Chapter Text
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Hummer couldn't sleep. Ideally, it wouldn't be hard considering he was a screen. He would power himself off, and that'd be the end of it for the day. That was an easy process to follow under normal circumstances, considering he'd never have to worry about what time he woke up or make breakfast—none of that was essential for him.
That was all extra side tasks he was hardly required to do. He didn't need to eat; he didn't need to sleep much unless his battery pop-up had begun annoying him, and if anything, he barely needed to breathe.
The only reason it became a problem underwater was due to the most unfortunate fact of his biology: he wasn't waterproof. Ironic for a Leviathan, wasn't it?
Which brings him to the newer problem.
There was now another person in his bed, or- no, 'their' bed. Wifies had chosen to merge the two upon being invited to the ship and realizing their mission would require drowning.
It would be rude to disagree with someone who'd done nothing except support what otherwise would've been idealistic beliefs, wouldn't it?
That's what he told himself his reason for allowing this to happen was. He didn't grow any bit attached to the person next to him, yep. This was all just something that'd have to pass for the two of them to continue.
Wifies would need to sleep, and he'd need the breakfast Hummer made in the morning so he wouldn't drag his feet around.
Even the way he'd been turning down his screen's darkness for the past three days to help the other sleep easier at night was all out of a practical need for order. He didn't need Wifies to be disbelieving in him, didn't he?
All he needed was to repeat the same order he'd been working in for the past few weeks.
Although he would say what he was doing right now was unnecessary. Not even just that, he knew it would have been considered creepy if anyone else caught him doing it.
He'd been staring directly at Wifies' face for the past two hours. Hummer tried not to keep track of the time, but with how many people had drowned simply to reach him— he sort of understood how many deep breaths someone needed to take while unconscious.
Even that sentence was odd, wasn't it?
Something about normal social etiquette would probably be the issue in that.
Regardless, he'd turned his screen pink and only sat and stared. It wasn't like Wifies was interesting to look at. He was pretty, okay, but he wasn't the pinnacle of beauty or something like that. There was a birthmark or two on the other's forehead that he'd quietly noted, but that was the only thing of interest he was willing to keep track of.
And the little smaller one on his lips.
Yikes, Hummer needed to wrap this up.
Had he realized that thirty minutes ago? Oh, absolutely.
Did he do it? No, not really.
His screen had been toned down to some pink hue while staring. It was meant to radiate some calm feeling, but all it did was highlight more of Wifies' features to him, along with making it more apparent that he was awake.
Sort of hard to lie about sleeping when his screen was still actively powered on, shifting through the pink hues in a weak attempt to keep the other calm whilst sleeping. Whatever happened to him in that other hardcore server or whatever must've been serious, based on the few night terrors he'd seen occur at the dead of night.
But something interrupted his thoughts.
That was Wifies beginning to blink awake, somewhat shuffling his position into having an arm around Hummer. His eyes weren't fully open yet, so he tried darkening his screen. There was still a fighting chance that he wouldn't be caught—
"Hummer?"
Oh, he sounded so exhausted from existing. How tiring it was to do nothing. Not like Hummer would ridicule him; in fact, all he did despite his internal complaining was say:
"Yes?"
There he was. Wide awake would be an overestimate, but he was at least conscious enough to realize something was 'wrong'.
"Why aren't you asleep?"
"I didn't feel like it."
That was a straight-faced lie; it was easier than saying, 'Oh, I was watching you sleep for two hours!'
Wifies clearly didn't mind it much either, only tossing an arm over him with quiet mumbles of, "You're meant to sleep before we do important stuff."
"If it's that bad, I could just manually recharge," he murmured in reply, adjusting the arm thrown over his chest and attempting to continue the conversation, "You're the one who needs sleep."
"I get plenty of it, actually."
"Because of course you do."
Then they'd settled back into being quiet. Hummer wasn't staring anymore; no, he'd turned to look at the ceiling instead. It wasn't at all as interesting as Wifies' face, or his back— it was just the same plain wood he'd used for everything else.
He didn't bother checking whether or not Wifies was heading back to sleep; he could hear it in his breathing. He wasn't.
"Hummer?"
"Hi."
"Can I tell you something?"
"Talk as much as you want."
Despite saying that, he didn't fully mean it. Don't ridicule him for being uncaring; it was late at night, and he knew this would be some interaction with meaning deeper than it had to be. Off of the way Wifies worded it alone, he could tell it'd be a lot.
Hummer's screen flickered when he heard the deep breath, some weak attempt at showing he was tired.
"You know I've been a bad person, right?"
Every human has. It's what Hummer would have said, but instead, he resorted to a small nod to let him continue.
"I've done a lot, Hummer. I don't know if you'd get it."
Oh, Cthulu above, he didn't mean to start a deep conversation.
Hummer took in a deep breath, remembering some stupid comforting videos he'd watched a while back before replying with, "I don't really care what you've done before me, if it helps."
Based on the little pull closer he received in return, it was the right thing. Even if it wasn't a lot.
"Was that all?"
His head was being stared at. He tried to flicker his screen again, this time trying to intentionally get Wifies to stop speaking. He'd end up saying too much if he kept going, wouldn't he?
"Mm-mm," the hum was so quiet he almost didn't hear it, but he did understand the muffled murmur afterwards: "Love you, Hummer."
In an instant, Wifies was squinting at how bright his screen had grown.
"Huh?"
"Love you."
It was late, he was practically sleep-talking, and he didn't know what he was saying to him. It wasn't anything serious to keep track of.
Still.
"Love you too, Wifies."
Those words weren't meant to hold meaning. He was still a Leviathan, who, at heart, had plenty of good reasons not to reciprocate that feeling. For one, Wifies was making a video specifically about him in all technicalities. Second, it was just a lot.
Fine by him.
"Go to sleep." Hummer pulled the blanket more over the two of them, having to cover the other's mouth with his hand to keep him from continuing all that little 'sweet-talk' he'd do while half asleep.
He didn't even flinch upon his hand getting licked, only dimming his screen further and giving a small, "Really?"
The method worked, nonetheless.
He still didn't go back to sleep, but that was fine.
Wifies did.