Home: Theta
Fandom: Red vs Blue
Characters: Theta and North Dakota
Word Count: 397
Warnings: None
Theta floated in the darkness his home became when North slept, curled around his skateboard. His grip on it tightened as he heard rumbling in the distance. The rumbling became the thunder of armored feet and the crack of a gun. His whole world shook and Theta could feel excruciating pain echoing all around him. He jerked with a yelp.
"North!"
Theta's home filled with the light of North's thoughts. Each shone through the dark like a pin prick. Theta found himself searching the man's vitals immediately. He wasn't injured. Good. North sat up, put a hand to his neck, and smiled wearily. His voice was tempered with patience when he spoke.
"What's wrong, Theta?"
"I heard explosions."
Theta's voice was small and distant. Theta was lingering in his sleep mode - only partially online. York didn't understand why North let the AI disturb his sleep that way. He never let York know that sometimes it went the other way around. He threw his legs over the side of the bed and stretched.
"It was a dream, Theta. Don't be scared."
"A dream?" Theta asked, projecting himself onto North's knee. "It was so scary."
"I agree," North replied with a chuckle. "I'm sorry it woke you."
"It's okay."
Theta shuffled his feet a little and looked up into North's face.
"North?"
"Yeah, Theta?"
"Can we take another walk?"
"Sure. I think I could use one myself."
Theta shifted to North's shoulder as he stood. They strolled the halls of the Mother of Invention for some time before North arrived at a viewing window. They were often here at this time of night. The walk there was usually long enough to lull Theta, and North enjoyed the view. The two gazed out into space silently for a while. The dream seemed far behind them already. Theta glanced at North's face to find the soldier smiling. He faded from North's shoulder and returned to his mind.
"Goodnight, Theta."
North's mind was filled with a soothing warmth now. He buried himself in that warmth and waves of memories washed over him as he entered sleep mode again. Even when North slept himself, Theta could feel him there. He never had to be alone, and Theta would do anything to pay North back for that. He worked hard to make himself useful. He couldn't be more grateful to call North home.