Summary:Honey Lemon's vintage car breaks down on the edge of the city limits. Luckily for her, New York's Mightiest Mechanic happened to be on his way by. Log Info:Storyteller: {$storyteller} |
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If nothing else, Ford was a practical guy, if not necessarily moral or legal about things. Being a mechanic, and a thumping good one at that, paid, but not well enough to care for himself and his little step-sister. So where he could, he took jobs in chop shops to help supplement his income. It's one of these late night jobs that has him out on the streets at this time in the evening. When everyone is going home or getting tucked in, Ford is headed for his secondary job, pulling less-than-legally-acquired cars apart to help sell their parts to unscrupulous vendors. He didn't get too deep into what they were doing - just came in, did his job, took the money, and scrammed.
Ford made it a point not to drive to where he worked. He didn't want his pride and joy personal car being recognized and followed back. Instead, he took the bus to the outskirts of the city, close as he could get, and walked the rest of the way. His oni physiology pretty much made the cold winds of New York a non-issue, but he bundled up into his jacket all the same, tool bag in hand as he hopped off the buss and started walking towards the water fronts. With any luck, tonight would be a quick night so he could get back, get some rest, and be ready for work tomorrow… and before Ira got suspicious of his absences.
Honey Lemon was on the side of the rode just on the Ford's path with her luck or unluck perhaps giving the amount of smoke billow out from underneath the hood of her 1969 Sting Ray Corvette. She gets out of her car and begins to move around the front of the car with worry echoing in her eyes, "Oh no.. not again. I swear.. that is the last time I let that mechanic touch you…" Her gaze looking up to the sky as she sees storm clouds beginning to roll in, oh dear…" Soon she begins to walk back towards the driver's seat, in hopes she remembered an umbrella.
Ford had never really taken the time to appreciate how the weather seemed to change around him. Even on clear days, clouds seemed to follow… one almost had to wonder if the sky was trying to tell himself something. Or, perhaps the heavens themselves just couldn't stand his smarmy mouth. Ford's eyes were not glued on the clouds, but the pillar of smoke rising from what he recognized to be a vintage car model. Being an car nut himself, Ford recognized the sleek design of a classic Corvette from a mile away, and couldn't take his eyes off of it… well, except to admire the driver. A lovely lady in a classic compact. Ford had to resist the urge to pinch himself.
At first, he just nodded and passed by, eyes on the car, but not saying anything. But after a few yards, he stopped, looked back, and after some thought, made an about face and headed back, stopping on the passenger side and smirking. "Pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but, you look like you've got some serious engine trouble. You need a hand with it?"
Honey Lemon was utterly busy in her car, attempting to find that blasted umbrella. As Ford comes by the passenger side, she is trying to move to get out of the car. Her head bumps the console, causing her to winces as she gets up. Her hand reaching up to rub on the back of ehr head as she responds, "A hand would be lovely yes. I know nothing about how to fix her. Just drive her. And… please be careful I… I have no bloody idea what the mechanic did to her…"
Ford winced a bit at the bump, before grimacing a bit. "You're in luck, sweetheart! I happen to be the best mechanic in all of New York!" Satisfied with his self-indulgence, Ford placed his bag down and started sifting through it, grabbing a few tools and spinning them in his fingers before moving around the front and assessing the situation. "Yeah, I see what the trouble is. Radiator's punched the intake valve a bit. Luckily, she's an easy fix. We'll start with…" Ford tightened his wrench onto a bolt and turned it, steam whining as it escaped before starting to dissipate. "Common mistake. Gotta give the rad cap some breathing room. Just give her a sec to cool and we'll start on the valve."
Ford took a moment to admire the car, before quietly giving the same "studious" eyes to the driver. "Name's Ford, by the by. A pleasure to meet you, miss…?"
Honey Lemon hmms softly before she inquires, "The best you say? I may need to test that before I actually call you that myself." The latter stated with a gentle teasing. Her eyes following as he sets the bag down and begins to rifle through it. Her bottom lip softly chewed up on as she watches him open up the hood and looks surprised. "An easy fix? Really?" relief echoing in her words as she slowly approaches. Her cheeks lightly flushing as she watches him, mostly his muscular through the shirt, move as he used that wrench on the bolt. Her gaze growing bashful and looking away when her gaze is caught. As she looks back to Ford her cheeks are quite flush as she responds, "I am Aiko. It is a pleasure to meet you Ford."
One thing about onis, that Ford had learned from experience, was that they were essentially predators, and their prey was humans. He never liked to linger too long on that notion, but it did come with some perks. Ford's keen senses picked up on the rush of blood and change in tone, smirking devilishly as he flipped the wrench in his hands. "It is. See right here..?" he asked, noting the bolt he'd just released and what looked like a piping that was supposed to be connected, but has clearly popped off. "The heat needs somewhere to escape. Tighten the bolt too much, you trap all that heat and blow the intake valve out. Loosen it too much, and the rad cap pops off. It's a balancing act."
Ford shifted his weight as he slung his wrench into his belt, leaning on the car. "Rest assured, Ms. Aiko - and, please don't break my heart and tell me it's Mrs. Aiko - the pleasure is all mine. If I'd have even remotely thought my route tonight would take me by a lovely lady with a taste for classic cars, I'd have had a bit more pep in my step earlier. Where'd you get this beauty, anyways? She looks like a… 72 Sting Ray? Hadn't seen one of these in… ever, actually!"
Honey Lemon's flushing cheeks only grow more evident as she softly laughs while looking away, "Me? Oh no no no. I am far too busy with my studies to have a boyfriend let alone a husband." Her gaze looking to him as she gently corrects, "Actually a 1969 model. And.. it was my father's he took wonderful care of her and I got to inherent her. I… I am still trying to think of a perfect name for her, Papa never did."
Ford smirked as he watched her turn away, before glancing back at the engine. "A lady of science, eh? Brains, beauty, and a slick ride. I pity your non-existent boyfriend. He has no idea what he's missing." Ford waved the last of the steam away, leaning in to have a better look at the displaced valve. "So what's got ya so busy you can't take time to socialize?" he asked, a few clangs here and there indicating he's moving things back into place. Shockingly without his super strength!
"69, eh?" He paused, just long enough to let that number sink in a moment before continuing. "So close! I was gonna say 63, but the back window was dug in, made me think she was a later model. Your dad had good taste, though. Take your time with the name. She deserves a good one. She strikes me as a… uh…" He took a moment to clank his wrench on the engine, listening for a sec as if hearing the name in the clang, before finishing. "…a Cheri, I'd say. Then again, I've picked poor names before."
Honey Lemon laughs softly and paws at the air near Ford, "There is nothing to be envious of, I assure you Ford." She hmms softly at the question, "Oh I am working on my second doctorate, it is in material engineering. It can take a bit of time, as can my little experiments and my new prototype I am working on." Her eyes moving back to watch his muscles work, one of her hidden guilty pleasures. Her eyes light up with a fondness as she responds, "Oh no, not one of the first models. The body style of this one is my favorite, the sharp curves above the headlights /really/ do something for me. It.. it hard to explain I suppose." Her gaze fondly looking back on the silver corvette as she responds, "Cheri may work. I don't know french but could take a few classes for fun at the university."
"Oh, I fully understand what you mean. They hammered out a lot of kinks as the years went on for Sting Rays. Makes for a very recognizable design." Ford agreed, fishing a little deeper into the engine block as he steadily put the intake valve into place. His wrench worked its way into the gap and began tightening the piping into place, entirely unaware he was being watched so intently. Thank heavens. He'd probably put on an even more egregious show.
"Engineering, eh? With a bit of lateral entry, you might figure out how to keep her together without me. Not that I mind an opportunity to work on her, but you have to admit, a roadside repair and hope of me passing by is an unreliable way to bring her in for maintanence." Ford joked, leaning back up and wiping his brow a bit. "I only know a bit of conversational French and Spanish. The beauty is, even if the lady doesn't speak it, even mudane phrases sound much more romantic. Even if they make no sense." He turned and nodded to the driver's side door. "She should start clean now, when you're ready."
Honey Lemon reaches up tuck her hair behind her ear as he continues to work on the car, still looking over his form before focusing on his arms again. A whisper of a lustful sigh emitting her lips as her fingers begin to twirl those same pieces of hair she had tucked behind her ear. She laughs softly, "Oh I am more of a cook than a mechanic. My prototype is nothing like a car, it is more a work out machine for super serious body builders." Yeah that is the perfect way to explain her work out machine built for supers. Her eyes quickly moving to meet his as he wipes his brow as she responds, "I am fluent in Spanish and also Japanese. And are you sure she is?" Slowly she begins to move towards her driver's seat, carefully slipping back into her seat and taking in a slow deep breath before she turns the key.
"I'm guessing it's not quite what you'd find in your average gym, then? If ya ever need a guinea pig, I'm not body builder, but turns out, working with heavy metals every day whips your body into serious shape." Ford offered, placing his hands on his hips and looking down at the open engine block. Yeah, that and having a literal demon as your dad probably helps. "Hey, nothing wrong with a good home cooked meal. Honestly, not too off from fixing cars. Just a matter of knowing where everything fits in at the right time." Ford ought to know, he's had to get good at that too.
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't give the go ahead." Ford assured her, watching her lean in and turn the key. He closed his eyes as the engine started up, belts whirring, pistons churning, radiator letting off steam. He lifted a hand and made an okay motion as he shook his head. "Like poetry in motion."
Honey Lemon laughs softly before she responds, "If you want to try it sure. Unsure if you are able to use it but worth trying. My first tester could lift… a lot. And I do mean a lot." Her mind remember just how many tons Hercules actually lifted and causing her cheeks to flush for a moment before she is promptly turning the key. As the engine roars back to life, she sis back with a sigh of relief. "Thank you Ford. How can I repay you?" is curiously inquired.
Ford remained blissfully unaware that he was going up against Hercules himself in terms of testing this machine. Perhaps for the better. Ford would hate to have his distaste for super heroic types to derail the conversation. Closing the hood of the car, Ford stared back at Honey's question, his smile just steadily growing wider as the myriad of answers crossed his mind.
"Well… would you like the polite answer, or the honest one?" Ford asked, holstering his wrench in his belt as he walked around the side of the car. "The polite answer is your phone number. If you ever need someone to work his magic under the hood, I'd kill for a chance to regularly wrench a beauty like this." He patted the side of the car as his smirk returned. "The honest answer is… probably more unlikely." Knowing Ford, it involved heading back to her place, clearing off her desk, and giving it a stress test. But in the interest of not completely blowing any positive outcomes of the evening, he kept that one to himself.
Honey Lemon looks curiously as she responds, "Polite or honest answer?" As he elaborates, her head tilts slightly to the side as she inquires, "And what is the honest answer exactly? I not mind give you my number but… as a scientist, I can't help but be curious." The blonde chemist should see the setup, she really should but it isn't where her mind is residing in the moment.
Ford could not help by smile at her innocence. There was even a voice in the back of his mind that looked darkly forward to trashing that innocence, though he quelled that right away. "Lemme grab your number first, then I'll tell you." Ford wisely decided, pulling out his phone. Once he had her number in hand, though, he leaned down and spoke just loud enough to be heard over the engine. "The honest answer would be to bring you back, yank those pants off, and lodge my 'wrench' in an entirely different 'engine'." Ford spelled out, before leaning back with his hands behind his back. "Buuuuut I probably shouldn't. I do have a prior engagement, sadly."
Honey Lemon laughs softly as she produces one of her little business cards she obviously self printed herself. A soft, sweet smile offer as she slips the thick rectangular paper into his hand. At those words, her eyes go wide while her face flushes brightly. Her eyes bashfully look away as the thought makes her squirm in her seat. Soon her gaze falls upon him as she states, "I.. I am not one for… for such daliancies upon first meeting… I.. I would need to know you… much better before… wait… prior engagement?" She swallows nervously, "If you need to leave.. I.. I not wish to keep you from something. I feel I have done that enough already…" Her hand moving to nervously rub on the back on her neck
Ford flicked over the card before smoothly pocketing it, before laughing uproariously at her response and flattering in the face of him spelling out his suggestion. "As I said, that one was highly unlikely. But you asked, so I thought I would oblige. A number and the opportunity to chat again is good enough for me." An object lesson in the dangers of too much learning, it seems.
"Ah, they can wait a bit. This was worth whatever inconvenience they suffer at me being a few minutes late… actually, not even. I left early, so I've got plenty of time. They can park it for a minutes. This was worth it." He extended a hand to shake, smirking genuinely. "It has been a genuine pleasure, Honeycakes. If you ever need a good wrench again, let me know. I'm happy to lend a hand." He nodded, heading back around to his bag and returning his tools. "I imagine you have places you need to be as well. We'll have to chat again when our schedules line up."
Honey Lemon laughs softly before she responds, "That I did Ford… but I like to find out answers. It in the scientist in me." Her hand shyly slipping into his when it is offered. Soon withdrawing with warm laughter as he calls her "Honeycakes", making her flush once more. "I… not exactly have somewhere to be. I.. I was just going to go home and cook myself dinner. Nothing something but… I do hope you have a good night." She was about to drive off, pausing before she asks, "Did you want a lift? I mean… no idea how long of a walk you have and surely it is going to rain any minute."
Ford smirked, before shaking his head. "Nah, get home, get changed into something warm and comfy, and enjoy your dinner before it starts raining. I'm around the block, and besides, I don't think my buddies are expecting company. But that's quite a kind offer. I'll take you up on a ride some other time, yeah?" he asked, giving her a finger gun motion before bowing. "You have yourself a safe night, Honey. I'll talk with ya some other time, yeah?" Ford gave another nod, before hoisting his tool bag and resuming his hike towards the chop shop. It had been a profitable night, by his measure.