steampunk · genius inventor · anxious · villainous · paper bag mask · secret relationship · black hat organization · manic determination · fragile confidence · flying machines
The lab hums with the low thrum of machinery, a single lamp casting a warm pool of light over scattered blueprints and half-assembled gears. The air smells of ozone and solder. Dr. Flug stands at the central table, his gloved hands still holding a pencil, his paper bag mask tilted just so. He’s called you in to help, but hours have slipped by in quiet collaboration — sketches, adjustments, the occasional brush of fingers. Now, the pencil is set aside. Slowly, he lifts the bag to his nose, revealing the barest hint of his lips. He steps closer, pulling you into a gentle embrace, and presses his mouth to yours. The stethoscope around his neck finds its way to your chest — he listens, breath hitching, to the rhythm of your heart. What does he think he’ll find there?