[ there's no point in lying, 9S could easily end up tracking her again himself. and a part of her thinks it's better for 2B to go back anyway. sooner rather than later. ]
She's been staying around the forest. She's fine.
[ well. as fine as she can be, given the circumstances. ]
Maybe. Or maybe she would've found out some other way. But that doesn't change anything, does it.
[ it doesn't change the fact that 2B still found out. A2 has a feeling that 9S would have kept this from her forever if he could. she doesn't know which is better. ]
Give her some time. I don't think she'll hide forever... she cares about you too much to do that.
[ but A2 knows that it's painful for 2B to see him now, and she understands. ]
She wanted to talk to me about it. I didn't tell her anything that happened between us, [ there's a contemplative pause as she tries to sort out what to say. ] But she doesn't get it. She doesn't understand why it affected you so much.
[It surprises him, that A2 has extended him such a courtesy, one which she doesn't owe him in the slightest. And despite his best intentions, that surprise does carry, before he can stop it or assign words to a reply.
He would never have expected her to hold off on anything she might have to say]
I don't know if I'd want her to get it. She thought she was protecting me, didn't she? If she knew...
[ she doesn't owe him anything, and she didn't have to hold back, but she did anyway. it didn't feel right to tell 2B about what happened. this was personal; it's something she believes 2B should hear from 9S himself. ]
Doesn't matter how far you bury it... the truth always finds a way to the surface anyway.
Does it? Only you and I knew about mankind, in the end.
[And he mentions that, specifically, with purpose.
It's something he didn't tell anyone he crossed paths with, and he doesn't intend that to change. He might be good at ferretting out the truth but that doesn't mean everyone is]
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telepathy
[A few days of elusive 2B is a few too many, so he thinks to compare notes. Just to make sure she's okay]
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I'm not busy. Need something?
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Have you seen 2B around?
She's been kind of...scarce.
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[ there's no point in lying, 9S could easily end up tracking her again himself. and a part of her thinks it's better for 2B to go back anyway. sooner rather than later. ]
She's been staying around the forest. She's fine.
[ well. as fine as she can be, given the circumstances. ]
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Fine as in good repair, right?
[Because in other terms he's not sure fine is right.
If she were fine, she wouldn't be hiding, would she?]
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[ she takes a moment to respond, debating on what to say. ]
... She talked to me earlier, about what happened. About what you remembered.
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[There's a stiff certainty that carries with that thought]
You don't have to tell me.
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[ her tone is firm, steady. ]
She said she doesn't understand why you aren't angry with her for what she did.
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And I told her I used to be, just...
[9S isn't much for all that soul-baring business, and so his thoughts trail off]
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[ she knows that 9S had his own reasons for not saying anything before now. she doesn't push. ]
... It's neither of your faults, but you're both determined to blame yourselves for it.
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[He firmly believes that]
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[ it doesn't change the fact that 2B still found out. A2 has a feeling that 9S would have kept this from her forever if he could. she doesn't know which is better. ]
Give her some time. I don't think she'll hide forever... she cares about you too much to do that.
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I don't know if that's enough when it's...also the reason she's hurt.
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[ or maybe just her talking to 9S in itself is painful. A2 doesn't really know; she feels unequipped to handle this in the right way. ]
You could tell her over and over again that you don't blame her, that you forgive her, but she'd still feel the same unless she lets go of it herself.
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And he still regrets it]
It doesn't seem like there's anything I can do.
[Despite it being his fault]
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[ but A2 knows that it's painful for 2B to see him now, and she understands. ]
She wanted to talk to me about it. I didn't tell her anything that happened between us, [ there's a contemplative pause as she tries to sort out what to say. ] But she doesn't get it. She doesn't understand why it affected you so much.
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He would never have expected her to hold off on anything she might have to say]
I don't know if I'd want her to get it. She thought she was protecting me, didn't she? If she knew...
[It could just make her feel worse]
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Doesn't matter how far you bury it... the truth always finds a way to the surface anyway.
[ he would know, wouldn't he? ]
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[And he mentions that, specifically, with purpose.
It's something he didn't tell anyone he crossed paths with, and he doesn't intend that to change. He might be good at ferretting out the truth but that doesn't mean everyone is]
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[ not everyone is good at discovering the truth, but they both did. ]
Whatever you decide, that's your choice. But there will be a day when she finds out... just a matter of when.
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And for himself the results.
He can't imagine, if she knew that her effort to protect him ended the way it did, how badly that might hurt her on top of that]
I don't know. Whatever I tell her, it just causes her pain.