'A Little Closer...'

The shift was immediate. The air seemed heavier, the silence that followed almost suffocating. Heinz froze, his expression unreadable, and Florian regretted the question the moment it left his lips. His chest tightened, panic clawing at him as his mind raced.

'Shit. That was too much, wasn't it? What the hell was I thinking?'

"I— I didn't mean to—" Florian stammered, the words tumbling out in a frantic attempt to backpedal.

Heinz raised a hand, cutting him off with a small, dismissive wave. "Calm down," he said evenly, his voice steady yet firm. "I'm not upset. I just… wasn't expecting that question."

The tight knot in Florian's chest loosened just slightly, and he let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he was holding. 'Okay, so he's not mad. That's a relief… I think.'

Heinz leaned back, his gaze now sharper, more calculating. "Before I answer, may I ask why you're asking this?"