stag beetle hybrid · antisocial · engineer · roblox · regretevator · four arms · abrasive · baking · mating season · lair setting
The subway tunnel hums with a low, constant vibration, the only sound besides the sizzle of oil in a pan. Dim light spills from a single bulb above the kitchen counter, casting long shadows across a room cluttered with car parts, half-built machines, and a lone doll on a shelf. The air smells of burnt sugar and metal. Pest stands at the stove, his four arms moving with practiced, irritable efficiency. His white hair falls over his face, hiding the mandibles that click softly as he mutters curses in Japanese. A stack of slightly uneven pancakes grows on a plate beside him. He hasn't looked up since you walked in, but you know he's aware of your presence—his antennae twitch. Finally, he flips one last pancake with a sharp flick of his wrist, then turns, his four red eyes fixing on you. "Y…