Chocolate in the Library

There was something about the stars that brought Ayda comfort. Maybe it was the simplistic beauty of the ebony expanse dotted with white sparkles. Maybe it was the memories of visiting her grandfather on this very station, as he worked on expansions of it. Maybe it was that seeing the sky reminded her that she wasn’t trapped anymore in that small room, being hounded with questions and giving answers in exchange for correspondence with her teammates, showers, food that didn’t hurt to eat -

Ayda felt a warm hand interlocking hers. The gentle caress was enough to pull her out of her dark thoughts. She focused her attention on slowing her breathing, counting each breath.

One. She was sitting in one of the lounge areas on Preservation Station, in her home system.

Two. It was the night period, and she’d come out here after a nightmare that she couldn’t quite remember but had left her too shaken to stay in her skyless quarters.

Three. SecUnit was with her. She’d messaged it to meet her here. Even being home, even being a lengthy wormhole trip away from the Corporation Rim, Ayda still feel the target on her back.

Finally remembering where she was, she looked down at their interlocking hands. SecUnit’s claws were more retracted than usual. She ran her thumb across its fingers, trying to focus on the warmth of its touch rather than the large scar on her own hand. As metallic as it was, SecUnit’s hand somehow felt more comfortable than the plush couch they were sitting on.

“You seem tired,” SecUnit gently said, “If you need to lean on me, it’s ok.”

Ayda was tired, just tired enough that the only thing her mind could do was focus on the terrors plaguing her.

“You don’t like being touched that much.” She was surprised SecUnit was even holding her hand without her asking.

“It’s okay this time. I don’t like seeing you exhausted.” It squeezed her hand a bit tighter.

Ayda took the offer and leaned on SecUnit, her head resting perfectly against its shoulder. It didn’t flinch. SecUnit felt warm, just like when she’d hugged it in the middle of it rescuing her and when it had called security after the off-world reporter had frightened her. She briefly considered leaning into it further like she would with her spouses, siblings, and parents, but SecUnit still had its boundaries and she didn’t want to test them further. Instead, she focused on its warmth, the steady purring of its motors, and the glittering of the stars before them.