Luke had always been the kind of person who saw the world through the lens of machinery. From the time he was a child, he would take apart his toys to understand how they worked and then put them back together with improvements he’d come up with. Growing up in a small town, he had limited access to resources, but his innate talent for mending led him to win science fairs and scholarships, ultimately winning him a scholarship to a prestigious engineering school.

Ellie, on the other hand, had a vastly different upbringing. She grew up in a military family and was raised with discipline, bravery, and the call to serve one’s country ingrained in her from a young age. Her father was a decorated soldier, and her mother worked as a nurse at the local military hospital. With such a background, it was no surprise when Ellie followed in her family’s footsteps, joining the army as soon as she graduated from high school.
Luke, now a mechanical engineer fresh out of college, had landed a job with a defense contractor. His expertise in creating innovative tools and equipment made him a valuable asset to the company. Meanwhile, Ellie had become a dedicated soldier, serving multiple deployments in various conflict zones. Her job was physically demanding, and the harsh conditions often left her hair dry, brittle, and prone to breakage.
It was a hot summer’s day when their paths finally crossed. Luke had been called to a military base to inspect some machinery he had designed for the troops. As he entered the base, he couldn’t help but admire the soldiers who marched with discipline and precision. It was then that he noticed Ellie, who stood out among her comrades, not just for her impressive military bearing but also for her distinctively frizzy hair. As Ellie marched past him, she couldn’t help but overhear Luke talking about the machinery he had designed. She was intrigued by the idea of someone so skilled in the mechanical arts. After the inspection, she approached Luke and introduced herself, curious about his work.

