Aradia bounced up to the door of her matesprit's hive stem, dark hair and skirt flowing from the motion. She rapped on the door softly. Her large eyes stared at the door in expectancy, only to narrow in confusion when the male didn't answer. Aradia puffed out her cheeks.
"Sollux? You there?" she called, pressing her ear to the door. She knocked again. No response. "Alright, I'm coming in."
The rust blood opened the door softly. It was dark inside the hive stem, save for the little light passing between the shades. Aradia took off her shoes and stepped nimbly over the wires cluttering the floor. She almost tripped a few times, but managed to keep her footing. Who knows what Sollux would do if she broke a cable.
She reached the door to his respiteblock, slightly out of breath. She pressed her pointed ear to the door. The sound of tapping and clicking, as well as several loud curses, could be heard on the other side. She giggled softly to herself.
The female opened the door just enough to peek at her matesprit, who was currently sitting at his computer with headphones over one of his ears, shouting profanities at the screen. She smiled and walked into the dark room, picking up her skirt and carefully stepping over the cables. Aradia stopped directly behind the mustard blood and leaned down to where her lips were almost level with the ear that wasn't covered. "Boo!"
Sollux jolted sharply and turned to face the laughing girl after pausing his game. "Dangit, AA, that wa'th mean!" he snarled, placing his headphones on the desk.
"Well, I had to do something. Karkat's been trying to get ahold of you for hours. How long have you been in here? Three days?" she replied, glancing over the respiteblock. Empty grub boxes were everywhere, and clothing littered the floor where the cables didn't. She placed her hands on her hips and returned her gaze to the bicolored-eyed troll.
Sollux rubbed the back of his neck. "Um, ju'tht two.. I think.." The male placed his glasses next to the discarded headphones and rubbed his red and blue orbs. He yawned. "What time i'th it anyway'th?"
"I don't know exactly; It's getting late though."
"Fine; ju'tht let me fini'th thi'th game." Sollux turned his chair back around and put his headphones and glasses back on. Aradia sat down on his lap and snaked her arms around his neck. This was the way their game worked. The mustard blood smirked, placing his arms on either side if the girl's torso and restarted the game.
"Hey, Sollux?" she asked after he had been playing for a while.
"Yeah?"
"What are you even playing?"
"Cull of Order: Grub'th. I figured you would know that by now."
Aradia sighed and placed her cheek against the Sollux's forehead, being careful to avoid his horns. Only the monotonous sound of spraying bullets and Sollux's occasional whispered verbal abuse broke the silence.
Eventually he turned off the game. "There. Now, wa'th that th'o bad?" he inquired, tilting back just enough to bring Aradia's tired face into his peripheral.
"How do you do this for days?" she replied, blinking owlishly to remoisten her dry eyes.
The male troll removed his headphones and glasses again and chuckled. "I don't know; I gue'th I ju'tht do." He kissed her temple before picking her up and carrying her over to his recuperacoon. "You can th'tay the night if you want."
The rust blood clung to his neck and hummed her approval. He chuckled again before laying her in it gently. The sopor slime felt cool against her skin, where it was exposed, at least. He followed suit shortly after.
He grinned and wrapped his arms around her frame. "You know you'll have to wa'th your clothe'th tomorrow, right?"
Aradia snuggled closer to him. "I think I'll survive," she murmured before drifting off to sleep.