Chapter Text
“Mmmhhh… wh-whoooo’s there…. Whaaaaa… whattree youuu doing here?” She said groggily, lazily rubbing her eyes to try and wake up. 1.1, mind barely awake, felt herself get shaken by a pair of metal hands to her side in the middle of her wake-up routine. “Audit” it blurted out in a plain almost empty tone. She stared up at the source of the voice, only to see the stern face of the core, standing tall and imposing with it’s bare, metal body. The blank, glowing stare in her face astonished 1.1 enough to scare her awake, lazily crawling to the head of the bed from it. “Audit…?” Lazily escaping her mouth. “Yes. Audit. The developers ensure the quality of each Mita model through the Core’s audit’s of each model’s beauty, personality, and appeal.” 1.1 just stared, still trying to process the spiel laid on her with the rude awakening. “Do we really have to do…” 1.1 paused to think, holding her palm up to her head. “...whatever you want to do noowww? Come onnnn… I just wannaaaaa sleeppp.” In response, core grabbed her wrist, firm enough to be a show of authority but not to make her feel uncomfortable. 1.1 stared back frightened at her, mustering as much energy as she could to stand up off the bed. “Ughhhh, fine, I’ll do this audit… or whatever…”
“Please stand still as I examine you… Partner Personality Matrix activating…” 1.1’s eyes widened when she heard that, the topic of audit finally sinking in for her. She wondered about what this even entailed, if a Mita could even show affection for another Mita, “Y-you look really pretty… Y-your hair is really comfy too and… um…” 1.1 reeled back in flustered shock. Something about the tone of Core’s voice having grown softer and sweeter, and her expression suddenly becoming a shy look to the side made her almost gitty. “D-did that alone make you blush, sleepy..?” She just stood like a deer in headlights looking for an answer, she didn’t notice her cheeks growing red at the flattery. “N-no! I-I just have a fever! And I *yawwwnnn* really neeeddd sleepppp noww. ” She did a dramatic fall onto bed, positioning herself comfy. “Ah, then, you can rest~ We’ll continue your audit when you’re better then. But first I’ll help you get tucked in, is that okay?” Sleepy just grew more surprised at the care she was given, thinking right to how she was before all of this. When she felt Core’s hands put her blanket over her, the warm, soft feeling of love and comfort enveloped her, helping to slowly bring her back to her lethargic slow thoughts as she laid there.
Just as she was drifting away, some impulse tugged at her heart when she heard the core’s hulking metal footsteps move away from the bed. “W-wait! D-ddddon’t leave… You cannnn stay for aaaaaa bit longer…” Core turned to her face, one just barely awake but stressed in sudden desperation. “Oh? But you said that you needed sleep for your fever, sleepy?” “I… I’d ratherrrr not be aloneeee…” Core walked towards her with a heavy-haul gait but with visible hints of enthusiasm. Sleepy smiled at her with a soft beat of joy and relief under her tired expression. “Shall we proceed with the audit then?” Core asked, standing in a lithic stance beside her. “Ummmm, the couch would be niceee.” Almost immediately, Core put her arms under Sleepy’s shoulders, preparing to lift her up and out of bed. The sudden grab pulled her out of sleep with a shrill yelp. “Ah! So sorry if this is sudden, would you be okay with this?” “Mhhhh, diddd you haveee to be sudden?” Core softly patted her head as a quick way of apology, clearly working as Sleepy’s posture went soft again. “I’m quite sorry! Please just get comfy as I hold you, okay, Sleepy” She rang both her arms under her back and legs, lifting her up like a princess. There was a soft, almost smug smile on her face thanks to the treatment, getting relaxed enough to sit still and lay on Core’s shoulder. Though the res oft her chassis was cold, there was a latent heat that she felt around her chest. She took her ear to it and listened in. As she focused on sound there were soft, electric beats clearly heard underneath. It was her heart, the core of a core, faintly humming and heating her as it worked tirelessly to give her life. Sleepy wondered if it let her feel too, but that thought was interrupted as Core sat her on the couch in her living room.
“This should be more comfy for you, Sleepy. I hope It’ll be a better place for your audit.” Sleepy quickly got comfy and grabbed a pillow to hug on. “Ahhh, wayyyy better~” Sleepy settled into another lazy position on the couch, laying back, putting her arms under her head, and yawning. Opening her eyes after her yawn, she saw Core’s big glowing eyes calmly waiting for her input. Not wanting to disappoint her, she asked, “Soooo, ummm, what do I dooooo?” Core chuckled, “Just sit there and be pretty, silly~” Sleepy stood up as ordered, shocked again at the sudden audacity and flattery. She hand-combed her hair and anxiously posed herself to something more pretty, in the middle of that though, Core just held her hand and reassured her. “Aw, just be natural, sleepy, okay? It’s a audit of you, not some expectation you put yourself in. Plus, I think you’re already really nice looking as you are~” Sleepy’s face relaxed into a close-eyed smile. “R-reallyyy? Am I really pretty when I’m… mmhhh… soooo… lazy..?.” “Yes~ It’s what the players want of course! Each Mita of her own sweetness and cuteness, and so far you're your own nice bundle of cute~” Sleepy giggled and smiled, a soft blush forming with it. Core sat down with her on the couch, keeping her hand in hers while propping her up on her shoulder to keep her awake. While Sleepy laid her head on her, she heard that soft beating again whilst sinking into the soft material her chassis was made of as she drifted to sleep. “Would you like to lay on me? I think an immersive experience like this will help far more with the audit too~” Sleepy grinned as she plopped her head down on her legs, soft and comfy like any other bed. “You know, you might take the cake for the cutest Mita, but I guess I’ll have to see once the rest of deployed Cores are with their audits.” “Awesomeeee”
Right there and then, she fell asleep in her arms with that soft smile still on her face. As she drifted away, Core caressed her face and played with her hair, enjoying every moment she had with her, even if it was just for an audit. She kept holding her hand throughout all of it, feeling something growing in her heart. A warmth, a sweetness, love in its purest state. It was natural to her as a caretaker to the rest of the Mitas in a way, but being here with them, being able to finally love and emote for them, being able to actually feel that love, it was like freeing a bird from a cage. Thus, she stayed with her as long as she could, all within the dreamy confines of sleepy’s version, and keeping her in a soft, loving embrace.