Mike awoke the next morning without an Elf in his arms.
His eyes flickered open, his limbs stretching out atop the mattress as he blindly groped for the warm touch of the person lying next to him. His fingers played across the empty space where Allynna should have been, his conscious mind rising to the fore as he realized she wasn't there. A thread of panic struck, as he wondered for a moment if it had all been just a wonderful dream. He rustled the bedsheets, looking around to confirm that he was, in fact awake.
She had fallen asleep in his arms. The thought alone brought a smile to his face. The sheets where she had lain were pushed aside, the slight indent of her slender form still etched upon the bed. Mike yawned and peered around the room; he realized with a start that the night before had not been mere fantasy.
His lover was at the doorway, bent over at the waist as she fussed with the sealed panelling of the mechanical door. A set of small red and green wires jutted out, pouring forth from the opening like a mess of tangled hair. The dextrous Elf had pulled away the metal shielding and was poking around in the thing's innards.
He wasn't particularly shocked by this development; Aly was always the type to think proactively in a crisis. What
was
surprising was her choice - or rather, lack thereof - in attire.
She was naked from head to toe, her white bodysuit cast aside upon the floor amongst their discarded clothing. Her back was to him, her spine bending and twisting this way and that as she fiddled with the console. Even in a moment like this, she made every errant sway of her hips seem like an elegant ballroom dance. Deciding not to interrupt the impulsive Elf's work, Mike pulled the pillow to one side, adjusting his place on the bed so he could comfortably recline and enjoy her naked beauty.
Her eyes were focused on the task, her face set in an even expression of concentration he'd come to know so well. Her hair trailed down her face, every honey colored strand reflecting like threads of precious gold in the light.
Allynna did not notice him for some time, focused as she was on the panel in front of her. Mike had no idea what had possessed her to make such a brazen move before she had even bothered to pulled on pants, but he was miles away from complaining.
It was only after nearly a minute of silent fiddling that his Elf finally deigned to glance over at him. Her fingers froze, her body tensing as recognition swept across her ageless features. Their eyes met, staring for a long moment.
She became immediately, awkwardly aware of herself, standing up in a rush as her spine straightened to a washboard's flatness. Mike's smile became a wide, toothy grin as he watched his Mool'Gwaith flounder about for her dignity.
"...Good morning, Michael." She said, in as empty a tone of voice as she could manage. Her lips were flat, her face an expressionless mask.
"Good morning." He replied, watching as the Elf squirmed beneath his gaze. When his eyes drifted downwards, Allynna's look followed after. She reached down with her right hand in reflex to hide her chastity, catching herself mid-move, then reluctantly bringing it back to her side. "Doing a bit of snooping, huh?"
Allynna's cheeks reddened at the implication in his tone. "Yes." She said, keeping her expression level as she swiveled like an automaton to face the panel, keeping her flank turned to him so he could see neither her rear nor her crotch. She gestured with a slow, controlled flick of the wrist. "These panels are not military grade. I believe that we can quite easily jerry-rig the door, given time."
"Hence the rush to get to them." He remarked with building amusement.
Allynna stiffened. "I... am uncertain why I did not put on clothes. It seemed like a secondary concern at the time." She paused. "The idea didn't even occur to me. I was focused solely on discovering an escape route."
Mike said nothing, allowing his steady stare and knowing smile to speak for itself. Allynna grew increasingly flustered.
"...Perhaps it is because you are my mate."
A nervous thrill ran up Mike's spine. "And here I just assumed I was a 'sanctimonious ape' to you." Mike said, putting his hands behind his head as he leaned back against the bed.
Her brow lowered. "You are one." She retorted.
Mike laughed, reaching down with his hand to pat the open space on the bed next to him. "C'mere."
Allynna's eyes widened. She took a half-step forward, then hesitated. Her body language spoke to her conflicted wishes. Despite her nakedness, Mike had never seen her so exposed.
"I... perhaps in a moment."
Mike shook his head, chuckling in disappointment. He stretched once more, pushing aside the covers and standing to his feet, letting the warm sunlight heat his bare skin.
Allynna's eyes trailed in unsubtle interest across his bare form. He was erect, as was natural when staring at a naked Aly. Far from feeling bashful, Mike made a point to calmly strut over to the other end of the room, coming to a small side door that led to the adjoining bathroom. He could feel her eyes on him as he walked.
"There a shower in here?" Mike asked, casting a sly glance over his shoulder in Aly's direction. Her blue eyes snapped up to meet his own.
"Yes." She said, her voice quiet and subdued.
"All right." Mike said, "I'm taking a quick rinse, and then let's take a crack at that doorway." He cocked his head to one side, making a show of unsubtly staring at her chest. "You could use one, too." He opened the bathroom door and strode into the cramped room without a second glance.
The water fell in raining pools of heat when Mike turned it on, an Elven masterpiece of engineering whose strong flow was hot from the start. Its curved, silvery nozzle sent wafting wisps of moisture up to fog the air like an eldritch mist. He stepped into the heated flow with a sort of zen-like contentment.
