Archive Log: 08

Sleep was an interesting concept; the fact that the person sleeping seemed to just pass out for hours on end, either looking rather peaceful, or unsettled, depending on the possible dream or where they are sleeping. Onora, Walter had quickly deduced, was comfortable because of the content look on her face. Every so often though her mouth would open and close, a quiet murmur would come from her before she'd nestle down again. By nestling down, Walter's shoulder seemed adequate enough. Onora had fallen asleep sitting up, likewise he was still very much upright on the bed. Easily enough he turned, gently he held onto her and managed to lay her down. Only, what Walter didn't foresee was for her to grasp onto him. Her hands fisted in his top, she huddled closer to him and let out a sigh. The warmth which was clearly radiating from him was comforting to her. In general, Walter seemed to bring comfort to her.

It was strange, Walter hadn't as yet had anyone else treat him like this. Or rather, want him to be so near. His eyes looked over her sleeping form, a part of him didn't have the heart, or what was his heart; all biomechanical bits and pieces that it was to move her. So, he laid with her. It was strange, very strange, to lay down in a bed, that is. Walter had never been in a bed before, he didn't need to.

He woke in something which could've been classed as a bed, more a slab; a table with a pillow and a simple flimsy cover. That was all Walter ever knew about laying down and resting, or something like resting. Granted, the room he woke up in wasn't comfortable like this. It was sparse, full of other electronic equipment, even with a glance he could figure out what they were used for. There were figures, masked and in dark clothing, they had seen to him, helped him sit, made sure he was okay. All in a lofty awkward silence which didn't affect them, or Walter really. But that was all he knew about apparently resting while having someone near.

Sure, those people were only present to make sure he was stable and wasn't likely to breakdown suddenly. He was, after all, the new model, new and improved, and all that. It was a bit of a burden really, when Walter mused over it, to be watched and monitored; to make certain he wasn't like the others before him, not likely to worry anyone who came across his path. Clearly, he didn't, or else Onora probably wouldn't want to be around him so much. Walter couldn't help but frown a little at that, a person who was more comfortable around a synthetic than her own kind. She had admitted to being bad with people, that those she was even around she didn't speak to much anyway. Perhaps she was used to being alone.

Something suddenly seemed to disagree with Onora, she frowned in her sleep and her hands tightened against him. Walter just continued to lay there looking at her, she hadn't settled back down so he lifted an arm from his side and reached up and placed his hand against her cheek. Comforting wasn't something that Walter did. It was something which was programmed into him, yes, but he never had to actually do it. What did one do to comfort someone who was clearly having a bad dream?

Walter watched as what he did seemed to have an affect, she smiled. Walter watched her lips slowly spread into a smile. He didn't quite get how something so simple could cause someone to smile, least of all while asleep, but at least her fidgeting had stopped. She even nuzzled her face up and against his palm a little. In response Walter managed to stroke his fingertips along her hairline. The dusty blonde hair was soft, Walter looked over her, her skin was soft and warm under his hand too.

His eyes blinked quickly a few times when there was a slow sigh from the woman beside him. Walter watched as her eyes slowly opened, she looked confused, half asleep and most certainly confused as her eyes looked into his, his hand remained against her cheek. He in general remained unmoving in the whole moment, but then so was she. He continued to stroke his fingers slightly through her hair, Walter looked down when one of her hands uncurled from his top. The last thing he expected was for her hand to come to rest against his cheek. He tensed a little from the contact, not a full on jump, but he just didn't expect her to return the favour.

Least of all for her fingers to thread into his ever neat hair and tug him forwards gently. His forehead bumped against hers softly, her eyes shut again and his eyes remained open, staring down at her with a little confused frown appearing on his face. "You need to return to medical." She had rested, and now she was awake. There was nothing stopping her from returning now.

"Ruining the moment, Walter."

"Moment?" He repeated, sounding as confused as he was steadily looking.

Her eyes opened, "Yes, Walter, a moment."

"I don't understand." Which he didn't.

Onora sighed, "A quiet, peaceful moment. There's nothing going on, no one around causing noise; a moment, of utter peace." Walter blinked slowly, his eyes did flick around and he looked over what he could see. He could slightly see the door from over her. The top of a lamp on the bedside table. Even the window, curtains still closed yet the sun of the day shining through.

"A moment." Walter repeated again, sounding more thoughtful. He didn't think he had had a moment before. Or maybe he did, but he didn't quiet understand what it was.

"How long was I asleep?" Onora asked, her fingers were still twirling his hair somewhat around her fingers. Walter's reaction couldn't have been more confused as his eyes flicked to the side, as if he could see the action happening. She laughed, she couldn't help it. He was so far removed from this sort of thing, that he didn't quite know how to handle it clearly.

"What is funny?" Ever the practical questioner was Walter as he looked back to her. The mere thought of how long she had slept was overlooked and forgotten about.

"Your face."

"My face is funny?" He frowned, Onora nodded slowly, a grin appearing on her face. "I don't understand."

"You look so positively perplexed." Onora said, lifting her hand up she removed it, only to watch as he looked somewhat relieved, only to frown when her hand ruffled his hair. She laughed, mainly because his eyes widened and he looked so affronted by the moment. He sat up and even went as far as straightening his hair, running a hand through the short brunette locks before he seemed content that it was all settled back down.

He turned with a small frown and looked at her, "Why would you do that?" He asked, she sat up slowly by his side. Walter's eyes watched her, she stretched her arms out in front of herself before yawning quietly behind her hand.

"Because I thought it would be funny."

"And it was." Walter stated simply, she had laughed even if he didn't like the moment too much.

"Sorry," she patted him gently on the shoulder. "Care to accompany me back down?" Walter looked like he was going to disagree, a frown was on his face yet he nodded and stood from the bed. He turned and watched her stand too, she nodded slowly and then turned towards the door. They walked in silence for a few moments before she nudged his arm gently, "I didn't talk in my sleep did I?"

"Are you prone to that?"

"Just wondered."

"Interesting dream?" Walter asked, she looked puzzled. "You looked confused," he explained while she just nodded her head slowly. They reached where she needed to be, again, and he looked to her. "Will you wish for my company again?"

Onora smiled, "It's okay, Walter. You can go. You probably have something else better to do than watch me go through boring examinations." He looked close to disagreeing, yet he relented with a nod and moved away. Onora stood and watched him go, with a sigh she entered the room. It seemed the first thing which she was put through was endurance. Was there likely to be a lot of running and or strenuous tasks being needing done? She was a biologist, she wasn't going to have to rock climb for samples of things, surely? Most of the other tests were similar. She got put through the uncomfortable experience of seeing if she was okay with antigravity. Being stuck in a chamber while being strapped up to equipment and seriously feeling close to fainting wasn't pleasant, in the slightest.

By the time all was done, she more or less collapsed in the main living space. "You look like shit." Onora opened an eye and frowned at Tennessee, he was sitting in one of the chairs, one leg bent over the other as he sat drinking coffee. "We've all been there. Trust me, you should've seen-"

"If you're going to name drop me, I would recommend thinking again." Faris appeared and sat down on the arm of the chair, her arms crossed her chest tightly as she frowned down at him.

He looked at her wide eyed, he even huffed out a laugh, "As if! No, no...why would I do that?" He asked, though he sounded uncertain. Faris raised an eyebrow and looked to Onora, she was trying hard not to smile. Eventually both women laughed quietly. Tennessee sat with an exasperated expression, he put his cup on the coffee table and threw his hands up. "Women." He looked between them, he even pointed a finger from one to the other. "Don't go ganging up, that's some end of the world shit to be that is."

"I don't think the end of the world is going to come from womenkind," Daniels had appeared and sat down on the sofa beside Onora.

"Don't you start!" Tennessee rolled his eyes, what was this, ganging up on Tennessee day or something?

Daniels merely held her hands up with a smile, Onora just shook her head. They were an interesting lot, this crew. It was nice to see a group of people who could just joke around with each other, and not take the jokes too literal. Patting her knees, she slowly stood, earning glances by the other three. "Seriously got to go change." She pointed in the direction of the corridor, and her room, more specifically. She waved a hand at them casually and passed them by, she really needed to shower, change, and crawl into bed. How could she go from aching, to nothing - thanks to zero gravity - then to aching again? How unfair was that?

With a sigh she pushed her door open, or was going to until it opened for her. She looked surprisedly up at Walter, then she looked to his hand where he held his book, he must have left it when he was in here reading it to her. "You survived."

"Was that a joke?" Onora asked with narrowed eyes and a smile.

Walter looked up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. "I'm not sure, was it?"

She laughed, "I think you just made a joke, Walter." She pushed past him gently and took to rummaging for clean clothes. Walter turned and watched her go, she paused and looked to him. "But yes, I survived. I didn't faint anymore, even if I was close at one point." That caused him to look at her worriedly, he even let go of the door handle and moved over to her. "I'm fine! Walter, seriously, I'm fine!" She laughed and tried swatting his hands away, he was trying to check her temperature, and her pulse, although she had other ideas thanks to trying to shoo him away.

"Just making sure."

"Well, you have...thank you." Onora smiled up at him before looking over her shoulder to the bathroom. "I'll see you in a bit, yeah? The others are up and about now." Walter got the hint, he nodded his head and turned on his heels and exited her room. "Or you could wait?" That caused him to pause, he turned and looked back at her. Onora smiled thinly, "I'll be super quick, sit, read, I'll be like ten minutes tops." She edged more into the bathroom, Walter looked around the room as if that would give him an answer to her words. It didn't, and by the time he looked back at her she had already disappeared into the bathroom. So, he did as she said. He walked over and sat at the end of her bed. He placed his book in his lap, opened it up and found the page where he left off and commenced reading in silence.


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