Welcome to Heat Street: C8 - Crush Protocol
Imported from SF2 with no description.
The knock was light but fast — three quick taps in a row, like whoever it was didn't want to wait. Kaari didn't move. She was curled sideways on the couch, tail draped over the cushion, one leg dangling off the edge as her claws clicked lazily against her tablet. Elliot stood and checked the clock. 5:30. Not unexpected. Just a little early.
He opened the door.
“—I figured it was fine to show up early. I finished the new problem set, and I had this idea about the fallback pathing, and—oh!"
The canine pup blinked up at him, all gold-and-cream fur and oversized hoodie sleeves. Her ears were perked, bag slung tight over one shoulder, tail flicking behind her like she'd only just stopped sprinting.
“Hi," she said, softer now. “I'm not too early, right?
Elliot stepped aside. “Come in, Mira."
She slipped past him like she'd done it a dozen times. Kaari looked up. Mira froze mid-step when she noticed her.
“Oh. Uh. Hi."
Kaari stared, unmoving. Not sure how to process what was happening right now. “Hey."
Mira gave a quick, awkward wave. “I didn't know someone else was visiting. Sorry."
“I live here," Kaari said.
“Oh..." Mira's ears tilted back slightly. She turned to Elliot, quick to reset. “I brought the new file. And the loop from last session — I think I fixed the fallback branch but it's still a little slow on first load."
“I'll take a look," Elliot said, already heading toward the table.
Mira followed, two steps behind. “Also I had this idea about an automated purge queue? For junk input? But I didn't write it yet because I didn't know if it would mess with your sandbox settings—"
Kaari sat up straighter. “So, who's the kid?"
Elliot stopped to face Kaari. "Sorry, this is Mira. I was asked to be her private tutor. She's in advanced coding."
Mira turned. “I'm top of my class."
Kaari raised an eyebrow. “That so?"
Mira looked back to Elliot. “Can we work in your room?"
“That's fine. Fewer distractions that way."
Mira didn't look at Kaari as she nodded, a smile creeping on her muzzle. “Good."
Kaari watched them go. Watched Mira's tail wag before vanishing into Elliot's room, the door clicking shut behind her.
She leaned back, tail flicking like a timer tick, and muttered, “Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me."
The steady rhythm of keypresses and stylus taps filled Elliot's room. Mira sat cross-legged beside the desk, tablet balanced on her lap, tracing her way through a branching logic tree. She was focused. Mostly. Every now and then, her ears twitched toward Elliot — like checking he was still there. Still hers, for now. She hesitated near the bottom of a loop.
“That girl from earlier. The snow leopard."
“Kaari," Elliot said, typing.
“Is she your girlfriend?"
He paused. Finished the line he was working on. “No. Just my roommate."
Mira's ears perked immediately. She gave a little nod, mostly to herself, and smiled. “Okay. Cool."
They fell back into silence. Ten more minutes passed. Mira adjusted lines of code while Elliot reviewed her logic over her shoulder. She was just getting ready to run a test when her phone lit up on the desk.
She checked the screen. “That's my mom. I should take it."
Elliot nodded and stood. “I could use a quick coffee break."
She waited until the door clicked shut. Then answered.
“Hi, Mom! Yeah, it's going really good. We fixed the thing I messed up with the fallback logic, and he even showed me how to test it in two environments. He's so smart, and he doesn't make it boring, and he's really patient too. Like... really." She shifted her weight, voice lowering. “So, um... is it okay if I stay for dinner? We're not done yet, and I don't wanna break the streak. It's really helping. I promise I'll text you after to pick me up."
A pause. Mira's ears lifted as she smiled.
“Okay! Yeah, I'll go ask him."
She ended the call and stepped into the hallway. Her paw-pads barely made a sound on the floor as she padded into the kitchen, where Elliot was setting the kettle to boil.
“Um," she said from the doorway. “My mom said it's fine if I stay a little longer… and if it's okay with you, maybe I could have dinner here? Only if it's not a big deal. We're making a lot of progress."
Elliot turned from the counter. “That's fine. I'm cooking tonight. I'm sure Kaari won't mind."
Mira smiled, big and bright. “Thank you! I'll be super fast. I just want to finish the input validation pass."
She spun and vanished down the hall, light and soft-footed. Kaari, still on the couch, looked up at the sound of footsteps. Heard Mira talking. Laughing. Something about it being fun. Something about progress. Then nothing. She stared at the hallway for a long moment, tail curling beside her like a question mark.
The table was set. Bowls of soup steamed gently in front of them. Bread stacked neatly on a side plate. It could've passed for a quiet evening meal — if Mira weren't seated right next to Elliot, practically pressed into his arm, grinning like she'd earned the seat. Kaari sat across from them, unmoving. Watching.
“I really love it here," Mira said, spooning broth with delicate care. “It's so clean. Calm. Organized."
“You've said that every ten minutes," Kaari muttered.
Mira just smiled. “It's true." She leaned slightly toward Elliot. “If I lived here, I'd totally help. Like, really help. I do dishes at home. Laundry. I don't just throw it all in one load like some people."
Her eyes flicked across the table. Kaari didn't blink.
“My mom's teaching me to cook too," Mira continued. “I'm getting pretty good. Not as good as this," she said, lifting her spoon toward Elliot, “but close."
“It's useful to build those skills early," Elliot said. “Household competence builds long-term independence."
“Exactly," Mira said. “I think I'd make a great wife someday."
Kaari's spoon froze mid-stir.
Mira didn't stop. “I like taking care of people. I like having things tidy. Making food. Folding things right. I don't mind cleaning if it's for someone I care about."
“That's a strong foundation for domestic partnership," Elliot said, serving himself more vegetables. “Consistency and attentiveness often predict successful cohabitation."
Mira giggled, delighted. “And there's so much more I want you to teach me," she said. Voice dipping into something half-whispered, half-daydream. “Not just coding."
Kaari's claws pressed softly into her thigh.
“Like... everything," Mira added. Still watching Elliot. “I'd listen really carefully. Especially if you were the one teaching me. I just... know you'd make me feel safe."
Kaari didn't breathe.
Elliot passed her the bread basket like nothing had just happened. “That's good. Learning style compatibility is important."
Mira turned, as if only now remembering Kaari existed. “What about you?" she asked sweetly. “Do you cook? Clean? Or does Elliot do everything?"
Kaari's tone was bone-dry. “I manage."
Mira tilted her head. “Oh. That's good. I guess everyone brings something." She smiled. A flash of teeth. “Some people just... bring more."
Kaari set her spoon down. Mira, unfazed, took another bite of soup.
“I mean, I'd be happy just helping. Setting the table. Running errands. Doing little things for him," she said dreamily. “That's what makes a good partner, right? Just being useful."
Elliot nodded. “Supportive dynamics reduce interpersonal strain."
“Mmhm," Mira said, cheeks flushed. “And I'd never forget to say thank you."
Across the table, Kaari was completely still. Mira reached for a slice of bread, dipped it slowly, and glanced sideways with a quiet, victorious hum — like she'd just won a round in a game no one else knew they were playing.
The dishes were cleared. Soup gone. Mira still sat beside Elliot, elbows on the table, tail swaying like she had no intention of leaving. Then came the honk from outside. Mira's ears perked. She turned to the window and sighed.
“That's my mom."
She stood slowly, slinging her bag over one shoulder. Then turned to Elliot, hands behind her back, expression bright and shy.
“I had so much fun," she said. “Seriously. This was... the best."
Elliot nodded. “You did well. You're a smart kid."
Mira lit up, ears practically glowing.
“Um," she said, taking a half-step closer. “Could you—bend down for a second? I just wanna say thank you. For being so nice to me."
Elliot blinked. Then leaned down. Before he could ask what she meant, Mira stood on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. Just a blink of contact — soft, flushed, innocent. Then she bolted.
“Okaybye!" she squeaked, already halfway to the door.
It clicked shut behind her, the sound hanging in the silence she left behind. Elliot straightened slowly, one hand absently brushing the spot where she'd kissed him.
“What a nice girl," he said to himself.
He turned—and nearly walked straight into Kaari. She didn't flinch. Just stood there, arms folded, one hip angled, tail ticking side to side like a countdown.
“You had to have noticed," she said, low and even. “The way she talked to you. The way she looked at you."
“I did."
“You sure about that? That wasn't just some sweet little study session."
“She has a crush," Elliot said, without hesitation. “Kids her age are direct. Overconfident. Zero subtlety."
Kaari's ears twitched. “And you're just… okay with that?"
“She's a good kid," Elliot replied. “Smart. Focused. Excited about learning. And I'm not going to be the one who makes her feel like an idiot over something like that." His tone wasn't sharp, but it landed all the same — quiet, firm, like it didn't occur to him there was another option. “It's nothing serious."
Kaari's jaw tightened. “She kissed you."
“On the cheek," Elliot said. “Then nearly tripped over herself trying to escape the emotional consequences." He said it like he was giving a weather report. “It was textbook. Intensity spikes, poor judgment, immediate regret. By next week she'll be too embarrassed to speak in full sentences."
Kaari's ears twitched, she hated how reasonable he sounded.
“And if I'd shut her down," Elliot went on, “really shut her down, it wouldn't have taught her anything useful. It just would've made her feel small and I don't think that's fair when all I have to do is wait and let her figure it out."
Kaari didn't respond. Her tail flicked once, sharply, then stilled. She wasn't mad. Not exactly. But something was catching in her throat. Elliot stepped past her, heading toward his room.
“She'll grow out of it," he said over his shoulder. “They always do."
The door clicked softly behind him. Kaari stood there a moment longer, arms still folded, like she hadn't decided whether to move or flip the nearest piece of furniture. Because of course he'd noticed. Of course he saw Mira's big-eyed puppy routine for what it was. And he didn't buy into any of it. Didn't get flustered. Didn't play along. Just… understood it. Accepted it. Filed it under temporary.
And if he could see that... if he could understand that so easily... Her stomach turned, slow and sharp.
What if he'd seen everything else, too?
All the glances. The stupid lingering. The casual touches Kaari pretended were just about proximity. All of it. And maybe he'd filed her the same way. Just another passing thing. Another crush with an expiration date. She padded toward the couch and sat down hard. Kaari let out a breath through her nose, quiet and pissed...
She knew better.
Elliot wouldn't be that cold. He wasn't the type to string someone along or pretend not to notice just to avoid an awkward moment. If he'd known—really known—he'd have said something. Not to make it uncomfortable. Just to be clear, kind, and honest. She laughed under her breath. Perhaps that's why Kaari hasn't just outright told him how she felt. Just like that kid, he's innocent in his own weird way. Maybe if given enough time, eventually, he'll see the signs.
Doesn't mean it's not exhausting though.
“Grow out of it," she muttered, running a paw over her face. “Yeah. Good luck with that."