Once in the dark it occurred to Aiden that Carina wasn't just leaning over to help replace the cover â€“ they were physically wedged up against each other in the tiny space. This manhole was meant for one person, not two â€“ let alone a man and woman who were not romantically involved. The sudden, forced intimacy caused his blood pressure to spike and his face to turn beet red. He froze in place, momentarily overwhelmed with a heady cocktail of attraction and embarrassment. He hadn't had his chest pressed up against a womanâ€™s for a very long time, and he simply did not know what to do or say. Then a sense of fear shot through him, as he worried if perhaps Carina would feel taken advantage of under the circumstances. At that point he did everything in his power to maneuver sideways so that he was not pressing up against her in any inappropriate ways.<br/><br/>â€œI am so, so sorry aboutâ€¦ about this,â€ he mumbled as he contorted away from her, allowing her to slip out from under him. As she moved away the heat from below rushed past, making him feel like they were descending into a furnace.  â€œFrom the frying pan into the fire I guess,â€ he quipped, trying to change the subject. Throughout the exchange he avoided eye contact, completely embarrassed about the situation.<br/><br/>He quickly followed her as she scurried into the tunnel itself. The passage was somewhat wider than the manhole but not quite tall enough to stand up in. Still, Aiden was able to move past her without too much trouble. He preferred to take the lead in case they encountered any rodents along the way â€“ but he didn't explain as much to Carina. He figured she was probably freaked out enoughâ€¦<br/><br/>In single file they crawled down the tunnel â€“ illuminated faintly by their light bands. There was a bit more light coming off of Carinaâ€™s several bands, but overall there was enough for Aiden to see where he was going. The pipes to their left were new and well-insulated, so there wasn't any leaking hot water to deal with. Still, the air was stifling. Before long Aiden found himself drenched in sweat and parched. The end of the tunnel couldn't have come soon enough. There Aiden found only one problem â€“ another small manhole. He could sense Carina looking over his shoulder and coming to the same conclusion. He looked back at her apologetically. â€œI donâ€™t think I can move it quietly by myself.â€ His expression was sincerely apologetic as he again blushed bright red.