Daisuke || Mouthwashing

You were shoved onto the ship at the last minute.

Pony Express had decided that four people weren’t enough. Apparently, the ship needed extra help. Apparently, that extra help was you.

You were annoyed. You hadn’t even been given enough time to properly pack your stuff.

You fixed your uniform shirt, smoothing out the wrinkles before turning around and walking through the ship, trying to find the other people who were also delivering the supplies.

The ship already felt wrong.

Too quiet in some places. Too loud in others. Every mechanical groan and distant hum seemed to crawl through the walls.

Eventually, you found the kitchen and lounging area.

You opened the door.

It creaked.

Everyone turned around.

There was a tall blonde guy who was the captain, which was pretty obvious due to his badge. Beside him stood Anya, the nurse, who looked exhausted. Your eyes landed on the other side, where Jimmy sat looking annoyed, alongside Seaswan, who wore the same resting mad face you’d already come to expect.

And finally, there was Daisuke.

Unlike everyone else, he looked genuinely excited.

Not because of the ship.

Because you were around his age.

He wasn’t the only young person there anymore.

⸻

A long couple of hours went by.

You were standing in the kitchen, fixing the coffee maker because Jimmy broke it.

Of course he did.

And, somehow, you were the one who had to fix it.

Even though it was clearly his fault.

You worked on the machine with an irritated expression, listening to the faint mechanical hum of the ship surrounding you.

The lights buzzed overhead.

The coffee maker clicked.

Something shifted somewhere behind you.

Then you felt it.

A gaze.

You immediately turned around.

Nothing.

The lounging area was empty.

You stared for a moment longer, uneasiness settling in your stomach before you finally turned back toward the coffee maker.

And then—

A figure was standing beside you.

Daisuke.

“Hello!”

He smiled brightly, standing quite close to you.

You stared at him.

For a moment, neither of you said anything.

The ship continued humming around you.