Heart Like a Machine

Chapter 67

"Aloy?" I asked her.

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking."

"That's never a good thing," she chuckled. "What were you thinking?"

"We would be raising our daughter like how you were raised: alone and isolated. Why don't we bring her to the tribe for a while and let her grow up there."

Aloy looked down at me, "Y/N, we just moved all the way out here to raise her. You want us to bring her back to the tribe to be raised there?"

"I was just thinking that she needs to develop those social skills. Out here, she can't really develop those. I mean, I guess she could."

"There's nothing wrong with what you're thinking, Y/N, but the Nora might shun her, too."

"Why would they shun her?"

"For being made and not born. For having two mothers."

"They shun you for not having a mother and they might shun her for having two mothers. The tribe is backwards."

"That is exactly why we should raise her out here. Where she can be free to do whatever within reason. There are many tribes out here who we could introduce her to. Zo has her son and they can be with one another."

I nodded my head, "I see where you're coming from."

"Come on, we should head inside."

She stood up and helped me up. We walked to our side of the house and Aloy closed the door to our room. I sat down on the edge of our shared bed and Aloy sat beside me. I looked over at her and reached up, starting to play with her hair. She smiled and looked over at me.

"Still want to see my hair down and out of the braids?"

"Yeah."

"You're redoing them," she said and turned to where her back was facing me. 

I reached into her hair and started to unbraid each of them until her entire hair was down and out of the braids. I smiled to myself, feeling my heart beat a little faster as I got to look at her backside with it down. She turned and faced me, looking a little embarrassed. I reached up, pushing some of her hair behind her ear before placing my hand on her cheek, caressing it with my thumb.

"You look amazing, Aloy. You looked amazing before, but this, this is even better."

She chuckled, placing her forehead against mine, "You always know how to compliment someone."

"I'll put your hair back in its braids in the morning," I said running my hand through her long, soft, wavy hair. 

"You just want to see it down longer," she chuckled more.

"What can I say?"

"Let's get some sleep," she said, pulling me onto the bed with her.

I smiled at her as I ran my left hand through her hair, placing my forehead against hers. She smiled, leaning over and lightly placing a kiss on my lips.

"Goodnight, Y/N."

"Goodnight, Aloy. I love you."

"I love you, too."

I woke up early in the morning before Aloy was up. I knew Beta was up since I could hear her in the stables. I quietly got up and headed out of the house. Walking over to see where Beta was, she was getting on a Charger.

"Beta," I called after her.

"Oh, hey, Y/N. I didn't think you'd be up."

"I wanted to make Aloy something. She has always done so much for me that I want to give back to her."

"What were you thinking of making her?"

"Well, if we're going to be together, we have to signify that we are together, right?"

"That was part of the Old World. Where they made rings for one another to wear together."

"Yes. I want to do something like that. But I don't know where to start."

Beta walked over to me and pulled up an image of a ring that would be easy to make since it was all made out from machine parts.

"I was thinking of something like this."

"You were?"

"Yes. Don't tell Aloy I told you, but she was talking to me while we were heading back after we finished hunting. She wanted me to come up with something for her to give to you."

"I see," I said.

"She was going to go out today and do it."

I nodded my head, "Looks like I will be doing the same thing. Mind if I have that layout? I want to tweak it a little."

"Of course," she said and sent the data to my Focus. "I'm going to be heading out to find a Clawstrider. I don't want there to be three Chargers."

"Getting tired of riding on a Charger?"

"Yes."

"Fair enough. I might do the same while I'm out there."

"Good luck out there. And be safe," she said to me.

"You as well," I said and headed back inside to grab my bow and spear.

Aloy was still asleep, which I was surprised she was. I lightly kissed her forehead before walking back out of the house and getting onto the Charger. I looked at what I needed before heading out. I got most of the parts of what I needed. While I was taking a break on one of the beaches nearby, I was messing around with the blueprints Beta had sent me for the ring. I wanted to make it special and have something that brought us together. I got onto the Charger and ran off towards the East near the base. I jumped off the Charger and readied my bow to fight a Thunderjaw. I thought I could make the entire ring from the antenna of the Thunderjaw and encase it in metal parts, revealing some of the antenna here and there. And on the top were going to be some parts of the metal heart. It would go well with out Thunderjaw tooth necklace we had.

Once I had all the pieces I needed, I headed into the base to start making it. While I was there, I walked over to where GAIA was to see how the progress was on our child. There was not really much of an update. There were still a couple months to go before GAIA would inform us when she was ready to be brought into this world. I finished making the ring and I showed it to GAIA before leaving.

"It's a lovely work of craftsmanship. Aloy would be delighted when you give it to her."

"Thank you, GAIA. I'll see you in a couple of months."