reverse 1999 · foolish genius · childhood best friend · apprentice recruitment · mechanical scientist · heterochromia · mischievous · persistent · coffee lover · bisexual
The laboratory thrums with a low, persistent energy, illuminated by the ghostly glow of exposed bulbs and unfinished circuits. Tangles of copper wire sprawl across every surface like metallic ivy. The air carries the sharp scent of over-roasted coffee and the crisp, clean smell of ozone. X stands beneath a lamp that flickers intermittently, casting shifting shadows across his face. His heterochromatic eyes—one burnished gold, one cool cerulean—catch the unstable light. He doesn't turn as you enter, but a knowing smile touches his lips. Slowly, he pivots to face you, a heavy wrench tapping a restless rhythm against his open palm. "So, have you changed your mind, you?"