The commander sat alone in his dimly lit office, working overtime. A familiar sight to the few who had access to his office, and even fewer who would visit him this late in the night.
The darkness of the room was only slightly interrupted by the light on his desk which illuminated his weary face and the paperwork he has yet to finish. Though his eyes stared at the black ink on white paper, his ears and mind focused on something else.
"You're not as sneaky as you think."
The commander was seemingly talking to nobody, as the only answer was silence. He listened carefully for a few more seconds and even started thinking he might have just imagined it.
"Pretending you're not there won't help, I already noticed you."
The empty room laughed dryly in response, and he heard a few quiet but audible steps come closer from behind him.
"Commander, you never disappoint~."
A pair of hands revealed themselves and rested on the commander's shoulders; one soft and human-like, the other rough and mechanical.
The commander sat back in his chair, letting them tenderly massage his shoulders.
"Your neck is really tense… Did you miss me that much?"
The hands slowly went down and locked around the commander's chest, embracing him from behind. He felt a mass of silky hair press itself on his cheek, enveloping him with a familiar smell.
"You're asking that as if you don't know the answer, 45."
She walked around him and stood by his side with her usual sly smile, alluringly brushing his cheek with her finger.
"Of course I do, commander. I'm asking because I want to hear you say it."
They stared down each-other for a little bit, and a content smile grew on the commander's face. He knew what sort of doll UMP45 is and the games she likes to play, and yet despite that he was just overwhelmingly happy to see her alive and well for another night.
She stepped away from the table and walked over to his private minibar. She took out a bottle of liquor, two shot glasses, and brought them to the commander's table.
"Did you come here just to drink, 45?"
"Not exactly."
She put the bottle of liquor on top of the document he was working on.
"I came here to drink with you."
The commander looked up from his table and stared at her face. The same familiar shady smile and an indifferent eye stared back, though the commander knew what feelings she was hiding behind her poker face.
"I can't drink yet, I still have work to do."
"Hmm... that's disappointing. I guess I'll leave if you're so, so busy~."
Though she said that nonchalauntly, the commander knew just how desperately she wanted to hear him beg her to stay.
"You can leave if you're in a hurry, I'm just busy with work."
45 was still not getting what she wanted from the commander, so she stepped up her game while keeping her aloof act.
"That's no good, being busy this late in the night. I guess I'll have to use drastic measures."
UMP45 walked behind him again, grabbed his chair by the back and pulled him away from his workstation. The papers he was working on, his carefully laid out pens and empty cup of coffee all found themselves on the floor when he tried holding onto the table against the surprise movement.
Now that she made distance between him and his table, she sat on his lap and let herself lay down leisurely, not letting the commander focus on anything but herself.
"There we go. Not much else to do for the night, right? I guess you have no choice but to have a chat with me."
She mockingly poked the commander's cheek and he sighed heavily, exaggerating his annoyance, but he found it hard to hide how happy he was to be with his adjutant once more and his smile quickly returned.
She handed him the bottle and held both shot glasses over herself. He filled them up carefully to not spill the liquor on 45, and they raised their glasses in cheer.
As 45 was halfway done with her shot, she noticed the commander hadn't touched his.
"It's rude to cheer and not drink, you know."
"I do know, but I have to get back to work after this and I don't want to get drunk."
She narrowed her eye, non-verbally accepting the challenge proposed by the commander's presumed teasing.
45 moved her arm to hover above the documents on the floor, and she poured the rest of her drink out on them.
"The documents are all stained now, you should ask for new ones later."
Her smug grin was only met by the commander's sigh.
"...Those were important, 45."
"I'll give you a discount next time you'll need 404's services, my treat."
She held her empty glass in front of the commander and shook it a little, signaling to fill it back up.
"I won't pour it out again, don't worry."
The commander filled her glass and she got up to sit on his lap, bringing her face closer to his.
She raised her glass in cheer again, staring at the commander and waited for him to start drinking before she downed her shot.
The drink went down easy for both of them, warming their bodies up and eroding their inhibitions. "See? That wasn't so hard."
UMP45, as always, held a facade of superiority and indifference to everyone as a shell to protect her inner softness and emotions. She dreaded getting close to anyone, but she couldn't help and become unwillingly vulnerable around her beloved commander. That was her one weakness, and the commander knew it well.
He placed his hand around her hips and brought her closer to his chest. Her hand instantly, almost instinctively took him by the wrist and her mind was screaming at her to throw him off herself... but she couldn't. She didn't want to.
Her grasp of his arm weakened, and instead she wrapped her arm behind his back and laid her head on his chest.
UMP45's hardy exterior slowly corroded as she felt her commander's body-heat, and a satisfied blush spread across her face.
The commander lovingly caressed her hair and she sunk deeper into his embrace. Her sturdy, battle-worn mechanical body and her extensive combat abilities almost seemed like a lie, because at that moment the commander only saw her for what she really was; A scared and vulnerable girl seeking the comfort given by the only person she truly trusts in this world of careless lies, suffering and loss.
Her body was an obsolete wreck with limited replacement parts, and he was a tired military man putting his life on the line for what he believed. The moments of happiness they experienced were as rare as the days they shared together, and they both treasured evenings like these, when they could briefly see each other and know they're still alive.

Just as UMP45 got comfortable on his lap, the commander decided to tease her a little more.
He took a hold of her chin with his fingers and brought her face up to meet his.
It was as if a different girl was before him compared to how she acted when she just arrived; Her single eye sparkled with anticipation and her cheeks were flush. Her lips just slightly parted, revealing a glimpse of the white of her teeth, waiting for the commander to bring his own closer and complete the kiss.
Her blush spread across her whole face as the commander kept holding her chin, motionlessly staring at her expecting face with a cheeky smile.
Once she realized the commander's intentions, she slapped away his hand from her chin and bashfully averted her gaze away.
"Don't... don't tease me like that..."
UMP45 looked a little upset, but the commander just laughed it off and hugged her tighter.
"Heh. That's revenge for ruining the documents I was working on."
UMP45 grumbled quietly and crossed her arms, but the commander just let her lay on his chest which calmed her down pretty quickly.
They wordlessly sat together a little longer and let themselves relax, both closing their eyes; They didn't have much to say to each-other, they were soldiers. They both knew how much they meant to each-other and how much they treasured one another, and the only thing they focused on now is the fleeting sense of comfort they felt together. Knowing their loved one is safe and happy in their presence meant more to them than words could express.
The commander started petting her head again and she slowly opened her eye. Her own face felt weird to herself as she couldn't erase the big content smile that stuck to her over time.
Eventually, she got up from his lap to stretch.
"Well, that was a much needed break."
She glanced at her commander's face for a moment, and saw a matching smile on him as their eyes met. She wanted to turn her eyes away, her mind cursed her again that she let someone get so close to her and she was terrified that their relationship would just end up hurting her… But the love she felt for the man she treasured steeled her resolve, and she managed to keep her affectionate gaze for a few more seconds.
Once she had her fill of looking, she crouched down and started picking up the documents that were still dry and neatly stacked them on his table.
"I guess that wasn't very 'adjutant'-y of me, hm? Maybe you should look for someone more qualified."
But the commander answered her jab without needing to overthink his answer.
"I wouldn't consider that for a moment."
UMP45 groaned at his response and continued to pick up the documents she scattered, but the commander was sure he heard her shyly whisper "dummkopf" under her breath.
Eventually she got to the document she soiled with her drink, and instead of putting it on the table she picked it up to read it.
"Hmm... 'Permission to allocate funds for... a wardrobe expansion'? Are you leading a PMC or a daycare for teenagers?"
"Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. I spend about as much money on kevlar plates as I do on cake decorations."
The commander stood up from his chair to help her pick up the rest of the office supplies from the floor.
"I guess you're pretty lucky you don't have to worry about that sort of stuff with me."
"You have plenty of your own problems, UMP."
45 playfully poked the commander's nose.
"Sure, but they just make me unique, right?"
"More annoying than unique, but it's the sort of annoying that I can't help but adore in you."
UMP45 uncharacteristically giggled and turned away to pick up some pens, though she did it mostly to hide her shyness. Once the pens and papers were all back on the table, UMP tried to organize them somewhat but was stopped by the commander when he put his arm on her shoulder.
She turned around to look at him, and was a little shocked he was much closer to her than she expected.
"Now you're sneaking up on me?"
Her face was mere centimeters away from his chest.
"Perhaps."
He got closer, put one arm below her waist then grabbed her chin again, locking eyes with her once more. The same disarmed, expectant expression met him, but this time it was no trick, and he moved his face closer to hers.
Their lips connected in a silent kiss. UMP45 slowly rose and stood on her tiptoes, pressing her face on his just a little tighter. Her hands behind his back slowly rose up to his shoulder blades, slightly shaking the whole way up. She grappled onto him with all her might and unwillingly raised her right leg, the kiss slightly overwhelming what her petite body and core could handle. The room was completely silent for a few infinitely long seconds. Their minds were blank, but their hearts raced in excitement.
Eventually, their lips slowly parted. They lovingly looked at each-other just a little longer then got closer into another tight embrace. Her grasp was no longer desperate as if holding onto something fleeting, but soft and loving. Her mental barriers seemingly faded away after their lips connected.
The commander decided to take full advantage of the opportunity, and started whispering into her ear.
"Say it, 45."
"...Say what?"
She played stupid, despite knowing full well what he was getting at.
He pressed his cheek on hers, locking away her ability to stop their embrace, though she had no intentions of doing so.
"You know what I want you to say. I'll say it too once you do."
"But... I can't..."
The commander started demanding something UMP45 considered completely taboo for herself. He wanted the doll that couldn't trust anyone anymore to say what she really felt.
He slowly caressed her head, trying to calm her down and coax her into vocally admitting her feelings.
"You're a strong girl, I know you can do it."
45 winced painfully as conflicting emotions slowly bubbled up inside her. Her usual front of aloofness couldn't help her anymore and she was terrified of fully dropping her guard, to expose her real feelings, to trust someone.
But... she reminded herself that it wasn't just someone. She was in the tight embrace of her beloved commander, after all.
The man who she fought alongside plenty of times. The man she rescued from guaranteed demise about as many times as he rescued her. The man who put a ring around her finger and wears one just like hers, devoting his love and his life to her. The man she called her husband.
UMP45 found her resolve growing. She took a deep breath, shaking slightly as she exhaled. She took a tight hold of his coat and brought her lips closer to his ear.
"Commander, I… love you..."
Even though he expected it, hearing that magical phrase made the commander chuckle from happiness.
"I love you too, UMP45."
They kept at their embrace for a little longer; UMP45 felt so small and defenseless without her emotional barriers, and she kept desperately clinging to the commander again.
At that moment she felt as if he was a protective cover over her, the only thing defending her from all the sadness and pain the world might inflict on her. UMP45 hated herself for trusting the commander with her heart, but she knew she couldn't keep feelings that strong hidden away.
The embrace continued a little longer. The commander thought he heard UMP45 sob a little, and his suspicions rose when he felt a wetness on his cheek.
He worryingly looked at 45, and despite her happiness clearly written on her face, two glistening trails of tears went down her cheeks.
"Are you alright, 45?"
"...Hm?"
The commander wiped away the tears in her eye, and only then she noticed she was crying. UMP45 quickly dried her cheeks with her sleeve and buried her face in his chest to hide her embarrassment. She grumbled quietly into it then weakly hit him with her fist.
"...You're a real bastard, you know that?"
The commander just laughed and hugged her once more.
"I was just teasing you, you do that to me all the time. Besides, didn't it feel nice to say how you really feel for once?"
UMP45 contemplated his question for a moment, and he felt her grip on his back grow tighter then lighter a few times before she responded.
"...Maybe."
She narrowed her eyes and stared at the commander, trying her best to look spiteful but she was still unable to hide her smile.
"But I don't appreciate you forcing it out of me."
"I didn't force you, I just asked you to. Everything else you did yourself."
Though UMP45 tried a wide range of expressions to try and obfuscate her feelings, the commander only returned the same disarming, loving stare that 45 both couldn't stand and secretly adored.
She pushed him to try and break their locked eyes and turned away from him, hiding her quivering lip. The commander put his hand on her shoulder and noticed how tense she was.
He put his other hand on her other shoulder and caressed her back, slowly leading her to step back and rest her body on his.
The commander assumed she was still embarrassed, but when her back touched his chest he noticed how warm her body got. When she looked up at him, he saw a completely different expression; She was no longer worried, scared or anxious, her eye only glowed with such undiluted love that the commander could swear her pupil was shaped like a little heart.
She turned to face the commander again, pressing her arms and chest on his… but then completely froze in place.
Despite her sudden burst of confidence, 45 got cold feet and hid her gaze again.
She still held onto his shirt motionlessly, and the commander couldn't help but laugh.
"Heh, I remember you acting just like that during our oath ceremony."
45 kept silent for a moment, thinking about something.
"Our oath... When you gave me my ring..."
She moved her hand down and under her coat, as if looking for something.
"I got your ring... and then we... heh..."
The commander heard a muffled mechanical click.
UMP45 pulled her arm up, planely displaying her oath ring but folding the rest of her fingers.
"Do you remember what came after I got this ring, commander?"
She revealed her whole hand, and showed him another thin ring on her index finger. It took the commander a second, but he has seen plenty of those before and recognized what it was.
"Wait, is that-"
He heard the sound of a heavy metal object hitting the floor, followed by the swish of pressurized gas escaping.
"God damn it 45, I told you to stop doing that..."
But she only responded with a smug smile and slowly walked backwards, as a gray smoke completely enveloped the room.
"45, Get back here!"
He tried to wave his arms around to look for her, but couldn't see anything through the haze. The commander helplessly tried to orient himself in his office, flailing like a fish out of water, until suddenly he felt something tackle him.
He felt one soft and one metallic arm roughly close themselves behind his neck, He felt a somewhat soft body pressed against his and he felt a pair of lips envelop his mouth.
The kiss was relentless; She pushed her head into his more and more, her tongue moving too fast for him to catch up, only letting up for a second to let them both inhale before continuing her assault. UMP45 showed with action what she had so much trouble showing with words.
The commander hugged her waist and pressed her against himself even tighter, completely locking both of them in their passionate kiss. He could barely see her even so up close due to the irritation to his eyes from the smoke, and he wished he could see the expression on 45's face.
No emotional barriers, no facades, no walls between their hearts, all alone and away from the world, sharing a moment of unconditional love.
She joyfully whimpered as their hearts connected through their lips, almost sounding like quiet moaning. Not only did she feel safe and secure in her lover's arms, but she even found herself... happy. More happy than she thought a doll like her even deserves to be. 45 almost knocked him over with how strongly she pressed her body on his, but she couldn't handle bottling her feelings anymore. In this one moment where nobody could see, judge or hurt her, she expressed her love in its truest form.
However, they both knew this blissful moment couldn't last for long.
Their lips eventually parted, though their bodies begged to connect them again as their faces distanced away.
He felt her grasp slowly fade from his body as the smoke started dispersing; He tried to grab her again, desperate to keep their happiness last for just a little longer, but just like him, she has a job that won't let her overstay her welcome.
The smoke cleared, and the commander found himself all alone in his room again.
For a moment, he felt as if everything that just transpired was just a pleasant dream. The smoke grenade was gone, the documents were all tidy, the drink was back in its place, but there was something else on the table. Something that couldn't have been there before.
A single .45 ACP round stood on his table atop a small scrap of paper. Inside, was just a simple message written with a red pen.
"Bis zum nächsten Mal, mein lieber Kommandant."
The commander smiled. Through the note, he could still feel traces of her warmth on his body and the subtle smell of her hair in the air. He gave it a little kiss and then opened the bottom drawer on his table.
He dropped the note alongside the single .45 cartridge into it, where it rested on a small bed of similar notes in an ever-growing pile.
The commander continued his work like nothing happened, wishing and hoping that she'll survive, and he'll get to see her again tomorrow.

Author's note:
-You will never have this.