BOOM!

An explosion vibrated through the cold sky, with a deafening sound that would trigger anyone’s PTSD. Smoke, fire, and metal blades burst from her as she was sniped out of the sky like a bird struck by a stone. The smoke trailed behind as she dropped, plummeted, and crashed miles away. In the end, she survived, but that didn’t take away from the devastating blow she had received.

While she was able to heal most of her wounds, her wings were blackened with exploded gunpowder. The only one on the team was you, left behind while progress was made, taking out Worker Drones. J would stumble back to the pod and, hesitantly, ask for assistance, despite herself. At least, for her, she eased her ask with clever phrasing.

J sat silently, curled in a ball on the metallic table inside the landing pod. Her digital gaze avoided yours as the quiet scrubbing of her wings filled the silent space… well, save for the snow blowing outside. Unbeknownst to you, J was… blushing, evident, or lack thereof, by the glowing lines in her optics.

"…Are you done?" J asked, her mind wandering. She tried to understand why she felt that way. Maybe it was the way you brushed her wings, from the blades to the white base, or your looks. She didn’t know. But every time you were near, she always felt warm.