The girl's eyes fluttered open.
The ceiling above her was unfamiliar, the scent of metal and oil faint in the air. It wasn't her home.
Her gaze shifted—and there, sitting in a chair, was Paritraan. He was slumped forward, arms crossed, his head tilted slightly to the side. Even in sleep, his expression was tense, as if his body refused to let go of vigilance.
She wasn't scared. He wasn't a stranger. If anything, the sight of him there, exhausted yet watching over her all night, sent an unfamiliar warmth through her chest.
Her mind drifted back to last night. The answered call. The loneliness. The way she had curled up in the corner, waiting for her who never came.
Then—
Thump-thump.
A soft mechanical sound echoed in the quiet room, right where Paritraan's heart should be.
Her breath caught, but she quickly realized what it was.
"Anahata," she murmured.
"Ah, you're awake." The voice was smooth, almost amused. "Biological beings require proper sleep. You seem slightly better, though your stress levels are still suboptimal."
She sat up slowly. "How… did I get here?"
"We did not leave until your family came for you." A pause. "Correction. They did not come. The ones who arrived were… less than friendly. Paritraan decided your house was no longer a secure environment. So, a logical relocation occurred."
She blinked. "He… brought me here?"
"Yes. Quite the effort, considering his exhaustion levels."
Her eyes returned to Paritraan. His breathing was steady but shallow, his body clearly not accustomed to true rest. The thought of him staying awake all night just to protect her made something in her chest tighten.
She hesitated, then looked at the bed she was sitting on—small, barely enough for one person, let alone two.
"…Anahata," she said, keeping her voice low. "Can you help me move him to the bed?"
"Excellent suggestion. His current posture will lead to spinal misalignment."
Before she could process what was happening, six metallic tendrils extended from Paritraan's chest, smooth and precise.
They moved with eerie grace, wrapping around Paritraan's arms and back, lifting him effortlessly from the chair. The girl watched, fascinated, as Anahata gently laid him onto the bed beside her.
Paritraan barely stirred.
She exhaled, relieved. But when she started to shift away—
"Movement denied."
She froze. "…What?"
"You are also sleep-deprived. Remaining in a resting position is optimal."
"I can rest somewhere else."
"Incorrect. Efficiency dictates that you both remain here. The bed has sufficient structural integrity to support two occupants."
Her mouth opened, then closed. She had no idea how to argue with a machine that viewed sleep as a simple math problem.