Work Text:
Penny scanned her systems. Whatever the flaw was, it was hard to detect. It didn't register on any of her scanners(which, admittedly, made scanning her systems rather pointless) and hardly altered any of her systems. The only thing that made her able to detect it was Ruby.
Good old Ruby Rose. The girl(technically older than Penny) sat beside her. Penny detected confusion from her. But being able to see Ruby made her happy.
Which was illogical. Simply the sight of someone, even a friend, should not make her happy. And then there was the flaw itself. An unidentified emotion. Penny did a another scan of her systems immediately.
"Penny? What is it?"
"I have noticed something wrong in my systems," Penny explained. "I am trying to scan for it now."
"What? What's wrong?"
"I think it is something wrong with the thing that generates my emotions," Penny replied. "I have an unknown emotion, but I cannot detect any errors...and the emotion is only there when I am near you."
"What?" Ruby seemed alarmed.
"Do not worry. I'm sure it is nothing," Penny said, smiling at Ruby's concern. "It can be fixed. I just need to--hmm. My scanners still aren't detecting anything wrong."
"Penny...what is this emotion like?"
"Hmm...like happiness." Penny frowned. "But different. Its warmer, and more consistent. But when...something hurts you...it turns more angry. I'm not sure what it is. Can you put a name to it, Ruby?"
Ruby had a hand to her mouth, her face turning a bright red.
"Ruby, are you cold? Your face is flushed."
"Uh...Penny...I think...it's love."
"Love?" Penny frowned, scanning her systems again. "But I know what love is. It should register..."
"Penny, you said your scanners didn't detect anything wrong. That's because nothing's wrong. You're just feeling an emotion for the first time!"
"Oh! I don't have any memories of it. That...sort of explains it." Penny looked down at her hands. "Ruby...do you...love me?"
"Oh! Ah-ha ha...I think so." Ruby shrugged. "I can't exactly scan myself to see if it's the emotion I'm feeling, Penny."
Penny looked at Ruby. They're eyes locked.
Penny leaned in. Ruby leaned forward. "What do we do now?" Penny asked quietly.
Ruby kissed her. But it didn't last long before she pulled back. "You're cold," she complained.
"I can turn on my heater."
"Uh, no thanks." Ruby kissed her again. "But...I don't know what to do now, either."
"Hmm..." Penny thought for a minute. "I believe when two humans are in love, they date and court each other."
Ruby chuckled. "Only you would say 'court' like that, Penny."
"So, Ruby, would you like to go on a date?"
"Wha--I, oh, fine, how bad could things possibly get?" Ruby shrugged, then wrapped one arm around Penny's shoulder, leaning her head on Penny.
It felt...nice.
