Wrench became aware of a small, light weight resting on his chest—it was Bree. A strand of her red hair lay across her face, and her peaceful demeanor was almost too much for him to handle. He could wake up like this every day. If only he were man enough to ask her out.
As he admired her from above, Wrench gently brushed the strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. The small action caused her to stir slightly in her sleep, her body brushing against his. He froze. The feeling was electrifying—better than heaven itself. A soft smile curled on his lips as he gazed down at her petite figure resting in his arms. He had hugged her before, even slept beside her after a terrible nightmare, but this felt different—unintended yet blissfully intimate. He never wanted the moment to end.
His body felt like limp noodles—drained, yet at peace. Bree's presence gave him no reason to move. As he lay still, memories of the night before flickered through his mind. Her glasses, slightly misaligned from sleep, caught his attention. Carefully, he removed them and placed them on the coffee table. When he turned back, he noticed a scar above her eye. It was healed—clearly old—but it revealed something she must’ve kept hidden. The glasses made sense now. But to Wrench, she was beautiful. The scar only made her look more badass. Despite her imperfections, to him, she was an angel.
~
Bree began to stir awake, and Wrench’s body tensed. She rubbed her eyes, then suddenly paused and covered the one with the scar. Her gaze darted around, panicked, until her visible green eye locked with his. Tears began to well up in her eyes, silently dripping down her soft cheeks.
"My glasses…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
( ! ! )
"I didn’t see anything!" Wrench replied gently, but her voice rose, a trace of fear in her tone. He immediately placed her glasses in her hands and gave her space, quietly leaving the room.
~
Later, DedSec discovered that Prime_Eight had been doxing their members. Marcus uncovered an old recording from a payphone, and Bree’s name was on it. Wrench froze. If anyone dared to hurt her, they would have to go through him.
Once Marcus switched their info with Prime_Eight's, Wrench couldn’t help but ask, “Marcus, was my real name there?” Everyone turned to him. “Sure was, Reginald,” Marcus teased. Wrench’s eyes went wide. “What?!”
“Wrench is a Reggie?” Sitara chimed in, laughing. “Haha, he’s just messing with you,” Wrench said quickly, his voice nervous as he cleared his throat. “Or am I?” Marcus replied before abruptly ending the call, knowing full well he’d be hunted down for it later. “I’ll always trust a Marcus over a Reggie. Sorry, Reggie,” Sitara teased again.
“Fuck both of you,” Wrench muttered as he stormed off. He knew it was a risk asking, but curiosity got the better of him.
He’d always hated his name. His mother gave it to him to honor his father—a man who had died heroically in a confrontation with armed robbers. Though a decorated officer, his father was abusive. Wrench remembered the beatings vividly. His mother had either watched silently or walked away, lighting another cigarette while he suffered.
~
Wrench entered his garage and slammed the door behind him. He stormed over to his desk and shoved everything off, the clatter of metal echoing throughout the room. His breath became uneven, and his body shook. He tore off his mask and collapsed against the side of his desk, his hands on his chest, trying to breathe.
His thoughts went straight to Bree. Her warmth. The way her hair brushed his face. Her calm breathing. The softness of her voice. Everything about her grounded him. Yet he couldn’t stop thinking about how hurt she looked when she caught him without her glasses. What if he’d ruined everything?
He didn't see anything, she'd cover her wounded eye before he could even take a breath.
He exhaled shakily, the cold floor grounding him. Eventually, he wiped the tears from his face, replaced his mask, and got back to work—anything to distract his mind.
~
Later, as Wrench sat at his desk wiring components to expand his storage drive, the door creaked open. He looked up to find Bree stepping inside. She hesitated at first but slowly approached. The seat beside him squeaked as she sat down.
“I’m sorry,” Bree said quietly. Wrench stopped working and turned to face her. “Why?”
“For snapping at you this morning. It was stupid,” she murmured, her eyes cast downward. Wrench gently took her hands in his. “Not your fault,” he said softly. Then, lifting her chin, he met her gaze. Tears welled up behind her glasses, slipping down her cheeks. He reached up to wipe them away.
Their eye contact felt just like that morning—intense, unfamiliar, and deeply calming. Was this what love felt like?
Before Wrench could say anything more, Marcus burst into the room.
“Sitara told me to tell you there’s a mission, Bree,” he said, before walking out and closing the door behind him..Wrench rolled his eyes behind his mask as Bree rose from her seat. Just before she left, he gently grabbed her hand.
“I wasn’t upset with you. I just… don’t like the history behind my name,” he admitted under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear.
Then, slowly, Wrench removed his mask. His head dipped slightly in vulnerability. Bree stepped closer, cupping his face in her hands. Her thumb traced the birthmark over his eye. He tried to avert his gaze, but she leaned in and kissed it. Wrench’s eyes widened in surprise.
Bree smiled softly and turned to leave.
Wrench stood motionless, stunned. He was grateful his mask was off—otherwise, the emotes would have been nothing but hearts. He touched the spot where she kissed him, his chest filled with warmth and butterflies.
For the first time in a long while, Wrench cracked a genuine smile.
YOU ARE READING
Programed Love
Action[NOT FINISHED] DedSec is just a group of friends trying to make the world a better place. But what's safe with a little bit of havoc. A business called Blume is ruining our once great city. Now Bree and her friends are going to take them down, once...
