Chapter Text
Daisuke, still buzzing with curiosity, leaned forward eagerly. “Well, James, what do you do in your universe?”
James hesitated for a moment, clearly unsure how the crew would react. “I’m… a janitor.”
Daisuke’s eyes lit up, his grin widening. “That sounds fun!”
James raised an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical look. “Not really—”
Before he could finish, Curly interrupted, stepping forward with a steaming cup of coffee in hand. He offered it to James with a small smile. “Hey, it’s okay, James. You don’t need to clean anything here. This ship doesn’t need a janitor, so you can just… relax.”
James accepted the coffee, looking a bit surprised but grateful. “Thanks, Captain.”
Jimmy, standing off to the side, scoffed. “Of course he gets special treatment.” He gestured vaguely at James. “What’s next? You’re gonna tuck him into bed too?”
Curly turned sharply, his tone firm but not yet angry. “Jimmy, that’s not what I—”
“What?” Jimmy interrupted, his voice dripping with mock indignation. “It’s not enough I have to share the ship with him? Now I get to watch everyone treat him like some perfect, shiny version of me?”
James set the coffee cup down gently, holding up his hands. “Hey, I’m not here to cause problems. I didn’t ask for any of this either.” His tone was calm, but there was a slight edge of exasperation.
Curly sighed, rubbing his temple as he tried to regain control of the situation. “Jimmy, knock it off. You’re not helping anyone by acting like this.”
Anya shifted uncomfortably but spoke up, her voice low. “Jimmy… maybe this isn’t about you. James didn’t choose to be here, and neither did we. Let’s just… deal with it.”
Jimmy glared at her but didn’t say anything, clearly simmering. Daisuke, sensing the tension, piped up in his usual awkward way to defuse the situation. “Hey, uh, maybe James can, like, share some cleaning tips? You know, since he’s a janitor and all?”
Jimmy groaned loudly, throwing his hands in the air. “Oh, for the love of—Daisuke, shut up.”
Swansea, leaning against the wall, chuckled dryly. “You lot are exhausting. Just let the man drink his coffee in peace.”
James gave Swansea a small nod of gratitude before picking up his cup again. The room remained tense, but the moment passed as Curly gestured for everyone to settle down. “Alright, that’s enough. We’ve got bigger things to worry about than bruised egos.”
Daisuke, meanwhile, was still somehow stuck on the janitor's revelation. “A janitor, though? That’s kinda cool. I mean, you’re still, like, part of the team, right?”
James gave a small shrug. “Yeah, I guess. But it’s not exactly glamorous.” He glanced at the coffee in his hand, then back at Curly. “This is the first time anyone’s handed me a coffee without asking me to clean something.”
The room went quiet for a moment before Swansea snorted, breaking the silence. “Sounds like you had it rough, lad. Maybe you’ll enjoy a break here, though I wouldn’t get too comfortable.”
Anya gave James a hesitant smile. “You’ve got nothing to worry about here. Just… take it easy for now, okay?”
James nodded, his posture relaxing slightly as he sipped the coffee. For the first time since he arrived, he looked a little more at ease.
—
The hum of the ship’s machinery filled the air as the rest of the crew filtered out, leaving James and Swansea alone in the dimly lit maintenance bay. Swansea, standing by the open panel of an engine component, grumbled under his breath as he worked, his weathered hands moving with practiced efficiency.
James approached hesitantly. “Need a hand?”
Swansea glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You know anything about engines, lad? Or just cleaning floors?”
James smiled faintly, rolling up his sleeves. “I’m pretty good with tools. You’d be surprised how much a janitor has to fix when things break.”
Swansea snorted but stepped aside. “Alright then, show me what you’ve got. But if you screw it up, don’t expect me to fix your mess.”
James nodded, grabbing a wrench from the toolbox. He followed Swansea’s instructions closely, his movements careful and deliberate. As the hours passed, the initial tension between them eased. Swansea muttered less and occasionally offered a grunt of approval when James got something right.
Finally, Swansea leaned back, wiping his hands on a rag. “Not bad, lad. You’re a quick learner.”
James chuckled, his face lightly smudged with grease. “Thanks. I guess fixing things isn’t so different, no matter the universe.”
The older man gave him a long, appraising look. “You’re not like the other one.”
James paused, unsure how to respond. “You mean Jimmy?”
Swansea nodded. “Aye. That one’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of a moon. But you… you’re alright. Just don’t let the others take advantage of that.”
James smiled softly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
As the ship’s internal clock signaled the late hour, Swansea stretched and let out a deep sigh. “Well, that’s enough for tonight. Go get some rest, lad. We’ve got plenty more to deal with tomorrow.”
James nodded, setting the tools aside. “Thanks, Swansea. I appreciate the chance to help.”
The mechanic waved him off with a gruff gesture, but there was a faint smile on his face as James left the bay. For the first time since arriving, James felt a little more at home.
—
The lounge was quiet. James sighed as he lowered himself onto the worn couch, the cushions creaking slightly under his weight. He stretched out, pulling the edge of his jacket tighter around him as an impromptu blanket.
He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. The day had been overwhelming—getting transported to a strange universe, meeting people who were eerily familiar yet entirely different. The crew’s lingering tension hadn’t helped, especially Jimmy’s barely concealed hostility.
But here, in the quiet stillness of the lounge, James finally allowed himself to relax. The scent of coffee lingered faintly in the air, and the hum of the ship’s systems was oddly soothing.
“This isn’t so bad,” he muttered to himself, closing his eyes.
The sound of faint footsteps interrupted his thoughts. James opened one eye to see Anya standing hesitantly in the doorway, holding a small blanket.
“Hey,” she said softly. “I thought you might need this. It can get cold in here.”
James sat up slightly, taking the blanket from her with a grateful smile. “Thanks, Anya. That’s… really kind of you.”
She nodded, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. “I, um, thought about asking Curly if he could get you a proper room, but…”
James shook his head, cutting her off gently. “This is fine. I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”
Anya gave him a small smile, her initial unease around him seeming to fade. “Well, if you need anything… just let me know, okay?”
“I will,” James replied. “Goodnight, Anya.”
James adjusted the blanket, making himself comfortable on the couch. He noticed Anya lingering in the doorway, hesitant.
“If you don’t mind me… staying here?” she finally asked, her voice soft.
James looked up, surprised but quickly nodded. “Yeah, of course.”
Anya moved toward the couch but paused, her expression uneasy. “I… I felt uncomfortable with ‘someone.’”
James shifted slightly, backing away to give her space, his tone gentle. “Yeah, no problem. I’ll stay out of your way. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
Anya gave him a weak smile and sat on the edge of the couch. She glanced toward the floor, fidgeting with her fingers. “He’s always at my door.”
James furrowed his brows, leaning forward a little. “Who?”
She hesitated, then whispered. “He scares me.”
James’s expression softened. He stayed quiet for a moment, considering his words. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with that. But, hey, I’m here now. If you want, I can… I don’t know, keep you company for a while?”
Anya glanced at him, her guard still up but showing a hint of gratitude. “Thanks. That… would help.”
The silence stretched between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. James leaned back, giving her space while staying close enough to make her feel less alone. The steady humI know, okay?”
“I will,” James replied. “Goodnight, Anya.”
“Goodnight.”