Work Text:
A dull thump distracted Lee from the terminal in his hands. Noting a familiar weight on his shoulder, he tensed up, eyes darting to his side.
Their hair matted against his coat, his Commandant’s body had gone limp. He didn’t have to scan their signals to tell that they passed out in the middle of their work — the work they were supposed to handle together. Lee sighed, but his expression only softened.
He should set them down on the couch so they could rest comfortably. A rush of vital fluid creeped up his neck and ears when Lee lowered his head instead.
Lee gazed at their lashes, their slightly parted lips, the steady rise and fall of their chest. The draft of their mission log was slipping out of their lax hands, while all the stress that clung to their brow had vanished. An airy sensation fluttered between his conduits at the sight.
He flexed his hand once, twice. Lee carefully took the draft from them, not without brushing their fingers with his metallic ones first. He soaked up every drop of warmth from the fleeting touch, guilty, fondly. There was a vague hope somewhere in his logic circuit, that the Commandant trusted him enough to put their head on his shoulder, and that it was no coincidence they chose him rather than the rest of the couch.
“Commandant,” Lee whispered. His simulated breath caught in his throat when they pressed closer to him. A bright flush spread across his face.
Closing his eyes, Lee bunted his Commandant with his head, nuzzling them back, as gently as he could. They were safe now, at peace, right by his side. His cheek brushed against their hair. The corner of his lips grazed their forehead. He heard the Commandant hum in their sleep.
Lee went rigid then; how could he forget himself like that?
He cleared his throat, slowly straightening his back. Ignoring the sudden heat circulating across his entire frame, Lee checked the Commandant for any sign of discomfort. How tired were they, he wondered, for them to have relaxed even further?
Lee turned his terminal back on, resuming where they left off. Just this once, if he could finish their tasks for them, maybe they could rest a bit longer.
Maybe they could stay with him a bit longer like that too. He wouldn't mind that at all.