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"Do you even know the answers to those questions about Four?"
"And yet you built a rocket to the moon to obey Four."
"Cool story, sis."
"Well, I- I've grown! And learned!"
Golf Ball knows she made a fool of herself in the moment. It wasn't even the fact she was put on her toes! It was... it was Pie's voice. Her calm demeanor. Her- her sass. Was it stupid to say Golf Ball loved it? It was one thing to be like Pencil, always fighting and calling her names. Golf Ball didn't like that. But the sass to shut down her confidence without being straight up mean? Golf Ball couldn't stop thinking about it.
She was currently down in her factory, waiting for TPOT to start. Tennis Ball would usually be down with her, but something about Pen wanting to hang out with him? Tch, Golf Ball doesn't need to worry. It's good Tennis Ball has other friends! Plus, Pen's been pretty lonely, especially after being forced onto Death P.A.C.T.. And that's why Golf Ball was alone, by herself, pencil in her mouth, spinning on her chair.
Golf Ball found herself methodically going over her thoughts on Pie. Not just thoughts, but feelings, methodically pointing out every detail she could point at. Interactions, even occasional glances. Times where Pie seemed to override her thoughts and times where her heart felt like it would burst. Times where butterflies filled her stomach and times where she caught herself doodling when she never would.
Golf Ball had a... limited understanding of romance. She didn't like the fact she didn't have all the answers. "Romance makes you act stupid," people would tell her. But now she could have an account on how it truly makes someone feel, and act! This could be so, SO scientifically important! Just the deep analysis of her own behaviors for scientific gain! Golf Ball could have a deep understanding of romance from this, not just the very limited understanding she's had for so long.
From her analysis on herself, her new-found and vastly different actions, she had generic understandings of some of her reactions to being under the spell of a crush. The most important thing to her came in the form of what she found in her notebooks. Whether meant for data or brainstorming, Pie doodle ended up on a good chunk of the fresher pages. And, admittedly, one of the pages was just doodles. Golf Ball was never a doodler, someone with immaculate focus and the will-power for anything. But love? Love throws everything out the window.
Golf Ball was snapped out of her trance-like state to the sound of footsteps. Two sets of footsteps, she thought to herself, trying to regain focus, one of them is definitely TB. The other... hmm... slightly lighter. Also slightly off-rhythm to TB. Considering who TB has been hanging out with, I'd have to assume it is Pen. Unfortunately not Pie, but that's fine.
...Wait. Did I just think that? Hmm. Best to write that down. The more information I have, the better!
Golf Ball lost herself once again in her analysis upon herself, scribbling stuff down as she dug further and further into her own feelings. For someone who is so disregarding of emotions so frequently, it was a little unusual, but it was in the name of science! Science pushes people further than their usual state, and a desire for the understanding of love drove her deeper. Deeper into herself, deeper into understanding she never had before.
"Hey, Golfie?" TB asked, pulling Golf Ball out of her current state, a state so important for her current research.
She tried to hold onto her state as she replied, "hm?"
"Do you mind if me and Pen hang out here?"
"mhm."
Tennis Ball noted that Golf Ball must have been extremely focused as he led Pen to another part of the factory, away from Golf Ball so she could focus. She kicked her chair, spinning herself around (something she frequently did when deep in focus) as she dug deeper. It was kinda weird, for her to be so aware of her feelings and so deep inside them for once, but the more she dug the more she delved into love. But more... caring thoughts, the thoughts of sweet love she had never even thought with her closest friend, Tennis Ball, thoughts that she scribbled.
Should I get her a gift? When is her birthday? What would she like as a gift? Is she even the type to accept gifts? There are different types of love language, so what is hers? Does she like affection, words, gifts? What would make her happiest? What if she doesn't like what I give her? What if she doesn't feel anything back? What if she likes someone else? Factory, I'd be so stupid if she loved someone else. Why do I even love her? 'Types' are a thing, do I have a type? Is Pie my type? What if I'm not Pie's type? What if she would rather not be with me? What if she'd prefer me to be by myself forever? What if she thinks I'm a stupid bossy bot?
She was spiraling, but it was TB's voice that pulled her out, panicking when he found her, "Golfie? Golf Ball?! Are you okay?"
Golf Ball had involuntarily stared at him. His shape was blurry behind tears, but she could still tell Tennis Ball's shape as she tried to speak, with nothing but a pitiful sob coming out.
"Oh, Golfie," Tennis Ball's gaze softened, before glancing over at Pen, a tense yet caring nod to signal Pen to lift Golf Ball out of her seat.
The three walked in silence, until Pen asked, "Where are we taking her?"
"Her makeshift bedroom, I usually take her there to calm her down when she gets too frustrated."
"Ah, makes sense. Like a calm place for her."
"Yeah, exactly that! It helps her a lot."
They continued to walk, back into silence, until they reached Golf Ball's "bedroom" in her factory. It was a rather simple and generic room, with some books to read and a soft bed. Of course, since this was meant to be her sleeping quarters, that's how it's designed. A light, sweet lavender scent filled the room, hence its ability to calm, and, by extension, aid in sleep. Pen set Golf Ball down on her bed, Tennis Ball giving instructions on things to do that helps her calm down, all the while re-assuring Golf Ball.
After a short while of setting things up, Tennis Ball and Pen left, as the biggest thing that helped her was usually silence and being alone in the comfort. Was it the truth that Golf Ball would usually only be calm after a nap? Yeah, but that's something her assistant would know better than most. It gave Tennis Ball and Pen some time alone, as they waited.
Pen yawned, "The scent... makes me really tired..."
"That's the reason Golfie chose it," Tennis Ball chuckled, watching Pen half-asleep trying his hardest to stay awake.
"Uh-huh" Pen snuggled up next to Tennis Ball, losing his battle, "I bet..."
"You can sleep, Pen. There's nothing against it," Tennis Ball smiled as Pen quickly surrendered.
Golf Ball was walking across a sunny green field, from the times before Two arrived. The sun shone bright in the sky, yellow trees off in the distance. She was exiting her underground factory, softly smiling once the crunch of grass landed beneath her feet. In the distance was Death P.A.C.T., and she specifically noted out Pie, leaning back and chatting with her team. Golf Ball couldn't hear what she was saying, but could tell she was in the middle of a conversation.
Golf Ball's feet led her over to Pie without a thought, smiling as words started to reach her tongue. Words to string together greetings to her.
"Hello, Death P.A.C.T.!"
"Hey."
Factory, Pie's voice was still just as heart-pounding as reality, "What are you discussing here?"
"Hm, just crushes."
"O- oh! Well, I- uh-"
The butterflies in her stomach she always felt around Pie flew around, bursting through the scene as Golf Ball felt herself suddenly enter free-fall, darkness quickly encapturing the scene. She felt herself slowly transform to from before the trauma, the voices telling her she can't run echoing with a newer voice, Pie's voice, saying she wasn't interested. Butterflies of blue, black, and orange flapped their wings and yet only flew around her. She was used to seeing orange butterflies in dreams, but not blue and black. The voices grew louder, the butterflies more and more frequent until-
Golf Ball felt like she just fell onto her bed, shooting up after the feeling of falling. Realizing whatever she just went through was no more than a dream, she pulled herself out of bed and walked out of her sleeping quarters. She quickly noticed TB and Pen, with the ladder latched onto the former, completely out. She felt... jealous. Jealous that TB had someone next to him, sleeping next to him no less, happily asleep. She wanted that. She wanted it... with Pie. She wasn't one to usually be jealous, but she was.
"Hi Golfie!" Tennis Ball smiled, quieter than how he'd usually greet Golf Ball.
Golf Ball nodded, "Hello, TB."
"How are you doing?"
"Hmm, fine. I'm going to go log my dream into my dream tracker, of course, then get back to what I was working on."
"Okay, just... don't get too deep into it, alright? We caught you crying at your desk earlier..."
"...Fine."
Golf Ball walked over to her desk, no longer lost in spiraling thoughts like earlier, as she saw what a mess she left earlier. Papers all over her desk, scribbled words of doubt in the sloppiest handwriting she had seen (and that's saying something, as she's seen some very sloppy handwriting). She pulls out her dream tracker, which is a notebook where she can write stuff before putting it into a machine later, opening to a fresh page. Fragments of her dream that she remembers, mainly the ending sensation. She notes specifically the multiple colors of butterflies - unusual. Orange butterflies were frequent, especially in dreams about science.
After a few minutes of writing about her dream, she goes back to her desk, pulling out a new sheet of paper as she writes a few last notes, deciding that research, for today, shouldn't continue, respecting TB's wish. Her notes were simple: a small detail on how digging into her emotions caused her to spiral, the jealously towards TB and Pen, and the fact she dreamed about Pie, at least to some extent.
This could wait for tomorrow. Maybe she should just spend some time with TB and Pen. Get her mind away from Pie, for once. She didn't exactly want to stop thinking about Pie, but it would be best to be in a clean mental state to continue this.