Chapter Text
Grace Howard wanted to unravel every layer of Billy.
Which, she realised, what was she always wanted to do from the beginning. But now? Now it was... personal. A yearning more than a curiosity.
It was slowly becoming a craving.
She wanted to explore every inches of his rugged steel, every node of his sharp wits, every little part hidden away under his metallic skin.
She had never felt anything as strong before, and she absolutely knew what she wanted and why she wanted that.
Because that spiky-haired Android was currently explaining the intricate differences between the version of the Starlight Knight movie she had never seen with such passion, it entranced her.
He was a dork. She wanted him to be her dork.
Kind, caring... She still felt his hand in her hand, the way he hugged her, the leathery smell of his jacket and the subtle thrumming of his machinery.
Is this how it felt like to be in love? She had to apologise to some people. This was intoxicating.
She drank from her can, the beer still fresh as the party was buzzing around. Camelia week had ended, and Lycaon, the imposing head of Victoria Housekeeping, had decided to thank the Proxies Twins by quickly putting together this little gathering. The food had been excellent, and the party was slowly coming to an end.
Oh, and Billy and his team were Hollow Riders, which was not that surprising to begin with.
What was a surprise had been that they were working together on this heist. What a delightful coincidence. Almost enough to distract her from the splendid relics she had to fight in this ancient Hollow. Almost.
And his line of work explained why his joints were so messed up, she had seen the size of his guns. The recoil from such calibers was wearing and tearing his articulations apart. Especially with his trigger happy attitude.
Which was, admittedly, very impressive.
"... And that's why those six seconds matter so much! It completely change the way we can interpret the core message of the movie, you see?"
Oh, yeah. She needed to focus on his conversation and not how his jacket opened in the wind as he dashed between Etherals and robots.
He still smelled of gunpowder.
"I think... I'll need to see the movies myself?"
"Oh! You're right! Maybe we could rent it soon? I'll see with Belle."
Grace looked to her left and saw Belle with the biggest shit-eating grin she ever saw. She heard everything, didn't she? The mechanic had the decency to blush a little had the proxy winked, already putting a tape in a bag for Billy.
Was... Was she that obvious?
Suddenly aware of that was happening, she looked around and meet the eyes of Anton. He was talking with her sweet sister, who turned her back on her in a pose she knew too well.
Arms crossed, back straight, she could already imagine the look on her face.
Her dear little Koleda was peeved. Which was adorable, and confirmed that Billy and her were probably the only one who didn't saw what was happening.
Anton reassured her by giving her a thumb up and a wink before talking to his boss once more.
Billy came back with the tape carefully packed and mirth in his eyes. She quickly focused back in him, smiling.
Both began to talk earnestly once more, enraptured in their own little world, finding a time for them to meet once more.
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"Anton, are they still going at it?"
Anton downed a fair portion of his beer to avoid smiling. This whole situation was... Kind of hilarious. Completely unexpected, yes, but he was totally silently cheering
"What you mean, boss? Going at what?"
He wasn't blind, of course. But rare were the time he could witness his boss being all... Well, kind of jealous? So he was going to enjoy it.
"Being all... Mushy and... stuff."
Anton watched as Grace leaned forward with a dashing smile, looking at the box of a freshly rented tape. He saw the Android genually shiver as she leaned closer.
"Oh, yeah absolutely. He just rented a movie for them. You don't like him?"
"What!? No! It's just so... weird seeing her like that. I mean..."
Grace Howard, resident genuine and antisocial of their company. It was a little jarring, he had to admit.
"I know what you mean, she's actually yearning so hard for that AndroidIthat I can feel it from here. But she got taste, bro got a cool jacket."
"... The jacket's cool."
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"Nicole, are you seeing this?"
Nicole was, indeed, seeing this. Not because she was as dumbfounded as their newest member, but because she could smell... Opportunity.
She was not going to use Billy as a way to gain brownie point from the extremely promising yet chaotic group that was Belabog Heavy Industry but...
Well, it's always good to know some people.
"Have you looked at her? This dolt practically have her wrapped around his little finger! How?!"
She looked at Nekomata with a smug smile, amused by how shocked the cat Thiren was.
If anyone was capable of charming a girl like that mechanic by simply fumbling around and being cute, it was Billy.
Good for him. She was proud.
Now she needed to make sure to have their numbers and test the water for a joint gig...
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Ben Bigger towered above the gathering, enjoying the warm atmosphere and the feeling of a job well done. That Lycaon fella and his team were pros, and he could appreciate that.
The bear Thiren was currently enjoying the last bit of his caviar toast in peace, next to a small a silent girl. Both of them enjoyed the rare moment of calm away from all the talk. Enjoying their meal.
Even if he had to admit, he wondered how that girl could eat a burger that big without spilling any of it.
"They make a cute couple. But they aren't going to kiss yet."
Quite the weird statement to make.
He looked down at... Anby! Anby was her name. Then he looked at the couple that got everyone talking. Grace Howard, huh? He never thought he would see the day she got interested in anyone.
Good for her.
"Oh? And... Why is that?"
"There need to be a dramatic moment first, something that make them realise they got no time to lose. And then they kiss."
"You... You sure about that?"
"The movies don't lie."
"Oh. Alright then."