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engine troubles kiyoko shimizu x gn!reader (fluff) synopsis: mechanic au word count: 1k warnings: probably incorrect car stuff
another car rolls into the shop's garage, one of the other mechanics pulling it in. as he stops in the correct spot, you can hear the loud squealing of a worn down brake pad. your coworker steps out, crossing his arms on the top of the old cadillac. a few black hairs fall to his forehead from his fairly blonde hair, a smile on his face, "i got this one."
"you sure, kanji? because the two o'clock said he was going to be a little late for his engine check so i can do it," you rest your hands on your hips until he nods.
"i'm very sure. i've done it with a supervisor like a thousand times, i think i can do it alone this once. take your break or something."
his eyebrows raise as he waits for you to let out a small groan and a slow nod. kanji seems to be a natural talent when he works on cars, who are you to deny him his first job on his own? your shoulders slowly shrug, "sure, just let someone else look over it before you send it off."
kanji gives you a two-finger wave, spinning around to raise the car. your hands wipe onto the small towel hanging from one of your belt hoops until there's a couple of black stains. before your fingers can wrap around the door's handle, someone is shouting out for you. you turn around and your gaze catches that of an albeit, beautiful woman.
her hair is pulled into a high ponytail, athleisure-wear complimented with matching sneakers. covering it is a thick winter jacket. she finishes a light jog until entering the garage. there's a certain look in her eyes, one of worry. your breath catches for a second and your eyelids blink quickly as you watch her gain a quiet smile.
"you're the closest automotive shop and my car broke down right after i got lunch. i have to head back to work, and it's right down the street," she crosses her arms in front of her chest and takes in a few deep breaths.
you nod, looking back at the main office, of course you want to help. however, you're on the clock and could very well get reprimanded for leaving. your gaze returns to the unfamiliar woman until you let out a soft sigh. "okay- any noise beforehand? any dashboard lights coming on?"
"no- actually, the start up noise sounded a little weird. and it smelled a little like gasoline," she looks back at the street, in the direction of many restaurants and fast food chains.
"okay, it sounds a little like a flooded engine, so-"
"that isn't anything terrible, right? because i really do have to get back to work soon," the woman begins to tap her foot against the concrete floor of the garage.
your head momentarily shakes, hands reaching for a thick jacket. "only if i can't get it started for you. then it may be the spark plugs, which you would need to get replaced before going anywhere. so let's hope for the best option, okay?" her features suddenly relax, eyebrows lessening in intensity.
she nods, waiting for you to finish grabbing your things and preparing to leave. when you look back up at her, the sun is perfectly set in the sky to create a sort of halo effect around her. your heartbeat begins to beat even quicker until you look away and back at kanji. he's currently under the car, attempting to fix the brake pad.
"can you cover for me kanji? i need to go see if i can clear a flooded engine for..."
"my name's shimizu kiyoko."
"shimizu, she needs to head back to work and it won't take me long."
kanji looks over at the two of you, narrowing his eyes a little as he notices you practically sweating from her radiance. he simply nods before obviously winking and returning back to his work. you shake your head, looking back to shimizu. there's a smile on her face as the two of you start off towards the car.
snow flutters down from the clouds to create a beautiful atmosphere. you take in a deep breath of the cold air as you cross the street to find an older car parked outside of an onigiri shop. it's been restored to its former glory. your eyes widen a little as you notice the new paint and the convertible top. just before you reach it, she hands you the key.
"when'd you get this beauty? who restored it?"
"oh- just the past month. it was my granpda's and he was a big fan of the older style of cars. he refurbished it until he passed away and left it to me," shimizu grabs the strap of her bag and looks over to you, a smile on her lips.
despite wanting to ask the girl to marry you on the spot, you only catch a glimpse of her before unlocking and opening the car door. the inside leather seats are also perfectly comfortable, the stitching nearly perfect for a restoration. everything from the dashboard to the disc player screams out your name in perfect tone.
"do you mind opening the hood?" it doesn't take long for shimizu to hear you and prop it open, "thanks!"
you push the key into the ignition and turn it as you step down on the accelerator pedal. some smoke escapes into the air as you hear the engine roar to life. meaning that the spark plugs are likely fine. you exit the car and lean your arm against the driver door, meeting shimizu's eyes.
she lets out a sigh of relief and holds out her hand, "thank you so much, i mean this is just great."
"of course, just let it idle for a second so that it can really clear it out. i just hope this amazing car will last you a lot longer," you shake her hand and rest the other on your hip.
"well, you can always ask me that later, if i can take you to dinner as a thank you."
