3A/N: This entire fic is dedicated to my dear friend, TTY7 for her birthday! Happy birthday and may you always be healthy and happy! I would also like to thank her for her great help in the creation of this story! You are awesome!
It had been a very long time since stars had graced the Earth's sky, longer than he had existed, but 9S couldn't help but wonder if nights were as cold as the momentary imbalance in the heat system in his body while he was falling from the Bunker to Earth, in his flight unit. The sensation was barely a moment, given how he was built to endure even the coldness of space itself for a certain amount of time, and Earth's climate was temperate. Even in the desert, he had never felt overly hot or overly cold.
And right now, he really wished he hadn't found out.
A battle with a particularly nasty pack of biped machines had left him with severe damage to the right side of his body, taking out a good chunk of his tubing rendering him all but useless for the remainder of the battle. He watched as the coolant mixed with the oil keeping his body running on the ground beneath him, barely able to close his eyes as the machine raised its hand to bring it down on his head.
"9S!"
"2B… run…"
"This is why you should just stick to hacking."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Ignoring the advice of your designated Operator is against protocol. Please be more careful as to not waste any more resources allotted to the mission."
"Wow, thank a lot."
"Operator 21O, logging out."
Thankfully, after he had passed out, 2B did quick work of the machines gathered around and transferred him to their temporary camp, requesting repairing supplies from the pods and performing the emergency repairs, finishing up just as the earful he got from 21O ended.
"Does he need to be relocated to the Bunker?"
"Negative. Repairs are sufficient to complete the mission. The heating system will need some time to properly start regulating his temperature however, so refraining from all strenuous activities for the time being is recommended."
"Hm. I see." 2B's slight frown told him all he needed to know. Lighting a fire was out of the question- their location would be given away pretty fast. "We could share body heat, if I raise my own temperature enough."
9S had experienced exactly zero short-circuit situations in his life, but he could confidently say that this was one of them, as 2B approached him and prepared to sit next to him.
"N-no! No! No need! I am fine! Perfectly fine! No need!" he yelled before even realizing what he was saying, standing up and doing several squats as fast as he could. "I am well! Healthy as a new model! I will keep warm through exercise! Yes! Exercise! Exercise is good for the heart!"
"You don't have a heart."
"It just gets my oil pumping so hard!"
"It does. It is recommended you cease immediately." Pod 153 cut in, with the tone of voice that it generally reserved for telling him to stop trying to eat the fish. "Your body temperature is currently unregulated and the repairs can't keep up with this kind of fast activity."
"9S, stop this immediately!"
Having switched to push-ups, 9S was not listening. Not because he didn't want to listen, mind you, but because he had already burst several critical systems and was unable to actually compute the sound input… or, as a matter of fact, discontinue his actions.
Oh bother. I sure wish I had created a backup earlier.
That was his last thought, before his central system finally gave in and exploded.
2B watched expressionless, more than a little unimpressed, as 9S's unit abruptly stopped its movements and began spasming violently.
"Pod, contact the Bunker. Inform them to prepare a new unit for 9S."
"Affirmative."
"Make sure to inform Operator 21O about the specific circumstances of this as well."
Pod 153 hesitated for a second. "That seems excessive."
"Do it. It seems a lesson in consequences is in order."
A/N: As I said,above, this fic is dedicated to TTY7, for her birthday. She is a very talented writer, well worth enjoying! Here is one of my personal favourites! Enjoy! And happy birthday buddy!
Nier Automata: Vague Hope
Soldiers take pride in their service, friends take pride in keeping their promises, and lovers take pride in being what the other can't live without, but for YoRHa Unit 9S, 2B's trust was his badge of honor, more so than any number of accolades he had ever received. (A 2B/9S short-story exploring the possible progression of their relationship.)
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