Marsh’s voice came from behind, startling Amber out of their thoughts. Black eyes staring hard at theirs the moment the two locked onto each other.
“Ah- Hello, Marsh! You startled me!” They said quickly, putting on their hosts picture perfect smile. “And- Wait, did you call me Amber?”
“We’re alone. You don’t have to keep up the act.”
‘Amber’’s lips tightened into a scowl, instead. But they were right. They were in communications, alone. Doors closed. Face to face.
“Act?” ‘Amber’ repeated, souring at the words.
‘Marsh’ scoffed. “You’ve really taken to being human, haven’t you?”
“Maybe better than you. At least I know how to really act like them, you’re just lucky they didn’t know your skinsuit before you took it over. You barely get the expressions right.”
“Sure, but you still havent managed to kill any of them. I sliced the blonde clean in half first day. The doctor’s next. But what have you done, exactly?”
“You’re being messy.” ‘Amber’ snorted.
“I’m being efficient. You’re being soft.”
“Am not!”
“Are so.”
“Look,” ‘Amber’ huffed, sitting on the empty swivel chair. “If all you wanted to do is berate me for not being all grimed up already, then I’m not listening.”
“Not exactly what I wanted to talk about, but go off, I guess.”
“Then what is it, Marsh?”
“Something simple. I wanted to practice something.”
“What is it?”
“I want to practice dancing.”
“Dancing?”
“You say I’m so bad at acting human, so we might as well practice moving like them, right?”
‘Amber’s eyes narrowed, staring long and hard at the other. “What are you getting out of this?”
“As I said, I need to practice moving correctly, since I’m SOO bad at acting like my host, right?”
“No. You always want something else.”
‘Marsh’ snorted. “Bright as ever.” They said, holding their hand out. “But wouldn’t you want to figure that part out on your own?”
‘Amber’ hesitated. “Do-” they paused. “Don’t we need… music?”
“Do we?”
“I’d like to think so. Hold on…” ‘Amber’ fidgeted with the controls of one of the many devices. Soon, a low, crackling song came over through the speakers. Quiet, but just enough. “There. Let us practice, then.”
Hand in hand, forward, back. Back two, forward one.
“How do you know how to do this?” ‘Amber’ asked, hands light on ‘Marsh’s hips.
“This humans mind holds a lot of nice things. Someone taught them how to do this, a long time ago.”
“Interesting. I don’t remember anything like that.”
“You don’t?”
“I mean- ugh. Stop smiling so smug about it.”
“Is that why you haven’t killed any of them? Your “good memories”?”
“You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I think it is.” ‘Marsh’ smiled, allowing ‘Amber to dip them. “I think you like being human. Letting your humans side show more than your own.”
“And what if I did? What’s so wrong with that?”
“It makes you soft. You’re letting your host influence you too much. It’s keeping you from following the plan.”
“And you don’t? You act like a sniveling moron most of the time.”
“The act gets things done. Yours doesn’t.”
‘Amber’ looked away. ‘Marsh’ smiled.
“Look at me, Amber.” They smirked, turning the crewmates head to face them. They tugged at the others lower lip, . “You have such nice teeth. It’s so strange how you let yourself dull them down.”
“Better to dull them down than do something unnecessary.”
“Oh, Amber,” ‘Marsh’ shook their head, moving their hand up to touch ‘Amber’s cheek. “You have such strange ideas on what you find necessary. It’s hard to think you’re an imposter at all.”
Amber went silent. They felt fuzzy as they leaned into the cold hand that was pressed against them.
“Wow.” ‘Marsh’ laughed. “One touch and you melt into my hand. You really are human, aren’t you?”
“Shut up.” ‘Amber’ huffed, but they didn’t move. “I should go. I don’t think this break was authorized according to MIRA policy, anyways.”
“Alright. Go back to your little duties.” They smiled, tracing Ambers jaw. “If you have to be soft, at least be soft for me.”
We all know green in a little broody shit who sits on those eggs like a loyal chicken. But, hear me out: orange also wants to brood but doesnt want to be seen as lesser and so broods with the trust balls in the comfort of their own room. Gets the instincts out and is MIRA approved 👌
God forbid an alien have hobbies lol
Imagine this is after orange makes fun of green for “giving into instinct”
