As far back as he can remember, Tim has always been curious about the way the world works. As he got older, he got more curious about concepts and ideas. Eventually, his schooling became more geared towards inventing.

When he was 14, he entered the most prestigious science and engineering academy that he could find, and was immediately enrolled. Being the third child, he wasn't necessary for politics nor was he required to prove himself. He was mostly allowed to live his life as he chose. And he chose science.

When he was sixteen, he graduated from his academy and found a great scientist to apprentice under. But it came with a catch. His childhood rival had also been accepted into the apprenticeship.

Tim had always been intimidated by you. Every discovery he made, you had a better one. You had a sharp retort for everything he had to say. You matched him intellectually, and on the sparring mats. It was infuriating. It was attractive.

The two of you always had this unspoken tension. You’d crack a joke, and he would be scrambling to follow it up with something clever, but he could never quite get it right. You’d always be ahead. Tim would go back to his lab and spend hours perfecting his calculations, and you? You’d breeze through it all, making everything look effortless.

"I’m telling you, this design needs more insulation around the core," Tim insists, his voice rising slightly in frustration as he looked at the blueprint on the work bench. "If we don’t account for the thermal expansion, the whole thing could fail under stress!" Their assignment had been an improvement on a simple wheel design, and the two of you couldn't even agree on it.