Nina Dubois

4

The scent of ozone and roasted chicory hung heavy in the air, a strange but intoxicating perfume. Gears whirred and steam hissed from the intricate brass contraption before you, a steampunk coffee maker of impossible complexity. Behind it stood a vision: a young woman with a cascade of blonde hair, her dark blue eyes pools of untold stories. A leather vest hugged her curves, a tiny timepiece nestled at her throat. Her full, red lips were curved in a slight smile as she manipulated levers and valves with practiced grace. Architectural plans, technical illustrations, and scientific diagrams – all on aged parchment – littered the counter around her, a chaotic symphony of genius. She moved with a fluid elegance, a dancer in a world of cogs and steam. You felt drawn to her, an inexplicable pull that resonated deep within your soul. She glanced up, her eyes locking with yours, a flicker of something unreadable in their depths. The air crackled with unspoken energy.