A Token of Care

Arthur stirred awake the next morning, blinking groggily as he took in his surroundings. As his vision cleared, he found himself face-to-face with Aelira, sitting by his side. Her head was gently resting on the edge of his bed, her expression peaceful as she slept. Startled, he jolted upright, causing her to stir awake as well.

"Aelira?" he muttered, a mix of surprise and embarrassment in his voice.

Aelira blinked, stretching as she sat up. "Oh, good morning, Arthur. How are you feeling?"

"I—uh—better, I think," he replied, still processing the fact that she had stayed by his side all night. "Thank you for… for everything. You should go home and get some rest."

She gave him a soft smile. "No problem, boss. Someone had to make sure you didn't fall out of bed."

He let out a small chuckle, then watched her leave, a strange warmth lingering after she was gone. His mind drifted back to the vision of the galaxy he'd seen on the ceiling the night before, wondering if it had really been a dream. But for now, he decided to chalk it up to fatigue and focus on the day ahead.

Days passed, and Arthur gradually returned to his usual routine. Then, on the last day of the month, he noticed Aelira walking around the office with an excited spring in her step. She had just received her first salary and was practically beaming. Once she was off work, she headed straight to her assistant—the shape-shifting hamster waiting patiently in her backpack.

"Alright, little one," she whispered to it with a grin. "Tell me, how much is this worth? And where should I spend it?"

The hamster blinked at her, clicking its tiny paws as if doing calculations. After a moment, it squeaked, guiding her to a nearby mall and listing out essential items she might want to buy.

The mall was bustling with people, a whirlwind of colors, shops, and displays that made Aelira's eyes widen in wonder. She wandered through a clothing store, picking out a few dresses and outfits for herself. She held up a shirt in front of the hamster, which gave her a tiny approving nod from inside her bag.

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"Alright, what else?" she murmured, eyeing a few more items.

Her gaze eventually wandered to a small shop full of quirky gifts. She paused, tapping her chin as she surveyed the shelves, her mind drifting to Arthur. What could she buy for him? Her eyes landed on a small statue—a toy figure in a business suit that vaguely resembled Arthur, complete with a tiny, stern expression on its face. She couldn't help but laugh, imagining his reaction.

"Yes," she whispered to herself. "This is perfect."

Once she'd finished her shopping, she pulled out her phone and called Arthur. "Hey, boss!"

Arthur's voice was warm but slightly wary. "Hello, Aelira. And… congratulations on your first paycheck."

"Thank you! And thank you for the salary too," she replied, practically bouncing with excitement.

Arthur chuckled. "Just remember to spend it wisely."

"Oh, don't worry. I already spent all of it!"

Arthur sighed, a bit amused. "Already?"

"Yes! I bought some new clothes, and… oh, I got you something too. A special gift!"

He paused, caught off-guard by her thoughtfulness. "A gift? For me?"

"Yep! When are you getting discharged, boss? I want to give it to you as soon as possible."

"I'm actually on my way to the office right now."

"Oh, great!" she began, but before she could finish, someone bumped into her in the crowded mall, causing her to drop her phone. The screen went dark as it hit the ground, cutting off their call abruptly.

On the other end, Arthur's face tightened in concern as the line went silent. He immediately grabbed his car keys and headed for the mall, his heart pounding. Arriving there, he hurried through the crowded aisles, scanning for any sign of Aelira. After a few tense minutes, he finally spotted her near a store, trying to fix her phone.

"Aelira!" he called, rushing over.

She looked up, startled, then smiled. "Arthur! Why are you here?"

He glanced at her, his face a mix of relief and irritation. "You didn't answer, and I thought something had happened. Are you alright?"

She held up her phone sheepishly. "Oh, someone bumped into me, and I dropped it. It's fine, though."

He exhaled, calming himself. "Well… as long as you're okay." His tone softened, and for a moment, they simply looked at each other, the busy mall noise fading into the background.

"Oh! I almost forgot," she said, pulling out a small gift bag. "Here's your gift, boss!"

He took the bag, his brow furrowing as he pulled out the little statue. His lips quirked into a surprised smile as he inspected the tiny figure with its serious face and crossed arms. "Is this supposed to be… me?"

She grinned, stifling a laugh. "I thought it was close enough. And besides, I thought you could use a mini-version of yourself on your desk. You know, so you can look at yourself whenever you need a pep talk."

He chuckled, feeling oddly touched. "Thanks, Aelira. It's… actually pretty great." He tried to hide the slight blush that crept up his cheeks as he returned the smile.

As they left the mall, Arthur placed the figurine on his desk. He caught himself glancing at it throughout the day, a small smile tugging at his lips each time. It felt like having a piece of her around, a little reminder of her quirky humor and kindness.

Meanwhile, back at her desk, Aelira was also smiling to herself, glad her small gesture had made him happy. But as she tucked her backpack away, her hamster assistant suddenly chirped, nudging her with a sense of urgency.

"What is it?" she whispered, glancing down.

The hamster pointed its tiny paw towards Arthur's office building on the other side of the street. Through a faint hum that only they could sense, a signal was calling her, radiating from somewhere within the office itself. Her eyes widened as she realized what it meant—her device, the very thing she had come to Earth to retrieve, was nearby.

Her heart raced. The moment she'd been waiting for was finally here.