—The Culmination of Kindness—
YoRHa No. 2 Type B, otherwise known as 2B, hadn't been out in the field in what felt like forever. Realistically, it had only been a week or two, but that was a small eternity for an android accustomed to being on the front lines. 2B didn't know the meaning of downtime and without a directive, she had been essentially going through the day-to-day motions.
What had made that period of time seem even longer was the fact that she had neither seen nor heard from her assigned Operator since they had—
2B refused to complete that thought, her processor sending out discomforting waves of heat around her face and neck that she had come to recognize as embarrassment. That day had been an absolute chaos of new and confusing situations, actions—and above all, feelings. The Type B unit wasn't exactly the most in touch with her emotions by design and, yet, 6O brought them out of her. For better or for worse.
Speaking of which… an uncharacteristic sense of nervousness fluttered beneath 2B's breast as she commanded her Pod to contact Command. Like she always did when on assignment—only this time, she was actually looking forward to seeing the android on the other end of the call.
The individual that filled the display was familiar in some ways—blonde with blue eyes, the lower half of her face obscured by a black veil—and utterly wrong in others. The hair was cut short in a stylish, asymmetrical bob and there was no warmth in the piercing blue orbs behind rounded glass lenses (a conscious aesthetic choice rather than a necessity). Something ugly twisted within 2B's gut and she frowned. Not that the Operator on the line could see it past the combat visor. "... Where's 6O?"
"YoRHa No. 6 Type O is on leave until further notice. My designation is 7O and I will be providing support in the interim. What do you require?"
2B's tone was flat when she said, "Directions to the objective."
"One moment…" 7O's fingers flew across the keyboard and 2B could see lines of data reflected in her glasses. "I've updated your map to reflect the optimal route."
That was it. No chit-chat, no unrealistically optimistic outcome for their mission, no invitations to "hang out." 2B clenched her jaw. She had once found those things to be tiresome, but now? It was as though the sun had disappeared behind the clouds.
"That will be all."
"Understood. I will remain on standby in case you require further assistance."
2B performed the YoRHa salute, then ended the call. "9S."
"What's up?" 9S knew his partner well enough that, even with the upper half of her face obscured by her combat visor, he could recognize 2B's ire. He wasn't one hundred per cent sure why that perfectly routine call had aggravated her, but he had a hunch.
"Let's go."
The androids resumed their journey, picking their way across the terrain per 7O's instructions. They quickly covered several kilometres, evading the machine lifeforms that crossed their path rather than engaging them. 2B was in a hurry, it seemed.
Almost an hour passed before 9S dared to break the silence and asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
2B actually hesitated before answering and that millisecond of silence spoke volumes to the Support Unit.
"No."
…
Their mission completed without issue, the duo returned to the Bunker. 2B lagged behind 9S, but he didn't mention it; she clearly had a lot on her mind. Neither had spoken a word since he had offered to hear her out—which was why 9S almost tripped over his own feet in a comic display of surprise when the Type B unit asked, "Are you free right now?"
"Y-yeah. What do you need?"
"I require maintenance. Come."
That was a lie and they both knew it. 9S frowned, puzzled, but didn't comment as he followed 2B through the base. They walked through a series of identical, monochromatic corridors, their footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence until they arrived at the Type B unit's quarters. She granted them access to the room and entered without a glance at her companion.
9S had never been invited into 2B's quarters before and he hesitated at the threshold. The Type B unit waved him forward impatiently and the door slid smoothly shut behind him. 9S glanced around for a place to sit, but ultimately ended up crossing his arms and leaning against the wall while 2B sat at the desk at the opposite end of the room.
She didn't give him a chance to attempt uncomfortable small talk. "I'm having trouble understanding the situation with 6O."
"Huh?" 9S said before he could help himself.
The corners of 2B's mouth turned downward. They were not off to a good start here. "YoRHa No. 6 Type O, the Operator who handled support for our field operations, is under suspension because protocol was broken. I understood, at the time, that her actions were unsanctioned, but I didn't realize the extent until the Commander adjudicated her indefinite suspension."
So she did want to talk about it! 9S uncrossed and re-crossed his arms as he gathered his thoughts. He knew exactly why 6O had gone against her deeply programmed directives, but getting 2B to understand would be tricky. "I don't know her all that well, but she must have had a reason for asking you specifically to go with her?"
It was supposed to be food for thought, but 2B didn't even seem to hear the question. "How did a Type O unit manage reconnaissance on a place that didn't even exist on our maps?"
9S flinched guiltily. He had been the one to help 6O put her plan into action in the first place. He was even more at fault than 2B was for 6O's insubordination charges, but she didn't need to know that. "She's pretty resourceful, I guess. Haha…"
2B stared for so long that 9S feared for an illogical moment that she could somehow read his thoughts. Finally, she said, "Agreed. And that's why we need her: Our performance in the field will certainly be affected without her forward thinking and unique perspective."
9S stifled a sigh. Why couldn't 2B just be honest? She had been behaving oddly ever since 6O's suspension and he was supposed to believe it was because she was concerned her performance would suffer. It was ludicrous.
"Look, 2B, I know you're not really the type to share, but I want you to know that, as your friend, I'm here to listen without judgment."
The Type B unit scoffed and 9S half expected to be dismissed. Then, she did something curious: She smiled, ever so slightly. 9S's jaw went slack, but he caught himself quickly.
"I keep replaying the memory of that evening."
She meant that literally, of course. All YoRHa androids had the ability to store recordings of events in a secure location that could be retrieved along with their black boxes in the event of their destruction. What gave 9S pause was the fact that this feature was usually reserved for events that would be worth reporting to the higher-ups—catastrophic events, equipment malfunctions, and unprecedented machine lifeform insurgence were among the top reasons. Her visit to the now-destroyed underground caverns wouldn't have been a blip on the YoRHa radar, and yet…
"I-I see. Did something happen?" This conversation already consisted of literally the most words 2B had ever said directly to 9S in all their years of working together. He didn't think it was possible to be more surprised—
"She…" 2B took an unneeded breath. "6O kissed me."
Huh?
9S ran a quick diagnostic and found his auditory receptors were running at peak performance.
Wait…
He squinted at 2B, thinking perhaps she was pulling his leg, but then the taciturn android had never so much as cracked a joke before.
WHAT?!
9S took so long to respond that 2B actually seemed uneasy. At last, he said, "You should go see her."
"How?"
Her scepticism was well-placed: 6O was under constant surveillance and Commander White was a dead end; her rigid adherence to the rules was what had gotten 6O there in the first place. All of that aside, they would be breaking protocol by engaging with a suspended android.
"You leave that to me."
This was going to bite him in the butt later, 9S just knew it. But it was worth it if it meant his allies—no, his friends would have a measure of happiness in this grim world.
9S strode into the Bunker command centre with confidence he didn't feel. He made a beeline for the imposing blonde woman dressed all in white at the station overlooking the circular room and saluted smartly. He didn't say anything as he waited to be acknowledged and was actually thankful she took her sweet time about it as he ran over the details of his plan for the umpteenth time.
White finally looked up from her panel.
"What is it?"
The moment her attention shifted, 9S's Pod crawled stealthily along the underside of the Commander's console. He could see directly through its lens via the neural link he had outfitted it with—a private connection that not even the operator team could tap into.
"I, uh, actually had something to report from our last mission."
"Proceed."
There was a panel in the way, the ventilation slots too narrow to slip a cable through, and 9S groaned internally. It was secured by an absurd number of minuscule screws and he hoped the Commander wouldn't be able to hear the nearly inaudible sound of metal against metal as the Pod began removing each with painstaking slowness.
"2B and I encountered several machine lifeforms we've never seen before."
"I don't recall seeing anything like that during my review of the video playback from the mission."
"Well, you see… uh… "
The ports now accessible, the Pod plugged in its cable. Now came the hard part: figuring out which of the myriad video feeds was sourced from 6O's room. It took an intense amount of processing power to essentially be in two places at once and 9S wasn't sure he was making any sense by this point.
"... And then I must have been hit so hard my optics were disconnected and my memory banks were wiped, and…"
On one of the screens located towards the front of the room, a single frame of static was the only indication that something was amiss.
Piercing blue eyes narrowed as 9S trailed off, his report incomprehensible and inconclusive. "... I'll have someone look into that. Dismissed."
The Support Unit grinned sheepishly as he saluted then turned tail and fled, his Pod having already returned to the supply satchel slung across his body.
'Good luck, 2B…!'
This corridor looked just like all the others in the Bunker, yet the sight of it sent 2B's systems into a frenzy. No, that wasn't quite right; what lay at the end of the narrow passageway was the source of the android's nervous anticipation. For one thing, she was breaking the rules by being here. For another…
2B opened the door to the office-turned-solitary confinement cell. The equipment had been removed and all that was left was a desk and chair in a bleak white room. And sitting at that desk was a blonde-haired android whose jaw went slack when she looked up and saw her visitor.
"2B!"
The way bright blue eyes shone made 2B's processor go into overdrive. The black veil that Operators typically wore was folded neatly and forgotten atop the desk, so 2B was able to see every bit of her lovely face. Her recorded renders didn't do 6O justice.
She struggled for a moment, manually forcing her processes to run at their normal rate before asking, "Are you okay?"
"Oh, uh, a little bored? But otherwise, I'm just peachy." 6O's puzzled frown was unexpectedly pleasing to the Type B unit. "What are you doing here?"
"I—" What was she doing here? Now that 2B had achieved what she had set out to do, see 6O, she was at a loss as to what the follow-up objective would be. "I'm not sure," she finished lamely.
It wasn't a lie, per se.
"Oh. I was sort of hoping Commander White had sent you to tell me my suspension had been lifted." 6O smiled sheepishly. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you."
It was strange, but hearing that made 2B… happy? It wasn't an emotion with which she was familiar, but it was the only way she could explain the warm flutter in the pit of her stomach. 2B crossed her arms and leaned against the wall next to the door. "Do you have any idea when the suspension will be lifted?"
"Nope. I don't think I've ever seen Commander White so upset before. It was kind of scary."
"You broke protocol," 2B said. "It's Commander White's duty to ensure compliance in order to benefit the greater good."
"The greater good…" 6O repeated. Then, she smiled a wry smile. "Yes, of course."
"I don't understand," 2B blurted out.
"Huh?"
"You knew the consequences of your actions, yet you pursued them anyway."
6O shrugged. "Because I wanted to make you happy."
"... Why?" 2B genuinely couldn't fathom a reason for 6O to put both her standing with Commander White and her very existence on the line. Especially for something so trivial as the release of manufactured serotonin.
"Why do humans age?" That wry smile softened and 6O stood from the desk. She crossed the room slowly, each step echoing in the small space as she continued, "Why do fires spark and burn? Or tectonic plates shift and cause earthquakes?" She stopped just short of the other android and, suddenly, 2B very much wanted 6O to kiss her again. Despite the combat visor, bright blue eyes seemed to be staring directly into hers. "2B?"
"What is it?" 2B's voice came out more quietly than intended—as though she was concerned on a subconscious level that a loud sound or sudden movement would break the tension that filled the space between them.
"Why are you really here?"
"…"
"..."
2B was the first to avert her gaze, much to her consternation.
"I wanted to see you."
The admission hung heavily in the air between them.
6O bit her lip, but was ultimately unable to stop herself from smiling broadly. "Oh."
2B gave the other android a wary look. That wasn't all she wanted… Almost as though reading her mind, dazzling blue eyes lingered on 2B's lips—just as they had that night. The Type B unit's systems detected the spike in her temperature and immediately flooded her systems with coolant, but that did little to calm her.
"... Hey, 6O?"
The blonde quickly looked away from 2B's mouth. "Y-yes?"
"Can I kiss you?"
There was an audible gasp in response to the question. "Please do..."
This time it was 2B who tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned in to kiss the other android. 6O's lips were even softer than she remembered and she lingered, trying to commit the feeling to memory. When the blonde pulled away, 2B almost protested, her mind a whirlwind as her processor tried to contend with all these new packets of data—feelings and responses that were unprecedented and disruptive of normal operations.
6O reached up and removed 2B's combat visor with gentle motions. The Type B unit didn't miss the way brilliant blue eyes roamed her features, drinking them in, and felt a strange mixture of satisfaction and self-consciousness. No one else had ever looked at her that way.
"I missed you," 6O whispered, resting her forehead against 2B's.
2B experienced that strange fluttering sensation in her lower abdomen again. "... Me, too."
As soon as she said it, 2B realized that that was why she had been feeling so out of sorts. It was so embarrassingly simple, borderline puerile, and she frowned. What in the world was happening to her?
2B was distracted from her fretting when 6O's lips met hers again. That single kiss turned into a series of kisses and 6O looped her arms around 2B's neck as their bodies pressed flush against each other. Normally the Type B unit wasn't one for physical contact, but this felt… right. Her cooling systems ramped up their efforts to combat her rising temperatures to no avail and that heat washed through her entire frame. She felt a stirring in her loins, a slick heat between her thighs, and she pulled away from 6O.
"Something's wrong."
6O flinched, releasing her grasp immediately. "Was that too much? I'm so—"
"No," 2B interrupted, gesturing down at herself. "My temperature regulation systems seem to be malfunctioning." 6O stared blankly until she elaborated, "I think I'm leaking coolant."
"What?!"
With a sigh, the white-haired android lifted the hem of her black dress and reached under the one-piece white undergarment beneath it, where she did in fact encounter fluid of some sort.
"2B!" 6O quickly snapped her eyes shut and then, as if that wasn't enough, covered them with her hands.
"What?" 2B asked, confused by the reaction.
"Wh-what in the world are you doing!?"
"Diagnosing the leak."
"Oh my gosh." 6O shook her head, hands still over her eyes. "I really don't think that's coolant."
2B removed her hand and let the hem of her dress fall back into place. She examined her finger, the pad of which was shiny in the light. "Then what is it?"
"A secondary function of all YoRHa androids is to repopulate humanity." 6O peeked cautiously between her fingers, uncovering her eyes when she saw 2B was properly dressed again. "As such, we were built anatomically correct in certain aspects."
That detail had been explained to all androids during their orientation after being brought online—or at least the ones with female structures. It was much easier to create what was essentially an incubator and fetal life support system than to recreate and properly store a semen alternative, apparently. There was an entire chapter of their manual dedicated to their reproductive parts that 2B had dismissed without reading, convinced that the function was an impractical one. Either way, now seemed like a strange time to refresh her on that particular facet of her design.
"And?"
"If my hypothesis is accurate, what you're experiencing is… arousal." 6O almost whispered the last part. "Oh my gosh. But then, that means—!"
Whatever it meant was lost in nervous, borderline hysterical rambling under 6O's breath.
2B frowned and wiped her hand on the hem of her dress. Sex was something she was aware of only in theory and most of what she understood included the aforementioned initiative to repopulate. "But there's no viable male specimen with which to produce an offspring."
6O fidgeted. "Some of the reference material I've read indicates that there are other motives for engaging in… s-sexual intercourse."
"Such as?"
The blonde mumbled something, gaze cast toward the floor, and her fidgeting grew worse. 2B wanted to shake her, just a little, but refrained.
"What did you say?"
"It feels good," 6O repeated, louder.
2B had never seen another android blush before, that particular physiological response being lower on the list of possible options due to its limited (read: non-existent) applications. 6O's embarrassment readings must have been off the charts.
Naturally, that piqued 2B's interest. "I can't imagine the reference materials you're referring to are YoRHa-sanctioned."
6O shook her head emphatically. As the pinkish hue spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, 2B was struck by how extremely cute it was. Her objective immediately became seeing more of it.
"What else did you read?"
Finally, 6O looked up and met 2B's gaze. She still seemed extremely uncomfortable, but there was something else the Type B unit couldn't identify smouldering in brilliant blue eyes. "It, um, would be easier if I… showed you?"
"..."
"..."
"Very well," 2B acquiesced.
"Seriously?!"
What was the big deal? The white-haired android watched, bemused, as 6O apparently tried to calm herself by pacing. None of what she was muttering—something about attraction and statistical absurdity—made any sense to the combat android. Besides, 2B was genuinely curious now.
"Are you going to show me or not?"
"Yes!"
Per 6O's instruction, 2B unbuttoned the clips that secured the leotard and perched on the edge of the desk, the hem of her dress around her hips. The surface actually felt cool against her skin—a testament to just how hot she was running. She supposed she had the android kneeling between her legs to blame for that. Contrary to her bashful reaction earlier, 6O was openly staring.
A full minute passed before 2B cleared her throat. "6O?"
The Operator seemed to snap out of a trance as she dragged her gaze upward to meet 2B's. "Mm?"
'Focus' didn't seem like the right thing to say here; if anything, 6O was too focused. 2B's auditory receptors picked up the almost imperceptible keening of overheating systems and she said instead, "You need to calm down."
"Sorry, it's just…"
"I told you to stop apologizing," she retorted, more out of habit than actual annoyance. 6O's apologetic ways were just part of her charm, apparently.
… Since when did 2B think of 6O as charming?
"Sor—" 6O bit her lip. "No, wait. What I mean to say is: You're gorgeous."
That superficial observation shouldn't have made her as happy as it did. "Thank you."
The blonde nodded and her gaze wandered, almost magnetically, back to the juncture of 2B's legs. She rested her hands on pale flesh, sliding the flats of her palms from knee to inner thigh, while 2B watched curiously, the ticklish sensation causing her to shiver.
2B wasn't sure what she expected when 6O leaned in, but the first contact of a warm tongue against her private flesh made her quiver. She reached up, hesitated, then ran her fingers through blonde hair. It was soft as silk against her palms and 6O made a quiet sound of approval. The stroking motion was awkward in its unfamiliarity, but 2B persisted as it seemed to encourage 6O to continue.
"Good" didn't even begin to cover how this felt and 2B bit her lip to muffle the involuntary sound that swelled in her vocal module. Every careful lick along her labia and the opening between them—and especially the sensitive spot near the top—made 2B feel weak in the knees. What's more, the inside began to feel strange; like there was something missing in that throbbing, wanting space.
And when 6O suddenly stopped, that lacking feeling intensified.
"A-am I doing it right?" The blonde android smiled sheepishly up at her. "I mean, not like you have anything to compare—"
"Be quiet," 2B growled, pushing her head back down. The Type B unit was no stranger to frustration, but this was on an entirely different level.
6O obediently returned to the task at hand and, this time, 2B wasn't able to stop the sounds that left her: husky, almost animal in nature, they filled the small room as 6O's tongue continued to work between slick folds. It had to have been fairly wet down there, just judging by the somewhat lewd sounds she was making. 2B wasn't even sure if that was normal, having never experienced arousal before, but 6O seemed unconcerned as she licked and slurped with gusto.
2B gasped, her hips rocking of their own volition when 6O's tongue dipped between her lower lips. It was like a bolt of electricity had zipped along her spinal column, the ache growing steadily more unbearable each time the muscle thrust shallowly into her entrance. She needed—
"More…" 2B had never heard that particular note in her own voice before and she blinked, taken aback. Beneath the authoritative ring of the demand was a silken purr of an invitation and 6O nearly tripped over herself in her haste to obey. "Mm…!"
Once again, the combat android's sensors were flooded with pleasure as 6O slipped slender digits past her entrance. She could feel the way her inner walls at first stretched to accommodate them, a truly incredible sensation, but then they clamped down tightly, almost as though attempting to draw 6O in deeper. When the blonde began thrusting her fingers, the way they rubbed and prodded 2B's insides produced glorious friction that made her toes curl.
"I'm…" 2B shivered violently, not entirely sure what she was trying to convey. It felt as though she was losing her mind in the face of this exquisite torture.
6O seemed to understand because she redoubled her efforts: lashing her tongue against the sensitive structure at the top of her slit. Though small, it was made entirely of hypersensitive receptors that sent waves of pleasure sweeping through her—doubly so when 6O curved her fingers against a spot deep within that made her cry out hoarsely.
All at once, 2B felt weightless and a heady, full-bodied tingle spread through her frame. Her optics actually went offline briefly, her mainframe overloaded by paroxysms of ecstasy. When her processor finally managed to sort itself out, a single thought surfaced above the haze: That was sex? It was a wonder humanity hadn't simply collapsed under the weight of overpopulation long before the near-extinction event.
6O looked awestruck as she pulled her fingers free, and 2B stirred. "I believe you just experienced an orgasm… How was it?"
By way of response, the Type B unit grabbed 6O by the front of her sleeveless black jumper and pulled her into a standing position. A yelp of surprise melted into a moan of approval as their lips met and, acting on instinct, lips parted to allow tongues to dance. 2B could taste something faintly bitter as she kissed 6O, her hands finding purchase on slender hips and bringing the other android flush against her. When at last they separated, both androids were flushed.
"2B?"
"Mm?"
6O smiled coyly. "Do you… Desire me?"
2B's immediate impulse was to put her answer in the bluntest terms possible, but she caught herself. 6O required a gentler touch. Instead, the combat android took 6O's hands in hers and kissed their palms. A subtly sweet scent registered in her olfactory sensors and it was then that she remembered where those hands had been. While the blonde looked on, eyes wide, 2B licked her own arousal from delicate fingers.
Her task completed 2B leaned in, her lips brushing against the shell of 6O's ear as she murmured, "I do. Very much."
A shudder travelled the length of 6O's lithe frame and that was all the warning 2B got before the blonde pounced on her. 2B caught her easily, but in her haste to reposition herself, the combat android ripped the hutch right off of the top of the desk with the jagged screech of severed metal.
6O giggled, the delighted sound muffled by 2B's lips as she drew the blonde down on top of her. She reached between thighs covered in a thin layer of semi-opaque black lace, her eyes widened when she realized the blonde wasn't wearing anything underneath… and that the fabric between her legs was drenched.
It took a bit of fumbling, their lips still locked and 6O squirming and shivering beneath her touch, but 2B managed to find the blonde's entrance. The velvet heat that enveloped her fingers was quite pleasant, but even more so were the sounds that 6O made. The throaty, almost melodic moans guided 2B to the places that made her partner quiver and buck.
"2B…" 6O mewled, grabbing at the combat android's shoulders in an attempt to ground herself against the onslaught of pleasure.
2B zeroed in on that spot, driven by the desire to hear the blonde say her name like that again, and 6O arched nearly in half. Doing so presented the pale column of her neck and 2B was struck with the bizarre impulse to bite—an urge that she obeyed in the heat of the moment; a hot current of possessiveness went through the combat android when doing so left a visible mark. She recognized the exact moment when orgasm swept through 6O, the spasmodic twitching of her sex around long fingers and the way she shouted 2B's name a dead giveaway.
…
In the lull that followed, 2B felt really and truly content. More than that, she felt… happy. 6O, the source of that effervescent, warm feeling, snuggled into her embrace and 2B tightened her arms around that slender frame as she brushed her lips against the blonde's temple. At this very moment, 2B understood why 6O had been so determined to make her happy with that little stunt she had pulled.
"6O, I—" The combat android started when a loud sound blared in her ears: the reminder she had set for herself earlier. 9S had warned her that she had a limited window of time before YoRHa's complex and intelligent surveillance system found a way around his gambit. 2B had completely forgotten about it until just now. "I have to go."
6O didn't even try to hide her disappointment as she watched the Type B unit gather herself. "Right…"
"I'll be back," 2B promised, not even stopping to consider how she would go about making that a reality. She was going to owe 9S a debt of gratitude, that much was certain. 2B kissed 6O firmly, a peculiar pressure building in her chest at the thought of leaving the blonde android behind.
"I'll hold you to that," 6O said, blue eyes shiny. She quickly turned away, but 2B didn't miss the tear that streaked down her cheek.
2B balled her hands into fists, exercising a huge amount of willpower to simply leave the room rather than stay and comfort 6O. When she was standing safely on the other side of the office door, she sighed deeply. Had the Bunker always been so dreary?
With one last glance over her shoulder, 2B summoned her Pod and contacted 9S to arrange for a flight to Earth. There, they could discuss their next covert mission without being observed by YoRHa's many ears and eyes. One way or another 2B would be visiting 6O every day until her suspension was lifted—and just as soon as it did, they'd go back to her private quarters where they'd have unrestricted access to each other.
—End—
Note: Next time Commander White is getting paired with someone! For real real : Thanks for those who stuck around from the beginning of this series. Until next time.
—Distraction