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In the dimly lit confines of the subway hideout, Shaw observed Root with a mixture of concern and frustration. It had been two weeks since the Machine last communicated with Root, and the usually vibrant hacker was sinking deeper into despondency with each passing day. Shaw couldn't stand seeing Root like this, so she decided to take matters into her own hands, albeit with her typical blunt approach.
"Hey, Root," Shaw began, leaning against the metal railing nearby. "You look like crap."
Root raised an eyebrow, her gaze flickering briefly towards Shaw before returning to the laptop screen in front of her. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Shaw."
Ignoring Root's sarcasm, Shaw pressed on. "Seriously though, what's up with you? The lack of flirting is throwing me off."
Root sighed, running a hand through her hair. "The Machine hasn't spoken to me in weeks. I'm starting to worry."
Shaw frowned, her unease growing at the mention of the silent AI. "Well, if the Machine won't cheer you up, I guess I'll have to step in." She paused, then added awkwardly, "Sweetie."
Root's eyes widened in surprise, her lips twitching with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. "Sweetie? Really, Shaw?"
Shaw shrugged, feeling a flush creeping up her neck. "I'm trying here, okay?"
Root chuckled softly, her expression softening. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Shaw. It means a lot."
Before Shaw could respond, Root leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, catching her off guard. Shaw froze for a moment, her mind racing before she found herself leaning into the kiss, deepening it without hesitation.
Their moment was abruptly interrupted by the sound of footsteps echoing through the subway tunnel. Shaw pulled away reluctantly, her heart pounding in her chest as she glanced towards the entrance.
"Root, we've got company," she muttered, nodding towards Reese, Fusco, and Finch as they entered the hideout.
As Root greeted their teammates with a bright smile, Finch approached Shaw with a bemused expression on his face.
"Thank you, Ms. Shaw, for cheering up Ms. Groves," he said, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Although I must say, if I had opened the door a few moments earlier, we all would've been rather uncomfortable."
Shaw rolled her eyes, a smirk playing at her lips. "Yeah, yeah, we get it, Finch. Just be glad you didn't."
With a final glance at Root, who was now engrossed in conversation with Reese and Fusco, Shaw couldn't help but feel a small sense of satisfaction. Maybe her attempts at cheering up Root hadn't been a complete failure after all.