[ 2b is also sporting attire different from her usual look. over her now familiar dress is a knitted sweater, with a matching cozy around her pod. they look comfy!
... well, they'd probably be more comfy if they weren't coming off of having just witnessed ann's execution, but beggars can't be choosers. jae-ha's invitation, then, is a welcome change. ]
it's not something she's suspecting, having been focused on the tournament. she reaches up to take the crown off her head after jae-ha speaks, holding it in her hands with mild confusion on her face.
(pod, for the record, takes its rose with a similar reaction, though being that it doesn't have a face and can't be heard by anyone other than 2b, it's a little harder to gauge.) ]
[ as a combat model, 2b is used to gripping things firmly. but she holds the crown with a distinct gentleness, like if she treated it like most other objects, it would fall apart in her hands. ]
[ of course, the week that andie has a job interview 2b chooses to refrain from investigating after the night of a murder would be the week that would hit the hardest. she thought that she could cover bases in the dead of night, that maybe she could stop someone from getting unjustly murdered—
but of course she didn't. after all, who is she to try and pass down judgment to unrepentant killers? at least with 9s, she knew she'd get to see him again, even though he'd have no memory of their previous times together. but natsuo... but humans in general, who don't get to just reupload their memories and personality data to a new body...
even though she knows it's almost impossible to find yourself alone in the castle at any given time, she tries to seclude herself on the outskirts of the forest, close enough that she won't run into the dangers that lurk within, but far enough that most people wouldn't see her. there, she allows herself to finally, finally show some sense of vulnerability. her visor has already been torn off and balled into her fist, which she slams angrily into a nearby trunk. ]
God damn it...
[ "Alert: Unit 2B is experiencing extreme emotional duress. Due to the loss of major combat abilities, major physical injury is possible."
But when he wants to get away - he does. He jumps. He jumps as far as he can and sees where it brings him - and sees where the castle will deposit him to return him to the grounds. It's why he finds himself by 2B even without meaning to, disoriented and he hears her voice and the sound of something impacting tree trunk and -
If she swings again, Jae-ha will move to catch her fist, taking the impact and all.]
[ she blinks, and suddenly jae-ha is there. she's not quick enough to soften the blow, so she strikes him at almost full force. luckily, as pod had mentioned, she's not nearly as strong as she normally is, but her punch still has the capability to knock the wind out of him. she looks momentarily apologetic— ]
[his expression might harden when he feels the force of her punch - but he doesn't flinch. there's just an exhale and -
it stings. he'd cut his hand when he moved the chandelier off of natsuo's body, cut it worse when he picked up the body itself and found the shards and debris. the bandages on his hand might start to bloody again but he just pulls his hand back before 2b can notice, he hopes.]
.... you're right. We failed.
But you can't punish yourself for it when there are still more people here that need to be protected.
[ . . . he doesn't bother to address 2B in her fit of rage. He can't. There's nothing that he can say that'll make it better. He knew that since the very first week, when he felt his very first loss of someone dear.
So instead he'll sit across from her at dinner.
And leave out one hand for her, palm up.]
... May I see your hand?
[Yeah, his is burned, there's really no point is trying to deal with it!!]
[ at dinner, 2b does not eat anything. she'd slowly begun to do so as the weeks went by, to at least openly spend time with others during the breaks between murders. (and, y'know, also prove that she could eat if she wanted to.) but now... what point is there to trying to pretend to be human? the most human of them all is gone, and she wasn't able to keep her promise.
jae-ha is probably one of the few people in this castle who doesn't provoke a reaction of pure anger from her following today's body discovery. she slowly looks up when he addresses her...
... and pauses when he extends his hand to her.
her eyes linger on it for an uncomfortably long time, before she simply says, ]
. . . that said, a lot happened. Jae-ha's brow furrow as he approaches her almost immediately trial. He walks up to her and holds his hand out to her, the other reaching out to hold onto her in case she might need steadying.]
... 2B.
I'm - here.
[Even if he knows that he might not be who she needs or wants.]
[ this time, she does not reach for his hand when he offers it to her.
instead, she falls onto him, presses her face against his chest, and cries. wet spots appear on her visor. like the blood flowing through her circuits, like the skin covering her metallic chassis, there's something extremely, curiously human about the tears she sheds. ]
Jae-ha's expression crumbles - and he's glad that she can't see it. There's a moment of sincere weakness, the utter feeling of what do I do that overtakes him, before he can only do what comes natural. One arm wraps around her back, the other moves to run fingers through hair soothingly as he curls around her, as if that'll be able to protect her from any more harm that this world will try to inflict.]
... I'm here. I'm sorry.
[That much he repeats softly, but sincerely, shutting his eyes as he holds her.]
[ they're alive again. someway, somehow. it hasn't been long since they'd been reunited on the other side, but now, all the narrators have achieved their "happy ending."
is that what this is?
pod actually precedes 2b's arrival at jae-ha's side, the floating machine taking its chance to once again physically rest on his shoulder. its owner isn't far behind. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 1, sunday
Though when he sees 2B, he offers her a smile and immediately thinks that whatever he's planning is better done with company - ]
Busy?
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... well, they'd probably be more comfy if they weren't coming off of having just witnessed ann's execution, but beggars can't be choosers. jae-ha's invitation, then, is a welcome change. ]
Not really. Why?
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[at least he's straightforward]
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Where to?
[ she's easy for now. ]
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[1/2]
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week 2, wednesday
and he holds out a smaller white rose out for pod with a smile]
I won't lie - I have been wondering lately what you'd think about a pop of color.
But this seemed like the safe option.
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it's not something she's suspecting, having been focused on the tournament. she reaches up to take the crown off her head after jae-ha speaks, holding it in her hands with mild confusion on her face.
(pod, for the record, takes its rose with a similar reaction, though being that it doesn't have a face and can't be heard by anyone other than 2b, it's a little harder to gauge.) ]
Flowers?
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jae-ha hums happily at that, tilting his head even as she inspects it]
A small collection of them, woven into a crown, if you'd like to be specific. It's beautiful, isn't it?
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[ as a combat model, 2b is used to gripping things firmly. but she holds the crown with a distinct gentleness, like if she treated it like most other objects, it would fall apart in her hands. ]
But why?
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week 2, friday
andie has a job interview2b chooses to refrain from investigating after the night of a murder would be the week that would hit the hardest. she thought that she could cover bases in the dead of night, that maybe she could stop someone from getting unjustly murdered—but of course she didn't. after all, who is she to try and pass down judgment to unrepentant killers? at least with 9s, she knew she'd get to see him again, even though he'd have no memory of their previous times together. but natsuo... but humans in general, who don't get to just reupload their memories and personality data to a new body...
even though she knows it's almost impossible to find yourself alone in the castle at any given time, she tries to seclude herself on the outskirts of the forest, close enough that she won't run into the dangers that lurk within, but far enough that most people wouldn't see her. there, she allows herself to finally, finally show some sense of vulnerability. her visor has already been torn off and balled into her fist, which she slams angrily into a nearby trunk. ]
God damn it...
[ "Alert: Unit 2B is experiencing extreme emotional duress. Due to the loss of major combat abilities, major physical injury is possible."
she ignores her pod and punches the tree again. ]
Shut up.
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But when he wants to get away - he does. He jumps. He jumps as far as he can and sees where it brings him - and sees where the castle will deposit him to return him to the grounds. It's why he finds himself by 2B even without meaning to, disoriented and he hears her voice and the sound of something impacting tree trunk and -
If she swings again, Jae-ha will move to catch her fist, taking the impact and all.]
2B.
Hurting yourself won't help.
1/2
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Someone deliberately targeted him, and we failed to protect him.
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it stings. he'd cut his hand when he moved the chandelier off of natsuo's body, cut it worse when he picked up the body itself and found the shards and debris. the bandages on his hand might start to bloody again but he just pulls his hand back before 2b can notice, he hopes.]
.... you're right. We failed.
But you can't punish yourself for it when there are still more people here that need to be protected.
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week 3, friday
So instead he'll sit across from her at dinner.
And leave out one hand for her, palm up.]
... May I see your hand?
[Yeah, his is burned, there's really no point is trying to deal with it!!]
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jae-ha is probably one of the few people in this castle who doesn't provoke a reaction of pure anger from her following today's body discovery. she slowly looks up when he addresses her...
... and pauses when he extends his hand to her.
her eyes linger on it for an uncomfortably long time, before she simply says, ]
I'm sorry.
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... you don't need to apologize for anything.
[Of everyone this week, 2B has nothing to apologize for. The same could be said of Souji and Ion - those who were left behind.]
... I'll go with you? When you head outside after this.
[When she intends to duel with whoever shows up.]
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she takes his hand.
she leaves her visor on intentionally. ]
You don't have to.
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week 3, saturday
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. . . that said, a lot happened. Jae-ha's brow furrow as he approaches her almost immediately trial. He walks up to her and holds his hand out to her, the other reaching out to hold onto her in case she might need steadying.]
... 2B.
I'm - here.
[Even if he knows that he might not be who she needs or wants.]
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instead, she falls onto him, presses her face against his chest, and cries. wet spots appear on her visor. like the blood flowing through her circuits, like the skin covering her metallic chassis, there's something extremely, curiously human about the tears she sheds. ]
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Jae-ha's expression crumbles - and he's glad that she can't see it. There's a moment of sincere weakness, the utter feeling of what do I do that overtakes him, before he can only do what comes natural. One arm wraps around her back, the other moves to run fingers through hair soothingly as he curls around her, as if that'll be able to protect her from any more harm that this world will try to inflict.]
... I'm here. I'm sorry.
[That much he repeats softly, but sincerely, shutting his eyes as he holds her.]
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WHATS UP week 7, saturday
is that what this is?
pod actually precedes 2b's arrival at jae-ha's side, the floating machine taking its chance to once again physically rest on his shoulder. its owner isn't far behind. ]
. . . So. It all ends tomorrow.
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And when he sees 2B, he offers a smile.]
So it does.
Are you excited?
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[ a sobering smile. ]
But there is a duty I need to return to, and I'm thankful to have the chance to finish it.
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... I understand the sentiment.
And is there a plan for after?