#The full vers will be posted on Ao3 when im done

[mossyfig]

My Heart's an Autoclave

Trudy/Kelsey fic sample

A deep breath.

A step back.

A beautiful throw.

16 pounds of hard rubber THUNK onto the lane.

The anticipation, and dread, of the roll down the aisle. 

Your decision has been made, all left to do now is watch.

Kelsey’s ball slams into the pins, and it's a strike! 

She can't help but punch the air in joy as she turns around to see all the rest of her team celebrating… except for Trudy. 

Tony is whistling (it's hard to clap with a whiskey in hand), Francis and BB are cheering for her, but Trudy is just looking down at her lap. Kelsey’s feelings aren't hurt, she’s a woman with thick skin, but her best friend is usually very enthusiastic. It's one of the things Kelsey loves about her. In an, of course, friendly and platonic and proper way. 

Kelsey works on finishing her frame, and considers what could be affecting Trudy so. This was their first bowling tournament as a team since all the Peachyville chaos finally settled out. Trudy (finally) was free of Tucker for good, and while her friends were nothing but happy, perhaps it had been harder on Trudy herself. Why wouldn't it be? She's never been independent in any way before this, and of course Trudy would pretend everything was fine! She was programmed to never complain! That absolute…jackass that built her better be ashamed of himself. But Kelsey found shame building in herself too. Perhaps She didn't support her friend the way she should’ve in the aftermath. If she had, maybe Trudy wouldn't be feeling so distant right now! She finishes the turn, an unremarkable one, and sits down next to Trudy

“Are you alright?” Kelsey sounds earnest and gentle, just as she intended to.

“Why no, Kelsey I don't think I am!” Replies Trudy, her voice both chipper and… confused?

“Oh no dear, I am so so sorry, I’m sure you're still so broken up about T-” 

“No! No no no! That's not at all what I meant.” she says, all sugar and singsong, “I think there is something wrong with my ticker.” 

When Kelsey learned the truth of Trudy’s existence, she couldn't help but be curious. It’s not something one brushes off casually. Specifically, what could they do if Trudy was hurt, or broken? She can't go to a doctor, maybe since Tony is good with cars he might know a little, but the idea of him messing with her machinery, even if for a good reason, made Kelsey's skin crawl. 

Tucker is the only one that knows how to fix her. But she would rather drag his lifeless body one-thousand miles through the Sahara than make Trudy see him again. Honestly though, that’s what learning to engineer feels like anyway.