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2B stared at the small cylindrical object 9S had presented to her, gifted in a box and painstakingly tied with ribbons. It was a red substance formed into a particular shape and nestled within a metal tube that reflected the cold white interior of her room in the Bunker as well as her own perturbed face.
“Lipstick,” Pod 042 recited, “a waxy pigment human females often used to apply to their lips for enhancing their physical appearances.”
For enhancing appearances, huh?
“Does this mean my current appearance is unsatisfactory to you?”
9S waved his arms frantically. “No, not at all. You’re beautiful as always, 2B. Just… umm… think of it more as enhancing your already pretty appearance.”
Oh, so he hadn’t been dissatisfied with her.
Though she dipped her head, 2B felt the warmth spreading across her cheeks. So he thought her beautiful, did he?
“It’d mean a lot to me if you’d wear it out sometime. Maaaybe during our next mission?”
She answered with silence, placing the gift box on her lap. 9S slid off her bed, already stepping backwards to the door. “Not to pressure you or anything,” he blurted. “Just… whenever it feels right.”
The door slid open for his prompt exit, leaving 2B all alone in her room as she warily eyed the red, waxy substance.
9S awaited 2B at the transporter. Today’s mission required exploring the ruins of some sort of temple all the way in the desert.
Though his back was turned, he knew her approach by the sound of her clumsy feet sliding across the sand. “Great of you to make it so soon,” he said, turning around. “Our next mission is supposed to be—Gyaaa!” 9S shrieked.
Sure it was the same 2B as always, but something significant about her had changed. There was crimson red all smudged across her lips, spread from cheek to cheek like a clown’s sadistic smile. Despite that, he knew her natural lips soon shifted into a frown at his sudden reaction.
Oh no, better say something before he incite her fury. Or worse, hurt her feelings.
“Is it bad?” she said in a quiet, muddled voice.
Too late.
“That’s not true,” 9S protested. “It’s my fault, I should’ve given you some samples or instructions. Anything but nothing.” He could see her frown deepen, all because he was in such a hurry to leave after presenting her with that silly gift.
She glanced at the distant dunes, almost if contemplating her escape from this awkward scenario, but before 2B could grow even more discouraged, he’d already reached for her hand, pulling her closer.
He’d make amends now. 9S tugged at the sleeves of his coat and dribbled some saliva on the tip. Carefully, he wiped the excess red lipstick with the sleeve of his coat. 2B squeezed her eyes shut and crinkled her nose.
With his thumb, he smoothed over the waxy substance on her lips, reapplying the lipstick as best he could. When he inspected his work, her lips truly did shimmer amongst the barren desert landscape.
Like a desert rose, like a succulent fruit, did her lips appear. So much so that he found himself drawing closer to her face. It was an invisible force that continued to pull him in. Yes like a magnetic attraction she was, drawing him in with her kindness, her beauty, and grace. Like bees to nectar, his lips landed delicately on hers. Carefully, still, yet his insides became an intense whirr.
He ought to pull away, but he couldn’t, drinking in that sweet intoxication until it was 2B who pulled her away, bringing with her the cold crash of reality back to his mind. “We shouldn’t,” she uttered.
9S clamped his hand over his mouth. “Oh god, I’m sorry. I didn’t know what came over me.” Oh, he’d really screwed up now. He was sure 2B would flee the mission and petition Command to never work with him again.
In the middle of his parade of apologies and excuses, 2B turned her head away in silence.
“It’s not about that,” she finally said, easing his concerns somewhat. “Let’s just forget about this and complete the mission.”
A response as serious as she was. 9S swallowed a lump in his throat. However, her red cheeks betrayed the tone of her voice, and it certainly couldn’t have simply been just the desert heat that made her that way.
Could it?
Whatever the case, they surely had time for an exchange of one more question.
“Alright before we start our mission, just tell me this, if there were nothing else but us, would you have…umm could we have…”
2B pursed her lips and gave her answer.
Yes, a thousand times yes. Without any hesitation, yes.
Oh, how she wished to say this to him. To leave the mark of her lips across his body so anyone knew what imprint she’d left on his soul. Mark 9S as her and ward off any others who would even think of laying a claim on him.
She could even say it now. Right to his ears just as he’d whispered to her earlier. After all, this 9S was the greatest keeper of secrets. Silent. Still. Unmoving.
The blood seeped out of his fresh wound from the white blade that was thrusted into him. Blood that made its way to the tips of his gloved fingers.
He’d used his final movements to careess her face. A finger dipped in blood that slid along her cheek, combining with the red lipstick he’d applied earlier.
2B’s painted lips traveled from 9S’s lips, to his cheeks, to his forehead, his neck. She wanted an answer to her woes. If not his unmoving face, then the deep red would bring her out of the delusions of joy and into the cruel reality she knew she deserved.
Many cycles came and went, and 2B had gotten more practice out of the enhancements of her personal appearance to where she’d consider herself a veteran of proper lipstick application.
The original gifted tube of lipstick was long gone in the chaos of war. And besides, the deep red of it hadn’t been her preferred color. It was much too bright, too similar to the deep color of blood that she hated the way it stained her lips.
No, this time she preferred the pastel pigments that reminded her of spring flowers, of warm feelings, and perhaps a sense of renewed hope. And also because she liked the way it planted itself on 9S’s fair skin.
With the Machine War over, 2B had many calm mornings such as this. Moments of respite where she could simply rise without the looming threat of battles or missions on the horizon.
9S had yet to wake, so with a mischievous smile she’d almost never permitted herself to bear, 2B rolled to her side, gazing at his sleeping face. Without much thought, she leaned closer, planting a soft kiss on his left cheek, reveling in the painted marks her lips left on his soft skin.
Of course, she had yet to stop there for the morning. She shifted her lips to his chin, then onto his neck, before finally stopping at the corner of his lips.
Often, she still needed to remind herself that this 9S was here to stay and hers to keep. The lipstick marks on him was to make that known not only to her, but any other android they might come across.
For this morning, she kept the secret of her morning activity to herself. Even as 9S stirred awake, dressed and prepared for his day, the marks remained on his face unbeknownst to him. He took one last look at her as he made his way out of their bedroom. “Is something wrong?” 9S asked.
“Nothing,” she responded, holding back a grin, but she just couldn’t help but stare at the various marks painted all over.
He was hers and she was his. He was here to stay.