⍟ Broken Strings {A Chaos Theory x Male Reader Story - Yasmina}

𝟺. 𝙲𝚝𝚛𝚕 + 𝙵

"Here!" Brooklyn suddenly perks up, pointing out the window, "Go right!"

Y/N twists the wheel and slows to a stop in the yellowing grass in front of a large metal structure.

"This must be the outpost Dr. Wu was talking about." Darius hums.

"Okay, I'll make sure the coast is clear." Kenji decides, turning to get out before realizing Brooklyn is sitting between him and the door--awkwardly bumping into the girl in question, "Oh, uh..."

"It's fine." Brooklyn clears her throat, "I'll check."

"Me too." Darius adds, rushing to follow her out.

As the two of them skulk around outside, Y/N glances to his right, where Yasmina sits, staring out the window. It seems like she feels his gaze since she turns around almost instantly.

"Hi." She gives a small, earnest smile.

"Hi." Y/N almost laughs, the awkwardness of the situation taking over him when he remembers Sammy's sitting between them.

"All clear." Brooklyn suddenly calls, her and Darius shooting the others double thumbs up.

"Ooo, here we are, bud." Ben coos, stroking Smoothie's chin as the rest of them head outside.

"Weird place to have backup servers." Sammy comments, looking around the secluded spot.

Yaz nods, "We told Wu the same thing."

"Dodgson thinks he's so sneaky keeping them out here, doesn't he, Smoothie?" Ben tsks, "But he's no match for us!"

"Can you say, 'Bye-bye Project Theropod Axis! Get ready to meet your end!'" Kenji requests zestfully.

"Kenji!" Y/N mock-scolds, "Don't be such a bad influence."

"Your papa is right, Smoothie." Sammy tickles the dinos tummy as Kenji wanders off, "That good-for-nothing Dodgson shoulda helped us find Bumpy when he had the chance!"

"We got a console here!" Kenji hollers, pressing the down button on a keypad attached to the outpost's wall.

The upper part of the console slowly comes down like an elevator, revealing a ladder to climb up onto the platform. One by one, the group heads up the ladder and into the outpost, not letting down their guard once inside.

Y/N takes his time, tapping every screen he walks past to check for any clue that'll help them find what they're looking for. Eventually, he stumbles across a door and opens it suspiciously.

On the other side there's rows of healthy green plants, a heavy contrast to almost everything else in the outpost.

"I swear, if Dr. Wu sent us on a wild goose chase..." Ben trails in behind him, chuckling bitterly to himself.

"What if it's just... hidden?" Yasmina suggests, "They wouldn't leave their precious data in plain sight, right?"

"Yeah!" Sammy nods eagerly, "Maybe the refrigerators are, like, a secret door, or something." She rushes for the plant fridges.

"Oo, yeah!" Yaz rushes to search them as well.

"You guys are ridiculous." Y/N can't help but chuckle as the girls rummage around looking for some secret passageway.

"It was worth a shot!" Yaz pops up with a grin.

"Hey, don't move..." Y/N pauses, slowly reaching out to pick some stray leaves from his girlfri... Yasmina's hair, "You're practically sprouting a whole tree."

Yaz clears her throat, though it doesn't hide the flustered expression on her face as she tucks a strand of her bangs behind her ear, "Thanks, uhm, Y/N."