solid, firm, and way too damn close.

Caleb froze.

Zayne did not.

He still had one arm braced above Caleb’s head, the other gripping Caleb’s wrist to keep him from scrambling up. His face was inches away, cool breath fanning against Caleb’s cheek.

And that was the exact moment Caleb decided to make things worse.

"Give it to me!"

He bucked against Zayne’s hold, frustrated and completely unaware of how bad the phrasing was.

Zayne’s eyebrow arched.

And then-

The door swung open.

Silence.

A very long, painful silence.

Then-

“Oh.”

Both Caleb and Zayne’s heads snapped toward the door.

Standing there, holding a plate of snacks, was Mei.

She blinked. Slowly.

Took in the scene.

Zayne half on top of Caleb, pinning her to the bed. Caleb’s wrists caught, legs tangled. Caleb’s flushed, struggling expression. Zayne’s blank but dangerously close posture.

And- Caleb’s words, echoing back at her.

'Give it to me!'

Mei's lips twitched.

She tilted her head. “Am I interrupting?”

Caleb made a strangled noise.

Zayne remained as still as a corpse, likely debating whether clearing things up was even worth the effort.

Mei’s eyes gleamed.

“Oh, don’t mind me~,” she chirped, already turning back toward the door with a suspiciously amused sway in her step. “You two carry on. Have fun!”

“MEI, WAIT-”

The door slammed shut.

Caleb laid there for a solid five seconds, staring at the ceiling, absolutely mortified.

Zayne was the first to break the silence.

“…I’m not explaining that.”

Caleb let out a very, very long sigh.

“…Kill me.”

Zayne adjusted his glasses. “Not in my job description.”

Caleb groaned, wrestling himself free. He sat up, glaring at Zayne. “This is your fault.”

Zayne, completely unbothered, picked up the device and handed it to Caleb.

Caleb stared at it.

Then back at Zayne.

Zayne blinked. “You didn’t specify when I should give it to you.”

Caleb was going to kill him.

But first, he had to fix this mess with Mei.

If she hadn’t already told the entire damn city.