When circuits, nerves, and unexpected support collide.
The engineering auditorium buzzed with chatter, rows of students setting up their projects for evaluation. Fah adjusted the wires on his robot one last time, his stomach twisting into knots.
"You're fidgeting," Tawan's voice came from the front row, where he sat far too comfortably, iced coffee in hand.
"I am not," Fah hissed, glaring at him.
"You are," Tawan countered smoothly, smirking. "Relax. You'll do fine."
Fah muttered something about smug med students, but his chest felt lighter knowing Tawan was there—even if he wouldn't admit it out loud.
When his name was called, Fah ascended onto the stage, palms moist on the remote control. He started to describe, voice steady at first. The robot whirred into life, moving through a tiny maze and performing its routine steps.
Then, suddenly in mid-sentence, the motor seized. The robot froze.
Gasps ran through the audience. Fah's heart dropped.
In the front row, Tawan rested his elbows on his knees, gaze intense—not frightened, merely… concentrated. He mouthed a word to Fah.
Check the sensor.
Fah's eyes fluttered, and he dropped to his knees, fiddling with the tiny link. The robot roared back into action, finishing the demonstration to scattered claps. Relief flooded him, weakening his knees.
When the presentation concluded, Tawan applauded first, his clapping slow and heavy, his grin making Fah want to strangle and kiss him.
Later, Fah caught him lingering by the door.
"You saved me," Fah begrudged.
Tawan lowered his head, as if in consideration. "Hmm. I think we'd be more precise with 'we saved it.' We're on a team now, aren't we?"
Fah rolled his eyes, though he could feel warmth creeping up his body. "You're intolerable."
"And you love me," Tawan responded without hesitation, taking a step closer.
Fah's lips parted to reply but were halted by the sincerity behind the teasing. Tawan hadn't just shown up—he'd heard, cared enough to help, and taken his side as if it mattered.
"Yeah," Fah replied at last, his voice low.
For once, Tawan didn't smirk. He just smiled—gentle, sincere, and possibly heart-breakingly cute.