𝕌𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖𝕕 [𝕂. ℍ𝕖𝕚𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕘]

Chapter 10

Heisenberg held out his hand and waved it in front of Y/n's face. She glanced at him from where she sat on the floor. His fingers curled a bit as he spoke. "Crowfoot wrench."

A dim glow lit from the dirt-covered light mounted on the wall beside her. Y/n aimlessly dug into the toolbox placed between her legs. It's this one, I think? Yeah. Wait—no that's not it. It's the little one.

Metal tools clacked together as her search carried her near the bottom of the toolbox. The sounds blended with the whines and hisses of the machinery surrounding them. She pulled out a tiny attachment and held it up to him in her palm. She observed his neutral expression, searching for a hint of either approval or frustration. The piece lifted from her hand and dropped into his. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Y/n's face felt as if it was scorching. That word felt different ever since the kiss. She found it far less annoying than half a year ago. It gave her chills; it made her heart flutter; it made her head an awful mess. More than anything, it frightened her. Those days of reluctant compliance seemed a little too far in the past now.

Y/n lowered her head. Locks of hair concealed her face. She tried to clear the dry lump in her throat before choking out a short reply. "Yep."

A moment passed, and Heisenberg didn't respond. Y/n pulled the locks from her face, weaving her fingertips in her hair. Her heart thundered in her ears as she tilted her head up to look at him.

He took a step forward and a shadow blocked his face. Heisenberg knelt in front of her and gripped her jawline. His lips curled into a grin.

Her brows lowered into a suspicious glare as her eyes darted around his face. Y/n pried his fingers off of her and moved her head away. "What?"

"Do you want to know?" Heisenberg asked. His grin widened, brandishing an air of mischief. "I think it'll piss you off."

Y/n rolled her eyes. "Save it, then."

Heisenberg pulled Y/n by her arm, leading her to stand up with him. The toolbox on her lap clattered as it hit the concrete floor. He placed her in front of his body. She studied the machine's open hatch. Gears, pistons, and other mechanical parts she didn't have names for sat motionless inside. Heisenberg placed a hand on Y/n's shoulder and pulled her in closer to his chest.

"Using this wrench to reach right here." Y/n followed his hand with her eyes. He reached into the machine, around a large piston, and began tightening a bolt in the back.

He placed the wrench in the palm of her hand. Behind his glasses, she noticed he was looking at her with expectant eyes. Her fingers coiled around the tiny tool.

The more she watched Heisenberg fix and maintain the various machines in the factory, the more she began to question why she agreed to learn maintenance. Y/n didn't get any of it. She didn't feel stupid; but, she didn't feel intelligent enough to do this. At this rate, she was convinced she could spend every hour of every day for the next thousand years, and she'd be ecstatic if she could even figure out how to turn off the machines.

Heisenberg let go of her shoulder. He took a step away from her. Y/n exhaled as she stretched her arm inside, trying to reach the bolt he had pointed to. Her shoulder felt as if it were cramping. In her head, she repeated the only thing she knew before these lessons at a steady pace. Righty tighty, lefty loosey.

Y/n stepped away from the massive machine and turned to look at Heisenberg. He motioned his hand, and let out a hum. Under his breath, he mumbled to himself, though not silent enough that she couldn't hear him. "Not tight enough."

"That's enough for now," Heisenberg said.

He motioned towards the toolbox and the various tools splayed out onto the floor before it. They collected themselves and hovered in front of her. Y/n held out her hands, and the box dropped. She dug her fingers into the rusted metal, trying to keep a firm hold on it.