Ethan's Perspective

  Date: April 5, 2025

  Friday, 9:42 PM – No Escape

  Ethan hadn’t planned on staying late.

  His bag was packed. His laptop was shut down. His jacket was in hand.

  And then the storm hit.

  By the time he checked outside, the city was drowning.

  Rain lashed against the windows, streetlights flickering against the downpour. Roads were disappearing under waterlogged pavement, and when he pulled up his phone, the confirmation was immediate—no cabs, no Ubers, no Caltrains running.

  He wasn’t getting home tonight.

  When he stepped back into the office, the floor was nearly empty.

  Except for Ada.

  “You too?”

  She turned at the sound of his voice, her shoulders sagging slightly with relief. He realized she must have thought she was stranded alone.

  Ethan set his bag back down.

  “No luck?” She asked.

  Ethan shook his head. “Transport’s down. Roads are flooded.”

  Ada sighed, staring hopelessly at the storm raging ourside.

  Say something, his brain prodded.Ethan added, “Could be worse.”

  Ada shot him a flat look. “How?”

  He took a slow sip from his thermos, deadpan. “I could be stuck here with Leo.”

  For a second, she just stared at him.

  Then she laughed. It was a musical sound that Ethan thought he could never get sick of.

  Friday, 10:17 PM – The Floor Situation

  The office at night felt different.

  No ringing phones. No conversations. Just the hum of the vending machines, the occasional flicker of a monitor, the rain drumming against the windows.

  Ethan wasn’t the type to get unsettled by things like that. If anything, it was peaceful. Finally, less noise.

  He was fixing a coffee for himself to stave off another spell of sleepiness when Ada walked into the break room. She seemed relieved to see him.

  He regarded her curiously. “Finished working for the night?”

  “Yeah, started feeling a bit spooky in there on my own,” she sighed, her shoulders tense, her brow furrowed just very slightly—something he noticed she did when she was nervous but trying not to show it.

  He leaned against the counter, stirring his coffee. “Didn’t think you were superstitious.”

  “I’m not scared of ghosts,” she muttered, pouring herself tea. “It’s the crazed serial killers I’m more concerned about.”

  He nodded, considering this. “Makes sense. You’d die first.”

  The effect of his words was instant and Ethan bit back a smile as she nearly choked. “Excuse me?”

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  He took a slow sip. “I have more Final Girl energy than you.”

  Ada just stared at him, taking him in.

  Then she laughed.

  Not a small chuckle. Not polite amusement. A real, unfiltered laugh. The tension in her shoulders melted away, and some color rose to her cheeks.

  Ethan couldn’t help but smile.

  And for a brief second, his heart skipped a beat. He could make her laugh all day, he realized.

  Friday, 10:42 PM – The Dinner Situation

  “Red or white?”

  Ethan looked up. Ada was standing by the counter, holding up two equally unappealing vending machine juice bottles.

  He frowned. “Neither.”

  She rolled her eyes and set them down next to a sad collection of vending machine snacks—potato chips, protein bars, sandwiches, and something that was allegedly beef jerky.

  “Blackcurrant or apple,” she clarified. “Those were the only juices left. But I suppose I’ve only ever seen you drink coffee.”

  “Because coffee works,” he said simply.

  She grinned at him as if she had expected him to say that, and Ethan found himself smiling wryly back.

  He wasn’t sure how, or when, but they had fallen into an unspoken agreement: this was their sleeping quarters for the night.

  They dragged over some beanbags to create a makeshift sleeping area, and Ethan watched in amusement as Ada wedged herself underneath one, presumably to keep warm but ultimately looking like she was the patty in a beanbag burger.

  A moment later, her stomach growled.

  Without missing a beat, Ethan tossed her a packet of salt and vinegar chips.

  She blinked. “Had I told you I liked these?”

  “You always take that one first when there’s a meeting spread,” he shrugged.

  She stared at him. “You noticed that?”

  Ethan wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. He had noticed, and he was sure she’d be surprised if she knew how often he noticed.

  Friday, 11:04 PM – The Dangerous Conversation

  Somewhere between her second cup of tea and Ethan finishing another protein bar, they started talking.

  Not about work.

  Not about the storm.

  Just… talking.

  At some point, Ada buried her face in the beanbags, laughing at something he said, and Ethan—who wasn’t the type to crack jokes just for the sake of it—found himself wanting to make her laugh again.

  That was new.

  And maybe a little dangerous.

  Saturday, 1:10 AM – Safe in the Night

  The breakroom lights were off. The glow of the city filtered in through the windows, casting everything in a cool, bluish hue.

  Ada had fallen asleep.

  Ethan, still awake, still thinking, sat near the window, watching the rain.

  Then—movement.

  He glanced back just in time to see Ada shift in her sleep, shivering slightly.

  He frowned and then made a decision. His locker was only a few feet away from the break room, and he kept an old coat in there for days when the weather decided to betray them by being stupidly cold for no reason.

  As he was about to drape the coat over her, he hesitated for a second. Would she be alarmed if she woke and saw him over her, hovering? Maybe this was a mistake.

  But his hands moved before his thought finished, and the coat settled over her.

  For a second, she stirred. Ethan froze, prepared for the awkward HR complaint that he was sure was due to come.

  Then, instead of waking, she snuggled into the warmth and relaxed.

  Ethan exhaled slowly.

  The light from the outside cast a glow over her face as she slept, and she seemed comfortable, relaxed, wrapped up in his coat.

  A stray hair drifted across her face, and for half a second, he fought the ridiculous urge to brush it from her face.

  So, instead, he turned back to the window, trying not to wonder how her skin might feel against his hand.

  Saturday, 3:17 AM – A Moment That Would Linger

  A sharp clap of thunder jolted Ada awake.

  Ethan felt her eyes on him before she even spoke.

  He didn’t turn. Didn’t really trust himself to look at her, knowing right now her eyes would be deliciously drowsy, her cheeks flushed from sleep.

  “You can sleep, you know.”

  A pause. Then, a little nervously: “What about you?”

  “I don’t sleep much.”

  She hesitated. “Why?”

  “Too much noise.” Because that was how he saw the world: too many sounds, too many colors, too much movement.

  But he wasn’t sure why he said that. He sighed. Maybe a part of him just wanted her to see the real him more. Maybe he was just too tired.

  Ada didn’t respond right away.

  Then, instead of saying anything, she propped herself up on her elbows. The coat shifted as she did, and when she realized whose it was, she hesitated.

  “Oh. Uh, thanks,” she said awkwardly, lifting it to return it.

  “Keep it for now. I don’t need it.”

  She paused. He could almost hear her thoughts in his head. Should she give it back? But she was cold. This was highly unprofessional, but then she also couldn’t think of a reason why. This could go on forever.

  So, softer, he added, “You don’t need to overthink everything.”

  She blushed, looking away, fingers curling into the fabric. She didn’t argue. And as she lay back down, Ethan glanced at her for just a moment before turning back to the window.

  Blushing. Flustered.

  Not him—her.

  Ethan found a warmth creeping up his neck too, so it was just as well that she wasn’t looking at him.

  Saturday, 7:30 AM – The Elevator Moment

  By the time the storm cleared, the city was washed out in muted morning light.

  They packed up their things, neither in a rush to say much.

  The elevator ride down was quiet. Not awkward. But something.

  Ethan caught her reflection in the mirrored doors—hair slightly mussed, his coat still draped over her shoulders.

  For a second, he thought about telling her to give it back.

  But he liked how she looked in it, so he said nothing.

  The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out first, adjusting his bag.

  “See you Monday, Watanabe.”

  She nodded, and he caught how she gripped the coat tighter around her. “Yeah. Monday.”

  Ethan walked out into the morning, rain-dampened streets stretching before him.

  And for the first time in a long time, it didn’t feel so noisy in his head anymore.