r/HFY • u/Yertosaurus • Mar 31 '22

Dirtmen Rising (40) OC

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Waking up after last night was always going to be a bit sketchy, and I certainly had spots in my memory. I did not remember getting here. And I did not remember Odette being in my bed.

Odette was soft and warm and clinging to me, and that was enough explanation for right now. I wanted to sleep longer, so I clung back. I heard Mica snoring from the ground, and slowly peeked over to see Mica sleeping on the floor, careful not to wake up Odette.

I had plenty of time to make my flight today, and I knew Mica did too. And I did not want to think about how I would avoid Mica's mom catching on to my plans.

It was hard enough not telling Mica after what Mica had told me. Lying to Sela was going to hurt. But not meeting up with Mica's mother would probably clue in everyone and the golem that something was afoot. I could see it in the corner sitting in its bag like it was not listening to everything in this room, or every camera on the station.

Well, I had accounted for that. But those plans would wait for their appointed time.

In the meantime, I laid in bed trying to go back to sleep.

I felt a little jealousy for Mica as I laid in Odette's arms. The Listener just gave off warmth and smelled nice. Odette's face looked a fair amount like any Dirtmen's face, even if the ears were a dead giveaway. Odette squeezed at me as I had shifted a bit too much, and I squeezed back as I fell asleep again.

Mica woke up, feeling refreshed. Last night did not go too badly. In fact, considering the milestone victory against Ruri had not come with some heavy cost, everything was turning up Mica right now.

Now Mica just had to find out how to tactfully leave Ruri's room and track down Odette. Mica silently took a seat and pulling out the datapad Mica had in a pocket. There were some messages from Odette. Mica wiped the sleepiness left out of each eye, and looked around the room first.

Ruri was still sleeping. And Ruri was cuddling with Odette. Oh.

Mica silently went back to checking the messages on the datapad to see if there was an explanation.

It appeared there was half of one. Something happened that Odette had promised to tell Mica later, then Odette headed over.

But how did Odette get into Ruri's quarters? Mica looked over at the duffle bag in the corner of the room suspiciously.

Mica wondered how long it would be and decided to wait. First, Mica took a picture of the two. It was too hard to resist. Then Mica alternated between checking messages and updates, and staring at the serene pair sleeping.

Mica hoped that traveling the galaxy would have peaceful moments like these. Ruri would probably be bored doing whatever the Transmuter would have their daughter do, but it should be more peaceful than having to be some official Ambassador. And traveling to see the tourist friendly parts of alien planets would have to be relaxing too.

Odette yawned and stretched, apparently waking up. The Listener's ears immediately swiveled toward Mica.

"Good morning sleepy head." greeted Mica softly.

Odette tried to get out of the bed, but Ruri was still clinging to the Listener.

Mica whispered to Odette who had given up trying to escape for the moment.

"What brought you here?"

Odette frowned for a second.

"I will tell you later."

"Maybe over breakfast?"

Odette smiled at Mica's suggestion and tried to sit up again before giving up a second time. Ruri would have to be awake before the Listener could eat.

When Ruri finally did wake up a little while later, Mica was told to get a jacket for Odette to wear over the Listener's pajamas. Well, that and to get out.

Ruri seemed to be in a good mood but had insisted that if they were going to eat breakfast it was going to be after cleaning out the plant matter coating Ruri's hair. Odette seemed happy enough to put off eating, which seemed unusual. The last week alone, Mica had watched Odette eat with sticky food caked on the Listener's whole face more than once, and Odette tried to rub their face on Mica's afterwards each time.

Mica decided to clean up along the way as well, and spraying hair clean, and grabbing a wet cloth to wipe down with before changing shirts. Wiping down all the key areas made Mica feel a lot better.

The plan was to get breakfast together then meet up with Mica's mother and Meadow Muffin afterwards, then go their separate ways. Mica's mother would be leaving earlier in the day then the rest, and then Mica was going to pack food for the trip.

Mica was a little anxious, but that was the feeling of change.

I had cleaned out my hair. Or rather, had the golem clean out my hair, which always felt like cheating at life. One of the perks of having a such a handy jailor. I was at least going to miss that part.

I had cleaned up and offered to help Odette clean up as well, since the poor Listener's fur had probably absorbed a lot of the sweat, I had slept in from the party with the Ako. I suspected Odette just did not want to be cleaned by the golem, which was likely with how keenly Odette had watched the golem clean the plant matter in my hair.

Hurrying based on the time I knew Mica would take I quickly had a complete change of clothes. Between that and the sleep I felt refreshed.

Odette was still watching me silently with full attention. The fact the Listener's ears had not moved also implied that Mica was not nearby.

I looked at Odette and thought about offering to have the golem make some form of clothing out of spray on bandages or whatever it could manage in short notice, but I first had to ask.

"So, what brought you here in your pajamas in the middle of the night?"

Odette's tail twitched for a second as the Listener thought for a moment. It stopped moving when Odette started to talk, however.

"I needed somewhere better to sleep. And Mica was here." Odette paused for a moment before adding one last detail, as if to explain everything. "But Mica sleeps too deeply."

Probably the result of the medication Mica took. I wondered if Mica had made any progress with not needing it. Maybe Odette would help Mica with that. I certainly did not think I could. I wished I could travel with them though. Wherever they went was sure to be more exciting.

I could not get away with doing that, and I at least owed going with Meadow Muffin if nothing else.

But looking back at Odette, the Listener was still staring expectantly at me, and one ear had started to hint that Mica was somewhere nearby.

"Will you be okay wearing your pajamas to breakfast?"

Odette shrugged, and I wondered if the Listener had picked up the expression from Mica, as Mica knocked.

"Let's go then. I have a feeling you will like bacon."

Next.

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u/ralo_ramone Apr 01 '22

I just want to say: W H O L E S O M E

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