#liaisons

The Lost Light had chosen one of the less populous regions of Earth to park their ship over, anchoring in the atmosphere above the forests that stretched across the Western United States and turning on their cloaking technology to ensure they didn't cause too much of a fuss while visiting for business and leisure. It had been made abundantly clear that while visitation was allowed for most of the crew, they were expected to be on their best behavior whilst those in command attended important meetings with the planet's leadership. You had been given a shuttle and permission to travel anywhere on your home planet, along with the freedom to take any of the more trustworthy crewmembers with you for some sightseeing.

As the trip was going to be several days long, you had quite a few planetside visits planned and a number of groups you wanted to enjoy them with, but for the first you had something much smaller and quietter in mind. It had been a long time since you'd been home, and you only had one bot you wanted to share the reunion with.

As you stepped out of the shuttle and onto grass for the first time in far too many months, Rung did the same at your side, putting up a hand to block some of the spring sunshine. Lush forest spread out in every direction below the hill you'd chosen as a landing site, teeming with life but free of human habitation to ensure you wouldn't be disturbed. You filled your lungs with oxygen and the sweetness of a thousand kinds of flower.

"What do you think?" you asked him without delay, as excited to hear your friend's thoughts as you were to be on familiar ground. The mech took a moment to look about before he replied, thinking over his words as he took in the countless miles of untouched wilderness.

"It's beautiful, I never thought I'd see it myself." he said with soft awe, taking in the world that had been so intertwined with his own species and showing obvious admiration for it's natural beauty. The praise made your heart sing, and you wasted no time leading the way down the hill to a more level patch of grass and flowers. A light breeze made the lush greenery bend like waves of water.

"There's so much more to see, but I wanted to go somewhere private first. Just... to enjoy the little things. I missed so much of this." you said as you bent down to pass your hand over the flowers. The petals were soft as silk against your fingertips. Sighing appreciatively, you let the coolness of the earth and the warmth of the sun sandwhich you between them.

Rung dropped to one knee beside you, mirroring your actions with uncertain hesitation and marveling at what to him was a most alien sensation. A single flower was cupped lovingly in his palm for a solid minute before he rediscovered his voice. "Are these the little things you missed?"

"Some of them." you answered with a nod, unable to list all the things you hoped to catch up on while here. Between the world's greatest monuments and your hometown, there would probably be a few items you forgot and would have to visit next time, but you weren't thinking about that now. Dropping to both knees, you sighed as the planet seemed to welcome you back. As comfortable as you'd been on the ship, it was now apparent it had a few features you'd never grown accustomed to. "I mostly missed not being the only squishy organic thing around. There's not much soft stuff on the Lost Light, but here..."

Flopping onto your back and allowing the bed of grass and flowers to catch you, your arms and legs stretched out to savor the bed of nature as you sighed. "It's everywhere."

"I've never seen so much green." Rung conceded with a laugh, looking back to the trees dancing in the breeze as you closed your eyes against the sunlight. Hearing a distant flock of birds fluttering through the branches, you felt a powerful peace weigh you to the spot, putting you in a kind of trance that was only broken when Rung spoke up again. "May I join you?"

Cracking open an eye against the blinding white clouds and sunshine, you patted the expanse of grass at your side. "Of course."

Rung was quite cautious about mirroring you once again, moving slowly as he laid himself down parallel to your much smaller form and stretched out his legs. You watched as his optics widened behind his lenses, the sizable biolight on his chest glowing far more brightly as he felt the touch of Earth's plants for the first time and marveled at the sensation. It was utterly adorable, but you kept that to yourself as he finally allowed his helm to meet a pillow of grass.

"Goodness, I really do see the appeal." he mused after a brief silence made you wonder. Tilting his helm to look at you, he opened his mouth to offer more appreciation before a sudden flash of color gave him pause.

A monarch butterfly alighted on the head of a flower beside his helm, fluttering its brilliantly patterned wings as if to draw the attention of the newcomer. Immediately fascinated, Rung hovered a hand just shy of the tiny arrival, judging it to be safe by your lack of fear. "Oh, hello there! What are you?"

"That's a butterfly, they... like flowers too." you answered simply, dropping an explanation as to why the tiny bug was sipping at the nectar of the flower it had landed on. Biology lessons could wait, you were a bit too busy appreciating how adorable Rung looked whilst admiring the brightly colored wings fluttering beside his helm. Before he could ask for more information, the first arrival was joined by a second; a black and blue butterfly with a brilliant iridescent shimmer. Both landed on the offered servo and began to investigate, much to the obvious delight of their host.

"This as well?" Rung asked with another laugh, staying very still so as not to disturb his new friends. You chuckled with him, unable to remember ever seeing something more adorable in your entire laugh.