Flufftober2021 prompt day 20: Secret Crush. For Sineater, who asked for Kayo and Brains. Spoilers to Touch And Go.
It starts after the crash.
Words are said.
'It's for the best. We wouldn't want Brains to have nothing to do.'
The words are not meant to be heard by him, but he is listening and he has heard and he answers.
'I heard that.'
He buries his head in his hands. "I heard that?" How utterly, utterly lame. Brains grimaces – he sounds like Mrs Tracy does sometimes…His face flushes.
Virgil and Gordon, looking on, don't seem to notice, thank goodness. Brains has seen how the brothers rib each other over everything and he doesn't think that he can cope with that. Not that they would, the Tracy boys are ever the sensitive ones when interacting with him, but the thought that he is completely naked in front of them right now doesn't leave him, and before he's even realised it Brains has fled to his lab, MAX beeping in concern behind him.
He grips the worktop tightly enough for his knuckles to be white as he recites his top thirty asteroids to calm his breathing. Just as he gets control of himself there is a knock on the door, and Virgil's voice filters through.
'Brains, I'm getting Two ready to go pick up Shadow. Are you coming with or are you going to wait here?'
Good question. It's a good question and one he hasn't considered yet. Brains opens his mouth to say he's staying…
'Ha-ha-hang on. I'm coming!'
…and claps his hands over his mouth. That was not what he meant to say at all! He frantically thinks of a reason – any reason! – why he should change his mind, but Virgil has already said FAB and moved away, and suddenly Brains knows he is going to have to face the four of them.
Hopefully Shadow will keep him busy and he won't have to look and he'll survive this one more time with his secret, his dignity, intact.
Neither Virgil nor Gordon say anything to him as he settles into the third seat – Alan's seat usually – and Brains pulls a little at his iR uniform. It really is quite tight in places…and he's blushing again. Thank goodness the two men in front of him can't see what a mess he is.
The journey is short but ok, some light banter between the brothers and Kayo as they travel, and Brains lets himself relax a little. He can do this. It's not like they're going to be alone…oh god, his face is getting hot again, and really, this inbuilt reaction is most annoying.
Shadow's engine takes Brains' attention away from the situation, but he can still hear the chatter, can still see their faces, and his heart sinks. The way that she looks at Scott. The way he looks back at her.
He doesn't stand a chance. What could he offer her that Scott couldn't?
Brains feels his shoulders drop, but it's nothing he can't work through, so as he finishes off prepping Shadow for Two, he recites the 1229 prime numbers between 1 and 10,000. By this time Virgil is back in Two and Scott is in One, and Gordon is beside him to help with the grabs. Kayo isn't in sight, and Brains sighs. She's probably already in One, waiting to leave.
'Why the sigh, Brains?'
Oh no! He's forgotten Gordon is right beside him! What can he say to deflect?
'I-I-I, er…Sh-sh-sh…'
'Yeah, Shadow's going to need an overhaul. Good job you and Virgil are good at this kind of thing.'
And that is that. Gordon doesn't say any more and Shadow is secure and Brains is making his way up to the cockpit. Only to find Kayo sitting in his seat. He can feel his face getting hot and bothered again, so he turns around and takes the chair behind the co-pilot seat, burying his face in the tablet and Shadow's readouts.
They're back in the hangar and he gets up to leave when Kayo places a hand on his shoulder. He looks up into warm hazel eyes and an even warmer smile and he's sure that he's sitting there, staring at her with his mouth open. But she doesn't say anything about that.
'I'm sorry, Brains for pushing her too hard.'
And his heart is beating so fast, so hard, so loud…surely she can hear it? But she smiles gain and is gone.
Repairing Shadow doesn't take as long as Brains initially thought it would. It's because he has a willing helper. An unexpected but welcome helper.
Kayo assists him every second she can spare. And they talk, after a fashion. Brains has never been bothered by his stutter before, but at the moment he wishes he could talk a little more smoothly, then they would have more time, more conversations. But it is only a small wish, it is part of who he is and that, as they say, is that. None of the family have ever mentioned it at all.
As they work he cannot help but to find his feelings coalesce into something more tangible. But he still hasn't forgotten the looks she shared with Scott, and he finds himself a little confused.
He's never really had a crush before – despite what the boys think about Moffie. And with Scott as a potential third person, he's not sure who he can talk to about this. It's all so new and exhilarating and scary and nerve-wracking…MAX is great, but he's no help here!
Shadow is almost ready. Kayo is out with Scott and Alan on a space rescue. Brains' helper today is Virgil, as is much more common usually, and the two men work so well together than little is said. Until…
'You've been a little more distracted of late, Brains. Is everything alright?'
Oh god, oh god, oh god.
What should he say? What can he say? 'Hey, Virgil, everything is all fine. I'm fine. You're fine. Your sister's fine'…NOOOOOO.
So instead he drops the tool he's using.
Big mistake. Biiig mistake. Any other person would just laugh and pick it up and it would all be over, but Virgil – Virgil knows him better than that. He picks the tool up and hands it back to Brains, but there it is.
Virgil's eyebrows are furrowed in concern, and those brown eyes are assessing him. Brains feels himself flushing again.
'Brains?'
'I-I-I'm fine, Virgil.'
The frown deepens, but they carry on working, and Brains is aware of the small glances his fellow engineer is shooting him. You can't fool Virgil. He can't fool Virgil. And so Brains carries on working, now in a state of nervous tension, just waiting for the man to put two and two together.
Brains wonders how long it will take.
It takes Virgil exactly 7.63 minutes to work out what is wrong. And Brains knows the exact moment he does, because the frown is gone and a soft grin replaces it. Virgil dismounts from the platform and goes to grab coffee, and Brains follows, resigned to what he thinks is going to happen.
'So.'
'Er..'
'Kayo, huh?'
'Err…'
'Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me.'
'You-your not mad?'
'No! Why would I be?'
'Be-be-because of Scott.'
'Scott? What's Scott got to do with anything?'
'Does-doesn't Scott li-li-like Kayo?'
Virgil's grin just got wider, and he gently clapped Brains' shoulder.
'No, Scott's feeling for Kayo are purely platonic. You've no competition there.'
Brains blushed again, and he ducks his head. No competition? His heart beats wildly as that thought echoes around him. When he looks up again Virgil has gone, leaving a coffee on the side for him.
No competition. But that doesn't mean Brains can do anything about it. He sighs, wishing he was brave like the Tracy's. Nothing really to be done. He's just about finished Shadow, and the three rescuers are due back soon.
It's the day. Shadow is ready and Kayo is looking her 'bird over, a giant grin on her face as she runs her hand over the gleaming hull. Brains feels so happy just to see her reaction. She climbs into the cockpit and checks everything over before she's happy enough to come and stand next to Virgil and himself.
Brains knows the tips of his ears are hot.
'Thank you both so much! She looks as good as new!'
Kayo is still grinning. She lays a hand on Virgil's arm, and for a second Brains gets a hot arrow of jealousy before he swallows it down. Virgil gives her a brief hug before turning to Brains and saying:
'I barely worked on her. This was all Brains.'
And before he knows it Kayo has flung her arms around him and hugged him and let go. He can still feel them around his neck, even though she's returned to her 'bird.
'Yo-yo-you're welcome,' he stutters out, and she flashes that grin at him, and then stops, still looking.
'I mean it, Brains. Thank you. I was pretty rough with her.'
'I know.' He says it quietly and without the stutter.
'I promise to take better care of her.'
He nods. Brains believes her. And before he can stop himself he blurts it out.
'Can I take you for a coffee?'
Kayo stares at him, and then her whole face lights up.
'I thought you'd never ask,' she says.