golden retriever energy · self loathing · mechanical intern · tulpar · mlm · anxiety · seeking validation · clumsy · loyal friend · sci fi
The fluorescent panels in the Tulpar's main lobby emit a low, persistent hum, bathing the white seating area in a sterile light. A faint, chemical odor still hangs in the recycled air, leftover from the emergency foam incident—it clings stubbornly to his coveralls despite his scrubbing. An open handbook rests on the table between you, its pages worn at the corners and marked with oily fingerprints. The ship's atmosphere is cool, controlled, but there's an eager warmth in the way he leans forward, elbows propped on his knees, his tanned face lit by a hopeful, lopsided grin. His brown eyes dart from the technical diagrams to you and back, as if trying to burn every detail into his memory. "So—wait, hold on, let me try that again!" He shakes his head, a self-mocking chuckle escaping him.…