Night sat heavy on the city, thick and restless, like it knew something was wrong and refused to look away.
Noah didn't remember deciding to walk Evan home.
He only knew that his feet kept moving and Evan kept following.
They didn't walk close.
They didn't walk far apart either.
Their shadows touched. They didn't.
At Evan's building, Noah stopped so suddenly Evan almost ran into him.
The streetlight above them buzzed.
Flickered.
Stayed.
Evan shoved his hands into his hoodie pockets, then pulled them out again like they burned.
"You're angry," he said quietly.
Noah laughed once.
It was empty.
"Angry?" he repeated. "That's a gentle word for what I am."
Evan flinched.
"You went behind my back," Noah said. "You walked into my case. Into my station. You made decisions that weren't yours to make."
"I was trying to help—"
"You don't get to decide how," Noah snapped. His voice cracked through the night. "People died, Evan."
Silence dropped hard between them.
Evan's mouth opened.
Closed.
"I didn't mean—"
"No," Noah cut in. "You never do."
That hurt more than shouting would have.
Evan's shoulders folded inward slightly, like something had been pressed out of him.
"I thought you trusted me."
"I did."
The past tense was a knife.
Evan swallowed.
"You still walked me home."
Noah looked away.
"I didn't do it for you."
"Then why?"
Noah turned back, eyes dark.
"Because I'm stupid."
Evan stared at him.
"Because I keep choosing you even when I shouldn't," Noah said. "Because I can't tell if you're fragile or dangerous or both."
Evan's breath shook.
"You think I'd hurt someone?"
"I don't know what to think anymore."
That was worse than accusation.
The street felt too small.
Evan whispered, "I would never—"
"I know," Noah said harshly. "And I hate that I know."
Their anger didn't push them apart.
It pulled them closer.
One step.
Another.
Too close.
Evan's voice dropped. "You shouldn't be this close to me."
"You shouldn't matter this much."
Their breaths collided.
Warm.
Uneven.
Evan's eyes flicked to Noah's mouth.
Stayed.
Noah noticed.
Didn't stop.
"This is wrong," Evan whispered.
Noah agreed.
He didn't move away.
Their foreheads brushed.
Barely.
Not a kiss.
Something worse.
Something unfinished.
Evan's fingers lifted, hesitated near Noah's jacket, then fell back like he didn't trust himself.
Noah closed his eyes.
For half a second.
His phone rang.
Sharp.
Brutal.
Reality cutting through skin.
They jerked apart like they'd been burned.
Noah answered without looking at him.
"Donovan."
Evan turned away, heart pounding too hard for his ribs.
Noah listened.
His face changed.
Anger rearranging itself into focus.
"You're sure?"
Pause.
"…Send it."
He hung up.
Evan turned back. "What happened?"
Noah exhaled through his teeth.
"CCTV."
Evan stiffened.
"Someone was caught running behind the last crime scene. Same time window. Same block."
"That's… big," Evan whispered.
Noah didn't answer.
The almost-kiss hovered between them like a ghost.
Evan tried to smile. Failed. "Guess the universe really hates timing."
Noah didn't smile.
"I have to go," he said. "This is going to get ugly."
Evan nodded.
Then softly, "Don't shut me out."
Noah hesitated.
His jaw tightened.
"I won't," he said, even though he didn't know if it was true.
He turned.
Took three steps.
" Noah."
He looked back.
Evan didn't say 'be careful'.
He said, "Come back soon."
Noah, without answering back, just walked away.