Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The smell of iron and oil permeated the air as Uzi stepped through the door to the butchers shop, her arrival signaled by the gentle chime of a bell overhead. Her face instinctively scrunched with disgust, and she did little to hide it as she glanced across the room, and made eye contact with the orange-eyed drone behind the service counter. Said drone grinned in return, placing her noticeable tooth gap on full display.

"Well, if it ain't my biggest customer," the orange-eyed drone said with a thick southern accent. " 'ah take it yer here for the usual?"

Uzi sighed and nodded her head.

"Can you throw in two chops this time?"

The orange-eyed drone quirked an eyebrow.

"That'll cost ya extra, y'know," she replied as she leaned forward and rested one arm on the counter.

Unimpressed, Uzi rolled her eyes and shoved one hand into the deep pocket of her jacket.

"No duh," she snarked. "I wasn't planning on not paying."

As she finished speaking, she pulled out a medium sized sack, full of small metal bits that jingled and clinked as she held it out.

The drone's grin widened before she swiped her hand out, attempting to snatch the sack from Uzi. Uzi reacted before she could, however, and pulled the sack out of her reach.

"Ah," she tutted. "Not giving this up until you bring me the goods."

The butcher deflated, and her grin faltered. She clicked her tongue, and crossed her arms.

"You new-gens have no respect coded into ya, 'ah swear," she grumbled before turning around.

"Beau!" she shouted into the backrooms of the store. "Our regular showed up! She wants the usual an' two extra chops!"

No response, though the orange-eyed drone turned around only moments later, and leaned back on the counter.

"So, Oh-Two..." she began, her voice significantly calmer than before. "Y' ever plannin' on tellin' me why exactly you need all this chuck? It's not exactly common for folks in this town to make as frequent trips as you do, let alone buy enough t' feed a small family..."

Uzi simply rolled her eyes.

"Does it matter what I'm doing with it?" she replied. "You're getting paid to supply me, shouldn't that be enough for you?"

The butcher snorted and tapped her fingers on the counter in a slow, rhythmic manner.

"Jus' curious," she answered. "Can't say 'ah can complain, considerin' yer practically keepin' me in business an' all."

"Still, 'ah can't help but wonder..."

Before the conversation could advance, the door to the backroom swung open. From it came a small, blue-eyed drone, carrying a sack at least twice his size. He hauled it to the front, and threw it down. It landed with a sickeningly wet thud. The plastic bag smelled strongly of oil, which—when combined with the black splatters across the surface—left little up to the imagination.

Uzi felt a wave of disgust wash over her, visible upon her face. The butcher chuckled, drawing Uzi's attention away from the sack full of oily chuck. She was staring at her, a knowing grin on her face.

"What?" Uzi snapped, narrowing her eyes.

"Y' don't strike me as the kinda gal t' eat sentinel chuck, that's all," the orange-eyed drone replied. "S' not for the weak-cored."

"Bite me," Uzi grumbled as she held out the small sack of metal bits. "I'm not weak-cored."

The butcher laughed and snatched the sack out of Uzi's hand.

"Of course!" she half-heartedly agreed, her tone bordering on mocking. "What kinda hostess would 'ah be if 'ah drove all my payin' customers away?"

While the butcher opened the sack and poured a small amount of metal bits into her hand, Uzi rolled her eyes, clearly not sharing the butcher's enthusiasm. She slung the sack of sentinel chuck—nearly half her size—over her shoulder, feeling it weigh her down. It reeked of oil, and iron, and death, making her feel sick to her stomach. She was going to need a deep cleanse after this, unless she wanted to walk around smelling like the butchered remains of a sentinel.

"Y'know, you're damn lucky this is the only place in town that sells sentinel chuck," Uzi snarked. "I totally get why mom cut you out of her life."

The butcher tensed, gripping the metal in her hand with a vice. Her orange eyes fixated on Uzi, burning with ire.

"Low blow, ya snake!" she hissed as she gnashed her teeth.

"Sorry, not sorry!" Uzi replied, and waved her free hand in the air. "See you sometime next week!"

"Yer outta your mind if you think you're walkin' back in here with both—"

Uzi stepped outside and shut the door behind her before the undoubtedly explicit rant could be finished. She could hear irritated shouting, muffled by the walls, and layers of glass. A soft snicker escaped her before she took off, not wanting Alice to catch up to her and give her a taste of her wrath.

Though the smell of oil lingered around Uzi's olfactory sensors, the fresh air from the outside was a welcome change. Uzi took a deep breath, clearing her senses. The evening air was crisp, with a faint chill to it that pleasantly nipped at Uzi's synthetic skin and plating. A gentle breeze blew through her violet hair as she walked down the street.

As nightfall crept around the corner, the bustling crowds that occupied the streets thinned out. Residents trickled home, reunited with loved ones, and settling down for a meal, while shopkeeps tended to their last customers, and prepared to close up for the night. Though the town may be protected by a double fence—electrified to ward off predators—accidents still happen. It was better to turn in early than to become sentinel food.

That's what most townspeople believed, anyway.

Uzi was strange, in that regard. Always up late at night, or wandering through the town with a bag full of sentinel chuck. It was no wonder the people would whisper things about her—not that it was any of their business. If Uzi wanted to take a bag of sentinel chuck to the outskirts of town, where an old mining facility sat, then she was going to! Anybody that disagreed or found it weird could bite her!

The facility in question had been untouched for at least a few decades; a remnant from the towns origins, it quickly fell into disrepair when the shaft that accompanied it had suddenly collapsed, and the operation was abruptly ended. Abandoned for years, it showed its age. The concrete foundation was laced with cracks, and weeds sprouting forth, and the wood was splintered, and visibly rotting away. Graffiti lined the exterior, various signatures and logos crudely painted on the walls, while the windows had all been blown out—a combined effort of trespassing teens looking for a thrill, and harsh weather conditions.

The front doors to the facility hung from their hinges, swaying in the breeze, and waiting for the day they gave way. Uzi slipped past with no problem, entering the dark structure, and paying no mind to the massive claw marks dug into the rotten wood floor. She pulled a flashlight from her pocket, switching it on, and pointing the dull beam into the dank, dusty darkness.

As she walked through the structure, past old machinery and piles of rubble, she surveyed her surroundings with caution. Her violet eyes swept across the room, paying extra attention to the shadowy nooks and crannies where things could be hiding. Beneath her boots, the warped and splintered floorboards creaked and groaned, protesting against the added weight.

"Here kitty-kitty," she quietly sang, as though she were trying to lull something out of hiding.

The facility was dead quiet, only broken up by the occasional pop or groan of the structure as it settled, and the dusty air was still. If she focused, Uzi could hear the sound of her own internal fans whirring softly as she trekked through the building.

Uzi was not alone, however. She could tell from the moment she walked in. An unnatural chill eddied through her spinal strut, and the feeling of being watched by some unseen force plagued her. Sometimes, the building would groan in an odd way; sometimes the support beams overhead would creak as though weight was being placed onto them. Maybe it was paranoia, but Uzi couldn't help but associate them with the movement of something, lurking in the shadows.

Grimacing, Uzi turned back, and shined her flashlight into the rafters overhead. She swore that—for just a moment—there was movement in the shadows.

"I know you're there!" she called out, and was met with the sound of her own voice.

Uzi waited as the echo of her voice faded. She listened, in uncertain silence, to the ambient sounds of the old building. The groaning overhead never stopped, and if Uzi didn't know any better, she'd think it was... traveling.

"Quit hiding!" she shouted as she flicked her flashlight to the side, following the distant creak of wood.

And still, nothing came of her outburst. She waited a moment, or two, scanning the area with vigilance.

Nothing but the dead air around her.

"Fine," she huffed. "I guess I'll—"

Snap.

The wooden rafters overhead, rotten and unstable, broke in half; the resounding snap was frightening, and echoed through the building. Dust, dirt, and wooden splinters flew through the air as something heavy plummeted to the ground, and split the wooden floorboards apart. Uzi jumped, and yelped with surprise—and perhaps fright, too—as she whirled around to face the dust cloud that had formed amidst the chaos. She barely caught a glimpse of a large, clawed hand descending upon her before...

Slash.

Oil splattered across the dusty floorboards, and flew through the air. The earthy scent became prominent, and overpowering. Uzi stumbled back with a mortified expression on her face; her jacket was stained with oil, which seeped into the fabric.

The owner of the clawed hand emerged from the dust cloud not a moment later—a beast of flesh, fur, and metal, well over double Uzi's size. Its—her—mouth, elongated and not unlike the snout of a canine, dripped with saliva and oil as it curled into a snarl; her teeth were long, sharp, and dangerous.

The beast stared Uzi down, her amber eyes predatory, like the gaze of an animal sizing up its prey. Uzi stared back, unmoving, unflinching. She couldn't help the scowl that formed on her face not a moment later.

"Was that shit necessary?" she grumbled as she crossed her arms. "Can't you just greet me like a normal drone?"

The beast's gaze remained transfixed onto Uzi. Her pointed ear flicked, whipping the tag attached to it about, and her long, furred tail—matted and covered in dried oil and mud—idly swished along the broken floorboards.

"What? Are you just not speaking today?" Uzi sighed.

The beast only stared as a low rumble came from her chest, and she tapped her elongated claw against the floorboard. She sniffed the air for only a moment, before her ears perked up, and her gaze finally left Uzi.

In a mere matter of seconds—a blink and you miss it moment—the beast lunged to the side. Her tail, solid and firm, crashed into Uzi and sent her tumbling to the ground with an irritated shout. She landed on her rear just as the large, animalistic drone snatched a slab of sentinel chuck off the ground and turned sharply, darting into the darkness.

Uzi clenched her jaw, and felt frustration bubble in her chest. She reached for her flashlight, having dropped it when she was thrown to the ground, and grumbled to herself.

"You're welcome!" she hissed before quietly murmuring, "Jerk..."

With her flashlight in hand, Uzi got back onto her feet. She brushed her free hand along her jacket, wiping off dust and wood splinters that had collected on the fabric. The oil that seeped into the soft cotton was another story, unfortunately.

Uzi groaned, and her face scrunched with disgust as she held her hand up. Slippery, black oil was smudged across her palm, which was transferred to her jacket—it was ruined anyway. She wouldn't be able to wear it anymore without smelling strongly of sentinel.

"Great..." she muttered before shining her light in the direction the large drone had run off into. "I liked this jacket too..."

Though she was unable to see where the drone had gone—on account of the thick darkness that swallowed everything whole—Uzi had a decent idea on where it was. With a trail of oil droplets as her guide, Uzi walked further into the dusty facility, eventually coming across a generator room of sorts—as indicated by an electrical hazard sign barely hanging on the door. The oil had thinned out by then, long before she had arrived, but Uzi pressed on anyway.

The door came open—with some added effort thanks to the rusted hinges—with a horrendous creak, disrupting the still silence. The defensive snarl that greeted Uzi told her she found her mark.

"Easy, beast," she sarcastically huffed, announcing her presence as she stepped through the door. "It's just me."

The generator room had long since been gutted; any valuable machinery was hauled away not long after operations ceased, leaving behind a hollow shell of a room. It was a decent size, and had multiple large vents overhead, creating a perfect escape route for any large, monstrous drones in hiding...

The room smelled thickly of oil, evident even before stepping inside. Scraps littered the floor, wiring and metal chunks—remnants of prey long since expired. In the corner was a nest of sorts, a large bundle of twigs, leaves, and other assorted padding; Uzi had been kind enough to provide two pillows, and a thick blanket she no longer used. In said nest was the drone Uzi was looking for, curled up, with oil dripping from its maw, and clutching the half-eaten sentinel chuck she had taken—as if Uzi had any chance, or desire, of reclaiming it.

The beast—who Uzi only knew as V, thanks to a tag on her ear—was a strange creation. Originating from an unknown manufacturer, for an unknown purpose, Uzi found the large, beastly drone entangled in the fence around the outer perimeter of the town. Her processor had been overloaded and fried by high voltages, and the barbs on the fence had left her with various cuts and wounds. Uzi felt bad for the larger drone, and ultimately—after a lengthy back and forth with herself—decided to nurse her back to health.

The road had been... bumpy, to say the least.

Uzi rolled her eyes and forced the door shut.

"I'm not gonna take it from you," she sighed as she slipped her backpack off her back. "It's all yours."

V licked her chops and chuffed softly. She lowered her head, cautiously taking a bite out of the chuck as she eyed Uzi. Uzi shook her head, and rummaged through her backpack.

"Look," she began, before pulling out a fresh pack of alkaline batteries. "I've got my own stuff to eat. I promise I'm not gonna take yours."

After a brief scrutinizing glare, V seemed satisfied by Uzi's reassurance, and went back to devouring the chuck, though kept her claws embedded in the thick mess of oil, wires, and silicone. Uzi relaxed her shoulders in response, and sighed softly. She cracked the pack of batteries open and popped one in her mouth before placing the pack into her bag.

"Jeez, you're in a mood today," she muttered as she chewed through the crunchy casing of the battery.

V's ear flicked once, indicating she was listening.

"Y'know I don't exactly expect much, but like, a thanks would be nice?" Uzi huffed. "I spend half my paycheck feeding you, and my evening hauling that shit over here."

V growled softly, her mouth full of cable and oil.

"I can hunt for myself; I don't need a pity meal from a worker," she muttered into her meal; her voice was low and gravelly—like a spoken growl.

"How do you plan on getting over the fence?" Uzi replied. "Didn't feel too good the first time you crashed into it, did it? And I'm willing to bet your wings haven't even fully healed yet."

V growled, and her ears drooped.

"I should eat you instead," she grumbled.

"You seem bitchier than usual," Uzi noted, with a trace of playfulness in her tone.

"Maybe that's because I have a little rat in my ear bothering me while I'm trying to eat!" V snapped, gnashing her fangs like a wounded dog fighting back.

Silence followed; awkward and tense, Uzi's body involuntarily stiffened. Though comfortable enough around the large drone to remain in close proximity—with arms—she knew she was wild.

Even feral dogs bite the hand that feeds.

"Should I just go?" Uzi bluntly asked. "You don't seem like you're in the mood to hang."

V sighed, and raised her head up.

"Stay, I don't care," she replied.

"You sure? I don't feel like losing my head today. Or any day, really."

"That sounds incredibly tempting right now," V huffed before taking another large bite out of the chuck, tearing through the silicone and metal like paper.

Uzi ignored the shudder that ran down her spinal strut, and shook her head.

"You're such an ass," she sighed before deciding to drop the subject and move on. "How's your wings?"

"Hurt," V answered in passing, her mouth full.

"Can I see?"

There was a hesitation, a moment or two between the question and the answer. Uzi could see it on the other drone's face, and in her dull amber eyes.

She was afraid, Uzi understood. Though they'd known each other for a while, there was still a gap in their trust. V was cautious and on edge frequently, as if she expected Uzi to betray her when her guard is down. Uzi wouldn't—she just had to prove that to V.

"I won't touch," she added as she outstretched a hand. "I just wanna see if it's healing right."

Though her gaze remained cautious, and her ears remained pinned, V—after some hesitation—slowly unfurled her wing.

Her wingspan was impressive, to say the least. One wing alone was over half the length of her body, and the wild metal feathers did wonders in adding volume. Unfortunately, the damage was evident, and made Uzi wince sympathetically. It was twisted, with chunks of metal feathers bent out of shape, or outright missing in various spots. Oil and mud had soaked into her fur and feathers, clumping it together, and matting it. It was in a better state than it had been a week ago, indicating it was healing, though it was far from usable.

At the rate at which it was healing, Uzi had a feeling V wouldn't be going anywhere for another month or so. And that was assuming they wouldn't need mechanical intervention, to right the wings internal structure.

Uzi's hand hovered over the mass of feathers and fur, close enough to feel the heat of the healing nanites working to repair the damages, without actually touching—as she had promised. It was tempting, to run her hands through the thick, silver fur that encased smooth plastic, or to right the twisted blades that seemed to cause V more pain than was truly necessary, but she couldn't go back on what she had said. Doing so would violate V's trust, and set Uzi back who knows how far.

"Well?" V chuffed, breaking Uzi out of her concentrated state.

She blinked her violet eyes, and met V's expectant gaze.

"How does it look?"

Uzi sighed, and rubbed the back of her neck.

"It's healing, but... it's a slow process," she replied in earnest. "It's still fucked up and definitely not usable as is."

"I can totally understand why you were being a bitch though. I'd probably be that way too if one of my limbs looked like that," she bluntly added as she gestured to the mangled wing.

V's ears drooped, pinned to the side of her head. Despite her large and imposing stature, and that frustrated glint in her eye, she almost looked like a kicked puppy, pitiable, sad, and down on her luck.

"Don't look at me like that," Uzi huffed. "I know it hurts. I've got something to fix that."

V's ears perked up, and Uzi could've sworn there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She couldn't help but crack a subtle grin as she dug into her backpack.

"These should be enough to numb your wing," Uzi said before pulling a bag out of her backpack. Inside the bag was a handful of thick magnets. "Can't get these without a prescription, they're pretty frickin' strong."

V curiously tilted her head to the side, and sniffed the bag of magnets. Naturally, they gravitated towards her, pulling the bag closer to her face.

"All I have to do is pop a few of these onto your wing, and you should be good for a few hours," Uzi explained. "Is uh... that good with you?"

V lowered her head, resting it on her scaley forearms.

"Do whatever you want," she chuffed with disinterest.

"Okay, I want to make this extremely clear: I am going to touch your wing," Uzi slowly stated. "If I do that, you're not gonna attack me, right?"

"I can't promise anything," V replied, her tone aloof and somewhat sarcastic.

Uzi unenthusiastically rolled her eyes.

"So glad to hear you're feeling better," she sarcastically deadpanned.

"Are you going to do the thing, or are you going to continue stalling?" V muttered.

"I don't wanna do anything unless I'm certain you aren't gonna lash out," Uzi replied. "I like my head where it is, thank you very much."

"Fiiine," V drawled, her voice rolling in her throat. "I won't raise a claw. Happy now?"

"Very, thanks," Uzi snarked.

V huffed, and lowered her head back down onto her forearms.

"You're an idiot," she grumbled as Uzi dug through her packpack once again. "Words mean nothing. I could say whatever I want and still pick you out of my teeth later."

Uzi produced a pair of tongs from her bag, clacking the metal pincers together twice.

"Would you, though?" she replied. "I mean, you've been saying shit like that since we met, but I'm still in one piece."

Setting her backpack down beside V's nest, Uzi grabbed the bag of magnets and pulled it open with her teeth.

"Kinda..." she muttered, glancing down at the deep scar on her forearm. She shook her head, ignoring the memory that attempted to resurface.

"I think you just talk out your ass," she snarked as she dipped the tongs into the bag, plucking a couple of magnets from the pile.

V's ear twitched as she huffed with annoyance.

"Maybe I'm not," she chuffed.

"Do you just not want to feel better," Uzi bluntly replied before gently placing her hand on V's wing.

V subtly flinched, and though she seemed on edge and tense, she made no attempts to swipe or maim. Uzi continued, feeling a little bolder given the fact that she was alive. She ran her hand against the soft, yet matted fur, doing her best to avoid snagging on the tangled clumps.

"Right now, it feels like you're trying to get rid of me without saying you're trying to get rid of me," Uzi continued as she carefully applied the first magnet. It attached to V's wing with a click, and made her flinch—this time, more noticeably.

Uzi ran her hand along the length of V's busted wing, seeking out the unnatural bends. When V tensed, and let out a soft, irritated hiss, Uzi pulled back, and applied a second magnet. Only moments later, and V seemed to relax as the magnets effects set in.

"If you want me gone, just say it to my face," Uzi bluntly stated as she applied a third magnet, around the middle of V's wing.

Despite her blunt, irate tone, she remained gentle, using her free hand to hold V's wing steady as she placed a fourth and final magnet near the tip of V's wing, where her fur became patchy, revealing a closed wound underneath, and her metallic feathers thinned out and were twisted about.

V's ears drooped, and she lowered her head as Uzi made eye contact with her. Her sharp yellow eyes, which met with Uzi's for only a moment before V looked away, held a look to them that Uzi couldn't really pinpoint—something between guilt and irritation. V said nothing in return.

Uzi sighed with discontent, and ran her hand along the length of V's wing. Her fur was soft against Uzi's palm, almost silky, if not for the oil and mud encrusted into it, and the frequent masses of tangled fur that her fingers snagged upon. She wondered what it would look like if it was properly maintained, given a much needed bath and a good brushing, though she knew V would never let something like that happen. She was far too on edge, untrusting, to let Uzi do anything like that.

"How does that feel?" Uzi asked in passing, momentarily disregarding her irritation toward V's bullheadedness.

V lifted her wing—or at least, attempted to. It fluttered slightly, barely getting up off the ground. Compared to how tense it was before, it felt limp against Uzi's hand.

"I can't feel anything," V replied quietly.

"Then the magnets are doing their job," Uzi responded, and nodded her head with satisfaction. "I might've been able to get away with only three, but it's better safe than sorry."

Uzi retracted her hand as she spoke, and grabbed her opened bag, haphazardly stuffing her retrieved supplies into it.

"Now..." Uzi sighed as she stood up straight, and eyed V. "I've got an hour before curfew takes effect. I can leave right now, or you can be stuck with me for the rest of the night."

Though it went unspoken, Uzi didn't want to leave. Her home was an unkempt mess, not much better than the facility she stood in. It was quiet, and cold, and terribly lonely. V was the most company she'd had in years, even if she was more akin to a hostage than anything that could be considered friend. Years of living in isolation, closed off from the world, had caused Uzi to forget just how much she enjoyed the company of another drone, even if said drone didn't entirely enjoy her company.

It was the thought that counted, she supposed.

"Your choice," Uzi mumbled as she crossed her arms. "Just say the word, and I'm g—"

Something grabbed her leg.

"—one?"

With a surprise yelp, Uzi was suddenly yanked from where she was standing, pulled with such ease, she might as well have weighed nothing. She landed in V's nest, which—surprisingly—provided enough padding to cushion her landing. Her back hit something simultaneously solid and soft, with a faint rumble to it as it rose and fell.

Uzi's core fluttered.

V rested her head on Uzi's shoulder, her flowy silver hair tickling Uzi's cheek, and her hot, oil scented breath across her skin. Her large arms wrapped around Uzi's midsection, enveloping it whole, and giving Uzi no chance to wiggle out.

"Stay," she murmured, with a faint rumble in her voice.

Uzi's breath caught in her throat; her processor practically short circuited. The switch-up from irritation to this was sudden, and had blindsided Uzi. She was given no time to process the situation she found herself in, and froze up.

Time moved on regardless.

V was warm; her thick fur soft, like a weighted blanket draped across Uzi's back. From where she was seated, and where V's head rested, Uzi could hear V's soft vents and the gentle blink of her optics as they emoted. Her thick, furry tail swayed, back and forth across her nest, and occasionally thumped against the floorboards.

The ice on Uzi's servos melted in due time, freeing her from the shock-induced lockdown her body had placed upon itself. She hesitantly relaxed with a faint sigh, and leaned back against V's chest. If V was bothered by it, she didn't let Uzi know.

"Your wing was bothering you that much, huh?" Uzi spoke softly as her hand boldly drifted up to V's cheek.

She cupped it, running her fingers across the velvety peach fuzz that lined V's face. Much to her surprise, V leaned into her hand, chasing her touch like a dog desperate for attention. She closed her eyes, and nuzzled Uzi's hand, seemingly content with her position.

"I'm glad I brought those magnets then," Uzi quietly remarked. "You're like an entirely different beast now."

"Don't push it," V grumbled, though if Uzi didn't know any better, she would swear it was more like an annoyed purr.

V tightened her grip on Uzi, applying pressure without snapping her in half, something Uzi knew V was damn well capable of.

"Still cranky, noted," Uzi hummed. She ran her hand along V's jaw, trailing toward her ear.

Though it flicked in her hand, V remained still enough for Uzi to gently rub her long, pointed ear. She chuffed with annoyance in response to Uzi's comment, but nuzzled her head against the smaller drone's. A soft, faint chittering escaped her, emanating from her throat and chest, both of which vibrated subtly.

"Y'know, I appreciate you leaving me in one piece and all, but can I grab my bag?" Uzi asked softly. "If you're gonna hold me hostage for the night, I wanna binge some anime."

V's tail thumped against the floor, and slithered into view. The sharp blade embedded into the end hooked under the straps of Uzi's bag, and lifted it off the ground. It dangled in front of Uzi, just within her reach. When she reached out to grab it, however, V's tail whipped away, yanking the bag out of Uzi's grasp. The snicker that followed told Uzi it was intentional. She scowled and glared at the beast beside her, exuding her wrath as if V wasn't capable of squashing her like a bug.

"Jerk," she playfully huffed, earning an amused snort from V.

V's tail returned, gracefully dropping the backpack into Uzi's arms this time. Uzi caught it, wrapping her arms around the bag as it fell into her grasp. She dove her hands inside, and pulled out a black, worn laptop, covered in stickers of varying quality. Some had clearly been recently applied, while others were scuffed to the point of being unrecognizable.

Uzi opened her laptop, booting it out of sleep mode. The bright screen illuminated the dark; the light hit Uzi's optics at just the right angle, blinding her for a moment. She squinted as her optics adjusted, and calmly typed her password into the prompt bar. A mess of icons appeared on her homepage, unorganized and chaotic, though Uzi had no trouble navigating the wreck.

"It's quiet around here," V quietly murmured as she watched Uzi fiddle with the device.

"Is that your way of telling me you're lonely?" Uzi replied, momentarily breaking her laser focus.

"Maybe," V half-heartedly answered.

Uzi sighed as she typed a string of text into a command prompt.

"Guess I should've figured," she exhaled. "You're awfully grabby tonight."

"Is that... bad?" V responded.

Uzi locked up, caught off guard by the question.

"I–I mean, I don't... mind?" she stuttered, trying—and failing miserably—to seem nonchalant. "It's... better than being torn in half, that's for sure."

V's tail flicked into Uzi's view, then out just as quickly as it appeared.

"Yeah..." she muttered, chittering softly as she spoke. "You're lucky you're such a good headrest. Just the right size..."

"I—" Uzi paused; her eyes narrowed. She glanced over her shoulder, glaring at V and her stupid, smug face. "Did you just call me short?"

V snickered, and her grin widened. Her fangs peered out from behind her lips, gleaming in the light from Uzi's laptop.

"Everything is short compared to you!" Uzi barked. "You're frickin' massive!"

"You're short," V playfully hummed.

"I'm not!"

"Are too."

Uzi groaned, clawing at her face.

"You're a frickin' headache," she grumbled.

V only solidified that point in Uzi's mind when she decided to unleash her monster of a tongue, and run it across Uzi's cheek. Saliva stuck to her, dripping down her chin, and making Uzi recoil with disgust. She cried out, pressing her hands against an amused V, whose laughter roared throughout the empty facility.

"Gross! Gross! Fucking gross!" Uzi cried. "What the hell is your problem? Are you a dog?"

V simply laughed, and her tail wagged, thumping against the floor. She scooped Uzi up into her arms, making the shorter drone shout, and rolled onto her back. Uzi was placed onto her chest, soft and furry, not unlike a warm bed. It rose and fell rapidly as she laughed, rocking Uzi about. Uzi was about to belt out a bitter comment along the lines of "it wasn't that funny," but stopped herself as she realized the position she was in.

V's underbelly was unlike the rest of her body. Where her back, arms, and legs were covered in a hard plating, topped with patchy fur, her belly was soft, vulnerable. Her chest plating felt pliable, like it was built out of layers of gel, with a layer of rigid plastic beneath it. It would take nothing more than a well placed kitchen knife to the chest to pierce her core, and snuff her life out. To expose herself to Uzi, to allow her to get so close to such a vulnerable area...

...V—whose programming is animalistic at its very core—was submitting, placing a tremendous amount of unspoken trust upon Uzi's shoulders.

Blush adorned Uzi's display at the thought. V was a hardass, stubborn and closed off. Such a seemingly innocuous gesture had so much weight behind it. Perhaps, after weeks of trying, Uzi had finally begun to chip away at V's shell.

Uzi reluctantly decided to let V's amusement at her expense slide, figuring that the situation she found herself in was well worth the minor aggravation that came from V's lighthearted teasing. She ran her hand through the thick fur that coated V's chest, silky and soft, if not a little muddy.

V's hand descended upon her head, enveloping her metal skull with the palm alone.

"You got quiet on me. Don't tell me you shorted a circuit or something."

Uzi blinked, and met V's gaze.

"Nah, I was just thinking."

"Oh? About what?" V replied, donning a snarky grin as she spoke.

"Something. It's not important."

V raked her claws through Uzi's violet hair, her touch feather light. A soft hum rumbled in her throat, and she tilted her head to the side.

"You sure?"

"Positive," Uzi murmured as she rested her head against V's chest.

As if she'd ever spill her thoughts about V. Not while they had a moment going on, that is. Uzi feared that doing so would, somehow, make V aware of her actions. She would snap out of whatever instinctual trance she was in, and throw Uzi off to the side before returning to the stubborn, thick headed drone she normally is.

"If you say so."

V wrapped her arm around Uzi, holding her tight. Uzi could hear the beat of her core, rhythmically thumping against her chest, accompanied by a faint rumble, not unlike the gentle purr of a cat.

"Y'know... you're not half bad when you're not grumpy."

Uzi absent-mindedly ran her hand through V's fur. The rumble in V's chest and throat subsequently grew louder.

Cute, Uzi thought with a faint smile on her face.

For all V's flaws, and the annoyances that came with them, Uzi couldn't bring herself to hate her. Quite the opposite, actually. Though V got on her nerves at times, Uzi had grown fond of the large drone. And judging by the way V held her close, Uzi has a suspicion V felt the same—or at least, very similarly.

"I'm just not in the mood to eat you right now."

V's tail thumped against the floor, slowly and repeatedly.

"Are you ever in the mood?"

V chuffed, and a grin spread across her face.

"Maybe," she replied. "Why, you offering?"

"You wish," Uzi huffed.

"Maybe I do..." V purred, her grin widening.

"You're weird as hell, y'know that?" Uzi sighed, and cupped V's cheek.

V was far from subtle as she leaned into Uzi's hand, melting into her touch. Her tail thumped faster against the floor, practically wagging with glee. Her purr was loud, deep and gravelly. Her chest rumbled, vibrating Uzi's body. It was strangely calming, despite resting in the arms of beast threatening to eat her.

"Rich, coming from you," V replied. "You little freaks usually run and hide when you see me, but here you are. A little snack, just for me."

"Keep telling yourself that. I, for one, think you like having me around a little too much to suddenly eat me," Uzi snarked. "Can you pass my laptop up? Seeing as you're holding me hostage up here now."

V chuffed, but did as she was asked. She removed her hand from Uzi's hair, and scooped her laptop up off the ground. Uzi took it and muttered a quiet "thanks" before picking up where she had left off before V rudely interrupted her. She rolled onto her back, placing her laptop on her stomach as she worked. V was Uzi's silent audience, watching her work her magic without uttering a word. She lurked over Uzi's shoulder, purring faintly into her audials. Uzi couldn't help but reward her patience with some scratches to her jaw, earning delighted chittering from V, and content thumps of her tail against the floor.

Robo-God, she's so cute it's actually unfair, Uzi thought to herself. Blush dusted her display, faint, but present.

The rational side of Uzi thought of V in the same light as she'd view a cat. Cute in a way that'd make you put your hands together, tilt your head to the side, and go aww in a cartoonish manner. Her outer appearance may seem frightening, with her bulky, almost muscular chassis, littered with scars galore, and her large claws designed for shredding through metal with ease, but she truly wasn't awful once the icy barrier around her began to melt.

V was, essentially, a big cat at her core.

There was, however, a dark side within Uzi. Lurking in the deep crevices of her mind, Uzi realized that she didn't just find V cute; she found V cute. The kind of cute that made her stomach flutter, and her face heat up. The kind of cute reserved for drones of her own species, and not large drones, with furs and scales, who ran through the forest on all fours, and growled at drones they didn't like.

Uzi was considered enough of a freak amongst the townsfolk as-is. A shut-in with no friends, surrounded by a gloomy aura that just didn't mesh well with the rest of the town. She wasn't oblivious to the whispers spread about her name; the rumors of witchcraft and sacrifices.

She wondered, as she lay comfortably on V's chest, if there was some merit to their beliefs. Maybe she really was a freak. And if she was, there was no way in hell V would reciprocate.

Uzi decided not to think about it much further than that, not wanting to ruin what was otherwise a pleasant night with her stupid habit of overthinking. She propped her head up with her arm, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach as V's large, padded hand grazed across her torso, gently rubbing her clothed chest.

It felt hot, suddenly.

From a list of old torrents, ripped years ago by a small group of humans, Uzi picked an anime she had been binging over the past week or so. Something flashy and energetic, with stylish animation to boot. Try as they might, drones couldn't quite capture the essence of human-made anime—much to Uzi's dismay. One point toward humanity, though maybe they deserved a little pity, considering drones triumphed in nearly every other aspect.

They settled in for the night, with V wrapping one arm around Uzi, securing her in place. Upon request, she passed Uzi's bag up, allowing Uzi to pull out the pack of batteries she'd previously been snacking on. Uzi was gracious enough to throw a few to V, who trilled with delight at the taste, before munching on a few of her own as she started the first episode, kicking off the start to a very long night.

Chapter Text

"C'mon dude, it'll be fun!"

Thad wrapped his arm around Uzi's shoulder, pulling her into a friendly—but far too tight—side embrace. He beamed at her, his grin bright, and his emerald green eyes brighter. Uzi couldn't help but tense, feeling less like a comrade among friends, and more like a hostage in the limelight.

She placed her hand over his, removing his arm from her shoulder.

"I already told you, I've got plans for tonight," she replied as she slipped away from the taller, blonde-haired drone.

One of the drones nearby, Thad's friend and her co-worker, scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Like what? All you ever do is hole yourself up in your place and talk to that weird old butcher down the street."

Thad gave the drone in question a glare, a wordless command that made him raise his hands up in mock surrender, and roll his orange eyes.

"Lay off, man," Thad said before he turned to Uzi, his expression softening, and his subtle frown ebbing into a gentle smile as he laid eyes on her.

"You sure you don't wanna come with us tonight? It's just gonna be me and a couple friends. Dinner and drinks on me, and we'll head back to my place for some movies."

Uzi nodded with unwavering certainty, and leaned against a nearby workbench.

"I made a promise," she stated.

Thad shrugged and raised his hands up, relenting after way too many attempts to get Uzi to change her mind.

"Alright, alright," he replied. "Offer still stands. My doors always open for you, if you wanna drop by later!"

Thad nudged Uzi with his shoulder, flashing her a friendly grin.

Uzi rolled her eyes in an endearing manner.

"You're way too pushy, dork," she huffed, and punched Thad's arm with little force.

Thad chuckled, rubbing the spot Uzi punched.

"I'm just looking out for you!"

"I'll be fine," Uzi replied, nonchalantly waving her hand in the air. "I'm not the angsty and emotionally vulnerable teenager I used to be."

Thad playfully shook his head.

"I guess I'm gonna head out with the guys now," he said. "Stay safe!"

He waved goodbye, and was followed by a small group of two or three other drones, all of whom chatted amongst each other.

"Don't get eaten by a pack of wild sentinels!" Uzi shouted as they left, earning a boisterous chuckle from Thad.

"We won't!" Thad replied, before the door to the shop shut behind him.

Uzi, once alone, dropped her friendly façade. The smile she wore, though partly genuine, faded, giving way to the exhaustion that seeped into her systems. Her social battery had been thoroughly killed, and was in desperate need of a good, lengthy recharge.

She sighed, running her hand along her optical display as she pushed herself forward, and drug her feet toward the same exit Thad and his gang left through.

Work was long, tiresome, and seemed to stretch on for much longer than it truly did. Uzi's persistent co-workers did little to help that fact.

Uzi appreciated Thad's attempt at extending a hand, trying to make her feel more welcome in a community that treated her like dirt, but he was way too friendly for his own good. She knew he meant nothing by it, that he was just being inclusive in his own extroverted way, but by the third or fourth side embrace of the day, Uzi was at her wits end. She'd made it clear she already had plans for the night, and there was no way in hell she'd give it up just to hang out with a bunch of frat bros and their girlfriends.

Thad was alright. His friends? Not so much.

The only thing that gave Uzi strength to power through it all were her plans for the night.

Given the fact that it was a Friday, and Uzi had the next two days off, she intended to use her weekend to its fullest.

After a quick stop at her place, grabbing supplies she'd need for the night—a change of clothes, her laptop, some snacks, a blanket, and a bag of prescription strength magnets—Uzi made her usual trek to the outskirts of town.

During the evenings, the forest fell quiet, as the birds settled into their nests for the night. The air cool as always, with a gentle breeze that whistled through the trees, and tickled Uzi's skin. She missed the quiet, the isolation.

Uzi's walk was, as always, relatively unremarkable. She'd dedicated the path to memory by then, having taken the same route dozens of times before in the past. Under the strange, deformed tree that formed a bridge across the forest floor, a left at the rock with deep, claw-shaped marks, a right at the river bend. It wasn't long before her destination came into view, a clearing amongst the trees, where the sun shined through the canopy of leaves.

The mining facility was like a sight for sore optics, as strange as it was to say. It was, essentially, her home away from home. She stepped inside the not-so-abandoned structure and ran her hand along the wall marred with scratch marks. There were more since she'd visited last, a growing collecting of marks intended to ward off curious drones who liked to stick their noses in places they didn't belong.

Or maybe V was just bored, and itching to dig her claws into something.

Speaking of...

"V!" Uzi called out as she rapped her knuckles against a nearby wooden beam. The sound echoed through the empty facility.

"You here?"

A beat passed, and for a moment, the only response Uzi got was the sound of her own voice, fading into the distance. It wasn't long, however, before a faint rumble, akin to a low growl, emanated from the darkness. Uzi could hear skittering overhead, the sound of claws raking across wood and concrete, and wood groaning under excess weight. Yellow, predatory eyes emerged not long after, glowing in the dark, and fixated on her.

The rumbling turned to chittering, which grew louder over time; V was pleased to see Uzi, if the way her tail slowly swayed was anything to go by.

She descended from the support beam she had perched herself upon, slithering down to ground level. Uzi couldn't help but wear a comfortable smile as she watched the large drone step out of the dark and into the light, her movements practiced and graceful. Her mouth was wet with oil, dripping from her chin, and smudged across her fuzzy cheeks; she'd just finished a meal.

"Hey," Uzi greeted calmly, outstretching her arm, and offering a hand to V.

V chirped and her ears perked up. She closed the distance between them, gladly resting her head in Uzi's hand without hesitation. Her yellow eyes fluttered shut, and her tail thumped against the floor.

Uzi gently thumbed V's cheek, earning a warbling purr from the large drone. Like putty in her hands. V leaned further into her hand, chasing her touch. She seemed content for only a moment, before her eyes flickered open again, wide and fixated on Uzi. Her ears pinned back, and her warbling stopped, as though she were caught off guard by something.

V pressed the end of her snout against Uzi's arm, sniffing intently and moving down, until she reached Uzi's chest. She buried her face in the fabric of Uzi's jacket for a moment before moving on, repeating the action as she circled around Uzi. Uzi cocked an eyebrow, ignoring the warm feeling that spread through her body—especially her face.

"Uh, V? What the hell are you doing?"

V's head popped up. Her ears were pinned back, and her eyes were narrow. A growl emanated from her throat, and her tail thumped against the wooden floor.

"Why do you smell like that?" she grumbled, her voice low and threatening.

"Like what?" replied Uzi.

V flared her wings out, fluttering them once before tucking them at her sides. She encroached into Uzi's space, knocking into her, and causing the shorter drone to stumble back.

"You smell funny," V growled.

Uzi involuntarily stiffened; her back hit a support post, effectively cornering her. Digital sweat beads dripped down her display, and her core began to race in her chest.

"F–funny how?" she stammered, internally cursing herself for losing her cool.

It wasn't often—in recent memory, anyway—that V got aggressive around her. It wasn't playful aggression, either. The look in V's eyes was something primal and frightening, and unfortunately, Uzi was on the receiving end of it. She'd forgotten how scary the large drone could be...

It was kinda hot.

Uzi's blush worsened as the thought passed through her processor. Her body felt hot, uncomfortably so, and her core pounded with a mixture of fear, excitement, and mortification. She couldn't look V in the eye, so she glanced down at rotten wood flooring beneath her feet instead.

V wrapped around Uzi, encircling the smaller drone with her large body. Her tail brushed against Uzi's leg; the sharp, metal edge on the end raked against the floorboards.

"You smell like..." V paused, sniffing Uzi once more. "You smell like another drone."

Uzi felt frozen, her joints stiff and unresponsive. Her head was a fogged up mess.

"I–is that a bad thing?" she replied as she weakly shrugged her shoulders. "I–I mean, I'm a–around other drones all the t–time, so..."

"Who!" V barked, gnashing her sharp teeth together.

Her tail slammed down against the floor, and her chest puffed out, punctuating her sudden aggression. Uzi looked up, meeting V's gaze. She felt awfully small beneath her.

"H–hey! Does it matter?"

"They were all over you!" V snarled. "I'll kill them!"

"V! Where the fuck is this coming from! You promised you wouldn't hurt anyone in town!" Uzi shouted, her voice wavering with uncertainty. "Thad was literally just being friendly, he didn't do anything!"

V growled again, baring her fangs.

"He was trying to court you, wasn't he?"

Uzi locked up.

"What?"

"He rubbed his scent all over you. He was trying to court you!" V declared with certainty, and stomped her foot.

Uzi's mind went blank; excitement triumphed over every other emotion cycling through her.

"V..."

V lowered her head and growled softly.

"What?" she bitterly replied.

"...have you been trying to court me?"

V's ears perked up, and a look of surprise washed across her face.

"You didn't know?"

Uzi's jaw dropped. Her knees suddenly felt weak, like they'd buckle out from under her at any given moment. She leaned back against the wooden beam behind her, using it to support her body.

"No I didn't fucking know!" she replied, flailing her hands in the air. "How am I supposed to know!"

"I gave you signs!" V snapped back. "I fed you!"

"I thought you were just being an ass and trying to gross me out!"

"Well I preened you!"

"I thought that was just a normal thing for you!"

"I gave you gifts!"

"So did I! That's just a thing friends do!"

V's ears drooped. She sat down and threw her head back, placing her clawed hand over her face as she groaned with annoyance.

"All my efforts, wasted on an oblivious idiot!" she balked.

Uzi crossed her arms, gripping her sleeves tightly. Her gaze flickered between V and the floor as she collected her thoughts. Her emotions were a mess, running wild and rampant through her. She couldn't think, not with the way her core pounding in her audial processors, and her body burned. Blush enveloped her display, and her face burned brighter than the sun.

Her feelings towards V had worsened over the course of their relationship. What started as simple flickers, mere embers in her core, had ignited into a full, raging fire. Uzi spent so long repressing those feelings, fearing that V would never reciprocate. She was content with the other's presence alone—or, so she told herself. Still, she couldn't shake the butterflies in her stomach, or the passing glances that she stole, and the thoughts that followed.

To hear that V did reciprocate, and was trying to court her had left Uzi shaken in the best way possible. She was speechless, incredibly flustered, and maybe somewhat frustrated that she was too stupid to not notice the signs V was giving.

"V?"

"What now?" V grumbled, sounding more defeated than anything.

Uzi rubbed the back of her neck, and inhaled sharply through her teeth.

"Would you... maybe be willing to give this oblivious idiot a chance?"

V's ears perked up, perhaps the highest Uzi has seen them go. She peered through her claws, staring at the flustered, overwhelmed drone below her.

"You... idiot," she huffed, and lowered her paw. "That's what I've been trying to do."

Her voice was strangely soft, and incredibly gentle, lacking the edge Uzi had become accustomed to.

Uzi smiled and offered a hand to V. V leaned into it, chittering softly as she lowered herself down to Uzi's level. Uzi ran her hand through V's fur, down her neck, and toward her shoulders. V's chittering turned to warbling, and faint clicks. Her wings slowly unfurled, spreading out, and putting her brilliant metallic feathers on full display. They glistened in the light, and rattled faintly.

V's forehead met Uzi's with a soft clink. Uzi cupped V's cheeks, gently thumbing her velvety skin. V's warbling grew louder, and her tail thumped, rhymtically, against the floor.

A notification on her system, a small ping in the corner of her view, briefly tore Uzi away from the moment. She turned her attention to it, fully ready to dismiss the alert, assuming it was some unimportant system notification, before having read the caption it was given.

Pairing Request.

Uzi hesitated, hovering over the dismiss button. Her curiosity had been piqued, her interest snatched up. She opened the alert, and was greeted with nothing but a few words.

SERIAL DESIGNATION V-X00100000 has requested to pair to your system. Accept? [Y/N]

Uzi felt her breath catch in her throat. She turned her attention away from the pop-up, and fixated on V's expectant look.

"Do– do I accept?"

V simply nodded, before adding a quiet "if you want to."

Uzi nodded back, and returned her attention to the prompt. She hovered over the accept button, hesitating for a moment that felt far too long in her mind.

Accept? [Y]

Request accepted.

System successfully paired to user SERIAL DESIGNATION V-X00100000

On the left side of Uzi's HUD, where all her systems vitals resided, a flicker of warm yellow caught her eye. Contrasting the twilight hues of her display, a new tab appeared, labeled with V's name. It displayed her vitals—battery charge, core temperature, oil reserves, stress levels, the works. Below that was a small snippet of information, V's make and model, her factory ID, her manufacturer, and her relation to Uzi.

Mate.

Uzi's core lept in her chest. Her gaze refocused, fixated on the yellow eyes staring her down like a piece of meat. V donned a wolfish grin, wide and toothy, as she licked her oily chops. A faint clicking, and a soft warbling, emanated from her.

"Mine."

V lept forward, and sank her fangs into the scuff of Uzi's jacket. Before she knew it, she was hoisted into the air, and carried into the darkness. V's paws pounded against the wooden floor as she dashed through the facility, weaving between machinery long abandoned, and wooden posts left to rot; she ran with clear intent, climbing high, and through the large, dusty ventilation shafts.

Though Uzi tried asking questions at first, anything to understand what V had in mind, it was clear that her attempts were futile. V was focused and unresponsive, not helped by the fact that she was carrying Uzi in her mouth. Uzi's confused shouts died off relatively quick, and she accepted the ride V was taking her on.

Within only a few minutes, they arrived at the generator room. It was the only room in the facility that was bathed in a gentle glow, thanks to the fairy lights strung up along the ceiling. Compared to the rest of the facility, dank and dusty, with an ever present smell of rot and mildew, the generator room was the closest thing that could be considered home.

V descended from her perch, Uzi in maw, and bounded toward her nest. With a surprising amount of care—considering the drone behind the action—V set Uzi down into the pile of twigs, fabric, and assorted other filler items. Uzi, now seated, could only stare up in awe at the drone that proudly towered above her. She bowed, fanning her wings out, and rattling the feathers once more. The clicking emanating from her grew louder, more frequent.

There was something off about it; her clicks and warbling felt less gentle, more demanding. She was asking something of Uzi, waiting for her answer. Her gaze had gained an edge, sharp and hungry, like Uzi was her prey.

As V went through her display, staring at Uzi expectantly, Uzi's attention was momentarily drawn back to her HUD. A faint ping signaled a change to V's status, then another. Another, and another. Uzi turned her focus to the information tab, finding one string sitting on top of the others. She'd missed it during her initial glance, though she was certain it wasn't there when she looked the tab over.

Another faint ping, and another. The number rose steadily, and Uzi's eyes widened in realization.

V's libido was rising, demanding attention. And if the way she was staring at Uzi, panting softly with her mouth slightly agape and her tongue hanging freely, was anything to go off of, then she was horny as hell.

Shit. Uzi felt a pang of heat surge through her. That's really hot.

Uzi bit down on her lip, idly chewing on it as she eyed V up and down.

She had shame, once. Though, she supposed that was thrown out the window the moment her feelings toward V shifted from platonic to... something more. She had come to accept the fact that she was a freak, plain and simple. And if she was a freak, she might as well embrace it, and enjoy it to its fullest.

Blush adorned Uzi's display, creating a soft purple glow on her face. She held out her hands, offering an embrace to V.

"C'mere you."

V's ears perked up, and a pleased click emanated from her throat. She rose from her bow and pounced, throwing Uzi onto her back. Her tail wagged—not swayed, wagged—brushing against the old flooring, and she chittered loudly.

"Finally," she groaned. "I've been waiting for this forever."

Uzi smirked and cupped V's cheeks, gently pulling her head down.

"You horny little shit; how long were you trying to fuck me for?"

"Beginning of spring," V replied, her voice lower than usual. It was almost a growl, thick and gravelly.

"That's two weeks," Uzi huffed, and ran her thumbs along V's skin. "Robo-God V... If I'd known, I would've said something a lot sooner..."

Before V could reply, Uzi snaked her arms around V's neck and yanked her down into a kiss. Silicone lips met V's distended, snout-like mouth. Awkward, given the unconventional shape, but Uzi made it work.

V tensed above Uzi, caught off guard by the action. Despite her stiff posture, she made no effort to escape or pull away. It wasn't long—with some minor guidance from Uzi—before V seemed to catch on. Her stiff posture melted away, her chest pressed against Uzi's. She leaned hard into the kiss, growling softly. Her lips parted, fangs bared, and her tongue lolled out of her mouth.

Uzi got a face full of thick slobber and oil. She broke out of their impromptu kiss, sputtering and spitting out the slobber that had trickled into her mouth. The taste of oil clung to her tongue, acrid and prominent.

V took the opportunity handed to her without hesitation; with her mouth unguarded, Uzi felt V's thick and slimy tongue worm its way inside. It coiled around her own tongue, caressing it as it explored uncharted territory. Uzi, helpless under V's weight, simply groaned into the kiss turned tongue-fuck. Her hands, desperate to latch onto anything, gripped V's fur with a vice.

V's tongue didn't just stop at a light exploration of Uzi's mouth. Once satisfied, having run past every crevice available, Uzi could feel V's tongue slip deeper. Down her throat it went, forcing another groan from Uzi as she squeezed her optics shut. It felt odd, having her throat filled in such a way, but Uzi couldn't say she hated it.

A feeble, muffled groan escaped from Uzi, swallowed by V's mouth, and her incessant, possessive growling. Her claws raked across the fabric of her nest, gouging holes into the white sheet that covered it, while her hind legs sought purchase against the rotten wood floor. Her hips bucked into the air, accompanied by predatory snarling, of which Uzi could feel the vibrations in V's throat and chest as they pressed against her body, and pinned her to the ground.

V broke away, retracting her long tongue from Uzi's mouth. Saliva bridged them together, clinging to Uzi like glue before dribbling away onto her jacket. Together, they vented breathlessly, their exhales ragged and heavy. Another growl broke from V's voice module, heavy and static, as her large, clawed hands found purchase on Uzi's hips. They dug into her sides, running along the area where her jacket rode up, and exposed her waist.

"Mmph— V—" Uzi squeaked.

V pressed her head into the crook of Uzi's neck; her warm breath tickled Uzi's skin, and made her blush furiously. Her claws, which raked across Uzi's rubbery sides, pressed harder. Uzi could feel them pierce her skin, the sensation no worse than a mere pinch. Where fear should be, Uzi found enjoyment instead. The sensation of her own warm oil trickling down from freshly opened wounds, and the feeling of V's claws digging deeper into her sides made Uzi feel more alive than she'd been in a while.

It was wrong, but if that was the case, Uzi didn't want to be right.

"Uzi—" V growled, her voice breathy and gravelly—more so than usual.

She bucked her hips into the air again, and her tail slammed down against the floor. Her claws slid down, along Uzi's smooth chassis, until they reached her shorts. They reached under the band, sliding down between the fabric and Uzi's hips, and with a little effort on V's behalf...

Rip.

Uzi's shorts came off, torn in two uneven halves, and haphazardly discarded by the beast that ruined them. Underneath, Uzi's wet, lubricated port throbbed with desire. V's heavy breaths turned to panting, desperate and wild. Her hind legs jerked and dug grooves into the floor, and her hips bucked wildly into the air.

"Breed," V snarled into Uzi's audial receptors. "I need to breed you."

Uzi's core soared; she felt disconnected from her body, like her entire experience was nothing more than a dream. The pain of V's claws digging into her sides kept her grounded, tethered to the reality she was living in, and assured her that she was wide awake.

Having a possessive beast trap her, and beg her to breed her, while marking her body up and down... Uzi's head was spinning. She'd never been more turned on in her life.

"Please," she shamelessly croaked as her hands gripped V's fur. "Mess me up..."

V growled in response, her teeth bared and pressed against Uzi's neck. She lifted Uzi's lower half up with one hand, and braced herself with the other. Uzi could feel something prod her access port, wet and slimy. Her core stuttered in her chest, and her body braced involuntarily.

In one thrust, rough and quick, V sheathed herself deep inside of Uzi. Uzi breathlessly gasped, feeling as though the wind had been knocked right out of her. V was—as to be expected—big. She was girthy, and long, and stretched Uzi out to a painful degree.

The writhing appendage wormed its way inside of Uzi, traveling deep into her, as its dull barbs rubbed against Uzi's walls. It was aggressive and forceful, pushing aside vital components to make room for its size, and even, Uzi's walls hugged it like a sleeve. Her stomach bulged and contorted, oh-so kindly distending to make room for the thick intrusion.

Uzi thought she knew what she was getting into when she accepted V, and even then, she managed to be surprised.

"S–shit—" she choked, her voice hoarse and quivering, as though on the verge of tears. "V–V, g–gimme a sec—"

V pulled out, and for a moment—only a moment—Uzi thought she had listened to her request and obliged. Her teeth, which had only grazed Uzi's neck prior, suddenly pierced her shoulder through her jacket. Her fangs went deep, slicing through plastic casing and metal struts, severing wires and cables. Oil gushed from the wound, trickling down Uzi's shoulder and V's chin. Uzi cried—screamed into the air—as V thrust back in. And out, and back in.

The experience, the sensations, were somehow as pleasurable as they were painful. Uzi got some sick thrill out of being used like she was, and took pleasure in the pain that coursed through her circuits, no matter how much it hurt. She cried, babbled incoherently as V fucked her wild and raw, her pace erratic and rough.

"V!" she'd howl, her voice quivering furiously.

Uzi's body burned and trembled, hopelessly rocking beneath V. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and soon enough, began to steadily stream down her face. Try as she might, she couldn't get them to stop.

V held Uzi's tightly, embracing her with one arm. Her claws dug into Uzi's back, the tips pressing against Uzi's half-clothed skin without breaking it open. She growled, and snarled, and panted into Uzi's shoulder, with a few whines interspersed throughout. She was relentless, and unforgiving, determined in her goal to breed Uzi. Uzi was helpless, nothing more than a toy for the monstrous drone—prey. She'd be full of beastly code by the end of the night, and for some reason, the thought was oddly tantalizing to her.

Uzi was, by no means, helpless. She was capable, and very much enjoyed being in control. Beneath V—big, strong, and dominant V—something changed; something hardwired in her head, like the flip of a switch. The thought of letting go, forfeiting her self control and placing it in the hands of V excited her in ways she couldn't even begin to comprehend. It made her stomach twist into knots, and her chest burn bright. No thoughts, no decisions. Only ecstasy.

In V's hands, Uzi knew she was safe. As twisted as it was to say.

V draped her large wings over their bodies, shielding them in their most intimate moment from the outside world. Her tail lashed erratically, and scraped along the floor, as though itching to dig into something.

Uzi hugged V back, burying her face into V's shoulder as she sobbed incoherently. Saliva dribbled down her mouth, pooling on her chin. The knot in her stomach grew tighter; her body felt hotter, and continued to rise in temperature. Her pleased babbling grew more frequent, and her insides began to contract and squeeze around V. It took only one deep thrust, penetrating Uzi and slamming against her fabricator, for the tight knot to suddenly unravel.

Uzi howled as surges of pleasure shot through every circuit in her body. Stars swarm across her vision, and she shook vigorously. Her body stiffened in V's arms as her climax violently ripped through her. V—whether she meant to or not—helped Uzi ride it out, fucking her at the same pace as before, and leaving her a disoriented, limp mess.

But V didn't stop. Her conquest resumed with full steam, her pace not slowing down once. As her climax came to a close, Uzi found the bliss she was in gave way to overstimulation. Her abused port, oversensitive and throbbing, ached from the lashing it took. Her brief moment of ecstasy came crashing down, and Uzi couldn't help but mutter various curses into V's shoulder. She squeezed her optics shut, and let her tears fall down her face.

"Fuck–" she whimpered, her voice no higher than a quivering whisper.

V did not slow down.

Her claws marked Uzi's back, shredding through her jacket, and leaving gashes in her synthetic skin. Hot oil trickled down her back, and stained her jacket. Uzi cried in overstimulated bliss, though her voice box began to glitch and warp, showing signs of excess strain. She supposed it made sense; this was the most vocal she'd been—ever.

Given the heightened, nearly painful pleasure she was in, Uzi barely had time to settle from her last climax before her next one came barreling through. She felt her stomach tighten, and a burst of warmth shoot through her as her walls contracted around V.

Uzi's second climax came quickly, and left her head spinning. And before she could settle, and catch her breath, a third hit not too long after. She was breathless, a drooling and drained mess, limp in V's arms. Her voice box stuttered, and her cries became dampened. She buried her face in V's shoulder, and clung to her frame for dear life.

Following Uzi's third climax, V's thrusts became shallow. Her growls became frequent, and her grip tightened around Uzi. Her hind claws scratched at the floor, and her jaw clenched around Uzi's shoulder. Uzi could feel something hitting her port, and with each shallow yet rough thrust from V, squeeze a little further inside of her. It wasn't long before Uzi's port gave way, stretching just far enough to allow V to sheath herself fully inside of Uzi. Her knot swelled, filling Uzi to the brink, and tethering the two together as V howled into Uzi's shoulder and Uzi sobbed into V's.

Despite her cries, the thought of being stuck to V made Uzi feel warm inside; it was strangely intimate, in a way—the closest they'll ever physically be, bodies tethered together as a testament to their deeds.

After a few half-hearted thrusts from V as she shot her load deep into Uzi, she finally tapped out. She removed her fangs from Uzi's shoulder, gently—almost apologetically—lapping at the oily wound with her long tongue. Uzi winced softly, and lay breathlessly beneath V.

"Holy shit..." Uzi croaked as she wiped her hand across her display, clearly the digital tears that had built up. Her voice clearly sounded strained and worn out.

V merely chittered, and nuzzled her head against Uzi's. Uzi returned the favor, and ran her hand through V's messy fur.

"Mine..." V purred softly before adjusting her resting position.

Rather than laying atop Uzi, V rolled onto her back and rested Uzi on her chest. The chilly air hit Uzi's open wounds, causing her to shudder faintly. V certainly did a number on her, marked her good. She'd have to deal with the mess later, when she wasn't stuck in the arms of a clingy beast.

"Fuck, V..." Uzi exhaled. "I'm exhausted..."

V ran her oily tongue along Uzi's cheek. A gentle, soothing gesture.

"Rest," she softly replied. "You did great."

"Yeah? You weren't too bad yourself..." Uzi bashfully mumbled, as if she had any semblance of shame left.

She rested her head down on V's soft, pillowy chest as V raked her claws through Uzi's hair. As the excitement wore off, her climax slowly tapering off, Uzi quickly realized just how sore she felt. Her body ached, and the multiple cuts across her chassis, and the bite in her shoulder—especially the bite—burned. She didn't regret it, her choice of the night, no. The pleasure certainly triumphed over the pain in the end.

"Could've warned me about the knot though," Uzi murmured, suppressing a wince as she attempted to readjust herself.

"Do you... not have one?"

"I mean, last I checked—which was... like, forever ago in basic mechanics—no."

V huffed.

"You're strange."

"Says you," Uzi retorted, and raked her hands through V's chest fur. "Ten tons of fur and metal..."

From there, the conversation lapsed into a natural and comfortable silence. V's purring, thick and noisy, acting as white noise, keeping things from growing too quiet. With her head against V's chest, Uzi could feel the vibrations of her purrs, rumbling deep within her.

It was soothing.

Uzi's optics, heavy and dim, fluttered shut. She rested in a limbo between unconsciousness and consciousness, aware enough to feel the aches of her body, and V's fur as it tickled her cheeks. For a moment, Uzi lay mostly motionless, breathing softly, and relishing V's surprisingly gentle touch. Their moment could have lasted hours—days, even—and Uzi wouldn't have complained.

For as comfortable as she may have been, however, all good things come to an end eventually.

Without warning, V suddenly pulled her shaft out of Uzi, exiting with a wet, noisy pop. The silence was scattered by a breathy gasp, drawn from Uzi's lips. She stiffened, realizing how empty she felt without V inside of her.

"V–V—!" she hissed, her voice wavering. "W–warn me next time!"

V calmly shushed her, and lifted Uzi off her chest. She held her like a stuffed toy, or a ragdoll, with her claws—only one set—around Uzi's waist. Her other hand lifted Uzi's tattered, oil stained jacket, exposing her scarred back to the world.

"W–what are you—"

Again, V shushed her.

"I need to tend to your wounds," V murmured; Uzi could feel her hot breath against her wounds.

Uzi opened her mouth to reply, but only managed a choked gasp. V pressed her tongue along the various marks on Uzi's back, slowly running the slimy appendage over the area, and applying an overkill amount of saliva. Though it stung at first, an unpleasant burn through her chassis, the sting quickly faded. An acute, tingly numbness took its place, like pins and needles against Uzi's back. Not the most pleasant sensations, but it was certainly leagues better than the itchy burn.

Once satisfied with her application of saliva, V moved on to Uzi's sides. The scrapes were considerably smaller, and didn't hurt nearly as bad as the ones on her back. In turn, V didn't spend nearly as long applying her magical saliva as she did with Uzi's back. In a way, it sort of tickled.

With Uzi's sides numbed and sopping wet, V allowed Uzi's jacket to fall back down around her torso. She did a quick glance over, as if inspecting her work.

"How is that?"

"Better," Uzi replied.

"My saliva should stop the bleeding. Just don't move around a lot."

"Mmhh, wasn't planning on it," Uzi mumbled. "Look at you, all concerned about my well-being..."

V laid down on her back, and placed Uzi onto her chest. Uzi did not hesitate to make herself comfortable, snuggling up in V's thick fur.

"Like it or not, you're my mate now," V replied, her tone carrying an air of playfulness in it, with a dash of pride. "I need to make sure you're in good condition to carry my pups."

"Could've had me fooled," Uzi teased. "Y'know normally you don't wanna cut— pups?"

Uzi did a double take, then a triple take.

She heard that right, right?

V proudly nodded, confirming Uzi's belief.

"Spring is when mating season happens," she explained. "And since I mated you..."

Hot, but also what. Uzi didn't like how conflicted she felt on the matter.

"I thought that was just some kinky shit like in those fanfictions I read! I didn't think there'd be consequences!"

Why did she like the idea of consequences? The risk factor, the thrill. It generated a buzz in her circuits, and that buzz refused to die. Just one more layer to the already complex maze that was her relationship with V, Uzi supposed.

V rolled her eyes, and chuffed softly.

"There's no guarantee you're carrying," she replied, before a wide grin spread across her face, and her eyes flickered to a golden cross spanning the width of her display.

"I could change that, though. I could put so many pups in you..."

Uzi's display lit up in a brilliant purple light show, her blush casting a gentle glow across V's silver fur. Her core fluttered in her chest, and she hated it.

"Yeah, no," she hastily shot the idea down as she pushed V's face away from her own. "You're using a condom from now on. I literally cannot afford to feed your ass and a bunch of little hybrid freaks."

V's ears drooped; she rolled her eyes and huffed softly.

"Killjoy," she muttered.

"You'll live," Uzi replied and gently kissed the tip of V's snout.

Faint lines of blush appeared on V's display, shining in a brilliant gold. She ran her paw along her snout, and bashfully looked away from Uzi.

Stupid cute beast and her stupid cute face... How can she fuck me raw and still get flustered over a stupid kiss?

Uzi couldn't help but crack a warm smile, and giggle softly. She nuzzled her head against V's chest, relishing the feel of her silky fur.

"Robo-God, you're a frickin' dork..."

V's ears perked right back up, and her blush only seemed to worsen. Her tail wagged, thumping against the floor once more. Her hands came up, reluctantly resting against Uzi's back, and bringing her into an embrace. She lowered her head down, nuzzling it against Uzi's as she purred softly.

"I hate you..." she muttered, with no venom or edge in her tone. If anything, her purring sharply contradicted her words.

"I know," Uzi hummed as her optics fluttered shut.

"Love you, too, you big idiot..."