Chapter Text
He’s prettier than I imagined, even with the skin flaking away.
It’s a passing thought as Noiz stares down at Clear’s damaged and lifeless body. Not that Noiz would ever admit it aloud, but he’s a bit captivated by the smooth alabaster skin and the fluffy white hair. The hacker never really envisioned that what lay under the gas mask was so delicate and soft. From the moment they met, Clear looked like some NPC in a post-apocalyptic MMORPG. He leans in for a closer look as he removes the clothing from the upper half of Clear’s body. The one exposed eye is a soft pink, lacking any true pigment just like—
Huh.
The corners of his lips twitch upward ever-so-slightly.
He looks like a little white rabbit.
The wires stuck all over Clear’s body are a bit of a nuisance to work around as Noiz runs diagnostics, but he’s had harder tasks to complete than this before. He’s been at this for days with only a little progress, but things are looking up. GLITTER isn’t exactly the apex technological home lab like he’s manufactured personally in his place back in the Old Resident District. He can get Clear back to normal; however, it’s going to take time. Noiz ventures to wonder why he’s even spending this much effort to revive a robot with social anxiety.
“Please. Please, help him…”
Aoba’s face flashes in his mind and his heart aches, bandaged hand coming to rest on his chest. After their little rendezvous inside Noiz’s mind, he’s adjusting to more feelings than just physical pain now. The compulsory instinct to actually give a flying fuck about his fellow man is probably more irritating than the ache in his muscles after getting his shit kicked in by another white-haired robot. Fuck feelings.
Pale green eyes flit over lines of code and error messages outlining what needs to be tested and resolved in Clear’s system. It would help if they could steal some spare parts from Toue to assist with the physical rebuild, but he can keep Clear bandaged up for the most part to protect his parts until replacements are acquired. The current status of his system shows little murmurs of life, as strange as it feels for Noiz to categorize it that way. He glances back to Clear’s dormant body on the bed and sighs quietly.
It’s been hours of work. He’s exhausted and still healing his own injuries. But what if he wakes up and you’re asleep. Could be bad. Resting his arm on the beside and his chin atop it, Noiz folds his legs and watches Clear thoughtfully. His free hand touches Clear’s arm, sliding up his shoulder until his fingers reach the other’s face. Stroking the remaining skin, he marvels at him for a few passing moments.
Noiz can’t deny it. He’s fascinated by him. So lifelike, and yet not truly—not really human at all. Is he? It’s hard to believe given the original impression he drew when they met in Aoba’s home that night. Looking back, Noiz supposes that there were obvious signs in his strange behavior patterns and mannerisms. But even with his quirks, there is an astonishing trait in Clear that even Noiz can’t understand from a human perspective.
“…You care so much about humans. Why? What have we done for you other than cause you pain?”
Naturally, there’s no answer. Clear’s body remains still, not even a sign of breathing considering he’s a machine. If it hadn’t been for a hopeful diagnostics report, Noiz would’ve assumed him dead. With another soft, tired sigh, he lays his head down, hand still placed on Clear’s skin. Cool. Temperature is still a new sensation for him too. He’s not used to feeling anything cold unless it’s a chilled drink or ice cream. The feel of his skin just on Noiz’s fingertips is so relaxing he begins to doze.
So tired. I’ll just take a small nap.
Eyelids heavy and breathing slowed, Noiz drifts off, fingertips still resting against Clear.
“Yura yura yurameku…”
Who is singing?
“..na mi no mani…”
Noiz stirs, blinking blearily and staring at the window of the small bedroom. His position has shifted, and his heart leaps with a moment of panic as he realizes he’s lying on the bed now. Someone is stroking his hair and singing, but he’s still too drowsy and out of it to register whether or not this is a dream.
So beautiful. If I’m dreaming, I don’t want to wake up.
He hums, enjoying the feel of a smooth, cool hand against his face as he takes his time coming back to reality. It’s impossible to know what time of day it is considering the sky is always dark here. Normally, the suddenness of touch would have him bolting upright in bed; however, even in his lucid state he’s simply…calm. Relaxed. Completely peaceful, and it’s bizarre.
“…Noiz-san? Are you awake?”
That gets his attention, and Noiz immediately remembers who else is supposed to be in this bed. He turns his head to look over his shoulder and sees Clear’s half-bandaged face staring back at him with a tired smile. His heart speeds up in his chest, but he forces himself to remain calm and neutral as he carefully turns over to look at the automaton proper.
“Clear,” he breathes quietly. “You’re awake and functioning. How long have you been active?”
“Not long, Noiz-san. Please don’t worry,” he whispers sincerely. “I have been awake long enough to notice you sleeping, and I helped you up on the bed so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. My research indicates humans are prone to aches and pains at the angle which you slept.”
“Ah,” Noiz murmurs, feeling a brief flush of heat in his cheeks. He put me in bed with him? Weirdo…but kind of cute. “Thanks, I guess.” He does acknowledge this is way more comfortable than being slumped over the side of the bed. But that detail only satisfies half of his curiosity. “Clear…you were singing, right? That was you?”
Clear’s smile grows a little brighter, but his voice remains a whisper. “Yes. I think you were having a nightmare, so I started to sing to see if it would calm you down.”
“I was?” Noiz honestly can’t recall dreams as well as he used to when he was a child. The beauty of being so immune to feeling is that dreams and nightmares don’t stick with him—his mind dumps the useless images as soon as he wakes up. But he supposes that might change with time.
“Yes, Noiz-san,” Clear says gently, his hand coming up to rest on Noiz’s cheek. “You were mumbling and shifting a lot. But you calmed down when I sang. I’m sorry if I woke you though.”
Noiz’s pale eyes fall shut once more as he relishes in the coolness of Clear’s touch. Temperature is such a new sensation, but he’s already determined he likes it cool—the soft, brisk rush of tingling any time Clear’s chilled skin brushes his is mind-numbing.
“It’s fine. I should have been awake anyway. I’ve been watching over you and doing repairs for Aoba.”
“Mast—” Clear pauses. “…Aoba-san?”
Noiz blinks, brow quirking in amusement. “Oh. You’re using his name now?” He can’t help but smirk and take the chance to tease the robot a little. “How very intimate.”
The visible portions of Clear’s skin flush pink and he turns his head to hide against the pillow. “So mean. Please don’t tease me, Noiz-san.” His eyes widen suddenly, and he looks Noiz in the eyes as if just realizing something pivotal. “My mask. I’m not wearing it. I didn’t notice until—”
“I have it, but you can’t use it while I’m doing repairs.”
Clear’s shoulders scrunch and he turns his chin downward so his hair will shield his face. It’s at this moment that the notion of the android’s embarrassment dawns on the hacker. Noiz’s eyes narrow and he scoots closer to him on the bed, his face closer to Clear’s now as he shifts down enough to meet his one visible eye. Clear’s not looking at him, so demure and shy. A bunny trying to hide in the grass.
“Clear?” Noiz asks. “Why won’t you look at me? Have I upset you?”
Clear shakes his head quickly. “No! No, Noiz-san, you’ve done nothing wrong. I just don’t want to…frighten you.”
“Frighten me?”
“With my face,” he says quietly. “It’s why I hide it. I don’t want to scare humans because I don’t look human.”
Noiz’s gaze softens as he takes him in. Aoba’s told him enough about Toue’s little toys wandering the streets that he can draw enough conclusions about Clear’s origins. But that doesn’t change the fact Clear is Clear, not one of those things. The thought catches him off-guard—to think he’s applying emotion to a machine is a new concept for him. But Clear isn’t like anything he’s ever encountered.
“You don’t scare me,” Noiz says simply, his hand coming forward to tilt Clear’s chin up so he can see his face proper. “You’re not frightening at all. You’re beautiful.”
Clear blinks wildly, the blush creeping across his face ever brighter now. “B-beautiful?! Noiz-san--!”
“Yes. Beautiful,” Noiz repeats decisively. The smirk returns to his face. “You are a machine but look at how you react to me flirting with you. That’s not something you can program so naturally. Sure, you can observe and likely mimic what you see…but you getting so flustered right now? A very human trait. You can’t mimic true surprise and embarrassment, Usagi-chan.”
“Noiz-san!” Clear squeaks with embarrassment once again and turns his face back into the pillows. “Do not say things just to tease me. It’s very mean.”
“I’m not just teasing you. I’m being honest. You’re beautiful. Cute, even—like a little white rabbit.”
Clear peers up at him once more, the blush permanently place on his face at this point. Noiz ventures to wonder if it will just freeze there forever now if he keeps at it. Cute.
“Hmph,” Clear admonishes, but finally looks him in the eye now. “It’s no wonder Aoba-san is so fond of you. You must tease him this way a lot too. My research indicates that sometimes humans tease the ones they like as a form of flirtation.”
“That’s very true. I suppose you could say I am teasing you because I like you as well, Clear.”
“S-stop it, Noiz-san.”
“Tch,” Noiz snorts, his smirk softening into an amused smile. “You know, I did skip a few steps with Aoba. Technically, I kissed him before I ever started flirting with him.”
Clear’s eyes are wide as dinner plates now. “K-kissed him? That’s quite shameful, Noiz-san—well, at least, I think it is quite shameful to kiss acquaintances before you start courting them. I’m not sure. I’d never kissed anyone before Aoba-san the other night.”
“Oh?” Noiz’s pierced eyebrows raise. “So, you’ve only ever kissed Aoba before?”
“Yes—well, unless you count cats licking my nose sometimes when I pick them up.”
Can he be any more fucking adorable? “I’m not sure that counts, Clear.”
“Ah. Well, in that case, Aoba-san was my first kiss.”
The deviant side of Noiz surfaces at this newfound information and that slight smirk returns to his face. “And if I offered to be your second kiss, would you allow me to do so?” he asks softly. “It’s a shame that we almost lost you before you ever had a chance to kiss someone besides Aoba. I should rectify that since we’re already playing doctor.”
“Noiz-san! Why would you say such a thing?” Clear hides his face in his hands now.
“That doesn’t sound like a ‘no.’”
At first, Clear doesn’t respond, choosing to keep his face hidden as he evaluates the situation. Noiz isn’t forcing him or ordering him—merely asking for a kiss. He has no master now. No one to force him to do anything, or in this case, not do anything. There’s a sudden urge to take up the offer—take ownership of himself and explore new experiences with his new life. What’s the point of my second chance to live freely if I turn down opportunities? Finally, his hands fall away, and he looks Noiz in the eye once more, his lips parting as he leans closer to him.
“…Y-yes. I would like to kiss you. Is that okay?”
The chaste nature of the question causes a warmth to spread through Noiz’s chest. It’s an unfamiliar feeling—admiration? Endearment, even? Something about the innocence of the whole ordeal is so sweet that the Rhymer wonders if he’ll experience a sugar rush from locking lips with Clear. “It’s fine,” he whispers gently, hand cupping Clear’s face as the other comes to rest on his hip. Noiz gently pulls him to his chest. He captures Clear’s mouth with his own, easing him into a slow, tender kiss. Clear’s soft whimpers against his mouth stir Noiz to deepen the kiss, his tongue swiping over his lower lip as permission for entry.
“Mmf! Noiz-san--!”
Clear’s soft cry gives Noiz enough opportunity to slide his tongue into his mouth. His tongue piercing clicks softly as he explores the white-haired man’s mouth at a deliberate, intimate pace. Sweet. His mouth is sweet. I want to taste more of it. He gently nudges Clear onto his back, looming over him now as he continues to devour his mouth.
“Noiz-san, please—”
“Please, what?”
“I-it’s too much—I’m not ready for this—” Clear’s face is red as a beet now as saliva trails over his lower lip and he pants slightly.
Robots don’t breathe. Am I turning him on that much? Noiz pushes Clear’s soft hair back from his face to admire his pale pink eyes with a soft smile. “Shh, it’s alright. We can stop for now,” he mumbles gently. “You still need to heal and get your system back to normal. If we have too much fun right now, we could lose you again.”
Clear slowly calms down once again, nodding his head gently in acknowledgment, but still blushing wildly as he looks up into Noiz’s eyes. “Thank you,” he says. “…I do enjoy kissing you though. Is that alright?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Ah. Okay.” Clear’s warm smile returns as he touches Noiz’s hair tenderly. “Noiz-san, may I ask something of you?”
“Hmm?” So formal. “Go ahead.”
“Can we…not tell Aoba-san I am awake until I am fully operational?” he requests, a nervous look cross his delicate face. “I do not want him worrying. And if something were to happen…I don’t want to break his heart again, Noiz-san.”
There’s a pang of guilt in Noiz’s chest now, enough that he damn near winces at the new spring of emotions inside him. All he can picture is Aoba’s crying face as he carried Clear’s lifeless body back into GLITTER. The idea of seeing Aoba regain hope only to have it crushed again elicits anxiety in him. Machines die for no reason whatsoever sometimes, and there is still critical damage for him to repair. He could drop at any minute if something went sideways suddenly.
“Sure,” he whispers, nodding his head and petting Clear’s hair once again. “I am going to do my best to save you though. You’re making good progress. I’m not going to let him lose you—”
“Or you?”
Noiz blinks, surprised now. “What do you mean?”
“I see how Aoba-san looks at you,” Clear explains with a soft smile. “He cares for you. Will you promise me you’ll take care of yourself as well, so we don’t lose you?”
So we don’t lose you. Noiz feels his heart leap briefly, but simply nods his head in response.
“Good,” Clear says, his voice fading a little as his eyes begin to flutter. “I…I feel the need to sleep now, I think. Will you watch me and make sure I wake up, Noiz-san?”
“Of course,” Noiz murmurs, craning his head slightly to check his screens for Clear’s status. All systems functional. Error messages being resolved at a normal rate. No issues with repairs. “Everything is fine, Clear. I’ll be here when you wake up again. I promise.”
“Thank you, Noiz-san…” And in seconds, he’s asleep. Sleep mode? Powered down? Noiz isn’t even sure what to call it as he watches Clear’s body slowly go limp next to him.
You’re a machine, and yet you’re so human. I don’t understand you…but I want to so badly now.