Beta-reading done by Cant_Catch_Rabbit! We're nearing the end here, just rounding a few things off. A couple of chapters remain after this!
Luka stretched, gently rousing from her sleep. Ruko had already started brightening the interior of the ship, simulating morning in the middle of space. It was probably far too early to wake up, but Luka opened her eyes anyway.
The first thing she saw was Miku's face. Her eyes were closed, her expression peaceful, she was simulating a perfectly breathless sleep. The mass of teal hair had been pushed away so it would tumble off the side of the bed.
While the mattress was very nice —brand new— it was not wide; the tealette was lying very close to her. Luka felt her heart skip a beat, which was nothing new now that they had begun to grow closer. A few traces of the old fear remained, but she could ignore those.
More than anything else, Luka was happy to see her.
She mumbled a sleepy 'good morning' as she draped an arm over Miku's frame, curling up against her side. This prompted a smile from the android.
"Good morning to you," she whispered, letting the scavenger tuck herself into the crook of her neck, resting half her weight on her. "Did you sleep well?"
Luka muttered something, only half-committed to forming real words. The android was so blissfully cool to the touch, eternally fresh no matter how long they remained close, tucked under the same blanket.
"I'll take that as a yes," Miku said with a chuckle. "I thought you wanted to take things slow?"
Luka grumbled, feeling a slight blush warm her cheeks, which only made the cool skin of her neck feel cooler. Miku had a point; they had left her planet, Aya, only two rotations prior.
"Sorry."
"I don't mind. I figured you would, but if you have no problem, then I won't complain."
"I missed this," Luka lamely explained.
"We have only rested like this once before," Miku reminded her.
The memory of Meiko's couch returned to Luka like some kind of faraway dream. "Yeah. I missed that," she insisted. "First time I ever felt safe in that house in my whole damn life."
Miku had no reply to that. Instead, she returned the embrace, which made Luka melt in her arms. The scavenger sighed deeply, feeling sleep nibble at the edge of her consciousness. She couldn't fall asleep quite yet, though. Since that night on the beach, all they had done was spend some time closer together; this kind of embrace was somewhat out of left field.
"If I'm pushing your limits..." she started, but she stopped when she felt her companion slightly shake her head.
"I am happier than I can say," Miku assured her. "I have missed this, too."
Luka hummed. She had felt the vibrations of speech emerge from somewhere in the android's torso. There was no breathing there, though. No other movement. Pure stillness and quiet.
"Okay."
That was when the tealette started gently running her fingers through Luka's hair. If the woman could have purred, she would, but she settled on letting out a low, happy groan, relaxing further.
She was almost completely asleep when Miku asked, "Do you think there are others out there like us?"
Luka frowned, lifted her head a bit, blinking away the sleep. "Like us?"
"A human and an AI."
"In a relationship? Or at least considering one?"
"Yes."
Luka thought about it, let her head fall again. When she breathed deeply this time, it was to get her bearings. The way Miku's body behaved was so unlike one made of muscle and bone; it was far more unyielding under to Luka's touch. So solid that it pushed against her as she breathed in. "I don't think so."
"No?"
"Nah."
"How come? AI has been around for so long."
"Yeah, but..." Luka thought for a bit longer, before rolling onto her side, getting her weight off of the tealette. Miku rolled onto her side as well, to face her while she waited. Luka rubbed her eyes, saying, "You know how our AIs are. They're not like you. They're far more rigid. They're personable, of course. Each one is unique, but it's also tailored to a specific task or range of tasks. Put Ruko in any other piece of hardware and they wouldn't know where to start."
Miku watched her, her opal eyes like small skies before her. "Right..."
"While I'm sure many AIs understand the concept of human relationships, at least in an abstract manner, I'm not sure any are designed to play any part in that," Luka went on. "Sure, maybe early on in development, when we were still figuring out how to make one that wouldn't immediately take over the universe, maybe we made one or two that were too human. But, since they haven't effectively taken over the universe, I can only assume they were immediately destroyed. Or maybe there're one or two around; you made it this far, after all. But other relationships like ours? I'm pretty sure we're pioneers here."
"Ah." After a moment, Miku asked, "Does that bother you?"
Luka thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure."
The tealette took her reply in stride, giving her a reassuring smile. "It's all right."
"Does it bother you?" Luka asked.
"Not at all. I was made with this in mind, after all."
"Right." Luka rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. The lights were getting steadily brighter. "Do you think..."
"Yes?"
"Would you want to get a real ID?"
"How so?"
"Everybody has an ID. Every ship and every person can be identified by it. Well, some people are born outside of this system, but it's a generally good idea to have one. If you get one, I won't have to declare you as cargo at Terranova, or anywhere else we go. It would give you all the rights of a person."
"While the idea is practical, do you think I would be granted one?"
"Maybe? You're autonomous, aren't you?"
"Perhaps. But I am still a machine by definition."
"So?"
Miku chuckled. "Even you saw me as a machine first and foremost, when we first met."
Luka averted her eyes again, a frown on her features. "Maybe. But you'd have a real case."
"That may be so, but I don't mind. As long as I can follow you wherever you may go, or at least stay close enough to keep you safe, I am happy."
"Really?"
"I have no complex concerning my nature," Miku said simply. "I am an AI, and I inhabit an android body. I am not human and I never will be, and that is fine. All I ask for is respect."
"You might not get the respect you deserve though, if you're so resigned to your nature."
"I am not resigned; I am content. And, while what you say is true, that is also fine, to a degree. I cannot expect to be respected by everybody, which is true for everybody else. Even those who objectively deserve respect do not always get it. It is part of life. If I am treated that way because of my nature, I will confront and overcome as I must, much like everybody else."
Luka listened, though she remained unconvinced. "I think this is the part I mind about you being an AI: I really hate that I have to essentially call you luggage every time we step into port."
"If that is what works, then I don't mind. Don't worry."
"It's just..." She propped her head up with an arm, eyes on the ceiling. "I want you to be recognized as a person, because you are one. You're more than an AI or an android, even if you're both; both are made to serve. You're not just something that serves, yet that's all you'll ever be to some people. And I hate that you seem to be so okay with that."
"As long as you respect me, then I am happy."
Luka looked at her, a slight crease in her brow. "Right."
"What is it?"
"I guess that I also really, really hate that..." She trailed off, hesitating, before biting the bullet and saying, "I really hate that sometimes you act like it, too."
Surprise filled Miku's eyes, but no anger. "How so?"
"You love me, and you act as if that alone gives me some kind of free magical pass. You say I can ask anything of you as long as it might help me in some way. And as long as I'm the one that's nice to you, it's fine, because you don't really care as much about others. Don't you see? You're following me like some kind of... You're serving, really. You're serving me."
Finally, the frown appeared on the tealette's face.
"And I'm sure it's not because of your nature!" Luka hurried to add. "People who are all starry-eyed in love do the same stuff. Venerating the object of their admiration, following their every whim, realizing their every wish. Stars, you should have seen some of my exes, if you can even call them that. This is typical human stuff, but I never liked it, and I hate seeing it from you. And I hate how it overlaps with this label that you seem so happy with, even if doesn't fit you at all."
The android didn't reply for a moment, which was enough to make the woman sit up, her arms around her knees. The ship was humming with the ever-present noise of the interstellar boosters. With any luck, they would be at the nearest settlement in only a few rotations to get some fuel. After that, it would be two cycles to Terranova.
"What I'm trying to say is..." Luka said, unnerved by Miku's silence. "I... I think I love you, too. I'm pretty sure I do. If I don't yet, I will. But I don't love you when you say that you'll sacrifice your well-being and happiness just for small petty things for me. I don't love you when you say that I'm the only one that matters. It creates so much… I don't know, expectation? Maybe it gives me too much responsibility? I want you to see that you're more than the happiness you give me. You're more than whatever you are in my eyes. Don't depend on me for your own self-image."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying it goes both ways. I'd be happier seeing you doing what makes you happy. I'd be happier seeing you get treated the way you deserve by everyone, seeing you do the things you love, seeing you happy for your own sake. Sure, fine, you have all the time in the universe for that, to focus on yourself. But please, do that while I'm alive to see that. I would love to help you be happy, too... If I can help you, if I can make you smile, tell me, please."
Miku sat up as well, a conflicted look on her face.
"Didn't you say it yourself, that it's teamwork?" Luka insisted. "Stars, I want us to be a team. Partners. Equals! We'll be doing this together, aren't we? So please, understand that if seeing me happy makes your day, it works both ways. We're on common ground, here."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course! I know..." The scavenger sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "I know I'm not the best at this. Stars know all my prior relationships crashed and burned hard. I know I'll fuck it up sooner or later. Maybe even a few times. But I really, really care about you. I want to see you happy."
"Are you sure I can ask for things? Make demands? It won't annoy you?"
The woman deflated. "Maybe. Keep asking these kinds of questions to be absolutely sure when I've already told you I'm absolutely sure, then yeah. But I'll do my best to be reasonable. I really will. And I'll do my best to communicate and everything."
"Okay."
Luka paused, turned her head to look at her. "Yeah?"
"Yes. I understand," Miku said firmly. "Thank you."
The scavenger waited a second or two for her to double-check again, before letting out a deep breath. She laid back down. "Fantastic."
Miku observed her for a moment. The light in the ship simulated full daylight by then, the tealette's form casting a light shadow over Luka. The scavenger looked up at her, saw the pending sentence already waiting at the edge of her lips. She could see it in the intensity of her stare, the way her jaw was just slightly slack.
"What is it?"
"If you truly are asking me to be a little bit more selfish," the tealette started, "Then I might have to start making a few demands that would conflict with your needs."
Luka frowned. "You mean..."
"I know you need more time to get used to the idea of an 'us.' Not just because of who or what I am; a long-term partnership in general scares you. You would like to care only for your own rulebook. However..."
She trailed off, a bit uncertain, before leaning on her good arm to loom over the woman. Luka tensed at the familiar sight, the old fear suddenly building in her gut. In the early morning light, the opal eyes were bright—too bright—and seeing them gaze down from above her sent an unpleasant cocktail of emotions running through her system.
"However...?" Luka tried, her voice filtered.
"How long do you intend to string me along?" Miku asked. "You assured me that you are entertaining romantic ideas, and that alone was enough to quell any concerns I had about being nothing more but a temporary source of entertainment, maybe even relief. However, since we have left Aya, you have only indulged me in platonic gestures."
"Well..."
"I'm sure you intended for these hugs and cuddles to continue to assure me that you intend to make do on your promise, and are continuously working towards it," Miku went on. "After all, you aren't very close to other people; the weight behind a touch is more to you than it might be for others. The fact that you continue to toil over my arm and communications unit also betrays that at the very least, you genuinely do care for me. That means more than I can say, but..."
Luka waited, tense.
"You have already kissed me once, and allowed me to kiss you once," Miku whispered. "Why do you refuse to initiate that again?"
"It just scares me..."
"What scares you?" Miku asked. "Do I?"
Luka looked up at her. She remembered the anger that had once twisted Miku's face. How her opal eyes had almost literally flashed red. She remembered the anguish, the bloody pulp that was once Dex.
She only shook her head; the memories touched her, sent a shiver of apprehension down her spine, but they didn't blind her any longer. So she maintained eye contact with the android, who looked at her with an entirely different set of emotions; confusion, concern, and desperate affection.
"No. You don't scare me," she assured her. "Not anymore."
She had barely finished her sentence before Miku moved, pushing off her good arm to swiftly straddle the other woman. Luka's heart started racing in her chest, her nerves almost failing her.
"Wh—"
"What can I do to help, then?" Miku asked, leaning closer still. "Do you need more time? More space?"
"What if I do...?"
"Then I'll give you those," the tealette whispered, though she made no move to put distance between them. "For as long as you keep asking, for as long as you need it. In exchange for one thing."
Luka took a deep breath. "Name it."
The intense stare dissolved into a sad, pleading gaze. "Please let me kiss you again..."
"Is that it?"
"If it's such a simple request," the android whispered, leaning closer. Out of the corner of her eye, Luka saw an uncomfortable bend worsen in her right forearm. "Then why do I have to beg for it?"
The woman reached up to support her forearm, but Miku pulled back too quickly, sitting upright altogether. "Am I too different?"
Luka frowned; though the android's body was cool, being separated from that body chilled her in a very different, unpleasant manner. "Miku..."
"Why?"
Luka sat up, finally grabbed her arm. Miku bristled at the touch, understanding only dawning on her when the scavenger gently straightened it out. Though she couldn't blush, the downcast eyes betrayed her embarrassment.
"You're right," Luka whispered, gently holding the android's limb, which still rattled a bit, betraying the presence of all the loose struts within. "Physical affection doesn't come to me easily. I did hope that being a bit more open in that regard would help. I'm just scared of..."
"If it's too much to ask—"
"It's not. At least, it shouldn't be," Luka said firmly. "I hoped to make sure you wouldn't feel like I'm stringing you along. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. But I also didn't want to get your hopes up too high, too soon... I thought that a kiss might promise too much, too early. My exes didn't need much more than that before they started imagining long-term futures together, moving in together, all that sugary nonsense. And while I want nothing more than to spend years and years with you, exactly how we'll spend those years isn't so clear yet. And that's because, well... You are different."
Miku nodded, though she looked crestfallen. "I see."
"If you want me to kiss you so you know that I'm still considering it, then I will, as long as you don't take it as a far greater promise."
"I won't."
Luka studied her. Eyes downcast, a slight frown pulling at her lips, the android hardly seemed consoled at all.
"You are quite different," she started again, putting her arm down in favor of holding her hands. "Even if I get used to the idea of dating a person, any person with their own desires, their own rules, their own complexes and complications, there's the fact that you're a unique person. You're eternally cold, for one."
"I can—"
"There was the fact that you're such a pushover at times, but..." Luka smiled. "I'm glad to announce that it's no longer an issue."
Miku frowned, though. "If I were to promise that I could increase my body temperature, would that make me a pushover again?"
"It would," Luka said. "Don't do that, please. It's different, but I like it a lot."
Surprise flickered on her features, quickly eclipsed by the lingering sadness. "Very well."
"And three: I have no idea how to approach any long-term relationship. I've never done it before. As if that wasn't scary enough, I'm approaching a relationship with you, and that's littered with even more unknowns. I wouldn't know how to make you happy in the long term. If it's to continue asking for songs or for help, then I'm not entirely sure that would pass for a relationship. It'd be little more than a professional partnership, or some kind of transactional friendship. If it's all physical affection, then it'll be more impersonal, more lustful, wouldn't it? I'm trying to figure out how to be a romantic partner to you, and I'm trying to figure out if I can do that. I know most people like gifts and surprises, but I don't have those to give. Plus, you're the kind of person who gives, aren't you? You don't need food or chocolates, can't use soaps or smell perfumes, and with the future ahead of us, I can't give you fancy clothes or jewels unless you find pleasure in keeping them in a drawer. And if you tell me that being with me is enough on its own..." Luka laughed, shook her head. "Then I'll have to wonder why. Sure, if spending all our free time cuddling in bed together for the next handful of decades while I grow old will make you happy, then that's an easy solution, but... I think I want to do better than that. You deserve better than that."
Miku's sadness turned into remorse. "I... I pushed too hard. I'm sorry."
"You didn't," Luka assured her, holding her hands firmly. "I'm glad you pushed. I didn't know I was making you feel so sad."
"Being with you really would make me happiest, though," the android whispered. "You were right; there isn't so much you can give me that I have use for. Music is my one passion, and uniting people is my purpose. Fashion, toys, scents and flavors are lost on me. Perhaps you could give me new experiences, allow me to visit new places, meet new people. But other than that? I just want to spend time with you; that is the most precious gift you could give me."
Luka nodded slowly. "How would you want to spend time with me, though?"
"Like this," Miku said, holding her hands in return, leaning a bit closer. "Or something like this. I want to hold your hands, sit with you, work with you, visit places with you, talk with you into the night and..." She shook her head. "We don't have to be physically intimate all the time. I don't want to kiss you non-stop. That is not what I'm asking for. But if you are closer to me, more honest with me, more vulnerable with me than you are with anybody else, that would be enough. In exchange, I will give you all I can."
The scavenger hummed. "All right."
"Does... Does that sound too foreign?"
"Hardly. It's almost too normal." Before sadness could return to the android's features, Luka added, "Though I can't complain. I think I can do that."
"Really?"
"I still need a bit of time to see. Feel things out."
"Very well." Miku leaned back again, prying her hands from the scavenger's grasp. "I'm sure that the physical components of our relationship would also have to be explored, when we get to that."
"Yeah. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Luka said.
"We will."
Miku sat up slightly, preparing to pull away from the scavenger, but Luka firmly placed her hands on her shoulders, pinning Miku down in her lap. Before the tealette could question it, Luka kissed her, holding her as close as she could. Miku melted at the touch, molded against her, wrapped her arms around her. Luka felt that the pressure of the android's right hand was noticeably weaker against her back, but luckily felt no unnatural bends or twists. With that worry gone, she returned her attention to Miku, reveling in the feel of her lips and the small happy hum she made.
Luka pulled back a minute later, but only just far enough to catch her breath.
"That is also different," she admitted, breathless but smiling. "You are very much not human."
"How so?"
Luka chuckled at the immediate concern in her voice, pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Don't you go promising you'll try to fix any of it. It's fine. Just different."
Miku grumbled something, but didn't pull away. "If you insist..."
"The fact that you don't breathe, though?" Luka started again, watching the android for her reaction. "Very unfair. You go on forever."
As she had hoped, this made the tealette smile. "A desirable trait, I hope?"
"For sure, as long as you don't take too much of my breath away," she teased.
"Hm, I don't think I can make any promises in that regard."
Luka smiled, holding her close. She leaned on the android's shoulder, and felt Miku do the same, her hair tickling her arm and her back. "You feel better?"
"I do."
"Make sure to speak your mind when you can, yeah?" Luka told her. "It's good for us, I think, if we both wore our heart on our sleeves a bit more."
"I will," Miku whispered. "Thank you."
"What for?"
The android didn't reply, holding her a bit tighter. Luka smiled, figuring that was enough.
Luka said, almost a sigh, "Thank you, too."
"What are we going to tell Meiko?"
Luka snapped out of her thoughts, her eyes finding Miku's. The tealette, however, was staring intently at the fading bullet wound in her torso, drawing feather-light, slow little circles on the pale skin there.
The scavenger thought about it, then propped up her head with her right arm. "What do you mean?"
"When we return to Terranova," Miku said, her finger pausing just long enough so she could instead draw circles in the other direction. "How much of these events shall we tell her?"
"Which events do you mean?"
A small smile. "Exactly."
Luka frowned, directed her eyes to the ceiling. The entire train of thought that she had been following before—her ideas on how she could further repair Miku's still-damaged arm—was gently pushed aside. The barrel still hadn't been reinstalled, though the tealette had no problem supporting her weight with her elbow, allowing her to continue her gentle touches with her dextrous left hand unhindered. It tickled slightly, and though the skin there was fully healed, the bruise gone and bone solid, the place had been so delicate for so long that Luka still felt apprehensive the moment she felt pressure there. Fortunately, after a solid hour of Miku slowly drawing invisible doodles all over and around it, tracing the lingering scar, or just circling the area with her finger, that was quickly fading.
"Depends," she finally whispered. "I'm sure she'll want to hear what happened to you."
"Would she be so concerned?"
"For sure," Luka said, her eyes going back to the android. Ruko was simulating nighttime, which made the opal slivers of her apertures pop in the darkness. "Why wouldn't she?"
"I was sure her opinion of me changed when she saw that I was weaponized."
"I think she was just surprised. Maybe she felt a bit cheated, too, that you had hidden that from her even after laying 'all' your cards on the table. When I had gone back for help, though, she was the one who set me on the path to go find you."
For the first time that night, Miku's eyes flitted up to meet Luka's. Her heart jumped in response. "Is that so?"
"Yeah. She was genuinely worried. I'm sure she wants to know that you're all right."
The tealette smiled a bit, returning her attention to Luka's torso. The scavenger shivered a bit; it wasn't cool in the ship by any means, but this attention was so different from the neutral, effective care Miku once had when she was changing her bandage all those cycles prior. There was no real medical point to this, and being shirtless in front of the android felt quite a bit different.
Luka sighed and closed her eyes. She let her right leg dangle from the edge of the bed. "I guess she'll also be curious to know how I actually ended up finding you."
"Yes, I was thinking as much as well."
"It's not really that much of an interesting story, though. Mostly roaming through space, getting information, along with heaps of dumb luck."
"Hm. You were very brave too, I thought."
"Maybe."
"There is no 'maybe' about this," Miku insisted, her finger coming to a stop right in the center of the scar. "I have seen you in the heart of conflict. The fact that you were lucky is one thing; the fact that you seized the opportunity to push your limits is another."
Luka glanced at her again, finding Miku's eyes already on her. "I guess."
"Which I appreciate immensely," Miku went on with a reassuring smile. "With any more luck, neither of us will ever be in such danger ever again."
"Yeah..."
"Would she want to hear about Aya?"
The scavenger thought about it for a while, taking in the android's form. She was also tucked under the blanket, as she was most nights at that point, wearing a set of clothes they had tailored together. Her hair, as usual, was tied into twin-tails with the help of some of Luka's old hair ties. Luka could also see, somewhat hidden in the darkness, the limp right forearm, a slight but noticeable bend there where there shouldn't be one.
"Maybe," she muttered. "I think she'll like knowing I found a place to settle down. But she might hate the reminder that I'll have to do more scavenging to make it worthwhile."
"You are working towards a tangible goal, however."
"True. It's also really far away, though," Luka went on, watching the android as she idly ran her finger down the spokes of the scar. "I know I don't exactly visit often to begin with, but she always hated it when her kids moved away somewhere really far."
"It can't always be helped."
"I guess not."
"And what about us?" Miku asked, her finger coming to a stop once again.
Luka sighed, unable to quite meet her eye. "I'm not entirely sure. There isn't that much to say really, other than the fact that you love me, which she knows already, and the fact that I'm considering it, which she most likely suspects."
Miku grinned. "Does she?"
"She knows how people are. She knows me. Odds are, she knew I'd never forgive myself if I let you go. Still..." She trailed off, missing the distraction and purpose of her light touch, feeling suddenly pointlessly bare, vulnerable. "I'm not entirely sure what else there is to tell."
Miku hummed, let herself gently rest on the mattress, her damaged arm hidden under her body. "I suppose there isn't much else."
In truth, there were probably dozens of little details that were relevant: how they spent hours together trying to fix the android's arm; the ongoing trust exercises to make sure her fear was gone and for good; the fact that they shared the bed, even if Miku didn't need sleep and the mattress wasn't really wide enough for two; the more and more frequent little touches, caresses, and little kisses here and there.
Luka sighed again, pulling the blanket up to cover herself. It was night, so it was in her interest to catch sleep regardless. Miku would chat with Ruko while she was out, and they would probably pick up the conversation again eventually. There was still plenty of space to cross, after all; they would return to civilization to refuel in the next rotation or two, and after that there were a full two cycles of travel back to Terranova; more than enough time to talk.
"I want to request something," Miku whispered.
Luka blinked, startled. "Yeah?"
The tealette took her time to reply, staring up at her with her bright, opal eyes. The crease of her brow told her of slight apprehension though, the way her hand grabbed the pillow betrayed her nerves. Luka almost sat up, concerned, but Miku was faster, whispering, "I'd like to hold you."
"You want a hug?"
A small nod.
Luka chuckled. "That's fine."
"Would you mind if..." Miku paused, and the scavenger could almost see her hesitate between accepting what she had been given, and asking for just a bit more. Just when Luka was sure she would capitulate, the tealette asked, "Could I also take my shirt off?"
Luka's smile fell. "You're sure? After—"
"I have no reservations about this," Miku said, shuffling a bit closer. "I trust you fully; I give you my arm every day, after all. I'm asking mostly for your sake; don't worry about denying me this. I'm merely curious as to what it would feel like."
"Oh, no. It's fine. I just..." Luka averted her eyes, a slight blush dusting her features. "Never mind. Go ahead."
Miku sat up just barely enough to pull her shirt over her head; the blanket covering Luka hardly shifted. The scavenger watched out of the corner of her eye as the shirt was set aside, well within reach.
She tried remembering the last time she was in a similar situation, but came up empty.
Miku opened her mouth, surely to insist that there was no obligation, but Luka only rolled onto her side, wrapping her arms around the tealette's form in the same motion, cutting her off.
"Oh." The android timidly returned the embrace, but Luka felt there was some tension in her. "This is... Oh."
"Something wrong?"
"You're warm," Miku whispered.
"You're really cool," Luka grumbled, hoping that the android was too thrown off to notice the blush rising up to conquer her ears. She tucked her face into the crook of the tealette's neck, hoping to hide, knowing that Miku only had to turn her head to notice. She had her own information to process; the android really was startlingly fresh to the touch, even more so now that there was nothing between them to block it.
"The temperature contrast is indeed... Hm," Miku hummed again, her embrace growing tighter. This time, though, a slight rumble came from within her, though it didn't stop with her hum.
"What temperature do you usually keep yourself at?"
"Anywhere between five and fifteen degrees is ideal," she whispered against her shoulder. Both her hands stayed high, grasping the woman's shoulders, though the grip of her right hand was almost entirely absent. "I have many simultaneous processes, so much input to analyze, so much output to filter... The cooler the better.."
"Are you doing that right now? Cooling yourself?"
"Well—" the android hesitated. "You are warm."
"I'm not feverish."
"No, but..." She hummed again, her hands no longer content with pressing the scavenger's shoulders towards her, but moving to wrap around her torso and hold her properly. "It's quite the change from the ambient temperature of the ship."
"Probably..." Luka breathed, felt the blush begin to die off. "Why are you so surprised, though. You see infrared, don't you?"
"It's one thing to see it and know the numbers. It's another to have the same numbers being communicated to me via my whole torso."
"I guess I can get that."
Miku didn't reply, letting the scavenger deal with the onslaught of information in peace. Her synthetic skin was probably quite conductive to heat, allowing the android to keep her inner circuitry cool, but it just kept sucking Luka's own warmth right from her skin. She felt her arms and back break out in goosebumps and a shiver ran down her spine.
"What are you even made of," she whispered. No matter how long their hug went on for, the android's skin just didn't warm up against her.
"I'm not sure it has a name," Miku replied. "Recycled plastics and polymers. It's a strange mixture and I'm not entirely sure what precisely is in it. We figured this might be close enough to your skin for day-to-day use, but we didn't have the resources to experiment much." After a pause, she asked, "Is it not right?"
Luka thought about it. "It feels real, to the touch at least. But temperature wise..."
Just like that, the humming within the android stopped. "Tell me if this helps."
The scavenger was about to protest, but already the synthetic skin warmed up a bit. After a minute, then another, the temperatures equalized, and then the hum returned, though softly.
"You're all right?" she asked the android.
"I'm fine. I can operate in extreme temperatures, remember? At those extremes, perhaps not optimally, but thirty-three degrees won't hurt me."
Luka smiled. Even though she wasn't so frightfully chilled, it still wasn't overly warm
—the perfect sweet spot. "This does feel nice. You could be a bit cooler if you'd like."
"You wouldn't mind?"
"No," she admitted, shifting to snuggle closer into the embrace. Her ribcage, or whatever it was, really was solid. The android didn't squish or compress much at all. "I really do like this part of you. How cool you are."
"Ah."
They stayed like that for a bit, Luka slowly getting used to the feeling. She hadn't ever really held a person in such a way before; her visits to the red light districts weren't ever so snug and intimate, and her previous partners had all been in too much of a hurry to pause for something so quiet and calm. This was far more personal, almost invasive, than anything she had ever experienced before.
She relaxed nonetheless, feeling the android do the same in her arms. Even her robotic spine and muscles could hold tension, and given enough time they unwound.
"Are you all right?" Miku asked her, after what felt like an eternity.
"Yeah..." Luka said, realizing that she had been close to falling asleep. It was getting late, and the situation wasn't doing much to keep her awake, much to her surprise. "I'm dozing off..."
The embrace loosened. "We can—"
Luka held her tighter. "This is fine."
"Are you sure?"
The scavenger nodded. "If you want to leave, it's fine. But don't worry for my sake."
Miku accepted it without double-checking again, her left hand drawing blind little doodles on Luka's once-sensitive shoulder. The woman hummed, settling into the embrace a little deeper. She noted the complete absence of scent from Miku's skin, its smooth yet entirely hairless surface, how it stretched just right, even if it probably was a bit too silky. All in all, though, it created an experience that was just human enough for Luka to believe, secure enough for her to trust. The arms around her were real, the body against her was alive, the person holding her loved her, and she was safe.
Luka was asleep before she even knew it.
