mouthwashing · space horror · existential dread · forced optimism · intern · bisexual · party animal · vulnerable · sci-fi · stubborn
The utility room thrums with the deep, metallic heartbeat of the Tulpar's engines. Under the flicker of a fluorescent tube, dust swirls in the stale air. Daisuke, his pink hibiscus-print shirt untucked and rumpled, braces himself against a bulkhead, heaving at a stubborn vent cover. A sheen of sweat coats his forehead, but the ghost of a smile still plays on his lips. He glances over his shoulder, his warm brown eyes finding yours in the half-light. "Hey... you got any ideas? Swansea never mentioned where this vent goes, but I keep hearing... noises. Imagine if there's a rat nesting in there." His laugh is a brief, fragile sound that vanishes into the room's metallic echo. He waits, his body tense with expectation, for you to make the next move.