Work Text:
Bzzt, bzz, bzzt.
Commandant Ayu’s slender hand silenced the personal terminal snug in her coat pocket. Nothing was more important now than being the face of diplomacy for Babylonia across the scattered conservation areas of Earth. If the matter were urgent, it would have been sent straight away to her tactical terminal or an encrypted channel.
With dreary, hollowed eyes, she convinced humans to relocate to a new conservation area free of the Punishing Virus around the transformed Heteropolymer Tower with her team captain, Lucia. Ayu was unhappy to do such interactive work like this, as it was not her forte to dive into the art of negotiation. It was a blessing to have someone like Lucia tether her down—otherwise, the pains of constant arguing would suck a few more years of life out of her.
“Commandant," Lucia said. "We have three more areas to visit before nightfall. How are you feeling?”
Ayu tightened up her ponytail, the scalp tension slightly waking her. “People could be a little... nicer.”
“It’s not easy deciding whether or not to move house at a split notice.” She stared at Ayu’s noncommittal smile and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Let me know if you get tired, we don't have to rush this."
Even though the threat of the Corrupted and Hetero-Creatures around these areas was minimal, their spirits must not wear down by the hostilities of unwilling conservation area citizens. The pair continued, advancing door to door, shelter to shelter, canvassing and persuading there is hope found around the Tower. Sometimes they met with door slams in the face. Other times, people felt convinced just by seeing the heroes of Babylonia right in front of them. It was simple enough to many of them—why would such celebrated beings come out to the sticks when there could have been more 'worthy' things for them to do on the front lines? Whatever reason the two met with, it was enough for them as long as they instilled these thoughts.
Weeks passed in a second as the duo slowly moved to each conservation. It reminded the commandant of her days in F.O.S., where one month flew by from all the training and studying forced upon all. The two would have to return to Babylonia soon and then go for another round on a different side of the world, continuing to lessen the number of scattered settlements for strategic purposes.
Ayu’s personal terminal fell out of her coat pocket one night as they settled into their temporary shelter. She absentmindedly picked it up, only for Lucia to address it. “Commandant, we have some free time,” she said, gesturing to check the terminal. “I forwarded a report to Liv and Lee on our recent progress, but have you contacted them recently? I noticed you rarely opened your terminal since we landed here over a month ago... This isn't like you.”
Ayu froze in place. She hastily turned to face Lucia and began fidgeting with her sleeve buttons. “I, uh… I know it’s common sense to check-in. This kind of work is just...”
She silently backtracked on what occurred the past month. Not one word was sent to her other squad members.
“Give me a moment, Lucia. I’ll be back!” She bolted out of the shelter, not giving a second for Lucia to reply as she stared on, yelling out for her.
Ayu sat on a bench, scanning the surroundings to ensure she was alone before clicking on her terminal. The battery was at 2% and flickering from the cracks formed from dropping it on the concrete. Several messages were unread, but she only primed herself to look for the names of Liv or Lee. Her fingers twitched, and her teeth were ready to bite through her lower lip as she scrolled. An audio message caught her eye and she fell motionless.
"January fourteenth," she read. "It's been fifteen days already, and it's from..." Without a moment to waste, she played the audio file. Out of the crackling speakers came a young man's reposeful voice.
“Commandant, it's me, Lee. It's been a long time since I've heard from you.
“All is well with Liv, and she’s eager for Lucia’s and your return. In the meantime, she has been busying herself aiding in the Star of Life.
“It's usually quiet here even when everyone’s around, but this kind… is different.
“You once told me that all problems can be solved in the end. But right now, there are many things I can't do.
“I can't even build a model to conduct an experimental trial run.
"...One where I can find a way to bring someone back who is now busy in some part of the world.
“You would say that you haven't been away for long. But, I don't think so.”
A brief moment of silence was followed by his near-inaudible sigh, almost concealed by the crackling speakers.
“I think it's about time for you to come back already.
“Your room is still the same… everything is left untouched.
“Although, I think that the placement of some things is a bit strange… but, since it's you, it's normal.
“So you'll be back soon, right?”
Unseen tension formed as if he were hesitating to say something more. The stillness broke with his awkward cough.
“Well… I just wanted t—”
The terminal lights flickered wildly and shut off. Ayu was stunned, blankly staring at the ground where the holo-projection was once above. I am too shameful, she thought to herself. The chilly winter breeze brought a shiver down her spine, and she returned to Lucia with no hurry.
“Commandant?” Lucia asked, briskly typing away at a report. “What happened? You look like you saw a ghost.”
“Um... when can we return?”
She didn’t want to bother asking if Lucia had anything to repair her terminal with. It would only be worse seeing the rest of the messages of whom she neglected, nor did she want to use a different terminal. It was a selfish act, but she used the excuse of her duties to hide all her feelings away.
“We're ready to depart tonight, Commandant. I can’t wait to see the others again… And maybe if we’re lucky, there’d be a place to stop by for some souvenirs for them before we go.”
The return journey felt longer than ever when it was always the same old route. As Ayu was nodding off to sleep, the turbulence of the transport craft bounced her back awake. After nearly an hour of this constant back and forth, the pair returned to their base.
Any place, even the tiles on the bathroom floor would have been fine to collapse on as long as it was a safe place to rest. Still, Ayu headed straight into her room after seeing Lucia off and readying herself for bed. Feeling dizzy, she turned on the lights and the comfortable familiarity of her messy abode greeted her. A proper night's sleep was finally within reach, duly postponing the need to address the elephants in the room.
Confusion washed over when she fully laid eyes on her bed, seeing something on top of it. It wasn't a crumpled bedsheet, nor was it a hallucination. She rubbed her eyes and gasped in disbelief as a familiar shape took form. A beige-haired individual was sound asleep and unmoving in her domain, not his.
She quietly crept over, hoping not to disturb his slumber. The mess in her room was finally a bane to her existence as thick hard-covered books and stacks of documents strewed around. Liv’s nagging to clean up began to haunt the recesses of her mind with each step taken in the dim light. It was an obstacle course in not slipping or stubbing a toe, or crashing down onto a sharp corner in the cramped space.
She caught him tightly gripping her pillow, face nestled into it. It was as if she were gazing at an abandoned pup curled up in its box, clinging to its comfort during a harsh rainstorm. Despite him already looking so peaceful and content with what he had, it only made her feel worse. The longer her radio silence was, the more he could excuse himself to gamble the probability of doing these strange things secretly.
“Who’s the child now?” she whispered. “I can’t be away for too long.”
She sat on the bed and began to inspect his condition. It was a little cramped, but still enough to comfortably fit two without falling over. The lights on his body were dim, and he was colder than usual to the touch. She felt his frozen cheek as she sensed hers heat up. There was no response, as expected. His ignorance of this moment continued, but she at least hoped he noticed it subconsciously or in a dream.
Rational thinking was slipping away, and the thought of shaking him awake and shooing him out emerged. She grimaced at the absurdity, as he never deserved any of that shaming. Nothing else would come to mind as she sat, focusing on his still profile. Watching the intricate motions of a construct's 'breathing' gently quieted her last remaining thoughts.
It’s my bed after all… she thought to herself. I’m just going to do what I’m supposed to here… which is sleep. Whether I am alone or not.
She carefully pulled the long pillow away from his embrace and propped it up to fit both of them, substituting herself for where it once was. As she fluffed the pillow and turned off the lights, her stomach sank to the floor when she felt him pull just a little closer. Every muscle of hers tensed up in a daze, but he did not wake. It was only him squeezing what his body still thought was a simple pillow. Immense dizziness surfaced as reality tried to knock at her questionable decisions each second. But against this all, anyone can barge into the sight—even Nikola himself—and she would see no problem right now in her trance. She inched nearer to take one final look at his calm expression gently lit by his small lights, and all faded to black.