He was already starting to tune out his surroundings in favor of obeying - or, perhaps more accurately, enduring - this latest punishment. They made a great deal of his abilities, how he was "inherently superior", an "example" of the future of men. But that didn't mean he was infallible, or invincible, as today had shown them all too clearly. There was only so long that he would be able to stand on a hamstrung leg. When he fell, he would be punished further, degredation on top of degredation until they were satisfied that he had been sufficiently ground down.
He hoped that they had. That way, they could all stop wasting time.
This wasn't earned, or fair. It just was. But he would still stand as long as he could, no matter how his body protested. Somehow, he got the sense that his counterpart was the only one to properly understand this. Or maybe it was just that he was the only one to give more than a cursory notice.
So he allowed the other man to draw near with no sign of wariness or hostility, as though their fight hadn't just happened and he wasn't still bleeding from the other weapon's knives. He even drew himself out of his haze long enough to look to him and nod, almost companionably, with the barest hint of a smile. There was no sign that he blamed the other man for leaving him in this state, because he didn't. They had both been told to fight, and the other weapon had merely fought better.
"You did well," he said quietly, the words meant for the other man's ears only. The technician in charge heard, but apparently didn't see the need to order him quiet. Maybe just not expecting the man with the metal arm to respond.
He felt the barest flicker of stunned surprise when the other weapon shifted against him, in a way that couldn't have been meant as anything but an offer to take his weight. To refuse would have been proud, but stupid. So he didn't, betraying none of the relief that washed over him at even that faint mercy. He felt almost...safe, like this.
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He hoped that they had. That way, they could all stop wasting time.
This wasn't earned, or fair. It just was. But he would still stand as long as he could, no matter how his body protested. Somehow, he got the sense that his counterpart was the only one to properly understand this. Or maybe it was just that he was the only one to give more than a cursory notice.
So he allowed the other man to draw near with no sign of wariness or hostility, as though their fight hadn't just happened and he wasn't still bleeding from the other weapon's knives. He even drew himself out of his haze long enough to look to him and nod, almost companionably, with the barest hint of a smile. There was no sign that he blamed the other man for leaving him in this state, because he didn't. They had both been told to fight, and the other weapon had merely fought better.
"You did well," he said quietly, the words meant for the other man's ears only. The technician in charge heard, but apparently didn't see the need to order him quiet. Maybe just not expecting the man with the metal arm to respond.
He felt the barest flicker of stunned surprise when the other weapon shifted against him, in a way that couldn't have been meant as anything but an offer to take his weight. To refuse would have been proud, but stupid. So he didn't, betraying none of the relief that washed over him at even that faint mercy. He felt almost...safe, like this.