FLAWED // Ralph X Reader

pine

21k reads. you're all too amazing for just any word to describe, so I wrote you 710.
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It's my favorite time of day when sun is low on the horizon, casting a low burning light, throwing a black shadow on rolling hills. I look out of the window, watching the grass shift and the outline of snow covered pine trees. The early moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow. It was winter, the trees thin and bare, but the pines still had the healthy burst of green.

My grandma had a tree in her yard, and during the winter the browned leaves would hang onto the branches and then turn green again when the months became warmer. I felt like that tree, still holding tightly to pieces of my past.

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A android ran out of a room, her face contorted in panic.

"Rose! Come quickly!", she gasped out, running back into the room. Rose sat up from her chair, rushing towards the room, you and Kara following.

Ralph looked worried, albeit a bit confused. Though, stayed put, rubbing his damaged arms.

The room was small, a washer and dryer stacked up against the wall. A large, white curtain covered half the room, and it was quickly pulled back.

"What's going on?", Rose said softly, sliding through the curtain.

A few androids looked up at her, except for one, who was looking down at a limp girl in his arms. He looked... so broken.

"It's Mary... she just shut down", a voice called, his face contorted into an emotion you couldn't quite describe. Something between.. fear and sadness, and with the slight questioning of his own mortality.

"We escaped together...", the android cradling the girl spoke. His voice hollow and dampened by an embedded sadness. You bit your lip, eyes stinging. A few years ago you wouldn't have even spared a glance. "We used to talk about what we would do when we got across the border..".

"I loved her. I loved her more then anything.", he whispered, looking up to gaze at Rose with tear filled eyes. His voice was so filled with emotion you could feel your own soul start to shake. "What will I do without her?".

Rose's soft featured face shifted, echoes of a familiar pain displayed across it. She knew what it felt like. However, you couldn't imagine. You had never lost anyone so close to you in your life.

You zoned out, remembering a poem you read back in high school before you were thrown out. It was by Emily Dickinson or someone you didn't really care about. It described Death as kind, taking a woman's hand and leading her to the afterlife. You wondered if androids believed in the afterlife, too. And if they did, would Death be as kind as he was in the poem, or rough and unloving like stories of the Grim Reaper? You hoped the latter.

It brought a question to your head, eyes blinking out the blur of tears. Did you believe in God? Maybe. Though, liked to think there was something, even if it wasn't Heaven. You hoped wherever you went, Ralph would be there, too.

"Let's let them be", Rose's voice broke you out of your head, and you spared one last glance back to the grieving android. You sighed, combat boots shuffling out of the room, the floor boards creaking under you.

You made your way to the door, finding yourself to need... air. Your fingers wrapped around the cold handle, but a hand in your shoulder stopped you.

You turned, seeing Ralph behind you, his face grim. "(Y/N)... are you ok?". You turned to him, smiling at the rare formation of words.

"I'll be fine. I just need a second-". You froze as Ralph pulled you forward into an embrace, his hands gripping at your jacket. You blinked, hesitantly wrapping your arms around him, as to not have him shatter in your grasp. You buried your nose in his hair, still soft despite being artificial.

"I love you", you whispered, only loud enough for him to hear. He held onto you tighter, as if to say, 'your my whole world'.

He let go, looking at you with his odd gaze, a small smile grazing his features, and you smiled back, opening the door and exiting into the cold.