Welcome Home

703 stared at the ceiling, her optics shuttering every so often, the pocket watch in the corner of her lover's, 21's, room ticking slowly, signaling the time passing. She had her hands behind her head, relaxing on the bed, or at least trying to. The mad stitchpunk sighed. She barley gets any sleep on her own, let alone in someone else's room. Every so often 21 would wake himself up and nudge her with his elbow, asking her if everything was okay. 703 only chuckles and insist everything was fine, and urges him back to sleep.

Tonight although, was different. She cursed herself. She glanced at the clock, three hours past midnight. It's never this bad. She stared back at the ceiling without any luck. After a few minutes she finally stood up from the bed. She grumbled as she ruffled her black hair and walked to the window, overlooking the dark land known only as the Emptiness. She sighed as she placed palm on the glass. She heard 21 fidget and groan.

"703?" She turned around to find her closest friend and lover rubbing his optics and yawning. "Are you alright?" His voice held concern, he'd never seen 703 up this late, usually she'd at least pass out around two, nor ever near the window this late.

703 chuckled slightly, and turned her head to face him, "Yes, I'm-" She insisted before 21 interrupted her with a grunt. He heard this lament too many times.

"No, you're not. If you were fine you would be asleep next to me…" He whined. Sometimes he reminded 703 of a child. Whiney and needy. But she loved him anyway. It was a mystery to them both how much they cared, but as 703 says, what's a world without mystery? "Please, tell me what's wrong… Or at least just come back to bed…" He pleaded, patting the empty spot next to him.

703 sighed. She honestly didn't know what to tell him. So many thoughts conflicted in her mind. Finally, turning her heads back to the window, she spoke a question, something that's been stabbing in her mind for over four months now, "Why did I come back?" She asked him with her back facing him. "Why have I decided to stay here?

"Wha… That's why your awake at," he took a moment to glace at the watch, "three in the morning?" He finished.

"No." 703 answered simply. "There are many things that ravel through my mind on nights like these…" She shook her head, chuckling, "This is just one of them. One of the more… Important ones." She grinned at the glass separating her from the outside.

"Umm…" 21 thought about the question for a moment, "Well… Infinity." He started. "If you were to go… He would come back and this place would be no more…" He said. He was right- Infinity would come back and destroy this place. The only thing stopping him was the crazy and sadistic 703.

703 chuckled, "Hmph. That is just an excuse. Besides, Infinity has the entire Emptiness to destroy before he comes back here again." She reasoned.  

"Alright…" 21 said with concern. He hesitated a bit before going on, "Umm, this was your home… You did live here before, and well…" He stuttered before 703 scoffed.

"Home?" 703 chuckled as she turned around to face him, "Home? Never once have I ever considered this hell-hole home. Sure I might have said that this place was the only place I have ever lived in, but never have I called this place home." She chuckled as 21 went silent. She looked him over, he was upright on the bed with the sheets covering half his body.  It took every ounce of willpower in her not to just nestle right next to him. She shrugged off the feeling and stood her ground.  "Why?" She asked again, her voice quiet, "Why did I come back?" She knew she wouldn't get an answer her, but she needed to voice her question again. For her sake.

21 looked at her. He had never seen her like this. This scared him. Finally he stood from the bed and faced her. "Does it matter?" He asked her, grabbing her hand and placing it near his face, "You're here now. You're here fighting against Infinity's threat against your own beliefs." He continued, pausing only to kiss the inside of her palm, "And I don't think any one of us isn't grateful. Most won't admit it, thanks to your letter… but that was over three years ago." He said with a hint of enthusiasm. He chuckled, "Two finally gets his daughter back, not exactly the way he'd hope but still…" He started. 703 chuckled at bit. "Wrex gets to meet one of his heroes, 13 finally has someone who understands her somewhat, Buck gets to finally swap war stories with someone, Susano gets a rival…" He paused to kiss her hand again, "And I get some one whom I love with every fiber of my denim body." He finished as he caressed her face. He smiled.

703 chuckled, "How is it that I have met a man…" She caressed his face back with her free hand, "Who cares for me so much and claim not to be somewhat crazy?" She grinned.

21 laughed, "I told you… I'm not that crazy…" He insisted. Once in a while she would tell him that, but he would deny it.

703 kissed his forehead, chuckling,  "But you are. If you can stand my presence for so long and decide not to leave…" She said as she took him in and embraced him. She couldn't help it. At times like this she needed to feel him. Slowly she felt 21 snake his arms around her waist and held them there. He sighed in content. This side of her scares him considerably, but he will never grow tired of these simple embraces.

For a while they stood there, silent, only the watch in the corner slightly ticking. After what seemed to be an eternity, 21 broke the embrace, and trailed back to the bed, holding his arms open to her. He smiled, not a care in the world, "Please? Come back to bed?" He asked.

703 chuckled, "Alright. You win." At once she huddled herself in his arms, chuckling slightly. 21 loved those chuckles. It drove him mad. "But don't think that this is over." She finished, sighing contently in his chest.

21 nuzzled her head and kissed it. He smiled as an idea hit him. "Let's stay in." He suggested, "Forget tomorrow…Or today… You know what I mean… We both need this, you for your insomnia and me for, well, you."

"I can't, I promised Two I would gather with him," 703 argued.  

"Ditch him. I'm sure he will understand." He said.

703 thought about this for a while and finally sighed in defeat, "Alright. But if he gets mad, I am placing the blame on you." She said reaching up and kissing him on his denim lips. She could feel 21 shiver under her kiss. 703 finally parted, and nestled against his chest.

21 felt her breathing against his chest and sighed. "703?"

"Mmm?" She mumbled as she drifted to sleep, finally.

21 smiled and kissed her ruffled hair, "Welcome home." He said. He didn't care what she would say, but she was home. In his arms.

He could hear 703 chuckle, but she said nothing as she drifted to sleep.