[$] The End [VampuricWerewolf]

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo stood back up and began to wash Hal's face. "do you think that anything got under it? if you do, then take it off, but if you don't then leave it be. if you warnings say you shouldn't, you should listen to them." he got the rest of Hal's face and nodded, "hair time. do you think you can dunk in the bath or should i use a bowl to scoop the water out and pour it over your head?"  

[Your Missing Period]

The android lowered his features, looking down at Momo before closing his eyes. "I should not have gotten anything under it, but that does not mean the fabric itself is not filthy. After my hair we shall wash it." He moved towards the tub and bent down, gripping the endges and dunking his head in, the blonde strands floating before he shook his head around in it, using his own hands to wet where the water couldn't reach.  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo watched Hal dunk his head in and swirl it around the water for a moment before he had to turn away, his face breaking out in a huge grinn. he didn't know why it was so funny, but seeing Hal bent over double, moving his head around in circles, his hair following lazily, was hilarious! he snorted, covered his mouth, and couldn't hold it back anymore, starting to laugh. "let-" he started, trying to control himself, "let me know - if you need - help."  

[Your Missing Period]

That seemed to wet most of it, but he couldn't see the dirt. "Momo," he started, pausing as he heard a snort, "Momo?" he turned his head, before lifting, hair falling flat and sticking, water trickling down in small streams down his face and neck. He looking like he was trying to laugh, or to hold it in.

"You can laugh." he commented, figuring out why the man was sniggering and chuckling and turning red in the face. "When you're done though I will need help. shall I just stay down here and continue?" and with a grin bent his head back down and repeated the motion.  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Hal deliberatly sticking his head back in the water and swirling it around made him laugh even harder. "oh god, don't!" he shook his head and walked over, slapping the android's rear, knowing it wouldn't hurt so much as get his attention, "alright, enough!" he knelt beside the tub and began to scrub Hal's hair, "and people say machines don't have a sense of humor."  

[Your Missing Period]

Hal laughed and stopped, the slap making him try and stifle his laughter. "Oh, we learn from the best, my friend." he commented, closing his eyes again. "Without you as a friend I would have as much humor as a grain of sand." Relaxing, that was the word. "This is nice. This is, relaxing. Comforting." he murmured, thinking of more synonyms. "Soothing. Tranquilizing." he continued, picking out words. "Of course I have short hair, so you are much closer to my scalp then I am to yours. I must take note to do this to you."  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Hal rolled his eyes, "well done, mr thesaurus." he finished scrubbing and got the cloth he used. it wasn't totally wet, so it could be used again. "if that is another way of you saying i need to cut my hair, forget it. i like my hair this way." he put the cloth over Hal's head and began to rub the water out. "but i rather enjoy you scrubbing my hair so you can get as close as you like, i guess. time to clean the neck?"  

[Your Missing Period]

"I like your hair that way to, Monoki. I was simply stating a fact." He lifted his head out of the water as he was toweled off, eyebrows knitting into worry at the mention of his neck. "Yes sir." His warnings were going off, mild warnings, saying he could do it but that it was a bad idea.

He undid the first clasp, the hard fabric loosening and flopping down. Underneath was an area with no artificial skin, instead thin cords that acted like the nerves and muscles of his neck, delivering electric data from his main computer in his skull down to the rest of his body, and the main 'skeleton' was blue metal, the bones of his neck fully visible. "Just the fabric." he murmured, looking down at the plastic fabric. "Though my wires should be clean. Can you check." and lifted his chin.  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo took the cloth and was carefully wiping it off when Hal asked him to check his neck. "i can do that." he was a repairman after all, what good what he if he couldn't even clean a few joins and tubes? he moved to look over Hal's neck carefully, pulling a solar powered flashlight from his pocket to get a better look. "i don't see anything, maybe you could use compressed air from your finger to blow it out just to be sure." he went back to Hal's 'skin' and finished cleaning that as well. "here, does that look better to you?"  

[Your Missing Period]

"That's a brilliant idea. I shall do just that." he brought his fingers to his neck, gently letting small bursts of air come through and clean any dust, but a certain puff of air made the android jolt and stand still, a shiver running up his artificial spine before giving a wiggle and relaxing.

"That... looks fine. That was quite odd. I do not know what happened to provoke such stimulation let alone a reaction. I was not aware such a thing was in my programming files let alone emotional range or reaction range." he stared at his fingers a bit more before taking his neck and wrapping it back around himself, the fabric slimming out and creating an airtight suction to prevent anything from escaping or entering.

"Thank you for cleaning my neck. I suppose we bunk down here for the rest of the evening."  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo shrugged, "no problem, thanks for washing my hair." he smiled as he looked around, "don't think we are going to find a better place. especially with water like this. i saw we stay the night, drink ourselves silly and then take off in the morning, after refilling everything. i almost would say stay here a day or two to rest up, but that's never a good idea in these areas." he sighed sadly and found a place to sit down, "too bad, wish we could take the water with us. any way of telling where it is coming from?"  

[Your Missing Period]

The android smiled, taking off his backpack, "We could stay for a day or two, though the chances of those 'unicorns' coming back are high." he explained, opening the pack and pulling out some rolled up fabric. "Your bed?" and offered them out before setting them down. "As for the water, I would have to go in there myself to feel the current. There were rocks at the bottom of that bucket to weight it down. However I believe we're heading in the right direction."  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo accepted the bundle with a thanks, "yeah, don't relish lowering you down there and hoping nothing colapses on you." he shook his head, "we could see if there is something we could drop down to see which way it floats." he shrugged as he set out his bed, excited to be able to sleep properly for once, "if we stay, it's only for a day. don't want to get gored but some man eating beast." he shook his head and lay down in his blankets, rolling them around him so he was snug and warm, "think the dog will eat us in our sleep?"  

[Your Missing Period]

Blue eyes turned to the sleeping maned wolf, or, it seemed to be sleeping. judging by the heart-rate it was still partially awake. Hal didn't blame the creature, they were in a dangerous area. "Only for a day then. I can agree to that." he adjusted his sitting position, leaning against the torn up couch and looking at Monoki, the dog still in the corner off to the side. "I believe the dog will remain quiet. If he tries to take a bite I will stop him. We will test how quick my reflexes are in that scenario."  

[VampuricWerewolf]

Momo rolled onto his side, "well, here's to hoping that you are faster than a hungry dog. worse comes to worse i'll be one bite lighter for a while." he yawned and, very much like a child, was asleep as soon as his eyes closed. there were times where he would lay for hours, trying to fall asleep, but thankfully tonight wasn't one of those nights.

If only the night had continued as well off as it started. Momo was plagued by nightmares, his sleeping form showing no outward signs of what played within his head. It had only been for a moment, but it seemed that his flash of memory from his younger years earlier was still influencing his mind. once more he was small and helpless, weak with only one arm to defend himself against the gathered bullies. his body ached as they kicked and scorned him, laughing as he tried to protect his neck and head with one, thin arm. his dream shifted and he was a little older, a little stronger and instead of one, he had two arms, one flesh on machine. it made little difference to his tormentors, now they had something to tie the living wrist to rather than leave it free. the tormentors were older now too, their bodies and minds developed to inspire crueler 'play' that hurt more than the beatings and left him shivering and cold, broken in ways that he still suffered from.

Momo sat up, his eyes wide as he looked around the room. they landed first on the maned wolf that had lifted its head sleepily at his sudden movement. he dismissed it and saw what he had been looking for. Hal was where he'd been when Momo fell asleep, against the couch. "hey, is there a water bottle next to you? need a drink?" his voice rasped slightly, his throat dry from the after effects of his nightmares.