When teamwork becomes a little too close for comfort.
The engineering lab buzzed with the low hum of machines, the click of keyboards, and the faint aroma of solder and coffee. Fah had promised himself he would focus entirely on the robotics project today—until Tawan showed up, looking unreasonably calm with a stack of medical reference books in his arms.
"You're here," Fah said, raising an eyebrow. "For… study purposes or just to make me nervous?"
"Maybe a little of both," Tawan replied, sliding into the seat beside him. "I heard your robot needs some… creative troubleshooting."
Fah groaned. "Creative, huh? That's code for 'I'm going to mess with your perfectly planned design.'"
"Exactly," Tawan said, grinning. "You like it, admit it."
Over the next hour, they leaned over the same console, shoulders brushing as they adjusted circuits and tested sensors. Every accidental touch sent a small jolt through Fah, and he found himself laughing more than he expected.
"Okay," Fah said, finally, "I have to warn you. If you break my prototype, I will personally—"
"—tease you about it endlessly?" Tawan finished, eyebrow arched.
Fah groaned, covering his face. "You are impossible."
Tawan just smirked, leaning a little closer to inspect a wire. The faint scent of coffee and something uniquely Tawan made Fah's heart skip.
Midway through, one of their classmates—someone Fah didn't know very well—wandered over and offered "helpful suggestions." Tawan greeted them politely, nodding and discussing ideas, and Fah felt that old pang of jealousy—quick, sharp, impossible to ignore.
Tawan noticed immediately, nudging Fah's arm. "Relax. You're stuck with me, remember?"
Fah blinked, momentarily flustered. "I—yeah. Of course."
The rest of the project session continued in a blur of shared laughter, playful arguments, and more shoulder brushes than either of them would admit. By the end of the day, the robot was functioning better than Fah had hoped, thanks in no small part to Tawan's input.
As they packed up, Tawan smirked, holding the small toolkit. "Next time, we should make it a real competition. Loser buys dessert."
Fah's chest tightened, but he smiled. "You're on. And don't think I'll go easy on you."
Outside, the late afternoon sun cast golden streaks over the campus. They walked side by side, talking about everything and nothing, comfortable in the way only two people who knew each other's quirks could be.
Fah realized something he hadn't before: life with Tawan was unpredictable, messy, and thrilling. And for the first time, he didn't mind the chaos at all.