Glory to Mankind (Nier Automata) ch 39

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The camp was abuzz, whispers exchanged under dark hoods and fast lips. Before, they would have gotten some curious stares, YoRHa androids were still a novelty after all but now, they were practically invisible. 9S and 2B had returned from an escort mission, and in it, had enough materials to get their weapons upgraded. 9S glanced around, his curiosity piqued by the unusual energy in the air.

"What do you think's going on?" 9S whispered to his partner. 

"I don't know," 2B replied. "But it hardly concerns us." 

"Yeah, well, now I'm curious," 9S drawled as he turned to a nearby soldier, a man adjusting a strap on his rifle.

"What's going on?" 9S asked, tilting his head.

The soldier paused, his goggles blinking in the light. A bead of sweat ran down his head, the day was abnormally hotter than usual. "The brass just had a massive meeting. Everyone's talking about it."

What poor operational security, 2B thought with distaste

"A meeting?" 9S interjected, intrigue on his boyish face. "What sort of meeting?"

"That's what we're speculating," the soldier explained. "All we know from the grapevine is that there was movement. You know the old saying, the top moves, the bottom takes."

"There is no such saying," 2B added tersely. 

"Whatever, YoRHa," The soldier shrugged and walked off, unbothered by her criticism.

 9S watched him go before turning to 2B, his excitement evident. "That's pretty exciting, though. If the brass were all meeting, that must mean there's a new agenda coming. Something big."

2B nodded, saying nothing. Her face remained stoic, but inside, a familiar unease gnawed at her. What had the brass talked about? What decisions were being made? The pit of anxiety in her stomach grew heavier with each passing moment.

Then, she glanced up, her face still. "Whatever is being talked, it does not concern us. We follow our orders, 9S." 

"Of course, I mean, we're soldiers. That's what we do," 9S laughed as he turned away. He relaxed, lazily stretching as he walked. 2B stood still and silent, the sun beaming against her face. 

"Good soldiers follow orders," she whispered. 

"Hm?" 9S paused, glancing back. 

"Nothing," 2B insisted. "Let's go." 

9S watched as 2B moved on, her Pod quietly trailing behind her. Worry filled him as the woman he loved had an aura of uncertainty and fear cling to her. Ever since they became partners in that sense, he had developed a system of tells for 2B. She was normally stoic, and there was more emotion to be found in a graveyard but he understood her. 

It worried him. 

He glanced to his own Pod which floated gently next to him. "Pod, is there anything on the waves right now?" 9S asked. 

"There is no greater traffic than usual," Pod 153 replied. 

"Right," 9S drawled, turning ahead to where 2B was walking, then ran after her. They continued along, upgrading their weapons for peak performance. Truly, human science was the best in the world. As they watched the merchant work, 9S stole glances towards 2B. She was quiet. Quieter than usual. 

His worry increased. 

​"Here you go," the massive man said, handing them their tools. They did not look any different than usual but if looks could kill, 9S would be dead twenty times over. 

"2B, look!" he chuckled as he hefted Cruel Oath in his hand, the blade catching the sun as he gave it an experimental swing. "This thing is so smooth now! Watch this!"

He stepped back, twirling the sword in an elaborate pattern, his moves fast and flashy. With a flourish, he flipped the weapon over his shoulder and caught it in a reverse grip, grinning as if awaiting praise.

2B, arms folded, stood silently for a moment before speaking. "Stop that."

His grin faltered. "What? Why? That was cool!"

"It's wasteful," she said flatly. "Flashy moves like that have no place in battle. Focus on precision, not theatrics."

9S winced, his shoulders slumping a little. "I thought I was just doing what you do," he muttered, looking down at the blade in his hand.

"You're a Scanner model," 2B said firmly. "You're not built for combat. Don't try to be something you're not."

Before 9S could respond, the weapons merchant cleared his throat. "Now, we love passion and all. But take your passion somewhere else. My shop ain't a counsellor's table." 

2B's head snapped to him, her expression icy. Without a word, she turned and walked off.

"Wait-2B!" 9S called after her, hurrying to catch up. She didn't stop. He followed her as she continued deeper into the camp, her path random, senseless. Biting his lip, 9S ran after her finally, catching up. 

"2B?" 9S asked hesitantly. She didn't respond. Her figure was rigid, her hands clenched at her sides. 

He approached cautiously, his voice softer. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," 2B insisted. 

"Warning: Unit 2B is experiencing a spike in cortisol levels. Recommendation: undertake activities that lower cortisol," Pod 042 supplied. 2B's head snapped towards Pod 042 as if he was a traitor. 

"Pod," 2B warned, annoyance leaking. 

"This unit was assigned to support Unit 2B. There was no verbal order from Unit 2B prohibiting this pod from reporting her physical state," Pod 042 deflected. 

​2B frowned. 

9S chuckled softly. 042 had a wonderful talent in getting under anyone's skin. But now was not that time for that. "Pods, would you mind giving 2B and I some space for a bit? I wanna talk with 2B about something." 

2B shook her head. "Unnecessary. I just needed to wander," she clarified. 

9S tilted his head, studying her. "That's so out of character for you," he replied. "For you to do something like that, something really is bothering you. Come on, 2B. Just talk to me."

2B glanced at him sharply, as if ready to deny it. 

He stepped closer, his tone firmer yet warm. "I'm your partner, right? My job is to support you. If I can't do that, then I'm a poor one. Let me help."

All her instincts screamed at her to bury it. This was what she knew. But...his voice, his concern for her. She needed him. Slowly, she gave him a small, reluctant nod.

"042, leave us," 2B ordered.

"Acknowledged," Pod 042 replied. Pod 153, floating near 9S, acknowledged his command as well. Both Pods drifted silently out of earshot, leaving the two YoRHa units alone. Silence dominated the air, the wind shifting slightly, and the sun poring in through the cracks in the buildings. 9S made the first move, walking down, then sitting right before a container, his back supported against the wall. Gently, he tapped the ground next to him. 2B watched him, then sat down next, her face stoic but her stomach doing somersaults and backflips. 

"What's bothering you?" 9S asked, his voce gentle and understanding. 

"I..." 2B began, the words dying in her throat. How could she explain what she felt? How could she tell him that she was worried about the future? The brass could be talking about anything, her mind told her. But ever since that human pilot stumbled upon A2, her anxiety only bubbled. What if he made inquiries? What if an investigation was being launched? What if the truth was unveiled? What was she going to do? What was going to happen to her? What was going to happen to them? 

She was going to lose him. She was going to lose this. She was going to lose it. She so desperately wanted to tell him. But...how could she?

How could she tell 9S that she had killed him, over and over again? 

​Suddenly, she felt warm. 

​"9S?" she whispered, suddenly finding her voice hoarse. 

"You're crying," 9S whispered. 

Oh.

​It was there 2B realized that her chest hurt, and her face was both wet and warm. She was crying. Crying. Crying....

Crying. 

The feelings inside of her exploded. It was like someone had broken a dam. It flowed freely. 2B sobbed, clutching 9S as if he was going to be gone, and there was a real chance he was going to be. 9S's eyes widened as 2B clutched him like a lifeline. His heart went down into the deepest pits. Surprise filled him, and sorrow, for something was bothering 2B and he hadn't known sooner. He wrapped his hands around her, holding her close to him, letting her know that he was with her, and that she wasn't going to be left alone. 

He said nothing, his presence meant more than what words ever could. 2B continued to cry, his shoulder was wet with her tears. She sobbed quietly, until finally her sobs turned into quiet whimpers. 

"Better?" 9S whispered. 

2B glanced up, and nodded. 

9S offered her a soft smile, the one that always seemed to carry warmth no matter how bleak things became. "Good. I'm here for you, okay? Whatever it is...we'll figure it out together."

2B pulled back slightly, her arms still loosely wrapped around him. 

"Why don't we take off our blindfolds?" he suggested. 

"...What?" 2B trailed. 

"I mean, it's not as if we're going to be fighting any machines anytime soon," 9S joked. "And...I want us to look at each other without them. Please?" 

2B hesitated, her hand instinctively brushing against the edge of her blindfold. Taking it off felt...wrong. It was protection, security. Without it, she felt exposed. But then her eyes drifted to 9S, his expression soft and filled with that same warmth he always carried for her. He'd taken his off first, revealing his bright, curious eyes, filled with a sincerity that made her heart ache.

She swallowed hard. "9S, that's...against protocol."

He gave her a playful, lopsided grin. "When has protocol ever stopped us from doing what we wanted?"

It was such a 9S thing to say. She sighed, her fingers lightly gripping the edge of her blindfold. Slowly, she pulled it off. The world around her felt sharper, more vivid, the sunlight streaming through the cracks in the walls almost blinding for a moment. And then, there were his eyes. They were staring at her, wide and filled with awe, like she was something out of a dream.

9S breathed out. 

2B blinked, startled. "What?

"It's like..." He admired. "It's like someone stole the stars in space and put them in your eyes."

Her breath caught. She wasn't used to compliments, especially ones so earnest and unfiltered. For a moment, she didn't know how to respond. A small, reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but it was fleeting, quickly replaced by the weight of her earlier thoughts. Her gaze dropped, the smile fading as quickly as it had come.

9S noticed the shift immediately. His smile faltered. "2B..." he said softly. "You're still upset. What's wrong?"

She hesitated, her hands clenching in her lap. She wanted to brush him off, to tell him it was nothing. But she couldn't lie to him. Not now. Not after everything. Her voice was barely above a whisper when she finally spoke.

"I'm...afraid," she whispered.

He leaned closer, his brows furrowing with concern. "Afraid? Of what?"

She shook her head, her hair falling into her face. "Of everything. Of this. Of...losing you."

"Losing me?" His voice cracked slightly with surprise. "2B, I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

She looked up at him. "The meeting," she whispered. "I am afraid of what they are talking about." 

She lied. She lied to him, again. She wanted to tell him the truth but the words felt like they were stuck in her throat. How could she explain the truth without shattering everything between them? That she had killed him before, over and over, in countless cycles? It hurt her to lie. It hurt her to see 9S believed her lie. 

"We have back-ups in the Bunker, 2B," 9S gently reminded her. 

Her heart ached at his words. He believed her. He believed her. He loved her. She loved him. But the truth would destroy them. The truth should not come out. It must never come out. But he deserved to know. He did not deserve a liar. But she could not say it. But she couldn't bring herself to say it. Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. "I just...don't want to lose you," she whispered.

He turned his hand over, gently clasping hers. "You won't," he promised. "No matter what happens, I'm staying right here. With you."

She looked at him, her chest tightening as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "You can't promise that."

"Yes, I can," he said firmly, his hand squeezing hers. "I don't care what's coming, 2B. We'll face it together. That's what partners do, right?"

She wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe that no matter what happened, they could face it together. For now, though, she let herself lean into his warmth, her hand still clasped in his. For now, she let herself believe in his promise, even if it was a fragile, fleeting thing. For now, she let herself hope. 

She leaned into him, hugging him close. 

She prayed.

​She prayed that the truth would not come out. She prayed that they would stay like this. She prayed that she would not lose him. 

Not again. 

Please. 

Please.

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A/N: Updoot. 

I am sorry 2B, 9S. Suffering builds character. And your canon event cannot be stopped. 

As for me, I too am suffering. But all your kinds words have cheered me up. Thank you, my friends. Thank you so much.