‼️ PAUSED ‼️ ❝ 𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐂𝐘 ❞ ~ [ᵂᵉˡᶜᵒᵐᵉ ᴴᵒᵐᵉ/ᴿᶠ ᵂᵃˡˡʸ ˣ ᴼᶜ]

[𝟏𝟑.] 𝐃𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

"The deeper you delve into the labyrinth of secrets, the more you realize that it's not the secrets themselves that are dangerous; it's the truth they conceal that can be truly devastating."     

                 

                 _______ ⏳ ______
 

           
         
        
  
"I didn't expect myself to have gotten lost in this maze of a factory."
  
  
  
Walden couldn't help but chuckle dryly at the absurdity of the situation.
  
  
"You're not the first one." He replied.
"This place is like a labyrinth inside, much larger than it appears from the outside."
  
  
  
  
  
As they leaned against the railings, Walden's gaze settled on Vincent, and he let out a sigh, as if contemplating their situation.
With a resigned expression, he extended his prosthetic hand for a handshake.
  
  
  
"I suppose we should properly introduce ourselves,"
Walden began.

"I'm Walden, the head experimenter here. My expertise lies in the field of science."
  
  
  
Vincent nodded in acknowledgment and reached out to shake Walden's offered hand.
"Vincent." He introduced himself simply,

"I specialize in solo missions."
  
  
  
Their hands met in a firm grip, there was a small moment of connection that transcended the initial awkwardness between them.
However, that moment was short-lived.
                 
               
As their hands parted, Vincent's smile faded, replaced by a subtle wince of pain.
He quickly retracted his hand and began to flick his wrist, as though trying to alleviate the discomfort he felt within his gloves.
Walden's brows raised as he realized that his prosthetic hand had inadvertently caused Vincent harm.
  
  
  
"Shit, are you alright?" Walden cursed, his brow furrowed.

"I didn't realize it had a rough edge... It must be painful."
  
  
  
  
"It's fine. I've been through much worse than a scratch. Trust me, this is nothing to worry about."

  
  
  
Walden raised a bemused brow at Vincent's nonchalant response to the scratch, his curiosity was surprisingly piqued by the other man's seemingly unflappable nature.
He was about to press for more information, a question forming on the tip of his tongue, when the approach of a factory worker diverted his attention.
  
  
  
Walden turned to the worker, a glint of annoyance in his eyes as he inquired, "What is it?"
  
  
  
The factory worker replied with a sense of urgency,
"There's a new project underway in the factory, and we need your feedback before submitting the draft to the higher-ups. It's crucial."
  
  
  
Walden sighed, resigning himself to the task at hand.
"Hand me the drafted blueprint." He instructed, holding out his hand.
  
  
  
He began to review the document with a bored expression, scanning the technical details and diagrams.
As Walden's eyes roamed over the blueprint, he suddenly paused when they landed on a specific sketch.
Something about that particular illustration seemed to catch his attention.
  
      
Unbeknownst to Walden, Vincent had leaned closer, his tall frame hunching to meet the head experimenter's height.
His chin rested on top of Walden's shoulder, and the warm breath of his steady exhales brushed against the back of Walden's ear.
  
               
The unexpected proximity had took him by surprise.
He cleared his throat, a subtle signal for Vincent to give him some space — it was an unexpected invasion of personal space that left him slightly flustered.
 
 
With a quiet "sorry," Vincent leaned back just a fraction, still close enough to see the contents of the blueprint.
  
 
Together, the two men examined the sketch that had captured Walden's interest, their heads close together as they delved into the details of the new project.
Despite the awkward and unexpected closeness, they both remained focused on the task at hand.
  
  
  
     
  
Vincent, breaking the quiet, finally spoke up, his voice betraying his confusion.
  
"I don't quite understand the concept of this drafted work." He admitted, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.
  
  
  
Walden turned to Vincent, his tone somehow patient as he explained,