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[littletonoidea]

"This is the audio log of Communications Officer Doug Eiffel of the-- previously of the U.S.S Hephaestus, leave a message and I'll see if I can bear to drag myself away from whatever utterly engaging task I must be doing to not notice my comms--"

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[littletonoidea]

Okay. So. Let's try something.

[He nestles himself into the corner of the couch, getting himself comfy nice and quick (and makes sure the TV remote is in reach), and then he pats his lap with one hand.]

Here. Lay your head down, sister.

[junoit]

[She frowns. It takes a couple of tries and a couple of accidental elbows to unfortunate places before she's properly settled, but they get there. She's heavier than someone her size should be, but not heavy enough to be uncomfortable.

...It's kind of nice. Being snug against him, feeling his breathing under her, being absolutely sure he's alive and okay and there's not something wrong with her sensors, hiding the fact that he's dying. She closes her eyes to listen to his heartbeat.]

Crozier was... unhappy. I tried to explain how much restraint it took not to do worse. I don't think he got it. [She sighs heavily, having to pause and take some effort to open her eyes again. God, this thing had better not be on the fritz already.] I think you might be the only person that does.

[A pause that's not quite long enough for him to speak.] I'm really, really sorry I got upset with you.

[littletonoidea]

[When she finally gets settled in (and Eiffel stops cringing about the unfortunate elbows), he drapes an arm around Hera's shoulders, and lets his hand rest on her hair so he can gently comb his fingers through it.]

It's okay, Hera. You're still getting used to the whole having a body, and it feels... bad. When you see your friend doing something that feels like they're betraying you.

[He shifts so he can tuck his other hand behind his head and look down at her.]

But you can't just hurt people that make you feel that way. It's really easy for that to get out of hand, and if you kill someone - you're gonna get demoted. You're not gonna be a warden anymore.

[junoit]

[His hands in her hair are soothing, too. Her eyes close themselves, and she forces them back open.] I didn't... think anyone else would do anything about him. Yes, Wardens are responsible for their inmates, sure, but what does that even mean? I have absolutely no supporting data to suggest that Hilbert has ever had to pay for anything he's done. It feels like the first time might have been when you and Minkowski locked him in the observation deck. Good choice on her part, by the way.

[The 'by the way' is slightly mumbled as her eyes close again. She blinks a few times to open them, annoyed.] My eyes keep closing.

[littletonoidea]

Wardening is like... the same way the commander's responsible for us. You know? Sure we're annoying and frustrating, and she thinks we're absolutely god-awful at our jobs sometimes, but she still sticks up for us, you know? Cos someone's gotta.

[He leans to look at her closing eyes, and chuckles quietly.]

You haven't slept in two days, Hera. Organics kind of need to do that, or they go crazy. Just... let it happen.

[junoit]

[Her brows pinch as she frowns, but she doesn't fight her eyes open again. Everything feels sluggish, her processing slowed to a crawl. It takes an annoying degree of focus to speak clearly.]

I cried. That was weird.

[littletonoidea]

Yeah, crying's not fun. But you usually feel better afterward. It's how your body gets all the extra emotions out when it all gets too much.

[He keeps stroking her hair, tucking it behind her ear.]

What made you start crying?

[junoit]

Hilbert's warden. [She makes a slight face, letting her eyes stay closed but still wrinkling her nose and sticking out her tongue a little. It's not exactly a calculated expression, but it expresses her feelings pretty clearly.] I was so angry, and it--well, I guess it was too much. But he was nice about it after I started crying. I didn't even know that was what was happening at first. You know I've never seen tears? Never been able to detect them, not directly. Changes in breathing patterns, humidity in the vicinity of whoever's doing the crying, sure. But not the actual tears part.

[littletonoidea]

We're not exactly a very touchy-feely lot on our boat, either. Minkowski probably knows how to suck tears back into her face.

[Honestly, patting Hera is soothing for him as well, and he lets his head rest back on his arm.]

Sounds like you got overwhelmed, yeah. [He takes a moment to think about how his computer buddy might put it.] Too many processes running at once, right? It's like blue-screening. If you don't get enough sleep they happen a lot more often, 'cos you need sleep to, uh. Soft reset?

[junoit]

[She makes a softly amused noise. It's a murmur of sound, really, probably only audible because of how close they are.] I know why people need to sleep, Eiffel. I've just never had to... do it.

[She can't tell if her words sound so loose and elastic because her audio is going cockeyed as everything slows down inside her, or if it's because talking in general is taking more and more effort.

There's a few seconds where she's almost out, hovering on the edge of soft oblivion, and something in the feeling jolts her awake in sluggish panic. She breathes in sharply, sitting up a little against him before she realizes their status is exactly what it was thirty seconds ago. Hera relaxes again slowly, unsettled.] What does falling asleep feel like?

[littletonoidea]

[He feels her jolt as she startles awake, and his arm around her gives a quick squeeze to reassure her.]

Well, it's called 'falling' for a reason. Like the rest of the world goes quiet for a bit, and you kinda fall backwards in your own head, to this deep, dark place. And then you don't really feel anything, for a while. Couple of hours, usually. But you always wake up again.

[junoit]

[She shivers, which is its own small strange experience.] I don't like it.

[littletonoidea]

You'll feel better afterwards. [He shifts so he can offer his hand, last finger extended.] Pinky swear.

[junoit]

[Another little snort, and she wrinkles her nose at the feeling. So weird.

Still, she hooks her pinky around his, watching the way they curve over each other with muzzy fascination.] It's not so bad. The having a body thing. I mean, it's not great, but it's... interesting.

[Her eyes close again and she lets them, starting to slide into that interior floating space she touched the edges of before. Mumbled:] Please don't leave. Not until I wake up.

[littletonoidea]

[He wraps both arms around her, and gives her another squeeze.]

I'm right here, darling. I'll always be right here.

[junoit]

[Her pinky goes loose over his, eyelids fluttering slightly as she slides past the metaphorical point of no return.]

You're my best friend too.

[Then she's out.]