The deactivation process was at 54 percent and they had been in the same position for nearly an hour now. Birkhoff felt his arm starting to cramp and he needed to change his position. They hadn't been talking for a while and the silence was getting to him. As he switched the arm holding the device he accidently bumped his elbow in Sonya's back. She jumped a little.
"Sorry. Are you okay?" He asked.
"You tell me."
Seymour looked at the screen and everything seemed to be order despite the sudden movement.
"Yeah, everything is fine."
Sonya sighed. "Talk to me, this silence is killing me."
"Tell me about it." Birkhoff smiled. He wasn't freaking out as much as before, but he could still feel his heart thumping a lot faster than normal. He looked at Sonya's beautifully curved neck and the gruesome giant needle that he had pierced into it. He swallowed. Everything felt very real all of a sudden. He was practically holding her life in his hands.
They really needed to be okay after this. He really needed them to be okay. The past six weeks hadn't been very nice. First Sonya's cold shoulder and now this. There were a lot of things that needed to be said, and now he had the chance. Birkhoff took a deep breath.
"Soo... Did they hurt you? When they grabbed you? Anne is pretty ruthless."
"No, not really. They just took me to Amanda. It was scary though. I thought she was going to kill me. Well, she did, in a sense..."
Birkhoff gulped. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Sonya. I really am." Birkhoff wished he could have been there, together with her. Then maybe he could have prevented them from grabbing her. But he hadn't, and that was his own fault. God, he had been so stupid! Just man up, you silly twat, he thought. Sonya was right for calling him that. He cleared his throat.
"And about before, I'm sorry for that too. I shouldn't have said those things to you, when you... you know. If I hadn't been so stupid, then maybe you wouldn't sit here in this chair now with a giant needle in your neck."
"Seymour, it's okay..."
"No, it's not! I shouldn't have played that stupid game and you were right, I am a perv. It's nothing new. I should've just apologized."
Sonya smiled. When she had caught him literally "in the act" doing that mmorpg she had laughed at him, because really? But that had obviously damaged his pride because what he had said next to her was not okay. She had been right to be upset. All he had to do was ask, and he hadn't asked her. So it wasn't exactly her fault he wasn't "getting any".
"Seymour, you..."
"It's just that, I'm not very good at this", Birkhoff continued motioning between them even though Sonya couldn't see him. "I've never really dated anyone before, you know why... And honestly, Sonya, you are way out of my league. I mean, look at you."
Sonya smirked. It was as she thought, but she decided to push him a bit more.
"What? What about me?"
Birkhoff sighed and chuckled. She was pushing him, he knew that. He knew she had a smirk on her face. Well, he had it coming.
He sighed again. "You are really, really pretty. And very smart and sometimes that scares the shit out of me," Birkhoff said seriously, because it was the truth.
"So it's easier doing it with a girl hiding behind a screen?" Sonya teased.
"Well, yes", Birkhoff exclaimed. God yes, it was easier. Anonymity was his thing.
Sonya felt a little sorry for him. Not that she had a vast dating experience either, but she wanted Seymour to know he was good enough. He was the kindest, bravest and perhaps the silliest man she'd ever met and being angry with each other was not anything she had the energy for anymore.
"Seymour, I really like you. This summer was perhaps the best I've ever had since I got her. You saved my life, and you're saving it again, and don't you ever doubt yourself not being good enough. I am really happy I met you. You've made my life worth living again."
Birkhoff almost had tears in his eyes, almost. He had never heard Sonya say something like that about him and it warmed his chest. He wished he could hug her but they were only at 67 percent and he had to hold still. He caressed her beautiful almond neck with his thumb.
"Can... Can we start over, when this is over? I would really like that." He asked quietly. Please say yes, the inside of Birkhoff's brain prayed.
Sonya smiled. Of course they would. How could she not? But..
"Whatever happened to that man who boldly walked up to me and kissed me the first time he saw me?" It was a genuinely interesting question because this Birkhoff was really someone else.
Birkhoff snorted. "Well, that was a moment of weakness or maybe it was my hindbrain taking over. Whatever, reality caught up with him."
"Stupid thing to do, get caught up in a reality I mean. I liked him. I like to see him again."
Birkhoff smiled. He really didn't deserve this wonderful girl, but maybe it was time to let that thought go now. So he answered her, "Okay, you got it" and kissed her on the side of her neck.