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What girl doesn't want to look good sometimes?
2B is… Practiced, at keeping her thoughts to herself. Practiced at showing only traces.
And 6O is - nice. She's very nice, and a very good friend. But 2B wouldn't ever call her observant.
So she crosses her arms, and sets a sternly neutral expression on her face, and listens with her usual vaguely disapproving air as 9S tries to get 6O to let slip confidential information. (Information on the special unit hasn't been declared confidential, at least not to them. 2B can tell anyways.)
6O disconnects as 9S calls out a frustrated "No, wait!" He sighs dramatically and turns to 2B, pretty clearly intending to keep scrutinizing the mission.
…2B is practiced at keeping her thoughts to herself, and it works on nearly everyone.
9S, though, always sees through her sooner or later. And apparently this time is no exception, because he gets one long look at her face and pulls up short.
"2B, what's wrong?" he asks immediately, apparently forgetting his current obsession with the special unit.
"Missions do not require hair accessories," she says shortly, trying to put the same coldness into her words that she always says 'emotions are prohibited' with (which… She's not sure if 9S has seen through that yet. It's always hard to tell when he starts figuring her out).
He doesn't seem particularly convinced. Damn. "2B…" he says, voice trailing off. "...Was it something 6O said?"
"I do not need hair accessories," she repeats, trying to pretend this is - everything. Then, belatedly: "Nor excessive scrutiny."
That gets a huff from her partner as he runs his hand through his hair. "Look - it's okay to just say something if something is bothering you, you know?"
"Emotions are prohibited," she snaps, her hands tightening ever so slightly on her crossed arms. "This is not relevant to the mission."
9S just observes her with an uneasy expression on his face. Then, very quietly: "Is this about her calling you pretty?"
- 2B turns, abruptly, and starts walking away.
(6O didn't actually call her pretty, thank whatever miniscule mercy their vaunted gods on the moon might pretend to have.)
(That's usually 9S. Not this life, but… It's hard some days to keep things straight.)
She keeps walking even as 9S calls out to her - stops only when one of the machine lifeforms from Pascal's village runs by, and…
Pascal is a valuable ally. And this is a good way to distract 9S, hopefully.
-
She's unable to stop herself from snapping at him in the castle, when he refuses to help again, dismisses the pleas of the machine who saved the little sister because they're just machines -
Because they're not people. Just like YorHa soldiers.
(Because We androids aren't like you machine lifeforms. We can't mess around with our bodies much - nor do we want to - )
Emotions are prohibited. She repeats that to herself like a mantra.
It doesn't do much for the helpless anger in her chest. It never does.
She tells him to stay behind.
He doesn't listen, of course. Like he never does.
-
They escort Pascal, the little sister, and the little sister's new fiancee to the gate between the village's territory and the forest. 2B stops once the three are through, and glances back over her shoulder at the castle.
"Want to go explore? A whole region, blocked off for over two hundred years, now basically cleared of hostiles… Home to types of machine lifeforms not seen anywhere else…" 9S is nearly salivating at the thought.
"...There might still be survivors. They won't be happy about the death of their little king," 2B says. "Even if we didn't have a hand in that."
9S just shrugs. "We can handle them." And he starts back toward the castle.
2B watches him for a few uneasy seconds, then… "9S," she calls, voice firm. "Do not start hostilities."
He glances back only slightly, and gives a lazy, "Yeah, yeah…"
She closes off her expression and walks after him, too - tired or worn out or something to keep up their usual banter.
-
Of course he can't just take the hint to shut up.
"2B… What 6O said about your looks, and what I said about - Pascal swapping parts of his body out - " he starts, haltingly, as they reenter the castle's shadow.
"What of it?" she asks, tone harsh and brusque.
He's quiet for a moment, then: "I was out of line. I - realized it was upsetting you only after I'd run my mouth. I'm sorry."
She - can't deal with this right now.
"Emotions are prohibited," she says, wearily. "And isn't it Pascal you owe the apology to?"
He stops and looks up at the thin rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds. The moment stretches out, what should've been a heavy silence filled by the incessant rustling of trees and the scattered birdsong and the endless humming chirp of insect wings. (2B can see why they built a kingdom here, even beyond the practicalities of the castle. It's… The exact opposite of everything the Bunker is.)
"I - Yeah, I do," he says after the moment's turned into seconds and then minutes. "But…" He looks back at her, his mouth fixed into a far more solemn line than normal. "I can owe an apology to two people at the same time. And - I'm sorry."
She looks down at her feet almost involuntarily. (The visor feels wholly inadequate to hide her emotions, right now.)
"...An apology is unnecessary," she says, so quietly she can barely hear herself over the hum of nature. "But… Acceptable."
And he smiles, and it's like sunshine breaking through clouds. Like birdsong. Like the grand sweeping vistas of the city and everything she can't say.
It's hard to stay angry at him, and her heart melts entirely without her permission. "Let's get going," she says, to avoid the risk of this moment getting too - touchy-feely, or something.
"Yeah," he says, that impossibly dazzling smile still on his face. "Let's."