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It has been another hard day butting heads with rock-brained Oseram - a thought that both frustrated and cheered her. They were her people for all their faults, even if it took a hammer and anvil to smash a good idea into their skulls. Well, kinda because of that. Stubbornness was a strength as much as a flaw. But she was still glad to see a fresh face walk into her corner of the bar.
"Well, if it isn't my favourite flame-haired girl! Come here, sit down!" Petra patted the seat next to her enthusiastically as Aloy came over and sat down.
"Hello, Petra. It's been too long* she said, smiling comfortably. "And yes, before you ask, I think I will have a drink. Erend's been converting me to Oseram ale"
Petra turned to her with a grin. "You've been getting drunk with someone else? I'm hurt!" she smirked. "But I suppose I can forgive the girl who united the Tenakth, and the whole world with it - again!" She raised a tankard in approval, and took a long swig.
Aloy smiled back at her friend. "The Tenakth were already unifying themselves, I just took out some of the roadblocks on the way". Her face dropped a little. "And the world isn't saved yet. The threat is bigger than we even realised "
Petra put her hand on Aloy's leg. "You knock down a Scrapper, and there's a Sawtooth standing behind it. How's about you tell me the story?"
There was a lot to tell, and they continued drinking and we'll into the night as Aloy told her stories of her journeys in the West - although to hear her tell it, so matter of factly talking about the almost incomprehensible bygone world, you'd hardly tell know that she'd held the life I'd the planet in her hands. At times even Petra's flirtatious fire was banked.
"Hammer and Tongs, Aloy, that's quite a tale! Immortal Old Ones from the stars, a creature forged of their flaws following on behind them. " Her tone lightened. "Well, you've never shied away from the hard work, flame-hair!" She chuckled quietly. "But come, it's getting late and you need to rest!"
Aloy put down her tankard. "I should go back to the base, I've got so much I still have to -" she stopped talking as Petra took her hands in her own, the casual intimacy startling her into silence.
Petra's voice was warm. "Listen Aloy, you need to rest. If you just keep pushing yourself, you'll make mistakes - maybe fatal ones. I've seen many young smiths work themself too hard and hammer their own hand - and there was the idiot who blew up their entire forge."
She looked Aloy in the eyes, and received a slight blush in return. "I've got a spare bed at mine. You can get some sleep here tonight, away from your responsibilities. Take some time to yourself." Her tone turned flirtatious again as she let go of Aloy's hands. " Or you could join me in my bed, it's plenty big enough for two," she said with a smile and a wink.
Aloy sat back and rubbed her neck. "You know, I think you might be right. About needing a night away." She stretched her head to one side, hearing the crick. She sat quietly for a moment, considering. "Okay. I'll take you up in that offer".
The two of them stood up, and headed out into Chainscrape. "I think a change of scenery would be good," sighed Aloy. "And a change of bed".
Petra noted that she hadn't specified which bed.