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The wind blew peacefully. The waves waved all over the place, until they waved out and settled. The Mechanic was sitting in their workshop, tinkering with yet another addition to their tank. Frye has gone to sleep and Big Man was messing with some of the scrolls that The Mechanic found on raids. It’s been nearly two months since the crash, and the four of them have gotten quite used to the quiet life on the boat.
Shiver has grown pretty fond of the relaxing breeze and waves of the ocean. Sure, she’s seen it many times before, but here it was just... different. She watched Master Mega swim in circles next to the boat. Her own yawn caught her off guard; maybe she was much more exhausted from the raids with The Mechanic than she thought.
Shiver looked over at the top of the boat’s lookout. Big Man seemed to still be busy. She looked back at The Mechanic’s shack. The lights were still on. Shiver could see The Mechanic crafting away. Are they working on some new addition to the boat? Are they crafting new weapons for raids? Their brilliance knows no bounds.
Shiver stared at The Mechanic. She got lost in thoughts, in her feelings. The Mechanic was… something. As little as Shiver would admit it to Frye and Big Man, she really loved spending time with The Mechanic. Really loved it.
As brilliant as The Mechanic is, they aren’t too… aware of her flirting. She’s tried a few times to convey the feelings bubbling up in her chest to them, but it seemed like they were just more confused than anything. She sighed. If it’s worth anything, she’ll try again.
Shiver got up and walked over to the Mechanic’s Shack. She leaned against the entrance.
“Hey, Mechanic,” she called.
The Mechanic looked up from their tinkering. From what Shiver could see, they were working on some addition to their tank.
“Oh, heya Shiver,” The Mechanic said back, “Can I help ya with anythin’?”
“No, not really,” She walked up next to The Mechanic and leaned over the tank, “So, what’re you working on now?”
The Mechanic’s eyes lit up in that adorable way that they always do when explaining their creations. They talked and talked all about how this new device they manufactured will increase the pressure of the ink output for maximum damage. Shiver could’ve understood every fact and feature The Mechanic was spewing, but she sort of got lost in thought. Watching The Mechanic work was a hobby she could get behind.
“What’cha think?” The Mechanic asked, looking at her with bright eyes.
“Oh! Uh, I think… It’s really good!” She responded.
The Mechanic sighed, “You didn’t hear anything I said, did ya?”
“No,” Shiver shook her head, “Sorry.”
The Mechanic laughed a little.
“I see how it is,” The Mechanic stretched their arms and yawned, “I’m too boring for ya.”
Shiver couldn’t quite tell if they were joking or not. She pulled up a stool and sat down next to The Mechanic.
“You are up pretty late, though,” Shiver said, setting her elbow on the table and resting her chin on her fist.
“Yeah, but I need to be ready for raids tomorrow,” The Mechanic said, inspecting a small piece of their ink tank.
Shiver let out a small giggle. “Always prepared, you are. Why is that?”
“Dunno,” The Mechanic said, shrugging, “Kinda’ve just been like this since I was a kid. Yunno?”
The Mechanic went back to tinkering with their tank.
“What about you?” They asked Shiver.
“Me? What about me?” Shiver looked at The Mechanic, confused.
“Well, why’s someone like you obsessing over some gold?” They asked, looking back up from their tank, “You’re an idol. So why even bother yourself by getting into danger, just for some measly treasure?”
Shiver opened her mouth for some snarky remark, but she stopped. Why is she doing this? Well, for Splatsville. Also, for Frye and Big Man. Shiver sighed, and looked up at the sheet metal ceiling, leaning back in her chair.
“Caught ya off guard with that one?” The Mechanic asked with a small smile.
“It’s… not that I was caught off guard,” Shiver started, “It’s that… That this is a situation that you don’t get to know about.”
Shiver opened her folding fan and covered the lower half of her face. She took a peak at The Mechanic who was looking at her smiling in that goofy way they always smile. She felt the blush creep up her cheeks.
“Oh, really? After all this time, after all my help, I don’t get to know?” The Mechanic turned to fully face Shiver instead of the table.
“...Yes. That’s exactly on point,” She waved the fan; it was starting to get hot in here.
The Mechanic giggled slightly.
“What?” Shiver asked with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance, “Is something the matter?”
The Mechanic shook their head, “No, no. Not at all.”
“Right, and you just, laugh at someone for no reason?” She pointed her fan at them, “Spill it. What’re you laughing at?”
The Mechanic raised their hands in surrender, “Alright. I was just laughing at why you always hide how much you really care for those two.”
Shiver raised an eyebrow. What were they talking about? Obviously, she cared about Frye and Big Man. They’ve been friends since they were little. Sure she’s not the best at actually saying that out loud, but is that really an issue?
“Oh, yeah?” She raised an eyebrow, “What about that? Of course I care about those two idiots! We’re Deep Cut!”
“Yes, but what about behind Deep Cut and the Anarchy Splatcast?” They asked, scooting ever so slightly closer to Shiver.
“Well, they’re… They’re my friends. I don’t know what more you want from me.”
The Mechanic laughed again, a little louder this time. Shiver shushed him. She looked around to try to see if Frye or Big Man were disturbed by this. Thankfully, it seemed neither of them were.
“Now what?” She asked, slightly annoyed now.
“Just admit it already.”
“Admit what? That I’m a good person?” She leaned close to The Mechanic, “Because I am a good person, for your information.”
“I mean,” The Mechanic didn’t move away from her now closer face, which was unusual, “Admit that you have a secret soft spot.”
Shiver raised an eyebrow. She leaned back a little bit.
“I… I do not have a ‘secret soft spot’,” She retaliated.
The Mechanic leaned closer to her, “I’d beg to differ. Miss Shiver, co-host of the Anarchy Splatcast, member of Deep Cut, isn’t as cold and harsh as she may seem.”
Ok, now this is weird. Is The Mechanic… flirting with her?! That’s impossible, right? She noticed how close they were, now. Their breaths, visible in the cold air surrounding the icy islands.
“Wow. Smart, are we?” She tried to, in whatever way biologically possible, stop the blush creeping up her cheeks.
“Eh, I’ve been told by a certain idol that ‘I’m not too shabby’,” They smirked.
Using her own words against her? Wow, what have they been drinking? There’s no way that this is the same Mechanic that wouldn’t get a hint even if directly said. What’re they doing with actually doing all the flirting? She’s not upset about it, but it is kind of surprising.
“Eh, that idol’s been wrong before,” She leaned forward again, now right in The Mechanic’s face.
“Really?”
“Yeah. However, not by much. Are you going to prove me right, Mechanic?”
The Mechanic smiled. The winds, the waves, the cold, it all melted away in the moment. Shiver felt as if she could sprout wings and fly. Their faces slowly inched closer to one another’s. Shiver wouldn’t object to what would inevitably happen if she continued, but she had a different idea.
Shiver sat upright, catching The Mechanic off guard. She yawned and over-exaggeratedly stretched her arms. She stood up, pushed her chair in, and walked to the exit of The Mechanic’s Shack.
She stopped in the doorframe, and looked back. The Mechanic’s face was filled with confusion. There was a blush on it that Shiver hadn’t noticed prior.
“Alright, Mechanic,” She smiled mischievously, “Really prove to me that you’re not too shabby at tomorrow's raids. I’m counting on you.”
She blinked and walked away. She made sure she was completely out of sight of The Mechanic before gripping onto one of the rails on the stairway up to the control tower. Her heart was beating ferociously. She let out a few shaky breaths. She had not expected this night to go as it did. No complaints whatsoever. Shiver suddenly heard footsteps behind her. She spun around and saw Big Man.
“Ay? (You alright, Shiver?)” He asked.
Shiver sighed, and looked over at the dim light from The Mechanic’s shack, “Yeah, I’m fine. I’ve just got something to look forward to tomorrow, that’s all.”
“Ay. (Oh, alright then)” Big Man responded, trying to follow her gaze.
She laughed a bit, “Good night, Big Man.”
Shiver began walking over to her sleeping quarters.Big Man said a final “ay”, which meant goodnight. She opened the door, walked inside, and closed, but not before clicking on the lights. All of this would’ve been impossible without The Mechanic’s ingenuity. She stopped, that talk with them has left her feeling jittery all around.
“How… am I supposed to sleep after all of that?”