H.A.I.U.

~11~

When I awoke, there were arms around me. The last I remembered, there was a deadly cyborg with her finger to my chest. I quickly flew from their arms and to the shed door--shed?

"Monica--"

I whipped around and kicked whomever was behind me in the groin. It was when the fell to the floor with a yelp and held their crotch did I realize it was Haiu. I didn't regret it one bit, but for some reason the words, "I'm so sorry." came fumbling out of my mouth.

He just groaned in response.

"Aren't you supposed to have an iron groin or something?"

"Nope!" he squeaked, sounding like that weird talking mouse from a hundred fifty years ago. Mickey Mouse, I think they called him. Why they got a mouse to teach little kids was beyond me.

I sat down beside him as he hit his head on the floor. "I read somewhere that if you kick hard enough a hit to the groin can feel like giving birth."

"Then I'm having twins." he grunted, and I could feel the corners of my mouth turn up. I tried to force them back down but that didn't happen. "Oh my god, this hurts so bad. Be glad you're a girl, or else I'd have socked you good too."

"So you're sexist?"

"What? I'm not--you want me to hit you?"

"Uh--you--I didn't think that through." I muttered, and he chuckled through his pain. I didn't know what to do so I just patted his head, and he gave me the most confused look. I did a very awkward shrug, and he rolled his eyes. I noticed the tendons on the side of his neck popping out.

"If you want to scream or something, you can." I said, and no sooner than when I did he let a short gasp of a shriek before muttering under his breath. Mostly curses. Every few seconds there was a groan.

After about three minutes of that I poked him. "It should stop hurting."

"My parts are very tender, thanks to you." he muttered, resting his left temple on the floor. He finally opened his eyes, and the robotic one was a deep blood red that seeped out into the whites.

I patted his head again, and he looked so confused again. It was adorable.

"So, why were you hugging me in my sleep, you weird perverted stranger?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Ah, I wasn't--you--you were having a nightmare, so I tried waking you up. You were the one hugging me, and refused to let go at that."

I sucked in a breath. Does he know what I was dreaming about? "Did...did I say anything?"

"No. You just screamed and cried a lot."

I looked away and pulled my knees to my chest protectively. The smile I had on just moments ago has left, and I was biting my lip. Was he lying? Did I give away all of my secrets in my sleep and he just didn't tell me? But to what advantage would that give him? Honestly, it could be anything. Trust was foreign to me, and it always will be.

I stood and left the shed, going to the house. I picked up Dipstick along the way, and because I was too lazy to go through the front yard I got a stick and broke my window before climbing in. It began to peace itself back together instantly, and I went down the hall to the living room. My dad was gone, the TV was off, and it was about noon. 

"You are a heavy sleeper."

I yelped and threw Dipstick behind me out of fright, and I heard a yowl of pain--not from my cat. Dipstick ran off down the hall, and Haiu looked at me, a hand over his face. "Are you trying to test how much of me is cyborg by giving me bodily harm?"