Null Protocol || Ramattra x Reader

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"I had an idea for your warbots," (Y/n) started, cutting off when Alma walked over with a bag of delicious food.

(Y/n)'s stomach growled and she flushed as Alma laughed, patting the hand (Y/n) used to grab the bag good-naturedly. "Enjoy, sugar." The familiar nickname made her mind drift back to her parents for a beat, thoughts of home almost melancholy despite not being gone all that long. "You and your boyfriend come back any time." Alma returned to her dishes as Huck poked his head through the window to wave a goodbye, ever friendly as (Y/n) stammered out a goodbye. 'Boyfriend' was such a domestic term to describe Ramattra, and it pulled a giggle from her as they left the diner.

"What?" He tilted his head as if raising an eyebrow at her behavior.

"My boyfriend didn't want to correct her?"

"There was no need to correct something so trivial." He didn't admit he was busy studying her hands to make sure they could handle carrying the bag just fine.

"Dating me is trivial?" Some of her joy died, and he rolled his head as he debated how to rephrase that.

"It was mildly inaccurate and causing a scene over something such as that would be a waste of time."

"'Mildly inaccurate'?" He twitched at her curious gaze, guiding her towards the nearest supermarket while keeping his chin up.

"I understand how she came to such a conclusion so I decided to leave it. You are turning this into a much bigger deal than it truly is, human."

"You had that whole conversation to correct her, ya know." She peeked into the bag to see the still steaming burger and fries she ordered, mouth watering at the thought of finally getting to eat.

"As did you." He leveled his gaze on her but she pointedly kept her nose in the bag. "Or is keeping such secrets part of 'southern charm'?"

"I ain't wanna embarrass her. They was lovely folks, and honestly, what did ya expect when I'm wearing your scarf and you're buying me food and you're touching me like you can't be close enough and you look at me like that?" Her words tapered off at the end, nerves reducing her to silence as she shrunk back into her scarf.

He leaned down, face plate almost close enough to brush her lips. "Like what?" Her breath hitched, any hope of getting a reply out long gone as he pinned her with a look that made her heart skip in her chest and her stomach flutter with butterflies. It was impossible to describe how an omnic could look completely smitten with the object of their attention – maybe it was in the intensity of his bright blue optics attuned to her every movement, or the inclination of his head towards her like she owned every bit of his attention, or the way he hunkered over her like he was physically shielding her with his body without even realizing it, or the way his hand never left her back like he wanted any excuse to touch her – but that's what this was, and he was looking straight at her.

(Y/n) struggled to find the words, nothing but gibberish leaving her lips as they brushed against his face plate, making her freeze in place as her eyes flickered over his expression. His head tilted down, optics falling to her lips for a moment, and she bit her bottom lip as she waited for his reaction. "It was an accident," she mumbled, the words shaky as he kept his hand against her back so she couldn't flee.

"Shame." Ramattra remained there a beat, but when she only nervously evaded his gaze, something over her head grabbed his attention. She caught sight of what looked like a Talon soldier before Ramattra stood to his full height and pushed her into the supermarket, guiding her down the aisles to help her find food to bring back to the ship. Her brain lagged whilst trying to catch up to what was happening, her feet clumsily taking her through the mart as she ran over what just happened and why she felt so disappointed. And why did he say 'shame'? Her mind whirled with questions even as they left the mart and headed back towards their waiting ship, his hand busy holding one of two bags of groceries so it was no longer on her back, and she found she missed the comforting press of the metal.