✧⁠*~ Chap 5 - Misfire ~*✧⁠

꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠14:00Earlier That Same Afternoon꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠

Swansea grumbled, stretching his weary muscles as he looked down at the silver watch clasped around his wide wrist. Lunch time.

"Well, Daisuke,"

Swansea yawned, resting his hands on his old leather belt.

"I'm headed to the food hall, you... You keep doing whatever you're doing, son."

The older man mumbled dismissively, humming an old melody under his breath as he strode down the Tulpar's hallways towards the cafeteria.

Daisuke barely noticed Swansea's departure, focused on fidgeting with the engine motor he was meant to repair. The young man had about half his torso inside the machine, only his legs sticking out. Clanging, banging, the clatter of bolts and the squeak of wires echoed through the thrumming engine room, Daisuke fully in his element.

꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠

Robyn exited the med-bay a little while earlier, having headed to the cafeteria only to notice a certain Japanese intern wasn't there...

'Where's Daisuke?' The janitor thought to herself, crossing her arms contemplatively, lifting a hand to hold her chin between her thumb and pointer. Robyn heard a certain hum enter the room, the sound gravelly and aged. Swansea!

"Oh, hey! Swansea!"

Robyn called out, trotting over to the heavy-set man. The strawberry blonde woman halted right in front of the older man, her eyes glittering with concentration and alertness.

"Y'know where I can find.. Daisuke?"

She clasped her hands together hopefully, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Oh, he's in the engine room."

Swansea replied simply, sighing. The man simply wanted to get lunch and have a break.

"You lookin' for him?"

He mumbled, crossing his chubby arms. Robyn cleared her throat, averting her gaze 'casually'.

"I was just.. wondering. Uh- Thanks Swansea!"

With those parting words and a gruff nod from the old mechanic, Robyn set off towards the engine room in a steady trot. Her strong footfalls thudding bluntly as she went.

꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠

Robyn silently entered the engine room, her ears greeted by the industrial hum and whirr of mechanics in motion. As the muscular janitor stepped further inside, her turquoise eyes soon met the backside of Daisuke sticking out of a motor he was supposedly tinkering with. The young intern's shirt had ridden up his torso due to his obtuse stretching, exposing some of his sculpted midriff to Robyn's gaze. Robyn blinked a few times, stunned and blushing before clearing her throat abruptly with her hand in front of her mouth.

Daisuke yowled in surprise, bumping his head on the metal of the engine with a grunt of pain before dropping his spanner, only for the metal tool to land on his toe with a metallic thwack.

"R-robyn?"

He whimpered, rubbing the back of his hand in pain. The young man turned away in embarrassment, his posture slouched and vulnerable.

"Uh- yea... You want help?"

Robyn pondered, stepping closer to the young intern. Daisuke didn't protest, feeling a small warmth, like a fuzzy cotton ball, filling his chest.

"Thanks, Rob..."

He mumbled, turning to continue tweaking with the engine's bolts and circuit boards.

꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠

The two worked in silence for a while, comfortable in each other's presence. The two occasionally glanced at each other, eventually accidentally locking eyes before looking away and blushing like idiots. Robyn swallowed down her dry throat, parting her lips to speak.

"You look bite-able"

"..Uhh, you mean 'notable'?"

Daisuke muttered under his breath, unsure if he had misheard the peculiar janitor.

"No. Bite-able."

"Ah-... You wanna bite me?"

"Yes"

Robyn replied simply, somehow making Daisuke blush from the tips of his ears down to his shoulders.

"...All the time-?"

Daisuke clarified, sheepishly chewing his bottom lip.

"Yes."

"...in a good way?"

"You seem tasty."

"Whaaa-"

Daisuke drawled in sheer shock, only to trip over the very same spanner he had dropped earlier. Daisuke gasped, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation of the back of his head meeting the metal grate floor... But it never did. Instead, strong arms had wrapped around him, cradling him securely and having prevented him from cracking his skull on the metal floor.

And who was cradling little, helpless Daisuke against their chest? Robyn, of course.

Daisuke blushed deeply, melting into Robyn's arms with a goofy grin on his face and a giddy giggle.

"Wow, Robyn... You're so strong,"

Before Daisuke could finish his sentence, his stomach gurgled loudly. The man hadn't even realised it was lunch time.

"Oh... Oh yea! I can to get you for lunch!"

Robyn smacked her tongue, lifting the electrician to his feet.

"Sage's making lunch... Let's go, Daisy."

Daisuke nodded, his brain smoking with how the nickname 'Daisy' just fried it. The young man tried not to giggle, nodding silently to acknowledge Robyn's words as he followed behind her muscular form. Daisuke didn't say a word, and if he did, his voice would sound like a budgie on helium.

The two walked along side each other, Robyn extending her hand discretely and entwined Daisuke's hand in hers. The two headed to the mess hall in silence, giddy in each other's presence.

꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠˖⁠♡--------------------⁠♡˖⁠꒰⁠⑅꒱⁠Feel Free To Point Out Grammar Mistakes And Inconsistencies In The Comments