Work Text:
You wiped your eyes, the loud whir of the computers all around you instantly filling your ears as you slowly woke up. The mattress you were on was thin and lumpy, far less comfortable than the one back in your apartment, but Techie’s arms around you and his soft breath against your hair as you slept more than made up for it.
You and Techie had been seeing each other for some time, sneaking visits whenever he saw on his security monitor that Ma-Ma was busy. You usually were only able to stay a few hours, the fear of getting caught looming over you the entire time and nearly spoiling it. This night had been different, though. Ma-Ma was out, Caleb was in charge, and he didn’t give a shit about Techie’s personal life. You were able to stay all night, unencumbered with the threat of being caught, on the agreement that he’d have to get back to work once he woke up.
Still half within sleep, you thought about the night before. Though he knew it wasn’t much, Techie surprised you with a soup he knew you liked, and you ate together on the floor, listening to music and talking until neither of you could keep your eyes open anymore. You got into his bed and adjusted yourself while he shifted the big metal fan to be pointed straight at you.
“What’s that for?” You asked.
“Oh,” he mumbled. “I, uh, tend to get hot at night, you know from all the, well-” he motioned around him, “-and besides, if you’re cold you might want to cuddle me.”
You grinned as he crawled over and joined you under the comforter. Even though you’d never laid together before, you instantly latched onto his side like a magnet, your head resting just near his chest and your arms around his waist, his around your shoulders.
“I don’t need to be cold to want to cuddle,” you whispered.
You nuzzled into his chest while he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, you ran your thumb over the bottom of his shirt and danced your fingers across the soft skin of his stomach while he combed his fingers through your hair and tenderly rubbed your back, his warm breath tickling your head. You don’t recall when either of you fell asleep, every moment of togetherness blending into each other.
So you were slightly annoyed when you woke up, cold, alone, and on a lumpy mattress. You squinted your eyes open as much as they would let you in your sleepy state to watch Techie, already hard at work staring at his screen.
“Come baaaaaack,” you moaned.
He turned towards you with a smile.”
“You’re up!”
“Yes.... and I’m cold,” you whined, “come back and cuddle again.”
“I have to work, remember the deal? If anything happens while Ma-Ma’s gone, I’m the first one to take the heat.”
You sighed.
“I know. Last night was just so lovely, I’m sad it’s over.”
“It doesn’t have to be, come over and sit with me,” He held out his hand.
“You only have one chair, I don’t want to sit on the floor again.”
He didn’t reply, just patted his knees with a grin. You reluctantly crawled out of bed, the blanket still wrapped around you as you shuffled across the cold cement floor and into his lap. He manoeuvred his arms around you so he could still reach the controls, while also giving him an excuse to embrace you.
“Wanna see what I do all day?” He whispered in your ear.
You responded by leaning back onto his shoulder, his chin resting on top of your head while he softly explained to you what all of the controls do, what all the programs mean, what Ma-Ma typically expects of him.
Which reminded you, she’d be home later that day, and would undoubtedly come straight to Techie’s room to catch up on what she’d miss while she was gone. But that was later, this was now, now was in Techie’s arms, his voice and your bliss nearly lulling you back to sleep, which he eventually noticed and stopped talking so much. But not before one last whisper registered in your ears as you dozed off:
“I wish it could be like this forever.”