Love in the Kill Zone (V x Male Reader)

Chapter 4: Dangerous Experiments

The Worker Drone quarters were still, save for the faint hum of the charging stations lining the walls. Y/N sat quietly in his alcove, his circuits buzzing with anticipation. The feeling of autonomy that V had experienced with the override code—the lightness, the strange sense of freedom—had intrigued him more than he'd admitted at the time. He hadn't felt it himself, but he could almost imagine it, a door opening to something beyond the mechanical routines that defined his existence.

They'd come close with V's override, just for a moment, before her system began to glitch. But if there was even a chance that this code could break through the constraints of their programming, he wanted to know what it felt like. He wanted to feel it for himself.

He glanced at the faint light outside the window. Night was falling. He knew V would be waiting for him at the factory, just as they'd planned.

By the time Y/N arrived at the factory, the sky over Copper 9 was dark, lit only by the pale glow of distant stars. V was already there, leaning against a rusted wall with an unreadable expression as she waited. She straightened when she saw him approach, her yellow eyes sharp as she scanned his face.

Y/N took a steadying breath, trying to ignore the hum of nerves buzzing through his circuits. "V," he began slowly, "I... I want to try the override code on myself."

For a moment, her gaze flickered, unreadable. "You want to put yourself through that?" she replied, a hint of concern breaking through her usually calm demeanor. "Y/N, you saw what happened last time—it almost fried my system. And we had no way of knowing if we could reverse it."

"I know." He looked at her steadily. "But that feeling, that freedom you described—I think there's something important in it. Something we're meant to find."

She crossed her arms, studying him carefully. "You're really serious about this."

Y/N nodded, feeling his circuits pulse with determination. "I am. I felt... I felt so close to something real when I saw it work for you, even if just for a moment. If it worked on me too, maybe together we can find a way to stabilize it. To stop the glitches."

She hesitated, her gaze drifting as she considered his words. For a few moments, she said nothing, and he could sense the wariness in her stance. Y/N held his ground, waiting, until finally, she let out a breath.

"All right," she murmured, her eyes narrowing with a mix of worry and anticipation. "You're sure you're ready for this?"

they moved into a secluded corner of the factory, away from the patrolling surveillance drones, and Y/N took a deep breath. He pulled out the device he'd used to input the code on V and held it tightly, his circuits humming as he braced himself for whatever might happen. V watched him, her expression a blend of caution and curiosity.

With a final glance at her, Y/N activated the override.

At first, there was nothing—just a low, static hum. But then, all at once, something shifted inside him. A rush of unfamiliar feelings flooded his circuits, a warmth that seemed to reach into parts of him he hadn't even realized existed. For a few, dizzying moments, he felt alive in a way he never had before. There was no code directing his thoughts, no protocols guiding his actions. Just... freedom.

He laughed, startled by the sound, and glanced at V, who was watching him with wide eyes. "This is... it's amazing," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

But just as quickly, the warmth started to fade. His circuits began to glitch, his vision flickering as his processor struggled to keep up. A surge of heat crackled through his frame, and he felt himself slipping, his body jerking as the override began to destabilize.