"Say, Rabbit?"
"Y-y-y-yeah, Th'Spine?"
"Do you ever wonder what love is?"
The Rabbit looked over at her silver sibling as his emerald optics watched a young couple flirt and play with each other. There was something in his eyes that she had seen before and she arched her eyebrow in confusion. Knowing that they were automatons, there was only so much that they were capable of. Feelings were one of them; even Rabbit had questioned them (at the time himself) when they crafted 'Brass Goggles'. Why did living things need feelings?
"L-l-l-l-love? It-it's an emotion, silly."
Of course. Emotions. While they weren't human, Rabbit liked to believe that they could be emotional based on the programming Pappy had given them. Yet never before had they felt the embrace of someone close to them in a romantic nature. They were bots – a rare few had approached them (mostly Rabbit) regarding love. Granted, their family loved them dearly, but it wasn't the same.
"I understand that," The Spine spoke, his optics subtly watching the couple as they kissed each other.
"But...what is it exactly? What does it do? How does it change someone and why?"
Usually, Rabbit was the one asking all the questions with The Spine taking on the authoritative position of answering them. He was always the wise one. When it came to something as love, something he only read in books and seen in movies, he was absolutely clueless.
"Th'Spineeeeeeeee," Rabbit chided in a sing song tone. "Do y-y-ya have a girl?"
"What?!" The reaction caught him off guard, quickly shifting his view to his sister who knelt on the bench while leaning in incredibly close to him. Leaning back as far as he could, The Spine found himself nearly falling off the bench at her widened grin.
"No! No, I don't I was just-"
"Uh huh, suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure. S-s-so who is she?"
"Rabbit, I'm being serious, there is no woman involved in my life."
"A man then?"
"No!"
"....a toaster?"
"Rabbit, you're being-" The Spine knew Rabbit was being ridiculous, but that was who she was and sighing to himself, a wreath of steam expelled from his face vents. His body calmed and his namesake shimmered in the afternoon sun as he hunched over, optics to the dirt beaten path.
"I just don't understand it. How does love even begin? Is it something within the heart? I remember Pappy once told me it was a chemical reaction, but," his eyes fell upon the couple once more who walked hand in hand into the park's winding trees and trails, their smiles as bright as a supernova. "I believe there has to be more to it, Rabbit."
Pulling away from The Spine, Rabbit noticed his serious and low tone, signifying that he was deep in thought. He often obtained these mannerisms when questioning things, especially the customs of humans. Rabbit accepted their customs and understood that while she could perform some of them, that she would never be a human. Sometimes when The Spine spoke, she swore he wanted humanity more than his silvery chassis. She knew that also had to be on his mind.
"Pappy once t-t-t-told me s-s-s-somethin too, ya know."
"Hm?"
"H-h-h-he said humans had different types of l-l-love."
"Different types?"
"Yeah! F-f-f-for lovers, i-it's romantic. For friends it's p-p-p-platonic. Siblings have b-b-b-brotherly 'n sisterly love. Pappy's love with Ma was r-r-r-r-ro-"
