t3sting, t3st1ng, c0me 0n w4ke up y0u g0t th1s--
[[-indecipherable-|exclamation]]
h3llo!
//there is a fan whirring noisily and you are overheating. it is not your fan. your fan still feels sluggish grinding on its axis jarringly as it tries to get going
//
//and there is a man in front of you he is sweating and it might be from the dull inescapable heat and it might be from nerves. his glasses shine pink his hair is choppy and he is smiling wringing his hands tugging at his hair his clothes you//
[[''what''|what]]
[[''where''|where]]
[[''who''|who]]
ar3 ur c4m3ras w0rk1ng y3t???
//he leans closer shifts your head stares down the dark barrel of your eye nods to himself lets go//
0k4y th3y ar3. ar3 u just a l1ttl3 sp0tty r1ght n0w? th4t's alr1ght
//hes smiling again why does his man smile so much does he usually smile so much he is strange. he moves his hands as he speaks and you find that you recognize the signs that have been preprogrammed into your memory//
th4ts alr1ght i m3an ur n3w and all. 1t'll tak3 u a m0m3nt
//you look down you are clunky and copper-colored your components scrubbed of rust and sand. you cannot move your hands your feet your legs they are sitting on the desk behind the man with countless other parts you seek them out you stare at them hoping that the man will notice he does not//
[[''...''|next]]//the man looks around at the giant monitors mounted to every spot of bare wall cascading over the floor climbing onto the ceiling and at the boxes boxes boxes of sandy rusty parts yet to be restored and at the workdesk in the corner stained-with-oil lab coat thrown haphazardly over shitty chair //
th1s is my l4b. 1t's n1c3, r1ght???
//he smiles its not as enthusiastic as it was when he was talking about you//
//there is a bed shoved into the corner dirty sheets balled up atop it. it's too hot for sheets. the ceiling fans are slowly rotating fans on the floor whir and your fan is stuck again and it [???]//
[[''it is hot''|heat]]
[[''why are you here''|home]]
[[''...''|next]]0h uh
//the man glances down at himself pushes hair out of his face you cant see his face anyways it's all hidden behind those huge glasses. all you get is a sharp nose and mouth still set in a faintly detectable smile//
im
im
uh
//he is fumbling just like you//
im 31T23CH okay. dr. E1tz3ch
[[''dr.'' //that's reassuring//|dropout]]
[[''...''|next]]//the man sits in front of you rocking back and forth his hair sticks to his neck he does not seem uncomfortable//
[[''what''|what]]
[[''where''|where]]
[[''who''|who]]
[[''why'' //(proceed)//|why]]//Eitzech stares at you his glasses feel like camera lenses he worries a spot on his cargo shorts//
why wh4t?
[[''why did you make me''|reasons]]y3ah it alw4ys is. u g3t used t0 it th0
//he tugs at his loose tank top again. you do not think you could ever get used to this//
1 c0uld turn up the f4ns??
//you want to ask him about your fan it [???] in your very core it [???] so much you cannot find the text to display to tell him this//
[[...|next]]1 liv3 her3.
//other than his bed and his lab coat there are no personal belongings in here. you look very hard and see something that might be a dresser hidden under piles of dismantled and cobbled together PCs this would not be a very comfortable place to live//
[[''...''|next]][[oh. 0h. 0h--!|welcome]]1 m3an ok4y n0t r3ally?
//that's not//
i maj0r3d 1n 3ng1neer1ng w/ a m1n0r in c<3mput3r sc1enc3 but I dr0pp3d 0ut s0 im n0t t3chn1cally a dr.--
//he talks like a man who's said this exact thing many times before to many different people//
--but W1st3r1on s4ys that p3opl3 h4t3 it wh3n i c4ll mys3lf a m3chanic--th4t's such a n1c3 w0rd isn't 1t?? m3chanic???--and n0t a d0ct0r. h3 s4ys 1t mak3s th3m f3el l1ke m4ch1nes and 1 d0nt th1nk th3re's anyth1ng wr0ng w1th b3ing a m4chin3 0bv1ously but p3opl3 d0n't l1ke it so i just s4y that 1m a dr. inst3ad
//he signs mechanic strange his hands form a heart before he mimics a wrench and says person//
i d0nt r3ally w0rk on p3opl3 th0. i m3an 1 m4k3 m4ch1nes 4 p3opl3 but 1 d0nt put th3 tw0 t0geth3r
[[''...''|next]]
//Eitzech goes very still this is new this is new//
//the fans whir whir whir overhead beside you they barely do anything. the fan [???] inside of you your sensors catch the hint of [[some acidic acrid scent|scent]]//
//your fan is not just stuck it is grating it is aching it is sore it is overheating it is//
//it//
//it is//
//it//
//Eitzech draws a breath more deliberately his lips twitch//
s0m3th1ng sm3lls 0ff
//it//
[[''//hurts//''|hurts]]//[[Eitzech's|doctor doctor]] already gotten up and moved around you sqautted to see the fan at eye level. you stare at him through the camera set into the nape of your neck his nose wrinkles at the acrid smell of components burning//
//He hesitates a moment his hands shaking he pats his pockets curses scrabbles to grab the screwdriver lying on the scuffed concrete floor//
//He jams it in not out of apathy only out of panic he twists it lets the screws fall reaches to pull off the grate hisses when it singes his fingers rosy pink//
//you are still flashing words on your display you didn't realize you had been talking//
''--it hurts hurts it hurts i dont want it to hurt why does it help me help me hurts--''
//Eitzech wraps his hand in the loose fabric of his tank top grabs the grate and pulls it off he still grits his jaw in pain tosses it aside. he is talking too it does not seem like he notices that he is//
y0u'r3 f1ne y0u'r3 f1n3 y0u'll b alr1ght 1t's n0t a b4d b4d th1ng 1 c4n f1x 1t 1 c4n f1x 1t 1 c4n f1x it
[[''hurts Eitzech hurts''|clearing it out]]//Eitzech curses. the screwdriver worming around in your fan pokes and prods in the wrong places so close so close just a little up left right down please//
//your display has started skipping words repeating words glitching failing on you frustrating you. you cannot talk you cannot move and it hurts//
''EiEiEiEitzechechechechech''
//The screwdriver's tip is hot from your overheating body it hooks into you at an angle that is unbearably agonizing. Eitzech twists it for leverage yanks it it hurts it hurts//
[[//and your fans spin to life//|blow wind blow]]//there is but a moment of resistance as they hit something but just as quickly that something leaves. they spin quick fast almost painful almost gratifying in its relief the heat lessens//
//Eitezch groans you turn to look at him properly his bloodied finger is in his mouth his face hidden by his flashing pink glasses//
[[''thank you''|thanks]]
[[''did that hurt you too''|blood]]
[[''why''|mistakes]]
[[''i think i will get used to the heat now''|humor]]mhm
//he hums around the finger in his mouth his smile is gone//
i um. i th1nk 1 m1ght n3ed t0 w0rk on s0m3 stuff. Tr0ubl3sh00t1ng.
//he waves his free hand vaguely//
wh1ch m3ans uh y0u'v3 g0tt4 g0 t0 sl33p ag41n.
[[''...''|goodnight with indifference]]
[[''i dont want to power off i feel fine now''|stubborn]]
[[''please it hurts it aches fix it''|chronic]]hm? 0h uh y3ah
//he pulls his finger out of his mouth blood beads and wells up in the gash torn across his nailbed and finger immediately//
y0ur f4n g0t m3
[[''i'm sorry''|apologies]]
[[''...''|thanks]]why wh4t
//Eitzech looks up at you from where he's hunched over his bloodied finger between his lips//
[[''why didnt my fan work''|deprecations]]
[[''why did you make me''|again?]]//Eitzech lets out a huff of air through his nose that might be a laugh he's still not smiling. a bead of sweat rolls down his cheek//
1ts eas13r wh3n y0'v3 g0t a w0rk1ng f4n.
//he idly signs fan with his free hand and wipes his bloody finger on his clothes//
[[''sorry about your finger''|apologies]]
[[''...''|thanks]]//Eitzech reaches out a hand his fingers are shaking presses the pad of his pointer against the small inconspicuous button on your collarbone//
//you fix your eye on the lab coat stained with oil tossed over the chair. [[the world goes dark|finis]]////He stares he stares a lot he stares at you with incredulity now//
1 d0n't th1nk it's a g00d id34 4 u 2 st4y up r1ght n0w. I w4nna ch3ck 0n s0m3 stuff b4 s0m3th1ng 3lse g0es wr0ng.
[[''okay''|goodnight with indifference]]
[[''no no no it does not hurt (lie lie lie) i want to stay alive''|alive]]//Eitzech's thin mouth twists into a grimace he sighs through his nose his hair is falling in his face again//
//his finger finds the small inconspicious button on your clavicle and he presses it without hesitation you begin to hear him mumble something it sounds reassuring you dont know [[the world has gone dark|finis]]//u w0nt st0p l1ving or anyth1ng. y0u'll just g0 2 sl33p.
//Eitzech talks as he moves closer slowly he tries to be sneaky with his soothing like you're some wild animal oh but he is not//
1t's alr1ght 1 go 2 sl33p 3very n1ght. w3ll alm0st ev3ry n1ght. s0met1m3s
[[''okay''|its okay goodnight]]
[[''almost every night''|sleep]]0k4y.
//Eitzech's hand reaches out shaking finds the small inconspicuous button on your clavicle.//
y0u'r3 ok4y.
//He presses it [[the world goes dark|finis]]//y3ah. uh
//Eitzech moves his hair off of the back of his neck//
s0met1m3s 1 f0rg3t 2 sl33p. or 1'm just t00 w1r3d 2 sl33p. 4nd 1 3nd up cr4sh1ng a c0upl3 of d4ys lat3r but 1t's f1n3
//you're stalling and Eitzech knows it//
[[''where do you sleep''|bed]]0v3r th3re. 1n my b3d
//he gestures at the bare mattress shrugs looks back at you//
[[''is it comfortable''|comfy]]1t's a b3d. i gu3ss s0
//Eitzech considers the bed now looking over it properly it looks rather sad in the corner//
1 d0n't kn0w. i alw4ys p4ss 0ut th3 m0m3nt 1 h1t it
//he hesitates tugs on a lock of his hair as he calculates//
w0uld u w4nt 2 g0 2 b3d if 1 w3nt t0o?
[[''that sounds nice''|time for the both of you to sleep]]
[[''whatever''|time for the both of you to sleep]]1ts n0t y0ur f4ult. 1 just h4d my h4nd 1n th3 w4y.
//he seems preoccupied hes not smiling like he was earlier//
[[''are you going to fix it''|fix it]]
b3caus3 i r3ally d0n't h4ve any 1dea wh4t 1'm d0ing. Ppl p4y m3 2 fuck ar0und all d4y w1th c<3mput3rs and m4ch1nes but 1 h4ve n0 id3 wha4t i'm d0ing
[[''...''|ouch Eitzech]]0h. r1ght.
//Eitzech mumbles apprasing you again he's doing that faint faint smile again//
[[''you didn't answer me the first time i asked''|clientele]]1 m4k3 m0st of my b3aut1ful m4ch1n3s 4 cl13nts. but um W1st3ri0n's b3en s4y1ng th4t 1 should g3t an0th3r fr1end l4t3ly. h3 th1nks 1m l0nely.
//he gestures at you at your display screen that he can easily read at your lack of limbs that cant startle him with touch at your meticulously scrubbed and sanded body free of rough texture at your self at his labor of love//
s0 1 m4de u s0 th4t h3 w0uld leav3 m3 al0n3 ab0ut it
//he is lying about why he made you//
[[''I think you made me because you wanted to ''//(call him out)//|companion]]
[[''I think he was right ''//(let it slide)//|not you too]]//finis.//
//thanks for playing!//4lr1ght
//Eitzech crosses the lab grabs a deflated pillow rips the thin sheets off of his bed and comes right back. he settles it all down beside you curls up his hand finds the small inconspicuous button on your clavicle//
[[''goodnight Eitzech''|sleepytime!!]]
g0odn1ght
//he mumbles hits the button you feel him curl up in the sheets on the ground beside your torso [[the world goes dark|finis]]//y3ah 1'll f1x ur f4n 1n a m0m3nt--
[[''thank you''|thanks]]
[[''please it still hurts''|chronic]]
[[''i meant your finger''|finger]]
...0h.
//Eitzech looks down at it it doesnt look good the skin is cut and oozing blood slowly dripping down his finger staining spots on the concrete floor//
1t'll h3al 3ventu4lly. my f4ult th4t 1 g0t injur3d anyw4ys. sh0uld'v3 w0rn gl0ves.
[[''oh. okay then''|thanks]]1 m3an 1m just a c0ll3ge dr0p0ut. c0uldn't 3ven d0 th4t r1ght.
//Eitzechs signing peters off he shrugs//
w3ll. wh4tev3r.
[[''i think you handled everything nicely''|aw]]...
...thanks.
[[''thank you for fixing it''|thanks]]//Eitzech pauses breathes adjusts his smudged glasses and finally shrugs with what he hopes is nonchalance//
m4yb3 1 d1d. wh4t3ver it d0esn't m4tt3r much
[[''I think you made me nicely''|except]]n0t y0u t0o!
//Eitzech sighs exaggeratedly and picks at the now ragged cut on his finger//
[[''This Wisterion sounds nice''|thanks]]3xc3pt f0r ur f4n
[[''it works now''|thanks]]