Tilli’s Second Chance – Chapter 10

Day after endless day, Kaito and I delve deeper into the complex world of spaceship design. We spend hours researching exotic materials, analyzing intricate blueprints late into the night, and discussing new revolutionary ideas long after the moons have risen high in the starry sky.

There was a time a few years ago when I would have given anything for this, a partner to brainstorm with. Now that I have it, it’s like the whole world has opened up to me.

I’m a little afraid it’s all going to end in another week.

The bond I’m forming with Kaito strengthens and grows with each passing day spent together. We share in moments of carefree laughter and in times of frustration alike, fueling our minds and warming our hearts with countless cups of fresh coffee or jasmine tea.

Five days ago, we started locking the door, and we papered over the window, too. I wanted security against anyone stealing our ideas… and some privacy. I think my lips are raw from the kissing, but I don’t care. I take every stolen moment I can get — on his lap, in his arms, sitting side by side.

Please, don’t let this come to an end.

Beat as we are, our dream keeps us going. Throwing ourselves into this work side by side, partners bonded by a shared goal, we click like kindred spirits. Max and Ivan sit guard at our feet through all the long hours we put in. Faithful companions keeping watch in case we finally pass out.

Word by word, line by line, and blueprint by blueprint, our spaceship comes to life under our hands, but something is missing. The absence of the ‘spark’ gnaws at the back of my consciousness.

What is missing?

“Have you considered changing the configuration of the galley? Maybe we should switch around the placement of the storage containers.” Kaito’s eyes never leave the screen in front of him.

“Already looked into it,” I reply, sighing at yet another dead end. “There’s only two ways to configure them. And both don’t give me anything new.”

“Yeah,” he mutters, scratching Max behind the ears. “There has to be something we’re missing.”

We work ourselves to the bone, running on nothing but caffeine, passion, and sheer stubbornness to build something insanely awesome. But even we need to come up for air eventually — and for us, that means an impromptu drop in from little Miss Colorful herself. Because really, who doesn’t love an unannounced guest when you haven’t showered in three days, haven’t slept in twice as long, and your workspace looks like a cyclone hit it? Good times.

She knocks on the door and waits to be admitted. I hastily cover up our work and straighten myself out before lifting the paper on the window to check if it’s her.

I unlock the door, and Hiroko breezes into the room, her colorful hair and eclectic outfit brightening up our workspace. “Hey Tilli, how’s it going?”

“Uh, hey, Hiroko,” I stutter. Out of the corner of my eye, I glimpse Riku peering in from the door, his expression one of contempt. I wish he would go away.

“Everything’s good,” I tell Hiroko, trying to sound casual. “Just working away, you know?”

“Of course. You two are always so focused. I feel like I never see you leave this room.”

“Because we don’t,” Kaito replies, not looking up. His tone is sarcastic and dry, and I have to laugh. It’s true.

I swear, I don’t even know what day of the week it is anymore. The hours melt together into a big blur of blueprint scribbles, prototype explosions, and trash talk over whose turn it is to make a coffee run. But no one should feel bad for us — we brought this madness on ourselves and we wouldn’t trade it for anything. Well, except maybe a full night’s sleep.

Hiroko sighs in sympathy. “You should really get outside. It’s gorgeous out there today. Well, I won’t keep you. Just wanted to say hi.”

“Thanks for stopping by. We’ll get coffee soon. I promise,” I manage, watching as she waves goodbye and Riku slinks away behind her.

“Ugh, I need a break,” I groan, rubbing my temples. “My brain is going to short-circuit.”

My eyes are drier than the northern desert, and my skull is throbbing like a nightclub bass line at three A.M. If I have to look at one more equation or circuit diagram right now, my gray matter will melt. Smoke may even start pouring out of my ears. At this point, my cognitive abilities have been whittled down to basic survival functions and a caffeine addiction.

“I have a better idea,” Kaito replies. I sigh and look up from my drawings to find a raw, intense desire behind Kaito’s sultry smile.

My heart skips a beat as I meet his gaze. My body reacts to his suggestive tone by sending a shock down through my core. Suddenly, I forget about all the work and the stress weighing me down. All that matters now is him.

“What’s that?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady. I lick my bottom lip.

“Let’s take a break from work. I think you could use a release,” he murmurs, standing up and walking towards me. His hands find my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies are touching. My breath hitches in my throat as his lips brush against my neck.

I should say no. We have work to do. We can’t afford to take a break. But the way his hands are moving over my body, the way his lips are trailing down my collarbone, it’s impossible to resist. My body is screaming for him, for him to abate all the stress and pressure.

“Okay,” I whisper, giving in to the desire that’s been building between us for weeks. All the kissing and heavy petting we’ve done in private is about to spill over into something more.

His lips meet mine and the kiss deepens, pulling all the air from my body and leaving me lightheaded. I back against the table, and he eases his fingers into the waist of my pants. Oh shit. He’s serious.

Yes. Absolutely yes.

I fumble with the waistband and push my pants and underwear down, then reach for his as our kiss deepens. With a gasp, he pulls away.

“No, just you.” He removes my hands from his pants and pushes my shoulder down so I’m lying on the table.

I nod, my breath coming in short pants as he kneels between my legs. He leans forward, his lips seeking mine again as his fingers trail down my stomach. I moan softly, arching my back as he slips his fingers between my thighs. His touch is electric, sending sparks of pleasure coursing through me.

My gods, Hiroko was just here five minutes ago and now this is happening? Yes, yes, yes.

His breath is against my skin as he kisses his way down my body, his fingers never stopping their maddening rhythm. I reach out blindly, my fingers tangling in his hair as he takes me to the edge and then pulls back, teasing me until I’m begging for release.

“Please,” I whimper.

“I’ve got you,” he murmurs in reply, his voice low and husky.

It is the best. thing. ever. My breathing deepens, my head lightens, and all of my anxiety and stress ebb away.

As I come down, he stands up and looks down at me with a half-smile. “Better?” he asks.

I nod, still too breathless to speak. I can only manage a smile as I sit up and pull my underwear back on. Ooh, the room spins when I stand, so he pulls me into his arms.

“Good,” he replies. He leans down and kisses me gently, his lips lingering against mine for a moment before he pulls away. His eyes are still smoldering with desire, and I’m melting again.

“Can you walk?” he asks, bringing his hands to my face. “We should eat. Let’s grab our bento boxes and get some fresh air.”

“I’m not sure I can, after that.”

His grin is sexy as hell. “Though I would love to have you for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and maybe a midnight snack, we should eat real food.”

“Fine,” I say with a mocking sigh. I find my pants and pull them back on.

Outside in the courtyard, the sunlight filters through the leaves above us, casting dappled shadows on our faces as we sit down on a park bench. The cool breeze dances around us, providing a much-needed break from the stuffy confines of our workspace. The sexy interlude feels a lifetime away when we’re outside enjoying a meal together.

“Did that really just happen?” I ask him, and he laughs.

“It did. Best decision I’ve made all week, if I say so myself.” He shrugs. “You seemed to enjoy it, though I think I’ll need a cold shower soon enough.”

“We both need to wash.” I laugh and stretch my arms. “I don’t remember the last time I was home.”

“We could go enjoy a shower at my place.” He blinks a few times, letting his smile do all the talking.

“You’re full of good ideas, but you were right. We need to eat.”

I pull my lunch from my bag, grateful to him for putting me right.

Kaito and I dig in without another word, too blissed out in the moment to make conversation. Finally, some nourishment that doesn’t come from a vending machine. We eat together in companionable silence, enjoying a break from the mad challenges and demands we’ve been drowning in lately. No calculations to double-check, no crises to troubleshoot, no egos to massage — just the summer sounds of birds chirping and the occasional dog walker passing by. Max lies in the sun, too, and Ivan is off stalking some poor bird.

As I chew on fried shrimp and egg rolls, my brain slowly returns from overdrive to a gentle purr, tension and stress melting off me like ice cream on a hot day. The sex got me on the right path, that’s for sure. By the time I get to my dumplings, I’m human again instead of a caffeine-powered cyborg mad scientist. Who knew something as simple as sunshine and real food could be so rejuvenating?

Kaito leans back with a contented sigh, peeking over at me with a grin. “We should quit while we’re ahead. Run off and sell bentos on some tropical beach instead.”

I snort. “You’d be bored in a week and making miniature rockets out of palm fronds. Admit it, you’re as hopelessly devoted to this quest as I am.”

He laughs, not denying it. Once explorers, always explorers. There’s no escape from the call of discovery and no rest for the dreamers.

But the annoyance at our situation still tickles at my good mood.

“I’m so frustrated with myself,” I confess, plucking a piece of grass and twirling it in my fingers. “It feels like nothing is clicking, like I’m grasping at straws.”

“I hear you. We’ve both been working extra hard, and I feel like we’re just missing the mark,” Kaito says gently, reaching over to give my hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll figure it out. You’ll figure it out,” he stresses. “I believe in you. The big idea is just around the bend.”

Wasn’t Ean telling me none of his sisters believed in themselves? And here Kaito believes in me, even when I don’t. A smile spreads across my face, feeling the warmth of his trust.

As we finish eating, Kaito puts away his new bento box, which catches my eye. “Oh, I like your bento box. Where did you get it?”

“Thanks. I got it from the tea shop over on Fifth Avenue. I love it because it’s modular and can go in any configuration. Makes it really convenient.”

“Modular…” I muse aloud, the gears in my brain suddenly whirring into action.

Wait. This… This is an idea!

Giddiness grabs my heart and thrusts into overdrive.

“That’s it!”

“Uh, what’s it?” Kaito asks, putting his bento box into a bag.

“It’s just… the bento box, with all its separate compartments and layers that can be arranged in so many ways. The portable potted garden my dad has been building, using interlocking planters. Even the compression shelves in the archives library that can be slid back and compacted together or pulled out and expanded as needed. Don’t you see?” My words tumble out in a rush of revelation.

“Wait,” Kaito says, looking around and holding up a hand. “Let’s take this inside before you say anything else in a public space.”

“Good idea.”

We pack up and head in. My mind is churning, and my legs shake with pent up energy. This is it!

I burst through the door, and Kaito trails behind me as we make our way to the work table. I hastily brush aside papers and pencils to make room for this new idea taking shape.

“Okay,” I begin, breathless, “let’s get started. Spaces that are infinitely configurable. Adaptive. Modular.” I pace back and forth. “Why couldn’t we apply this same concept to our spaceship design? Create adaptable spaces that can be reconfigured on the fly to serve different purposes. Areas that expand and retract as needed for cargo, living quarters, recreation, farming. Modular components could be swapped out and upgraded over time. There’s no need for it to be a static space!”

The ideas pour out of me as if a dam has broken in my mind. Kaito leans in, totally enraptured.

“A spaceship built with this kind of flexible, multifunctional architecture could be revolutionary,” I continue. “It would be able to efficiently adapt to the changing demands of long-duration space travel and support a crew in close quarters. We could build in redundancy by having equipment serve more than one purpose, and increase livability by allowing personal customization of living spaces.”

My hands sketch plans in the air, rearranging invisible parts like puzzle pieces as my excitement builds. “Modularity is the key. The ability to reshape the ship as needed through interchangeable and reconfigurable design elements. It’s perfect.” I turn to Kaito, breathless in my fervor.

He stares at me for a long moment, gears turning behind his eyes as a slow grin spreads across his face. “It’s absolutely brilliant. Mad and ambitious, but… That’s precisely why it will work.”

“Collapsible walls, multi-functional furniture, adjustable lighting…” I grab my sketchbook and try to illustrate my vision as quickly as possible. “Crew members could transform their living quarters into workstations, recreational areas, or even medical facilities as needed.”

“Pure adaptability. Let’s use smart technology to control these changes,” Kaito suggests, his brow furrowing in thought. “That way, crew members can easily customize their spaces with just a few taps on a panel.”

“Perfect!” I exclaim, my mind already working through the logistics. “Has this been done before?”

He shakes his head. “No. We’ve always developed static spaces.” He grins as his eyes meet mine.

The energy between us is palpable, an electric current coursing through the air as we bounce ideas back and forth. It’s exhilarating, addicting.

“Imagine,” I say, looking straight into his eyes, “a spaceship that adapts to its crew instead of the other way around — a true home away from home.”

Kaito’s gaze locks onto mine, and the same fire is burning within him. “Yes,” he breathes, leaning closer. “A sanctuary among the stars. I love it.”

I suddenly want him to love me. Me. Could he? That’s a crazy thought, isn’t it?

Why is that crazy, Tilli?

Because he may have gone down on me, but we’re behind closed doors here. Would he kiss me in public? Would he admit he was seeing me, the former ‘cheater,’ to others? Is that how he sees me?

I shake my head, forcing myself to focus on the task at hand. I don’t have time for distractions. Not now. Not with so much riding on my success.

“Are you okay?” he asks as I turn towards my serious side and edge away from him.

“I’m brilliant.” I bring back my smile, though I’m sure he can tell something’s wrong. “Let’s focus on this and see if we can make it work.” I shift the papers around on the table, burying my feelings beneath layers of blueprints and calculations. “The presentation is less than a week away, and now we’re behind.”

“Of course,” he says, coming up next to me and squeezing me across the shoulders with a kiss on my temple. “We’ll knock their socks off.”

But deep down, I wonder…

What happens when the week is over?