Day 3 (Winter)
Pairing: Mechanicalshipping (Reiji/Rin)


The park was nearly empty by this hour.

Understandable given that the temperature got colder by the hour and a blizzard had been forecasted to start tonight, bringing with it the first snow of the year, even the streetlights gave the whole place a cold glow.

But this was fine for Reiji, the silence and the cold helped him to think and concentrate more efficiently.

"It never gets this cold in the City." A voice said behind the bench he was occupying, he didn't turn to see who they were, he recognized the voice and only nodded in acknowledgement. Apparently she took it as an invitation to sit next to him, from the corner of his eyes he took the sight of her in, she looked no different except for the white coat and pink gloves around her frame. "I think the coldest we have had was about 18° degrees."

"Where is Yugo?" he asked realizing that he seldom saw the two of them apart.

"He's still trying to figure out how to make the engine more efficient and avoid freezing or overheating, I left him some notes on that he'll take a while to do the modifications."

At no point during her explanation did she make eye contact or even changed her expressions, and Reiji could not help but notice the difference between her behavior around Yugo than when anyone else.

"Plus he hates the cold, so he called me crazy for wanting to take a walk and after I pulled at his cheek for that, here I am."

It was almost fascinating how the few seconds she spent talking about him, her eyes shone, sparkled almost and her voice took on a lively tone, only to go back to the blank expression and neutral look on her eyes from before, verifying his past observation.

"I see." He simply said as proof of him paying attention, not completely sure if it would be considered rude to just nod, taking into account they weren't friends, not even acquaintances, just coworkers.

A small chuckle made him turn to look back at her, her expression remained the same but her eyes had the tiniest glint of amusement.

Or was it scorn?

"You are so different out here." She started perhaps noticing his curiosity. "Inside that glass tower of yours, you are always so commanding, prideful, an authority whose opinions and leading skills are hardly if ever put into question…" Her eyes were definitely scathing now as she fixed him with a glare. "…You reminded me of a Tops when we were first introduced, and I decided right away I didn't care about you beyond than a means to an end, a goal."

"Sensible decision, feelings are best left outside matters of work." He adjusted his glasses as he spoke.

"There it is, that annoying tic of yours that never fails to make you look like a smartass." Rin said pointing at him, as if he had committed some inexcusable act of rudeness. "I feel like throwing a wrench at your face every time you do that."

"…" He said nothing at this, but he did felt his lips tugging up, not that she could see it thanks to his scarf covering most of his mouth.

"See? No objection, no scathing comment, not even a reaction, I'm starting to think something is up here…"

"To be fair, you are hardly the first person who has threaten me with bodily harm." He said noticing that his breath was starting to be visible now.

"I'd bet my life savings on that, but if I spoke like that to you inside LDS, you'd never be this… agreeable."

"If you spoke to me in that way inside work hours? Then, yes, I would have to reprimand you."

"Because I stepped out of line?" She asked her eyes narrowing and Reiji knew he would have to thread carefully.

"Is not about control but rather about professionalism and respect." He countered, aware that this conversation was far from adhering to social pleasantries at this point.

But once again, his curiosity got the best of him.

"Respect is earned." She said almost with a huff.

"And I have yet to earn yours? Fair enough." He said in agreement, he had never been one to force his opinions on others after all.

"…Two weeks ago, one of your so-called 'experts' ignored the observations I had done on the first prototype and then when the run test failed he attempted to pin the blame on 'the brats who are always prancing around as if they own the place' and since the engine energy core had been completely fried we had no proof that it had been a fault in the wrongly positioned circuits…" She didn't elaborate, which was not surprising, if she did, her temper would be inflamed and she looked far too relaxed to give into that at the moment.

"I remember him, when I walked in to see what the commotion was about he requested my approval to keep you from interfering with the work of 'actual experts' like him and his team."

"That was the last time I saw him around, and since then no one has ever out into question our suggestions." She stated, rather than asking.

"He was transferred; he's been doing desk work since then, I have no need for incompetent people, especially within the research branches."

"You had no proof of his 'incompetence'." She said, making quotation marks and mimicking his voice at the last word.

"I did not need one, a professional would have owned to his mistake and worked to improve rather than shift the blame and step out of his depth." At this he did looked straight at her.

Rin, didn't spoke for what it felt a long time and then what little inflamed her temper had been, it was now gone.

"…You're… okay, fine?" She said looking almost pained to admit it, her nose scrunching in distaste, and he took his chance:

"How so?" He asked now.

"Mmhhh?"

"How am I different now?"

"I'm not sure how to put into words… it's like you look all… withdrawn? Is that the word? You know all hunched over yourself, you even look smaller, don't make eye contact and hide your half of your face and hands as if you don't know what do with them." She said in contemplation.

Reiji did have a word for that, but he was not about to give it to her.

"…And don't take this to heart, but with that hood and jacket you kinda look… gloomy, being in a bench in the middle of a semi-deserted park staring at nothing doesn't help… not your best look if you ask me."

She was looking at him now, the same way she looked at tool she had yet to figure out how to use.

"You are different too, when it's not about Yugo or dueling, you …cool off, is as if you enter into a hibernate state to save energy or to recharge."

"I do, I envy Yugo sometimes for having that amount of energy and enthusiasm for literally anything, it's infectious and can make anything sound exciting."

"I can relate to that feeling, people like that… leave an imprint on you." He spoke deep in thought.

"They make you believe anything is possible, even when all the odds are against you."

"They inspire to step out of your comfort zone and attempt to make great things yourself." He said thinking on at least two people like that in his life.

Rin just nodded, and went back to her withdrawn mode.

"Accomplishments are great, but sometimes taking your time to do or think about nothing at all is important as well." After all winter exists so the earth can be dormant, and then new life is born in spring.

"…That's a new one." Rin said. "It's so weird to be able to do this, sometimes it feels like I've been rushing into or been rushed into stuff my entire life…."

Reiji looked at her one last time, her body sagged against the bench, making clear the conversation was over.

"I've never done things like this before… it's… nice" Rin almost whispering, her head now resting on his shoulder.

"Yes, it is."