Ongoing PSL - In-game setting

[itshilarious]

"You say that you're no good for me, cause I'm always tugging at your sleeve--"

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Earth - Mid-game ish.

[itshilarious]

[ It's been weeks. The longest either of them have been on Earth without regrouping at the Bunker to report information. Perhaps it's been due to the lack of quality reception. The weather has taken a grim turn, bearing nothing but heavy rainstorms and floods. It's caused success to slow down, and it's been better to just stick around and gather physical data and log information for the time being. It's also left them not doing much. ]

[ 9S couldn't be happier. It means more quality time with 2B, more time to enjoy the scenery and truly observe everything to his heart's content. At the crack of dawn, he's already powered up. ]

Rise and shine!

[ 9S waltzes over to 2B, tapping her shoulder. ]

C'mon. We're gathering City-related intel. I got word from some Resistance members that they found a ton of old newspapers and articles scattered near the central area.

[podskill]

[ 2B has, as usual, been all business when it comes to her partner; the entirety of her life has been spent by his side, and for all intents and purposes, she was created to be posited there. Blackout periods of communication, while cause for concern for Command, were not entirely unheard of, and 2B knows better than anyone what her purpose is even without the voice of the Commander discretely bending her ear.

2B is actually already active; she'd spent the night taking stock of their supplies and organizing their weaponry, figuring out which were due for upgrades in order to optimize their efficacy in combat. When 9S taps her shoulder, she flinches-- she can't help it, she always does this when he touches her, now-- but she doesn't turn to face him. ]

Understood. [ She says, turning her head slightly in order to speak to him from over her shoulder. ] Where exactly are they located? Resistance intel is hardly inaccurate, but I wouldn't think printed paper would last long after weather like this now... Much less after years and years of it.

... If what you say is true, then we should hurry.

[ It's with that that she takes one last look over her chipset before she turns to leave, getting drenched as soon as she steps out from beneath the overhanging of concrete shielding them from the rain. ]

[itshilarious]

[ 9S offers a shrug, which is seemingly delayed when he can't help but ponder at her flinching.. ]

Hey, a rumor's a rumor. Under certain circumstances, things like parchment or magazines can last. May not be pristine, but I have the capability to at least get a decent render for Command.

[ He taps at his covered eye, gesturing that his scanning capabilities are, as always, top of the line. Either way, he seems thrilled. And given he weather? 2B isn't wrong. He smiles. ]

Time to get to it.

[ He follows along closely, not at all bothered by the water that pours down.]

I've taken the liberty of marking the various places that have been mentioned on the map. Obviously, we won't get much luck by looking outside. Some dilapidated buildings may bring us something.

[podskill]

[ 2B doesn't look at him as they walk, the steady tamping of his boots familiar as they trail behind her. Their pods suspend themselves dutifully around the both of them, steadily orbiting and unbothered by the steady downpour even as it quickens and intensifies.

She says nothing as he talks, grateful for the way the roar of the rain almost drowns out his voice. Her combat visor analyzes and feeds her information even as she slides down a steep incline of rubble, keeping her body bent in order to stop herself from tumbling. Her clothes are soaked, her hair matted to her forehead and neck as she straightens, her internal systems maintaining equilibrium against the inclement weather as she takes note of the marks 9S has provided upon their shared objective map.

It doesn't take long for them to come upon their first mark: a mostly-intact apartment building with a collapsed roof, its upper floors falling into one another while its foundation holds steady. 2B steps into the lobby proper, her heels sloshing through the rainwater that managed to pool upon the ground before coming to a stop in the middle of the darkened room. It's only then that she turns to face her partner, her expression impassive even behind her visor. ]

Does your intel happen to say where we should start our search? [ She asks, her voice terse. It's about then that the ground beneath her feet gives way, crumbling underneath her before she can leap to safety. ]

[itshilarious]

[ 9S is hardly bothered by the lack of response when it comes to his small talk. 2B has never been one for it, and though he would love to get a bit more out of her? Her presence seems to be enough. It's never changed that being a Scanner with a partner has meant something to him. Loneliness seems to plague him moreso than anything else. Having a purpose is one thing, but being beside someone makes that purpose all the greater. His loyalty is to Command, to Mankind, but he's happy to give his loyalty to 2B along with everything else. So the silence isn't a problem. Nor is her terse sort of manner of speaking. ]

Well, not necessarily, but a--- UWAH!!!

[ 9S falls through the ground in turn upon their arrival, and he frantically reaches for his Pod to gain support and avoid a violent fall. Without fail, it provides support, delivering him to the bottom of what appears to be a dark basement beneath them. ]

Uh...

[ He flicks on his flashlight, finding what appears to be a few partially soggy and damaged boxes. 9S grins as he looks up to shout for 2B.
]

Hey! Looks like I might've found our first source!

[ A pause. ]

By the way, I'm okay. Thanks for asking!

[podskill]

[ 2B is more aware of 9S' loneliness than even he knows, and it's because of this that she seeks to keep a certain sense of distance between the two of them. The first time they'd met, she'd allowed him to get close; to allow herself a certain degree of closeness with him in return. The end came swiftly anyway.

The second time had been notably more difficult, though she could scarcely understand why. He always smiled the same smile-- called her "ma'am," asked superfluous questions-- always did his best to put himself in between danger and herself. The end had been less clean this time, and it had only gotten worse in sequence.

This is the fifth time that she's been here with 9S. Her fifth time through this cycle, and the third time her throat grew tight with the knowledge of what her partner knew. She couldn't compromise the security of YoRHa's operations. She wouldn't.

And yet... And yet. He always wore that same smile. Used the same phrases.

2B's reach for her own Pod is more measured than her partner's, her body swaying with the momentum of her weight as she descends into the sinkhole forming beneath them. Though 9S can't see her, her eyes desperately snap onto his frame, searching for signs of injury in spite of herself, though she says nothing. Seeing that he is whole and unharmed, she turns her gaze away, the toes of her boots gracefully tapping against the ground as she lands. ]

I can't ask if you're alright if you don't give me the chance to, [ She responds evenly, expressionless in spite of the ghost of amusement that ekes into her voice. She steps over to where he is, gently nudging one of the time-worn boxes with her foot. ] It's amazing that these even lasted this long.

[itshilarious]

[ 9S stands up with a grunt, dusting off his shorts and giving himself a good stretch. He takes the time to quickly scan his own system, to make sure nothing struck him on the way down. 100% at optimum efficiency. Lucky break. As 2B lands with a delicate tap of her heels, he crosses his arms. Nevermind the box quite yet. ]

Oh no, 9S!

[ He gasps, putting his hands to his cheeks. ]

Are you okay?! You're falling! Hold on, I'm coming! Don't die!

[ It's a bit melodramatic. But it's an example. 9S lets his hands drop back down, though he holds one finger up. A gesture of correction. ]

You know, for future reference.

[ Empathy, 2B. Empathy. ]

[ 9S sighs. ]

Looks like this place has held up pretty well. Given that the floor just caved in, we got a lucky break.

[ He comes to the box, leaning over it with his flashlight lit. Cautiously, he opens it. What he's greeted with, at first glance, just appears to be a bunch of magazines and what appears to be boxes for... ]

Oh, I know what these are.

[ 9S reaches in, grasping a plastic box. ]

It was called a D...V...D. Discs that provided video data for the purpose of watching on a television or computer. Often rented or sold.

[ Initially, he has the box backwards. 9S taps the bottom corner. ]

Yup. Barcode. No way for me to see what it cost or what server the price was connected to, but this was purchased. What are you?

[ 9S flips it over, and when he does? He squints. ]

Wait is that...

Oh--!

[ He doesn't drop it, but he certainly holds it rather far from him. ]

Eugh--!

Pornography! It's pornography!!!

[podskill]

[ In the end, it always comes back to her prime directive.

The weeks have practically flown by, leaving 2B time to grow comfortable in the arrangement she has with 9S. Physical affection has never, ever been her strong suit, but she finds that it comes more and more naturally every time they decide to engage each other on that strange, intimate level that humans seemed to by all counts revere and revile. She knew going into this that she was being careless, that she was making a mistake.

But 9S had been worth it, worth all of her selfishness. Worth all of the pain, and the sorrow, and the goddamn beauty of it. 2B had somehow convinced herself that this time might be different, that this time, she wouldn't have to end it... But even then, she knew that that was a convenient lie.

When the order comes from Command, cool and smooth like it usually is, 2B is caught off-guard. The deep, pervading darkness that has for so long rolled and boiled in her gut finally prevailed over the tiny pinpricks of hope that she'd clung to, wiping them out entirely and leaving her with that cold, leaden feeling that always extends to her fingertips every time she hears the Commander's voice. Every communication between herself and the Bunker feels like a potential death sentence, but as of late, she's always been spared the terrible, heartrending command...

Until today, of course.

She didn't have the heart to approach 9S from behind. She couldn't do that to him. Instead, she took him to their spot, deep underground, in that field of Lunar Tears. It was there that she held him close, tender as ever. Eerily cold.

For the first (and last) time, 2B told him she loved him. Her processors only hitched for a split second, her internal systems maintaining equilibrium.

9S had picked up on that quick, pulling away from her. Looking up at her face. He'd called her name in questioning, but in the end, she was still an Executioner model. Her blade pierced his chest quickly, missing its fatal, intended mark only because her hands were shaking. 2B swears she hears a woman sobbing, and she wonders where the sound is coming from. It takes her several seconds to recognize that she herself is the one gasping for air, tears streaming down her face from behind her visor. ]

[itshilarious]

[ It had been so strange to him that they had gone so long on Earth without much contact with the Bunker. There had been plenty to do, plenty to see, and honestly? 9S had never found himself to be so content. Going so long without collecting interesting data could make him feel stagnant, useless, but it was in his shared time with 2B that he stopped caring. He was gathering his own data by spending all of this intimate time with her...

He was learning what love was like. What it was truly like. And wow... Was it a gift. 9S couldn't logically believe in deities, but he could perceive this as a gift from the humans. To feel joy and love, and to give it back. 9S could analyze things from such a different viewpoint, because 2B gave him such a beautiful perspective that life is so much more than objectives.

The fateful day didn't seem fateful to 9S. Not at first. But there was something about 2B that had changed. He couldn't put his finger on it, but still... He followed.

9S recalled those words she had said once. Weeks ago. "You'd die anyway". 9S had tucked away those words, because something told him to.

He still followed.

As they came to the field of Lunar Tears, as there had been little explaination or reason for them to be here, 9S felt something coming on. Something he couldn't wrap his head around.

He still followed.

As 2B had pulled 9S in so tenderly, he felt a chill between them. Something had switched off. But he loves her so much, and with love comes trust. Trust is the main foundation of a stable partnership. Of a relationship. 9S allowed himself to not question her, because she loves him too! Because she had been so tender and loving and had began to express herself more for his sake!!!! Because how could he hang on to words that likely meant nothing after so many weeks had passed?!!! 2B loves him. She loves him and so HE. STILL. FOLLOWED.

He sees that shift. That break in 2B's composure as the blade pierces him through the chest. It slices his mechanical heart, but it doesn't pierce it. 9S hears the blade cut clean through mechanical components, hears the immediate overflow of warnings that he's leaking vital fluids.

It... it hurts. It hurts so much and the pain begins so fast. 9S gasps, breath wet and labored. His eyes are wide as he stares at 2B as if he doesn't understand. She... Was it all a lie? Why is this happening? Why is she killing him?! ]

Hckk--!

[ Shocked and mortified, his body seizes. The pain overwhelming and heavy, he falls forward. Against 2B as he bleeds out profusely. He gasps for air, suddenly feeling like he's drowning when fluids fill his artificial lungs. 9S cries out in pain, grabbing onto 2B for dear life even though he knows it won't work. She's crying. Is she crying? Or is he crying? This goes on for so long. And all he can do is stare. ]

[podskill]

[ 2B stumbles as 9S slumps forward, his vital fluids pouring out of him. They're getting everywhere: her hands, her clothes, the flowers. 2B's sobs are uncontrollable as she grabs him by the elbows, falling to her knees. She knows she needs to end this quickly, both to report back to Command and to put 9S-- her Nines-- out of his misery, but when she looks down at him to retrieve her blade, something inside of her breaks.

She's always felt like a monster every time she's done this, but she can't ever recall it hurting this much. 2B wonders what's worse: the fact that she'll never see this version of 9S again or the fact that she will meet him again, only to find that he doesn't remember her. Doesn't remember anything.

With a shaking voice, 2B commands her pod to enter sleep mode. She rips off her visor and discards it across the cavern, holding 9S with her free arm, getting soaked in his fluids. 2B can't risk having Command interfere with her. Not like this. She cradles the back of his head, gentle as she weeps, the action causing her internal processes to stutter and skip.

This will be the last time, she'd told herself. The last time she'll do this to him.

2B cradles him in her arms, curled around him while she sobs, the Lunar Tears around their feet splattered in blood. ]

[itshilarious]

[ He doesn't understand. What did he do? What had he done wrong to deserve this? 9S feels his eyes well up with tears, though it's difficult to keep track when so much of him is pouring out. The pain is unbearable, laboring and long, and there's too much going on for him to register that she's cradling him in her arms upon the ground.

No... No he isn't a fool.

This dials back to what he had discovered. The files he'd pulled up indicating that a massacre of man left the moon completely barren. That humans had died off a long time ago. In 9S' silence, he realizes that when he'd questioned the validity or possibility of this, not even confirming it yet, 2B's demeanor had shifted.

She...

She was programmed for this.

Even with his vitals quickly fading, his Scanning capabilities are top of the line. The best. And so in that realization, his gaze shifts to her. If... If this is what was meant to happen, why is she crying?

9S wants to be angry. Scared. To allow himself to feel betrayed, but he realizes that as his consciousness fades, he can't do anything about it. Being angry, being scared will do nothing about the hole cut through him. Wet, crackling sounds fester in the back of his throat, fluids pouring from his lips when 2B cradles him close.

He can't...

He can't be mad. But...

With a trembling hand, he reaches for 2B, as if to question her. As if to search for something. A wet, bloody palm manages to reach her cheek, but it doesn't stay there long. His systems beep continuously, cry for maintenance or help but there's nothing that can be done.

Yet 2B cries.

He gets it. He understands. Even if it hurts.

But his arm loses strength, smearing blood along her cheek before it falls to his side. 9S' head rolls back, the pupils of his naturally soulless eyes losing the light that kept them going. The sound of his entire system shutting off whispers as those pupils expand and fade. 9S takes his last breath, which is drowned by the overflow of red fluid that pours out.

And he's gone. ]

[podskill]

[ When 9S reaches for her, an eerie calm begins to settle over 2B, her systems quieting as she feels his hand warm against her cheek for the last time. She turns her head and breathes deep; his vitals stain her face as she places a kiss against his palm, eyelids fluttering shut. Such a sweet, intimate gesture. The final thing she can do for him as he begins to fade.

She sits in silence after a while, holding him close. Brushing the hair from his eyes. Removing his visor and shutting his eyelids. She holds his hands, cradles his face, traces a fine line from his forehead to the tip of his nose. She traces the shape of his mouth, memorizing the softness of those lips that she's kissed countless times by this point. After what feels like an eternity, she stands, grabbing her blade by the hilt and pulling it from him, swinging it clean of the carnage she'd wrought.

Waking her Pod, she leaves the cavern and makes a call to Command. ]

Black box confirmed offline for Unit 9S. [ 2B's voice is even, all business. Something inside of her feels dead. ] Ready for recommissioning.

[ After attaining confirmation from the Commander, 2B cuts the feed. When she heads back to the Bunker, she remains unaffected. She gives her report to the Commander, leaving out everything about her shared intimacy with 9S. 2B figures that the Commander suspects something when she lets her gaze linger for a bit too long, but at this point, she doesn't care.

It will be a fortnight before 9S returns to her. When he does, he descends in a flight unit, just as he always has. 2B doesn't meet his gaze. Just as she always has. ]

There's a machine nest to the east of here, [ She begins, her tone flat to the point of being soulless. ] You're my support.

[itshilarious]

[ There is something he just does not enjoy about the start of his day. 9S can't put his finger on it, but something never feels right. He feels sick, off-kilter, as if he hadn't slept when that makes no sense. He was powered down, freshly started up. Why does he feel so strange?

9S has no time to question it or bother. As soon as his systems go online, he's given a message from Command with coordinates and orders to rally up with yoRHa Unit: 2B for support. Until further notice.

Strange. Scanner models never get partnered up with a combat unit. But he eagerly obeys, reaching the destination on time. As always. 9S descends from his Flight Unit, landing delicately at his feet as he approaches 2B. He greets her with a delicate smile. ]

Quick to get down to business, huh?

[ No greeting. Oh well. 9S nods. ]

Yep. That's me.

Unit: 9S reporting for duty. I've been slated with providing you support both on Earth and in the Bunker going forward.

I'm also in charge of your maintenance. Please don't hesitate to let me know if you're in need of it, ma'am.

[ Everything has been cleared. Every last bit. 2B is practically a stranger. And so he smiles. ]

ENDGAME AU -- DISTURBING/DEPLORABLE SHIT

[podskill]

desire.

[ 2B knows better than to think that these things don't happen in cycles, even when she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that there isn't any way she should be awakening in this strange, quiet place.

When she opens her eyes, all she sees is white, clean and blinding. She almost thinks that her optical cameras are malfunctioning until she vaguely makes out the shapes of tall, elegant columns lining the enormous room she's in. As she sits up, she realizes that she's on a platform that extends forward as far as the eye can see, though its sides aren't flush against the wall; large pits flank either side of the walkway, and when she peeks her head over the edge, she sees that they go down forever, with no discernible end. As 2B stands, she takes in a breath that feels stolen. She can still feel the clean slice of A2's blade and the relief that had come in the knowledge that the Bunker wouldn't be able to bring her back to complete her prime directive for the umpteenth time, just as keenly as she can see 9S' expression crumbling at the sight of her, impaled and dying.

Something inside of 2B shifts at the thought, painfully clenching. The sound of footsteps interrupts her reverie, however, and though her first instinct is to draw her blade, she finds herself unarmed. Turning slowly and crouching downwards, her combat visor immediately locks onto the newcomer, and the sight causes her to take a step back. ]

... 9S?

[itshilarious]

[ It should all just come to an end...

Ah, but what would that accomplish? The machines still exist, he still exists. He doesn't want to, he'd have preferred to be dead and gone for what seems like ages ago. When did 2B die? When did his prime directive change from learning to simply killing?

He doesn't care. Not anymore.

This existence is nothing but torment. 9S knows that the silence he wants so badly won't come until every single machine is dead. Everyone else is, so why not complete the silence by eliminating all the noise? 9S feels that silence only barely there within the walls of this tower. He'd come so far to simply ending it all, but somewhere along the way, he got lost. Lost within this expanse of white that is so bright that it's loud. God, he wish the noise would just stop.

He feels perhaps a touch of relief, silence, in the face of 2B.

Or a copy. But somehow, even the copies are painful to look at. It seems her face is the only thing left that can truly cause him pain. Not the uselessness of his existence, not A2, not even of the betrayal of YoRHa and his recurring nightmare of an activation period.

But the beautiful, haunting face of his executioner? It triggers feelings and needs that threaten to undo him bit by bit. It's because looking at her reminds him that he has nothing left in her absence. It terrifies him, hurts him. But most of all?

It pisses him off.

9S stands a few feet away from her, silent for what feels like decades. He stares at her, blankly, the ghost of a smile that is both mortifying and eerily calm greets her. He tilts his head. ]

Oh, 2B...

Seeing you again... Hearing your voice...

[ He takes one step forward. ]

You have no idea how long I've yearned to hear it again.

[podskill]

[ 2B doesn't know what she feels when she sees 9S; there's elation, surely, but also something else. Something about him seems... different. Off. Maybe it's the fact that his visor is gone, but she can see something crazed in his eyes, and it causes her brow to furrow and her own head to tilt, opposite to the cant of his neck. She hadn't been expecting to see him ever again, and while that thought caused her pain... It also gave her an overwhelming sense of relief. She'd never have to hurt him again. To kill him again.

2B had been happy with her memories entrusted to A2, and she had so many of them. Because of 9S, almost all of them were happy. She shelves her misgivings in order to step closer to him, to assess him for any major damage, and it takes her a few moments before she speaks. ]

I'm glad... that you're safe. [ And she means it. Something warm blooms inside of her, and she wants to reach out and touch him. To ensure that he's real, and that this isn't some stray line of code causing her to hallucinate. 2B vaguely wonders if her body is mangled and brutalized somewhere, and that this entire instance is a desperate last misfire of her cerebral core.

Haltingly, gently, she reaches out her hand to warm her palm against his cheek. Even through her glove, she can feel the heat emanating from his dermal layer, housing his internal systems and keeping them safe. When she speaks again, her voice is thick. ]

I... didn't think I'd get the chance. To see you again.

[itshilarious]

[ The copies never spoke to him. Why is this one speaking to him? Have the machines truly gone this far to drag along his suffering? 9S finds himself going over analysis over analysis, desperately clinging to anything but the reality of his 2B coming back to him. 9S glances down at his arm, squeezing the fist that once belonged to a 2B copy he'd mercilessly torn it from. It still bleeds from its connection, still smelling of burnt silicon from where he'd saudered it. He still feels it throb by the cut, though he'd held off the virus it delivered long ago.

But the pain seems worse when he faces her. 9S consistently denies that his 2B is back, fearful that the machines still fight to destroy his mentality and dignity. Dangling the one thing he loved before his eyes. She is dead. Gone.

2B touches him, and he jolts. It's another trick. It's another ploy for the machines to destroy him and he WILL NOT HAVE IT. He feels his blood pool, his pulse-rate spike when her warmth feels so real. She'll be able to feel the distinct sharpness of his breath, despite the way he keeps his expression calm and collected. Innocent as he leans into her touch, finally taking a step forward when he realizes he'll need to go the same justice to this copy as he had the others. There's no way this existence for this copy is fair. Not to it and not to him. ]

You will.

[ Will. As if he's speaking to a ghost. And he is. 9S' hand delicately slides up 2B's arm, where his hand cups over hers. The other begins to reach for her face. ]

We'll be together again soon. I promise.

[ It seems he's mistaken. Or taking on a point of his own. 9S acts as if this copy can somehow deliver his message to his beloved when in actuality? There is nothing. Wishful thinking. 9S cups her cheek and drags his thumb along her cheek, then her bottom lip. ]

[podskill]

[ From this closer distance, 2B can tell that something is very, very wrong here. She hadn't noticed it before, but now that he's closer... she can see that his left arm isn't his own. In fact, it looks like it's... her's. 2B's eyes widen behind her visor, and she looks down to make sure her own arm is still attached, just to be safe. It's a foolish, reflexive gesture-- markedly human-- but the sight of it on her partner's arm defies logic.

From this distance, she can see the places where 9S' skin has been scraped off, exposing parts of his skeleton underneath. She feels him jolt when her hand comes in contact with him, but still, she lingers. In this situation, she'd usually appeal to her Pod, requesting antibiotics or tourniquets for his--her? -- injured arm, but as it stands... She can provide him with nothing. Lifting her gaze to his face, her lips part as he leans into her touch, moving even closer.

He's inches away from her now, and suddenly, her visor begins to label him as a hostile. 2B wants to stumble backwards, but she doesn't. ]

I don't understand. [ She says, and suddenly, his hand is grazing up her arm, holding her palm against his cheek. 2B takes a faltering step backwards, though his hand finds her own face, gentle in its caress. Something a lot like fear begins to pool in 2B's gut, though she hardly understands why.

This is... 9S. Her partner. Her friend. The one closest and most dear to her. Why is she afraid?

As his thumb traces her bottom lip, 2B speaks again, willing her tone to stay even. ]

What's happened to you?

[itshilarious]

[ She keeps... Talking. This is the most convincing copy of 2B he's ever seen, and somehow that makes his gut boil and burn all the more. The machines are trying to destroy him by preying on his memories of her. Of his love and desperation for her. He can't... he can't let them get to him. No. He'll have to put this one out of its misery quick before it destroys him first. A shock of pain flashes through his eyes, and he frowns for a moment. ]

You don't... Remember?

[ Of course it doesn't. How could he have hoped for a copy to recall anything? 9S isnt certain if his own question is a means to taunt the poor thing or if he's clinging to some desperation that she is the real thing. Or an advanced copy that could make him feel something. Eventually, he shakes his head, laughing a bit. ]

Never mind. It's a moot point anyway. I won't get anything out of this, and it'll only serve as proof that I'm falling for this.

I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm even bothering.

[ His head suddenly hangs low, in an immediate shift of expression and mood. 9S chokes on a sob, his hand still cupping her cheek. ]

You're not here. You're not real and you're not here.

Languishment setting - AU

[itshilarious]

[ It's been months. 9S has kept track of each day, of each week, but having to take down all data manually on paper and is as exhausting as it is frustrating. He feels like a damn criminal scraping tallies on a concrete wall. Being human, surprisingly, has done him no favors. It's not liberating, it's not fun, and he can't help but feel bad for humans knowing what it means to be one. It almost seemed easier to be an android.

In the time he's spent in Atollo, 9S has been ill, injured, and insatiable under the effects the world gives. Not to say that he hasn't been able to be positive about it all but...

There's 2B. His partner. His closest friend. But their partnership has been purely business. They're friends, they're close, but not physically. And that's what's driven him the most insane. He hasn't necessarily been upfront about it, and he recognizes that it's his fault. But instead of being logical, he's sought release from either pure strangers or friends he's made over time here. It's taken care of the darkening marks before, but now he's just... Stopped.

9S can't deny that he feels something special for 2B. He thinks it might be love, or just the effects this place has on him. But even when he was an android, he'd felt much the same. It just seems so much... Stronger in human flesh. He knows she's sought relief from others, and it bothers him.

But he still won't say anything. And he's quit seeking the sexual attention of others because now it just makes him sick to do it. That hasn't bode well for him, and it shows in the dark, angry mark that's grown on his neck. He's likely in low spirits because of the raging headache he's had for days. Because of it, he hasn't been much for talking. Intel gathering is still a thing, and he tries to focus on his notes rather than anything else when he sits in the living room of their shared home. ]

[podskill]

[ 2B has left the recordkeeping to 9S, primarily because he's more adept at it... and simply because she knows she'll go insane if she focuses on the amount of time that they've spent stuck in this place. While it certainly isn't unpleasant-- the buildings are whole and the land is fertile-- she feels out of her element, especially since her body is now decidedly more human than it had been before. Her movements are sluggish and her body feels so needy, leaving her discombobulated and uncomfortable at best and in pure physical misery at worse.

It had taken her about a week to get acclimated, and she'd done so with minimal complaint. She'd supported 9S through the adjustment, and he'd done the same for her; she figures that things could be much, much worse, especially since she could have very easily arrived here alone.

The... conditions beneath which they'd been brought her had confused her at first, though they'd brought no small degree of frustration and anger upon many of the residents of Atollo. Still, 2B is nothing if not a good soldier, and she'd taken to her orders systematically, though she hadn't been half as personable as 9S was. Any friends she has are likely due to her closeness to her partner and she knows it, and while there's been no end to the eager partners willing to assist her with the lightening of her mark, 2B can't bring herself to form long, lasting bonds with the people they meet here.

9S has been growing agitated as of late, and it shows. 2B has long since grasped the illogical way in which humans process things, and while she'd had a hard time dealing with her newfound emotions in the beginning, she's grown adept at interpreting her own feelings. The feelings of others, however, remain a mystery to her. It's because of this that when she walks into the room and notices the mark on his neck, she leans in close, examining it. ]

It's gotten dark again. You're usually more on top of taking care of this sort of thing.

[itshilarious]

[ 9S had enjoyed for a while being a human. He doesn't hate it, even if some days are easier than others. Adjusting to the occasional increase of testosterone has been an... Experience. Realizing that he becomes angrier at strange times has been discomforting yet fascinating. He'd realized long ago that being a human himself has brought far more data than simply studying them from documents and remnants of their culture left behind on the surface. Grasping emotions has never been hard for him. He gets them.

He just can't control them.

It seems now, more than ever, that's the case. He's gone long enough without the required sexual activity expected to keep him sane. It's made him ornery, restless, and he knows his testosterone levels are likely the cause of this feeling so terrible. But sleeping around just seems so pointless. Why do it with someone he doesn't hold to as high of a regard as 2B? Why hasn't he told her that he wants her? That he's tired of her seeking help from others when he's forever been assigned to help her? Maybe she doesn't see him that way. Maybe he's not attractive.

9S almost wishes they were androids again. At least she denied emotions then. Now she can't avoid them at all. And neither can he.

He hears her approach, glance shifting to her when he sighs and saves his data sheet. He opens an old report and continues to type away at it. When she leans in close, he leans away. ]

Yeah, I know. Trust me, the migraine I have hasn't let me forget either.

I don't feel like dealing with hookers tonight.

[podskill]

[ This, too, 2B has grown used to; as of late, 9S has been agitated. Almost as if he's been avoiding her. It causes her brow to knit and her mouth to form into a hard line. Irritation flares within her as he moves away from her, and she stands straight, taking a step back from him. She watches as he types away, and her eyes feel like they could be boring twin holes into the back of his skull.

In truth, 2B doesn't know if she even wants half of the sexual encounters she's initiated since their arrival. While they'd felt good in the physical sense, the act has always been detached. Methodical and borne of necessity. 2B has treated it much the same way as she's treated eating and sleep: parameters that need to be maintained and fulfilled on a near-daily basis.

She's entertained the thought of engaging with 9S in such a manner. She'd have to have been a fool not to. In terms of convenience, it made the most sense; they lived together and knew each other intimately enough that there would be no need for awkward social niceties. 2B can't really think of why she hasn't approached him yet, but something seems to stop her every time. ]

Then don't deal with them, [ She responds coolly, arms folded across her chest. For some reason, his irritation annoys her. ] The only one you have to blame for that headache is yourself. You know what going for too long without taking care of that brand entails.

[ 2B's own mark is located at the top of the curve of her left breast, slightly faded but growing darker by the day. Her own headaches haven't begun yet, but she doesn't intend on letting it get that far. ] Why don't you see that friend of yours? The pretty one, with the red hair.

[ Is there bitterness in her voice? Even 2B seems a bit taken aback by the acidity in her tone. She recalls the image of the girl she references with no small degree of distaste, though she doesn't entirely understand why. All of her dealings with the woman have been pleasant, and the only malicious thing that she's ever done, as far as 2B is concerned, was sleep with 9S.

... But why would she ever consider that malicious? ]

[itshilarious]

[ Somehow, knowing why he's been so uncomfortable in 2B's presence makes him angrier than the fact that he's uncomfortable at all. It's as if he can smell the multiple partners she's had. Others who have touched her, seen her exposed, defiled her with their disgusting fluids and marked her as if she belongs to them. And even if he logically knows that isn't the case, he feels it. It seeps into his skin and rots him to the core and he knows full well it's jealousy.

Why hasn't he initiated anything? Likely because of his lack of self esteem. 9S clings to 2B like a wounded animal, and it's easy enough to do that but requesting they initiate a sexual relationship seems impossible to him. Knowing he has to compete with the individuals he's seen...

No. No, he's good at intimacy. Plenty of people have commented on it actually. 9S is still a fast learner, even without his scanning capabilities in place while he's human. 9S is essentially lying by omission in acting like he doesn't have a choice. He's been called by previous partners, because if they have to go through with this? They might as well enjoy it. But 9S takes no pleasure in his expertise, especially since it just feels so fucking empty pounding into a person he doesn't really care about.

The individual 2B speaks of? Oh yeah. He likes her alright. Not nearly as much as 2B, but she isn't wrong to suggest her. She's been a frequent go-to. And he would comment on that, if it weren't for the clear jealousy he hears in her tone.

That? That... oddly excites him. 9S stops typing for a moment, staring at the screen blankly where he avoids making a look that indicates his interest in that tone. He starts typing again, as if it's nothing. ]

That bothers you.

[ It's not a question. 9S is in far too foul of a mood to be coy. But hey, a reaction would be nice. ]

Dunno why. Mr. Biceps seems to do just fine for you. I'm not a contender.

[ Does he sound jealous? Yep. Obviously, this has been boiling for a while. ]

[podskill]

[ 2B knows next to nothing about 9S' own feelings on the matter, but she damn well knows her own; the thought of 9S bedding someone else has bothered her from the beginning, though she hardly understands why. It's because of this lack of understanding that she's kept her mouth shut, content to push the thought from her mind as she simply endures. She's grateful that he's never brought anyone to their living space, because while she can handle the thought of him going somewhere else to fulfill the needs thrust upon them by Atollo, 2B feels she might lose her mind if she hears-- or worse, sees-- 9S engaging in coitus with someone else.

But why?

2B has heard the way people talk about him. She's been questioned by several of her partners about how often the two of them do it, the general consensus being that the two of them must go to each other before anyone else. Because they're so close, because they're partners. In reality, 2B hasn't even seen 9S naked in their newfound bodies... Though she supposes she wouldn't mind. ]

You wish it did, [ She responds too quickly, heat inexplicably entering her tone. ] And that's just petty of you, now. You never made any motion to be a contender, so I don't understand what you're getting at there.