A Heart in the Machine (Serial Designation V x Reader)

The next day begins as usual—or at least, as "usual" as life in the bunker ever gets. The overhead speakers blare the standard morning announcements in their crackling monotone, and the dim lighting of your room hums to life as your system finishes rebooting from sleep mode. You sit up, disconnecting yourself from the charging dock, and sigh softly, already feeling the weight of another monotonous day ahead.

You head to the workshop, where your tasks for the day await. A faulty panel in one of the pipelines has been flagged for maintenance, so you grab your toolkit and make your way to the designated area. It's not far—just another narrow corridor filled with the omnipresent sounds of whirring machines and distant murmurs of activity. You kneel beside the panel, tools in hand, and begin to work.

But as you tighten a bolt and test the connection, your thoughts drift, much like they did the day before. The questions you couldn't shake last night bubble back to the surface. Is this all I am? Just a fixer? A spare pair of hands in this endless maze of metal? The thought gnaws at you, and you hesitate mid-turn, staring blankly at the panel.

You glance around at your surroundings, the same lifeless corridors, the same hum of machinery. There's nothing here. Nothing personal, nothing meaningful. No memories, no keepsakes. Just maintenance, day after day. If that's all I'm here for... why am I even trying so hard?

Your grip tightens on the wrench in your hand, and your gaze falls to the ground. The silence in your own mind is deafening now, a weight pressing down on you. You feel your chest tighten—a creeping sense of emptiness taking hold. For the first time in a while, the pressure feels unbearable. You sit back on your heels, wrench slipping from your fingers to clatter against the floor, and bury your face in your hands.

A quiet voice breaks through the fog.
"Что ты делаешь здесь один? (What are you doing here alone?)"

You flinch, startled, and glance up to see Doll standing a few feet away, her piercing gaze fixed on you. Her expression is unreadable, though her head tilts slightly in what could be curiosity—or judgment.

"Oh, uh... just... working," you manage to reply, rubbing the back of your neck and trying to mask your spiraling thoughts. "What about you?"

She doesn't answer immediately, stepping closer. "Мне нужна твоя помощь. (I need your help.)" Her tone is calm but firm, leaving no room for hesitation.

You blink, caught off guard, but nod automatically. "Sure. What's wrong?"

Doll gestures for you to follow, her movements quick and purposeful as she starts down the corridor. You grab your tools and scramble to catch up. The further you walk, the quieter and darker the corridors become. She doesn't explain where you're going or what she needs, and the absence of light grows more unsettling with each step.

Your boots echo softly in the unlit passage as you trail behind her. "Uh... where exactly are we going?" you ask, your voice bouncing off the cold walls.

She glances over her shoulder, her glowing eyes cutting through the shadows. "Ты увидишь. (You'll see.)"

Something about the way she says it sends a shiver down your spine. But, as always, you push down your hesitation. Helping is what you do, after all. It's what you're here for... right?

And so, with a faint unease growing in the pit of your stomach, you follow Doll deeper into the shadows.

The corridor grows darker and colder the deeper you follow Doll, the occasional flickering light above casting unsettling shadows on the walls. Strange noises echo faintly in the distance—metal creaks and dull thuds, followed by an occasional drip of water. As you pass one particularly large puddle, your foot splashes into it, and you freeze, half expecting something to rise out of the darkness.