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2B wasn't one for big showy expressions of affection. But she showed her love in other ways. Sometimes it was a soft touch or a subtle smile. Other times it was the way she looked at him or the ways she moved her body. Actions meant more then words. 9S was the one that did the talking. She was the one that communicated through touch. And the more 9S got the know her, the more 9S learned about 2B's forms of affection. And the more he learned about her forms of affection, the more he learned about how to return that affection.
2B seemed particularly partial to physical contact. She liked when he sat in her lap. She enjoyed holding him and running her hands through his hair. And she always welcomed him when he crawled into her bed at night and snuggled up next to her.
So 9S was confused when she turned away from him that night.
“2B?” 9S said softly, sitting up in the bed. “Is there something wrong?” He could see the outline of her form under the blanket. He reached and put a hand on her shoulder but she let out a sharp breath and flinched.
9S withdrew his hand. “What's wrong?” 9S repeated, his hand hovering above her shoulder, voice filled with concern for his partner.
The blanket rustled softly as 2B shifted her position a little, her fingernails raking the pillow as she tightened her grip on it. “Nines...” she murmured, her voice barely audible over the soft whirring of her blackbox.
“2B,” 9S repeated. “Please...tell me what's going on.” He really wanted to hold her, to comfort her in some way, but he was afraid that she would flinch away again. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.
2B exhaled but continued to stare at the wall.
9S felt a lump forming in his throat. “2B...whatever this is, I want to help.” There were so many times before that she had distanced herself from him. He knew from the memories she had shared with him - the memories of having to kill him over and over. But that was back in their Yorha days. He didn't understand what would cause her to act like this now.
Without thinking, 9S wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, resting his forehead against the back of her neck. At first she tensed up but soon she relaxed, allowing him to hold her.
“It's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay,” 9S said. He wanted to make everything alright. “I just want you to be okay.”
“Thanks...Nines...” He felt a hand on his and he took it, interlocking his fingers with hers. “I just...I had a bad dream,” she admitted, pulling his hand down so that it came to rest on her lap. “We were sitting by a stream, fishing. You seemed so happy...and I was happy. But then I got that order again... that order... Yorha...” She bowed her head and 9S instantly know what she was talking about.
“It's okay” 9S said, softly, nuzzling against he back of her neck. “Yorha's gone. You'll never have to do it again.”
“I know,” 2B said. She rubbed a thumb over his hand, her skin warm against his. “It was just...such a vivid dream. I could see your smile. The entire time. And I just...I hated myself so much.”
“Don't think about it then.” He pressed his lips to the nape of her neck and she tensed for a moment below him, her artificial heart rate increasing below his touch. “We're free now. And I am never going to let anything bad happen to you.” His breath was warm and damp on the back of her neck.
2B sighed softly, squeezing his hand as if to remind herself that he was real and he was still there with her. And it was enough to make 9S want her.
He gently pushed her down onto the bed, locking her hands below his. “2B...are you okay with this?” he asked, his lips brushing against her nape.
2B sucked in a sharp breath at the sudden attention but she soon answered. “Yeah...please...continue...”
9S smiled into his kisses, genuinely glad that she seemed to like this. He began to pepper the back of her neck with his lips, some of his kisses turning into bites as he marked her up. She let out a soft noise of contentment and turned her head so that he had better access to her neck. This was something he knew that humans had done to show their love. And there was something so intimate about it, something so special that he loved. She would wear those marks as evidence of his feelings for her; marks that proved that she was his and his alone.