Locked Down

Indigo was struggling with his Casamir vibration code when the seductive chime from a particular address on his comm snapped his attention away. He picked it up eagerly.

*image of notes in sliding scale up* Handsome?

How may I serve you? *animation of eyebrow wiggle*

I'm in trouble with these eigenvectors.

If you get your body in motion over here and take me to the grocery store, I can help.

LOL Coming!

When they got out of her vehicle at the grocery store, Indigo finally go up the nerve to ask, "Won't your boyfriend be annoyed with you being here with me?" He didn't want to say the asshole's name.

"Not anymore," Umi snapped, looking off in the distance.

Only later, he realized a guy passing by them warned, "Don't go in there, man," as he walked away.

People were streaming out of the grocery store as they entered. "What happened?" Indigo asked holding the entrance door open for Umi.

She frowned as she looked around blankly, "We argued. A lot. I figured out that I wasn't happy."

Indigo nodded; her now-ex had a brittle personality. Great, while he had it all together, but when he didn't...total asshole. By the time they each grabbed a shopping cart, the sound of the squeaky wheel on Umi's echoed. "I'll meet you at the front when you're ready," she said in a subdued voice.

"Where's the music?" Indigo muttered to himself as he started snagging the food he needed.

He had passed through several aisles when one of the employees of the store stopped and stared at him. "You got to go," he said, his mouth muffled by a mask.

Indigo jerked to a halt. The sheer silence of the store except for the irregular squeaking of Umi's wheel smashed into his consciousness. "What's going on?"

"There's a disease. What kind of fucking well did you crawl out of you fucking moron?!" He shook his head and held out his hands, "Sorry. Sorry. Someone decided to drop dead in aisle 2...Grab everything you could possibly need and get the hell out of here. NOW." He pointed towards the exit and started walking away. "Oh, and stay out of aisle 2."

Indigo blinked as what-it-meant whooshed through his brain. The squeaking of Umi's wheel got progressively louder. "Shit." He didn't know how long he stood there. Probably a second. But it seemed like forever as he pulled up the edge of his jacket over his face and sprinted to the sound. Squeak. Pause. Squeak squeak squeak. Pause. Pause. She'd stopped. Umi was standing just at the end of...Aisle 2. Putting on a last burst of speed, Indigo swung himself between her and whatever was in the aisle. Spinning her around, he pulled her into his arms, and her face into the edge of his jacket too. "Umi."

She gasped, "Indigo!"

"Listen to me. We've got to get out of here and stay the hell out of aisle 2..."

"...someone's on the ground..."

"...dead. I just found out. Cover your face and follow me, okay?"

Umi nodded and took over as Indigo snagged her scarf to start wrapping it around her face.

The rest of their shopping trip was a blur and muffled whispers behind their face coverings. Of course all the masks were gone in the medical section. After filling up both shopping carts, they headed out the front door of the building only to be greeted by police. They stopped stunned. There had been no way to actually purchase the items. "Unload your carts into your transport and go home, citizens," blared over the external speaker from one of the police officers. Working rapidly, they finally left the empty parking garage with one of the police transports following.

"Did you get it fixed?" Indigo turned on the radio, seeing Umi nod, and was greeted with a tinny voice.

"All of County 9 is under quarantine, but officials are not optimistic that the virus has not already spread widely. Airborne, incubating for as long as two weeks..." Umi and Indigo looked at each other. She tapped a button and set the windows to lower. Indigo turned up the volume as the noise from rushing air overwhelmed them. "...the virus was finally isolated revealing its off-market origin. Current suspects are un-Incorporated religious-racial extremists..."

Umi pinched Indigo, "Mmmm?" he asked.

"Just checking that this isn't a nightmare, and I didn't want to pinch myself."

"I'd kiss your fingers, but I feel like we both need to get intimate with bleach ASAP."

Umi smiled at him, "When is that police transport going to stop following us?"

"I've got a bad feeling about that," he answered.

When they returned to Indigo's home, Umi's vehicle shut down as the police transport blocked them in the space. Then a really bright light was shone on them as the speaker blared, "Mr. Welle and Ms. Etheria, you two are confined to the residence for the next 4 weeks." Indigo nudged her and tilted his head towards the nearest wall. The light was a projector, its text stated, You have been exposed to a dangerous, highly contagious disease. Remain in quarantine or go to jail, not a hospital. When Umi turned back around, to stare at them blankly, trying to understand what-it-meant, the speaker called, "We are monitoring your movements. Thank you for your cooperation." And then they left. Umi automatically tried to restart her vehicle. The dashboard light flashed, LOCKED DOWN.

Umi looked at Indigo. He awkwardly petted her knee, "Come on. There's a nice, cold bleach wash awaiting us just around the corner."

"I don't even have a change of clothes," she said uncertainly in a small voice.

He hugged her briefly, trying to stifle the moisture gathering in her eyes, "You can borrow mine."

Opening the door, she pulled away from his hug with a couple of welcome squeezes on his arm as he released her. "You know which shirt I want."

He groaned.

The bleach wash was awkward. Indigo wanted them both to just dive in and get it over with; Umi pointed out that they'd then have to take a shower together. Indigo told her that was fine with him, but Umi insisted he go first and she'd follow 5 minutes behind.

When she emerged from the bathroom with the gag shirt she'd given him, he groaned for a different reason. He could see the twin peaks of her nipples. The shirt was a naked female print to vaguely correspond to the wearer. In his case, an indisputably masculine frame with broad shoulders and musculature. It was absurd. On her, it was still absurd since her real breasts were located in the shoulder region of the print. "I love you, but I'm burning that shirt," he commented.

She chuckled.

He was serious.

After putting away everything from the store, and bleach washing it along the way, they sat on the couch and scanned through the news on Indigo's computer. After the article that the religious extremists had committed suicide and that the government was fanning across the world to seize the genetic equipment that they had used to make the virus from anyone who owned them, Umi sighed, "I saw your vehicle in the storage. What's wrong with it?"

Indigo looked at the top of her head where she was leaning on his shoulder. "Nothing. I just decided you'd value me more if you had to work for my time."

Umi lifted her head, looked him in the eye, and rolled hers. "Think the police missed it?"

"Nope." He closed the screen showing the news and pulled up a comedy that they both liked. "I checked."

"That's why they didn't let me drop you and head home." Umi clicked the play selection on the screen.

He cocked his head, "I don't follow."

"Only a couple would leave a functioning vehicle behind to go to the store together." Then she chuckled at a gag at the start of the show.

Indigo swallowed his next two sentences opting instead for, "Use my computer to let your family know you're here." ...with me. He was delaying the inevitable issue: where she was going to sleep. The discussion with her family settled that...

Her mom asked, "Is he safe?"

"Yes," Umi replied rolling her eyes, "I'm sleeping on his couch."

Her father frowned, "No. But he's acceptable." Indigo was heading to get a pillow and blanket for her when he said that and paused. Turning his head, he caught Umi looking at him speculatively. Then she blushed and looked back at the screen to ask, "Are you guys safe?" ...

Having settled her on the couch afterward, Indigo wished her goodnight. A brief hand squeeze. Then she had the worst night of sleep possible. Her hips were over-supported, her shoulders under-supported, her knees had to be partially tucked, and she couldn't get her head into a comfortable position if she straightened them. It was miserable.

When Indigo, well rested damn the man, came out to the main room at twilight, Umi looked at him blearily, "Izzit morning?"

"For me," Indigo replied sympathetically. Then he picked her up and carried her to his bed.

She rolled over, tucked in, and murmured, "Smells like you."

"Sweet dreams," he told her dropping a soft kiss on her hair.

Surrounded by his scent, she fell asleep.

Indigo sat and tried to figure out how the next several weeks were going to play out. It looked as if the semester was over, and he'd have to start all his classes all over again. For some reason none of it dealt a blow to the contentment he was generally feeling. He checked in with his parents and siblings. They were fine, worried about his being alone. He told them about Umi's situation. The reaction was to demand more information, which he didn't want to give. Then the subject was dropped...until the next barbed joke. "Look, I hoped we wouldn't have this conversation, but when they threaten to call the police, you've got to let them go."

At lunchtime, Indigo woke Umi, "You can't sleep the whole day, because I'm not going to have you keep me up late."

"Ung."

"Lunch is on," he added leaving the room.

"Unnn."

Staggering out of the bedroom a few minutes later, Umi zombie walked to him. Groaning, "Brains," she put her arms around him and pulled his hair with her teeth.

Laughing, "Stop it...stop...stop...I meant it," Indigo pinched her until she took her seat for her br-unch. He liked having her arms around him, not so much the hair pulling.

"Brains?" she muttered poking at the items on the plate.

"Only figuratively." He smiled, savoring his happiness at the moment. "I was thinking, how about if we plant some seeds?"

"Start a garden?" she sipped at her tea. "Probably best to start the seeds germinating inside, then transplant the shoots outside. We'll have to adjust the conditions out there, but it sounds like fun."

They worked outside for the rest of the day figuring out where to put different types of vegetables and herbs. Then in the evening, they worked on setting up the seeds. Umi built a basic radio so that they could listen to music. News broadcasts would break up any sense of peace that they'd attained. Indigo had an accident which took the radio out of commission until Umi could repair it several hours later. Afterwards, she attached it to herself and warned him that there were a few of his household items that she wouldn't miss. A fire broke out in the evening near the dirty clothes, but fortunately only destroyed one shirt. Indigo pointed out that he was working with Umi all evening. Umi pointed out that it was unusual her gag shirt was the only one that was placed directly on the heating element for drying. Indigo pretended he didn't hear her mutter, "Gee, wonder why most women run away screaming after dating him."

As they sat together on the couch and watched the news, then turned to some entertainment to distract themselves from it, Indigo idly rubbed Umi's neck making her curl into him. He wished she'd put her arms around him again, but the way her hands touched his leg between their laps was satisfying enough. And arousing.

When it was time for bed, there was no discussion. Umi trailed him into the bedroom and settled on the side next to the bathroom. Rolling over, putting her back to him, she murmured, "Night, Indigo."

Laying on his side, looking at her back, he replied, "Sweet dreams, Umi." He was surprised to sense her hand patting around between them which then patted his hip. On the way, she slightly missed, brushing the erection he couldn't resist as soon as he crawled into bed next to her. Snagging her hand, he held it.

Smiling, Umi squeezed his hand a couple of times then pulled her hand away to get comfortable again. Her semi-innocent exploration answered one question she had: Indigo at least was physically attracted to her. She'd spent the whole evening uncomfortable, wanting to get closer. But she didn't want to push him. Four weeks was a long time, and if they didn't get along, it could become a nightmare instead of a wonderful time with her platonic best friend. Sighing, trying to calm her body down, she closed her eyes, focusing on his increasingly addictive scent and the comfort of not sleeping on the couch-from-hell.

The next day, Umi opened her eyes and blinked. She rolled over and was practically nose-to-nose with Indigo. Who wasn't asleep. He was watching her. Before and after her blink, his facial expression changed. She would have described the earlier one as earnest. The one that her eyes focused on afterward was pleased. "Morning," she muttered.

"Good morning," he replied with a deep rumble.

She narrowed her eyes, "What are you so happy about?" His facial expression was the one he generally wore when he'd gotten away with something. He raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes affecting innocence. Definitely guilty.

He really wanted to kiss her, but he didn't want to pressure her. If she didn't want it, he'd be spending 4 weeks awkwardly sleeping next to an indifferent or hostile bedmate. "Just enjoying a wonderful dream." For the moment, he was satisfied that he'd gotten her into his bed for a reasonable amount of time to get her used to him.

"You're awake." She pinched him.

Slapping at her hand, he slid out of the bed on the other side. "It's getting hard to tell the difference." He didn't bother concealing the tented state of his pajama bottoms as he wandered to the bathroom. Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell she noticed.

They walked around the neighborhood in the morning, then gardened after lunch, building variously capable tiny greenhouses for maintaining conditions for the vegetables. The herbs were hardier. After the second news report broke up their musical background, Umi took the radio off her belt and put it away in the tool area. Several days passed in much the same manner. One evening a week later, tired, they curled up together on the couch. Emphasizing a point as they chatted over a movie, Indigo grabbed Umi's hand. Then he didn't let go. She didn't try to take it back either. A contented fuzz took over his brain. Then next thing he knew, she was shaking him awake saying, "We fell asleep on the couch-from-hell, c'mon. Lets go to bed." He was unconscious when his head hit the pillow.

The next morning, he groggily sat up when the bed shook. Umi was heading to the bathroom. As they sat at the breakfast table, she pulled up her shirt and covered her cough. "Sorry," she muttered.

He had a mild headache and sighed, "I feel...not so great."

"Let's take it easy today. Got any games?" Umi suggested.

They started out with a strategy game, which took several hours. After lunch they took a nap. Not feeling any better, they played cards instead until it was time to eat dinner. Which was warmed up frozen food. Then instead of curling up on the couch, they curled up in bed. And instead of absorbing any news, they simply watched comedies. As Indigo and his headache slipped off to dreamland, Umi's soft cough provided the background sound.

When he struggled awake the next day, he knew he had a fever. Despite laying next to Umi's warm body, he was still cold, outright shivering. Climbing out of bed, he staggered to the bathroom. He had to hold on to the door frame as the locations of objects lost meaning. After using the toilet and brushing his teeth, he looked at the bathtub as Umi's coughing returned. Drawing a hot bath, he climbed in before it was even close to full. The temperature was perfect, his shivers started to quiet. Laying back, finally comfortable, he closed his eyes, just to relax for a little while.

"WAKE UP!" Umi yelled, "Holy shit, Indigo! *cough cough* You trying to kill yourself?!" Umi wiped her nose on her sleeve as she turned off the water and pulled the drain plug.

Indigo blearily looked up at the woman he was desperately in love with. He was in his bathtub, and she was draining the water. He'd been gradually submerging under it. The level was up to his chin. Oh. He tried to sit up, but he couldn't without the buoyancy from the water. "Help," he pleaded.

"Of course, honey," she said leveraging him into a sitting position. Getting him to his feet was the next hurdle, but then she was able to support him back to bed. "Lets get you some water and a fever pill. You're burning *cough* up."

"Always wanted to be naked with you. Just pictured it differently," he tried to joke as he collapsed back into bed.

Umi patted his butt in response.

With them both medicated, Umi joined him blowing her nose and coughing roughly before laying back down. Indigo sought her hand under the covers; Umi seized his hand, and he weakly squeezed hers.

A few hours later Indigo could tell that his fever had lowered, because Umi's worsening cough bothered him. He wished she'd try holding it in instead. He knew that was irrational, but he also knew that it was making her throat irritated, more susceptible to coughing. Which was when he got an idea. Climbing out of bed and rummaging through his medical kit, he found a numbing med for the throat. He only had it because of surgery a few years back. Waiting until Umi's coughing fit ended, he talked her into trying it out.

In the blessed silence that followed, she whispered to him, "I liked it when you grabbed me."

"When?" How? His fever was coming back, but he could tell it wasn't going to be as bad. The shivering wasn't as violent.

"At the grocery store. It was the first time I'd ever been in your arms."

He remembered the moment, too. Relived it in his dreams, well day-dreams. He gently ran his fingers down her wan face. Precious.

"What?"

He'd said it out loud apparently. "I want you in my arms."

She smiled. "I liked you being naked. When we got you out of the bathtub. I looked."

He chuckled softly. "You can look anytime when you get better." Then he kissed her forehead.

"Oh, a goal. It's a deal." She grabbed his hand then and curled up with his arm to sleep.

And just like that, he had managed to get the woman he'd desired for years to become his girlfriend. If he didn't know any better, he'd argue that the sudden rush of endorphins set him well on to the road to recovery.

Hours later, or maybe a whole day, a knock on the window and the crashing of the blinds afterwards woke them both up, but they didn't have the energy to do more than look in Indigo's case and ask what he saw in Umi's. She had a fever but the cough was gone.

A police officer stood outside of the window. He recognized the tool she put down; it was a powerful electromagnet. She must have used it to rip the metal fixtures holding the blinds out of the wall, letting her look in through the window. "Mr. Welle and Ms. Etheria, your families have requested we perform a wellness check." She pulled out another tool and waved it across the window, "I am not detecting any blood. If you have not vomited, raise your hand."

Indigo raised his hand, then realized that Umi was out of it. Grasping her arm by the elbow, he raised her hand as well.

The officer took out another tool. "I see that Ms. Etheria has a high fever." Then she stepped away from the window. After a few minutes, she returned, "Mr. Welle, I've put medical supplies on your doorstep. The hospitals are unable to treat non-essential workers at this time, so Ms. Etheria is in your care unless you want her family to send a volunteer to manage her illness. If you wish to remain her caretaker, raise your hand."