Rinso comes back in with your guitar, and a big dopey smile. He waits for you to sit up, then hands it to you and sits down near you, leaving enough room for you to play. "Miss Kiddo," Rinso says with a grin, "Play our song."
What is your song, Kiddo? Well, no he said "our song". What's that?
I melt under his skilled touch. I don't eve know that I can move after he's done- not that I want to, even.
I'm just drifting off when I remember that he doesn't sleep. I want to keep him company! My eyelids flutter open, but are so heavy I can barely keep them open.
You awake in nearly the same position that you passed out in. Your body feels completely rested and refreshed. Well, you could use a shower, but otherwise, you are the beneficiary of a complete night's rest, uninterrupted.
Metro is there, sitting by you, smirking and watching you sleep. He's changed shirts, and you think he's made some coffee and pancakes on his griddle. If those smells hadn't woken you, you might have slept for another couple hours, not that you needed it. Just because the pleasure of a good sleep is something worth savoring.
"Mmmm." I say as I stretch, smiling. I haven't slept that much or that well in weeks. "Good morning." I reply.
I snuggle up next to him, wrapping my arms around him. I want to just stay like this, in his van, forever. Well, shower and coffee first, then forever.
"How are you?" I ask. "What have you been up to? Aside from cooking, which smells delicious, by the way."
"Thank you," he says to your compliment, which seems to please him mightily. "I spent some time testing the array, which can hardly be called an array since there are two points of communication. I walked around a little, checked on your people and your vehicles. Three of the motorcycles were in need of slight repair, so I, ah, I did that. I spent some time with Roma, who thought she needed to DJ all the time, even though I was rather clear in the expectations of her duties. I think she likes it up in the tower by herself, looking down on Bubble City." He leans back to his make-shift kitchen, gets a carafe, and pours some of the black gold into a cup, hands you a cup of coffee.
As you drink the coffee, with has a hint of something like chicory, he quirks a brow, "I ran into something rather odd. It happened for fourteen minutes. There was another artificial person. Here." He looks at you, asking, not accusing, "Do you know anything about this?"
I smile when he details his night- of course he'd fix the bikes.
"You keep giving me massages and coffee and I'm yours for life." I tell him.
"Fourteen minutes?" I'm not understanding, though I'm not sure if it's because I just woke up or if I'm missing something. "Another one? In Bubbletown? Uh, not that I know of..."
Oh gods... I must be beet red by the time he hands me the guitar. I was kinda drunk one night when Rinny was on watch, in the brief stint before Vee was in on our little relationship, and I stayed up late to keep him company playing guitar. I was riffing away at a little something I've been playing since I first laid hands on a guitar, and sang out a little tune...
Walking through the wastes, a wind blows, Twisting in the rain you're there, A tower in the dirt, made of solid stone, but you don't shake at all.
Shelter from the sun, and the moon, Gentle like the touch, of a newborn, Wisen'd from the years of a hard life, but you don't hurt at all.
When the world's gone black, I remember your love. When the world's gone red, I remember your love. When the world's gone, I remember your love. I remember your love.
Don't tell Kodak, but there was a little while after that where we weren't strictly speaking on watch... I got Rinny back to work pretty quick though.
"That's your price for companionship?" Metro asks with a laugh. "Well, I am glad I'm heading to Boomtown next. I think I can afford the likes of you, Stitch." He turns around to put your pancakes on a plate, then fishes out a squeeze bottle of thick brown liquid, actual syrup. Not much, but he puts a quarter cup on the three cakes, hands it to you with a small cloth.
On the info about the artificial person, Metro nods, "I wouldn't expect you would know about it, merely curious." He watches you eat, "I felt her reaching out, like you were a minute ago. Waking up, in a way. I didn't know her, but she's a newer model, broadcasting on a different frequency. But I caught her ping home. That's universal. And yes, it felt like a her. Funny how gender affects communication, even now." He stops talking, musing silently.
I eat the pancakes slowly, savoring them. "I haven't had real syrup in a hundred years!" I joke, smiling.
"Another ship?" I ask him. I don't know how often they come down, but I'd thought it wasn't that frequent. "Or mine? Could you tell how far?"
I'm not really surprised that a robot has a gender. They were programmed by humans, after all.
"You wanna go check it out?" I ask him. Kiddo wants to go shake down Big Time for information about her parents, but she's got Rinso and Candies with her- she's not gonna need me.
Rinso idly touches your leg as you sing. When you finish, he pulls you in close, "Gods, Kiddo, I love you so much. I'm sorry the Rose Room wasn't your cup of tea." He kisses your forehead, then moves to your lips, ignoring any morning breath. "Wanna get a little dirtier before we clean up with a hot shower?"
With a gentle shake of his head, "No, it felt local, on the ground, I would have sensed a ship crash with my little array. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that her CPU is in the possession of one of the people with your caravan. I tried to echo-locate, but it was moving. By the time I got close, it cut off."
He looks disturbed, "I think something cut her off. Either an operator, or perhaps she was destroyed."
OOC: While apparently genetically predisposed to have children, Kiddo's going to be at risk for this thing... She will suffer grievous harm during this pregnancy.
That was a particularly passionate moment, as Rinso had taken control, and found a very steady rhythm. As he was nearing climax, he looked down into your eyes, and kissed you, then pulled back to answer between his final thrusts, "Don't ever leave me, and I will always find happiness with you, Kiddo."
So Kiddo...
How long did it take for you to notice VB returned? How long do you think she's been there, by the door?
Well, considering I almost passed out again after that, I only notice well after the fact... I spot Rinny smiling at someone over the back of the couch, and poke my head around the side to see Vee standing there. "Hey Honey," I call, still flushed as hell... She looks like she's been standing there a while. I blush a little more.
VB snorts a laugh, "Looks like Rinnie HAD breakfast already! And you dumbasses didn't use rubbers. Did you pull out at least?" She pauses to look at Rinso, who sort of looks at the ceiling, "You two are gonna be the next Reese! Little frakkin rugrats coming on our jobs, dumb dumb dumb!!! The goddess of love is going to take a shower now! Anyone who won't make me have babies is welcome to come along!"
Rinso waits for her to move down the hall and asks, "You wanna go?"
Rinso pauses, but you pull him along, right? Inviting him?
He's in a really great mood, like that sex meant alot to him, just alone time with you, no guilt. Did he ask if you could have sex without the rubbers, or was it another "unspoken thing"? Like he started and kind of gave you the look and you didn't object? I'm curious, because you KNOW VB will grill him later.
Oh and by the way, VB doesn't say anything about the two of you together, but she's all over you when you step into the huge shower. Like, seducing you in front of Rinnie and not really trying to include him.
Of course I pull him along! Rinny doesn't deserve to keep getting the cold shoulder like that... Or the cold shower... Whichever. I told him it was OK without the rubber — we've risked it until now, what's one more gamble until I can get my hands on some, yeah?
Anyway, I close the door behind us and join Vee in the shower, and kind of follow along for a minute while Vee essentially denies Rinny in on this. That's really not fair... I let her get close, and gradually pull Rinny into it so I can leave them to their own devices while I wash myself. We're a threesome after all, I'm not a timeshare!
Rinso is meek in the shower. Literally meek when VB nudges him away. Not sad puppy meek, but yeah, he lets her get away with it. But then you pull him in, pair them off. As you begin washing, VB catches the hint, and pretty much goes flip-mode on Rinso.
She spends a bit getting him excited again, then before you've gotten shampoo into your hair, she's jumped up into his arms and starts making sure its a threesome. She's loud, too. Evidently the two of you together without her, even though it's happened before, this morning it struck a bit of a nerve.
Rinso's giving in, but there's a moment, when she's busy licking his ear, that you catch a look from him. He's not into this. He was really happy just being with you this morning, and VB is in the way right now. Maybe not forever in the way, but right now, he is trapped.
Less than 10 minutes ago, he said he could find happiness with me so long as I never left him... I shake my head, and join them in an embrace behind Rinny. I love them both, and Vee's not going anywhere either... I guess I have to help him see that he's not trapped — he's loved.
"I can talk to Kodak- he'd know if we had her in the caravan, I think." I offer.
I wonder about that- finding another artificial person. I wonder if she might have been salvaged off the junkship I'd been on. Do the people on this planet know about artificial intelligence? I shudder to think what they'd make Metro do if they found out. No wonder he keeps it a secret.
I finish my pancakes. "You think I could get a shower somewhere?" I don't even know what happened to Kiddo and the crew last night- stayed in the bubble hotel, I guess. I smile when I think of yesterday, up against the van.
"If she'd masking her signal, she might be posing as someone, uh, living," Metro says as he ponders it. Then, "A shower? Oh, yes, that is a good question... I'm sure we can use Roma's shower. She's offered it to me numerous times... do I smell?"
Metro smirks at your self-depricating remark, then he helps you get dressed and leads you to a small bubble home. After a couple knocks (it's early), a woman with short-cropped blonde hair with brown roots answers the door. She smells like cigarettes. "Hey Metro," she says sleepily.
"Hi Roma. This is my friend, Stitch." Metro says as he gestures to you.
Roma leans against the door, looking you up and down, "So this is Stitch?" She gives a half-smile and seems to wake up a little more. Her eyes are still red, though.
Metro answers with a nods, "The same. She needs to use your shower. Would that be alright?"
Roma steps aside, gesturing with a lazy wave into her ramshackle one-room place, "Sure. Follow me, chica."
She leads you inside to the tiny stand-up shower, pulls back the curtain, "It's cold, but clean. I've got product on that shelf there."
Even though I'm a doctor, I don't tell people not to smoke on this planet. Probably because the first and last time I tried it at Loot's- the guy looked absolutely dumbfounded, like, if he's got 'em, why not smoke 'em?
"Hi." I say shyly. When she looks me up and down I half smile and give Metro a look- he's been talking about me?
"Thanks." I say as she leads me in. I'd thought about asking Metro to take a shower with me, but there's no way we're both going to fit in there. Ah well.
As soon as Roma leaves, I start taking clothes off. I'm not really self-conscious about my body, but I'm used to hiding the scars and lately my weight loss, so I'm a bit awkward about it.
I assume you're mostly numb to cold showers now, since it's the norm. Odd that Roma even pointed it out. You hear the sounds of conversation between Roma and Metro, but the words echo oddly in the rounded walls of the domed house. Roma has a number of old shampoos and conditioners, all scrounged stuff.
When you finish, there's a rough towel to dry off and then what, dress in clothes from your pack, right? You head back in to see Roma standing by her couch, chatting with Metro. Her stance towards him is very open. They're friendly.
"Hey Stitch," Roma says as she walks over to you, offering a hand, "Sorry I was a bitch earlier, I'm frakked. Nice to meet you."
I take as short a shower as I can and use very little shampoo and conditioner. I've got some spare clothes in the pack, but the shirt is short-sleeved and shows my stomach (and scars) a bit. Crap, I must have left my sweater back in Metro's van. I try and tug it down as I leave the room.
"Nice to meet you." I shake her hand. I didn't think she was a bitch before- it's early. I've gotten so used to sleeping as little as possible, my internal clock is off. "Thanks for the shower."
I nod at her 'friend of mine' comment. I wonder how they met? If she knows about him?
I want to add a word of encouragement- she really did great on the radio- but it feels wrong. She doesn't even know me. I nod when Metro says she'll do fine.
I glance over at Roma and tug my shirt down. "If you like?" I don't really know how often he needs to do that. Is he offering for my benefit? I'm a bit confused.
Metro looks to Roma, she shrugs, so he heads off to the shower. She doesn't lead him, seems like he's used it before. Roma heads over to her little blue cooler, "You want something to drink, Stitch?" Even if you refuse, she'll grab you a bottle of Coca Cola and brings it back. It's cool and wet on the outside. One of those twist caps.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if you existed, Stitch." Roma says as soon as the water starts in the shower. "Metro described you like you were pretty important. He's not one to get attached, least as far as I've known him."
"No thanks, I'm good." I say. When she comes back with the Coke, I take it. "Thanks."
I chuckle when she doubts my existence, but raise my eyebrows at Metro's description of me. I blush a bit- I don't really know how to respond to that. "How did you guys meet?" I ask her.
Roma heads over to her ratty love seat and plops down. She pats the seat beside her, "Take a seat if you wanna." She leans over to fish a cig out of the crushed pack on the makeshift coffee table, then pics up an ancient plastic Bic lighter. As she leans back and starts lighting up, she says, "Metro and I go way back. I ran into him not long after the pods fell apart. I caught him sneaking around with Lemy, thought he was up to something.... but I was wrong. He's a good man."
She blows out a long stream of smoke, then says quieter, "He was there for me when I didn't have anybody. Helped me pick up the broken pieces of my life. He doesn't want people to know that he cares... but he does."
Roma takes another puff, "Who frakked up your cute little tummy?"
"Him." I reply. "He didn't start out like that. We... we loved each other. Once." I'm not sure why I feel the need to make that distinction. He's dead- what does it matter?
Roma exhales a stream of smoke, then nods, "Losing a lover hurts however it happens." She glances over at you, "You think each person only has one true love out there for them? Just one shot?" The question seems less Socratic than first blush. Its obviously a question she's asked herself, unhappy with the answer.
"I don't know." I answer honestly. If that was true, was Ethan my one true love? I nearly shudder at the thought. Once, I might have thought so. I realize now it might have started out as love, but it turned into something else.
"I don't think so. I mean- what if your one and only love was on the other side of the planet? After... Ethan, I thought I'd be happy to be alone forever. But alone sucks." I think of Metro and smile. I don't really care if we only have one true love, I don't feel alone now. In this place, you take what you can get.
The sound of the water stops, and you hear Metro drying off. Roma leans forward to stamp out her cig and mutters, "It sure does. That's no lie." She pats your knee once, sort of sisterly, but also pretty forward, then stands up, moves over to a patched together table with some ancient electronics and starts picking through it.
Metro comes out, no shirt, just the same pair of slacks as before. "Thank you, Roma."
"Anytime, techie." Roma says, not turning to face him, her back still to you, Stitch.
Metro looks over at you, his hair damp and tousled. He pulls the towel off his shoulders and shrugs back into his shirt, pulling it down, "Ready to go, Stitch?"
On your way out, Metro says, "Do you mind if I come along to Tradertown? I'd like to spend more time with you. And also, see if I can find the other artificial person."
He reaches down to take your hand as you walk along some flagstones around the outer edge of Bubble City, "I promise coffee and massages."
Comments
Rinso comes back in with your guitar, and a big dopey smile. He waits for you to sit up, then hands it to you and sits down near you, leaving enough room for you to play. "Miss Kiddo," Rinso says with a grin, "Play our song."
What is your song, Kiddo? Well, no he said "our song". What's that?
I'm just drifting off when I remember that he doesn't sleep. I want to keep him company! My eyelids flutter open, but are so heavy I can barely keep them open.
OOC: Act under fire incoming.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 1, 1. Total: 5)
You awake in nearly the same position that you passed out in. Your body feels completely rested and refreshed. Well, you could use a shower, but otherwise, you are the beneficiary of a complete night's rest, uninterrupted.
Metro is there, sitting by you, smirking and watching you sleep. He's changed shirts, and you think he's made some coffee and pancakes on his griddle. If those smells hadn't woken you, you might have slept for another couple hours, not that you needed it. Just because the pleasure of a good sleep is something worth savoring.
"Good morning, Stitch." Metro says softly.
I snuggle up next to him, wrapping my arms around him. I want to just stay like this, in his van, forever. Well, shower and coffee first, then forever.
"How are you?" I ask. "What have you been up to? Aside from cooking, which smells delicious, by the way."
"Thank you," he says to your compliment, which seems to please him mightily. "I spent some time testing the array, which can hardly be called an array since there are two points of communication. I walked around a little, checked on your people and your vehicles. Three of the motorcycles were in need of slight repair, so I, ah, I did that. I spent some time with Roma, who thought she needed to DJ all the time, even though I was rather clear in the expectations of her duties. I think she likes it up in the tower by herself, looking down on Bubble City." He leans back to his make-shift kitchen, gets a carafe, and pours some of the black gold into a cup, hands you a cup of coffee.
As you drink the coffee, with has a hint of something like chicory, he quirks a brow, "I ran into something rather odd. It happened for fourteen minutes. There was another artificial person. Here." He looks at you, asking, not accusing, "Do you know anything about this?"
"You keep giving me massages and coffee and I'm yours for life." I tell him.
"Fourteen minutes?" I'm not understanding, though I'm not sure if it's because I just woke up or if I'm missing something. "Another one? In Bubbletown? Uh, not that I know of..."
Walking through the wastes, a wind blows,
Twisting in the rain you're there,
A tower in the dirt, made of solid stone,
but you don't shake at all.
Shelter from the sun, and the moon,
Gentle like the touch, of a newborn,
Wisen'd from the years of a hard life,
but you don't hurt at all.
When the world's gone black, I remember your love.
When the world's gone red, I remember your love.
When the world's gone, I remember your love.
I remember your love.
Don't tell Kodak, but there was a little while after that where we weren't strictly speaking on watch... I got Rinny back to work pretty quick though.
"That's your price for companionship?" Metro asks with a laugh. "Well, I am glad I'm heading to Boomtown next. I think I can afford the likes of you, Stitch." He turns around to put your pancakes on a plate, then fishes out a squeeze bottle of thick brown liquid, actual syrup. Not much, but he puts a quarter cup on the three cakes, hands it to you with a small cloth.
On the info about the artificial person, Metro nods, "I wouldn't expect you would know about it, merely curious." He watches you eat, "I felt her reaching out, like you were a minute ago. Waking up, in a way. I didn't know her, but she's a newer model, broadcasting on a different frequency. But I caught her ping home. That's universal. And yes, it felt like a her. Funny how gender affects communication, even now." He stops talking, musing silently.
"Another ship?" I ask him. I don't know how often they come down, but I'd thought it wasn't that frequent. "Or mine? Could you tell how far?"
I'm not really surprised that a robot has a gender. They were programmed by humans, after all.
"You wanna go check it out?" I ask him. Kiddo wants to go shake down Big Time for information about her parents, but she's got Rinso and Candies with her- she's not gonna need me.
Rinso idly touches your leg as you sing. When you finish, he pulls you in close, "Gods, Kiddo, I love you so much. I'm sorry the Rose Room wasn't your cup of tea." He kisses your forehead, then moves to your lips, ignoring any morning breath. "Wanna get a little dirtier before we clean up with a hot shower?"
... Frak it...
"I love you too, baby..." I smile up at him, set the guitar down, gently rest a hand on his cheek, and pull him down onto the sofa with me.
With a gentle shake of his head, "No, it felt local, on the ground, I would have sensed a ship crash with my little array. If I were to hazard a guess, I would say that her CPU is in the possession of one of the people with your caravan. I tried to echo-locate, but it was moving. By the time I got close, it cut off."
He looks disturbed, "I think something cut her off. Either an operator, or perhaps she was destroyed."
Kiddo,
Roll the move.
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 4, 3. Total: 9)
Since this was a pretty amazing moment between you two, ask one question of Rinso. It could be out loud, it could be new understanding, your call.
That was a particularly passionate moment, as Rinso had taken control, and found a very steady rhythm. As he was nearing climax, he looked down into your eyes, and kissed you, then pulled back to answer between his final thrusts, "Don't ever leave me, and I will always find happiness with you, Kiddo."
So Kiddo...
How long did it take for you to notice VB returned? How long do you think she's been there, by the door?
"Rinny's making breakfast!"
VB snorts a laugh, "Looks like Rinnie HAD breakfast already! And you dumbasses didn't use rubbers. Did you pull out at least?" She pauses to look at Rinso, who sort of looks at the ceiling, "You two are gonna be the next Reese! Little frakkin rugrats coming on our jobs, dumb dumb dumb!!! The goddess of love is going to take a shower now! Anyone who won't make me have babies is welcome to come along!"
Rinso waits for her to move down the hall and asks, "You wanna go?"
Rinso pauses, but you pull him along, right? Inviting him?
He's in a really great mood, like that sex meant alot to him, just alone time with you, no guilt. Did he ask if you could have sex without the rubbers, or was it another "unspoken thing"? Like he started and kind of gave you the look and you didn't object? I'm curious, because you KNOW VB will grill him later.
Oh and by the way, VB doesn't say anything about the two of you together, but she's all over you when you step into the huge shower. Like, seducing you in front of Rinnie and not really trying to include him.
What do you do?
Anyway, I close the door behind us and join Vee in the shower, and kind of follow along for a minute while Vee essentially denies Rinny in on this. That's really not fair... I let her get close, and gradually pull Rinny into it so I can leave them to their own devices while I wash myself. We're a threesome after all, I'm not a timeshare!
Rinso is meek in the shower. Literally meek when VB nudges him away. Not sad puppy meek, but yeah, he lets her get away with it. But then you pull him in, pair them off. As you begin washing, VB catches the hint, and pretty much goes flip-mode on Rinso.
She spends a bit getting him excited again, then before you've gotten shampoo into your hair, she's jumped up into his arms and starts making sure its a threesome. She's loud, too. Evidently the two of you together without her, even though it's happened before, this morning it struck a bit of a nerve.
Rinso's giving in, but there's a moment, when she's busy licking his ear, that you catch a look from him. He's not into this. He was really happy just being with you this morning, and VB is in the way right now. Maybe not forever in the way, but right now, he is trapped.
What do you do?
I wonder about that- finding another artificial person. I wonder if she might have been salvaged off the junkship I'd been on. Do the people on this planet know about artificial intelligence? I shudder to think what they'd make Metro do if they found out. No wonder he keeps it a secret.
I finish my pancakes. "You think I could get a shower somewhere?" I don't even know what happened to Kiddo and the crew last night- stayed in the bubble hotel, I guess. I smile when I think of yesterday, up against the van.
"If she'd masking her signal, she might be posing as someone, uh, living," Metro says as he ponders it. Then, "A shower? Oh, yes, that is a good question... I'm sure we can use Roma's shower. She's offered it to me numerous times... do I smell?"
Metro smirks at your self-depricating remark, then he helps you get dressed and leads you to a small bubble home. After a couple knocks (it's early), a woman with short-cropped blonde hair with brown roots answers the door. She smells like cigarettes. "Hey Metro," she says sleepily.
"Hi Roma. This is my friend, Stitch." Metro says as he gestures to you.
Roma leans against the door, looking you up and down, "So this is Stitch?" She gives a half-smile and seems to wake up a little more. Her eyes are still red, though.
Metro answers with a nods, "The same. She needs to use your shower. Would that be alright?"
Roma steps aside, gesturing with a lazy wave into her ramshackle one-room place, "Sure. Follow me, chica."
She leads you inside to the tiny stand-up shower, pulls back the curtain, "It's cold, but clean. I've got product on that shelf there."
What do you do?
"Hi." I say shyly. When she looks me up and down I half smile and give Metro a look- he's been talking about me?
"Thanks." I say as she leads me in. I'd thought about asking Metro to take a shower with me, but there's no way we're both going to fit in there. Ah well.
As soon as Roma leaves, I start taking clothes off. I'm not really self-conscious about my body, but I'm used to hiding the scars and lately my weight loss, so I'm a bit awkward about it.
I assume you're mostly numb to cold showers now, since it's the norm. Odd that Roma even pointed it out. You hear the sounds of conversation between Roma and Metro, but the words echo oddly in the rounded walls of the domed house. Roma has a number of old shampoos and conditioners, all scrounged stuff.
When you finish, there's a rough towel to dry off and then what, dress in clothes from your pack, right? You head back in to see Roma standing by her couch, chatting with Metro. Her stance towards him is very open. They're friendly.
"Hey Stitch," Roma says as she walks over to you, offering a hand, "Sorry I was a bitch earlier, I'm frakked. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you." I shake her hand. I didn't think she was a bitch before- it's early. I've gotten so used to sleeping as little as possible, my internal clock is off. "Thanks for the shower."
Metro says, "Hey, the tower's doing great right now. I'm going to head off with Kiddo's crew to find Tradertown, should be back in a few days."
Roma looks suddenly nervous, "You, ah... you sure?"
Metro smirks, "You'll be fine. Any damage you do, we can fix when I get back. Relax, Roma. You're good at this."
Roma shrugs, "Well.... okaaay. Be careful."
Metro looks at you, Stitch, "Should I, ah... should I shower?"
I want to add a word of encouragement- she really did great on the radio- but it feels wrong. She doesn't even know me. I nod when Metro says she'll do fine.
I glance over at Roma and tug my shirt down. "If you like?" I don't really know how often he needs to do that. Is he offering for my benefit? I'm a bit confused.
Metro looks to Roma, she shrugs, so he heads off to the shower. She doesn't lead him, seems like he's used it before. Roma heads over to her little blue cooler, "You want something to drink, Stitch?" Even if you refuse, she'll grab you a bottle of Coca Cola and brings it back. It's cool and wet on the outside. One of those twist caps.
"To be honest, I wasn't sure if you existed, Stitch." Roma says as soon as the water starts in the shower. "Metro described you like you were pretty important. He's not one to get attached, least as far as I've known him."
I chuckle when she doubts my existence, but raise my eyebrows at Metro's description of me. I blush a bit- I don't really know how to respond to that. "How did you guys meet?" I ask her.
She blows out a long stream of smoke, then says quieter, "He was there for me when I didn't have anybody. Helped me pick up the broken pieces of my life. He doesn't want people to know that he cares... but he does."
Roma takes another puff, "Who frakked up your cute little tummy?"
"My ex." I answer her.
Roma makes a tsk noise, "That's drek, Stitch. Him or her?" She takes another drag to give you time to answer.
"I don't think so. I mean- what if your one and only love was on the other side of the planet? After... Ethan, I thought I'd be happy to be alone forever. But alone sucks." I think of Metro and smile. I don't really care if we only have one true love, I don't feel alone now. In this place, you take what you can get.
The sound of the water stops, and you hear Metro drying off. Roma leans forward to stamp out her cig and mutters, "It sure does. That's no lie." She pats your knee once, sort of sisterly, but also pretty forward, then stands up, moves over to a patched together table with some ancient electronics and starts picking through it.
Metro comes out, no shirt, just the same pair of slacks as before. "Thank you, Roma."
"Anytime, techie." Roma says, not turning to face him, her back still to you, Stitch.
Metro looks over at you, his hair damp and tousled. He pulls the towel off his shoulders and shrugs back into his shirt, pulling it down, "Ready to go, Stitch?"
On your way out, Metro says, "Do you mind if I come along to Tradertown? I'd like to spend more time with you. And also, see if I can find the other artificial person."
He reaches down to take your hand as you walk along some flagstones around the outer edge of Bubble City, "I promise coffee and massages."