Reflections (9 Fanfiction)
"You mean....never?"7's voice carried the tone of surprise as she looked up. Her burlap companion continued to gently run the cloth over the cracked bulb of the light staff, cleaning the dust and grime away. At her question, 9 shrugged, shaking his head."I don't remember...I mean, I saw the Scientist's blueprints of, well, me. And, y'know, glances in puddles and stuff. but I don't think I've ever seen me. Like, my actual reflection." He gave a slight tilt of the head, offering a nonchalant smile. "Was just a thought."7 blinked again. They'd just been sharing a quiet, calm conversation, merely enjoying one another's company while the female stitchpunk took a whetstone to her staff, her mate meticulously cleaning his own. But this needed rectifying. Setting her blade down beside her, she got to her feet and clasped 9's forearm tightly, pulling him to his feet."Come here. C'mon," 7 said with a chuckle, pulling on 9's arm and laughing at his bewildered expression. He stumbled after her, giving a light laugh as she lead him towards the largest bedroom in the manor. It was lavishly decorated, and obviously belonged to the once heads of household. 9 often caught himself studying the neatly-framed portrait of the lord and lady, noticing their faint smiles.7 pulled him towards the ladies' side of the room, where the remains of a broken, full-length mirror stood. She let go of her mate's arm, gesturing for him to stand in front of the mirror. Running around to the back of the frame, she grasped it and lifted it slightly, angling it down far enough for 9 to look into it. The female stitchpunk grinned before giving it a final adjustment, and 9 couldn't help but blink in surprise when he saw someone else looking right back at him.His brows raised, and the stranger's did too. Well, of course he knew he was really looking at himself. But it was...bewildering, to say the least. 9 shook his head lightly, giving a small laugh of wonder as he stepped closer to his reflection. 7 smiled wider as she stepped out from behind the frame. She watched him as he reached forward, touching his fingertips to the glass. They met those of his reflection and he looked back up to meet his own eyes.His eyes.His face.He reached up to touch his cheek, running his fingertips over his rough burlap skin. So. This was it. This was him.He didn't quite know what to think.7 continued to observe from the side, watching him as he studied his reflection. He wore a pensive expression as he moved his hand from his face to the chip in his left optic, falling to trace slightly over his lips, then resting on the scar underneath his neck. She noticed his brow furrow slightly as he kept his fingers over the scar, opening his hand to cover it."Well?" 7 prompted gently. 9 looked over at her, looking like he was struggling to find the right words."I..." 9 began, turning to look back at his reflection, slightly shaking his head before lifting his hands and dropping them. "I have such skinny arms."7 couldn't help but give a burst of laughter. 9 turned his head to look at her again, this time with a slight glare. She covered her mouth, trying to hide her giggles and failing. The male stitchpunk's annoyed expression melted almost immediately as he laughed as well. "But I do! I guess I never noticed, or they never looked this scrawny to me."The young woman rolled her eyes and shook her head. 9 chuckled again and studied his own face. As he did so, his smile faded slightly. 7 noticed his eyes drop to study the rest of his reflection in the mirror. She frowned slightly, noticing that her mate suddenly seemed somber."Well," he said with a slight sigh, "its obvious you didn't fall for my looks." He cast her a lopsided smile, giving a shrug of obviously false indifference.7 responded with a scoff. "Excuse me? And what makes you say that, exactly?" She crossed her arms, raising a brow. 9 faltered, giving a helpless gesture towards the mirror."Well-I...I mean....well..." He stammered, trying to articulate his thoughts and failing. 9 frowned and turned to the side a bit, lifting his hand and resting it over the long, jagged scar cutting down the length of his left side. 7 immediately understood what was bothering him so much and she gave an offended scoff. 9 blinked as he looked over to her, brows raised in question."Tell me, 9," She walked over to him, a smile playing on her lips. "You tell me, nearly every day, your thoughts on my appearance. You think I'm beautiful." She said matter-of-factly, facing the young man. 7 closed the space between them, their chests nearly touching. She reached up and rested her hands on his shoulders. He felt heat flare in his face as he tensed slightly. 7 raised her eyes, smirking slightly, before tilting her head and gesturing towards the mirror."Look." She said gently, and 9 turned to look into the mirror. He couldn't help but smile when he saw them standing together. He raised his hands and rested them on her lower back, bringing them closer together. 7 studied them both as well, and as she dropped her gaze to look at her own torso, 9's eyes followed. As he did so, he understood what 7 was trying to show him - they both wore the scars of battle on opposite sides, making them a matching pair. 7 bore three long slashes from the Cat Beast along the side of her thigh, hip, and her forearm."You still think I'm beautiful? Even with my leg? My back? The discoloration around my threads?" 7 asked softly, quirking a brow."Always have, always will." 9 said with gentle sincerity. 7 smirked again, looking back at the male stitchpunk."Then, why can't I think you're handsome? Hmmm? Doesn't sound very fair." She said, assuming a stern look. 9 looked back down at her, a look of slight disbelief crossing his features. 7 stern look faltered at his bewildered expression, and she smiled. She lay her head against his as she lifted her hands and rested her arms across his shoulders."What do you see? What's unique about you?"9 glanced back towards the slightly dusty, cracked glass. "I look like 5.""Tch," 7 scoffed in frustration. "Unique. Okay, look, like...your face is longer than 5's, and your chin is sharper. You're thinner than he is, too," she quipped, earning a chuckle from her mate, "and you have these kind, gentle eyes. This lopsided grin." Her tone softened as she dropped her eyes slightly, a bit embarrassed. "The pattern of your shoulders and chest are different. Some of your collar is burned off. You have big hands...and skinny arms."9 burst into a fit of laughter, shaking his head. 7 joined in as he nuzzled her optics playfully with his own."I told you! And it makes my hands look huge. Now," he shifted his shoulder and moved her arm until he could hold her hand in his own. "I've always liked your hands. Powerful, but lovely. Feminine.""Right. Feminine. Because you've other women to compare to." 7 replied flatly. 9 cast her a cheeky grin before bringing her hand to his lips, giving the back of her hand a kiss. She couldn't hold back her own smile, briefly touching her lips to the corner of 9's mouth. He pulled away from her hand for a moment."D'ya really think I'm handsome?" He questioned with genuine curiosity."Y'know what? No. No, I don't. Never have. 1 is more attractive. Goodness gracious, whatever was I thinking." She replied sarcastically."Awe, cut me to the quick, ya did ma'ham.""Good lord, you're a dork.""Yup."7 dropped her eyes for a moment, dipping her head bashfully. "Y'know, it was your smile I noticed first. You just seemed so genuine, so kind, and I think I knew...that I wanted to get to know you. This," she moved her hand, resting gently over the scar on his side. "And this," she lay her fingers over the scar on his chest, "are just reminders of what we faced, and made it through together. Nothing more."9's grin grew even wider as he regarded the lovely woman before him - his 7. He moved his hands from her lower back, instead wrapping his arms around her and holding her to his heart. She rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and heaving a content sigh. He affectionately patted her back, taking a moment to run his hands over the dark red patch, most of her number torn away. He remembered when he'd first noticed it, the scar usually concealed by the feathers hanging from her skullmet, but he'd been too shy to ask anything. When she'd told him what had happened, it only reiterated to him how strong the warrior was...and how utterly head-over-heels he was for her.The thought made him chuckle again, earning a "what is it?" from 7. Though, he could hear the smile in her voice."Ah, I was just thinkin'," he murmured, a content smile on his lips. "I've always thought your scars made you look...fierce. An unstoppable force. And just...beautiful.""Hmmm. You're pretty tough yourself, fella." She replied softly, smirking before pressing her lips to the red threads sewn through his left shoulder, running her fingers over the scar. Her grin grew wider when she could feel him tense slightly, plainly trying to remain relaxed only to be betrayed by the obvious hammering of his heart. 7 found great enjoyment out of making her mate as flustered as possible. Both were still a bit new to this whole persuasion, and her chaste, mischievous flirting almost never failed to make him a stuttering, clumsy mess."N-now who's being unfair?" 9 mumbled, trying to stave off his embarrassment. 7 snickered from over his shoulder, turning her head slightly to press a kiss to his jaw. He made an annoyed noise. He had to get better at hiding his chagrin.7 turned her head back towards the mirror, wearing a satisfied grin. 9 followed suite, pulling back his hands to instead hold her forearms and standing straighter. They both gazed into their reflections, standing as the lord and lady in the photograph did. However, their smiles were wide as they studied themselves, seeing what they looked like together."Y'know what? I think we make a pretty good pair." 9 quipped as he observed the mirror. The happy couple inside gazed back. Happy. They were happy, and despite the battles they'd fought, the scars marring their bodies, they were there together. His thoughts towards the cut across his side, or over his heart, weren't completely forgotten, but the young woman had been right. They now only signified how strong their bond was, making everything they'd been through worth it."We do." 7 agreed, leaning forward and resting her head against 9's marked chest. "I've always thought so."
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