Blank Slates

Chapter 19

"What do you think you're doing?" Kairo demanded as soon as the two of them had stepped outside the infirmary ward, his tone more annoyed than angry. He leaned against the wall near the door, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean, huh?" Yves returned, jutting her chin out and staring up at him defiantly. "Can't I just talk and have a nice conversation with her?"

"Sure, whatever, but why'd you have to give her an actual name?"

Yves squinted at him, her head tilting slightly. "Well, what's wrong with that?"

"What if we have to get rid of her? Like the other one?" he countered, referring to the blond Blank girl who had been deemed useless.

"She was taken for a reason, so I highly doubt we'd have to just kill her off."

"Regardless, I don't typically go around naming Blanks."

"Why, because it humanizes them?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yves, don't start—"

"No, you don't start," she snapped, jabbing a finger at him. "You dish out nicknames all the time, so how is this any different?"

"It's not like any of them are serious."

"Well, I could argue that mine isn't serious either."

He sighed, looking at her seriously. "Listen. If the rare occasion arises where she joins us, then she can get a permanent name. If not, she won't get one. That's just my rules."

She blinked rapidly. "Okay? And why did you decide it had to be that way?"

"Because that's what makes us different from them, okay? They try to strip us of any identity we may have and force us to all fit in the same mold and I absolutely refuse to be like them in any way. To me, having names is one thing that makes us different from the rest of them...a clear sign of us as actual people, not just faceless units."

Yves scoffed. "Sounds like a personal issue. I don't care."

"But I do. She's not like us, and she's not one of us," he spoke curtly.

"But can't you see she's different? I know it's rare for someone to show divergence at this age, but even from my short conversation from her, I can tell she's not fully on the side of the government."

"She still hates and fears us though."

Yves shrugged. "Maybe we can change that then."

"I don't think that's gonna work."

"We can at least try!"

Kairo groaned. "Just let me deal with the Blanks myself, like I always do, okay? It's not good to get so personally invested in things like this, and that's exactly what you're doing right now. The more detached, the better. I may pretend that I care, but it's all just part of the act."

"Fine, fine, if it means so much to you, I won't mess with your system. Geez."

He sighed, rubbing his fingers against his temple. "Look, I'm sorry I lashed out like that. I know you only mean the best, but please understand that there's reason behind my madness."

She tilted her head, her gaze softening. "Alright, fine, if that's what you want. But don't I have a point?"

"Maybe," he returned, not wanting to fully concede.

Yves snorted, rolling her eyes playfully. "I guess that's the best I'll get."

He chuckled. "How are you doing, by the way? I just realized I never asked."