Behind the Scenes - 3
A/N: Again, no ownership of these lovely characters or this universe for me. But they're fun to play with! I'm not super good on the techy lingo but hopefully you get the gist here. Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!
"Alright everyone, listen up. The crew of the Nebulous will be here in about six hours, give or take. I just spoke with their captain. I know how hard everyone has been working to restore the ship, and your team-work and dedication have been most appreciated," Morpheus said, looking around the room at each member of his small crew. They were all seated around the table, tired and disheveled looking, having been working for days to restore the Neb to proper functioning before their rescue. "I have asked you all here to give you a status update: all of the larger holes leading to the outside have been patched, though there may be some smaller ones that have gone unnoticed. Electrical and heat are back on, as you know, and our computer operating system is back on as well, though not being used at the moment except for the comms system. We have just enough juice to hover but it is too unstable to risk flying ourselves back to Zion, which is why we are getting a tow from the Nebulous. As you have undoubtedly noticed, the inside of the ship is in complete disrepair, but at least the functions essential for survival and hovering have been brought back online and restored. There is still quite a ways to go, so I suspect we will be in Zion for at least a few weeks while the rest of the work is completed."
Trinity glanced down at the table and grinned inwardly to herself; a few weeks at least with Neo, maybe more, hopefully uninterrupted. She could hardly contain her excitement, though she still felt a small twinge in the back of her mind that made the feeling seem wrong and out of place given the circumstances of their haphazard arrival. Neo, on the other hand, had no idea what to expect. He had yet to see Zion and did not know what kinds of living conditions the city offered, or what was going to be expected of him. He was mostly just nervous, and it showed.
"Furthermore, there is the more pressing matter at hand. We have lost half our crew - our friends, our family." He glanced solemnly at Tank. "You have far exceeded my expectations in maintaining a level head while, pardon the pun, staying afloat these last few days. But the time for professionalism is passing. Once we reach Zion safely, I expect you to take as much time as you need to process the events leading up to this destruction. I know the last few days have been hard. I know we all process grief in different ways." He allowed for a brief moment of silence, seeing the pain reflected in each of their faces. "Now, I don't know when the funeral services will be as of yet, but I will be sure to arrange them - outside of Dozer, of course, Tank. I am sure your family would like to handle those arrangements, though if you would like my assistance, I am happy to help." Tank looked off to the side, down at his shoes but nodded in thanks.
"Once those arrangements have been made, I will be sure to inform you all. In other news, however, there is going to be another delicate situation to consider upon our arrival in Zion, and that's you, Neo." He looked at Neo, who only raised his eyebrows in a confused response.
"Me?" he asked, pointing to himself.
Morpheus nodded grimly. "Yes, you. As you certainly know by now, not everyone believes in the One. Those who witnessed your actions while you were last in the matrix cannot possibly deny your status, but those who did not witness it are still within their right not to believe. In Zion, we are governed by a Council of our elders; our wisest leaders and most experienced advisors. I am certain they will want to meet you and speak with you, and perhaps even see what you are capable of doing inside the construct."
Trinity couldn't help it. She gripped Neo's hand firmly under the table and squeezed. By the look on her face and the set of her jaw, Neo could tell this idea did not sit well with her. This only made him worry: what would the council think of him? Did it even really matter?
But Morpheus went on. "We don't know what they will determine but it is important that we are forthcoming, honest, and unafraid when discussing recent events with them. It is Neo's destiny to put an end to this war, and though there are some naysayers on the council, I believe most will side with us and see reason."
Trinity suddenly raised her eyes to meet Morpheus'. "Is there a chance they could… I don't know, disband us - the rest of our crew? Or separate us in any way? Or not allow us to return to the Neb once it's been fixed?" She said just above a whisper, hardly wanting to speak the words into existence, just in case. It's not like she was superstitious or anything, but Trinity knew Morpheus would be straightforward with her, and the questions needed to be asked. She just didn't know if she wanted to hear his answer or not.
"I'll be frank, Trinity, I do not know. I will fight tooth and nail against any ruling of that nature. You can be certain of that. Whoever wants to stay on this crew, is welcome to." Again, his eyes drifted to Tank's face, who refused to make any kind of eye contact. He just continued staring at his shoes, jaw set, almost in defeat. "I can assure you though that we do have friends on the council. I believe that once they see what Neo can do, they will allow us to continue on our mission."
"Sir, I don't think I understand. They knew you were searching for the One, and if you come back saying you have found him, how is that a bad thing?" Neo asked, shaking his head slightly.
"Neo, you are far older than anyone we have unplugged in the past. It goes against the rules to unplug anyone even close to your age. So right there, I have deliberately gone against a policy set in place for a reason."
"I remember you telling me that, but don't the ends justify the means here? I mean, I am here willingly and you were right about me, I guess, so does it really matter? I guess I'm just saying it's not like my brain went to mush or something when I woke up. I'm going to do everything I can to help end this war for good." Neo felt less confident the more he spoke. Speaking into existence the weight on his shoulders did not help him feel any better about the state they were in right now. In fact, he just felt more helpless and less like the "One" he was supposed to be.
Morpheus simply shook his head. "It's not that simple, Neo. Rules were broken. And rules are treated very seriously in Zion. But I certainly do not mean to frighten you or cause any unnecessary anxiety. I have faith that all will work out. We must be vigilant and trust the process. We will do as we are told…to an extent." Morpheus smirked.
He then continued, "Upon arrival in Zion, I will deal with the council and explain the situation, as well as the events leading up to the deaths of our crewmates. I believe I must do this alone for now, though as I said: they are going to want to meet you, Neo. As for you, Tank," he looked at the young operator with fatherly affection, "you may head straight home and be with your family. They are going to need you. Finally, Trinity…" he said, glancing at her with a knowing smile and a slight twinkle in his eye, "your job is to keep your eye on Neo and be sure he is well taken care of. I know I am leaving him in the best hands for the job." Trinity nodded, and blushed briefly as she thought, horrifyingly, of her hands actually being all over him. Oh my God, I hope he can't read that thought on my face, how embarrassing, she thought. Luckily Morpheus didn't skip a beat and continued, "I recommend, if you are comfortable of course, leaving him in your apartment before perhaps getting him some proper clothing and any supplies you both may need from the market. I can provide you with the funds. I don't recommend bringing him along just yet - we don't want to confuse anyone with his presence right away. Word will get out about what happened and who he is. I think the best place for him, for the next day or two, is safely away from other Zionites."
Trinity nodded. "Understood, sir. He will be safe with me." But Neo's jaw only dropped slightly. I'm going to a place where I have to hide away in an apartment from all the people? What the fuck am I walking into, here? he thought.
"Wonderful. So we have our plan. Does anyone have any questions or concerns they would like to voice?" Morpheus asked. No one responded, they only shook their heads and maintained their silence. "Okay then. Now, as I said earlier, the rescue team will be here soon. You all have been working tirelessly and I would like you to rest. Do whatever you would like to do for the next few hours before they arrive. I am going to monitor the comms and keep watch for their arrival. Perhaps catch up on some reading." He smiled softly to himself. I will come inform you when the crew has arrived, if you are needed. If you are not, then I will see you sometime soon." He nodded at them, gave one last parting smile, and stood up from the table. "Tank - might I meet you in the medbay for just a moment? I'd like to check on your wound once more before you retire." Tank nodded and followed Morpheus out of the room.
Trinity squeezed Neo's hand. Neither got up from the table. Neo turned to look at her, just happy to gaze upon her face. She smiled shyly at him.
"I didn't get the chance to say thank you yet, for what you did."
He looked at her questioningly. "What did I do?" he asked.
Trinity rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was playing dumb. "You know, you helped me get to sleep. That was really… well, very relaxing and very sweet. And very unexpected." She nudged his shoulder with hers, playfully.
He smiled shyly back at her, remembering how beautifully her hair smelled as he ran his fingers through it; how intoxicating it felt at the time and how he had to force himself to leave her at all. "It was nothing. I didn't mind one bit."
"Well, again, thank you. I slept really well, actually." And Neo could tell. Her eyes were brighter than they had been these last few days.
"I'm glad. Hey, listen… um… I was hoping we could use our break to talk, maybe?" Seeing her eyes widen a bit, possibly in panic, he quickly added, "only because I think we could get to know each other a bit better and I'd like to spend some actual time with you. What do you say?"
She smiled. "I'd like that."
"I do kinda smell though, so I want to take a quick shower first." Neo grimaced and wrinkled his nose, like he could smell himself without even trying to. Trinity just laughed at his expression, scooting back in an exaggerated fashion, like she could smell him too. This unexpected, playful gesture made Neo's heart skip a beat. He absolutely loved the comfortable rhythm they were beginning to find with one another.
She gave him a quick wink before standing up from the bench seat. "Sure, no problem. I'll see you soon," she said, almost a little too loudly. He gave her a questioning look, but she only answered with a wickedly secret smile before holding out her hand to him. He took it, stood up, and followed as she led him down the hallway.
Once they reached the washroom door though, Trinity glanced around, checking to be sure Tank or Morpheus wasn't somehow around. She opened the door, quickly pulled a stunned Neo in with her, closed the door behind them, and promptly pinned Neo against it. She grinned like a lovesick teenager before crushing her mouth against his. His immediate moan sent a ripple of excitement down her spine as she kissed him feverishly, her hands locked firmly on his hips. One of his hands wound its way into her hair while the other brushed softly up and down her back. Neither could breathe; but they didn't really need to. They simply shared their breath with each other. Hearts racing, knees weak, both succumbed to their withheld passions like their lives depended on it. Too much had happened in the last week that neither of them had really been able to truly express their growing need for the other, certainly not in the way that they both secretly yearned to. Things were also still so new - they were both navigating the early stages of their relationship where neither wanted to overstep or make the other uncomfortable in any way, especially considering the gravity of Trinity's grief.
But now, with their schedules winding down and Trinity finally able to (attempt to) comfortably let her guard down with Neo, the urge to kiss him, to touch him, was practically unbearable. She knew that every moment they were apart had been torture, and now she was given the beautiful gift of several hours uninterrupted with him. It was too tempting. In fact, the more she thought about her growing need, the more she actually decided to pull back. Their first time was not going to be on this ship, she decided. It wasn't going to be in her cramped quarters (even for the second-in-command who was always given a larger cabin than the rest of the crew, it still sometimes felt claustrophobically small to her). So, using absolutely every inch of self-control she possessed, she slowed down her kisses, toned down the level of groping to a simple caress of his cheek, and pulled her body away from his. Neo let out a whimper, in defiance of her decision to pull away. It was the saddest sound she had ever heard escape his lips.
"Don't go…" he whispered, practically begging. His eyes were dark and heavy-lidded, lips still slightly parted, and she melted at the sight.
"I'm sorry, I have to. If I stay much longer… well, I worry that I won't be able to control myself. And I really don't want our first time to be on this ship, Neo… certainly not right here in the washroom," she whispered back. She leaned in again, kissed his lips gently, and pulled away one last time.
He groaned and closed his eyes, leaning the back of his head against the door. "I understand. You're right. We can take things at whatever pace you're comfortable with. Your lips are just… God, Trin, I could kiss you all day, every day. I wouldn't even notice the day passing."
She grinned. When he finally opened his eyes again to gaze deep into hers, he looked almost drunk. She reveled at her ability to do that to him with just kisses. "Don't worry, Neo, our time will come. It's just… too confined and unromantic here. But you'll like my apartment. It's still small but we can be together there, just us." She took his hands in hers and gave them a quick squeeze before kissing his knuckles. "In fact… I want to ask you something. If you aren't ready though, please tell me, okay?"
He looked at her, confused, certain that he had made himself pretty clear: he was ready to do anything and everything if it meant being with Trinity. "Sure, what do you want to ask?"
She paused for a moment, hoping she hadn't read him incorrectly the last few days. "Neo, I was hoping you would move in with me, both here and in Zion. I know it's a bit sudden because we don't know each other all that well, but I love you and feel … well, I guess I feel really uncomfortable being separated from you. I'd understand if you wanted me to get you your own apartment in Zion after the council meeting, but …" she said, before Neo held up a hand and cut her off with a kiss. He planted both of his hands on either side of her face, and silenced anything else she was going to say. Now it was her turn to let out a moan.
When he finally pulled away, he tsked. "Trinity, I thought I had made myself pretty clear. I don't want to be separated from you either. I would be more than thrilled to share your living quarters no matter where they are. I don't want to be separated from you ever again." He frowned, thinking of how that was going to be a very real possibility depending on how the council voted, but he wasn't going to voice those fears now. He was certain she was thinking the same thing, anyway.
She simply nodded, smiled, and touched her forehead to his. "Then I guess I will see you soon, roomie," before stepping back and reaching for the washroom door handle. He slid to the side and allowed her to exit, giving her one last smile before she shut the door. He almost melted. His legs still felt weak from her surprise kisses, but he tried to shake it off so he didn't slip in the shower. He quickly undressed, turned the water on, and stepped inside the metal tube.
Back in her cabin, Trinity practiced deep breathing exercises. It had been a long time since she had been with a man and she was worked up, to say the least. Could she have given in to her impulses? Sure. Did she want to? Yes, she fucking did. But also, she didn't. This thing with Neo was so real - this wasn't just another quick-fling romance to satisfy her physical desires only. This was the real deal and it required patience and finesse. She also did not want to let her mind wander to the last, but certainly not least, important reason she did not want to make love to Neo on this ship right now: she couldn't fathom doing that while her dead friends lie below her, silently judging her for her lack of regard. Until they were properly put to rest, she didn't feel right taking things to the next step.
By the time she had completed her brief meditation, Neo had returned from the washroom. He had a small bag with him, likely containing the limited amount of clothes he had been given upon his awakening from the matrix. Trinity agreed with Morpheus, she was going to have to go to the market and get Neo more clothing.
He shyly opened the door without even knocking, clearly testing the waters to see if this was something he was now allowed to do. She smiled at him in welcoming, silently assuring him that he was perfectly fine in coming into the room unannounced. He smiled back before dropping the bag in the corner and shutting the door behind him.
"That was quick," Trinity commented while scooting closer to the wall to make room for Neo to sit down. She sat cross-legged with her back against the cabin wall, giving him the space on the bed closest to the door.
He grinned before plopping down on the bed next to her. "I wanted to get back to you as soon as possible." He leaned over, planted a chaste kiss on her lips, before planting another quick peck right on the tip of her nose. She wrinkled it and laughed at his goofy gesture, pushing him away playfully.
"So, you wanted to get to know each other better while we wait. What do you want to know?" she asked him.
He laid down, wiggling around until he was in a comfortable position, lying on his back with one arm behind his head and the other arm reaching out to hold Trinity's hand in his own. His brows furrowed together, deep in thought. "Hmmm… I gotta make this a good one…"
"It's not like we're playing 20 questions, we have all the time in the world to get to know one another," she laughed at how seriously he was contemplating their topic of conversation. But his eyes only brightened and he suddenly grinned at her, a never-before-seen excitement reflected in his face.
"Twenty questions! Yes!" he exclaimed.
"We're not 15, Neo!"
"Oh but we can be. Yes, let's do that!" His enthusiasm was infectious and she could only laugh at the eagerness in his energy.
"How is that any different than what we were planning on doing anyway?" Trinity asked.
"Because - 20 questions is the ultimate 'early-relationship' game. You and I could just talk, sure, but 20 questions are like… those are the real deep, core questions you ask when getting to know someone's soul." He was completely serious with her, but she could only grin and roll her eyes at him. This felt so … 80's summer camp. But she absolutely loved it. But more than anything, she loved seeing that joy in his face. She would do absolutely anything he wanted.
"Okay, fine, let's play. But you go first."
He cleared his throat. "Okay, I'll go." He paused a beat, dragging out the following silence for effect. "Tell me about how you got your first period." Trinity's jaw dropped and she actually barked out a laugh, catching herself completely off-guard. Before she knew it, she was doubled over, head on her knee, laughing so hard she had tears rolling down her face.
"Neo, that cannot POSSIBLY be your question!" she howled. He was laughing with her now, pleased that he got the reaction he was hoping for.
"You're right, it's absolutely not, but I was trying to come up with the right thing to ask to get that reaction out of you. Absolutely worth it."
She smacked him playfully on the arm and willed the laughter to subside. She hadn't laughed like that in ages, but it felt good, even if it was now starting to make her cheeks hurt.
"You're ballsy asking a woman that question. I could have actually answered you and trust me, you don't want to hear that story, not this soon." She told him, finally settling down from her high.
"I'll ask you again another day. Just you wait. But you're right. That's best left saved for later. But no really, my first question is: How was your experience waking up from the matrix? Were you scared, or were you just happy to finally know the truth?"
Trinity contemplated his question. She figured this would be something he asked. Neo's connection with her was so strong, she knew it, but it seemed like he was always going to be searching for more ways to connect, and unfortunately, this was one thing that she felt they had very different experiences with. But honesty is the best policy, right?
"I took it a lot better than you did, but I blame it on my age. I was still a teenager. I was rebellious and therefore relieved in a way, to finally be told the truth. The only time I struggled, really, was in the weeks after. I missed what I thought of as 'real' food, and I missed certain comforts the matrix provided. But I was mostly thrilled not to be crazy and to have someone like Morpheus to guide me and train me." She shrugged. "Plus, I was a part of something, you know? Something bigger than me. I almost immediately started my training in Zion, so I could be on a crew and free even more minds like mine. It wasn't until my friends started dying that I finally realized I was a soldier in a war, and there was no going back to my life before that." She suddenly looked sad to Neo, and he almost regretted asking the question. "But I think that answers your question. My turn now." She took a moment and contemplated. "What do you miss the most about life in the matrix? It's still so new to you, being out in the real world. I know you struggled to adapt at first but I can imagine there are still some things you miss. People, maybe?"
Neo raised his eyes to look at the ceiling, contemplating. "Well, you know I love my noodle place. And really, take-out in general. Sometimes, sometimes, I miss my dump of an apartment. But other than that?" He looked over at her, met her curious blue eyes with his warm brown ones. "I am happier now than I have ever been. Even with the weight of the literal world on my shoulders, I've never known a love like this. I've never felt this connected to another person. It feels more like home, being here with you, than my actual apartment ever felt."
Trinity swore in that moment, she must be floating inches above the bed, because her heart certainly was creeping up her throat the more he spoke. It was going to burst out of her body, she just knew it. She felt light as a feather, and breathless at his expression of love for her. As he finished his answer, her clever, well-structured walls came crumbling down piece by piece and she didn't care one single bit. She couldn't help herself, to be honest, and she'd like to see anyone else try and resist someone after they said such things. She threw herself upon him.
Neo certainly wasn't expecting Trinity to attack him like that. He was just telling her how he felt, not trying to get her into pants. He heard her reasons for wanting to wait and respected them, especially because he suspected there was maybe more to her hesitation than she was sharing. But now she was on him, body pressed close against his, lips fervently moving over his own, and every shred of control was lost. He couldn't help it. Having someone as hot as Trinity throw themself on him unexpectedly like this was beyond his ability to resist. He was only human.
He wove his fingers through her hair, and she leaned across him to straddle his hips. He groaned, trying and failing to not get too excited. She simply smiled into his lips and used her hands to rub his chest and shoulders. "That might be the shortest game of 20 questions I've ever played," she giggled into his neck.
"I don't mind…" he managed to get out, panting.
"I stand by what I said earlier, I don't want to go too far," she suddenly said, raising her face slightly to look into his, a slight worry in her expression.
He gulped, trying to slow his breathing. "We take this as far as you want, Trin. I can handle it. I just want you to be comfortable. Besides, we can pick the game back up when we get to Zion - like you said, we have plenty of time."
She grinned and leaned down to continue kissing him, tongue licking his bottom lip. He gasped, and it was all downhill from there.
Almost an hour passed before both became tired, neither truly satisfied with where they were leaving things, but neither willing to say anything in protest, either. Trinity didn't want to give in to her now almost-painful need, sticking to the conviction that they would wait until they settled in in Zion, and Neo didn't want to suggest he needed release when Trinity had made her intentions perfectly clear from the very beginning. So they both suffered, but they were also both in complete bliss, just lying side by side under the blankets, faces inches apart. Their eyes gazed euphorically into the others', and they couldn't help but smile; almost on a high after their intense make-out session.
As their breathing slowed, and their eyelids began to droop, Neo reached down into the blankets and brought Trinity's hand up to his face, holding it tightly with his own. He kissed her knuckles as she had done to him earlier in the day, and laid their clasped hands on the pillow next to him. She grinned, allowed her eyes to close fully, and soon fell sound-asleep, feeling more at home than she had ever felt before.
A/N: Ahhhh I love them. So much. My god. But anyway, thank you so much for reading and I hope you leave a review!