castellae | Ongoing PSL - In-game setting

We're soldiers. Soldiers take orders. [ 2B states flatly, satisfied with the configuration of her weapons. Standing, she straightens out her skirt, stretching her limbs before she ascertains that 9S is ready to go, stepping out into the blinding sunlight flooding the camp. The flowers in the center of the campgrounds are flourishing in the aftermath of the storm several days ago, and 2B can't help but look at them as she waits for 9S to follow her lead.

At what he says next, she calls over her shoulder to him, inclining her head. ] It couldn't hurt to look. Good call.

[ She trusts any intel 9S feels he can dredge up; as a cutting edge Scanner model, he's much better equipped for sussing out potential leads than she is. His curiosity fascinates her, and though she knows that it gets him into trouble from time to time, she can't help but admire it. ]

There are machine parts there that we can use to upgrade our weapons, anyway. [ She continues, turning her gaze back to the flowers from behind her visor. She remembers 6O saying she wanted pictures of nature, so she requisitions her Pod to take a few shots before sending them off to the Operator model.

It isn't long before they're off, moving on foot towards the central region of the city. It must have been a sprawling metropolis in its heyday, but all 2B sees now are ruins. She walks ahead of 9S in silence, idly swinging her sword through stray machines that happen to cross their path, hoping to appear too occupied for him to attempt to speak to her. ]

[ 9S can't help but smile when 2B agrees to taking an alternate obligation for the day. Gathering intel is what he's meant for, and he honestly enjoys learning more than anything else. Running errands is stifling to him, so knowing that today won't be a bore is far satisfactory than running back and forth all day. ]

[ He offers a nod as he follows closely behind. 9S keeps up well enough, but there is a slight delay when he notices 2B linger around the bed of flowers. He stops, observing, as he usually does. And there's a certain level of interest, especially in knowing she'd taken a picture. He had overheard Operator 6O request shots of flowers, but there's a quality to the way that 2B looks at them. ]

[ With a head tilt, he waits until she puts some distance between them. 9S curiously kneels down and grabs a flower. Yanking it from the dirt with a delicate hand, though he's a bit hasty in how quick he takes it. ]

Wait, wait, 2B! I'm coming!

[ He rushes behind her, catching up as they start along their path. He hides the flower behind his back, leaning forward with a smile that's directed at her. ]

[ Part of 2B wonders if she acquiesces to his demands easier now; another part of her says it doesn't matter. She throws herself into combat with a gusto that isn't terribly unlike her usual on the outside, but internally, the entirety of her mind is a mess. She tries to sort her thoughts, to keep herself steady, but to no avail.

As the machines fall to her blade, she hears the quick footfalls of 9S as he closes the distance between the two of them. She turns to face him and immediately regrets it: his smile disarms her, though her expression remains unchanging.

To know that she'll have to end him for not even the first or second time eats away at her. To see his face, so open and eager, actually stings. 2B turns away quickly, driving her blade through the torso of a machine that hops its way towards them. ]

Tell me about these signals you detected. [ She says, her tone as even as ever even as she slashes her blade in an arc before her, dismembering a few more machines. She hasn't noticed the flower behind 9S' back, or even the fact that he has a hand behind his back at all. ]

[ He has no clue what is to come, though he might be vaguely concerned. It's those words that still burn him, but 9S seems to cling to some hope that he's so wrong. And this seems to be a step in that direction. He jolts only briefly as 2B roughly impales a machine lifeform, though it doesn't bother him truthfully. The piece of garbage deserved it. But his attention seems to be locked on other things as of now. ]

[ 9S cranes his neck, gaze shifting towards the west. ]

Can't be too sure. Not until we get closer, at least. I felt some static the last time we were around the central area. Kinda hard to get a full reading when I'm not directly connected.

Before that.

[ The machines in this particular area are cleared out, so it's safe to at least be a bit casual for the time being. 9S pulls his arm forward, holding out the flower from the bunch she had previously taken a snapshot of. ]

It's uh.

A thing... That humans did. A gesture.

[ 2B is at the end of her arc when she glances 9S' way, the flower delicately held in his hands catching her attention immediately. Her weapon dissipates as she straightens, his words registering immediately. Some part of her wonders if she should crush it. If she should laugh at him, or berate him.

A bigger part of her feels as if she's suddenly become small and cold. The look on his face, so earnest and innocent, steals her breath and makes her feel like falling.

With a remarkably steady hand, 2B reaches for the flower. ]

... A token of courtship. Or simple affection. [ 2B says softly. Some deep, rebellious part of her wonders if she should just take it, if she should just ignore the directive given to her in spite of her programming. The both of them would be branded traitors and would need to live the rest of their lives on the run from YoRHa pursuers, but they would be together, and for her... That would be enough.

... But what about for 9S?

2B wants to scoff at herself. That isn't the life she wants for him, but... she's basically saying that she would rather him have a life that ends by her hand. Over and over and over.

Her hand meets his and gently, gingerly lingers around the flower. She can't run from this. From anything. She really is powerless. She wants to scream. ]

... We aren't. Human. [ She says, her speech stilted. Still. She takes the flower, examining it from behind her visor. Such a simple gesture.

After a few moments, she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, placing the flower into the fold created by it. 2B keeps her gaze upon the ground, feeling all at once emptier and fuller than she had before. She doesn't say anything, because she can't.

Turning, she continues walking, though she keeps closer to 9S than she had before. ]

That's right.

[ 9S seems to feel as if his entire system will seize again just waiting for 2B to react. Truthfully, there's a desperation there, a need for validation or reassurance that everything is okay. That she doesn't outright hate him after the mess they had made a few days prior or that she doesn't find him foolish or isn'tactuallygoingtokillhimlikehethinks. 9S feels his gut tighten, watching as her fingers just barely graze around the flower. ]

[ She takes it. 9S exhales a brief breath of relief, smile seemingly wider when she accepts it and places it in her hair. ]

We aren't. But we were made in their image. I assume, given the attention to detail and what we already know, they... Kinda wanted us to be close to them.

[ He shrugs, walking close beside 2B. ]

At least that's my theory. I can't help but wonder if we were created for more than a purpose of just protecting them and taking back their planet.

Maybe some of them were lonely. Wanted a companion. Why else would we have similar behaviors?

[ 2B listens to him speak, and part of her wants to shut him up by any means necessary. Part of her wants to take her blade and drive it through his gut already, to end this cycle, as if it would end the way her insides seem to overheat and stutter whenever he's around. As if it would end the rapidly hollowing of her gut circuitry every time the thought of killing him swam to the forefront of his consciousness.

She was created to kill him. That's what executioner types do. Every time 2B sees his face, she's actively fighting against her own nature. Her fist clenches and unclenches, once and then twice, as she focuses on her own breathing.

When she speaks, her voice is as even as it ever was. ]

There's no room for loneliness in war, [ She says softly, knowing damn well how hypocritical she's being. 2B knows loneliness intimately. She stares it in the face every time 9S reintroduces himself to her. ] Created in their image or not, human sentimentality isn't meant for androids. [ And yet that flower remains in her hair. ]

Even if some androids were created for companionship, we weren't. Our purposes are clearly defined and non-negotiable. [ 2B says, trying to convince herself more than anything. They're nearing the city's center, now. ] We weren't made for anything else.

[ She had seemed to take to the flower, but the rest that follows? Not... Exactly what he wanted. But he expected it. This is 2B. Cold and aloof. 9S often has to wonder if this is a front that she puts up to avoid something, and he never stopped wondering if she initially intended for them to never get close. He could point out the flower in her hair, correct her, but something about what she says has him feeling a bit deflated. ]

[ There is no room for loneliness in war. ]

[ 9S turns his head away from 2B, simply following beside her. Perhaps with a bit of distance between them. Perhaps what happened a few days ago was a mistake. He shouldn't be surprised. It's not recommended of androids to participate in anything remotely close to intimacy. Hell, even friendships are ill-advised. ]

[ But it's 9S' obsession with humans that has him so far off from what is expected of him. It's no secret that he'd rather be human than a cold, unfeeling android. But he can't help it, and he can't understand why androids have emotions to begin with if they aren't supposed to have them. So what does that make him? Other than separated from the rest... ]

[ At least 2B gives him the time of day. He always seems to put his own Operator in a bad mood. Pod 153 has been a close companion, but... That's different. ]

[ Perhaps he's just assuming too much and there's just something wrong with his code. His gaze shifts down to his feet, voice lowered. ]

Right.

Loneliness is just a human concept anyway. More for social creatures. Androids just... Do the bare minimum. Whatever's relevant for the mission.

[ He probably should just stick to that. And whatever signal he's reading from afar. ]

[ 2B hates this. Hates how dejected he sounds. It makes her reconsider the alternatives to everything she's just said; it makes her neural circuits fire off in different directions, recounting her words and compiling new, different paths for her to follow. She knows that this is better for the both of them, that distance is the one thing that will keep this from hurting, but--

-- More than anything, she wants to be close to him. As close as they were in that basement. Close enough for their circuits to entangle and never be apart. 2B doesn't know what love is outside of some archaic, abstract definition of the word gleaned from human records provided by the Bunker, but 9S somehow gives that vague denotation clarity. She doesn't claim to love him. She only knows that she never wants to leave his side.

2B wants to reach out to him, to bridge the chasm she's created willfully with her own two hands. But she doesn't. She can't. Not when she knows how this will end.

And so, she lapses into silence again. It's easier. Better this way... Until it isn't. Something hot seems to cause her verbal synapses to misfire, pushing the words out before she can stop them. ]

So why don't you do just the bare minimum? Why do you keep acting the way you do?

[ 2B's tone is softer than it usually is. This conversation isn't mission-critical. It's illogical. But something inside of her feels like it will break if she doesn't get the words out. ] Why do you keep reaching out?

Edited 2017-04-15 06:03 (UTC)

[ His head looks up, as if to be bewildered by the fact that 2B continues the conversation. This is how it has always been, since the day he met her, and it's not like he can change her. All androids act this way for the most part, and he has yet to meet to many like him who are a. Abandoning expectations in favor of frivolity or b. Willing to even give him a passing glance. 9S was made the way he was for a very specific reason, and while he's only aware of his curiosity being made for his Scanning capabilities, he can't help but feel out of place. ]

[ All he can do is offer 2B a shrug. ]

I can't? It's not like I haven't tried to pretend I feel nothing. Rejecting the reality of who I am doesn't change anything.

[ He shifts his gaze away again, lips pressed in a fine line. His tone soft and distant. ]

Lying to myself seems almost worse than outright being alone. They're both terrible, but I go with the lesser evil because it's easier.

[ He pauses. ]

I don't... I can stop reaching out if you want me to. What happened was a mistake. I get it.

Edited 2017-04-15 06:10 (UTC)

[ In a lot of ways, this confirms something 2B has already known: 9S is far stronger than her, far stronger than she can ever hope to be. His resolve in the face of everything they'd been created for is admirable; she enjoys-- loves-- his curiosity, his willingness to investigate things. His hunger for knowledge. She's met other Scanner models, but none of them catch her attention the way he can.

2B wants to laugh at how pathetic she's being again. ]

If it works for you, it works for you. I wasn't trying to assert that it was wrong. You haven't been decommissioned yet, so Command doesn't see it as a liability, either. [ A half-truth, all things considered. ] I find it... admirable.

[ A small admission in the face of everything, but an admission nonetheless. At what he says next, 2B pauses, stopping in her tracks. The gears of her mind, both literal and figurative, begin to turn, and she fully looks at him for the first time since their encounter in the basement. ]

... So you admit that it was a mistake. [ Not a question. A statement. Her expression gives up nothing, though something about 9S feeling that way... sort of bothers her. ]

[ 9S stops, realizing that perhaps this was not the best way for him to approach the subject. He's realized that he's nearly tongue-tied around 2B half the time, at least lately. His insecurities have gotten the best of him, becoming practically unavoidable. All he thinks about is 2B. What they had done, how he feels about her... Even if the words escape him. ]

[ All he knows is that he doesn't feel so alone and sad around her. It seems like he's nothing but sad and dejected back on the Bunker. And he had been before being assigned to 2B. ]

[ Still, his face colors. Both at the compliment and the question. ]

I--

[ He stares at 2B, seemingly intimidated. ]

Not... Entirely.

I just assumed you felt that way.

[ 2B is used to people looking at her the same way that 9S is. Even behind her visor, her gaze is steady and unreadable, airtight in the way it keeps her thoughts safe from prying eyes. She spends so much time trying not to think about that basement that it eats up the majority of her time. It's almost counterproductive at this point.

2B steps closer to 9S, looking down at him. Her heels afford her a few more inches of height over him, even if she's not that much taller than he is without them. She sees the way color rushes to his cheeks, and she wonders why their creators had found such a function to be necessary.

She also wonders if 9S ever doesn't look like the best thing she's ever seen in a long while. ]

For a Scanner model, you aren't particularly perceptive. [ She knows she's said too much already, but she's tired. This cycle will end regardless, if not by her hand, then by Command's. And it will begin again, and again, and again, until the end of time.

2B doesn't know if she can take it. She allows her brow to furrow; the first sign of emotion she's shown since she'd kissed him in that basement. ]

[ He isn't sure how long it's going to take for him to adjust to 2B's manner of speaking. It seems like she has a surprise for him each time he starts to think he has her figured out. 9S is forced to stop when she approaches him, and a new sense of muscle-memory has kicked in to make him jolt when she comes to close proximity of him. His temperature rises again, pulse-rate spiking ever so slightly. 2B has such a strong effect on him, he's likely sure she'll cause him to implode someday. ]

[ He shifts his gaze for her, chin only slightly tilting to better regard her with the few inches her shoes provide. He tenses, pursing his lips only slightly. ]

I um...

[ She should be wrong. He should be more perceptive. ]

I... Thought I was. We haven't talked about it, and things kinda went on like it never happened.

[ Jesus, it's like looking at her threatens to short his circuits. 9S feels his insides crumble at the furrow of her brow, and he can't help but feel guilty. But he can't be sure either. ]

Was I wrong then?

[ 2B can practically hear 9S' internal processors go into overdrive as she approaches. Some part of her is gratified by this in a strange, twisted way; she's only ever heard him do this for her, and it's only gotten worse in the aftermath of what happened in the basement. She stares at him steadily, listening to him speak.

She knows she's given him nothing to work with. That much is true. ]

How am I supposed to broach the subject? You haven't exactly been forthcoming, either. [ A pause as she considers his question. ]

I don't see it as a mistake. You wanted data. I wanted-- [ you ] -- to assist. It was a natural progression. Or did that mean something else to you? [ It did to her, but like hell is she going to admit that out loud. ]

Edited 2017-04-15 07:23 (UTC)

[ He can't help the way his processes start to over react as she closes their distance. Last time, it has escalated rather quickly, and 9S isn't sure if he's nervous about it happening again or eager. Likely both. Still, he looks like a fish with his lips parted the way they are, at a loss for words initially. 9S looks to the flower he'd given her, what she so willingly put through her hair herself. How could he have truly thought she wasn't interested? ]

[ Data... He just wanted data. That's half-true. The rest of it is hard to put into words, and so 9S struggles. It's because this behavior is ill-advised. Almost banned. It may as well be, but that doesn't seem to deter 9S' feelings from setting his heatsink potentially on fire. ]

It meant... More to me than just data, yeah.

[ He spits it out. Like he should have in the first place, but he can't seem to get this confidence thing down like 2B has it. 9S purses his lips, searching for more words when silence, even brief, starts to bother him. He hesitantly reaches for the flower in 2B's hair, fingers delicately brushing at the petals until they graze along her cheek. Another affectionate gesture he's seen in human intel he's had access to. It's curiosity, as always, that guides his actions. But he can't help the gratification of her delicate features, which seem to cleverly be so disarming given her strength. ]

I'm sorry.

[ His hand retracts. ]

Maybe I should have just asked. It's not... An easy subject to approach, I've discovered.

[ 2B stops at a respectful distance, but she can still hear his internal systems hitch and spur their cooling processes as if she's close enough to touch. As quickly as her furrowed brow appears, it relaxes, leaving her looking as impassive as ever. She knows that putting all of this onto 9S isn't entirely fair; she hasn't exactly brought forth the image of being completely open and upfront about her own feelings on the matter, either.

At what he says next, she tilts her head slightly. She's coming to grips with the idea that it meant more than just Intel gathering for her, too, though that isn't to say that she knows exactly what her reasoning behind doing it was.

2B is being earnest when she asks what she does next. ]

If not for data, then for what?

[ Her voice is still soft eveb as his hand grazed her cherk, and she finds herself leaning into the gesture. She lifts her hand as his moves away, intending to hold it... But thinks better of it, lowering it as he does the same. When she speaks again, it's barely a whisper. ]

None of this makes sense.

[ While 2B expressed herself in an impassive manner, 9S wears his heart on his sleeve. There's a clear level of confusion yet care in his gaze, even shrouded behind his visor. He purses his lips, wrinkles his nose ever so slightly when the desire to touch her again seems to interrupt his processing. He could analyze this all day and night, but would it bring any decent results? Or would it just leave him forever confused? ]

[ He wonders if these kinds of feelings caused confusion for humans, too. ]

There's a correct explaination somewhere. I just haven't found it yet.

[ Timid and essentially broken down, 9S looks down to his feet. ]

All I do know is that once... Wasn't enough. I haven't stopped thinking about it, and I've already processed the entire thing from start to finish. Any data I've gathered has just been reviewed over and over. As if I'll find new answers, and I haven't.

Edited 2017-04-15 18:25 (UTC)

[ 2B watches 9S intently, familiar enough with his mannerisms by now to know when he's stuck on analyzing new data. She can't see his eyes behind his visor, but she knows him well enough to accurately guess at the expression he's making, the subtle movements behind the blindfold confirmation enough of her assumptions. An overwhelming sense of calm washes over her the more she watches him, and she vaguely wonders if it's always been this way.

She can't say that she isn't confused. Conflicted as she is, 2B is well aware of how these emotions could potentially prove themselves to be a liability. On the other hand, however, she's well aware that she can't run from them for much longer. ]

I'll leave the analytics to you, then, and you can tell me once you sort them out. [ She says gently, turning away from him. ]

... You're closer to understanding this than I am. But are you implying something by saying that it wasn't enough?

[ First and foremost, 9S is a Scanner model. Top of the line, actually. His analytical side is likely far more efficient than those who share his model. That was intentional, even if he doesn't know that. To gather useful Intel requires a certain level of skill, and given that he was assigned an executioner model to watch him? It's only natural that he gathers things other androids wouldn't. This is all beyond 9S' awareness or even control, which seems to tie in to his persistent demise. ]

[ He doesn't know any of that. But he does know one thing: he's grown incredibly dependent of 2B's company. What they shared in that dingy basement seems to have increased the need for her. Admitting that is terrifying-- Not for himself, but for what consequences may come from 2B's reactions. Because of this, he hesitates. But he's matter-of-fact. He's built that way. Delaying the inevitable is pointless, and he has no choice but to accept one consequence over the one that may follow his denial. ]

[ So he answers, response carried in that analytical, matter-of-fact tone that he honestly feels he's terrible at. Especially in times like these. ]

I could dance around implications all day, but that's doing us no favors. What happened, happened.

[ Another shrug, and 9S decides that maybe he should start walking towards this signal before he goes insane standing still. Though he'd rather continue to stay close to her. 9S passes 2B as he speaks, a breeze following him. ]

I'm saying that I want to do it again. Because I felt something beyond basic physical stimuli. And I liked it.

Dunno if you did, too. I can analyze you forever, 2B. But I can't speak for you.

[ 2B was given only a brief dossier on 9S when she'd been assigned to him; it had only told her of his specs and capabilities, nothing more. It had made no mention of the way he smiled, the way he laughed, the way he seemed to light up a room simply by being in it. As such, nothing could have prepared 2B for the way he struck her, crawled under her skin and practically embedded himself in her circuitry. She had been created to destroy him and keep him in check, but she highly doubts that their creators would have banked on him doing the exact same thing to her every time she watches the life fade from his eyes.

In the brief periods between his death and reactivation period, 2B wonders if she'll go insane, much like some of the other executioner units that she's met. She wonders if the guilt will slowly wear her away until nothing is left but the perfect YoRHa soldier image that she's become so adept at projecting. Her sister models seem incapable of striking a balance between being coldblooded killers and androids driven half- or fully mad with grief and guilt, and considering how killing 9S feels at present, 2B isn't entirely sure what's in store for her if she ever has to stop.

It's gotten to the point where she's sure that there's no her without 9S by her side. It's because of that that she wears the flower in her hair, and it's because of that that she hangs on to his words, lapsing into silence and following after him as he moves. ]

... Understood, [ She ventures after a short while, her tone flat and lacking inflection. After several moments of silent walking, she speaks again. ] But I believe we should set some ground rules. Any... contact made of that nature should be away from prying eyes, in areas with poor reception.

[ 2B speaks almost clinically, as if they're discussing combat tactics. ] I will take care not to damage you as I did during our initial bout. Carelessness won't serve us well in an arrangement like this.

Edited 2017-04-16 04:08 (UTC)

[ Given 9S' programming, it's only natural that he's developed a sort of unique personality to those who share his model. His curiosity and initial setup granting him insight to what he's meant to scan has made him gentle, sensitive. Perhaps it's because of his natural obsession with humans that he's grown a desire to be much like one. And perhaps that's why he's grown naturally attached to 2B. Even with her mannerisms and caution, he merely sees it as her personality. Not a designated behavior embedded into her OS. Though he supposes both work in tandem to make her her.]

Roger that.

[ There's something to be said about how mechanical the discussion becomes, despite the topic. And though 9S tries to maintain a similar attitude, he can't help how he struggles to get that agreement out. His face is incredibly warm, especially in realizing that they're discussing a sexual relationship as if they're speaking about a mission. The emotion-riddled 9S rubs the back of his neck, feeling rather timid despite his tone. ]

I wouldn't worry about my physical stability. At least not too much. They were able to salvage some better, reinforced replacements. Nothing wrong with being cautious, though.

[ He agrees about the privacy. About being away from a signal that Command could catch. 9S continues beside 2B, lips pursed as he stares at the ground. ]

We'll place our Pods in standby. I can cease any and all data collection during that particular activity. One file won't make the Commander react too much, but if she questions, I can sell it as intel. That's... what it partially was at least.

You...

Sure about this? If you don't feel the same way....

Edited 2017-04-16 04:37 (UTC)

[ 2B can't believe how much she wants him to touch her again. She finds herself craving it, and though she does her damnedest not to think about what happened between them in the basement, the thought makes her lubricant ducts activate in spite of herself, leaving her slick and shaking late in the night, mere feet away from 9S' bed in their shared lodgings. It's part of the reason why she's been throwing herself into combat with any machines that happen to be nearby, regardless of whether they're hostile or not. It does absolutely nothing to abate the gnawing ache that occurs between her legs, but it's better than standing around and hoping it goes away.

She notes the flush of his face, and part of her finds it endearing. Still, she doesn't crack a smile, instead opting to sidle closer to him by degrees, keeping time with his footsteps and staring straight ahead. Some strange, irrational part of her wants to grab his hand and hold it, but she doesn't. It's too risky, doing something like that out in the open. The flower remains securely tucked behind her ear, its faint fragrance gently wafting around her head; its presence soothes her in much the same way 9S' voice does, and 2B breathes deep before speaking. ]

We can't have them thinking you're accident-prone. Just in case they decide to decommission you or send you back up to the Bunker for fine-tuning. [ She speaks partially from a place of worry; while 9S has never exhibited outward signs of malfunctioning, it's not unheard of for Earth to have adverse effects on androids, particularly newer, less hardy models. 2B notes that he's trying to keep pace with her, and she shakes her head. ]

You don't have to pretend to treat it like this if it's not how you feel. Speak freely. [ It's an order, much like a superior gives to soldiers beneath their command... But it comes from a place of affection, even if 2B isn't particularly forthcoming with emotional matters. ]

... If I didn't feel the same way, I would have denied you outright. Or is that what you want?

[ Despite the mechanical manner of speaking about their arrangements, 9S feels a surge of energy to it. A thrill. There's a combination here: the fact that this is wrong, that they could easily get caught and reassigned or worse. But 9S finds himself more focused on the fact that he'll be able to feel close to her. He hasn't quite figured out what that feeling was that he had experienced... Joy? Elation? Love? There are so many words that at make sense on paper, but when they're spoken, he can't be certain. Not that he speaks about it. At least not around 2B. ]

[ But Pod 153 can only provide unbiased observations. And it's likely a bad idea to ask for courtship advice from a support pod. ]

[ As 2B closes a number of distance between them, he can't help but turn his glance. At least a little. Not by much, but there is enough lacking in their distance that he can feel her heat. Their hands don't connect, but his knuckle incidentally bumps at her wrist. ]

I'll be careful. Now that I know what my limitations are, it's less likely I'll need a full lower-body replacement again.

[ That, he chuckles at. Despite himself. ]

A-And I don't... Want that. No. I just--

[ He sighs. ]

Nevermind. Forget I said anything. I have no idea what I'm doing, and I don't want to screw this up. I'm happy with the outcome.

[ They're closer to the signal they had been chasing previously, but somehow? 9S' attention is shifted elsewhere. Particularly to their arrangement and the fact that 2B has essentially given the go-ahead for him to touch her again. He hasn't been able to get that out of his mind once. Not once. And it's caused manly restless nights. Sleep isn't required for an android, but recharging is always recommended. He's done the bare minimum, but not without difficulty. ]

[ His gaze shifts to her again, particularly when he smells the flower in her hair. He smiles a bit, touched that it remains there. And it compliments her features, though they're naturally perfect to begin with. But this gives a quality to her. As if... She's his. ]

[ He certainly belongs to her. Or he wants to. ]

There are plenty of places with little to no reception. Can't imagine finding a hideout to be all that hard...

We also can't jeopardize YoRHa operations here because of our arrangement. But I think that goes without saying.

[ 2B keeps her tone professional even as they make their way down into the crater in the middle of the city, using their pods to gently descend to the bottom. She doesn't want to think about forgetting what 9S has to say, but she doesn't argue. Instead, she offers reassurance in her own way. ]

I'm out of my element, too. We'll just have to play this by ear.

[ As they land, she rests on her knee for a second before standing, walking towards the waypoint he'd placed on the map. 2B hasn't noticed his lack of rest, but that's only because she's been doing her best not to pay too much attention to him in general. ] You aren't alone in not wanting to ruin this, though.

[ She's speaking honestly, and it shows in her tone. It's softer now that they're at the mouth of the cave within the crater. 2B stops at the entrance, waiting for him to get closer. The flower in her hair gently rustles in the breeze emanating from within the cavern, the only sound coming from the rush of water around their feet and the distant clanging of machine movement within the darkness. ]

... What do you want to attain from this?

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