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Many Worlds, One Murderbot

Chapter 5: (Platonic) Soulmates AU

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The first time Dr Mensah sees me without my armour, it’s because I’m in my cubicle and trying not to ooze everywhere. She looks shocked, but I can put that down to the mess I left on the floor. I promise her I’ll clean it up when I’m back to full capacity, but she doesn’t look comforted.

Instead she says, “What’s that on your shoulder?”

I don’t know what she’s talking about, but I angle it towards her. I know there’s a weird mark on the skin there that grows back even when the flesh is destroyed, but I don’t have a lot of say in what my organic parts do. If I did, I wouldn’t be such a mess. After she apologises and leaves, I don’t think anything more of it.

Not until later - months later, when I’m extracting her from TranRollinHyfa. She’s shaking as we traverse the access backbone, navigating gravity changes along the way. At the end of it, I allow her a hug. It’s not terrible. And while she’s clinging to me, I see on her shoulder: a mark that looks just like mine.

I know about soul marks from my media. I know what a soulmate is. I have never heard of a SecUnit having one. Why would we? It doesn’t make sense.

I don’t know what to do. She knew, and she didn’t tell me. She knew, and she didn’t use it to make me stay. 

I’ll figure it out later. 

If we live.

Notes:

Neveralarch, you had so many suggestions for AUs that I couldn't pick just one. I didn't have time to flesh them all out, but I hope you will accept this offering of snippets.