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In between being attacked by snatchers, trying to console and get information from Katrina, and constantly running about the madhouse of confusion and danger that was Neo Kobe city, Gillian hadn’t had a second to rest since he started his new job. Images of the female snatcher’s face after he had blown it open haunted the backs of his eyelids, but more unnerving still were the constant stream of thoughts on his savior. A strange man named Random. Every time the junker spaced out he would find his focus shifting from the investigation to the way the man had smirked as he revved his motorcycle and sped off.
“See ya! Junker boy~”
Gillian felt a thrill run up his spine like ghostly fingertips just replaying that deep, gravely voice in his head. With every word the bounty hunter had said, he had felt an inescapable undercurrent of lazy confidence. Like the man fully knew how good he was and looked, each syllable was purred out and left to hang in air with no hesitation or doubt.
If Gillian didn’t catch himself at this point, he would find his thoughts slipping from just the sound of the voice, to the mouth and lungs that produced it. Random’s dry, soft looking lips, his sculpted neck, dusted with a slight stubble, and his broad, leather clad chest, peeking out from his open jacke---
TOO FAR!
The exhausted junker actually slapped himself in the face to force his brain out of these dangerous thought patterns, earning a curious, slow look from metal gear.
“Gillian, is something the matter?” Metal Gear’s red sensor light flashed lazily as he appeared to give his companion a once over,” It appears your body temperature, heart rate, and breathing are all abnormally high. If there’s something is wrong, please tell me.”
Silence filled the turbocycle for a few long minutes as Gillian collected himself and tried to slow his breathing.
When and how did I start letting myself get so worked up over a stranger! The junker had always had a great love of women, in particular his beautiful wife, but he couldn’t remember ever getting so out of sorts about anyone. Some hazy recollection of racing heartbeats and sharp, intelligent eyes tickled the back of his mind but it was buried under years of lost memories. Gillian closed his eyes and rolled his head about his neck as if trying to shake it free but started again as Metal broke him out of his thoughts.
“Gillian! Something is clearly going on, you haven’t answered me in nearly five minutes!” Now the small robot was leaning close trying to suss out the cause of his partner’s far away look.
“I’m-“ Gillian let out a long sigh,” I’m fine. Just a little tired maybe.” The man looked down at his friend then away out the window to the blackness and flashing lights of the roadway. He knew he was focusing on the wrong things. A good man was dead, he had leads to pursue in the city, and oh yeah, the snatchers were most likely aware of him and his efforts to take them down by now. One punk bounty hunter should not be taking up so many of his thoughts.
Metal gear appeared to process his words for a second before speaking up. “Perhaps it is time you took a short break.” Seeing Gillian turn back and start to open his mouth to protest the bot cut in quickly,” Gillian, you haven’t slept more than a couple minutes in days. I may not be human, but I am fully equipped with knowledge of human needs and I know you need to be resting your mind more than that.” Metal stopped his short rant and continued to stare at the junker, anticipating disagreement. Instead he got another resigned sigh and glance back out the window.
“You may be right…” Gillian mumbled into a hand he slumped his head onto as his elbow calm up to rest on the car door.
“What was that?”
“I said alright,” Gillian lifted his head and huffed out in a single breath. “I’ll go back to my apartment and get a couple hours of shut eye.” He mumbled out something else unintelligible as his head flopped back down into his hand.
This time Metal Gear let it go as it appeared the promise of approaching sleep had caused his companion’s body to start submitting to its desire. Before long, Gillian started snoring lightly into the window.
If the robot had had eyes, they would surely be rolling at the moment, but given the lack of ability he simply let out a soft metallic sigh. Reaching with extendable arm, Metal entered the new destination into the car’s dashboard and sat back in seat for the rest of the journey.