They had been onboard their ship for about a day now, floating through the vast sewers of the Real World. None could explain why, but it seemed a lot quieter out here than usual, and Squiddie sighting had been less than usual.
First they had thought that it was just because they were so close to the city, so deep down into the earth. But as they had reached their normal broadcast depth, and floated around there for some time, they had known for sure that the sighting were few.
Usually, that meant something bad.
But then again it could mean nothing, Link thought as he programmed the last few attributions to the training program he had been working on before. He was almost finished with it, and although it was mainly just made to be fun and kill some time when he had Sentinel watch, he was proud of it. Some of the old hacks and programming codes he had learnt way back proved useful, and the crew's advice every now and then as they passed helped him, too.
" You should add another parameter there, " Trinity said as she pointed to the screen, startling Link. He almost jumped out of the chair and she smiled and apologized as he turned to her, but used the moment to write the parameter into the program herself.
As Link watched her do it, and then watch her study the programming code for a few moments, he couldn't help but ask her. " Do you ever miss it?"
She looked at him, keeping her arms crossed in front of her body. She was obviously tired, even Link who did not know her too well could see it from her appearance.
" Miss what?" she asked, and he cleared his throat.
" Your life inside the Matrix…" he watched her gaze fall to the floor, he watched as the wheels inside her head began to spin. " You know, miss just hanging in there, fighting your own struggle, not worrying but anyone but yourself, hacking all day long… the freedom."
" It's ironical to call it freedom, " she commented and he smiled towards her and began typing some new code into the program.
" You know what I mean, " he said and she nodded, because she did know what he meant.
She let her thoughts wander back to the old days. Days when she had been a young, scrawny teenager, with attitude to the bone, and an intelligence to match. The computers had been her escape in her world then, a world filled with fights, arguments, absent parents… and always feeling like an outsider. Like she knew something that everyone else did not.
She compared some of the things she had now to then inside her head, as she watched Link work. She was aware that some moments had passed, and did not know if he still expected an answer… but he would get one, a short one, anyway.
" Not for a second, " she answered. He turned and looked at her, half nodding, understanding. He rubbed his face and looked at the screens, sharing his attention between the program and Trinity.
" Going to the Oracle tomorrow, then?" Trinity nodded, and looked down to the floor. She felt the familiar feeling of memories rush through her when she thought back to the Oracle, remembering how the last visit when she had entered with the others to see the Oracle had went.
But things were different now.
" Goodnight, Link, " she told him, patted his back and made her way to bed.
He looked after her, watching her go, calling a goodnight back to her. He watched her retrieving back disappear down the ladder, remembering where she was heading and grinned.
" Of course you don't miss it, " he said. " You get laid now..."
Neo heard their door creak its protest, but he was already awake as she entered their room. He turned in their bed and they locked gazes, Trinity giving him a soft smile. Neo could see the tiredness in them from a short look, and he also saw her rub her hands up and down her arms; she was obviously cold, too.
He knew she had worked a long shift, but usually their shifts were teamed up so that they could at least sleep together, but this time she had gotten off a few hours after him...
He immediately stood from their cot, grabbing an extra blanket from one of the drawers, quickly placing it around her shoulders without a word. He rubbed his own hands along her arms, and he used her being cold as an excuse to embrace her from behind, holding her tight against his own body, content with the feeling of being near her.
Trinity closed her eyes, silently thanking him for the well appreciated gesture. It was small things like this that made Trinity love and appreciate him even more. Without a word she had entered the room, and he had in an instant seen on her appearance that she was cold and tired as well.
She leaned into his embrace, reaching an arm up to place around his neck, massaging it gently as he closed his eyes.
" I couldn't sleep without you..." he murmured into her hair as she turned around in his embrace, placing her head on his chest instead. As he enfolded her with his arms, he could sense how tired she really was, and decided that they would sleep as soon as possible, respecting her. Trinity smiled into his chest, knowing she always also had trouble sleeping unless he was at her side, something they had quickly gotten used to in their time together.
Plus, it was the only place to be warm in this cold ship- in each others embrace.
" I know, " she said back, " but I'm here now." And with that, she lifted her head from his chest, looking into his eyes, seeing that he was quite tired himself. To others, he would have done like her and put up a facade to others that showed nothing of his tiredness, but between them no such thing was needed. Between them existed nothing but honesty, honesty in all aspects.
And for them, honesty was a kind of love.
" You are," Neo answered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead, stroking back some hair from her face, wanting to see everything of the beautiful woman in front of him, the very woman that would now join him into bed.
Both began moving simultaneously towards the bed, Neo laying down first, next to the wall, holding his arm and embrace open as she took off her boots and then slumped down next to him, snuggling as close as she could into his warm, comforting embrace.
Neo spooned behind her, placing his arms around her waist, entwining their hands together and resting them on her stomach. Trinity relaxed and let out a loud sigh, which made Neo inch even closer, if possible. He pulled the two blankets all around them, planting soft kisses on the base of her neck, causing shivers to run down her spine, as they both drifted of to sleep.
They didn't need any extras blankets, not really. As long as they were together, they would be warm.