[ She squints , tongue clicking as they finally remembered — right !! She !! Asked them a question , like a minute ago !! ]
Aah !! Um !! Sorry , wow , I must be running a bit . Slower — ccan we go to your room ..?
Mine isn’t exactly … *um* … fully . Updated or . Polished …
O - Oh !! Right , yyesyesyesyesyes — savinggg …
[ The programmer shot upright in their seat , hands swift as they dragged the mouse around a little while to click all sorts of small tabs and buttons .
The consistent contact under their desk was making them nervous . Were —
Though- make sure to save before we leave. I'll give you that much leeway, hehe..
[ Their hand rested on top of Olives' knee, rubbing it slowlyyy, yet consistentlyy.. ]
those , perhapssss , butterflies in their stomach ?
… not that they’d . Never felt those , I mean of course they had , they were just — *extra* rowdy tonight !
After they’d save their work , Olive powered off the PC — the room swiftly darkening . ]
Um — where . Uh .. —
screen .
The sight of the full display was starting to make their head hurt somewhat suddenly , visor growing slightly heavier .
They . Honestly , didn’t *need* to do their work right now … nor did she really want to . ]
… mmm … okay , fine .
( sso close … )
Haahahaaa … um !! Um !! Hhold on holdon I’m . Calibratinggg …
[ Olive squeezed the blanket in repetitive pulses , nervously fidgeting . Their mandibles would twitch slightly the longer they thought , gaze briefly meeting the jarringly bright computer —
It seemed to work wonders with Gray.. I think it'd do the same with you and me!
[ They smiled, tail beginning to wag. It was real, real hard to say no to that pretty face! ]
[ Their antennae twitch the moment they feel their legs touch , their face igniting with warmth and nearly 40 shades of red . She squeaks , squirming , head turning so they could fully gauge the miner’s expression and lovely face .
Even in the dimly lit room , he still had —
Especially when it comes to you sleepin! If you could, I'd love to help you properly rest..or, get literally any shut eye at this point.
[ Maroon brushed their leg against Olives, hoping to soothe them. Or, even better, embarrass them a little bit. Either or, at this point. ]
shone so brightly .
they mumbled to themselves like the total dork they are , ]
( can’t say no to marsie … )
Mmhh … but , how would you do that ? I mean it’s not like you can just — override my body and brain’s natural code and !! Make me sleepy !! Hhahaha — hah . —
Woke up !! All of a sudden !!!!! Like , erm , on — complete accident !! You know how it is , I mean I’m just … restless sometimes , it’s — in my programming !!!!!! *💦
ww — wait ?!?! Wait , waitwaitwait please hear — hear me out , Mar-Mar !! Mmarsie — Ma … hm .
I *was* sleeping ..!! Really really was , I promise ….!!!
[ Olive’s hands , feeling static and numb , tightly cling to the blanket — pulling it close to their chest . ]
I just!!—
[ ITS SO OLOVER . ]
Uh —?!
[ A cold bead of sweat runs down the back of their head , face faintly flushing . ]
… nnooo . I’m actually just — erm . Um , um — sleep ! Sneezing ! And talking ..!
[ Olive hadn’t been doing half bad at suppressing their sneeze … until they sniffled a bit . Too . Loudly . They froze , antics ceasing in an instant as fear took over — stealing focus .
And before she could prevent it ? ]
aa — achoo !!
[ They’d been caught red handed . ]
right near Olive’s face , the room’s air conditioning current praying on their downfall .
With a sudden itch and twitch of their nose , they felt compelled to sneeze . ]
… *💧
[ They bit the inside of their cheek , trying to inhale through the sneeze and shoo it away . ]
[ They were genuinely so fucked .
… Ok ! No problem ! Just stay as , still and silent as you can , Olive . Like a stealth mission in one of those other games .
Much to the developer’s dismay , however — a small dust bunny that’d once sat behind their PC … had now been blown—
[ Although Maroon wasn't actively staring them down.. he was still in the same room, only a few feet away. Any sudden movement would be noticed without fail. ]
[ She tapped away on her phone, making sure it was muted. They were happy to see Olive asleep.. ]
by the second .
briefly flicking away , her gaze caught the sight of the computer screen as well — *shit* . Their work ..!
It took everything within them to not move their hands across the keyboard or to glide the mouse across the desktop . ]
[ Olive laid there , drifting in and out of slumber , until the familiar scent brought them right back to the present . Carefully would they keep their visor half lidded , ensuring it still seemed and sounded as if she were asleep . They’d mastered this art in their childhood , —
[ Maroon ignored how..cute, Olive seemed like this. It was unlikely she reciprocated anything, considering how busy she was coding literally all the time. With a soft sigh, he chose to sit down nearby. Just in case. ]
pretending to sleep like the dead . He used to lie as still but naturally as possible , just so they could beat *one* more level under the covers once their parents left the room .
Their heart skipped over a beat or two , the temptation to glance over at Maroon growing stronger-
slightest sound that managed to reach their senses .
At one point , the quiet yet sudden commotion of the miner rushing off to grab something far more snuggly had just barely roused them . They could hardly even be considered conscious , visor a slim slice on his face . ]
[ Softly , the software developer would snore against the desk’s surface . One of her hands still loosely clung to their mouse , the other falling asleep from all of the weight it’d been cushioning .
Their antennae faintly twitched every now and then , perking with the —
[ They decided for atleast a little compromise.. He ran to grab one of the blankets from his room, hoping his presence would keep them asleep longer than 30 minutes.. ]