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[It's just water, it's fine. At his precious water samples being shoved aside, however, the microscope almost goes with it. Egon dives to catch it and place it off to the side, looking sharply up at Venkman.]

Do you need something?

[His words are said in a slightly firm tone, indicating that he doesn't have time for this. As astute as Egon is, however, he fails to realize that Venkman has been successful in all his previous attempts to peel him away from his work.]

[The dumb grin on Venkman's face only gets broader as he strikes a nerve. He doesn't bother to reply, instead continuing to sing.]

When I'm dancing close to him

(Blinding me with science... Science!)

[He swings one foot up onto the desk, the other leg still dangling off the side. If Egon's lucky, he doesn't step on anything important.]

I can smell the chemicals

(Blinding me with science... science!)

Sssssss...science!

[He moves a glass petri dish out of the way just before Venkman plants his foot on the desk. Egon rolls his eyes. There was some scientific truth to be found in the song--humans could smell other people's pheromones, even if they didn't realize it. But the last time he mentioned that, Venkman just made a bunch of crude jokes that left Egon filled with regret.]

Yes, and speaking of science, I would like to get back to my work--

[He moves to physically pick up Venkman and remove him from the desk surface, like putting a misbehaving cat back down on the ground.]

[Venkman sets down the conch shell and reaches out to take Egon's hands in his, holding eye contact as he gets to the next part.]

Mmm - but it's poetry in motion

And when he turned his eyes to me

As deep as any ocean

As sweet as any harmony-

[He pulls Egon's hands up to his lips, kissing them briefly.]

He blinded me with science

(He blinded me with science)

And failed me in geometry...

[It's incredible what a single touch can do to the brilliant mind of Dr. Egon Spengler. In the span of a few seconds, the words leaving his mouth get caught in his throat and his cheeks turn red. The corners of his mouth quirk upwards in a faint smile, though he glances down at the samples on his desk before addressing Venkman.]

Right now?

[--is all that he manages to get out of his mouth. The sentence could almost be interpreted as reluctant, if it weren't for the fact he was readjusting his grip on Venkman's hands, interlacing his fingers in a more comfortable fashion.]

[Yes! That's what he's been waiting for! Venkman visibly brightens as he hops off the desk, gently tugging Egon's hands in an attempt to get him to stand up.]

When he's dancing next to me

(Blinding me with science- science!

I can hear machinery

(Blinding me with science- science!)...

[Egon follows Venkman's lead, allowing himself to be pulled from his chair. Dancing and singing was never his forte, but he's willing to come along for the ride. Egon doesn't quite remember the lyrics, but he finds himself humming along quietly to the strange melody, a little off key.

He pulls himself a little closer to his partner, stumbling a bit in his steps and trying to maintain his footing. He gives Venkman a rare, sheepish smile.]

I thought you might like to know I found several protozoa swimming in the water samples I took from the beach, but I haven't been able to identify them as any sort of plankton I've seen.

[Hope you don't mind this idiot blathering about microscopic sea animal while trying to dance.]

[Venkman lets go of one of Egon's hands, wrapping his newly-freed arm around his waist to pull him a little closer. He doesn't care if Egon babbles about science shit- after all, it fits the song.

It's soft. It's good. And then Venkman gets to the next lyrics.]

It's poetry in motion

And now he's making love to me-

[-And of course he can't sing that without giving Egon a look, winking exaggeratedly.]

[That line definitely gets a reaction out of him. His face turns a little more red as he clears his throat, giving Venkman a stern look.]

This is hardly lab-appropriate conduct, don't you think?

[It's hard to tell if he means it seriously or not. Egon's always serious--at least, that's what he always tells other people. The other Ghostbusters know the truth behind the near-constant deadpan expression.]

[He breaks off from singing just long enough to comment on that one.]

Ah, come on- you've never cared about lab safety before and you know it.

[Venkman laughs and leans in to kiss Egon on the lips, breaking apart after a moment to return to the song.]

The spheres're in commotion

The elements in harmony

He blinded me with science

(He blinded me with science!)

And hit me with technology...

[He peppers Egon's face with more kisses, grinning like an idiot as he gently pulls him along in a half-dance, half-shuffle.]

(Good Heavens, Doctor Spengler- you're beautiful!)

[Venkman's comment makes Egon pause. He can't really fault him for saying the truth, can he? Besides, he's being distracted by kisses.

He continues to allow himself to be lead through this half-formed dance--not that he minds in the slightest. The water samples have long been forgotten at this point. Venkman's exclamation manages to make him grin even wider, and--good lord, he's...laughing? It's a quiet, subdued chuckle, but it's warm and genuine.

Egon pulls him closer, kissing him on the lips before resting his forehead against his partner's forehead.]

This feels strangely familiar, doesn't it?

[That little laugh is enough for Venkman to silently chalk this whole excursion up as a rousing success. He hums a little as Egon presses his forehead to his, temporarily forgetting the specifics of the next part of the song. Not that it really matters. Tidying up in the lab is definitely not fitting for Egon. Or Venkman, for that matter.]

Familiar in what way?

[Egon hums along, closing his eyes and allowing himself to think back.]

Well, back at the firehouse. And in Columbia. And during undergraduate studies....

[Habits repeated throughout their lives. He trails off, lost in thought. After a moment or two, he opens his eyes and shakes his head, smirking a little.]

Strange how long this has lasted. How things stay the same despite changing so much. [A beat.] In a good way.

[He lightly squeezes Venkman's hand, wrapping his arm a little tighter around his partner's waist.]

[Venkman looks down at their intertwined hands, smiling unguardedly.]

You know, back in undergrad, I was so scared this wasn't gonna last. Us, I mean. Thought you'd wisen up eventually, you know?

And now look at us. Look at you.

[He's not the same Egon that Venkman fell in love with fifteen years ago, that's true. But it's still Egon.]

You remember the first couple times I tried to get you to dance?

[It took a few tries for him to figure out the right combination of annoyances and tenderness.]

Are you talking about the bruises, the grievous shin injuries, or both? [Spengler smirks.] I'm thankful you stuck with it, despite my stubbornness at the time.

[Egon was never one to do very much self-reflection. Why spend time thinking about your emotions when there was always the next experiment, the new and exciting and unknown? To bury yourself in your work, achieve complete and total understanding of the strange systems of the universe--or at least attempt it--that was the ultimate goal to be achieved. The only interest Egon ever had in analyzing his own feelings was through a scientific lens, how the synapses in the brain fired off based on certain stimulus, different chemicals and hormones intermingling with each other to create an amino acid soup.

Perhaps that was why it took him so long to realize how fortunate he was. His partners taught him one thing he couldn't learn on his own--how to slow down, how to stop and take a moment to enjoy the present. One of the many, uncountable things that he's grateful for. Things like dancing, singing, celebrating--things he dismissed as slightly interesting but trivial activities when he was younger revealed themselves to be innately human rituals. Anthropology--that's what it was. A new field of study he was eager to pour himself into.

Egon brushes a stray hair from Venkman's face before kissing him again, his glasses knocked slightly askew but not caring enough to fix them. He pulls away for a moment, studying Venkman's face. After a beat, he says quietly:]

Dr. Venkman, after several years of research, I do believe I have come to a stunning conclusion.

Both. And let's not forget the complaining.

[Venkman's own attempts at self reflection over the years are always a mess. He's never been quite as bad at it as Egon- and certainly not for the same reasons. But it's hard to simultaneously be full of yourself, and have the unshakable, paranoid belief that some day, everything is going to fall apart, and it'll be his fault.

But there is one thing they both have in common- they've both figured out, after many, many years, that they're incredibly lucky.

He leans in to Egon's touch, and reaches up to readjust Egon's glasses.]

Yeah? What's your conclusion, Dr. Spengler?

[There's another brief pause as Egon untangles his fingers to carefully cup Peter's face in his hand. He stares down at Venkman with an expression of utmost seriousness before breaking into a small smile.]

Why, Dr. Venkman, I do believe that I may be in love with you.

[And then he kisses him again, deeper this time. He lingers there for a few moments, fingers trailing through Venkman's hair, before pulling away slightly, still inches away from his partner's face.

Egon gazes at Venkman for a few moments before breaking eye contact. He glances over his shoulder, back towards his desk, as if just realizing the initial purpose of this distraction. In an almost reluctant tone, he says:]

I should--I should probably get back to the water samples.

[Venkman laughs a little, even as his heart skips a beat as though he hasn't heard those same words thousands of times before. He closes his eyes as he returns the kiss, gripping the collar of Egon's shirt to pull him a little closer.

His eyes flutter open again after a few moments.]

Well, that's a relief.

[He sounds a little breathless. And overwhelmingly delighted, despite his attempts to sound casual.

And then Egon glances back at the samples and microscope, and Venkman frowns.]

Hmmm. No. I think that can wait.

[Egon opens his mouth to protest, to say that the discovery of knowledge waits for no one, that the secrets of this universe must be unfurled, but then stops. His gaze lingers on his petri dishes for a few more moments before he turns back to face Venkman. A strange, overwhelming feeling has trickled into his chest, something--he's a little embarrassed to admit--that has taken him years to identify and only more difficult to put into words.

The secrets of the universe aren't going anywhere. At least, not for a long time.]

Perhaps you're right.

[He rests his hands on Venkman's shoulders and grips them tightly--not too tightly--an unusually soft expression on his face.]

I don't suppose you have any new hypotheses on the matter, do you?

[Venkman watches this little internal struggle with an oddly hopeful expression. Once Egon speaks up, his face lights back up again.]

On which matter? The fact that you're in love with me? Personally, I think it's because I'm irresistible.

[He kisses Egon on the nose.]

Though I don't have a lot of proof of that "hypothesis". You might need to run some tests. Gather data. Follow me back to the bedroom and kiss me some more. You know the drill.

Irresistible is a rather broad term that isn't quantifiable.

[Egon rolls his eyes, his grip on Venkman's shoulders loosening a little, though he leans in for the kiss.]

Was this your intention all along? To come in here, charm me, and then whisk me away?

[He may as well ask while they're at it.]

Mmmhmm. What's a better term for it, then? Captivating... attractive... Seductive.

[He's teasing. Mostly.]

I dunno. Did it work?

[Egon makes a face at Venkman's comment.]

Those are all still wildly subjective terms, and you know it.

[As for his question, well...after recovering from that, he takes Venkman's hand in his and idly interweaves their fingers together.]

It would be in poor form for me to lie about the results, wouldn't it?

[He winks.]

Lying about the findings would make you a pretty shitty scientist, yeah. So how's about you come with me and tell me all about your findings... The findings are how much my plan worked. Wait, then they'd be my findings?

You know what, these science analogies are kinda breaking apart. Can we just make out some more?

[Egon doesn't respond verbally--rather, he just tugs in Venkman's collar and pulls him into another kiss. The kiss stretches out a few moments before he pulls away, breathless. For once, he allows himself to smile like the lovesick fool he is.]

Where to?

[Said as simply as if he were stating the time of day.]

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truly dont think i'll ever get venkman more in-character than this stupid comment

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