She always forgot how bright the sun was in the towers sector, even this far down. The morning light gleamed off of the neighboring towers that stretched up into the sky overhead. The air smelled clean here, the scent of machinery left behind in the sprawl below. She hadn’t expected such a modest house, a small section of the complex that took up this floor of the tower.

D’Anna tugged at the hem of her coat as she rang the doorbell, old habits offering little comfort. Tucking her hands in her pockets, she stood up straight and professional.

The wood-paneled door chimed as it slid open, an older woman looking from D’Anna to Rosi as she spoke, “Can I help you…?”

“ATS, ma’am,” D’Anna said with a polite smile and a small bow. “Here to relay some good news from Sector Security. They managed to recover your RC-N unit.”

The woman smiled as she stepped back and let them in, pulling her synth-silk shawl a little tighter across her shoulders. The entry hall of the house was well-lit, a glass projection panel igniting with light as D’Anna stepped inside. The hall was modest for a home in the towers, with few decorations on the walls beyond some murals, and a long wooden table that ran the length of the hall.

“So they have,” she said, “glad to see they’ve made it back in one piece. I admit I wasn’t expecting… I mean, such a quick response, and having it delivered?”

“I was headed here anyway, ma’am. An officer requested I escort them,” D’Anna said, looking at Rosi with a small smile.

“Well, how about a drink before you go? As thanks, I mean,” the woman laughed, looking over to the panel. “Cole, what tea do we still have?”

The light panel flickered as something shifted beneath its surface, a young woman’s voice coming over the house speakers, “We currently have Camomile, English Black, Lavender, and Green tea, ma’am.”

The woman nodded with a smile as she headed for the kitchen. But, she paused as she noticed that D’Anna wasn’t following.

“I can’t stay for very long, ma’am,” D’Anna said, keeping watch on the panel from the corner of her eye.

She frowned a little at that, looking down in thought as she leaned on the hall table.

“Just one cup then?” she offered, looking at her curiously.

“That sounds wonderful, ma’am,” she said with a polite bow.

“Very well,” the woman said, looking past her. “RC-N, the door.”

D’Anna looked back at them as the mech gave a bow of their own, “Of course ma’am,” and shut the door behind them.

The woman nodded along thoughtfully as she headed off towards the kitchen.

Again Cole’s voice came over the speakers, quiet enough to only be heard from the entry hall, “I apologize for putting you in that position, miss D’Anna.”

White light shifted and pulled itself together into the shape of a young woman within the projection panel, a phantom made of pixels and code. Carefully, she stepped out from the surface, her light projecting outward as she stood before them both in the middle of the hall.

“It’s quite alright, I’m used to it,” D’Anna said with a more genuine smile, stepping aside as Rosi came closer. “I’m just happy to bring you two back together.”

Cole smiled at her, almost saying something before Rosi took her full attention, eyes shining like a prism as she looked at their face. Rosi tilted their head, and D’Anna knew they would have been smiling from the shine in their eyes as they offered their hand. Even as Cole reached for them in turn, Rosi moved with her in a calculated dance, fingers shifting under the phantom weight of her hand as it settled in theirs. D’Anna couldn’t help but smile as she watched the intricate display. Rosi’s hand met hers, fingers moving in time, never once letting her image pass through them. 

For Rosi, the rest of the world didn’t exist. It couldn’t, not if they wanted to keep up. Every shred of their focus, their thoughts, all centered on her and every little movement.

It struck D’Anna how easy it was to take it for granted, touch.

It took so much effort, hundreds of calculations, and tiny adjustments… Just so Rosi could hold her in their arms, so she could cradle their face in her hands. It was love, plain and simple. A love expressed in an intricate dance that made her own heart ache in turn.

“You must love her a great deal,” D’Anna said softly as she looked between them.

Rosi nodded, never once looking away from Cole, “I do…”

Cole smiled up at them one more time before pulling away, careful not to break the dance they’d worked so hard for.

“I wish I could repay you,” she said, pain clear in her voice.

“I was happy to help, payment or not.”

The whistling of the kettle made them all stop. Cole flickered and vanished back into the panel, and D’Anna stepped forward beside Rosi, putting on that same polite, professional smile as the woman returned, a pair of steaming cups in hand.

“We can drink out here, since you’re in a hurry,” the woman mused as she handed her her cup.

For a moment she just let the cup sit in her hands. Her fingers trailed over the elegant ceramic and its whirling patterns, feeling the weight and the warmth of it.

It’d been a long time since she’d held a cup like this…

“RC-N, if you could get started. This house has been struggling without you,” the woman said.

“Of course, Ma’am,” Rosi said.

“I know you’re not the one who found them, but I must thank you for bringing them all the way here,” she said, offering D’Anna a smile.

Rosi looked back at D’Anna over the woman’s shoulder, giving her a thankful nod before they headed off to resume their work.

“Just doing my job, ma’am…”

The transport rumbled around as it raced through the tunnels, making its way through the city. People chatted about their day at the far end of the car, the words blending into the background around D’Anna as she sagged in her seat.

She ran a hand along the comfortable red of her coat sleeve with a small smile to herself as she closed her eyes. She let the transport become a blur around her, muscles aching under the weight of days.

She’d run herself down a little too much. Heh, she couldn’t think of the last time she’d eaten in the past few days.

She let out a soft sigh, the rumble of the transport tugging her toward rest…

“...Third Concourse Station, now arriving,” a woman’s automated voice chimed over the train speakers.

D’Anna groaned, leaning on her knees as she looked up to find the transport slowing to a stop, the doors sliding open. She winced as she tried to get up, cradling her bandaged hand.

Even with the medi-patch that Himari put on, the polymer would take time to fix her up.

She stretched as she stood up, loosening up tired muscles before heading out.

She had to stifle a yawn as she headed to the residential complex, the sliding doors chiming as she came in. The residential lobby was quieter than outside. The smell of the concourse was washed away by familiar cleaners and candles burning on the lobby counter.

The place was friendly enough, welcoming to tired and weary travelers.

The clerk sat up as he saw her come in, smiling as he spoke, “Long night, miss D’Anna?”

“A long few days, Simon,” D’Anna sighed as she tapped on the touch screen that sat between them. “What about you, sir?”

“Just the usual, ma’am,” Simon said, keeping his voice warm and polite. “I know it’s not the end of the month yet, but will you be paying in advance again?”

D’Anna bit her cheek, checking over her credit. 

She could manage. She’d have to eat light for a while, but she’d manage.

D’Anna nodded as she laid her palm on the data contact next to the screen. Her eyes shined with a flickering light as she transferred the funds.

“Any mail? Messages?”

Simon hummed as he checked that everything was in order, “Not today ma’am. At least none on my shift. You could always check the console or up in your room.”

“Thanks.” D’Anna gave him a tired smile before she headed up.

She stopped over at the commissary on her way up to her floor, mulling over what to get as she walked in.

Counters lined the walls of the commissary, broken up only by the vending terminals built into the walls. The morning rush packed the tables that filled the middle of the large, open room. Tired chit-chat flitted back and forth as people got ready for their morning shift.

She leaned against the divider that sat between the terminal and the counter, punching in her order on the keypad, and laying her hand on the contact plate. She yawned and stretched as the terminal prepared her order, simple soup and a hot tea.

It’d do, for now. At least till she got some sleep.

She carefully balanced everything in her hands as she reached her floor, pushing her way through the door. 

The residential lights had a soft, golden glow that was a relief on her eyes as she walked down the aisle. The rooms were tightly packed and stacked together, with walls of rolling doors running along each side.

She laid her palm on the lock for her room, watching as the door slid up into the low ceiling of the room, barely large enough for a bed and a set of drawers built into the back wall. She sat down on the ledge of her room, setting aside her things as she put her shoes on the small shelf just inside her door.

“You-” her neighbor called out as she sat down beside her, her loose robe barely covering her chest. “-have been gone for almost three days now.”

“Rio, please,” D’Anna pleaded as she stepped up into her room. “It's been a long day. Have some mercy, ma’am.”

Rio offered her a pitiless smile before turning her back, pulling down the door behind her to give D’Anna some privacy.

“Absolutely not! You’d have to bribe me with–” Rio trailed off as she stared at the small bowl and cup sitting on the ledge, frowning in thought. “You’ve been pulling an all nighter, and you’re just having soup?”

D’Anna chuckled as she hung up her coat, “Job didn’t really pay this time.”

She shrugged off the rest of her work clothes, folding and setting them aside as she went. She winced as she ripped the old patch off her stomach, throwing it away as she grabbed a fresh one out of one of her drawers. She slapped it on as she came back out - pale plastic standing out against her dark brown skin - and pulled down her tank top to cover it up.

“You really need to work on taking your hormones on time,” Rio huffed as she let the door roll back up.

She smiled a tired smile as she ran a hand through her wavy hair. “I know, ma’am. I know.”

Himari wouldn’t let her hear the end of it either.

She paused as she reached for her tea, noticing a small box sitting on the lid.

“And this is?” D’Anna asked as she started to open it, the scent of ginger and chocolate making her mouth water.

“An early morning treat,” Rio hummed, already digging into her own box. “Ya know, I was gonna save that one for later. But… I thought I’d share.”

“Rio, you don’t have to–”

“Ah! I want to. Besides, you should have a little more than just soup, ya know,” she hummed, giving D’Anna a wink.

Rio nudged her side as she smiled at her, letting the silence settle for a while as they ate together. D’Anna shook her head with a tired laugh, letting the warmth of the meal soothe her. She took in the quiet, bumping her shoulder against Rio’s with an easy smile.

She wasn’t a half-bad neighbor, if a little stubborn. But sometimes that was what she needed…

“Did you see the new girl a few doors down?” Rio whispered, grinning as she nodded her head further down their row.

D’Anna raised a brow, taking a long sip of her tea before she spoke, “Don’t say it, Rio.”

She braced an elbow on her knee, a hopeful smile on her face. “I think-”

“Rio, no. No!” she laughed, shaking her head.

“-she might stay in the neigborhood!”

She held up a hand as she spoke, leaning back against her door frame, “You said that about the last three people that came and left just this month.”

Rio ran a hand over her undercut with a thoughtful hum, “Well, maybe she’ll stay.”

D’Anna looked away with a roll of her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile as she sipped her tea.

“Sure she will.”

D’Anna flopped down onto her bed - the door to her room finally closed - and let the world outside drift by.

Her bones and muscles ached from running around for days on this job. It’d be so easy just to drift off right there, but she had a little business first.

She pulled out the touch screen built into the wall above her bed, tapping away at the keys.

“Hey, Tanu,” D’Anna called, not bothering to hide just how tired she was.

“You’re looking more ragged than usual,” Tanu chuckled through the screen’s speakers. “Rough time with your mechanic?”

“No more than usual. I have some info you might be in the market for,” she said, trying to stretch out the ache in her shoulder.

“Oho, found some dirt, huh? Lay it on me and let’s talk price,” they mused.

“Archer Mechatronics is selling their combat mechs under the table…” she began.