āI can help, Iāll just grab some things and be right back, stay there,ā he went into the garage and grabbed some tools, dumping them at her feet and kneeling down.Ā āIām going to have to touch you, okay? Just, stay still,ā he very delicately prodded the⦠āwoundā to find the root of the problem.Ā āAre you inā¦do you feel any pain?ā he asked as he worked, adjusting her hip, from where it had fallen slack at the joint, and tightening the bolt that holds it together.Ā
āI needā¦uh,ā he flushed,Ā āIām going to need to kind of, hug you, okay?ā he said ghosting his hands over her hips, and making a motion to indicate he needed to apply pressure to put things back into their proper places.Ā āReady? Andā¦there.ā he felt the gentle click of the joint recalibrating and pulled away, rubbing the back of his neck.Ā āAlright, you should try walking, and then we can use this,ā he held up the can of WD-40,Ā āto make sure everything works alright. Iām not really much of a sew-er, or whatever, but I can try and get that hole patched, but, I donāt think I have anything sturdier than thread, unless you want a fiberglass belt of some kind?āĀ
Liza was nervous to answer his questions, perching on the stool, but sheād already come this far.Ā āYes, I feel pain, but I can switch it off. I have done so already today.ā She said, feeling oddly warmed at the way he told her what he was planning to do. Sheād been worked on before, repaired while still switched on, and she had never quite known what was coming next.Ā
She looked down at him as he hugged her, feeling a little speechless at the hands so firmly on her hips. Her fans kicked into motion and she saw a little alert that informed her her core temperature had risen. She didnāt know if Jim could hear them - they always seemed so loud to her.Ā
She felt the moment he reconnected her leg properly and made a small slightly mechanical grunt at the unpleasant sensation. He pulled away and Liza already felt a little colder for the lack of contact. She stood up, as he suggested, and walked a few steps, feeling the metal parts grate against one another. Her mobility was there, though, it was just the WD-40 that she needed now.Ā
āNo, theā¦ā -skin, fleshā¦they seemed too primal, too off-putting- āā¦thatās fine. I have a putty at home that seals it.ā She said, pulling aside her shirt to show her collarbone, a thin, slightly lighter line there from another scrape sheād had.Ā āItās the mechanics that are a little trickier for me to reach.ā She said.Ā
āI heard it,ā he said, before she could indicate where the WD-40 needed to be applied. He got onto his knees in front of her applying it where it was needed, and then sort of awkwardly patting her thigh,Ā āalright, lift?ā he asked, helping her raise her knee and settle it back down.Ā āOkay, good. you should be good.āĀ
He lifted himself up, brushing his hands on his jeans. When she showed him her neck,Ā Jim, without meaning to, reached out at touched theĀ āscarā there, fascinated by it. It really looked like a natural scar. āWhere are you getting your stuff?ā he asked, pulling away and fiddling with the bottle in his hand, playing catch with himself and not looking at her. There was something...tense in the room now that made him clear his throat. But, he couldnāt stop his curiosity. If she knew where to get cool, high-end materials, itād change the game on the things heās simply tinkering at.Ā