For the meaning of love

Chapter 4: I have questions

It didn't take long for Benedict to get sent off to find a replacement gear for my leg, but I had to fix the engine for his motorbike. The only true plus side was now the temporary trainee was gone and I could have my regular room to work in.

I was enjoying the sound of the metal gently grinding as I tightened the nuts for the engine. I hadn't been working on it very long when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in."

I turned to see Violet calmly entering the room.

"Y/n, you said a last night that you would answer any questions I had. Does that offer still stand?"

She seemed to be unsure of something, or she might have also caught off guard that I was working on the engine to Benedict's motorbike in the middle of my room.

"Sure, what are your question?" I asked while turning back towards the enigine.

"Am I interrupting your work?"

"No, I work better when I have company, come sit and ask your questions."

She came and sat down but she was all tense like she were speaking to someone in charge of her.

"You can relax you know."

"I am relaxed." She said in her usual monotone way.

"If you say so."

"You faught in the war as well as repaired things correct?" I nodded my head at the question. "What was your rank?"

"Corporal."

"So you weren't an officer?" She seemed genuinely surprised.

"No my father was. Most of the people in charge dont even know I exist."

She was silent for a moment like her next question might bother me.

"Do you mind if I ask how you lost your leg?" Violet asked softly. "Last time I saw you you had both still."

"It was from an accident with a machine I was working on."

~flashback~

"I said fix it!" A man yelled as he hit me in the jaw with the butt of his rifle.

I looked at the giant gears attempting to move but there was an iron rod I had jammed in them to prevent them from moving.

"Dont make me repeat myself." The man warned while holding his rifle up again.

This time I dodged his attempt to hit me and he lost his footing. As he began to fall he grabbed a hold of the closest thing her could think of. Which just so happened to be me.

The weight of his body knocked the iron rod loose and the gears quickly began to consume his body as his hands held on for dear life to my leg.

It only took a few second before I began to feel bones quickly shatter in various places of my leg as it tangled in the gears. Thankfully the gears stopped about mid thigh after being gummed but by the man, but that didn't stop me from screaming out in pain as my vision quickly began to fog over.

~End flashback~

I felt my hand shaking uncontrollably and I quickly grabbed it with my other hand to attempt to hide it.

"One minute it was there then one mistake and it was gone."

She patiently waited like she expected me to tell her more. When she realized I wasn't going to go into detail she asked her next question.

"Did your father make your leg like he did my arms?"

"He made the first one." I responded while tightening a loose bolt.

"So who made your current one?"

I froze when I realized I hadn't thought my previous answer through before actually speaking.

I glanced over at her. This girl picked up more information from a single statement than most people could an entire conversation.

"I did." I responded while trying not to choke on my words.

"I noticed the design is a very similar to my arms. Did you make them?"

I choked on air with that question. I had to take my time to make sure I didn't say anything I shouldn't again

"They already told you who made them. Besides yours are made of adamant silver, while mine are made of steel and copper."

She just silently stared at me with this expression I couldn't read.

"Doesn't steel rust over time?"

"Sometimes." I answered honestly. "The maintenance needed helps keep me busy when I have down time."

Once again she sat silently and just as I finished fixing the engine I turned to face her again.

She softly tilted her head as if she thought she missed me asking something.

"Do you have any other questions?"

Immediately a soft blush dusted her cheeks like she was embarrassed to ask her next question.

"Do you ever have issues with your leg being clumsy?"

Clumsy? That shouldn't be an issue for her.

"Do you have issues like that?"

"I do."

I quickly grabbed my tools and hobbled over to her.

"They may not have the right tension levels." I held my hand out for her arm. "I will show you how to adjust them real quick."

I carefully tightened the joints while explaining to her how to do so herself.

"See how that feels."

She opened and closed her hands a few times before nodding.

"Thank you." She stated softly. "I do have one more question."

"Go ahead."

"What did you mean by you cant ask your father for better parts?"

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. Of course it had to be this question.

"I never left the military I am just on medical leave. I cant for a few years because of my father signing a contract for me." I felt anger bubbling in my gut as I thought about him. "As soon as I ask him for anything I risk being taken off leave and going back to working with him."

"Would that be bad?"

"Dont get me wrong I love building things, but militaries don't normally go for machines that help people. They all want the best weapons."

I immediately realized that was something I shouldn't have said infront of her. How could I have so easily forgotten that she was raised to be a tool of destruction? Hodgins told me to be weary about that.

While she didnt see distressed by the comment I could tell it was making her think about something.

"I'm sorry." I muttered as I turned my attention back to the engine.

Violet remained silent and I couldn't think of anything to make the situation less awkward.

Thankfully someone knocked on the door to break the silence.

"Come in."

Benedict slowly opened the door holding the gear I needed for my leg.

"Am I interrupting?"

"No, the engine should work now. I was just answering some questions but I think we are good to go."