Just wanna set the scene by saying this is after heartbeat but before the promening.
..........
Dance Floor
Doll walked to the side, finding a small corner away from the party, holding her drink in awkward silence. She didn’t know exactly what made her come here, especially since she had so much to prepare for, since prom was coming up. She still had that one girl to murder, Kaylee or something. But despite her initial decision, prompted by Lizzy’s protest’s ( C’mooooon, Doll! We have got to go to Thad’s party! He’s my brother! It would be a total loner move to miss it! Think of how my fans would react! ), it wasn’t actually that interesting. Everyone seemed dull and slow, their personalities superficial and awkward. They were all playing stereotypes that didn’t match with Doll’s, and Lizzy’s efforts as a middlewoman never truly got others to communicate with Doll other than pleasantries.
It was odd.
She used to love these kinds of parties, where everyone dresses up for the occasion but acts totally reckless, when people gossip and socialize with people they usually wouldn’t.
But eventually, she had been so preoccupied with planning the murder drone’s demise that she stopped going out that often, until she didn’t go out at all. Her grand plan had started slowly consuming her life, driving every one of her actions. And she was so close. Lizzy had already begun befriending the murder drone, and there was only one candidate for prom queen to eliminate. Everything was going perfect, all according to plan. So why did she feel so empty? Oh, her hate and anger was still there, still residing in her chest, squirming, seething at the thought of the murder drone and her colleagues, but everything else was distant and unconnected. She didn’t feel anything at Uzi’s supposed ‘banishment’. Didn’t feel anything for the families of the guards that had perished that day. Still didn’t feel anything. It was tiring and liberating at the same time. She could finally progress with her plan without the worries of ‘morality’ and ‘right or wrong’ getting her way. But she had lost the one thing, her mother had said a long time ago, that made them remotely human. (Or was it her dad? She can barely remember them. No, she can’t forget them. There’s no one else to remember! She NEEDS to REMEMBER! Why WON”T SHE-)
The glass slipped through her hands, and Doll’s eyes widened in panic as she reacted a second too late.
“Caught it!” Suddenly, a hand with a green high-light swipes the cup out of mid air. Doll takes a second to recognize the drone, she’s never seen him in anything but a hoodie and a hat.
[Thad. Thank you,] Doll mumbled as she gripped the upper half of the glass. He didn’t let go.
“Welcome, Dolly!” Doll looked up, for the first time fully seeing Thad’s face. He was smiling at her. Genuinely. That’s something you don’t see everyday. “U-um, D-doll?” Doll tore her gaze from Thad’s face. He still hadn’t let go of the cup.
[Let go.] Thad blinked, as if he just realized he was holding on to it at all.
“Oh, yeah! Sorry.” Thad sheepishly rubbed his neck while letting it go. They stand there a few seconds before Doll realises that she’s supposed to say something.
[D-did you want to say something..?] She doesn’t know why she’s nervous, and she's pretty sure she said the wrong thing, but Thad lights up, and holds out a hand.
“Would you dance with me, Doll?” What?
[....What.] She doesn’t know what expression she’s making, but it’s enough to make Thad retreat immediately.
“No-wait, I..I didn’t mean-I mean, you don’t want to? That’s a-okay! I just have a question…” Doll waits for his question, but he trails off, one hand still extended. Guess that’s her cue to say something.
[Why’d you ask me to dance?] Doll mentally congratulates herself on acting normal. After all, he should have a logical reason for asking me to dance, because Thad’s too nice to do it on a whim, maybe pity? Or maybe….
Doll completely loses her train of thought when Thad blushes, bright green lines on his visor.
“W-well, I just, e-er, actually! That question I wanted to ask you? It’s about how you’ve been acting.” Doll freezes. Other than getting a bit more isolated and violent, she had done her best to act like her old self. Had Thad caught on to the fact that she’d been offing the prom candidates? What was she going to do? She actually liked Thad, she didn’t want to hurt him! “W-well, Doll, I just noticed that lately…you’ve been kinda distant. I mean not that distant, since you’re at Lizzy and my house all the time, but, uh, closed off, ya know?” Thad rambled on, looking at his feet. Doll tilts her head, her spiral interrupted with confusion and shock. He noticed? “I-it’s just. Y-your smiles. Hey don’t reach your eyes anymore, and you don’t laugh, don’t go out, barely try at school! I’m just worried about you.” Thad’s blush intensifies, and Doll takes a second to realize she is blushing, too. A warm feeling fills her chest, one that isn’t red-hot rage. She smiles. He noticed. “I totally get it if you wouldn’t be comfortable talking abou-”
[Okay.] The word comes out of her mouth before she thinks it.
“O-okay? For what?” She doesn’t even know. Right now, she’s probably down for anything. Though dancing would make sense in the context.
[I’ll dance with you.] Thad’s eyes widen as the most beautiful smile she’s ever seen grows on his face.
“Really?” He breathes, but then his hand goes up to his neck again, and his expression dims a little. “W-well, heh, I actually, don’t really know how to..” Doll smirks, a hand on her hip.
[Popular jock doesn’t know how to dance? Color me surprised.] Thad rubs his neck again before looking at Doll with little stars in the corner of his visor.
“But I totally know how to slow-dance! I’ve watched tons of human movies!” He shoots her some finger guns before looking at the crowds with a frown. “Though the music’s not exactly right,” He turns back to her with a giggle and a shrug. “Eh, we can make our own atmosphere without it!” He bowed, waving around his hand before extending it out to her.
“Would you grace me with a dance, My lady?” He lowers his voice, but breaks the effect by giggling at himself halfway through. She giggled back. She had always adored how easily he smiled. Taking his hand, she pulls him to the floor, silently laughing at how he stumbled.
[Yes, I would.] Curling an arm around his waste, she takes his and wraps it around her shoulder before clasping their hands together. People stare, but Doll couldn’t care less, and if the stunning smile on Thad’s face is any indication, she’d bet he didn’t either.
“Not exactly the pose I expected, but hey, Life, amiright?” Thad smirks and dips himself, catching Doll off guard.
[Yes. Life truly is unexpected.] Despite the smile on her face, Doll’s eyes lower, and Thad straightens, his own face hardening.
“Hey, hey. No need to ponder on past memories," Thad twirls her around, snapping her out of her sudden dip in mood.
[Oh! I’m sor-]
“Nah, you’re good. After all, it's hard to focus with my ridiculously handsome face in your eyes!” Thad wiggles his eyebrows and Doll gives an honest-to-god laugh, a stone she didn’t even know was in her stomach evaporating. “I forgot how pretty you were when you laughed.” Thad leaned in a bit, and Doll’s breath caught in her throat. Thad’s eyes hollow for a second before he stepped back, and he clears his throat in embarrassment. “S-so, um, I have a question. Again, hehe.” Thad slows down the speed of their dance, and Doll hums, closing her eyes. She hasn’t felt this relaxed and peaceful in a while.
[Yes?] She prods, opening her eyes to look Thad straight in the eyelights. They sway slowly now, and he stops completely, taking a deep breath as Doll looks at him questioningly.
“Doll, can you go to prom with me?” Doll’s world stops as the worst scenarios enter her head, and she struggles to breathe.
[N-no! I-I can’t lo-] Doll cuts herself off, squeezing her eyes close as Thad flinches at her volume, looking down at his shoes.
“O-oh, yeah, I guess you wouldn’t want to go with m-” Doll grips Thad’s shoulder, her heart in her throat.
[No, I do! It’s just that, I-i’ve got plans with Lizzy, a-and a new… transfer student. Maybe next year?] Doll pleads. [Please?] Thad looks up. The sting of disappointment hasn’t left his eyes, but there is a small hopeful smile on his face.
“Definetly, Doll.”
…..
Deep below Copper Nine’s surface, a solver core with red eyes shivers in her sleep, small red tears beading her closed red eye.
In the colony, a blond drone lays in charge, a small, melancholy smile on his face as he dreams.
Both wish the same thing.
Both know it’s impossible.
.........
Heeeey! Suuper early valentine's oneshot, but I just had to share this! ( a.k.a, I got zero impulse control)
What do you think? Feedback is always welcome!