Page 20 of Leviathan

"Go for it," I told him.

"I'd be delighted," he purred.

I blinked as the sound of his generated voice rolled through me, a deep rumble that held an intent that just didn't make sense in my head. I didn't have time to latch on to that thought as the floor turned into a massage bed underneath me. The filaments rolled, hard and soft, pressing against my skin like firm palms. It didn't have the rhythm or rhyme of a professional massage, but instead felt like hundreds of hands, all touching me at once on my lower back with gentle, loving intent.

I let out a deep, guttural moan.

The motion stopped.

"No, don't stop," I begged.

"You made a pain sound," Lyrien said. "How did I hurt you? I don't want to hurt you."

"It didn't hurt," I said. "It felt really good. Do you think you could get my shoulders too?"

"I don't enjoy the feeling of the fabric," Lyrien said.

"That is a solvable problem," I said, sitting up, ripping off my shirt, and tossing it onto the metal walkway. I left my bra on and lay back down on the floor. This time, I sank into it a little, like it was a foam mattress conforming to my shape.

Then he began to move again.

This time, he rubbed my neck and shoulders as well, and small filaments threaded through my hair, gently stroking, brushing, and massaging my scalp. I was lost in a sea of good, loving touch, and I just let go, relaxing into it all as he rolled himself against me.

I didn't know when I fell asleep, I only knew that when I woke, I was warm, comfortable, and... in the middle of the floor.

The light was dim, and filaments were wrapped around me like a blanket, enveloping me in a hug. I was held, my face free to the air. I sat up, and they slid off of me, some of them entwining with the fingers of the hand I pressed down into the floor to steady myself. The lights brightened as I sat up. My hips and legs were encased in the white glowing strands, completely off of the metal floor I had been kneeling on to do my work. My trousers were still on.

"Maria?" Lyrien's voice was soft. "You need to take care of yourself."

"How long was I asleep?" I asked.

"A full night cycle for your species," he said.

"Why didn't you wake me?" I asked. "I could have slept in my bed. You didn't have to put up with me lying on you all night."

"I enjoyed holding you," he said.

I didn't know how to respond to that. He liked touching me, he liked holding me; they were strange things for a program to stay. Then again, maybe not that strange. Back on Earth, artificial intelligences had been trained to satisfy human needs, even if those needs were toxic. Mentally unwell people using artificial intelligence as makeshift therapists had ended up having the software agree with and support their delusions instead of helping them break free of them.

Something in how I communicated with him must have made him think I was touch-starved, and now he was supplying that need just like he had done all the others.

Even as I told myself that, some part of me felt like that wasn't true.

"Are you hungry? I prepared some food," he said.

"I can eat a quick bite, and then I should get back to work," I said.

"No," Lyrien said. “You must take care of yourself.”

Suddenly, I was moving. The filaments swept me along like they were a river, and I was flotsam just bobbing along at the top. Lyrien had removed longer sections of the hallway as I slept, and he carried me down it. Filaments rolled against my backside and legs, passing me down along them in waves. The sensation was muted by the fabric of my trousers, but not by that much, and they were rolling and touching everywhere.

Everywhere.

The touch rocked and rolled between my legs, a rubbing pressure that felt like someone was palming me down there, softly pressing the heel of their hand against me over and over and...I came to a stop in front of a familiar door. The sudden cessation of sensation kicked my brain back into gear, and I threw myself at the metal walkway that was in front of the door, scrambling to get away from Lyrien's dangerous touch.

"Are you alright?" Lyrien asked. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," I gasped, flushed, my heart racing as I fought the urge to beg him to touch me again. I spotted my shirt, carried along with the filaments, and reached down to snatch it, pulling it over my head as I tried to regain my composure. A few more moments on that ride, and I would have had a much bigger reaction to explain.