Republic City // Lin Beifong x Fem Reader

Hidden Currents

Chapter 15: Hidden Currents

Y/n's POV

By the end of the day, we finally returned home. As we walked up the stairs, I noticed Lin moving more slowly than usual, her exhaustion clearly visible in her every step. She opened the door, letting me walk in first before closing it behind us. I headed to the sink to wash my hands, turning my head to glance at her. Lin was leaning heavily on the table, her eyes closed as though the day had worn her down more than usual. She pushed herself upright and walked toward the laundry to put away her uniform.

Worried, I quickly dried my hands and followed her into the corridor.

"Lin! Wait," I called out, and she turned to face me, a fatigue she rarely showed visible on her face.

"Are you alright? You look really tired..." I asked, my voice soft with concern.

Lin smiled, though the effort was clear in her expression. "I'm okay. Just work," she reassured me, though I wasn't fully convinced.

I frowned, stepping closer. "I'm worried about you. Please, if something's wrong, tell me."

She reached out, gently caressing my cheek before pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'm fine, really. I just need to unwind," she said, before heading into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

Still uneasy, I walked into the laundry room where she had left her uniform. I switched on the lights and approached the shelf where she had folded it neatly. Something tugged at my curiosity, so I picked up the uniform, feeling its familiar weight. I carefully ran my palm along the cold metal surface, letting it glide over the smooth fabric—until I stopped, sensing something off.

A small bump.

I squinted and felt the spot more closely, sliding my hand underneath the fabric. Oddly, I couldn't feel anything from the inside, but the bump remained noticeable on the outside. That didn't make sense. The uniform was new, and there shouldn't be any damage. Pulling my hand back slightly, I felt a sudden, tiny jolt of electricity.

"What are you doing?"

I jumped, startled by Lin's voice. She was standing in the doorway, her head tilted with curiosity.

"I was just... checking something," I said, holding up the uniform. "You didn't fall or get hurt today, did you?"

Lin's eyebrow arched in confusion. "No, why would you ask that?"

I hesitated, knowing I couldn't just let this go. "Look, there's something weird here—on the back of the uniform. There's a bump."

Her confusion deepened as she walked over. She placed her hand where mine had been, letting it hover above the cold metal for a moment before touching it. Her brow furrowed, and I could tell she felt it too.

"I think there's something inside," I continued cautiously.

"What do you mean by that?" Lin asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Well... when I touched it, I felt a small electric shock," I explained, not wanting to alarm her, but also unable to ignore the strange occurrence.

Her expression shifted from confusion to concern. "And are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm worried about you. You wore this all day."

Lin frowned, clearly thinking things over as she looked away. "Andreas did mention that they were using a new engine to control the metal cables, but he never said anything about feeling electrical shocks."

She took the uniform from my hands, setting it aside before guiding me out of the laundry room. "I'll talk to him tomorrow. But for now, why don't you take a shower, and then we can eat and... cuddle."