Just a little oneshot to try and cure my writer's block... Didn't work, but oh well. R&R.

Arnold Rimmer had led with his arm crooked behind his head for as long as he could remember. Now, although this may be a comfortable position to lie in, it is not comfortable, even for a hologram, to wake up with a dead hand. There must be a reason for it.

Perhaps he liked the feeling of a dead arm. A constant reminder that he was dead, was a simulation of a person, lest he forget and it hurt even more when he remembered. No.

Perhaps he felt that he was going crazy, and unless he held his head together, all of his sanity would fall out. No.

Perhaps, you're thinking, he just didn't really think about how he led. It just came naturally to him. Partly.

Have you ever observed a parent with their young child? If the child is stood next to them, or is upset, the parent will often lovingly cradle the child's head in their hand.

Arnold Rimmer's parents never did this. If little Arnold was stood next to them, he was told to 'stand up straight!' or 'be quiet!'. If he was upset, he was told off for provoking the attack by being so pathetic, and getting into trouble.

Arnold would see how the other children, even the wicked ones, were doted upon by their parents, and would long for such love. He tried, when lying in bed at night, to re-create that love he has seen amongst other families. He would lie with his arm crooked behind him, his own hand cradling his head. If he closed his eyes and imagined as hard as he could, it almost felt like the love of a parent. Whenever he felt scared or alone, he would lie like that and try to comfort himself. He felt scared and alone so often though, lying like that soon became a force of habit. But oh, what he wouldn't give for just once, a kind word, or a smile of encouragement. Just once, to have his head cradled by a loving parent, who would help with maths homework and sew nametags into clothes.

Arnold Rimmer never had those kind of parents.

Arnold Rimmer was never loved.