Note: Chemical Reaction is a series of Bloodlines ficlets, ranging in sizes, topics, etc. mainly dealing in Sydrian but in other characters and relationships as well. Not everything will be post-The Indigo Spell, but a great deal of it will be.

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Getting around Zoe is a touch more difficult than even Sydney expected, and given her nature, that is something to wonder at.

All things considered, though, Adrian has few complaints.

Less because of the puzzled Alchemist a mere foot away, and more because of the brilliant way Sydney's pressed against him. Even shoved together in a closet, even with Zoe's footsteps echoing through his apartment, she's a thing to marvel at. He wastes no time in appreciating the opportunity, as unsolicited it may be.

His fingers linger just over her jaw as he touches her tattoo, which has just barely faded. Not more than a shade or two, but it fills up a space of relief within him – one less piece of her that belongs to somebody else. She shivers beneath his touch.

"Stop it."

He doesn't, instead letting his touch trail down her neck.

"Adrian."

Eddie's voice nears the closet as he says, "They're not here. Maybe they're with Clarence."

Adrian releases his breath, but Sydney does not. She can just imagine her sister's brown eyes, narrowed in suspicion. Like she has two puzzle pieces that don't quite match up.

Zoe has been rather hard to slip around, and each excuse, each vague lie, has been costing more. There are only so many class projects and coffee runs that can go by unnoticed.

Sydney's only relief is that Zoe would never come to the truth on her own, that her sister, her no-nonsense, over-achieving sister, is sneaking around with a Moroi. Adrian Ivashkov at that.

Zoe mutters something to Eddie that sounds like acquiesce.

"Your sister is everywhere," Adrian murmurs, relieved as their steps grow farther.

"And so are your hands," she whispers, swatting them away.

There's a pause in Zoe's retreating footsteps as she says, "Did you hear something?"

Eddie grunts, which must mean he didn't.

But Adrian doesn't seem too concerned, because halfway through his next, playful words – "Did you hear something, Sage?" – Sydney is forced to take desperate action to shut him up.

With both hands on his face, she pulls his lips to hers, stealing the words from his mouth. There's something like a sigh from him then, and even Sydney relaxes once Eddie and Zoe have shut Adrian's front door behind them.

As always, Sydney excells in damage control.

And he quite likes that.