Divine Singularity || Reader x Murder Drones

II

"What are you thinking about?"

You jolted, barely suppressing the flicker of your optics as Tessa's voice yanked you from your spiraling thoughts. She was leaning in close, her brows raised in curiosity, scanning your expression as though she could pry the answer straight from your mind. She looked surprised as you jumped in place. You'd never been startled by her before, after all.

You hesitated for a beat too long, adjusting your grip on the strap of the bag slung over your shoulder.

"It's... nothing. It's nothing, Tessa."

A lie.

You were thinking about Cyn.

About the way her fingers had laced with yours in the garden, the way her voice had softened, low and almost... gentle. You were thinking about how she had comforted you—Cyn, of all people—whispering reassurances into the night, stroking your hand as if she actually cared.

You were thinking about how you let her.

It was absurd. It made no sense. Cyn was nothing but a problem—she was the embodiment of everything you opposed. And yet, when she had lulled you to sleep, humming in that eerie, almost melodic way of hers, you hadn't wanted to pull away.

It felt nice.

And that was the most unsettling part.

Because now, you didn't know where you stood with her. She was your rival, your tormentor, your constant headache—and yet last night, she had been something else entirely. Something closer.

And then there was the whole ordeal with the finger in your mouth, which you were actively trying not to think about.

Tessa hummed, unconvinced but deciding to let it go. "Alright, if you say so."

The two of you continued picking through the scrapyard, wandering between heaps of discarded metal and broken drone husks. The sky was overcast, casting a dull, gray light over the twisted remnants of artificial life. The occasional gust of wind rattled through the junk, creating an eerie, hollow symphony.

Tessa approached a collapsed pile of drone parts and dug her hands into it, metal scraping against metal as she rummaged around. After a few seconds, she triumphantly pulled out a pair of arms, the joints still intact and in relatively good condition. She shoved them into the bag you were carrying without a second thought.

"Any particular part we're looking for?" you asked, adjusting the weight of the bag.

"Not really. Just collecting spares in case of an emergency." Tessa paused, frowning slightly. "Though, I guess we do need another shoulder socket for Cyn. She's been complaining her arm hasn't been moving right."

You exhaled sharply through your vents. "Has she ever moved right?"

Tessa snorted. "A bit mean to say, but you're not wrong. I've tried god knows how many times to fix her, but it just never seems to do the trick. In all honesty, I'm starting to get a bit worried about her."

You didn't reply, instead glancing down to stare at the ground. Of course, it had to be for Cyn. You were still trying to process the fact that she had actual grievances beyond plotting universal consumption and messing with you at every opportunity. The idea of her dealing with something as mundane as a faulty joint almost felt... surreal.

Still, the image of her staring at the lilies in the garden, reverent and nostalgic, flashed unbidden in your mind.

Maybe she had always been surreal.

Maybe that was the problem.

"I've found the shoulder socket for the defect," a third voice called from behind, sharp and matter-of-fact.