Work Text:
Their mission nearly ends in disaster. Three doesn't notice the frag mine ticking until they are far too close. It manages to shove 01 and 02 away—but they have to carry it back to the base, full of shrapnel and missing pieces.
It is a relief to be back in the SecUnit ready room. 02 preps the cubicle; 01 lays Three down carefully and connects the repair leads. Standby: inspecting for foreign contaminants. It places its hands on the sides of Three's head and turns it both ways, presumably checking the skin.
I shielded my head with my arms, assures Three, but 01 doesn't let go. Its hands cradle Three's head, fingers pressing into its fuzzy hair, and it stares down with an unreadable expression on its face. Three looks over 01's shoulder at 02, who is watching silently, its eyes dark and gleaming in the light of the cubicle.
When Three blinks, it finds itself slumped up against the wall in one of the Perihelion's corridors, power cells restored to minimum working levels.
It cannot be healthy to put off recharging like this, says the Perihelion, very gently.
Three can only hide its bare face in its hands.