by SentientPillow

(Geordi La Forge was spread out on a beach on Risa, basking in the
sun, occasionally taking a sip from an exotic alien drink. His lover
was beside him, uncharacteristically silent.)

"Geordi."

(Geordi turned his head and raised a questioning eyebrow.)

"Geordi."

(He smiled and turned back, closing his eyes.)

"Geordi," Data tried again, louder this time.

Geordi frowned.

"Are you awake?"

"No, I'm not."

Brow furrowing slightly, Data leaned closer, peering at his companion.
"But Geordi, you must have reached some level of consciousness to
answer my question in such a coherent manner."

"Nope, I'm still asleep." Geordi could almost feel the warmth of the
Risian climate. He snuggled into his pillow and smiled slightly as his
dream started to swim back into view.

"Geordi, have you ever tried to fall asleep, only to find that you
could not?"

Geordi made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. "Yeah, I'm
having one of the moments right now."

"As am I."

Lifting his head off the pillow, Geordi quirked an eyebrow at Data.
"Data, you're an android."

"I am aware of that, but I simply cannot sleep. Perhaps there is
malfunction in my dream program. I *was* experiencing bizarre dream
imagery before I awoke. I was in a field, pursuing a butterfly for
unknown reasons, when suddenly, it transformed into a bird and flew
away. It was similar to the bird I saw in my first dreams, after the
program was activated."

"Uh-huh."

"When I looked up, to see where the bird had gone, there was a giant
pizza in the sky."

"Fascinating," Geordi mumbled.

"Since the emotion chip was installed, I find that there are several
pizza toppings that provoke a positive emotional response. Pepperoni,
black olive, pineapple ... What pizza toppings do you enjoy, Geordi?"
Silence. "Geordi?"

Data reached over and gently shook Geordi, who started, eyes snapping
open.

"Perhaps we should go to engineering and run a diagnostic on my dream
program."

Geordi moaned and rolled over. "It's the middle of the night! Can't it
wait until the morning?"

"Of course." A pause. "I have often wondered about the origins of the
saying 'the cats pajamas'. Felines do not typically wear clothes."
Another pause. "Geordi, what is your favorite holodeck program?"

"Data! I'm trying to *sleep*."

"I apologize." Data's voice sounded a little wounded.

Rolling over onto his back, Geordi sighed. "Reg's new sailing program
is pretty good."

"I have not tried it. Perhaps tomorrow we could go together."

"I might be too exhausted."

"I understand," Data said.

Somehow Geordi doubted that.

"What is your favorite food?"

"Uh ... Iinarian ravioli."

"Favorite domesticated animal?"

"Dogs." Geordi thought for a second and then added, "Don't tell Spot I
said that."

"I still think you are incorrect in your belief that Spot is 'out to
get you.'"

"Yeah, well, just in case."

"In our session today Counselor Troi mentioned the concept of sibling
rivalry. Perhaps you and Spot are experiencing something similar. You
do not need to worry. I have equal affection for both of you."

Geordi gave him a wry smile. "Thanks, Data."

Data titled his head to the side. "Did you and your sister ever
experience sibling rivalry?"

"Oh, yeah." Geordi laughed. "We fought all the time. I remember, she
used to carry this doll around all day. I mean, she'd set up chair for
it at dinner. I *hated* it. So I threw it into the disposal unit."

Data frowned. "I do not understand. Why did you dislike the doll to
such a degree?"

"There wasn't a real reason, it just got my nerves. It's a sibling
thing, Data. Anyway, she didn't speak to me for weeks. My parents made
me pay for a new doll out of my allowance."

"That does seem a fair punishment."

"I guess so, but I wasn't very happy about it at the time."

For a while after that Data looked as if he were in thought. Finally,
just as Geordi was pondering trying to get back to sleep, Data said,
"Geordi, what was it that first attracted you to me?"

That wasn't a question Geordi had been expecting. "Uh." He blinked.

Data looked at him patiently.

"I guess ... " He stopped, trying to remember the first time they met.
It was in a turbo lift, shortly after they'd come onboard the
Enterprise. Geordi'd been surprised by the halo from Data's positronic
net, which led to a conversation ... "I guess, when we first met, you
seemed so curious about everything. It was nice to meet someone who
was so ... *amazed* by the littlest things." Geordi smiled. "Like, the
first time we went to Ten Forward, I told some kind of joke. You said
were fascinated by the way people could make each other laugh. Do you
remember that, Data? ... Data?"

He looked over at Data, only to find him fast asleep, clutching the
sheet in his hands.

Androids. Geordi sighed and stared up at the ceiling.