Work Text:
Hardcase does still want to be your friend. You were a little worried. It’s not like you’re used to friends. Tup doesn’t count—he was your batch mate first.
(It’s hard to remember, but you think maybe the before CT-6922 had friends who weren’t already batch mates. That wasn’t really you though, so it wouldn’t count anyways.)
Something is… off, when you see Hardcase, though. He’s on edge, keeps looking around, and is almost jumpy. You ask Tup to stay with you after Hardcase keeps acting funny the whole time you’re together. Tup is better at figuring out why clones do things. And Tup does realize why almost immediately.
“Hardcase,” Tup says in a pause. “You can relax. No one’s gonna try anything while you’re here.”
Hardcase starts to stammer objections, and Tup cuts him off.
“You didn’t miss anything before—no one does anything while you’re here and being friendly. You’re a specialist, and Torrent Company. Relax.” Tup gestures towards you. “If for nothing else, then to stop freaking out Dogma.”
You feel yourself blush slightly, but Hardcase does look at you, takes a deep breath, and exhales some of his tension away.
“Ok, Hardcase,” he mutters under his breath. You don’t know if you’re supposed to hear it. “Relax.”