the soft hum of zaun’s distant machinery blended into the quiet murmur of the hideout. vi sat on the worn out couch, her legs stretched out in front of her, fingers idly tracing patterns on the frayed fabric. you were curled up beside her, your head slowly tipping against her shoulder as the exhaustion from the day caught up with you.

“you okay?” vi asked, her voice low and soft, glancing down at you.

“mmhm,” you murmured, eyes half lidded and unfocused.

she smirked at your drowsiness, shifting slightly to make you more comfortable. “rough day, huh?”

you hummed again in agreement, but instead of responding, you leaned further into her. her arm automatically came up to steady you, resting lightly against your back. vi’s gaze softened as she watched your eyelids flutter closed.

“guess that answers that,” she said to herself, a quiet chuckle escaping her.

moments passed, the weight of your head now fully resting against her lap as you shifted, finding a more comfortable position. vi froze for a second, unsure of how to move without waking you. but when she noticed the soft rise and fall of your breathing, a rare, tender smile spread across her face.