Strange Love [ and Stranger Consequences ] - Chapter 17

Chapter Text

Four months, words that stuck to the back of N's mind like cling wrap sticking to itself. Four months, it'd play on repeat, like some cruel means of taunting. Four months, leaving behind a bitter taste that refused to leave N's mouth.

I should be happy, he told himself. It isn't right. Uzi was his friend. V was... also his friend. He'd been trying for so long to get the two to get along and to stop fighting. He should be happy that they're not trying to rip each other apart at the seams; but he wasn't. No matter how much he told himself that what had happened was a good thing, he couldn't bring himself to be happy about the situation. Every time he thought about it, pangs of jealousy ran through his hormonal body. Waves of upset crashed into his CPU. He wanted to be the one to make Uzi happy. He wanted to spend eternity with the goth. And while it was great that she seemed happy with V, it hurt.

Of course, it didn't hurt as bad as the fact that they didn't even bother to tell him. Four months and a half months, according to V. That's how long they knew, and they never bothered to tell him? Why? Maybe the realization that he lost Uzi to V wouldn't have hurt as badly if they had just told him. Maybe all those times Uzi acted weird and canceled their hangout nights would've hurt less if they had just told him! He would've understood! Why didn't they tell him? Did he do something wrong? Did they not trust him? Did V think he would do something bad? Was that why she didn't tell him? Was that why she kicked him in the stomach and ran off without saying another word?

The longer N thought about it, the more questions seemed to surface in N's mind. The hurt steadily grew worse, like a sharp pain straight through his core. Was he just a bad friend? Did he not do enough for Uzi?

The disassembly drone wondered and wondered. It was practically all he did, seeing as he was no longer allowed in the bunker, he didn't know where Uzi was located, and he refused to hunt. His long, drawn out nights were spent perched atop a roof, wondering where he went wrong and what he could've done better, and...

How much he hated V.

It was bad. It was very, very bad. The very thought left an extremely bitter taste in N's mouth, and yet he could not help the fire within him that sparked whenever he thought about his former squadmate. Her "betrayal" only seemed to open the gates to realization, and the longer N dwelled on her, the more he realized just how badly she treated him in the past. It was never like J's abuse, V wouldn't have pushed him into the snow and repeatedly kicked his sides until he bled oil, or stomped on his chest so hard it caved in and nearly crushed his core.

But V pretended like she didn't know who he was. V never stood up to J and stopped the abuse he faced. V never asked N how he was doing. V never treated N like an equal. She pushed him away, looked down upon him, treated him like he was invisible, and N let her do it. He'd hopelessly follow her around, desperate for any sort of attention from the only other drone he could talk to ( because there was no way in hell J would've sat down to have a conversation with him... ). When Uzi finally came into his life and turned the entire thing upside down, he finally had someone to talk to. A ray of sun in a sea of darkness...

And then V took that from him too...

N hadn't even realized it, but he had begun crying at some point. Vibrant yellow tears, full of hurt, spilled down his visor and blurred his vision. Soft sobs followed, escaping his voice box like quiet hiccups. He didn't want to hate V. He didn't want to lose Uzi either. It felt like everything he was given was suddenly being yanked away from him. A violent and sudden pull, like a rug being pulled right out from under him. All he could do was helplessly was as he tumbled to the ground and landed with a grand thud. So he cried. He let his angry and hurt tears fall, he let the emotions he had bottled up and kept hidden away for so long finally spill out of his processor. He cried until it hurt to cry. Until his voice box strained, and his tears ran dry. By the end, his sobs sounding more like strained squeaks. He was tired then. He didn't want to stop crying, but he knew he had to. The sun would be up soon. If he didn't want to burn up, he'd have to get down from the building he was perched on and go back to the spire.

And that's just what he did. Begrudgingly. After collecting himself a little, taking in a few deep vents in an effort to cease the sadness in his core, he spread his wings, fanned them out and let the blades glisten in the moonlight. In one quick motion, he toppled over the edge of the building and used his wings to safely glide down to ground level, landing in the snow and kicking up a large cloud of it as he came skidding to a halt. His wings were neatly tucked away shortly after. The trip back would be done on foot. N didn't feel like flying tonight...

At the pace N was walking at, he barely made it back to the spire by the time the sun crept over the ruined city skyline. The orange glow came dangerously close, creeping closer and closer to N before he retreated into the shade and glared at the rays that pushed him into hiding and nearly burnt his shell off his endoskeleton. He stared for a good few seconds before letting out an exasperated sigh. Scowling at the sun wasn't going to make it go away... So he turned around on his heels, walking further into the spire with little regard as to where he was walking and what was in front of him. Nobody else was in the spire, the biggest hazard he had to look out for were the random bits and pieces of scrap laying about in the snow.

Right?

In his carelessness, N collided with something and he collided with it hard. He was sent tumbling back until his rear hit the snow. Whatever he collided with let out a gasp, then a quiet "oomph", and much as N hoped it was Uzi, the voice was far too masculine for it to be hers. But if it wasn't Uzi, then... who? Uzi and V were the only two who frequented the spire — well, used to frequent the spire... — and other disassembly drones didn't wander around these parts. This was J's territory, nobody was dumb enough to wander into it.

Curiosity got the best of the tired and worn down N, who looked up from the white ground he was previously staring at and instead looking into the hollowed emerald green eyes that rested only a few feet away from him.

"Thad?" he murmured, the strain in his voicebox apparent and making him wince slightly.

"That's— that's me," Thad replied as he sat upright. He sounded nervous.

"What are you doing here?" N asked while he too sat upright and dusted snow off his coat.

"Oh, I was just—" Thad mumbled, his emerald green eyes darting elsewhere. "Lookin' around?"

N titled his head to the side. "For what?"

"N– nothing," Thad was quick to answer, and didn't entirely sound confident in his response.

"Oh," N mumbled. He began to awkwardly rub the nape of his neck as he looked down at the snow. "W– well, uh– how's Uzi?"

It had been a few days since he'd last seen her, and he didn't even get to ask how she was. Being pregnant was... probably really hard on her body.

Thad blinked, once or maybe twice before he let out a quiet "huh?"

N co*cked his head to the side, "Uzi? Y'know? Purple hair, wears a beanie—"

"I– I know who you're talking about, I just—" Thad trailed off and went quiet for a few seconds. "I thought she was with you."

"Huh? What– what gave you that idea?" N quickly replied, leaning a little closer to Thad.

N didn't question it though, he was simply happy to have someone to talk to. He titled his head back and hummed quietly, really giving his answer some thought.

"Yeah, I've seen a few," He replied. "J didn't let me watch movies when she was around, she always said it was a waste of time, but Uzi showed me some when we hung out! A lot of it was action, and one time Uzi accidentally turned on a romantic movie instead. She was grossed out by it, but I thought it was kinda interesting!"

N chuckled to himself when he finished speaking, recalling Uzi's reaction to the main characters on screen kiss.

"Yup, sounds like the Uzi I know," Thad confidently confirmed as he placed his hands on his hips. "Hey, you should come over sometime. Maybe I can get my dad's collection out and show you some of the cool stuff he's got in there!"

N's tired yellow eyes widened, the tip of his tail thumped against the snowy ground. "You— seriously?" he cautiously murmured.

"Yeah!" Thad beamed. "I mean, if you'd be down. It's cool if you're n—"

"I'd love to!" N chirped as he shot to his feet.

"Sick! I'll see what I can do about getting you into the colony," Thad replied. "Pretty sure Mr. Doorman would be willing to let you in if you had nothing to do with Uzi's kidnapping."

Only seconds after Thad finished speaking, N darted to his side and scooped him up off the ground, pulling him into a tight hug. Thad shouted in surprise and gripped N's shoulders for support.

"Thank you!" the eager disassembly drone beamed as he nuzzled his head against Thad. Then he froze, all movement ceased as his tail drooped between his legs. He put Thad down, letting the soles of his shoes connect with the snow before he backed up and stared at the jock with wide eyes.

"Ah, biscuits— I'm— I'm sorry," the energy in his voice died down some, and his tone felt more awkward than before. "I– got carried away."

Thad blinked, then chuckled. "Your good, dude. I just– wasn't expecting it."

Some of N's energy returned after Thad finished speaking. His tail wagged slightly behind him as he gave the worker a thin smile. Thad returned it with a wider smile that...

Made N's core flutter.

His eyes suddenly hollowed and his hand clutched his trench coat, just over the spot where his core rested. He quickly looked away from the green-eyed jock, earning a quirked eyebrow and a confused expression.

"Yo, you good dude?" Thad inquired as he inched closer to N.

N took a step back from Thad and gave him an indirect nod. "Of course! W– why wouldn't I be?"

"I dunno, you just kinda– started acting weird I guess?"

N nervously chuckled and crossed his arms. "Well uh, it's getting late! I should probably go to bed now, see you tonight!"

Thad opened his mouth to reply, but N deployed his wings and quickly took off, vanishing elsewhere in the spire and leaving behind nothing more than a cloud of snow. The jocked stood still, staring in the same direction he watched N take off in.

"Yeah... uh, see you tonight?" Thad murmured, mostly to himself. He waited a few more moments before he turned around and began walking toward the exit of the spire, glancing over his shoulder only once to see if he could spot N.

N watched from the shadows, high up in the spire, as Thad left. He sunk in on himself when Thad turned back, his emerald eyes shining in the shadows like gold. The thought of them landing on N again made his core feel fuzzy and light. When Thad turned his back on N and finally left the spire, there was a mixture of disappointment and relief that circulated through N's systems, allowing him to sigh sharply and relax his body, sinking down onto the ledge that he was perched upon. The spire didn't have very many hiding spots, but the shadows cast over the various thin ledges near the top acted as decent enough cover if one didn't know where to look. It wouldn't have worked with V, or J, and maybe even Uzi, but Thad hadn't been in the spire before. It was perhaps the one time N was able to successfully flee and hide.

He needed that relief, because as silence returned to the spire, N felt a wave of emotions crash through him. His thoughts grew loud in his head, to the point of being deafening.

That feeling in his core, the way it fluttered and felt fuzzy, he had felt it before. Twice, even, and although the fire inside of him died the first time, he was certain he loved the second one. The purple-haired goth that he loved oh so much. He easily would've given the world to her if it meant getting to be with her for the rest of his lifespan. But the first flame stole her and his chance to do just that. Even so, his core still grew light and his face got warm whenever he thought of Uzi. He loved her so.

But if that was the case, then why did Thad make his core flutter like that too? The way he smiled sincerely at N, an image N had sunconciously saved to his memory, made the disassembly drone's face heat up and glow a bright yellow at the very thought of it. And he was going to be able to hang out with him? Just like him and Uzi used to do? It made N's tail wag furiously, hitting the side of the spire and making a couple loose, empty corpses rattle. There was a warmth in his chest, like glowing sparks, connecting with kindling in an effort to make a fire. Whether or not that fire actually starts and becomes something more, N wouldn't be able to tell. He wasn't even sure if Thad would like him back... But, amidst a bad situation, there was a bright side to it all. Even if nothing comes from the embers within N, even if Thad doesn't return those feelings, N could rely on one thing: he finally made a new friend.

That alone put a smile on the disassembly drone's face.

—

"Hey dude, you made it!"

"Yup!" N chirped and placed his hands behind his back, feeling far more chipper now that he was running on more than a couple of hours of charge. "Sorry I'm late, I slept in," He sheepishly tacked on with a soft giggle.

Thad brushed it off, "Ah, it's cool. You're only off by like, a couple of minutes."

"Being late is still being late!" N lightheartedly retorted, earning a chuckle from Thad.

"Well, all that matters is you're here now," Thad said as he approached the large, imposing steel door of the colony. "Now, you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" N replied with a thumbs up.

Thad nodded and raised his hand up, knocking against the door in a cool fashion before standing back.

A few seconds passed, which quickly turned into a minute or so, and nothing happened. It was just the raging winds and whipped N's silver hair every which way and sent a biting — yet welcome — chill down his spine. Eventually, N glanced down at Thad, his yellow gaze greeted by Thad's green. The look on his face was an inquisitive one, despite not uttering a single word. Thad simply gave a confused shrug and turned back to the door. Just in time, too. A sudden hiss and a groan from the hydraulics drew both of the drones' attentions, yellow and green fixated upon the steel slabs that slowly parted and gave way, revealing the tired old mustached drone behind them.

"Sorry about that," Khan began, his voice raw and strained. He cleared his throat and turned his gaze to Thad. "Almost forgot my key, had to run back and get it."

"No worries, sir," Thad respectfully replied.

Khan stepped out into the snowy wasteland and let the large doors slam shut behind him. He crossed his arms and glanced between the two drones, eventually landing on N, his tired white eyes boring a hole into N's skull.

"Thad told me you had something to say to me," Khan murmured. "I don't exactly like your crowd, but he said it had to do with Uzi."

"Yes, Mr. Uzi!" N hastily replied as his posture snapped into a formal salute.

Khan briefly stroked his mustache. "You're not holding her for ransom and hoping to negotiate, are you?"

N chuckled nervously and quickly shook his head as his posture relaxed, "No sir! I– I know what happened to Uzi."

Khan nodded. "I'm listening."

"My co-worker– er– former co-worker, V, you met her before," N paused and Khan nodded again to confirm what he had said. "She kidnapped Uzi and took her to a location far away from here."

Khan leaned back against the door behind him, resting one foot against it. "I appreciate you coming to me with this information, but I don't understand what makes you think that'll make me trust you."

"I– I had no idea where V went until only recently!" N retorted.

"I think he's telling the truth, sir," Thad interjected. "He could've kidnapped or killed me this morning."

Khan sighed. "I don't see what you kids see in these murder drones," He grumbled as he shook his head. "They could say anything and you'd believe it. We know Uzi was kidnapped by at least one of them, this one is just telling us what we already know."

"I swear, I had no idea what V was planning on doing!"

"Is that it then?" Khan replied as he turned to N.

"I–" N paused, almost as if he choked up. He glanced down at Thad, who gave him a reassuring thumbs up and a gently nudge with his shoulder. N nodded and turned back to Khan. "I know where Uzi is. I can work with you to get her back."

The older worker's interest was piqued. He shot N a curious glance, one eyebrow co*cked, as he stood up straight. "Work with us how?"

"I– I can show you were Uzi is," N replied. "A– and because V is dangerous and unpredictable, I can hold her off while you rescue Uzi."

Khan uncrossed his arms and instead placed one hand over his hip, the other used to stroke his chin. He furrowed his brows and pursed his lips as if contemplating something deeply. Then, his white eyes flickered back onto N.

"Why don't you two come inside so we can discuss this a little further?"

Strange Love [ and Stranger Consequences ] - Chapter 17 - Anonymous (2024)

Chapter Text